We are Foodies

» 1x mug = half a pint
» TBLS = table spoon
» TSP = teaspoon

» A sharp knife
» Some wooden spoons
» An egg slice
» A set of pots and pans, a casserole dish with a lid, a wok
» A roasting tray
» A can opener
» A cheese grater
» Some plates and bowls
» Some knives and forks
» A microwave
» A set of scales
» A chopping board or two
» A stick blender or food processor would be useful too, and it sounds good too!

» Gas 3, 160^oC, 325^oF, a warm oven
» Gas 5, 190^oC, 375^oF, a moderately hot oven
» Gas 6, 200^oC, 400^oF, a fairly hot oven
» Gas 7,220^oC, 425^oF, a MEGA hot oven!

» Always wash and sanitise your hands after everything!!!
» Use clean tea towels
» Wash and sanitise your chopping board after cutting raw meat or fish
» Always reheat food thoroughly until very hot (above 75^oC)
» Cover food in the fridge
» Take care when defrosting, use the fridge or a microwave
» Don’t reheat more than once
» Keep your fridge clean
» Don’t use food past its sell by date
» Store raw meat and fish separately at the bottom of the fridge, covered

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 ripe avocado
• Juice of ½ lemon (the other ½ in your gin & tonic)
• 1 small clove of garlic finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Few drops of Tabasco
• 1 ripe tomato, skinned and diced small
• Salt and pepper
• 1 pot of Houmous
• Toasted French bread, carrots, cucumber and celery cut into strips, crisps

Method

1. Mash it up!!  Mix all together taste it season more if needed
2. Put the guacamole, houmous in little bowls
3. Place all on a plate and eat it up

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of grated cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon English mustard
• Salt and pepper
• Margarine
• 4 slices of bread

Method

1. Get the oven hot to 180oC.
2. Mix cheese, egg, mustard, salt and pepper.
3. Spread the bread with margarine, thickly spread with the cheese mix.
4. Cut each slice into 4, place on a baking tray, bake until puffed and golden brown.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• Oil to fry
• 250g mince (anything!)
• 1 egg beaten up
• 2 flat bread buns or pitta bread
• Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, gherkins
• Salt and pepper
• Mayo, tomato sauce, or spice it up with a lick of mustard

Method

1. Mix the mince, egg, salt and pepper, divide into 2, shape the burgers.
2. Heat the oil, fry the burgers about 5/6 minutes both sides.
3. Check that it’s cooked, it’s not pink inside.
4. Put the burger in bun, with sauces and lettuce, etc.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 6–8 ripe cherry tomatoes
• Basil leaves
• 1 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 4 slices of ciabatta
• Clove of garlic
• 8 slices of Parma ham

Method

1. Cut the ripe cherry tomatoes into quarters and put into a bowl.
2. Add a few shredded basil leaves, the red wine vinegar, olive oil and some salt and pepper.
3. Give the mixture a stir and set aside.
4. Toast 4 thick slices of ciabatta.
5. Rub one side with a halved fat garlic clove.
6. Place on serving plates and spoon over the tomato mixture.
7. Drape each bruschetta with 2 slices of Parma ham and serve.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 12 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
• 2tbsp olive oil plus extra to drizzle
• Few thyme sprigs, leaves only
• 1 garlic clove (unpeeled), smashed
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1tsp caster sugar
• 400g sliced portabello mushrooms
• Few knobs of butter
• Splash of sherry vinegar
• Handful of flat parsley, chopped
• 4 thick slices of rustic white bread

Method

1. Sauté the shallots in a pan over a medium heat with the olive oil, thyme, garlic and seasoning for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
2. Add the sugar and increase the heat to high.  Stir and cook for a few more minutes until lightly caramelised.
3. Add the mushrooms and butter. Fry for a couple of minutes until lightly browned, then splash in the sherry vinegar and add a little more seasonin.
4. Cook for a minute or two until the liquid has evapourated.
5. Discard the garli.
6. Toss in the chopped parsley.
7. Toast the bread and place a slice of each warm plate.
8. Spoon the shallots and mushrooms on top and drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve, if you like.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 potatoes grated
• 1 onion grated
• ½ mug of grated cheese
• 1 tablespoons dried herbs
• Salt and pepper
• Oil for cooking

