Cooking with Leeks

The British cook with leeks on a regular basis, and we have learned to love them as well! Here are two of my favourite recipes, both of which contain similar ingredients:

leeks
bacon/ham
eggs
peas
cheese

If you have these ingredients on hand, you will be able to make either recipe.

Leek, Pea and Ham Pasta
Spaghetti noodles
6 oz frozen peas
1 large leek
1 oz butter
4 eggs
5 oz thick slice smoked ham, cut into cubes
3 oz. cheddar of Lancashire cheese, grated

Method:
1. Cook spaghetti noodle al dente
2. Meanwhile, heat butt in small pan. Wash and slice the leek. Add to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes until softened.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and season. Drain the pasta and immediately return to the pan. Tip in the leeks, eggs, ham and half of the cheese. Stir well. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
*I substituted bacon for ham and it was delicious and oh, so easy!

Egg & Bacon Tart
shortcrust pastry (premade)
3 eggs
4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 oz butter
2 cups milk (1/2 pint)
2 tsp ready made mustard
2 oz grated cheddar cheese

Method
1. Preheat oven to 200 C or Gas 6 (around 400 F). Roll out the pastry crust and line the tin. Prebake the crust for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, Dry fry the bacon and leek for 3 minutes until bacon is crisp. Put, butter, flour and milk in a small pan. Bring slowly to a boil, whisking until thickened. Simmer for two minutes and sir in mustard.
3. Scatter the leeks and bacon over the pastry. Beat the eggs into the sauce and season. Pour into the case, add the cheese and backe for 40 minutes until puffed and golden.

Creamy Tortellini with Peas

Creamy Tortellini with Peas

1 package fresh spinach tortellini

2 teaspoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced or substitute garlic salt to taste*

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

½ cup milk

½ cup crème fresh

1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1. Cook fresh spinach tortellini according to the package directions. Drain well.

TIP: I boiled the water using my electric kettle and then poured it over the fresh tortellini to cook it. It worked perfectly and was super quick!

2. While the pasta cooks, melt unsalted butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Add the flour and stir constantly, 30

seconds. Gradually stir in milk, crème fresh, and then add the peas and basil. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture simmers and thickens slightly, 2 minutes. Remove the pan from heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper.

3. In a large shallow bowl, toss the cooked spinach tortellini and the sauce. Serve warm.

Quick tip: For an easy, earthy spin on this recipe, substitute 1 cup sliced mushrooms for the

onion.

*If substituting garlic salt, then skip adding the other salt.

This recipe was super easy and QUICK! I served it alongside cumberland sausages, with some salad and crusty garlic bread. It was lush (as some Brits would say!)

Gound Beef Skillet Stroganoff

Stroganoff Skillet

1 lb ground beef
1- 10 ¾ oz can cream of mushroom soup
3 c wide egg noodles (uncooked)
1 c sour cream
1 c beef broth,
½ c water

Brown ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat; drain and return
meat to skillet. Gradually add soup and remaining ingredients. Bring to a
boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes or until noodles are
tender. Makes four to six servings.

This recipe is super easy and resourceful! Plus, it tastes the same when you make it in England!

Dinner Sausage Sensation

Adjust amounts to servings needed:

1. slice and heat smoked turkey sausage or kielbasa.

2. Saute favorite vegetables with minced garlic and olive oil.

3. Add cooked pasta and dash of olive oil. Parmesan cheese, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper to taste.

Beef Stroganoff

1 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin
1/2 onion
1/2 pt. sour cream
1 can beef consommé
2 Tbsp. flour
3 Tbsp. butter
salt and pepper

1. Saute onions in butter until clear.
2. Add beef, in strips, brown on medium.
3. Stir in flour, add seasoning and consommé
4. Add sour cream, blend well
5. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve over egg noodles

Pasta with Chicken & Mushrooms

Coarse salt and pepper
3/4 lb. bowtie pasta
1 lb. chicken tenders, white tendons removed, halved lengthwise and again crosswise
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. small white button mushrooms, stems trimmed, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. In large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water; drain pasta and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, season chicken generously with salt and pepper. In a large non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add chicken; cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. Add mushrooms to pan; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook over medium heat until mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes more. Add wine; cook, stirring until evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Reduce heat to low. Add cream and chicken, stir to coat. Transfer to pot with pasta; add parsely and pasta water (if desired.) Toss to combine. Season again with salt and pepper; serve immediately.

Love Your Broccoli Pasta

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) seasoned diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. crushed red-pepper flakes
12 oz. rigatoni
1 lb. broccoli florets
1/3 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook gently for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes (with juice), vinegar, basil, and red-pepper flakes. Increase the heat, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook the sauce for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

3. While sauce is simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water. When the pasta is almost done, add the broccoli to the pot, and cook for 2 minutes longer.

4. Drain the pasta and broccoli, and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the sauce, and toss well. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

Marchi's Luncheon Quickie

1 package spaghetti
2 Tbsp. margarine
1 cup hot dogs
1 can vegetable soup
1/2 cup water

Cook spaghetti. Drain and stir in margarine. Slice hotdogs, combine and keep warm. Heat vegetable soup dilluted with water. Stir into spaghetti noodles. Serves 4-6. "Has Chinese flavor."

Lemon Chicken & Noodles

3 cups chicken broth
4 oz. (about 1 1/2 cup) medium egg noodles
2 cups fresh broccoli florettes
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
1/4 cup lemon pepper
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Heat chicken broth in a 2 quart saucepan; bring to a boil. Add noodles and cook about 4 minutes; stirring occasionally. Add broccoli; cover and continue cooking 4 minutes. Add chicken and lemon pepper; cook about 4 minutes or until heated through and broccoli is just tender.

2. At this point you probably have very little liquid left in the pan, but this needs to be drained off. Stir in sour cream and cook, over low heat, until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

This is a yummy, easy weeknight recipe. The flavors meld together nicely. It is also a great way to use up some leftover broccoli and chicken.

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese

My husband loves Mac n' Cheese, but I've often found the traditional recipes call for a lot of time tending the stove and scalded milk on my part. This is an easy recipe from our good friend Jon Weber's mom, that anyone can make and enjoy. Use a 2 qt. glass casserole dish.

1. Boil enough elbow macaroni in water to almost fill the casserole dish when cooked.
2. Cube Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese (or the best kind you have available in your area) and fill casserole dish 1/4 to 1/3 full.
3. Pour approximately 1/8 cup of milk over cheese.
4. Stir in hot, cooked macaroni. Stir well.
5. Cook in microwave for 2-3 minutes. Stir again, and serve.

Sauce for Noodles

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp basil

Directions
Cook noodles 10-12 minutes, drain. Pour sauce over noodles. Stir. Bake.