Melsh Recipes

Fresh and fruity muesli

2011-10-24T11:04:00.000+01:00

You can prepare this in advance and leave it in the fridge overnight, or make it in the morning and eat it straight away - either way works!

Makes: 1 serving
Takes: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 apple
3 dried apricots
3oz (75g) porridge oats
5fl oz (150ml) milk

Method

Grate the apple and chop the apricots then mix with the oats and milk.
Er - that's it! Eat it!

You can add other fruit and/or chopped nuts if you wish.

Seafood and couscous

2011-05-07T19:33:00.000+01:00

Pretty quick and easy and absolutely delicious! You can use mixed seafood, prawns, white fish or a mixture.

Makes: 4 servings
Takes: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot
2 sticks of celery
2 leeks
2 cloves of garlic
pinch of chilli flakes
1 bay leaf
150ml dry white wine
400g tin of tomatoes
400g of seafood
375ml hot vegetable stock
1 lemon
200g couscous
fresh parsley

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, peel and finely dice the carrot, thinly slice the celery, thinly slice the leeks and chop the garlic. Cook the carrot, celery, leeks, garlic, chilli and bay leaf in the oil for about 5 minutes, until softened.
Add the wine and tinned tomatoes to the pan (if using whole plum tomatoes, first blitz them briefly in a blender or chop them by sticking a large knife repeatedly into the open tin). Boil rapidly for 5 minutes to reduce.
Finely grate the zest of the lemon and squeeze the juice of half of it. Put into a small pan with the stock and bring to the boil.
If using fish, cut into small pieces. Turn down the heat under the pan and add the seafood, simmering gently for 5 minutes till piping hot and the fish (if using) is cooked through.
Meanwhile, add the couscous to the boiling stock and lemon juice, stir, remove from the heat and cover. Leave for 5 minutes. Season, add some finely chopped fresh parsley and fluff with a fork. Serve when the couscous and seafood are both ready.

The seafood will freeze well so you can make this to serve 2 by halving the amount of couscous, stock and lemon then saving half the seafood for another occasion.

Goulash

2010-12-01T15:11:00.000Z

Great for a cold winter evening - real comfort food! And yet, it's low in fat - bonus :-)

Makes: 3-4 servings
Takes: 10 minutes + 1 1/2 hours cooking time

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
400g lean stewing steak, cubed
1 large onion
1 clove of garlic
1 1/2 tbsp paprika
1 green or red pepper
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 beef stock cube
1 tbsp cornflour
salt and pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large, non-stick saucepan and add the meat. Cook until the meat has all sealed and browned.
Thinly slice the onion and crush the garlic then add to the pan and fry for 3 minutes, until softened. Add the paprika and stir well.
Remove the seeds and pith from the pepper and chop, then add to the pan with the tomatoes and tomato puree. Mix the stock cube with 425ml (15 fl oz) very hot water and pour into the pan.
Bring the goulash to the boil then reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, till the meat is very tender. Add a little extra hot water if the mixture looks too dry towards the end of the cooking time.
Blend the cornflour with 3 tbsp cold water then add to the goulash with salt and pepper. Stir until the sauce thickens then cook for a further 2 minutes.

This is lovely served with boiled or mashed potatoes, or plain boiled rice. You could also top each serving with a spoonful of low fat plain yogurt if you wish. Spare portions freeze well, too.

Bacon and leek risotto

2010-11-01T17:36:00.001Z

Very easy - after the initial cooking, just pop it in the oven! It's very tasty, and low in fat too.

Makes: 2 servings
Takes: 15 minutes + 1 hour cooking time

Ingredients

1 tsp olive oil
1 large leek
1 clove garlic
4 rashers bacon
2 or 3 mushrooms
7 oz (uncooked weight) risotto rice
1 tsp dried thyme
1 chicken or vegetable stock cube

Method

Preheat the oven to 150oC.
Trim and finely slice the leek. Peel and chop the garlic. Heat the oil in a large non-stick saucepan and fry the leek and garlic for a few minutes till softened, then transfer to a plate.
Trim all the fat from the bacon and cut into small pieces. Slice the mushrooms. Cook bacon and mushrooms in the saucepan till browned (you shouldn't need any extra oil).
Return the leek and garlic to the pan and add the rice, stirring well. Make 1 1/2 pints of stock using the stock cube and boiling water, and add to the pan with the thyme.
Bring to the boil, stirring well, then transfer to a large ovenproof dish and cover with foil. Bake for an hour. Check towards the end of this time and remove the foil if the risotto looks too wet, or add a little extra boiling water if necessary.

Great as it is, or as an accompaniment to a main meal. I often cook a chicken breast while the risotto is cooking then shred the chicken and add to the risotto before serving (the photo above shows the risotto with chicken added). You can also make this a vegetarian dish by using Quorn rashers and ensuring that the stock cube is vegetable rather than chicken.

Chicken parcels

2010-10-23T13:38:00.001+01:00

The basic idea behind this recipe is that the chicken cooks in its own steam so is very tender and juicy, and the flavourings both infuse the chicken itself and mix with the juices to make a small amount of sauce. The photo shows Thai green curry chicken but the flavour combinations are endless - see the notes below. Great for serving up everyone's favourites while catering to different tastes!

Makes: As many servings as you wish, just use a chicken breast per person
Takes: 5 minutes + 30 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

1 chicken breast
Any flavourings you wish, see below

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oC/fan oven 180oC.
Cut a piece of foil about 12" square and lightly oil or butter the centre of it. Place the chicken breast onto the foil and add the other ingredients.
Bring the edges of the foil together and scrunch to seal, trapping air inside the parcel to allow the chicken to steam. Place the parcel into a roasting tin and cook for 30 minutes.
Transfer the parcel to a plate, add potatoes or rice and vegetables, and allow each diner to open his or her own parcel - being careful of the steam! The juices that collect can be poured over the chicken and rice or potatoes as a sauce.

There are so many variations on this theme. A really simple flavour would be lemon juice and fresh herbs - sprinkle a tablespoon or so of lemon juice over the chicken then add some chopped parsley, for example. The photo above shows Thai green curry chicken, which I made by spreading the chicken breast with Thai green curry paste then adding 2 tablespoons of coconut milk and some chopped coriander. You can use a little tomato puree and some grated cheese for 'pizza' chicken, or try butter, finely chopped garlic and sliced mushrooms. Or keep it very simple by adding a little chicken stock to each parcel.

Just one word of warning - you may need to allow longer if cooking several of these at once. Check by carefully opening one of the parcels and sticking a sharp knife into the thickest part of the breast to check that the inside is no longer pink and the juices are clear.

You can also cook fillets of fish this way, though they would only need about 20 minutes in the oven.

Yorkshire puddings

2010-10-20T11:40:00.000+01:00

Great with a Sunday roast - a big favourite in our house!

Makes: 12 puddings
Takes: 5 minutes + 20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

2 1/2 oz plain flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
3 fl oz milk
2 fl oz water

Method

Preheat the oven to 220oC.
Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and make a 'well' in the centre.
Break the egg into the well and start mixing it with a whisk, gradually incorporating some of the flour.
As the mixture gets thick, pour in a little milk and water and continue to mix, bringing in more of the flour and adding more liquid alternately till all the ingredients are combined.
Lightly oil a 12-cup cake tin (I use spray oil) and put into the oven to get it hot. Ladle batter into each cup and cook for 20-25 minutes, till well-risen and golden brown.

If you prefer, you can cook one large Yorkshire pudding - allow at least half an hour to cook. Or you can make toad-in-the-hole by frying or grilling some sausages to brown them, placing them in the bottom of the hot tin and pouring the batter over before cooking. Or cut the sausages into small pieces, place a piece in each cup of the cake tin and add batter for mini toads!

Cheat's carbonara

2010-10-08T21:08:00.000+01:00

Very easy, and much lower in fat than the traditional creamy version. Use turkey rashers if you want to reduce the fat further, or Quorn to make it vegetarian - or add extra vegetables if you wish. I add mushrooms but you can skip them if you prefer. Tastes good with or without the works!

Makes: as many portions as you want, just increase the quantities accordingly
Takes: 15 minutes

Ingredients (per person)

1 serving of spaghetti
spray oil
2 rashers bacon
a few button or closed cup mushrooms (optional)
50g extra low-fat cream cheese (such as Philadelphia)
freshly ground black pepper

Method

Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet. Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid.
Spritz a non-stick pan with spray oil and heat. Trim the fat from the bacon and cut it into small pieces, then trim and slice the mushrooms. Fry both over a medium heat till golden brown.
Stir in the cream cheese and add a little of the cooking liquid to thin the sauce - you want a coating consistency.
Add the spaghetti to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce. Season to taste.

If you want to add any other vegetables, cut them into bite-sized pieces and fry gently in spray oil till softened, then add to the pan at the end of step 2.