Method

1. Grate the potato (you don’t need to peel them) and onion using a cheese grater and dry on a tea towel.
2. Mix altogether and add salt and pepper.
3. Divide into 2 cakes.
4. Put oil in a pan and fill to 1 inch depth (keep topping up as needed).  Heat the oil and fry both sides until golden brown.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 400g cooked crayfish tails
• 4 – 5 tbsp mayonnaise
• ½ tsp olive oil
• 1 chopped avocado
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 4 thick slices of rustic white bread

Method

1. Toss the cooked crayfish tails with mayonnaise and olive oil.
2. Stir through the avocado and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Lightly toast the bread.
4. Sandwich the crayfish filling between the toasted slices and serve.

(Serves 1)

Ingredients

• 1 small ripe banana
• 2 slices white bread
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter – smooth
• 1 tablespoon butter

Method

1. Mash or slice the banana.
2. Lightly toast the bread.
3. Spread the peanut butter on one piece, and the banana on the other.
4. Sandwich together, then fry in the butter, turning once until each side is golden brown.
5. Remove to a plate, and cut (carefully!).
6. Eat, then go back to bed/sofa.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 2 teaspoons butter
• ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Ice cream

Method

1. Slice banana lengthways (remember banana splits?!).
2. Melt the butter add sugar, cinnamon cook for a minute.
3. Add bananas, cook each side, should form a fudgy sauce.
4. Put on a plate and serve ice-cream with it.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 leftover sausages (cooked and sliced)
• 1 onion into small cubes
• 1 teaspoon butter or margarine
• ¼ mug pasta, macaroni or twists
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 tin of baked beans
• 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 1 ½ mugs of water

Method

1. Fry onions in butter, add water, stock cube, pasta, boil for 10 – 12 minutes until pasta is cooked.
2. Add the sliced sausages, beans, Worcester sauce, bring to boil.
3. Add salt and pepper.
4. Serve with thick bread.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 200g strawberries, hulled and quartered if large
• 450g other mixed berries (e.g. raspberries, redcurrants and blackberries)
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 150ml Muscat (or other sweet dessert wine) or elderflower cordial if you want to make it non-alcoholic
• Clotted cream to serve

Method

1. Toss all of the berries together in a bowl with the icing sugar and Muscat (or elderflower cordial).
2. Cover and leave to macerate in the fridge for 15 – 20 minutes.
3. Divide the berries among individual bowls.
4. Spoon over the liquor.
5. Serve with a dollop of clotted cream.

(Serves 1)

Ingredients

• 1 shop-bought naan
• 2 tsp tomato pulp (chopped and sieved tomatoes) from a jar or other tomato sauce
• 70g drained mixed mushrooms antipasto from a jar
• 75g mozzarella, roughly chopped
• 3 stalks thyme

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220^oC / gas mark 7.
2. Lay the naan on a lined baking sheet.
3. Spread the tomato pulp or sauce over the naan.
4. Then spoon the drained mushrooms on top and sprinkle with the chopped cheese.
5. Finally strewing with the thyme leaves stripped from the stalks.
6. Cook in the oven for about 5 minutes, by which time the cheese should be bubbling and melted – be careful not to burn your mouth!

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 4 spicy sausages
• 1 onion into small cubes
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1 tin chopped of tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon dried mixed herbs
• 1 mug of penne pasta
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Boil pasta and drain it.
2. Fry sausage, when cooked slice up.
3. Fry onions, garlic, add tomatoes, puree, bring to the boil.
4. Add sausages, herbs (sage, marjoram, basil or dried mixed herbs), pasta.
5. Add salt and pepper.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

1. 4 very fresh free range eggs at room temperature
2. 1 tsp white wine vinegar
3. For the Marmite fingers:
4. 2tbsp cheese spread
5. 4 slices of medium sliced white bread
6. 1tsp marmite
7. 3-4 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. To be ready to poach the eggs, bring a wide, deep saucepan of water to a simmer and add the vinegar.
2. For the marmite fingers, spread the cheese spread on 2 slices of white bread and the marmite on the other 2 slices.
   
