meatless monday .. roast pumpkin and sage pasta

Apparently meatless Monday will help save the planet. I am all for saving the planet and will do my bit .. (oops! just realised i had chicken for lunch.. will start next week!) 

SO tonight's dinner: Roast butternut pumpkin with sage ... and butter .. and parmesan

Ingredients:

1/4 of small butternut pumpkin 

two handfuls of pasta shells (or enough for 1 serve) 

6-7 fresh sage leaves

2 table spoons of pine nuts

a pinch of very finely chopped lemon rind ( i like to use a "pinch" as a measurement.. sounds very old school)

a drizzle of olive oil

large knob of butter - the larger the better - the smaller the healthier 

really good quality parmesan 

sea salt and freshly ground pepper 

Heat oven to 200℃

Heat water for pasta 

remove the skin/peel from the pumpkin and chop into small cubes (1 cm-ish )

place on a baking tray and drizzle with just enough oil.. toss about to coat well

pop the pumpkin cubes in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until cooked and browned very slightly **

once the water has come to boil add pasta and cook as per instructions on the packet

while the pasta is cooking.. 

wash the sage leaves and cut up into ribbons

grate the parmesan - i like LOTS

chop the lemon rind 

once the pasta is cooked - drain into a colander and set aside

place the saucepan back on the stove and reduce the heat to very low

add the butter to the pan with the sage leaves, lemon rind and pin nuts

stir, watching carefully to ensure the butter and pine nuts don't brown.. 

when the butter has turned slightly golden add the pumpkin and the pasta shells to the pan

mix gently to ensure the pasta is coated in the sagey butter and season with salt and pepper 

serve with lots of parmesan and eat immediately 

**try to avoid eating 1/2 a bag of corn chips while preparing this meal.. 

egg in bread on sunday morning ..

sunday morning ..  one glass of wine too many the night before.. calls for a greasy breakfast. 

Egg in bread:

Ingredients:

one slice of favourite bread - i like a dark grainy bread

one egg 

butter**

To prepare - heat pan to medium heat 

add a good knob of butter to the pan

cut a small hole in the bread - the diameter of an egg cup is a good guide

place the bread in the melted butter in the pan - add the cut out circle too 

crack the egg into the hole in the bread and cook for a few minutes (if you like a very runny egg, cook the bread in the melted butter for a bit before dropping the egg in)

flip the bread over carefully so that the other side can cook a minute or so too.

serve and eat immediately with a sprinkle of sea salt and pepper to taste..

**the more butter the better :) 

a winter treat: apple tart for one

There is nothing better than a sweet treat fresh from the oven on a cold rainy day.. Here is a favourite which takes only minutes, and there is no risk of over indulging.. 

Apple tart for one:

1/2 sheet of pampas puff pastry 

one apple 

brown sugar

ground cinnamon 

preheat oven to 200℃

peel the apple, cut into quarters and then slice each finely 

cover the pastry rectangle with a thin layer of brown sugar and sprinkle over the cinnamon - keeping one centimeter from the edge sugar-free

cover the sugar and cinnamon with apple slices - again keeping the edge clear (you won't use all the apple, so snack on left over slices while waiting for the tart to cook..) 

place on a baking tray covered in baking paper

cook for about 10-15 minutes until the pastry has puffed and browned

serve with ice cream - Maggie Beer's burnt fig jam is perfect !

it has been 2 weeks since my last cookfession ..

sometimes busy single people go for weeks without cooking.. that doesn't necessarily mean no eating at home... it's more like hunter gathering snacking.. and yes lots of fun nights dining out. Here are some of the meals i've not cooked !:

dinners out:

- japanese noodles

- thai at Spice I am 

- local pub dinner - schnitzel and mash 

- dinner at friends - lamb shanks in special delicious sauce 

- pizza - a great thin crust with lamb sausage and goats curd

- salmon steak with more mash

then snacking at home ;

- popcorn for dinner

- carrot sticks, cheese, chocolate, and brazil nuts for dinner

- toast with avocado for dinner

could blogging get anymore self indulgent ?? and will anyone ever read this :)