Baked Alaska

2010-09-04T20:02:00.000+01:00

Disclaimer: The method described below has not been fully tested, but is our improvement of the recipe we were originally given, as some steps didn't quite work for us - we're confident this way WILL work, but if you'd rather wait till we've tried it properly - at which point I'll remove this disclaimer - go ahead :-) The photo shows what we made by following the original recipe.

Makes: 4-6 servings

Takes: 10 minutes + 5 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

a Madeira cake

2 tbsp orange juice

1 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam

4-6 slices of vanilla ice cream from a block (not soft scoop)

4 large egg whites

8 oz (225g) caster sugar

Method

Turn the Madeira cake onto its side then slice in half horizontally. Drizzle a tbsp orange juice over each piece and spread one of them with the jam.
Arrange the slices of ice cream to cover one half of the cake and top with the other piece. Place onto an ovenproof plate and freeze until ready to cook.
Preheat the oven to 200oC/Gas Mark 6.
Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl until they form stiff peaks. Whisk in the caster sugar then remove the cake from the freezer and spread the meringue over.
Bake for about 5 minutes, until the meringue topping turns golden brown. Serve at once.

You can use rum or brandy instead of orange juice for a grown-up version! You can also omit the jam and use raspberry ripple ice cream.

Rocky road

2010-09-04T19:48:00.000+01:00

Very like tiffin but with the classic rocky road combination of chocolate, biscuit and marshmallow.

Makes: 18-24 pieces

Takes: 20 minutes + at least 2 hours chilling time

Ingredients

4 1/2 oz (125g) unsalted butter

10 1/2 oz (300g) good quality dark chocolate

3 tbsp golden syrup

7 1/4 oz (200g) rich tea biscuits

4 oz (100g) mini marshmallows

Method

Grease and line an 8x10 inch oblong tin.
Put the butter into a large, heavy-based saucepan. Break the chocolate into pieces and add to the pan with the syrup. Melt over a gentle heat and stir well.
Scoop out about 4 1/2 fl oz (125ml) of the chocolate mixture and set aside in a bowl. Leave the rest to cool slightly in the pan.
Meanwhile, put the biscuits into a plastic freezer bag and crush them roughly with a rolling pin - some should be crushed into crumbs, but make sure you leave some as larger pieces too.
Fold the biscuits into the chocolate in the pan then add the marshmallows. Tip into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a wet spatula.
Pour over the reserved chocolate and smooth again with a wet spatula. Refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight.
Cut into 24 pieces. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge.

You can add dried fruit, glace cherries, chopped nuts etc to vary the recipe if you wish!

Yogurt cake

2010-09-04T19:31:00.000+01:00

This makes a lovely, moist, light sponge with a fairly subtle but delicious flavour which is easy to vary by choosing a different flavour of yogurt.

Makes: 12 slices

Takes: 15 minutes + 50-60 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

8 oz (225g) self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 oz (175g) caster sugar

3 1/2 oz (100g) butter or margarine

2 medium eggs

a 200g pot of Mullerlite yogurt in your chosen flavour

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC/160oC (fan oven)/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line an 8x10 inch oblong baking tin.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and add all the other ingredients. Use an electric hand mixer on a slow speed to combine then turn it up to high to beat to a smooth batter.
Pour into the tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until it feels firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack then slice into 12 fingers.

A particular favourite in our household is to use toffee yogurt, as the flavour seems to come through more strongly. Raspberry and cranberry gives a nice subtle hint of fruit; or try lemon and lime with the grated zest of a lemon and/or lime added. Chocolate gives a very subtle flavour so enhance it with some vanilla essence and 1 tbsp cocoa, sifted with the flour at step 2. Vanilla makes a nice, simple sponge! Any of the above (and probably other flavours I haven't tried) are very good served with custard as a dessert.

Vegetable curry

2010-09-04T19:17:00.000+01:00

It's difficult to post a recipe for this one, as it's very much a 'throw what you've got into the pan' type thing with no fixed quantities! It's lovely, though - the vegetables pretty much cook down into mush, but they all add their own bit of flavour and it's much nicer than the baby food it resembles... (If you really want some quantities to get started then see the notes at the end.)

Makes: Depends how much of each ingredient you use

Takes: 10 minutes + 30-40 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

Sweet potato(es)

Potato(es)

Cauliflower

Carrots

Tinned tomatoes

Tinned coconut milk

Vegetable stock cube

Salt and pepper

Curry powder to taste

Fresh spinach

Method

Peel the sweet potato(es) and potato(es) and cut them into approximate 2-inch chunks. Cut the cauliflower into florets of a similar size. Peel and top and tail the carrots, cut in half lengthways then chop into thick slices.
Put all the vegetables in a large saucepan with the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk. Make up a pint of stock with the stock cube and boiling water and add to the pan, then season and add the curry powder.
Stir well and bring the curry to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the vegetables are cooked and starting to break up to form a thick sauce. Stir every now and then during this time and add a bit more boiling water if the curry looks too dry.
Rinse the spinach leaves then stir them into the curry till they start to wilt. Serve with rice.

As a very rough guide, you can use 1 large sweet potato, a couple of medium potatoes, 1 small cauliflower, 3 carrots and 1 tin each of tomatoes and coconut milk with 1 pint of stock and a couple of handfuls of spinach. I'd use about 2 tbsp curry powder with that lot. But as you can see, it's a very flexible recipe!

Linguine with prawns and lemon

2010-07-31T20:35:00.000+01:00

Lovely fresh flavours, ideal for summer. The chilli isn't at all strong but adds a little interest.

Makes: 2 generous servings
Takes: 15 minutes

Ingredients

200g linguine
about 12 cherry tomatoes
salt
1 clove garlic
1/2 red chilli
1 lemon
3 tbsp olive oil
175g king prawns (cooked)

Method

Cook the linguine in boiling water according to the instructions on the packet.
Halve the tomatoes and place into a small bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt.
Peel and chop the garlic. Remove the seeds of the chilli and chop it finely. Crush the garlic and chilli with a pestle and mortar then add to the tomatoes.
Finely grate the zest of the lemon and squeeze the juice, then add zest and juice to the tomatoes with the olive oil. Add the prawns and stir well.
Drain the pasta then return to the pan with the prawn mixture. Warm through gently over a low heat.

Bran loaf

2010-07-31T20:25:00.000+01:00

It looks fairly revolting in its uncooked form and I don't recommend eating any raw mixture, but it turns out well once cooked and is extremely easy to make. Very good buttered.

Makes: 1 loaf (approximately 12 servings)
Takes: 5 minutes + 1 1/2 hours cooking time

Ingredients

1 mug self-raising flour
1 mug bran cereal (All Bran or equivalent)
1 mug dried fruit (currants, sultanas or mixed fruit)
1/2 mug soft brown sugar
1 mug milk

Method

Sift the flour into a small bowl and set aside. Place all the other ingredients into a large bowl, stir then leave to stand for about an hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 160oC and grease and line a loaf tin.
Add the flour to the large bowl and stir well to combine. Pour into the tin and bake for about an hour and a half, until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Watermelon, ginger and lime juice

2010-07-25T20:42:00.000+01:00

Very refreshing, and the ginger gives it a bit of a kick. A bit fiddly though, so ideally multiply up the quantities and make a batch to share. (In that case I'd only use 1 lime for every 2 servings, you should still get enough of the lime flavour.) Alternatively, add vodka to help it to go further!

Makes: 1 serving
Takes: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 wedge of watermelon (about 1/8 of a watermelon)
1 lime
1 piece of stem ginger from a jar of ginger in syrup
1 tsp syrup from the jar of ginger
Vodka (optional)

Method

Remove the rind and seeds of the melon and cut into chunks. Grate the zest and squeeze the juice of the lime. Cut the stem ginger into two or three pieces.
Place the melon, lime zest and juice, ginger and syrup into a blender, blend until liquid, then press through a sieve. Add vodka if you wish.

Lemonade

2010-07-01T10:27:00.000+01:00

Proper, traditional, still lemonade. You might want to adjust the proportions to suit your taste - this makes quite a 'zingy' drink, so I'd add extra water if making it for children. It does need to be drunk while fresh as the pith will make it taste bitter if you keep it too long.

Makes: 1 generous glass
Takes: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 lemon
1/2 pint water
1 tbsp caster sugar (or more to taste)

Method

Cut the lemon into quarters (no need to peel it or remove the pips!) and put into a blender with the water and sugar. Blitz for about 10 seconds.
Set a sieve over a large bowl or jug and pour the lemonade through the sieve. Press down on the pulp with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Taste and add more sugar if necessary.

Obviously it's easy to increase the quantities to make more servings!

Lamb Provencal

2010-06-23T11:51:00.000+01:00

A lovely fresh tomato and courgette sauce that works well with lamb but would also go with chicken or beef if you prefer! Ingredients here are for one portion but it's easy to increase quantities to make more servings. Allow a bit more preparation time if making more than one portion though.