3. Sandwich together, so you have two sandwiches of marmite and cheese together, then flatten with a rolling pin and cut off the crusts.  
4. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the marmite sandwiches until golden brown on both sides.  
5. Remove and drain on kitchen paper, then slice into 1cm wide fingers; keep warm.
6. Crack the eggs, one at a time, into a teacup and slide them into the simmering water.  
7. Poach for 2 – 3 minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny in the middle.
8. With a slotted spoon, carefully remove each one and place in a small warm bowl.  
9. Serve with the marmite fingers, for dipping into the runny yolk.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 large naan bread
• 4/5 tablespoons of readymade tomato sauce (Ragu)
• ½ cup of grated mozzarella
• 2 pinches of dried oregano
• Twist of black pepper

Method

1. Spread tomato sauce over the naan bread.
2. Sprinkle cheese, herbs and pepper over the sauce.
3. Bake in the oven at 180oC for 8/10 minutes until golden.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves finely sliced
• 400g can mixed beans
• 400g chopped tomatoes
• 4 sausages – Toulouse or any you fancy!
• 2tbsp olive oil
• Thyme sprigs
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Fry the sausages in a wide, heavy based pan with the olive oil and a few thyme sprigs.
2. Add the garlic cloves and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sausages are golden brown.
3. Tip the can of mixed beans (drained and rinsed).
4. Add the can of chopped tomatoes.
5. Bring to a simmer, partially cover and stew for 10 – 12 minutes, by which time the sausages should be cooked through.
6. Season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar if the tomato sauce is too sharp.  
7. Serve in bowls with chunks of crust bread.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 30g butter
• 12 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 200g smoked salmon shavings
• Handful of chives, finely chopped
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 2 tbsp crème fraiche
• 4 thick slices of country bread, toasted

Method

1. Melt the butter in a non-stick saucepan and add the beaten eggs.  
2. Stir with a wooden spoon over a low heat for a few minutes until the eggs are half set but still quite runny.
3. Stir in the smoked salmon shavings, chives and seasoning.  
4. Keep stirring until the eggs are just about to set.
5. Then quickly incorporate the crème fraiche and remove the pan from the heat.
6. Place a slice of toast on each warm plate and spoon the scrambled eggs on top. Serve immediately.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 200ml crème fraiche
• 75ml double cream
• 2-3 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust
• 8 all butter round shortbreads
• 400g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• Few mint sprigs (leaves only) roughly shredded, plus a few sprigs to finish

Method

1. Put the crème fraiche, double cream and 2 tbsp icing sugar into a large bowl.  
2. Beat lightly until smooth and just thick, taking care not to over whisk.  
3. Taste and add a little more icing sugar if you like.
4. Place a shortbread on each serving plate.
5. Spoon a large dollop of the creamy mixture on top.
6. Scatter the strawberries and mint over the cream.
7. Dust the remaining shortbreads with icing sugar and rest them on top of the strawberries.
8. Add a mint sprig to each dessert and serve.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 200g strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 600g other mixed berries (e.g. blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)
• 3tbsp caster sugar
• 100g amaretti biscuits
• 600ml good quality ready-made vanilla custard, chilled

