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Appetizers and SnacksBreakfastBrunch

STUFFED SANDWICH TOAST

by Chef Sidi
written by Chef Sidi

The best thing about this blog is that we only share our family favourites which we hope will be your favourite too upon trying. Sandwiches are a great deal in my home, especially presented at our many brunch tables. We do them from closed to open boats, baked, using the toaster or fried. This recipe is very easy as it uses ingredients that are easily available. A normal white bread works fine or if you would like to use brown bread you are free to implement. When making foods especially to be consumed by little ones, it’s always important to make it exciting for them. Hope you will be inspired to give this recipe a try or even tweak it your liking with different varieties.

STUFFED SANDWICH TOAST

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 8 Bread slices or more.
  • Margarine/ Butter
  • 5 Sausages.
  • Onions.
  • Tomatoes.
  • Garlic cloves
  • Herbs/spices
  • Salt
  • Chicken flavoured bullion cubes(optional)
  • Sandwich maker/Toaster/ Panini grill.

Instructions

Prepare the stuffing.

Remove the sausages from the casings and chop into small pieces.

In a pan, heat some oil, add onions, garlic fry until translucent. Add the sausages and fry for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes. Season with salt, herbs, spices chicken bullion. And fry until mashy.

Don't add any liquid as we don't want our stuffing too wet. Once ready set aside.

Apply some margarine/ butter on the bread.

Place one slice on the toaster, buttered side down. Add your stuffing. Cover with another buttered toast, buttered side touching the grill.

Let that toast until well browned.

Repeat for the slices of bread or until stuffing is utilised.

You can serve alongside any other brunch staple like sweet potato fries, breakfast potatoes or just consume on their own with a cup of tea or coffee.

Enjoy.

 

Notes

For the filling, Sausages can work, or even cooked eggs, anything that you would like to be a part of the filling including vegetables like cooked cabbage or grilled zucchini.

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Appetizers and SnacksBreakfastBrunch

NOODLE AND CHICKEN BRAWN BREAKFAST SOUP

by Chef Sidi
written by Chef Sidi

Soups are a perfect staple at our brunch or dinner tables. Whenever we are doing soups for brunch or breakfast, we aim to utilise ingredients found on any breakfast menu. My family enjoys the soups especially the kids who always look forward to the different types of options we often have. We use protein ingredients like chicken brawn, pork brawn, bacon, sausages, boiled eggs . We also incorporate vegetables like carrots, butternut , pumpkin, zucchini, etc. We also use fruits sometimes in our soups like apple, mango or pineapple. These are just meant to bring out more flavours into the soup. You can have the soup on its own, with a slice of bread, or croutons as an opening meal or simple appetizer. My kids favourite especially the youngest is the noodles soup. Which I will be sharing how to make it. You can use store bought noodles or home made noodles. I have made the soup using both store bought and homemade and the results are perfect for both.  To add on flavour we added some pieces of chicken brawn to make it even filling for that perfect breakfast meal.

NOODLE SOUP

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 1 Packet of noodle. I prefer the chicken flavoured indomie noodles.
  • 1 Packet of 100g, chicken brawn cut into small pieces.
  • 1 medium sized onion chopped.
  • 1 garlic clove crushed.
  • 1/4 teaspoon of dry herbs ( oregano, or majo ram)
  • 1/2 TSP salt, a dash of black pepper powder.
  • Some dash of sugar / honey.
  • Butter /oil for frying
  • Water/ broth enough to cover the pot you will be using to cook the soup.
  • Chicken flavoured bullion (optional)
  •  
  •  
  •  

Instructions

In a dip cooking pot, add the butter and or oil, I prefer using both.

Add the onions, garlic , herbs and stir until translucent, add the bullion and stir.

Add the salt, sugar/honey, some black pepper stir.

Add the water/broth and bring to a boil.

Add the noodles and cook for five minutes.

Remove like 1/4 of the noodles and set aside. Then the remaining mixture blend it using the immersed blender. Add back the removed noodles, the pieces of chicken brawn and let it simmer slowly for 10 mins.

Check for seasoning, add salt,or sugar or black pepper as you please. You can add some chilli flakes to make it even spicy.

Serve immediately while hot.

You can eat the soup with croutons. Or a slice of bread or just have the soup on its own.

If making for kids, check on the amount of spice used.

Notes

For variations, you can retain the soup as is without blending the noodles. Only difference is the soup wouldn't be thick. You can also use slices of cooked bacon instead of the brawn. Can be taken on any time of the day. You can also choose to blend everything including the brawn and have a large pot creme noodles soup.

