4

Mediterranean Roasted Vegetable Lasagne

Salams my fellow cooks, hope alls well..I was planning on posting a recipe last Friday but ended up with a massive migraine and needed to sleep that off. To be honest although I love Lasagne I’m a bit lazy to make it 😳 and the fact that hubby doesn’t eat cheese and the girls are not to keen on mince meat always puts lasagne making on a back burner.  I love Veggies and so do the girls so why not a vegetable lasagne.  This one is loaded with lovely colourful veggies and makes you feel like summer is on its way. 

INGREDIENTS:

For the filling:

1 large courgette (sliced thick)

1 red pepper (cut into large chunks)

1 green pepper (cut into large chunks)

Half yellow pepper (cut into large chunks)

1 small aubergine – optional (cut into large cubes) 

1 large red onion (cut into chunks)

12-15 Olives (chopped)

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic (crushed)

Salt and pepper

1 tspn mixed herbs 

1 tbsp capers (optional)

Half a jar pasta sauce (any you like)

Half a tin chopped tomatoes

Lasagne sheets (no pre-cook)

For the Cheese Sauce:

40 g butter

2 tbsp plain flour

1 pint milk

Handful grated cheddar cheese (any you prefer)

Salt and pepper to taste

More grated cheddar cheese for the topping

METHOD:

In a large baking tray arrange the chopped vegetables and drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper, mixed herbs and garlic.  Toss all this together so all the vegetables are coated with the seasoning.  Bake in the oven on gas mark 4 (180) for about 30 minutes until the veg is slightly brown.

Once the vegetables are roasted put them in a saucepan and to that add the pasta sauce and the chopped tinned tomatoes.  Also add the olives and capers. Taste again for seasoning and add if necessary. Cook this on medium heat on cooker for around 7-10 minutes.

In the meantime make up the sauce, melt the butter in a sauce pan. Whisk the plain flour into the milk until there’s no lumps.  Once the butter has melted pour the milk into the saucepan and heat on medium heat until the sauce has thickened.  Keep stirring all the while while sauce is thickening. Add the handful of grated cheese and let that melt into the sauce, add salt and pepper as required.

Now all the components are ready we can start layering. On the bottom of a large rectangle Pyrex dish spread a couple of tbsp of the cheese sauce. Arrange the lasagne sheets and spread another couple of tbsp of cheese sauce on top of the sheets.  Spread the vegetable filling on top, you can also sprinkle some grated cheese and then another layer of lasagne sheets and repeat this one more time. On the last layer of lasagne sheets pour more cheese sauce and sprinkle some grated cheese and mixed herbs or oregano.  Bake in oven on gas mark 4 (180) for 30 minutes until the top is slightly golden and the lasagne sheets are cooked. I prefer mine soft so take it out before it’s too golden. This is lovely with a side salad.

TIP: You can make this in advance and cover with cling film, this softens the lasagne sheets and results in a lovely soft lasagne. This dish can also be frozen so if there’s a lot of filling then just make up a foil container and freeze for a lazy day.

This recipe has been adapted from Delia Online.

Any questions please feel free to ask.

Enjoy 😋
  The vegetables all prepped and chopped ready for the oven

  The roasted vegetables just out the oven

  First Layer of the lasagne sheets and filling

  Second layer, you can sprinkle grated cheese on top too
  The last layer before the cheese goes on
  All layered and ready to go in the oven

  Baked and ready

  A moist slice of lasagne with some salad 

1

Chicken and Veg Chinese Noodles

Salams my fellow cooks, hope your are all well and feeling refreshed after the Easter break, the last 2 weeks have been a bit hectic for me, no holidays from work (cry with me 😭) family weddings, work commitments and the usual everyday life things hence I’ve not been able to post any recipes. I have a few days off this week so I thought I’d best get onto posting something.  This recipe is pretty straightforward, not only does it taste good but it can be whipped up quite quickly.  I tend to put less chicken and more veg as I love my veg but you can add more or less of either depending on your own preference. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 large chicken fillet (cut into bite size strips)

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 tspn ground garlic

1 tspn ground green chillies

1 tspn salt (add to taste)

2 tspn coriander/cumin powder

Quarter tspn turmeric

1 large carrot (cut into thin strips)

Half a white cabbage (shredded)

Baby Sweetcorn (cut into strips)

1 red onion (sliced)

Half green pepper (thin strips)

Half red pepper (thin strips) 

Tomato ketchup 

Chilli sauce 

Soya sauce

1 and half pack Medium egg noodles

Spring onions chopped (for garnish)

METHOD:

In a non stick wok heat the olive oil and then add the chicken strips, to that add the garlic, green chillies, salt, coriander/cumin powder and turmeric. Mix well and cook on medium heat until most of the water has evaporated.

Now add all the veg and mix well. Cook all this until all the water has burned out.  The Veg should not be soggy but have a slight crunch to it. 

Add the sauces as much as needed to make the noodles saucy.

If I want it very saucy then I sometimes add a jar of sweet and sour Chinese sauce or any Chinese sauce which u like.

Garnish with spring onions and some toasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy 😊