Method

1. Put the berries and sugar in a non-stick pan and heat gently for a few minutes until the fruit begins to soften.
2. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool completely.  
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove a spoonful of fruit for the topping and set aside.
4. Place the amaretti biscuits in a deep bowl and lightly crush with the end of a rolling pin.
5. Reserving a handful, tip the rest into a large glass bowl (or divide among individual glasses).
6. Spoon half the custard over the amaretti, followed by half of the fruit compote.  
7. Repeat these layers and top with a sprinkling of crushed amaretti and the reserved fruit to serve.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• ½ pack of corn chips
• 2 potatoes (cut into wedges, toss in oil, salt and pepper and bake in oven until golden and soft)
• 1 mug of grated cheese
• 1 small jar of salsa
• 1 small carton of crème fraiche
• 2 cloves garlic very finely chopped
• 2 spring onions finely chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice, salt and pepper

Method

1. Mix the crème fraiche, garlic, spring onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper together.
2. Put corn chips and wedges on a plate and place the cheese and 2 dips in the middle in little bowls.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 small potato
• 1 carrot peeled, cut into small cubes
• 1 stick of celery, cut into small pieces
• ½ onion cut into small pieces
• 1 veggie stock cube  
• 1 ½ mugs of water
• ¼ mug of frozen peas
• 1 teaspoon flour and 1 teaspoon butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan, fry onion in butter, add potatoes, carrots, cook for 30 seconds without browning.
2. Add flour, mix, add water, crumble in the stock cube, bring to boil and turn heat down to a bubble, cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add celery (if you like it!)and peas cook for 2 minutes, check veg is soft, if not keep going... Hard veg is a no-no!
4. Serve with chunks of bread or slices of cheese on toast.
5. Job done!

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 20g butter
• 8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, chopped
• 200g peas (thawed if frozen)
• Few basil leaves, roughly slices or torn
• 8 large eggs, beaten
• 150g goat’s cheese log with rind, thickly sliced
• Sea salt and black pepper
• Parmesan, for grating
• Large handful of rocket leaves
• 2-3 tbsp classic vinaigrette (1 cup white wine vinegar, ½ cup olive oil, pinch of mustard powder, salt and pepper)

Method

1. Preheat the grill to its highest setting.
2. Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the bacon until golden brown and crisp.  
3. Toss in the peas and cook for another minute or two, then add the basil.
4. Pour in the beaten eggs and gently shake the pan over medium heat.  
5. As the omelette begins to set at the bottom, top with the goat’s cheese.  
6. Season generously with pepper and a little salt.
7. Grate some parmesan over the omelette and place the pan under the hot grill for a minute or two until the eggs are set on top.  Slide onto a warm large plate.
8. Toss a handful of rocket leaves in vinaigrette to dress lightly.
9. Then pile on top of the omelette.  
10. Cut into wedges and serve.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion and 1 medium carrot chopped to the same size
• 2 diced peppers – (whatever colour are reduced to clear ;-))
• 3 tablespoons vinegar – a good ‘glug’
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes, drained
• 1 tin pineapple chunks
• 2 chicken breasts, or 400g diced chicken
• 1 tablespoon honey

Method

1. Put the onion, carrot, peppers and chicken into a heavy (thick) base saucepan and cook ‘til coloured.
2. Add the vinegar, stand back (unless you have a cold), and lower the heat.
3. Cook for about three minutes or until the vinegar has reduced.
4. Pour in the drained chopped tomatoes and drained pineapple chunks, but keep the juice for the next bit.
5. Cook and stir for about five minutes, until the mixture becomes syrupy.
6. Then pour in the pineapple juice and honey.
7. Leave to cook out, uncovered, ‘til it is at your preferred consistency.  
8. If you can’t wait, you can thicken with that tube of tomato puree that’s been in the fridge since you made bolognaise!