Makes: 1 portion

Takes: 10 minutes plus 20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

2 fresh tomatoes

1 clove of garlic

2 spring onions or 1/2 a small leek

1 courgette

3 tbsp dry white wine

a few basil leaves

4 1/2 oz/125g lean lamb steak

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Use a sharp knife to score small crosses in the base of the tomatoes. Place in a bowl and pour boiling water over. Remove after 30 seconds and slip off the skins, then quarter, remove the cores, and chop the flesh.
Crush the garlic and chop the spring onions or leek and the courgette. Place all these in a pan with the tomatoes and add the wine and seasoning. Cook until it starts sizzling then reduce the heat, cover and simmer gently until the vegetables have softened.
Season the lamb and grill or griddle for about 5 minutes each side until cooked to your taste. Tear the basil into pieces and stir into the sauce then serve the lamb with the sauce spooned over.

Good with a few chips or a jacket potato. It does make plenty of sauce so you may not need a vegetable to go with it, but green beans go well.

Summer berry muffins

2010-06-23T11:32:00.001+01:00

Use any fresh berries - stick to one variety or mix several together. (The photo shows a blueberry muffin.)

Makes: 12 muffins, 24 cupcakes, or a number of mini muffins!

Takes: 10 minutes plus 20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

6 oz/175g berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants, cherries...

10 oz/300g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

5 oz/150g caster sugar

3 1/2 fl oz/100 ml plain yogurt

4 fl oz/125 ml milk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla essence

4 1/2 oz/125g butter or margarine

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oC/180oC (fan oven)/Gas Mark 6. Line the muffin or cupcake tin of your choice with paper cases.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and caster sugar into a large bowl. If using cherries, halve them and remove the stones; if using larger berries (eg strawberries), cut them into pieces the size of blueberries. Fold the fruit into the flour mixture.
In a separate bowl, mix together the yogurt, milk, egg (beaten) and vanilla. Melt the butter and stir into the other wet ingredients.
Pour the yogurt mixture into the dry ingredients and quickly mix until just combined. Spoon into the paper cases then bake for about 20 minutes, until risen and golden.
Cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

You can if you like reserve some of the fruit and add a berry or two to the top of each muffin before baking. Another option is to make a simple cream cheese frosting - swirl this on top of each muffin and add a berry or two to decorate.

Variation:

For Black Forest muffins, use 9 oz self-raising flour and add 1 oz cocoa powder. The fruit should of course be cherries! You could add some chocolate chunks to the mixture too. Chocolate frosting and a cherry to decorate each muffin would finish these off beautifully!

Mini cinnamon rolls

2010-06-23T11:11:00.000+01:00

A lovely treat, best eaten while still warm and very fresh.

Makes: 8

Takes: 15 minutes plus 15 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

4 oz (110g) self-raising flour plus a little extra for rolling

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp butter or margarine

zest of 1/2 lemon

4 tbsp milk

1/2 oz (15g) soft brown sugar

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tbsp golden syrup

Method

Preheat the oven to 220oC/200oC (fan oven)/Gas Mark 7 and line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment.
Sieve the flour and baking pwder into a large mixing bowl. Rub in 1 tablespoon of the butter with your fingertips.
Finely grate the lemon zest and stir into the flour. Gradually mix in the milk to form a soft dough - you may not need all of the milk. Gently knead the dough until smooth.
Flour your work surface and a rolling pin. Roll out the dough to a rectangle 18 x 14 cm (7 x 5 1/2 inches).
Spread the dough with butter, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 inch) border clear along one long side. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the buttered dough.
Brush the border with water and roll the dough from the opposite long side up to the moistened border, pressing it gently to seal. Cut into 8 slices with a very sharp knife.
Arrange the slices onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each one. Bake for 12-15 minutes until light golden brown.
As soon as the rolls have come out of the oven, warm the syrup until thin and runny (this only takes a few seconds in the microwave). Spoon a little syrup over each bun.

These are a bit fiddly to make, but worth the effort. The rolls can be frozen without the syrup so one option is to increase the quantities and freeze for a future occasion.

Rice pudding

2010-06-23T10:52:00.001+01:00

Real comfort food :-) This recipe gives a lovely nutmeggy caramelised skin on top (which you can always remove if you must...)

Makes: 4 servings

Takes: 5 minutes plus 2 hours cooking time

Ingredients

4 oz pudding rice

1 pint milk

1 3/4 oz caster sugar

1 oz butter

ground nutmeg

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 160oC/150oC (fan oven)/Gas Mark 3 and grease a 2-pint pie dish.
Put the rice, milk and sugar into the pie dish and stir well. Dot the top with butter and bake for 1 hour.
Stir with a fork, sprinkle with nutmeg and return to the oven for a further hour.

Banana bread

2010-06-10T14:24:00.000+01:00

Very easy and absolutely delicious - ideal for lunchboxes, picnics, afternoon tea, evening snacks, breakfast, midnight feasts...

Makes: 12 slices

Takes: 10 minutes plus 1 hour cooking time

Ingredients

4 very ripe bananas

2 3/4 oz butter or margarine

7 oz brown sugar

1 egg

1 tbsp vanilla essence

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

pinch of salt

8 oz plain flour

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180oC (fan oven) and grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
Mash the bananas to a pulp with the butter (softened if necessary). Mix in the sugar, the egg (beaten), and the vanilla essence.
Sift in the bicarbonate of soda, salt and flour and mix everything together thoroughly. Pour into the prepared tin.
Bake for about an hour, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. If the top starts to look too brown before the centre is cooked, cover loosely with some foil.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire cooling rack. It's easier to remove the lining paper after the loaf has cooled down. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

Freezes well, either as a complete loaf or as individual slices. Pop a frozen slice into a packed lunch and it will have defrosted by lunchtime!

Pancakes

2010-05-26T21:13:00.001+01:00

This is the pancake recipe that works best of all those I've tried :-)

Makes: 12-14 pancakes
Takes: 10 minutes + 10 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

4 oz plain flour
a pinch of salt
2 large or 3 small eggs
7 fl oz milk
3 fl oz water
2 tbsp butter

Method

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl then make a well in the centre. Break the eggs into the well and mix the milk and water together in a jug.
Start to whisk the eggs, gradually incorporating the flour. Add the milk and water gradually at the same time. Once all the flour has been mixed in and all the milk and water added, whisk well till the batter has the consistency of thin cream.
The batter doesn't need to stand but you can cover it and put it aside now if you wish, while you eat your main course for example. Just stir well before using.
When ready to cook the pancakes, melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan and pour into the batter, stirring well. Use a spatula to gently scrape as much of the butter out of the pan as possible.
Get the pan really hot then lower the heat to medium. Spoon in a ladleful of batter and tilt the pan to coat the base evenly and thinly. It should be ready when the top has dried out and the bottom is golden - you can turn or flip it to lightly brown the other side too if you wish.
If you want to keep the finished pancakes warm while you cook the rest of the batch, put a plate over a pan of simmering water and cover with foil. Add each pancake to the plate as it is cooked. (In our family we eat them as they're ready, taking it in turns!)

Serve as desired - with sugar and lemon juice, jam, honey, golden syrup, maple syrup, chocolate spread, chocolate sauce, ice cream, fruit compote.... The possibilities are endless!

Apple and sultana muffins

2010-05-26T21:11:00.000+01:00

Delicious as muffins or cupcakes :-)

Makes: 12 muffins or 24 cupcakes.
Takes: 15 minutes + 15 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

2 3/4 oz (75g) butter or margarine
3 1/2 oz (100g) caster sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla essence
200g jar apple sauce
1 large dessert apple
1 3/4 oz (50g) sultanas
7 oz (200g) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Preheat the oven to 170oC (fan oven)/190oC/Gas Mark 5 and line muffin or cupcake tins with paper cases.
Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl then mix in the egg and the vanilla essence. Stir in the apple sauce and mix thoroughly.
Peel and core the apple and dice finely. Add to the mixture with the sultanas and stir well.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a separate bowl then tip into the apple mixture and quickly stir till just combined.
Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 12-15 minutes, until risen, golden-brown and firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

The cakes keep well in a tin for a few days, or can be frozen.

