Busy Bee Cafe

Whenever you see the word ‘mee’ on any of my post, it stands for noodles. That’s what we call it in Malaysia and that’s what I call it where ever I am.

It has been freezing lately in London. Too cold for it to be March. So cold that a nice bowl of soup would be lovely indeed… and guess what? It was lovely. So lovely that Little Bee picked every sweetcorn up with her chopsticks!

There are many recipes for mee soup. Some are very elaborate but when you’ve spent the whole day at work and then dragging your child home and getting you child ready for the evening, all you want is something really simple, and this is very simple!

Oh… I used capelli d’angelo as I didn’t have egg noodles but obviously you could swap it with egg noodles or any other noodles that you fancy.

Ingredients:

Capelli d’angelo, cooked, drained and leave to the side in cold water
1 tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 cube vegetable stock
500ml water
1 carrot, jullienned
2 large Chinese cabbage leaves, sliced
1 small tin of sweetcorn
2 spring onions, sliced

1. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and fry for a minute. Add the chicken and let it seal which takes about a couple of minutes. Add the ginger, vegetable stock and water. Bring to boil.
2. Reduce the heat and add the vegetables. Cover and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked.
3. Drain the pasta/noodles and put it into the bowls to be served. Ladle the soup into the bowls. Put the chicken breasts on to a chopping board and chop them into bite size. Put the chicken into the bowls on top of the noodles.

You can garnish it with corriander leaves, sliced chilli and sprinkle soy sauce over it. But I like it as it is

I’ve never crochet in my life. I had this idea that it is terribly difficult as I keep picturing the intricate crocheting that my mom did when I was a child.

But then, I saw a picture of a scarf that my friend Jue made.

It made me feel that it’s about time that I give it a go. If I fail miserably, than at least I could have said, I gave it a try… plus, I was going to crochet a scarf, not the intricate doilies that my mom used to make.

I can do it.

Plus, it would be a good ‘I’m sorry’ present for Little Bee when I dragged her around town when she was ill… and thinking that she was being difficult.

And I did it, with the yarn that Little Bee chose… and a few hidden mistakes here and there… I think I did an OK job at making a waffle scarf that she could use come spring.

I’ve been promising Little Bee for weeks… OK… more than a month that I knit her a scarf to match her ballet uniform. I started it and it took me ages… of course I have lots of excuses.

Couldn’t find my knitting needles.

Too stressed out at work and tired out.

Too much chores to do at home.

We’re away at Christmas.

Thank goodness the weather has been mild… plus she still has her off white knitted scarf that I made for her last year to keep her warm.

But tomorrow will be the start of the new term for her ballet classes… so after I cleared up the kitchen I finished up what I started… plus, she has been so patient with me and my excuses.

So tomorrow, she can wear it to her ballet class to keep her warm as the temperature has dropped to single figure now. Winter is finally here.

This is so easy and yummier than a canned soup! Is it as easy as opening a can? Maybe not but it’s more satisfying as you definitely know what you put in the pot

Ingredients:

3tbsp olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 can chopped tomatoes
600ml chicken stock
2 bay leaves
Handful of fresh basil
200ml double cream

1. Heat oil over medium heat and add carrots, onion and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes, until the diced carrot is softened.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes, chicken stock and bay leaves. Leave it to simmer for about 20 minutes.
3. Add basil and cream, discard the bay leaves and puree with hand held blender until smooth.

Seriously… that is it! It’s ready to be served. This should serve six. There is only two and a half of us in this household but I made extra so I could freeze it for another day when I’m too tired to cook dinner

It is getting warmer outside but I’ve just started to discover how easy it is to make chicken stock and thus, how easy it is to make soup! OK, it’s not as easy as opening a can and pouring it into a pot onto a stove… but making your own seems to be a bit more satisfying.

When I was younger, my favourite soup was mushroom soup, and after making it my own on Saturday, I do think it is still my favourite! The only thing is, I will only be making it when Hubby is not around as he hates mushrooms and will keep going on and on about the existence of mushroom in the house… like he did when he realized I put mushroom stems in my chicken stock… which he’s been consuming without complaints until now!

Saturday evening, Hubby was out with his camera with his mates, so, Little Bee and I enjoyed a nice pot of mushroom soup… mmmmmmmm….

I found the recipe here and it is undoubtedly YUMMY!

Ingredients:

250g white button mushrooms
250g brown button mushrooms
3 cloves garlic
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves
1tsp Worcestershire sauce
300ml chicken stock
1tbsp flour, dissolved in 1tbsp water
150ml double cream
150ml milk
Dash of nutmeg (which I sometimes forget! But it still tastes YUMMY!)

1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms (and keep it aside to make chicken stock) and finely chop them with garlic and thyme.
2. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan and add the chopped ingredients, bay leaves and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat until the moisture from the mushrooms disappears.
3. Add chicken stock, stir and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Add in the diluted flour and stir constantly until the mixture thickens.
5. Add double cream and milk and nutmeg and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and the soup is ready!!

Little Bee and I had it with bread as I think it’s the best way to have soup… dipping bread in it

Oh! And I didn’t add any salt to my soup as I think there’s enough salt in my chicken stock but obviously you could add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dried chickpeas
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
1tbsp plain flour
325g diced lamb
1tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1tbsp tomato puree
300ml chicken stock
10 dried apricots, chopped
2 red peppers, chopped
1 cup couscous

1. Soak the chickpeas in 2 cups of water overnight. Drain and boil for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you could get a tin of chickpeas in water and just drain it before use.
2. Mix together the ground cinnamon and plain flour in a bowl and add the lamb pieces, coat them all over and set aside.
3. Heat oil, add the spiced lamb and chopped onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until brown all over.
4. Add tomato puree, chicken stock, water, apricots and peppers. Stir and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the lamb is tender and sauce has thickened.
5. Serve with a portion of couscous prepared according to packet instructions.

And what goes nicely with rustic bread? Lots…

One of them is leek and potato soup. Easiest soup ever to make!

Ingredients:

3 leeks, chopped
3 large potatoes, cut into chunks
2 cubes chicken stock
water

> Put all the ingredients in a pot, with the water covering the chopped up leeks and potatoes. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the leeks and potatoes are soft.

> Using a hand blender, blend until the soup is nice and smooth.

That’s it really. Enjoy!