Luxury Leek and Potato Soup – Pippa Jay

I'm not the greatest of cooks, but there are a handful of things I do well and that even my fussiest child will eat. This is one of their favourites - and mine - with a dash of cream for luxury. As a note, I'm also not very accurate with my measurements, so feel free to adjust your version as necessary.

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1 medium onion diced

2 large leeks (or up to 5 small)

3 large potatoes (or 5 small)

2 handfuls of lentils (split red/puy etc)

1 vegetable stock cube (or use 500mls of homemade stock instead of the water)

500mls water

300mls milk

100mls single cream

A large knob of butter

Cooking oil

1. Dice the onion, slice the leeks, and peel and chop the potatoes into approx. 1 inch cubes.

2. Melt the butter in a large soup pan (or similar) on a low heat. Then add all the chopped vegetables and stir until they're all coated in the butter/oil mix.

3. Place a lid on the pan and leave the vegetables to 'sweat' on a low heat for 5 minutes.

4. Add the water, milk, stock cube and lentils, and bring to a boil.

5. Reduce the temperature to leave it simmering gently for approx. 20 minutes, checking that the potato pieces are cooked through.

6. Use a hand blender to reduce the soup to a smooth consistency. Add additional seasoning like salt and pepper as your taste requires. Add the cream stirring steadily to prevent it splitting.

7. Suggestion - serve with cheesy or garlic bread and enjoy. :)

Outcast. Cursed. Dying. Is Keir beyond redemption?

For Keirlan de Corizi--the legendary 'Blue Demon' of Adalucien--death seems the only escape from a world where his discolored skin marks him as an oddity and condemns him to life as a pariah. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise: Tarquin Secker, a young woman who can travel the stars with a wave of her hand.

But Quin has secrets of her own. She's spent eternity searching through space and time with a strange band of companions at her back. Defying her friends' counsel, Quin risks her apparent immortality to save Keir. She offers him sanctuary and a new life on her home world, Lyagnius.

When Keir mistakenly unleashes his dormant alien powers and earns instant exile from Quin's home world, will she risk everything to stand by him again?

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http://pippajay.blogspot.com/