Carrot cake muffins

2010-05-26T20:58:00.000+01:00

One word - YUM! With or without the cream cheese frosting, these are so delicious :-)

Makes: 12 muffins or 24 cupcakes

Takes: 10 minutes + 20-25 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

9oz (250g) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 egg

3 1/2 fl oz (100 ml) water

1 tbsp runny honey

3 1/2 oz (100g) soft brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

10 1/2 oz (300g) peeled, topped and tailed carrots

4 tbsp corn oil (I use light olive oil)

For the icing (optional)

1 3/4 oz (50g) light cream cheese

3 1/2 oz (100g) icing sugar

1/2 tsp orange or lemon juice

Method

Preheat the oven to 180oC (fan oven)/190oC/Gas Mark 5 and line muffin tins or cupcake tins with paper cases.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon into a bowl.
In a separate, large, bowl, beat the egg then mix in the water, honey, sugar and vanilla. Grate the carrot and stir into the mixture.
Add the oil to the carrot mixture and stir well. Tip the dry ingredients into the bowl and quickly mix to just combine. (The mixture should still be lumpy and don't worry about occasional streaks of flour.)
Spoon into the paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm and springy. Cool in a wire rack.
If icing, allow the cakes to cool completely first. Mix the cheese, icing sugar and juice together thoroughly and spread a little over the top of each muffin.

They will keep well in a tin for a few days, or can be frozen without the icing.

Pesto chicken

2010-05-16T21:32:00.001+01:00

I use my nut-free pesto for this but you can of course use the usual kind, bought or homemade.

Makes: 2 servings

Takes: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 boneless chicken breasts, skin on

2 tbsp pesto

salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp milk

Method

Loosen the skin of the chicken with your fingers, making sure it stays attached along one side. Spread 1/2 tablespoon pesto over each chicken breast, pull the skin back over to cover, then season.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat then place the chicken into the pan skin side down. Fry for about 3 minutes until the skin is crisp.
Turn the chicken over, reduce the heat, then cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Add the other tablespoon of pesto to the pan with the milk, mix with the juices and heat till bubbling. Season to taste. Serve the chicken with the pesto sauce poured over.

Notes: Great served with new potatoes roasted with sprigs of rosemary, and with a green vegetable such as spinach, green beans or broccoli.

You could get away with using a bit less oil if you have a good non-stick pan, but you do need to use a little to get the skin to crisp.

Nut-free Pesto

2010-05-16T21:24:00.000+01:00

My nut allergy counts out pesto, so I was thrilled to find a recipe that doesn't use nuts! And without the nuts and with no added cheese, it's lower in fat than the standard version, too :-)

Makes: A jar full

Takes: 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 can white beans (eg cannellini or haricot) - about 200g

1 clove garlic or 1 tsp garlic puree

60g fresh basil leaves (see notes below)

1/2 tsp salt

100 ml olive oil

black pepper

Method

Drain and rinse the beans and put into a food processor with all the other ingredients.
Process until smooth, decant into a jar and store in the fridge.

Notes: I have no idea how much basil weighs 60g. I buy a pot of 'growing basil' from the supermarket and use all the leaves from that (and a bit of stalk usually goes in too!) and that seems to work fine.

This keeps in the fridge for a few days. Try not to push it to the back of the fridge and forget about it though as it goes a strange colour after a couple of weeks or so...

Two meals in one: Salmon fried rice

2010-05-08T20:04:00.000+01:00

Use the leftovers from the Mediterranean-style roasted salmon and add a few more ingredients to make this dish.

Ingredients

1/2 red pepper
100g baby sweetcorn
100g sugar snap peas
1 tsp olive oil
1 sachet Thai basil and lemon stir-fry sauce
basmati and wild rice (left over from previous day)
50g pak choi or mixed stir-fry leaves
1 salmon fillet (left over from previous day)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp coriander
juice of 1 lime

Method

Cut the pepper, baby sweetcorn and sugar snap peas into bite-sized pieces. Heat the oil and fry the vegetables for 2 minutes.
Add the stir-fry sauce and rice and mix thoroughly then heat for 4 minutes. Stir through the pak choi or stir-fry leaves, flaked salmon and soy sauce, and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Stir in the coriander and squeeze over the lime juice just before serving.

You can also add a sliced spring onion and/or a few unsalted peanuts at step 3.

Two meals in one: Mediterranean-style roasted salmon

2010-05-08T19:46:00.001+01:00

Make this one night and use the leftovers with a few added ingredients to make the next day's meal!

Makes: 2 servings
Takes: 5 minutes plus 15 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

few sprigs each of basil, mint and parsley
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
3 salmon fillets
250g cherry tomatoes on the vine
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
225g basmati and wild rice

Method

Pre-heat oven to 220oC. Mix the chopped herbs with the lemon zest and 1 tbsp of the olive oil then toss the salmon fillets in the mixture. Place into a roasting tin.
Put the tomatoes into the tin and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and the remaining 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Roast the salmon and tomatoes for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the rice. When rice and salmon are ready, serve two-thirds of the rice with the tomatoes and two of the salmon fillets, drizzling with the juices from the pan.
Cool the remaining rice under cold running water. Refrigerate with the cooled salmon fillet.

Very nice as it is, but I'd recommend adding some green vegetables on the side too.

Banana, honey and oat smoothie

2010-04-27T21:47:00.001+01:00

Smooth, creamy and filling :-)

Makes: 1 serving
Takes: 1 minute

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
1 heaped tbsp oats
1 tsp honey
some milk

Method

Peel the banana and break it into 3 or 4 pieces. Put it into a blender with the oats and honey and add some milk. Blend until smooth.
Er.... That's it!

Sorry I can't be more specific about the quantity of milk, I basically just pour it in till it looks about right, but it must be about a cupful. You can use any kind of milk (full-fat or lower-fat cow's milk, soya milk, rice milk, almond milk, etc) - my own preference is for skimmed. A bit more milk will make a slightly thinner smoothie; the way I make it, it turns out the thickness of a McDonald's milkshake!

Aromatic Chicken Curry

2010-04-21T16:30:00.000+01:00

This is a full-flavoured curry with a rich sauce, delicious with rice and naan bread :-) (Chipped plate optional!)

Makes: 2 servings
Takes: 15 minutes preparation + 30 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
1 garlic clove
3cm piece of fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
2 ripe tomatoes
2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
150ml (1/4 pint) chicken stock
2 tbsp half-fat creme fraiche
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic, add to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
Finely grate the ginger and add to the pan with the spices, cooking for a further minute.
Chop the tomatoes and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add tomatoes and chicken to the pan with the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the sauce is thick and rich.
Turn off the heat and stir in the creme fraiche, adding salt and pepper to taste.

The sauce can be frozen at the end of step 4. Reheat then add the creme fraiche to serve.
It's easy to increase the quantities (especially if wanting to freeze part of the sauce) but allow extra cooking time.
You can use garlic puree, ginger puree and a couple of tinned tomatoes if preferred.

Keralan-style Prawn Curry

2010-03-11T22:05:00.001Z

I couldn't find any curry leaves so I just missed them out. I was wary of making the curry too hot so I also used just one chilli and removed the seeds, but that did make a mild sauce so if you like hot curries then you may want to use two chillis and include the seeds. It is more of a fragrant, tasty curry than a burn-your-mouth hot curry though!

Makes: 4 servings
Takes: 40 minutes (including cooking time)

Ingredients

2 tbsp mild olive oil
150g shallots
3 cloves garlic or 3 tsp garlic puree
20g fresh root ginger or ginger puree
1-2 fresh green chillis
1 tsp turmeric
small bunch fresh coriander
About 30 curry leaves
200ml vegetable stock
400ml tin of coconut milk
200g green beans
300g large raw peeled prawns

Method

Peel and slice the shallots and fry them in 1 tbsp of the oil till softened but not coloured. Peel and slice the garlic and peel and chop the ginger (if not using purees). Slice the chillis, removing the seeds if desired. Remove the leaves from the coriander and set aside for now.
Put the shallots, garlic, ginger, chillis, turmeric and coriander stalks into a blender and blitz to a coarse paste.
Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and fry the curry leaves for 1 minute (if using). Add the curry paste and cook for 3 minutes then add the stock and coconut milk. Simmer for about 15 minutes.
Trim the green beans and cut into short pieces. Add to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes, then add the prawns and cook for a further 3-4 minutes, until cooked through. Season and stir in the coriander leaves before serving.

You can make the sauce in advance then bring back to simmering point and add the beans and prawns when ready to eat.
You could also use fillets of white fish, such as cod, instead of the prawns.

Ginger Tiramisu

2010-03-05T19:47:00.000Z

I love tiramisu but can't cope with caffeine in the evening - not if I want to sleep, anyway! This version is caffeine-free and full of flavour :-)

Makes: 6-8 servings
Takes: 20 minutes + 2 hours chilling time

Ingredients

3 balls ginger from a jar of stem ginger in syrup
4 tbsp syrup from the same jar
250g mascarpone
300 ml double cream
6 tbsp sweet sherry
3 tbsp orange juice
200g gingernut biscuits (approx)

Method

Cut the ginger into small cubes and set aside.
Beat together the ginger syrup and mascarpone until smooth. Whip the cream till it forms soft peaks then fold into the mascarpone.
Mix together the sherry and orange juice in a shallow bowl.
Spread one-third of the mascarpone mixture in the bottom of a serving dish. Dip the biscuits into the sherry and orange juice for a few seconds (not too long or they will be soggy) then arrange a layer on top of the mascarpone, breaking the biscuits into pieces to fill in any gaps.
Scatter one-third of the chopped ginger over the biscuits then repeat the layers of mascarpone, dipped biscuits and chopped ginger. (You may not need all the biscuits.)
Spread the remaining mascarpone over the top and sprinkle over the rest of the ginger pieces. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 2 hours so the flavours have a chance to develop.