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• Oil to fry
• 1 onion into small cubes
• 250g mince or quorn
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 tin of baked beans
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Fry onions, garlic, add mince cook out so it browns, add tomatoes and stock cube.
2. Add the chilli powder and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add the beans, heat for 2 minutes, add salt and pepper.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 tin corned beef cut into small dice
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 2 large potatoes peeled and boiled until soft then drained
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 good pinches of chopped parsley
• Salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce
• 4 eggs
• 1 tin of baked beans

Method

1. Fry the onions until nice and golden, add garlic, parsley.
2. Crush the potatoes with your hands (have you washed?!).
3. Mix all together add salt, pepper, Worcester sauce, make into 4 burger shapes.
4. Fry in a non stick pan both sides until golden, keep warm, fry egg, warm up beans.
5. Place egg on top and beans on the side, don’t forget tomato ketchup or brown sauce.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• ½ pack of egg noodles
• 1 chicken breast cut into small pieces
• 2 spring onions sliced
• 1 chicken stock cube, in ½ mug of boiling water
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ red pepper
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Boil noodles for 1 minute and drain.
2. Fry the chicken until cooked, add the spring onion, pepper.
3. Add the stock, soy, noodles and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Serve.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 150ml single cream
• 4tbsp icing sugar
• 350g mascarpone
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 3tbsp Tia Maria
• 200ml strong coffee or espresso, cooled to room temperature
• 20 – 24 sponge fingers
• Cocoa powder to dust

Method

1. Whip the cream with 3tbsp icing sugar until evenly blended.
2. Then beat in the mascarpone, vanilla extract and 1tbsp Tia Maria.
3. Sweeten the coffee with the remaining 1tbsp icing sugar.
4. Stir to dissolve then add the rest of the Tia Maria.
5. Dip 4 sponge fingers in the coffee mixture and use them to line the base of 4 serving glasses (breaking them into shorter lengths if necessary to fit the glasses).
6. Spoon over a layer of the mascarpone mixture.  
7. Repeat layering the dipped sponge fingers and mascarpone mix until you reach the top of the glass.
8. Spoon any remaining coffee mixture over the top.
9. Dust with sifted cocoa powder and chill for at least 20 minutes.
10. Just before serving, stick two sponge fingers into each tiramisu.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 500g strawberries
• 2tsp caster or vanilla sugar
• 2tsp pomegranate juice
• 500ml whipped cream
• 4 small meringue nests from a packet

Method

1. Hull and chop the strawberries and put into a bowl. Add the sugar and pomegranate juice and leave to macerate while you whip the cream.
2. Whip the cream in a large bowl until thick but still soft.
3. Roughly crumble in 4 meringue nests - you will need chunks for texture as well as a little fine dust.
4. Take out a ladleful or about 100g of the chopped strawberries and fold the meringued cream and rest of the fruit mixture together.
5. Arrange on four serving plates or in glasses, or in a mound and top each one with some of the remaining macerated strawberries.

(Serves as many as you like!)

Ingredients

Method

(Serves as many as you like!)

Ingredients

Method

(Serves as many as you like!)

Ingredients

• Bread
• Anything else!

Method

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 onion into fine dice
• 1 garlic clove chopped
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried herbs
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon sugar, salt and pepper
• 4 English muffins or teacakes cut in ½
• 400g grated mozzarella (cheddar if you must!)

Method

1. Fry onions, garlic, add tomatoes, puree, sugar, boil and cook for 10 minutes.
2. Stir until thick, add herbs, salt and pepper.
3. Toast the ½ muffins.
4. Divide the tomato sauce between the muffins.
5. Sprinkle the cheese on them, and grill until golden.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 courgette, cut into batons
• 4 medium mushrooms, quartered
• 250ml soured cream – (the pink one in Tesco’s)
• Paprika, Dijon mustard and lemon juice – all to taste-but do taste!  You can add, but taking away requires a Chef!

