Oak Hill Taste & See Recipe College Magazine (In-house) by +Greyjones Studio

Taste See

OAK HILL

RECIPE BOOK 2021

2 TASTE & SE E

Taste See Contents baking soups, sides & starters mains vegetarian mains puddings miscellaneous & notes

5 29 75 85 97 116

Thank you so much to everyone who has contributed to this recipe book. We hope you will find these recipes useful in your ministry now and in the future.

baking

Taste and See!

biscoff rocky road Ingredients

Directions

400g white chocolate 50g butter 125g Biscoff spread 100g mini marshmallows 250g Lotus biscoff biscuits, chopped/broken Extra: biscoff spread for topping”

Line an 8” square tin with baking paper. Leave to the side.

Good for a crowd Makes 16 pieces

In a large glass bowl, add in the white chocolate and butter. Melt on a low heat over a pan of simmering water (without it touching), or in the microwave. Stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, melt the Biscoff spread in the microwave for 30 seconds or so until runny, beat into the melted white chocolate mix. Once mixed, add in the marshmallows and chopped biscoff biscuits and fold together. Pour into the tin and spread till it’s even. For the topping, melt a heaped dessert spoon of biscoff spread and drizzle over the top of the rocky road. Refrigerate until set and then cut into squares.

chocolate chip cookies Ingredients

Directions

125g soft butter 120g light brown sugar 120g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg beaten 225g self raising flour 120g roughly chopped chocolate

Pre-heat oven to 150C (fan oven).

Good for a crowd Speedy Kid-friendly Makes 15 pieces

Beat together the egg, 1 tbsp of the flour and vanilla extract. Add the rest of the flour and mix well, then add the chocolate and mix to combine. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly brown around the edges of the cookies. Note they will still be very soft. Leave to cool on the tray.

berry & almond crumble cake Ingredients

Directions

For crumble topping: 90g plain flour 30g light brown sugar 30g caster sugar ½ tsp cinnamon 2 pinches salt 55g melted butter

Preheat oven to 150C (fan). Line the bottom of and grease a 20cm cake tin.

For the cake: 130g ground almonds 140g soft butter 160g caster sugar 150g self raising flour 2 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract ¾ tsp almond extract 100mls milk 250g frozen berries of your choice 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

For the crumble topping - mix together the sugars, cinnamon and salt. Pour and mix in the melted butter, then slowly add the flour and mix until combined. You will need to use your fingers to rub the mixture to create the right texture. Set aside. For the cake - beat: ground almonds, butter, sugar, flour, eggs, milk and extracts. Spread half of the cake mix into the tin, add the frozen berries, then spread the remaining cake mix over the top, making sure to even it out. Top with the crumble and sprinkle with the toasted almonds to finish. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out of the cake clean. Then cool it in the tin.

Icing sugar to serve Good for a crowd Serves 8-10

yoghurt cake

Ingredients

Directions

1 pot of yoghurt 1 pot of oil 2 pots of sugar 3 pots of self raising flour 3 eggs

Scrape out the yoghurt into a mixing bowl, you are now going to use the yoghurt pot to measure all your other ingredients.

Kid friendly 10-12 slices

Scrape into a lined loaf tin.

Add the oil, sugar, flour and eggs to the bowl. Mix until everything is combined.

Bake at 180C for 35-40 minutes. You may need to cover it with foil for the last 10 minutes if it is getting quite dark on top.

mars bar traybake Ingredients

Directions

4 Mars Bars (51g), sliced 1 tbsp golden syrup 3oz/85g butter 4oz/110g Rice Krispies/ puffed rice cereal 6oz/170g chocolate, to cover

Slice the Mars Bars and melt in a small saucepan with the butter and syrup. Mix with the rice cereal and press into an 8"/20cm tin Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water and spread over the base. Leave to set and cut into squares/slices etc

12 pieces +

Very easy banana bread Ingredients 4oz margarine 6oz sugar (any will do!) 8oz self raising flour 2-3 mushy bananas 2 eggs Can add a handful of coconut, raisins, choc chips, banana chips, blueberries...

Directions Heat over to 180C or Gas 4. Grease 2lb loaf tin. Mash bananas in a bowl (set aside). Cream butter/marg with sugar, add egg. Mix two yellow sludges together (add any extras!) Add flour, mix it up. Scrape into a loaf tin Bake for 40mins at 180C.