Chinese Steamed Chicken

2010-02-18T19:00:00.000Z

The chicken is so moist and tender and succulent cooked this way! (Sorry about the poor photo - I'll update it when I make this again. And I will make this again!)

Makes: 2 servings
Takes: 10 minutes + 10 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (skinless and boneless)
2 tbsp light soy sauce
4 tsp dry sherry
2 pak choi (Chinese cabbage) or 100g Chinese leaf
a couple of generous pinches of Chinese five spice powder
1 tsp sesame oil
2 spring onions
salt and black pepper

Method

Using a sharp knife, cut into the chicken breasts twice on each side. Put into a polythene bag with the soy sauce and sherry, seal the top, shake well and set aside for at least 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, set some water to boil in a saucepan and place a steamer basket on top.
Halve the pak choi or shred the Chinese leaf. Place into a shallow heatproof bowl that is small ennough to fit into the steamer. Season lightly.
Place the chicken breasts on top and pour over the marinade. Sprinkle over the five spice powder and sesame oil. Top with long, thin strips of spring onion.
Put the plate into the steamer and cover. Steam for 10 minutes, till the chicken is cooked through.

Serve with rice and steamed or lightly boiled vegetables.

Notes:

We didn't have any light soy sauce, so I used dark. It didn't seem to matter too much.
We didn't have any dry sherry, so I used cream sherry. It didn't seem to matter too much.
We didn't have any pak choi or Chinese leaf, so I used Choi Sum. I found it very bitter but The Doctor liked it.
I didn't feel the need to add extra salt, as the soy sauce is quite salty in itself. It didn't seem to matter too much.
I don't like spring onion, so I missed it out. It didn't seem to matter too much.
We didn't have a bowl that would fit into the steamer, so I lined it with the Choi Sum and was very careful how I poured on the marinade. We lost some of the juices in dishing up but it didn't seem to matter too much.
This appears to be a very forgiving recipe :-)

Tuna Pasta Bake

2010-02-18T18:42:00.000Z

At its best served hot, but also good cold as a snack or for a packed lunch :-)

Makes: 2 servings
Takes: 15 minutes + 40 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

spray oil
3 1/2 oz dried pasta (I use spirali)
3 1/2 oz broccoli
185g tin of tuna (canned in brine or water)
2 eggs
1/4 pint skimmed milk
black pepper
herbs (eg parsley) if desired
1 1/2 oz mature Cheddar cheese (I use the reduced fat version)

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 190oC/Gas Mark 5 and spritz an ovenproof dish with oil.
Cook the pasta shapes in boiling water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut or break the broccoli into florets and add these to the pasta for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time.
Drain the pasta and broccoli and return to the saucepan. Drain and flake the tuna and mix with the pasta and broccoli then tip into the ovenproof dish.
Beat together the eggs and milk and season with black pepper (if using tuna in brine you won't need any additional salt). You could also add some fresh or dried herbs. Pour over the pasta mixture.
Grate the cheese and sprinkle over the top then bake for 35-40 minutes, till set and golden on top.

Good served with a side salad of your choice!

Monkfish, Ciabatta and Pancetta, on Rosemary Skewers

2010-02-06T19:07:00.000Z

Oh yum, oh yum!! It is a bit pricey (though you do make the monkfish go a long way), but see the notes at the end for ideas on how to do a lower-cost version.

Makes: 2 servings
Takes: 10 minutes + 20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

about 8 oz (225g) trimmed monkfish tail
1 ciabatta roll
a few sprigs of rosemary (about 6 or 7, each 6 inches or so in length)
1/2 tsp garlic paste or 1/2 clove garlic
extra virgin olive oil
black pepper
6 or 7 rashers of pancetta
balsamic vinegar

Method

Preheat the oven to 220oC/200oC fan/Gas Mark 7.
Cut the monkfish into about 12 pieces of roughly equal size. Remove the ciabatta crust and tear the bread into the same number of pieces - they should be roughly the same size as the fish.
Keep the top inch or so of each rosemary stalk intact, and remove the leaves from the rest by running finger and thumb down the length of the stalk.
Put the rosemary leaves and garlic into a pestle and mortar and bash them together then add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Put the fish and bread into a bowl, add the rosemary oil and toss together.
Cut the bottom of the first rosemary stalk at an angle to create a sharp point. Thread on a piece of monkfish followed by a piece of ciabatta and repeat. Each stalk should hold two pieces each of fish and bread.
Do the same with the other stalks until all the monkfish and ciabatta has been used up.
Wrap a piece of pancetta loosely around each skewer, tucking it between the pieces of monkfish and ciabatta. Place on a roasting tray then season with black pepper and sprinkle over any remaining oil from the bowl.
Bake for about 20 minutes, till the bread is crisp and golden and the fish cooked through.
Drizzle with a little balsamic vinegar, a little extra olive oil and any juices from the tray to serve.

Lovely as they are for a starter, or with a salad for a light meal, or with chips or potato wedges as a main course.

For a cheaper version, use any meaty white fish instead of the monkfish, and smoked streaky bacon instead of the pancetta.

Gingerbread

2010-02-04T21:32:00.000Z

A lovely rich traditional gingerbread :-)

Makes: 12 slices
Takes: 10 minutes + 1 1/2 hours cooking time

Ingredients

4 oz (100g) butter or margarine
6 oz (175g) black treacle
2 oz (50g) golden syrup
2 oz (50g) brown sugar
1/4 pint (150ml) milk
2 eggs
8 oz (225g) plain flour
1 rounded tsp mixed spice
1 level tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 level tsp ground ginger

Method

Preheat the oven to 130oC (fan)/150oC/Gas Mark 2 and grease and line a 7" square tin.
Warm together the butter, treacle, syrup and sugar till melted, then add the milk and allow to cool.
Beat the eggs and blend with the cooled mixture.
Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl then gently fold in the cooled treacle mixture.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 hours, till a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Keeps for a few days in an airtight container. You can also freeze individual slices and thaw them as required.

Beef and Guinness Stew

2010-02-02T12:32:00.000Z

It takes a while to cook (but that's what makes the meat so tender) - just make sure you plan ahead if you don't want to eat too late in the evening!! (Not that I would ever make such a mistake. Ahem.)

Makes: 4 servings
Takes: 15 minutes + 3 hours cooking time

Ingredients

2 sticks of celery
1 small onion
2 carrots
1 tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
500g diced stewing beef
1 heaped tbsp plain flour
400ml can of Guinness
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
salt and pepper

Method

Trim the ends of the celery and cut into large chunks, peel and chop the onion, and peel the carrots before halving lengthways and then cutting into large pieces.
Put the olive oil, vegetables and bay leaves into a large pan and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes.
Add the beef and flour and stir well then pour in the Guinness and tomatoes. Season and stir well.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 3 hours, removing the lid for the final 30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Great with boiled or mashed potatoes and vegetables, or with rice. Alternatively, once cooked, put into an ovenproof dish and add a puff pastry lid, or a topping of sliced or mashed potato, and cook for 40 minutes (pastry or sliced potato) or 25 minutes (mashed potato) at 180oC.

Baked Mini Doughnuts

2010-01-24T15:52:00.000Z

Very yummy, low in fat, and dusted with cinnamon sugar - a lovely treat :-)

Makes: 12 mini doughnuts
Takes: 5 minutes + 10 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

3 1/2 oz (100g) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 3/4 oz (75g) caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp corn oil
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
4 tbsp skimmed milk
low-fat cooking spray

4 tsp caster sugar and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 170oC/Gas Mark 3.
Put all the ingredients except the extra sugar and the cinnamon into a bowl and beat to form a smooth batter (a hand-held electric whisk is ideal for this).
Spray a mini doughnut baking sheet with the cooking spray and spoon batter into each space, making sure you don't overfill or the doughnuts will have no holes!
Cook for about 10 minutes, until risen and firm to the touch. They won't go very brown.
Mix together the extra sugar and the ground cinnamon on a small plate. As you turn the warm doughnuts out of the tin, dip the base of each into the sugar and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Notes: This recipe makes more than enough batter for 12 mini doughnuts - don't be tempted to try to get all of it into the tin! You can use the leftover mixture to make a couple of larger 'doughnut cupcakes'; line a couple of holes of a cupcake tin with non-stick baking parchment and spray with cooking spray, spoon in the batter, and bake for 15 minutes or until risen and lightly browned. Lovely split while still warm and spread with jam :-)
The baking tins are available from Lakeland Ltd.
If you don't plan to eat all the doughnuts immediately, they should freeze fine. I've never tried to freeze them though, they don't last that long!

