Winter warmer a.k.a the quickest soup ever

This is the quickest soup I have ever made (apart from opening a tin that is!).  This chorizo and chickpea soup takes 10 minutes in total and serves 2.  You will need:

400g can chopped tomatoes

110g pack chorizo sausage (unsliced)

140g/5oz wedge savoy cabbage

sprinkling of dried chilli flakes

140g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 chicken or vegetable stock cube

1.  Put a medium pan on the heat and tip in the tomatoes followed by a canful of water.  While the tomatoes are heating, quickly chop the chorizo into chunky pieces (removing any skin) and shred the cabbage.

2.  Pile the chorizo and cabbage into the pan with the chilli flakes and chickpeas, then crumble in the stock cube.

3.  Stir well, cover and leave to bubble over a high heat for 6 minutes or until the cabbage is just tender.  Ladle into bowls and eat with crusty or garlic bread.

And that is it, that's as difficult as it gets!  The great thing about this soup is you can make it as spicy as you want by increasing the chilli flakes or just leaving them out all together if you don't like the spice.  I have also made this soup with spring greens and other green veg which I have had to hand, it is that versatile.

Enjoy x

Autumn yumminess

This is one of my all-time favourite easy dinners for autumn, so I thought I would share.

Roasted butternut squash with bacon, serves 2, prepare 10 minutes, cook 60 minutes.

You will need:
1butternut squash, halved
1tsp olive oil
6 tbsp creme fraiche
3 rashers smoked bacon, roughly chopped
1 and a half tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
half a tsp black pepper, coarsely ground

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees c.  Cut the squash lengthways then scoop out the seeds.  You can toast these if you want but I never bother - I'm a lazy bum.  With a small knife, deeply score the flesh in a crisscross pattern.  (Make sure you do deeply score the flesh otherwise it'll take until next autumn to cook - slight exaggeration I know but you get the picture.

2. Place the 2 halves on a baking sheet, cut side up, brush with the oil and season lightly with salt and roast for 35-40 minutes until the flesh feels quite tender when pierced with a knife - to be honest I find I have to roast it for longer than this as I like my flesh pretty pulpy but each to their own.

Before roasting

 3. Spoon the creme fraiche over the 2 pieces of butternut squash and scatter with the bacon, parmesan and black pepper.

Looks a bit anemic here but trust me!

4. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes until the topping is bubbling.

Ta-da!

As you can see I just serve it up with a simple salad garnish.  It's quite a filling meal and sometimes (ssshhhh) I use more creme fraiche, parmesan and bacon than stated.

So give it a bash if ya fancy.  Will guarantee you will not be disappointed.

Blooper - so glad this wasn't for a youtube video as when I was carefully sliding it onto the plate, the flipping thing slide off the spatula and landed top down.  Creme fraiche, cheese and bacon EVERYWHERE!!! (Hence the small amount of splattered topping you can see on the salad!).

Enjoy!