The Recipes - How to make an Asparagus Soup (Vegan friendly)

Asparagus soup has a really rich and unique taste if you haven't tried it. It is very good, and it has a nice creamy taste.  It is best to use the young asparagus tips, but it still works with the thicker variety. We always buy two bunches for this soup. Most of the soups start as a basic recipe of potato, onion and your chosen vegetable. Be sure to blend this soup well though, and make sure that the pieces of Asparagus are relatively soft before finishing it off on the stove, otherwise you can end up with little strands of Asparagus stem floating in it. Everyone who has tried this soup likes it. It's mum's favourite too... It's crusty rolls time again! 

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The Recipes - How to make a Red Pepper and Mushroom Sausage Casserole (Vegan friendly)

Who doesn't like a sausage casserole, especially when the nights draw in and you know that winter is now approaching. This is a one pot dish so just throw everything in and simply cook in the oven. I got the idea from a ladies magazine whilst in the hairdressers. I simply changed the sausages, made use of an onion gravy, altered the mushroom and red pepper quantities and ended up with this! The Bisto onion gravy in the glass jar works well with this but I suppose you could try the red onion gravy in a jar that is less expensive too, as I have also tried this gravy before on things and it is very flavoursome as well. Just check that it has quite a good thickness before you put it in. Otherwise add a little more powder. We like this with a good helping of mashed potatoes to soak up all the juices. I found the Linda McCartney sausages worked the very best in here, but I have made it with the other brands too. You can also serve it with new potatoes if you like....

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The Recipes - How to make a Vegetarian Shepherds Pie

This recipe took a lot of tries to get it just right. I made quite a few samples on this. Quorn did not work with it, it had to be more of a mince. I started with Vegemince. Then I had to decide the amount of carrot which gives the recipe the sweetness. I needed a good onion gravy and found the Bisto one in the glass jar had a great taste. Then I had to find a good vegetarian Worcester sauce  Then at last I had it. I tried it out on mum and her friend when they came back from their holiday in Torquay and they loved it, and so did my friend Gail who nearly always insists on having this whenever she comes to see us. Even my daughter Lia ate the lot too, the first time she tried it. You can have this with beetroot, pickles, and red cabbage, or beans even.  Recently I made it with the red onion gravy in a jar which gave it a different taste, but just as good!! It's real comfort food and there is NEVER any leftovers.... 

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The Recipes - How to make a Celeriac Soup (Vegan friendly)

What is celeriac? For those of you who don't know, it is the large root bulb of the celery plant. This is why this soup tastes like a sort of much creamier and thicker celery soup. It's a very good winter soup because it's especially thick and warming. It has a look of semolina when its out. The root can be hard to peel, it's best to cut it in half but maybe peel it with a potato peeler first. Then cut chunks off it. Don't make the chunks too large because you want them to cook through. If you smell it it does have a slight celery smell, though it does look like an old skull or something from Doctor Who, with the tendril bits coming off it. Try it out, I am sure that you will like it, and it's the crusty rolls yet again to serve....

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The Recipes - How to make an easy Chinese Soup (Vegan friendly)

When i tried this Chinese soup, for the first couple of mouthfuls i wasn't sure, a few more and i was hooked! It's an acquired taste if you haven't had much experience of Chinese food. I always do this in a big pan and use all the red pepper etc so that there is no waste. Always shake up your Soy sauce before you use it as it settles. Always again use the freshest beansprouts spring onion etc as possible as this soup can last a few days. We have used it from the fridge up to four days. Always cool down your soup and then get it in the fridge before 90 minutes have passed for good hygiene rules, and store it in good quality sealable containers. My daughter loves to drink the juice last, and everyone that has tried it loves it by the end of the bowl. Though it could be because of the salt content in the Soy sauce. (joking). It's lazy cooking as well because it lasts a few days, and it was even good on day four! Don't leave it longer than that though....The Chinese leaf is usually obtained from Morrisons, I can never find it in the other supermarkets  Oh well, crusty roll time again.

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The Recipes - How to make Minestrone Soup (Vegan friendly)

Minestrone soup should always contain some sort of pasta. Here we used spaghetti cut into short strands. Then you can add anything that is left in the fridge. Courgettes whatever, just an even mix of vegetables. Then use parsley as the herb here. Always use the garlic, onion, potato and tomatoes as the base for the  minestrone though. Crusty rolls at the ready!

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The Recipes - How to make Garlic Mushrooms with or without Mozzarella.

Who doesn't like garlic mushrooms? If you haven't made this yet its quite easy and tasty. Make sure that the garlic cloves are a good size in here. This is as good with or without the Mozzarella. Use the closed cup or button mushrooms, and same again, only fresh and white ones. Use the curly parsley in here too, not the flat leaf, as the curly parsley has a far superior taste! I like this with the Lurpak or Kerrygold, but again use your favourite butter. We usually have this with maybe a fresh salad, and garlic bread can be good here too, to mop up the juices,,,,

Here is the recipe