Store cupboard dinner

Ever wondered what to cook for dinner when you have nothing exciting in the fridge and no fresh veges? Here are a couple of recipes that may help you.

Tomato and Lentil Soup (adapted from Sophie Gray)

Both Nathan and Mia love this soup, and they are both fussy so if they like it I think that means pretty much anyone will!
1 T oil
2 onions
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 t cumin
1 t coriander
1 t smoked paprika (I love smoked paprika!)
6 c beef or chicken stock
2 tins crushed tomatoes
1 pottle of tomato paste
1 1/2 c red lentils
2 T brown sugar
chopped coriander or parsley and sour cream (if you have them) to serve

Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add spices and cook over heat for about a minute until fragrant. Add stock, tomatoes, paste, lentils and sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook about 45 mins until lentils are soft. Stir occasionally. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped herbs.

Retro Pinwheel Scones

My Mum used to make these to take on picnics when we were kids. You can put more gourmet ingredients in them like pesto and sundried tomatoes, but kids of the 70s and 80s had creamed corn!

3 c flour

6 t baking powder

75g butter

1 c milk (approximately)

3/4 tin creamed corn

1 onion

3 rashers bacon

1 c cheese

Put the flour and baking powder in a food processor and pulse to combine. Mix in butter. Pulse in milk to form a dough. Make sure it is going to stick together, but isn't too dry. Roll out the dough on a floured bench. You want a rectangle of about 1 cm thick. Spread on creamed corn, then the onion and bacon which have been sauted in butter or oil, and top with the cheese. Don't spread too close to the edges of when you roll it up it will spill out (the example below is too close and did spill!)

Roll up the dough into a pinwheel. Use a little milk or water to fasten down the end. Cut it into slices that are about 2 cm wide using a bread knife. Place on a greased tray.

Bake at 200 C for about 15 mins. Enjoy!