Our precious daughter Nicki Jansen O'Donovan and her first son Benjamin almost 2 weeks old
Our brand new grandson Benjamin Paul O'Donovan born 12 February 2010
Rebekah Joy & Elizabeth Grace love their newborn little brother Benjamin Paul

My husband Terry and me on holiday in Cornwall
Our four precious children Nicki, Christie, Caitlin and Jonathan
The Family in Texas 2006 what a Blessing!

Christie Joy with Jeddie Seth enjoying the outdoors in autumn

If you had Mediterranean Vegetables left overs from the Salmon & vegetables last night & you need a quick lunch. Heat pan with a little oil & add in Vegetables. Scramble up some eggs with milk add Herbamare & pour over veges & cook for 5 min. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top pop into the top of oven for 10min and grill until cooked through.
Serve with couscous & enjoy your Mediterranean left overs.

If you are starting this dish from scratch you will need the following ingredients.


Ingredients:
4 eggs
100ml milk
Herbamare
Oil or butter for frying
1 Onion peeled cut in half and sliced
1-2 clove garlic peeled and chopped( optional)
1-2 red peppers washed, seeded cut into quarters then into strips
1 green pepper washed, seeded cut into quarters then into strips
100g grated cheese ( Optional)
Chili flakes (Optional)

Heat oil in pan until hot. Add onion slices and cooked until golden
add chopped garlic, red & green pepper strips & sliced mushrooms.



In separate bowl whisk eggs with milk and Seasoning with a fork.
Pour egg liquid over vegetables and cook on med heat for approx 5 min.
Sprinkle the grated cheese and a few chili flakes on top, then place
pan in preheated oven on top shelf under the grill.
After 10min it should be cooked through.


Cut into quarter and serve with couscous for light lunch, or with toast for a hearty breakfast.

Ingredients:

4 Salmon filllets
Butter
Herbamare
Ground Pepper Or Chili Flakes

Heat large pan & melt butter till golden brown, sprinkle Herbamare on salmon & place skin down in pan. Sear at hot temperature for 5 min. Using egg lifter carefully turn the salmon over, turn down heat and cover with lid . Cook on gentle heat for about 20min. Grind black pepper or sprinkle chili flakes on Salmon before dishing up.


Stir Fry Veges

1 red onions peeled and sliced
1/2 red pepper sliced into strips
1/2 green pepper sliced into strips
1-2 clove garlic peeled and chopped
6 mushrooms cut in half & sliced
1 baby marrow cut in half & into strips (optional)
1 small aubergine cut in half & into strips ( optional)
1 carrot peeled & cut in half then into strips ( optional)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Herbamare
2 Tbl Soya Sauce

Heat Olive Oil & fry aubergine strips set aside in large dish. Fry carrots sticks next as they are the hardest vegetables add sliced onions, then baby marrows, chopped garlic & set aside with aubergines. Heat a little more oil & fry mushrooms & red & green peppers. The oil should be very hot to sear the peppers and mushroom. If pan is not hot enough the veges will start to sweat. Add all vegetables back to the pan sprinkle Herbamare and generous amount of Soya sauce.

Prepare Couscous as directed on packet.



Garnish with a lemon and chared tomato wedge ( optional)
Enjoy this lovely Mediterranean Meal!

Tip: Vegetables marked ( optional) are nice to add but you could be creative and stir fry any vegetables you have in your fridge.
To serve chared tomato wedges heat pan at high temperature. Season tomatoes generously with chilies and a touch of Herbamare & place in hot pan with a little oil. While dishing up the meal allow the tomato to sear on all three sides. Dish up as a garnish. Very tasty!

Ingredients:

250g Soft Butter
250g Brown Sugar
2 eggs
250g Granola
150g Flour or ( Gluten & Wheat Free)
100g Oats
1tsp Baking powder
pinch of salt
a Handful of raisins
a Handful chopped nuts

Beat butter, sugar add eggs mix until creamy. Add Granola, Flour, Oats, baking powder, raisins, nuts and mix.
If mixture is too sticky add a little flour at a time until mixture is moist and buttery but not dry. Form into balls and place into 12 muffin tray.

For biscuits place the rest of the granola balls
onto a greased baking tray.
Flatten slightly with palm of your hand.
Bake at 180C for 20min

Once baked place on wire rack to cool




Tip: For crispier biscuit and rock cakes place trays back into oven once oven has cooled off slightly, leave for 15-20min to dry out.

Place on wire rack to cool completely then store in airtight container.

