Hi there,
Firstly thank you all so much for your wishes for Sarahs Validiction, it went really well and I was amongst sooooo many proud parents ,the children(opps! young adults!)did look wonderful in all there uniforms including asmy Sarah would put it *The Brain Boxes* in there White Blazers for full academic colours. The ceremony was very moving with music items done in between the various prize giving, i did,t know that so many of these children that Ide known for 5 years had such talent and what beautiful voices, if after seeing so many youngsters with so much promise forfill there dreams and potential I think there is definitely hope for the up and coming generation.

As it was a night where I was going to be rushing about I felt easy food was the order of the day so here is what we had...........

CHICK PEA AND LENTIL SOUP
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(makes a huge amount and tastes even better the next day!)

1/2 lb chick peas, soaked in water for at least 1 hour or overnight
12 cups water
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
14 oz can chopped tomatoes
3 celery stalks and leaves, sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
generous pinch of dried chilli flakes
milled black pepper
8 ozs large brown or green lentils, soaked for 1 hour, then drained
sea salt to taste
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 lb courgettes, sliced
4 ozs vermicelli pasta, broken into bits by crushing in your hands
a large bunch of flat leafed parsley, coarsely chopped
a large bunch (1/2 cup) coriander, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup soured cream

(Serves 8-10)

Drain chick peas and place in a large saucepan with water, onion, tomatoes, celery, tomato paste and chilli flakes. Add pepper and simmer covered for 1 hour or until chick peas are very tender.

Add lentils and cook for 20 minutes, or until lentils are soft.

Add salt to taste. Add lemon juice, courgettes and vermicelli pasta, and more water if necessary.

Cook for 10 minutes longer. Just before serving add parsley, coriander and stir in a little cream into each serving.

With it we had ..........these wonderful muffins I got of a web site recently just wish i could remember where! but credit to the chef they are wonderful

SPINACH AND CARAMELIZED ONION MUFFINS
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Pastry Chef Nicole Plue
Yields 24 muffin

2 onions, diced 1/4-inches
1 bunch spinach, washed and spun dry
1 tsp. olive oil
2 1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup parmesan for top

Heat a suitable pan over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Add the diced onions and cook slowly until they become richly caramelized. Remove to a baking pan to cool. Add the spinach to the pan and cook over high heat until the leaves become completely wilted. Remove to a baking pan to cool. When cool, chop finely. Reserve.

Combine the four dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Add the eggs, milk and vegetable oil to the dry ingredients along with the cooled onions and spinach.

Mix together until just combined. Do not over mix.

Scoop the batter into buttered muffin tins, filling two thirds of the way to the top. Sprinkle the tops of the batter with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 425 degrees F. for about 15 minutes. Remove the tin from the oven and remove the muffins from the tin. Then I did a simple pie...........

CORN AND BRINJAL NUT PIE
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Serves:8

1/2 cup whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup all -purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 oz butter
1/2 cup cheese, grated
1/2 cup nuts (I used pecans), chopped
FILLING:
1 can creamed swee tcorn (medium tin)
1 small brinjal (eggplant), chopped and fried
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup cheese, grated
3/4 cup and 1 Tbsp milk

For the pastry, rub the butter into the flours, add the remaining ingredients, mix to a dough. Press into a pie plate.Mix all filling ingredients together. Pour into pie plate.Bake at 180°C for 45-50 minutes.

This I just made a simple tomato and cucumber salad sprinkled with balsamic vinegarI hope you will all have a great day,my lot break up for 10 days for the mid-term break so its going to be a noisy week coming up for me!!!!!

love Julie