Method

1. Put the best/cleanest frying pan you have onto the heat and let it get hot.
2. Add a little oil, then add then carefully add the onions.
3. Cook until they go see-through, then add the courgettes.  Don’t leave the pan at this point, keep them moving!
4. After about two minutes, add the mushrooms.  As they start to cook, water will be released, and the intensity will slow down; reduce the heat to half.
5. Now add the soured cream, paprika and mustard; taste, taste and taste again!
6. Finish with a little lemon juice; this will i)thicken the sauce, and ii)sharpen the flavours.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2tbsp garlic oil
• 125g cubed pancetta
• 500g lamb mince
• 75g caramelised onions
• 80ml marsala
• 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 75g green lentils
• 125ml water
• 50g grated Red Leicester or Cheddar (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide, medium sized saucepan, and fry the cubed pancetta until beginning to crisp.
2. Add the lamb, breaking it up with a fork in the pan as it browns.
3. Tip in the caramelised onions, marsala, tomatoes, lentils and water and bring the pan to the boil.
4. Simmer the ragu for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
5. Sprinkle with the cheese (if using) before serving.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 1 chicken breast (cut into ½ inch dice or us diced thigh meat)
• 1 onion chopped
• 2 teaspoons plain flour
• 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 3 teaspoons mild curry powder
• 1 potato cut into ½ inch dice
• 1 mug of water
• 1 chicken stock cube
• ½ mug of natural yoghurt
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Fry onion and potato, add the chicken fry until golden.
2. Add flour and still well, add garlic, water, curry powder, stock cube, stir well.
3. Bring to boil, simmer for 10/15 minutes until cooked.
4. Stir in yoghurt, DON’T BOIL IT or it will curdle / separate, add salt and pepper.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken, jointed into 8 – 10 pieces
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
• Few thyme sprigs
• Splash of sherry vinegar
• 2tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3tbsp honey
• 1 lemon, finely sliced
• Bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan.
2. Brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary) over a high heat with the garlic and thyme for 2 – 3 minutes on each side until golden brown.  
3. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the sherry vinegar and bubble until reduced by half.  
4. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to mix.
5. Pour in a good splash of hot water and add the lemon slices.  
6. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so.  
7. By now the chicken should be cooked through.
8. Transfer the chicken to a platter and sprinkle over the chopped parsley.  
9. Serve with chips or mash or rice.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 45g light muscavado sugar
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 150g golden syrup
• 30g butter
• 125ml double cream
• Splash of vanilla extract
• 350g cut fruit

Method

1. Melt the sugars, syrup and butter in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the cream and vanilla extract, stirring together, then take off the heat.
3. Divide the sauce between two cups or small bowls, and then arrange the fruit on two saucers or small plates.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 45g light muscavado sugar
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 150g golden syrup
• 30g butter
• 125ml double cream
• Splash of vanilla extract
• 350g cut fruit

Method

1. Melt the sugars, syrup and butter in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.
2. Add the cream and vanilla extract, stirring together, then take off the heat.
3. Divide the sauce between two cups or small bowls, and then arrange the fruit on two saucers or small plates.

(Serves 2)

Ingredients

• 2 pork chops, approx 450g total
• 2 tsp garlic oil
• 125ml cider
• 15ml tbsp grainy mustard
• 75ml double cream

Method

1. Cut the fat or rind off the chops and then bash them briefly but brutally with a rolling pin between two pieces of cling film to make them thinner.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and cook the chops over a moderately high heat for about 5 minutes a side.  
3. Remove them to a warmed plate.
4. Pour the cider into the pan, still over the heat, to deglaze the pan. Let it bubble away for a minute or so
5. Then add the mustard and stir in the cream.
6. Let the sauce continue cooking for a few minutes before pouring over each plated pork chop.

(Serves 8)

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 8 digestive biscuits
• 6tbsp caster sugar
• 100g unsalted butter
• Berries:
• 300g blueberries or raspberries
• 2tbsp caster sugar
• Splash of crème de cassis or water    Vanilla cream cheese:
• 400g cream cheese
• 6tbsp icing sugar
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 1 vanilla pod, split
• 600ml double cream
• To finish:
• Icing sugar, to dust