All-Bran Flakes Rusks

Home-made Ice-Cream

Ice-cream with Pistachios, Halva, and Honey

Mango and Banana Smoothie Ice-Cream

Exquisite Pistachio Shortbread

Creamy Chocolate mousse

Chocolate Lace

Apricot and Coconut Biscuits

Gingerbread Men

Cherry Cheese Cake

Date and Walnut Muffins

Granola Rock Cakes & Biscuits

Valentine Shortbread Chocolate Hearts

Smiffs Famous Applepie

Coq au vin

Roast Leg of Lamb with Haricot Beans

Lamb Shanks

Homemade Chicken and Mushroom pie

Baked Salmon with Honey and Mustard

SAUERBRATEN with Red Cabbage, Apple sauce & Potato fritters

Spaghetti Bolognese with Spinach

PESTO PASTA delizioso

Salmon & Mediterranean Vegetables served with Couscous

Mediterranean Omelette and Couscous

Speedy Chutney Chicken

Tasty Tomato Soup / Tomatoes Stuffed with Mince

500g Lean Mince
2 chopped Onions
2 Large Potatoes
2 large Grated Carrots
1 tin beans in tomato sauce
2 cloves Garlic grated
1tsp herbal salt
1 tsp Chilli powder/flakes
or 1-2 chopped chillies
1 tsp mustard
1 Tbs Tomato paste ( optional)
1 cube vegetable stock (optional)
Oil or butter for frying
1-2 litres of boiling water

Heat butter or oil in a large pot and add chopped onions cook until golden brown.
Add the mince & grated garlic. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add grated carrots, tomato paste, salt, chilli powder, mustard and cover with boiling water.
In the meantime peel and dice the 2 large potatoes and add to the pot. Bring to the boil.
Turn down heat and simmer for about half an hour or until potatoes are nice and soft.
Thicken by dissolving 1Tbsp cornstarch, mixing to smooth consistency with 50ml water & add to the soup and bring to the boil.
Serve garnished with chopped chillies and a slice of bread.

This is a hearty and spicy soup. Chilli is an ideal way to warm up your family on for those chilly winter evenings. Beware it is on the hot side for younger children !!!!

Tip: 1. Cook soup without the chilli and dish up for the younger children. Add chilli powder and bring the soup to the boil and simmer 5min for the hot spicy flavour to saturate the soup.
2. Boiling water is added to the soup to speed up cooking time.

Broccoli Soup au Gratin

Chilli Con Carne Soup

Leek and Potato Soup

French Onion Soup

Pea and Bacon Soup

Hearty Lentil Soup

Green Bean Stew Soup

Millet with stewed apples & raisins

Homemade Crunchy Granola

Makes a dozen of delicious muffins

Ingredients:
250g Dates chopped
1 cup boiling water
1tsp bicarb
125g soft butter
1 cup soft brown sugar ( or substitute)
1/2 walnuts chopped
2 Cups Flour sifted ( or Gluten free flour)
2 tsp baking powder.
pinch of salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 ginger ( optional)

Preheat oven to 200 C
Method:
1.Pour boiling water over chopped dates, add bicarb and mix well , set aside to cool.

2.Beat butter & sugar until creamy, add eggs and continue beating.
3.Sift dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, salt into butter mixture and beat until mixture is creamy.
4.Add the date mixture and half the chopped walnuts and mix together.
5.Line med muffin pan with muffin cases and spoon mixture into each individual case leaving 1cm space to rise. Sprinkle the rest of chopped walnuts on top and finish off with a sprinkling of sugar.

Put into pre heated oven and turn temperature down to 180C & bake for 20 min.
To check if muffins are cooked stick a knitting needle into one muffin it should come out dry.

Serve buttered for breakfast or tea time and ENJOY !

Grune Bohnen Eintopf
Ingredients:
300g Beef chin cut into 1cm cubes
300g Green Beans washed & chopped
2 Large Potatoes peeled & finely diced
2 Onions peeled & finely chopped
Oil for cooking
1 tsp Herbamare or(Salt & Pepper)
1 heaped tsp mustard
20ml Vinegar & 750ml - 1 liter Water

Heat oil make sure it is hot and brown meat. If the meat starts to sweat pour off liquid into a cup (do not discard) . Sweating will prevent meat from browning. Set meat aside. In the same pot add oil & brown onions. Add the any liquid poured off previously & water& vinegar and scrape all residue from the sides of the pot. Add Mustard, Seasoning, chopped green beans & potatoes. Bring to the boil then turn down heat and let it simmer for 1hr until the meat is tender. If too runny, thicken stew by dissolving 1tsp of cornstarch in a little water and adding to the stew, bring back to the boil and serve this delicious German Bean Stew for your family to enjoy!

SOUP Vichyssoise ( Leek & Potato Soup)



This simply DELICIOUS leek and potato soup is smooth & creamy
yet simple to make and economical.


Ingredients:
4 med Leeks washed and trimmed
4 med potatoes peeled and diced
200g butter for frying
2 tsp herbal salt
1 stock cube
1 litre boiling water
450ml full cream milk
cream optional

Melt half the butter fry chopped trimmed leeks until golden. Set aside.
Melt remaining butter and brown potatoes until golden. Add leeks and herbal salt.
Break stock cube into pieces and add to leek and potatoes cover with 1 liter boiling water.
Bring the soup to the boil, then turn down heat and simmer for 30 min or until soft.
Blend to smooth consistency & add full cream milk & again. Heat through, do not boil.
Serve with a twirl of cream and garnish with chopped chives or with leek shreds.

Tip: When chopping the leeks keep a raw green leek slice aside. Slice finely to garnish the individual soup bowls. Leek soup is normally garnished with chopped chives, but this an economical way of garnishing & you save having to buy chives.
If you don't have cream, don't worry. Just use a little watered down mayonnaise & twirl on top of soup for garnish.

