Chicken Carcass Stock Soup

I always boil up my chicken carcass to make a lovely stock which can be used for soup or in place of a stock cube.

This is my simple soup recipe

1 pint stock
1 pint water
1 tsp dried herbs
1 small onion finely diced
1 large carrot small dice
4 tbsp of orange lentils
1 medium potato small dice
any bits of chicken you have

Put the first 6 ingredients into a pan and bring to the boil, then simmer until the carrot is nearly cooked add in the potato and continue until this is so it will mash against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon, then add in the chicken to heat through.

I prefer this re-heated the next day so the potatoes and lentils seem to meld into the stock making a thicker base.

Leeks can be used instead of onions, and other bits of leftover veggies could quite easily be added at the end if wanted.

CARROT & PUMPKIN SOUP

I had a couple of small pumkins/squashes left in my veg rack which were the size of cricket balls.

so I made up a batch of this soup.

500g tub of hm chicken stock
2 leeks finely diced
small onion finely diced, (used a serving spoon of the precooked)
3 carrots small dice
the said pumpkin small dice
3 tennis ball size potatoes small dice.

sweat off the leeks in a glug of oil, add in the onions, carrots and pumpkin then add the stock plus the same again of water times 2.

let this all come to the boil then add 2 handsful of orange lentils and the potatoes, bring back to the boil, then turn down to a simmer until the carrots are soft,

Blitz with a whizz stick or similar and serve with pinch fresh ground black pepper and hm chunky bread.

This amount has made 6 x 2 ladel portions. It is a thick soup so can always be watered down further to stretch.

AMISH SUGAR COOKIES

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Beat first four ingredients well, then add eggs.
Mix well.

Add dry ingredients and vanilla.
Drop small ball of dough on lightly greased cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with sugar.
Flatten dough with bottom of a glass.
Bake 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

BANANA FLAPJACK

125g butter or marg
3 tbsp sunflower oil
125g demerara sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 or 2 very ripe bananas
200g porridge

Melt butter, oil, sugar, syrup over a low heat.
Mash your bananas with a fork and add to the pan.
Add the oats and stir well.
Put the mixture in a tin and press down evenly.
Bake for about 20 mins 180C/350F/gas 4.
Let it cool for 10 mins then cut into about 12 flapjacks."

BAILEYS FUDGE

375 g condensed milk
3 1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream

Directions

Line a 12x6 bar pan or slice pan with baking paper.
Heat the condensed milk carefully.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave 30 second bursts, stirring after each burst so it doesn't burn. Add to the condensed milk and then mix in Baileys.
Pour into your lined bar pan and set--leave to cool at room temp or if very warm were you live pop into the fridge to set.

COURGETTE TEABREAD

pre-heat oven to 180c/350f/gas 4
grease a 2lb loaf tin and bottom line with greaseproof paper - make it so it comes up the narrow edges so you can use it to lift it out or line muffin tins with papers

1 large egg
125ml sunflower oil
175g courgettes -trimmed and grated (on large holes)
150g wholewheat flour -i used ordinary
1/2tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarb
1tsp ground cinnamon
175g soft dark brown sugar
75g sultanas
3oz walnuts chopped

tip courgettes and all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well
whisk egg into the oil and pour into dry goods
mix to a thick batter and pour in tin
put in oven for about 1 hr or until a skewer comes out clean..cool in tin for 10 mins before turning out to cool

Can be made into mini muffins and they took about 15 mins a batch and if you let them stand for a few seconds in the tin they firm up and are easier to remove

LEMON & POPPY SEED MUFFINS

330g SR flour
150g sugar
1.5 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
250ml milk75g margarine
125ml lemon juice (bottled stuff)
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients in a bowl

Using a stick blender blend mik juice marge and egg until smooth then stir into dry ingredients

Put into muffin cases

Bake gas 6 for 20mins or until golden