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Carrot cake pancakes
Appetizers and SnacksBreakfastDesserts

Carrot Cake Pancakes

by Chef Sidi
written by Chef Sidi

Why carrot cake pancakes?  We all love carrot cakes, because they are easy to make, and they can be diversified by adding lots of ingredients to them. One can use fruits like pineapples, apples, nuts like walnuts, pecans, almonds, even desiccated coconut. A mix of dried fruit like raisins, sultanas or chocolate chips are among some varieties you can add to a carrot cake. I thought about baking something yesterday  and a carrot cake was on my mind, I was to either do a carrot cake loaf or carrot muffins, then I thought of how interesting it would be to make carrot cake pancakes instead. The blend of the spices from the cinnamon and nutmeg gave the pancakes the flavors of a carrot cake. I love fluffy pancakes as they make you full through out with just one or two , pair these with a good pancake syrup and you have a slice of heaven..The pancakes are best with coffee or tea or just munch on them as they are.This is a big batch recipe can make about 10 medium sized pancakes

Carrot cake pancakes

Carrot Cake pancakes.

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups  self raising flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups sour milk
  • 1/4  cup sugar
  • 1/8 cup melted butter
  • 2 medium sized carrots shredded
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • a pinch of salt
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract/essence
  • 2 table spoons oats
  • 1 tsp of each of almond flakes, sunflower seeds, dedicated coconut,
  • 1 tablespoon liquor soaked raisins
  •  

Instructions

Mix  and sift the dry ingredients set aside ( flour, cinnamon and nutmeg)
In another bowl, combine the eggs, butter, sour milk, vanilla, sugar, mix using a whisk, then add the flour into the wet ingredients adding carefully in batches until well combined.
Next add in the carrots, the raisins, coconut, almond flakes and sunflower seeds, and combine well. The mixture may get heavy but that’s okay.

Prepare your pan, I love using my double sided pan for pancakes, because I can get to cover them as they cook hence making them even fluffier. Pour some little oil on a pan, brush the oil using a pastry brush to spread evenly on the pan, then using a scooping spoon, scoop out a portion and spread gently on the pan, for my pan I only place two scoops, then cover the pan and let the pancake cook for two to three minutes on each side.

Once ready place the pancakes on a plate ,place a dollop of cream cheese butter on top then pour your syrup. Pancakes taste even better with a good syrup. I will share a recipe of a few home made syrups on another blog. These are however optional but recommended.

Perfect breakfast plan

Notes

When you put the scoop of the pancake batter on the pan, ensure it cooks well below, until you see bubbles forming on top then you can turn the other side. Pancakes taste better when you use sour milk, butter milk ( I got this tip from my Sister Hope Mwangudza. Feel appreciated siz. Let the batter rest for a while before you start cooking. Covering them also makes the fluffier. Self raising is so far my best pancake flour.

 

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Oven Baked Sausages
Appetizers and SnacksBreakfastNon-Vegeterian

Oven Baked Sausages

by Chef Sidi
written by Chef Sidi

Once in a while we enjoy eating sausages as a family, it has become somehow a Sunday tradition. My son after drinking his early morning porridge, when he brings his cup to the kitchen he tells me, now let me sit and wait for sausages and pancakes.At times i would dissapoint him telling him today we are not having sausages we are eating something else. At times its his lucky day like this day when i made these oven baked sausages.  We are used to deep frying them in oil that we forget that these can actually be prepared in the oven. I used chicken sausages but i believe any type of sausages from beef to pork.

Next time you are planning on making sausages how about you try preparing these in the oven.

Oven Baked Sausages

Oven Baked Sausages

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Serves: 4 Prep Time: Cooking Time:
Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat
Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )

Ingredients

  • Sausages 8
  • 1 Tablespoon  balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp mixed herbs
  • 1/4 tsp chilli flakes.
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 large tomato

Instructions

In a bowl, Place the sausages and toss them with the rest of the ingredients, mix well.

Drizzle some oil on top.

Line apan with foil, drizzle some oil beneath, then place the sausages, heat your oven and bake at 200 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until ready.  At about 20 minutes into cooking, i added the tomato that i had cut in chunks so as to grill. Serve hot, the heat from the spices makes it very tasty.Serve along some toast, fresh juice.

Notes

I was looking for something spicy, but you can bake them plain.

 

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