INGREDIENTS:

Bolognese Sauce

500g Lean Beef Mince
1 large onion finely chopped
Oil for frying
1-2 clove garlic chopped
1 carrot grated
1-2 tsp Herbamare Salt ( Season to taste)
pinch of white pepper
1Tblsp vinegar & 1 tsp sugar
1 tsp mustard
150g tomato puree
250ml water

Heat oil & cook onion until golden, add garlic, and lean mince stir with a fork. Season with Herbamare & pepper. Add tomato puree, mustard, vinegar, sugar, water and stir. Bring to the boil then turn down heat and simmer for 30-45 min.

Spinach sauce
250g Spinach washed & drained
set aside 4 uncooked baby leaves for garnish.
Butter or oil
1 large onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
1 tsp tomato puree
1 flat tsp Herbamare

Melt butter and cook onion till golden add garlic & Spinach & Herbamare. Add tomato puree and 50ml water. Cook for 5min then turn down heat and simmer for 5 min.
Blend Spinach sauce until smooth and slightly runny.

Spaghetti
Cook 250g Spaghetti in salted water according to the instruction on the box.

To assemble:
Divide Spaghetti between 4 bowls. Spoon the Bolognese sauce on top of Spaghetti & then carefully spoon the Spinach sauce on top of Bolgnese sauce. Garnish with grated cheese and top with chili salsa. Grind a little black pepper on top & finish off with a uncooked baby Spinach leaf reserved for garnish.

Be creative dishing up & Bon Appetite!

Ingredients:
1 mug or 250g Lentilles vertes
2 Potatoes grated
Oil or butter for frying
2 Onions peeled and chopped
1-2 grated carrots ( optional)
1 clove garlic grated
1tsp mustard (optional)
1-2 tsp Herbal salt
pinch pepper
1 cube chicken stock
1-2 liters boiling water

Heat oil or butter and brown onions add grated garlic. Rinse green lentils & add to onions. Season with herbal salt & little pepper. Add grated potatoes and grated carrots, stir, crumble chicken stock cube and add 1-2 liters boiling water. Stir again.
Bring to the boil then turn down the heat and simmer for at least 45- 60min.
The soup should be thick and hearty with the potatoes dissolved. Filling and satisfying !

Serve with ciabatta roll and a little mustard. Yummy!

Tip: Cooking time may vary with different lentils. Check on the packet. If instruction require more time simmer for longer.
Smoked Sausages are optional, bacon could be used instead. Fry separately and add 10 min before the end. It keep its flavor better.

Ingredients:

1 mug dried green split peas ( 250g)
2 Onions peeled and fine diced
1 Large carrot peeled and grated
2 Large potatoes peeled and diced
50g butter or oil
1 teaspoon mustard
250g bacon slices diced
1 cube chicken stock
1-2 liters water
1-2 tsp herbal salt

Boil green split peas in 500ml water with 1tsp salt for about 30 min until soft. In the meantime fry the onions until golden in a large pot. Add diced potato and brown slightly and add the large grated carrot. Dissolve chicken stock in 1 liter boiling water and pour over potatoes and onions. Add soften green peas. Bring soup to the boil and then turn down heat. Let it simmer for 20 min. Potatoes and peas should be soft and the soup thick and hearty.
In a pan fry diced bacon and turn frequently until golden. Add to the pea soup and continue simmering for 10 min. The bacon will keep its smoked flavor and enhance the delicious taste of the soup. To thicken the soup 1 tsp of cornstarch can
Tip: Bacon could be fried with the onions to save on time & washing the extra pan.

Ingredients:

8 Onions peeled, cut in half & sliced
2 Potatoes peeled& grated
1-2 clove garlic grated
150g -200g butter
125ml white wine
1tsp sugar ( optional)
1-2 liter boiling water
1 chicken cube stock
1-2 tsp herbal salt

Croutons
2 slices of bread buttered both sides.
Cut into cubes and grill or fry over low heat turning frequently until golden and crispy.

200 gr Grated Cheese

Place your largest pot on high heat and melt half the butter. When butter starts to brown add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Stir and add 1 tsp sugar and let the onions caramelize for 5-10 min. This will bring out the nutty flavor in the French Onion Soup. Stir taking care that it continues to brown, but does not burn. Add the rest of the butter & grated potatoes. Stir until both are a rich golden brown.
Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen the brown bits. Dissolve chicken stock in 1-1 1/2 liter hot water, pour into pot add salt and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer slowly for 30- 40 min. Extra time allows the flavor to develop.
Pour French onion soup into individual bowls, divide the croutons between the 4 servings and sprinkle generous amount of cheese on top.


Place soup bowls under grill until cheese has melted and bubbles.
Grind a touch of black pepper & Voila delicieux!




Tip: French Onion Soup is usually cooked without potatoes. Adding the potatoes makes it more substantial and satisfying.
Option: Several slices of toasted baguette instead of croutons are placed on top of the French Onion Soup & sprinkled with generous amount of grated cheese and grilled until melted.