Oven-baked Mushroom and Thyme Risotto

2010-01-16T14:04:00.002Z

No pesky stirring for hours over a hot stove! After a little bit of preparation, stick it in the oven till the rice is cooked. Easy!

Makes: 4 servings
Takes: 10 minutes + 25 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

25g pack dried porcini mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
350g risotto rice
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
750ml vegetable stock
100ml white wine
salt and pepper
handful of freshly grated parmesan (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 190oC/fan 170oC/Gas Mark 5.
Put the mushrooms in a bowl and pour over 425ml boiling water. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes.
Heat the oil in a large pan. Finely chop the onion and cook gently for 2 minutes until it starts to soften then add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid, and chop them. Put them into the pan with the rice and thyme leaves and stir well.
Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid into the pan and add the stock and wine. Stir thoroughly and bring to the boil. Season to taste.
Pour into a large overnproof dish and put into the oven. Bake for 25 minutes, till the rice is just cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
Stir in the grated parmesan if using. Serve with extra parmesan shavings and thyme leaves sprinkled over, if desired.

Great as a dinner party dish, either as a vegetarian main with a side salad and crusty bread, or as a side dish with chicken or beef. Or mix in some cooked smoked bacon. Yum!
Leave out the wine if you prefer and use extra stock instead. And if it doesn't matter about being a vegetarian dish, chicken stock also works well.

Hummous

2010-01-15T12:49:00.002Z

With thanks and due credit to Amy, whose recipe I tweaked and adapted (I know she doesn't mind that I tweaked and adapted, as that's how she cooks too!) My preference is for lemon and coriander hummous, so that's what this recipe makes, though you can leave out the lemon juice and coriander if you wish.

Makes: About a jamjar full
Takes: 5 minutes

Ingredients

400g tin of chickpeas
1 lemon
2 tbsp tahini
1 tsp garlic paste (or 1 clove garlic, finely chopped)
1 small handful of fresh coriander leaves
Salt and pepper

Method

Drain the chickpeas and finely grate the lemon rind and squeeze out the juice.
Place all the ingredients into a bowl or jug and blitz to the desired consistency with a handheld stick blender.

A jug blender would be fine, but pulse for just a few seconds at a time to keep an eye on the consistency. If you don't have either, mash the chickpeas and chop the coriander before thoroughly mixing all the ingredients together.

Victoria Sponge

2010-01-13T12:16:00.003Z

A lovely, easy, basic recipe that's easy to play with to give you flavour variations.

Makes: 1 large cake or 4 dozen cupcakes
Takes: 10 minutes + baking time

Ingredients

8 oz caster sugar
8 oz butter or margarine
4 eggs
4 tbsp milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
8 oz self-raising flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oC/180oC fan and grease and line a large round cake tin.
Cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy (I use a handheld electric whisk, but you could use a food processor or just beat by heand with a wooden spoon).
Beat in the eggs, milk and vanilla then sift in the flour and mix well.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 45-50 minutes until well-risen, golden brown, and springy to the touch. Check by pushing a skewer into the centre - if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn onto a wire rack. When cold, cut in half horizontally, spread one half with jam and sandwich the pieces back together. Sprinkle sugar on the top just before serving.

Variations: You could add different essences instead of vanilla. For chocolate cake, instead of milk, add 4 heaped teaspoons cocoa powder mixed with 4 tablespoons boiling water. For fillings you can use lemon curd, chocolate spread, buttercream; or whipped fresh cream; for toppings, glace icing, melted chocolate, more buttercream or fresh cream... Use your imagination!

Alternative: You can use this same recipe to make cupcakes by spooning the mixture into paper cases in a cupcake tin. These will only need 15-20 minutes to cook.

Top tip: If you want a smooth flat surface for icing or chocolate, turn the cake upside down before decorating.

Cheat's Stroganof

2010-01-08T11:31:00.000Z

A great way to use up leftover meat from a roast dinner. Quantities given are a little vague, as it really depends how much meat you have left over!

Cheat's Stroganof

Makes: Depends how much meat you have
Takes: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Cooked meat of any kind (chicken, beef, pork - the photo shows a mixture of turkey and gammon)
Condensed mushroom soup
Black pepper

Method

Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces.
Put into a saucepan and add enough condensed soup to coat the meat and give you a 'sauce'.
Heat through and season with plenty of black pepper.

Spare portions freeze well, just defrost and heat through when required.
With the soup, I just add a tin at a time - we usually have a few tins in the storecupboard ready for making this recipe.
I often add sliced mushrooms, though they don't tend to freeze so well so they're better to add to the portion you're going to eat straight away! You could add onions and a bit of garlic, too. Just start off with a small amount of oil in the saucepan and saute till soft before adding the meat and soup.

Chocolate Surprise Pudding

2010-01-02T19:32:00.000Z

As it cooks, it separates out into a sponge topping with a lovely crunchy crust, and a rich chocolate sauce underneath. Yum!

Chocolate Surprise Pudding

Makes: Enough for 4-6 people
Takes: 10 minutes + at least 1 hour chilling time + about 45 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

4 1/2 oz plain flour
1 pinch salt
2 1/4 oz caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
4 fl oz milk
1 1/2 oz butter, melted
1 egg
6 oz demerara sugar
2 tbsp cocoa
9 fl oz boiling water

Method

Grease a 1 1/4 pint pie dish.
Sift together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and 2 tbsp cocoa powder.
Combine the milk, butter and egg in a separate bowl then mix into the dry ingredients.
Pour into the pie dish, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is fine if you want to make it in advance).
Preheat the oven at 180oC.
Sift the other 2 tbsp cocoa powder and mix with the demerara sugar and sprinkle over the top of the pudding.
Pour over the boiling water then bake for 45 minutes, until puffy and firm.

Keep an eye on it - I usually find it only needs about 30 minutes at 180oC in a fan oven.
Good hot, warm or cold :-)

Mincemeat Truffles

2009-12-23T20:04:00.000Z

Very easy to make but rather sticky!!

Mincemeat Truffles

Makes: 30
Takes: 15 minutes + chilling time

Ingredients

300g white chocolate
4 tbsp double cream
3 tbsp mincemeat

Method

Melt together 200g of the chocolate with the cream then stir in the mincemeat till the suet has melted.
Line a baking tin with cling film and pour in the chocolate mixture then chill for an hour.
Grate the remaining chocolate. Divide the chilled mixture into 30 pieces, shape into balls and roll in the grated chocolate.
Chill for 1 hour until firm.

I recommend just grating a bit of chocolate at a time as you probably won't need all of it - and then you get to eat the leftover piece :-)

Mince pies

2009-12-12T17:10:00.001Z

This is my new favourite way to make mince pies. You can top each pie with pastry if you prefer, though of course you will need more pastry in that case. When topping with pastry I usually cut out star shapes with a cookie cutter and pop a star on each pie rather than cutting circles to completely cover the mincemeat, but again, go with your own preference. Or give this recipe a try instead!

Mince pies

Makes: 24 pies
Takes: 20 minutes + 20 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

500g packet shortcrust pastry (or make your own if you must)
About 1 lb mincemeat (shop-bought, or see recipe here)
4 oz caster sugar
4 oz butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
4 oz self-raising flour

Method

Roll out the pastry to about 3mm thick and cut rounds with a cookie cutter or large glass. Use to line the holes in a cupcake tin.
Spoon one teaspoonful of mincemeat into each pastry case then set the tray aside.
Make the sponge topping: cream together the sugar and butter then beat in the eggs. Add the milk and vanilla, then sift in the flour and mix well.
Spoon one teaspoonful of sponge mixture onto each pie, smoothing over to cover the mincemeat.
Bake for about 20 minutes, till the sponge is golden and well-risen. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack till cold.

Delicious eaten warm or cold, with cream, brandy butter or custard or just as they are! They freeze well too.

Mincemeat

2009-12-12T16:57:00.002Z

I have to be careful with mincemeat because of my nut allergy, so I make my own to be certain it's safe to eat. I think this version tastes nicer, anyway - it's not quite so rich and sickly sweet as the shop-bought varieties!

Mincemeat

Makes: Lots - about 9lb! You might want to try using just a third of each ingredient unless you're catering for a large number of people!
Takes: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

2 lb cooking apples
12 oz carrots
8 oz mixed peel
1 1/2 lb currants
1 1/2 lb sultanas
12 oz shredded suet (vegetable suet if you want vegetarian mincemeat)
1 1/2 lb soft brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp nutmeg
1/4 pint brandy (or apple juice if you prefer)

Method

Peel, core and grate the apple - a food processor with grater blade is best for this step. Peel and grate the carrots, again using a food processor if you have one.
Put all the ingredients except the brandy (or apple juice) into a LARGE bowl, mix well, cover, and leave for 24 hours.
Add the brandy, mix again, and pack into sterilised jars.

