Leftovers and Snacks

My Friend Mary has Winterized My Candelabra and also has lent me the cutest Easter decorations.
I really like the Christmas Candle arrangement in front of the TV but It does look like Christmas AND it is April for Goodness sake.
Mary offered to come and give it a Winter look instead.
Gorgeous.  What do you think of the  little Easter Egg train? And the beautiful bird...I love it.

It's the end of the outdoor Tomato season.
After making the Homemade Tomato Ketchup,
I also made some rich deep coloured delicious Roasted Tomato Soup. (Next Blog)

I had some leftover hamburger mix from the birthday dinner, (click here for recipe), so I rolled them into little meatballs

I had some leftover Red wine and using the some of the remaining tomatoes made a very tasty tomato, red wine sauce.
Meatballs in Tomato, Red Wine Sauce

1 red onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Sea Salt and freshly Ground Black pepper
1/2 tsp chili flakes
2 cups red wine

10-12 tomatoes halved... score the bottoms with a little cross for easy skin removal
Sea salt and Freshly ground pepper
Little olive oil just to oil pan
1 tablespoon sugar

Pre heat oven to 190C
Lightly oil a tray and place tomatoes face down on the tray
Season with salt, pepper and sugar
Cook about 10 minutes in the oven till the skin starts to blacken

Lift the skins off and set aside
Push the skins into a sieve to get any juice left
add juice to pan and throw skins away

Meanwhile in another pan on medium heat
add oil, onions and garlic
Season with S & P and chili flakes
Gently saute till they are tender
Turn heat up and add red wine
Let bubble away till the wine reduces

Add tomatoes to onion mix and let simmer about 10 minutes
Meanwhile add another tablespoon of oil to tomato pan and throw in Meat balls
Pop into  oven
Cook about 8 minutes turning once
Remove and add to tomato sauce

Simmer about another 10 minutes

Cook the pasta of your choice
I used Fusili
Cook it in hot boiling salted water till al dente
Mix in with the meatballs and sauce
Toss well
Serve with a good grate of Parmesan Cheese

very rich flavour

And Now for the Snack
Another little beauty from Chef Michael Smith, he actually created these crispy treats for his 5 year old son. So I thought our li000ttle kids would like them and as it turns out they did so by the way did the adult they were great with drinks.

Pumpkin Pie Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Ingredients


* 1 egg white
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon ground ginger
* Sprinkled sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 2 cups raw pumpkin seeds


Directions

 Preheat your oven to 185C.
Whisk the egg white, honey, spices and seasonings in a medium bowl
until foamy.
Add pumpkin seeds and toss well to coat evenly.

Pour a single layer onto a lightly oiled baking sheet

and bake for 20-30 minutes, until golden and crispy.

And what to do with the remaining tomatoes
Another batch of Tomato Infused Vodka

Seriously, this makes the best Bloody Marys
Recipe for the BMs in a couple of weeks, when it is all infused.