Baked Veggie Pots Recipe - for the longest night of the year

Today is the shortest day and the longest night in the Southern Hemisphere, and we’ll be celebrating the turn towards spring with comfort food, watching a movie, under a duvet J

Why not try this warm and comforting dish tonight? Perfect as a starter or accompaniment to your main meal.

Baked Veggie Pots

Serves 6 – 8 (depending on the size of the dish you bake it in)

You will need

1 Tbls cooking oil

30g butter

1 onion, chopped

2 eggplants, diced

250g mushrooms, diced

1 red pepper, chopped (optional)

1 bay leaf

1 tsp garlic, chopped (optional)

½ cup chicken stock

¼ cup dry white wine (or increase your chicken stock)

2 Tbls sour cream

1 Tbls flour or white onion soup powder

1 tsp fresh oregano or ½ dried oregano

1 tsp fresh thyme of ½ dried thyme

1 Tbls dried chilli flakes (optional)

½ cup grated parmesan

150g mozzarella (or any other cheese) for the topping

How to make it

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy bottomed pan.

Gently fry the onion, eggplants, peppers, mushrooms and garlic in this order until they are nearly cooked.

Stir in the flour or onion soup powder. Add the stock, wine, bay leaf, herbs and chilli.

Simmer until the liquid is almost evaporated.

Add the sour cream. (Add some plain cream for an even creamier version.)

Simmer until thickened.

Add the parmesan.

Season to taste.

Dish into ramekins for a starter or bigger ovenproof bowls as side dish.

Top with grated mozzarella and bake in a pre-heated oven under the grill for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Tip:

-          The beauty of this veggie pot is that you can practically use any veggies and cheese you have in your fridge.

-          For a healthier option, substitute the cream with yogurt.

Real Coffee

The husband and I have just returned from a wonderful road-trip travelling through Slovenia, Italy and Croatia, and what I miss most today are the wonderful espressos. Lazily sipping on an espresso on the promenade doing a spot of people watching was one of our favourite things J

 The promenade in Split, Croatia

 Thick & strong in Mestre, Italy

 Predjama castle, Slovenia

Croissants with Bacon and Green Figs

Spoil Dad on Father’s Day with something sweet and salty that is quick and easy - even the kids can help!

Croissants with Bacon and Green Figs

Serves 4

You would need

4 Croissants, cut in half

3 eggs beaten with dash of salt and pepper

Knob of butter

250 g bacon of your choice

4 Preserved Green Figs

½ cup of grated mature cheddar cheese

How to

Dip sliced croissants into beaten egg on both sides.

Heat butter in pan and fry until crisp and golden.

Fry bacon to crispy in another pan.

Place fried croissants on a plate, sprinkle with cheddar cheese, top with bacon and sliced figs.

Drizzle a bit of the fig preserve syrup over, add a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice or coffee,

and serve him in bed.

Tip: if you don’t have green figs replace it with banana fried in honey and butter.