Make lots of mince pies! Also good in mincemeat cake, mincemeat crumble slices or mincemeat truffles - look out for those recipes soon.

Chocolate Treats

2009-12-10T14:43:00.000Z

These measurements are quite vague, but that's just to give you flexibility.... For info, I used about 250g of each variety of chocolate and made about 30 of these treats each time. These look great, taste great, and are easy to make. Ideal for a handmade gift.

Chocolate Treats

Makes: Depends on how much chocolate you use

Takes: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate (milk, plain or white)

Toppings - raisins, chopped cranberries, chopped crystallised ginger, chopped nuts, tiny sweets - use your imagination!

Method

Melt the chocolate, either in a bowl over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave.
Drop teaspoonfuls onto non-stick baking parchment.
Sprinkle over your chosen topping and leave to set.

It's that easy :-) Store in an airtight container in a cool place - will keep for several weeks so can be made in advance for Christmas presents.

Recommended combinations: plain chocolate and ginger, milk chocolate and raisins, white chocolate and cranberries.

Chocolate Fudge

2009-11-19T19:56:00.000Z

No boiling required - this is such a quick and easy fudge to make, but it's very sweet - a little goes a long way!

Chocolate Fudge

Makes: 36 pieces
Takes: 10 mins preparation + refrigeration overnight

Photo to follow

Ingredients

4 oz (100g) plain chocolate
2 oz (50g) butter
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 lb (450g) icing sugar, sieved

Method

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt it with the butter over a pan of simmering water or in the microwave.
Remove from the heat and stir in the milk and vanilla.
Gradually beat in the icing sugar (the mixture gets very stiff towards the end, so expect your arm to ache a bit afterwards!)
Press into a greased 7" square tin, levelling the surface.
Refrigerate overnight then cut into 36 squares. Keep refrigerated.

Enjoy :-)

Try to share it with your family though.... ;-)

Banana Muffins

2009-11-11T14:01:00.000Z

Great way to use up bananas that have gone a bit brown and soft :-) And it's a low-fat recipe, containing fruit, so it's cake that's good for you! Bonus!

Banana Muffins

Makes: 12 muffins or 24 cupcakes
Takes: 10 minutes + 20-25 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

9 oz (250g) plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 medium well-ripened bananas
1 egg
3 oz (80g) soft brown sugar (demerara is fine)
5 tbsp water
4 tbsp corn oil (light olive oil is fine)

Method

Preheat the oven to 170oC (fan oven)/190oC/Gas Mark 5.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Peel the bananas and place into a separate bowl. Mash them to a puree then add the egg, beaten.
Beat the sugar and water into the banana mixture then add the oil and stir well.
Tip in the dry ingredients and quickly mix till just combined. Don't overmix - it's better to have a few lumps and traces of flour!
Spoon into paper cases and bake for 20-25 minutes, until firm and springy to the touch. Cool on a wire rack.

Best eaten fresh but they also freeze well - great for lunchboxes!

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Tagliatelle

2009-10-27T21:14:00.004Z

It sounds really decadent but it isn't really too bad as a treat now and then - and you can buy packs of smoked salmon scraps quite cheaply which makes this dish even more affordable. It works fine without the spinach if you prefer.

Smoked Salmon and Spinach Tagliatelle

Makes: 2 portions
Takes: 10 minutes + 10 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

200g dried tagliatelle (approximately - enough to serve two people)
150 ml creme fraiche (I use the reduced fat variety)
125g smoked salmon (again, approximately! The scraps come in a 120g pack and this is fine)
Two good handfuls baby spinach (about 50g)
Lemon juice
Black pepper

Method

Cook and drain the pasta and return to the pan.
Stir in the creme fraiche then cut the salmon into small pieces and add.
Rinse the spinach and drain. Add to the pasta mixture and stir well.
Heat through gently until the spinach wilts (5 minutes should be plenty). Season with a squeeze of lemon juice - about 1 tsp - and plenty of black pepper.

Nice for a special dinner, without needing loads of preparation (though I like that kind of recipe sometimes too...)

Tomato Sauce

2009-10-27T21:10:00.005Z

I make this mainly for pasta, with or without various extras (see below), but it's also great as a pizza topping. The long cooking time and the addition of butter at the end makes the tomatoes sweet without any harshness or bitterness. While it's not a quick recipe, it is extremely easy and preparation is very quick - it's just that it needs to cook for a while!

Tomato Sauce

Makes: 4 portions of pasta sauce, or topping for 8 individual pizzas
Takes: 5 minutes + 1 hour cooking time

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped (I use a small amount from a jar of ready-prepared garlic)
2 400g tins peeled plum tomatoes
1 tbsp butter
a few basil leaves (optional)

Method

Heat the oil and add the garlic, then cook until the garlic is softened but not browned.
Add the tomatoes and break them up with a wooden spoon.
Bring to the boil then turn right down to simmering point, cover, and cook gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
The sauce should be quite thick, without any 'liquid' layer at the top. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter. Stir until the butter melts. Add the basil, torn into pieces, if desired.

Other herbs, dried or fresh, could be added - basil should only go in at the end but other herbs could be added with the tomatoes.

Other variations might be: Add finely chopped onion with the garlic and cook until translucent before adding the tomatoes; fry sliced some mushrooms with the garlic till golden; add small pieces of bacon, fried until crispy (I like this better if you cook the bacon separately and add it after cooking the sauce); any of your own ideas!

The Boy likes this as is, with fusilli pasta. The Doctor and I are more likely to have it with fresh filled pasta, such as ravioli or tortellini. A sprinkling of grated cheese on top is also yummy ;-)

Drop Scone/Scotch Pancake Thingies

2009-10-27T14:47:00.006Z

I don't know what the proper name for these would be, OK?! But I do know that they're very quick and easy to make, and they taste great. And they use such basic ingredients that we can nearly always make them without needing to plan ahead. Always a popular choice for a pudding in our household :-)

Drop Scone/Scotch Pancake Thingies

Makes: About 12
Takes: 5 minutes + 5 minutes cooking time

Ingredients

6 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp caster sugar
1 egg
4 tbsp milk

Method

Measure the flour and sugar into a bowl and mix together then add the egg. Mix to a smooth paste.
Gradually mix in the milk until the consistency is like double cream (you may need slightly more or less milk, depending on the size of the egg).
Pre-heat a non-stick frying pan (you may need a little oil in the pan, though I don't use any). Add spoonfuls of batter to the pan and cook until the bottom is brown and the top has dried out.
Flip to brown the other side then serve warm.

Great with maple syrup, honey, chocolate sauce, jam, or just as they are! I'm guessing that you could also add some dried fruit and/or chopped fresh fruit to the batter before cooking, though I've never actually tried it...

Cranberry and Orange Granola

2009-10-23T15:52:00.001+01:00

Because of my nut allergy I have to be a bit careful with muesli and granola, so if I want it it's safer to make my own! I love the fruitiness of this particular recipe, and it's low-fat and low in added sugar too :-)

Cranberry and Orange Granola

Makes: About 1 1/2 lb
Takes: 20 mins + 45 mins cooking time

Ingredients

2 oranges
4 tbsp runny honey
11 oz rolled oats
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp sunflower seeds
3 1/2 oz dried cranberries
3 1/2 oz raisins

Method

Preheat the oven to 160oC (fan oven)/180oC/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with non-stick baking parchment.
Finely grate the rind of the oranges and squeeze out the juice. Put the rind and juice together with the honey in a saucepan and warm gently.
Add the oats and seeds and mix well then spread over the baking tray (it doesn't need to be level or anything - clumps of mixture are fine!)
Bake for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally to break up the clumps, till golden and starting to crisp. Give it a bit longer if you like your granola really crunchy.
Stir in the fruit then leave to cool before storing in an airtight container.

You can serve it with natural yogurt and fresh fruit, or any way you like really - my preference is just to add skimmed milk! It's also good as it is, still warm from the oven...

It keeps well for at least a week. If you're not sure you'll get through it in that time, halve the recipe (in fact, all the quantities here are doubled from the original as I found it better to make it in bulk!) It may not need to bake for quite as long though so keep an eye on it.