Method

1. For the topping, coarsely grind the biscuits in a food processor.  
2. Melt the sugar in a heavy based non-stick pan until it beings to caramelise.
3. Then carefully add the butter, shaking the pan to mix the caramel with the butter as it melts.  
4. Add the crushed biscuits and toss to coat in the caramel.  
5. Tip onto a plate, chill for 5 minutes until firm, then break into pieces.  
6. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper.
7. Tip the blueberries or raspberries into the pan and sprinkle with the 2tbsp sugar and a splash of cassis or water.  
8. Cook over a medium high heat for a minute until the fruit is slightly soft.  Spread out on a plate and leave to cool.
9. For the vanilla cream cheese, put the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the seeds from the vanilla pod and beat until smooth.  
10. In another bowl, lightly whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mixture.
11. To shape individual cheesecakes, line 8 ramekins with cling film.  
12. Fill with the cream cheese mixture and level the tops with the back of a knife.  
13. Chill until ready to serve.
14. Turn out the cheesecakes on to serving plates and remove the cling film. Scatted the topping over and spoon the fruit around the plate. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 300g dried penne (or other pasta shapes)
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 75g butter
• 1 red chilli, trimmed, deseeded and finely chopped
• Few rosemary sprigs (leaves only), chopped
• 250g runner beans, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal
• Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
• 150g soft rindless goat’s cheese log
• 50g toasted pine nuts

Method

1. Add the pasta to a large pan of boiling salted water and cook until “al dente” (cooked through but still firm to bite), about 8 – 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pan, add the chilli and rosemary and warm over a low heat for 1 – 2 minutes to let the flavours infuse.
   
3. Turn up the heat, add the runner beans and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are tender.
4. Drain the pasta and toss with a little olive oil, then mix with the beans.  
5. Off the heat, crumble in the cheese and toss to mix, adding a splash of boiling water if the sauce is too thick.  
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Scatter over pine nuts and serve.

(Serves 2–4 depending on how hungry you are!)

Ingredients

• 15ml tbsp wok oil
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 15ml tbsp red Thai curry paste (or according to taste)
• 200ml canned coconut milk
• 250ml chicken stock
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 350g mixed butternut squash and sweet potato cubes
• 200g frozen king prawns, defrosted in the fridge overnight
• 1tsp lime juice
• 150g mango, diced
• 3-4 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Method

1. Heat the wok oil in a large, heavy based frying pan and fry the sliced spring onion for a minute, then add the curry paste.
2. Whisk in the coconut milk, chicken stock and fish sauce and bring to the boil.
3. Tip in the butternut squash and sweet potato cubes and simmer, partially covered for about 15 minutes or until tender.
4. Drain the defrosted prawns and tumble them into the pan, letting the sauce come back to the boil.
5. When it does, add the lime juice and diced mango and cook for another minute or so until the prawns are cooked through.
6. Sprinkle with the chopped coriander as you serve over plain rice or wild rice noodles or even both!

(Serves 6–8 or 1 with a broken heart!)

Ingredients

• The Cake:
• 100g dark muscovado sugar
• 175g self raising flour    
• 125ml milk
• 1 egg
• 50g butter, melted
• 200g chopped, rolled dates
• The Sauce:
• 200g dark muscovado sugar
• 25g butter
• 500ml boiling water

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 190°C, and butter a 1.5ltr pudding dish.
2. Combine 100g muscovado with the flour in a large bowl.
3. Pour the milk into a measuring jug, beat in the egg and melted butter, then pour over sugar/flour mixture – then stir gently to combine.
4. Fold in the dates, then turn into pudding dish.
5. Sprinkle over the 200g of ‘sauce’ sugar, and dot with the 25g of butter.
6. Pour on the 500ml of boiling water ( honest!) and transfer to oven for 45 minutes.
7. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2 over filled mugs of plain flour
• 2 teaspoon easy blend dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Method

1. Flour, yeast, salt, sugar, oil into a bowl, make a well in middle pour in ¾ mug of warm water in.
2. With your hands mix together to form a soft ball add more water if needed.
3. Turn out on table, work out the weeks anger or footie result on the dough and knead for 5 minutes until nice and smooth.
4. Put back in bowl, cover and put in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Beat it up again, roll out to the size you want.
6. Pre-heat oven 180oC, top pizza as required.