You can ring the changes by adding different kinds of dried fruit - a mixture of dried cranberries, blueberries and cherries is _delicious_! You can also add nuts of course, though you may want to reduce the quantity of oats accordingly. Try replacing a couple of ounces of oats with the same weight of chopped hazelnuts, for example. It's a flexible recipe so adapt it to your taste :-)

Light Fruit Loaf

2009-10-21T14:45:00.001+01:00

I'm not generally a fan of fruitcake - too heavy and rich for me, and too high a chance of coming across nuts. But this isn't like ordinary fruitcake! It's light and sweet and low in fat, and gets most of its sweetness from the fruit - which makes it healthy cake in my book, meaning I can eat lots of it ;-)

Light Fruit Loaf

Makes: 12 slices
Takes: 20 mins preparation + 1 hour 10 mins cooking time

Ingredients

1 oz (25g) butter or margarine
1 3/4 oz (50g) caster sugar
4 medium eggs
6 oz (175g) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
3 1/2 oz (100g) ready-to-eat apricots, chopped
3 1/2 oz (100g) raisins
3 1/2 oz (100g) sultanas

Method

Preheat the oven to 130oC (fan oven)/150oC/Gas Mark 2.
Cream together the butter/marg and sugar then add the eggs and stir well.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and stir to combine then fold in the carrot, apricots, raisins and sultanas.
Pour into a greased and lined 1 lb (450g) loaf tin. Bake for about an hour and 10 minutes, till a skewer poked into the middle comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

You can freeze the whole cake or individual slices - great for packed lunches! It is a bit crumbly 'cos there's a high fruit:cake ratio so you might want to stick a napkin in that lunchbox too... But it tastes really good :-)

Malteser Cake

2009-10-21T14:44:00.002+01:00

Oh boy, this is good :-) It's what I usually make as an end-of-term treat for my kids' teachers (who also happen to be my colleagues, no harm in getting them on side...!) You really do need cheapo cooking chocolate, don't try it with good-quality chocolate, it's actually better with the cheap stuff! And no baking required (though there is some melting).

Malteser Cake

Makes: 24
Takes: 15 mins preparation + couple of hours or overnight refrigeration time

Ingredients

4 oz (100g) butter or margarine
8 oz (225g) cooking chocolate
3 tbsp golden syrup
8 oz (225g) digestive biscuits, crushed
8 oz (225g) Maltesers
8 oz (225g) white chocolate

Method

Melt together the butter/marg, cooking chocolate and syrup - either in a bowl over simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave.
Stir in the biscuits, cool slightly, then add the Maltesers. (Make sure the chocolate mixture is quite cool, as the chocolate coating of the Maltesers will melt otherwise. But don't let it go cold or it will start to set and you won't be able to mix the Maltesers in at all!)
Press into a greased and lined oblong baking tin and refrigerate till set.
Melt the white chocolate (again, over hot water or in the microwave - your choice!) and spread over the biscuit mixture. Refrigerate again till the chocolate has set.
Cut into squares - it's best to do this just before serving, as the Maltesers go a bit soft if you do it too far in advance (though it still tastes good!)

I'm told these freeze OK but I've never tried it - it's never been necessary, they don't last long enough lol...

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne

2009-09-25T13:35:00.010+01:00

I was a vegetarian for years - from the age of about 15 till I was about 25. This was my dinner party dish throughout those years! It still comes out now and then for special occasions, especially if a veggie option is required. In particular, I make it each year for the Coffee Plus weekend away, and someone always asks for the recipe. So I've been making it today ready for tomorrow night! Just one thing... I have no idea how much fat is in this dish, and if you work it out, please don't tell me!! I want to continue to enjoy it! It is a dinner party dish, not an everyday one, so just forget how much cream and butter has gone into it and enjoy the eating of it, huh?! Oh, and even people who don't usually like spinach tend to like this :-)

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne

Serves: 6 decent-sized portions, or more as part of a hot buffet

Takes: 20 mins preparation + 30 mins cooking time

Ingredients

Spinach and mushroom layer:
1 lb frozen spinach (I usually chuck in slightly more for luck)
1 punnet button or closed cup mushrooms (about 250g)
2 oz butter
2 1/2 fl oz double cream
salt and black pepper

White sauce:
1 1/4 pints milk
3 oz butter
2 oz plain flour
3 fl oz double cream
pinch nutmeg
salt and black pepper

8 oz lasagne verde
cheese, eg medium-mature cheddar (don't know how much 'cos I've never weighed it! I just grate it from the end of whatever piece I have in the fridge!)

Method

Defrost the spinach overnight, ideally in a sieve over a bowl so the water drains out. When it's defrosted, squeeze out any excess water.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Wipe and thickly slice the mushrooms and cook in the butter till golden. (I don't peel my mushrooms but if you usually do, go for it!)
Stir in the spinach and cream. Cook gently until the cream has been absorbed then season to taste and set aside.
To make the white sauce, put the milk, butter and flour in a large saucepan and put over a gentle heat.
Stir continuously with a balloon whisk till the sauce comes to a simmering point and starts to thicken.
Reduce the heat and cook for a further 10 minutes then allow to cool slightly.
Push the sauce through a sieve into a large bowl then beat in the cream and add the nutmeg and salt and pepper.
Spread about half the spinach mixture over the base of a lasagne dish and arrange a single layer of lasagne sheets over the top. Cover with half of the white sauce. And another layer of lasagne sheets.
Repeat the layers so you finish with white sauce (ie three layers of lasagne sheets altogether). Grate a generous sprinkling of cheese over the top.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180oC for about 30 minutes, until golden brown and bubbling.

All the preparation can be done in advance - even the day before if necessary - and the lasagne kept in the fridge till you're ready to bake it. Any leftover portions freeze well. Great served with chips, or baked potato, or salad and garlic bread, or as part of a hot buffet...

Shortbread Biscuits

2009-09-15T13:50:00.003+01:00

My first recipe is for easy shortbread biscuits. I love this recipe because it is _very_ easy, it's quick, it's forgiving, you can ring the changes by adding different ingredients, and the biscuits always taste great (in fact, the uncooked mixture also tastes great...)

Shortbread Biscuits

Makes: 12-24, depends how big you make 'em!
Takes: 5-10 mins preparation + 20 mins cooking time

Ingredients

3 oz caster sugar
7 oz butter or margarine (I use buttery spread)
9 oz plain flour

Method

Cream together the sugar and butter till light and fluffy. An electric mixer is best for this; you can do it by hand but it's quite hard work by the time you've mixed in the flour too.
Sift in the flour and stir then beat till the mixture comes together in a soft dough. It might start off a bit crumbly but it will come together if you keep mixing.
You can refrigerate the dough at this point (for a couple of hours or overnight) so it firms up slightly, but it's fine to use straight away. If you want to roll it out then refrigerating will probably help.
Either roll out to a thickness of about 5mm on a well-floured surface then use cutters to cut out your biscuits, or break off little balls of dough and flatten to about 5mm thick. I usually do the latter as it's quicker and I like the homemade look, but it's nice to cut Christmassy shapes or hearts or the kids' initials for special occasions.
Place the biscuits on a lightly greased baking tray and bake at 180oC (fan oven) till the edges start to brown. (It takes about 20 minutes. I forgot about my batch today - the ones in the photo - and they got 30 minutes, which is why they look quite brown! Still delicious, just crunchier.)
Cool on the baking tray for 5 minutes then cool completely on a wire rack. Try not to eat them while they're hot, you will burn your mouth. Don't say I didn't warn you...

Store in an airtight container - they'll keep for a few days but probably won't last that long!

Variations

You can add raisins, chocolate chips, chopped cherries, Smarties/M&Ms etc to the mixture after step 2. Or sift in spices (eg cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice) with the flour - adding ground ginger here then chopped ginger after step 2 is delicious! I use a jar of ginger preserved in syrup (not the whole jar!!) You could add grated lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon after step 1, and increase the flour to 10 oz. Or mix in desiccated coconut and chopped glace cherries. Or some oats and raisins. Or replace a tablespoon or so of flour with the same amount of cocoa powder. Or... So many ideas!!

Here are some with chocolate chips added, and some where 1 oz of flour was replaced with 1 oz of cocoa powder, and white chocolate chunks were added. I spooned heaps of the mixture onto the baking sheet, keeping them quite rough and fairly thick, and only aiming to make about 8 large cookies. They needed about 30 minutes to cook because of the added thickness.

Also, these biscuits ice really well (though I'd use the rolled out and cut version, as they have a smooth top surface!). Just sift some icing sugar and mix with hot water to make a fairly stiff icing, adding any colours or flavours you wish, then spread over the cooled biscuits. You can add chocolate or sugar sprinkles, jelly sweets, etc, etc, before the icing sets. Or add cocoa powder to the icing sugar for chocolate icing.

Enjoy :-)

Intro

2009-09-15T12:35:00.000+01:00

This is a place to collect together some of my favourite recipes - a kind of online cookbook. Cooking and baking is part of how I am creative, but I thought including recipes in my other blog might get a bit messy and it would be handy to gather them all in one place. I don't plan to update this one as frequently as the other, but whenever I think of it - perhaps when I rediscover an old favourite, or realise that I make a particular dish nearly every week, or I'm planning the next day's meals, or just because...