Speedy Kid friendly 12 slices

Bake for further 30mins at 150C.

creme egg brownies Ingredients

Directions

115g unsalted butter, chopped 200g good quality dark chocolate pieces 100g caster sugar 90g brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 large eggs 85g plain flour 100g mini Cadbury Creme Eggs, chopped 6 Cadbury Creme Eggs, cut in half

Preheat oven to 180C (350 F) standard / 160C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line a square 8-inch cake tin with baking or parchment paper, ensuring two sides of the paper overhang.

12 pieces

Pop the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and place over a medium saucepan that is filled with a bit of water, say 5cm (2 inches) high or so. You need to ensure the bottom of the bowl will not touch the water below. Place on the stove on medium heat and stir while the chocolate and butter melt. Once the mixture is lovely and smooth, remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool slightly. Next, add the sugar and vanilla to the chocolate mixture and beat with an electric beater until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat again. Then sift in the flour and beat until the brownie mixture is smooth. Add your chopped mini Creme Eggs. Pour the brownie mixture into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake the brownie for about 25 minutes, then gently pop the large Creme eggs on top and press them slightly into the brownie. Pop the brownie back into the oven for an additional 20 minutes or until the brownie no longer wobbles in the middle. Leave to cool completely.

simple tasty flapjack Ingredients

Directions

225g dried cranberries 55g golden syrup 170g butter 100g caster sugar 250g rolled oats

Heat the oven to 170C (340F) and grease/line a 20cmx20cm baking dish. Put the cranberries into a bowl with boiling water for a few minutes to rehydrate. Drain the water. Melt the syrup, butter and sugar together in a large pan over a gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved, then stir in the oats. Add the cranberries and stir through. Tip the mix into the tin and smooth down with a spatula or spoon. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Good for a crowd 16 pieces

Mark into squares whilst still warm, but leave to cool fully in the tin.

cinnamon apple muffins Ingredients

Directions

2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 teaspoons for coating apples 1½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon + ½ teaspoon for coating apples 2 cups diced or grated apple (I prefer grated!) ½ cup (1 stick ) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 cup granulated sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ½ cup milk

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.Set aside.

For the topping: ½ cup butter melted ¼ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup ground cinnamon Makes 12

Mix 2 tsp flour with 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and coat the apple. Cream together butter and sugar together (until light in colour), then add one egg at a time until combined and add vanilla essence. Gently fold in flour mixture, alternating with milk, until combined. Mix in the flour coated apple. Divide between 12 muffin cases. Bake for 25 mins mins on 170C (or until skewer comes out clean in the centre!) Prepare topping for muffins while the muffins are baking by melting the butter and allowing to cool slightly. Pour butter into a separate bowl sized easy for dipping tops of muffins. Mix together granulated sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and set aside. Once muffins have baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the muffin tin. Then, remove each muffin and brush the butter on with a pastry brush (or dip into the melted butter) and then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.

triple chocolate brownies Ingredients 110g unsalted butter 110g dark chocolate, broken into squares 150g dark soft brown sugar 150g caster sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla 110g plain flour 2 tbsp cocoa powder 100g milk chocolate, broken into squares 100g white chocolate, broken into squares

Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 24 pieces

Directions Line a 7x11 inch swiss roll tin and preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan. Put the butter and dark chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl and melt in the microwave in short bursts. Add in the sugars, followed by the eggs, then the vanilla, flour, and cocoa powder, and stir vigorously until you have a smooth batter. Finally mix in the milk and white chocolate chunks and pour into the tin. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until it’s just stopped wobbling in the middle.

cardamom sponge with white chocolate icing Ingredients

Directions

For the cake: 225g/8oz butter 4 eggs 225g/8oz caster sugar 225g/8oz self-raising flour 2 tsp baking powder 12 cardamom pods

Preheat the oven 180C/160C Fan/Gas4. Grease two 20cm/8in sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper. Place the butter, eggs, sugar, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and beat together until well combined.

For the icing: 100g/3½oz white chocolate 50g/1¾oz butter, softened 75g/2½oz cream cheese 200g/7oz icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract 50g white chocolate to decorate Special occasion/luxury 10 pieces Tip Make sure the butter for the icing is softened, or it will not blend smoothly with the cream cheese, and will leave lumps

Bash the cardamom pods with a rolling pin to release the seeds. Tip the seeds in a pestle and mortar and mash until fine. (Be sure to crush the cardamom seeds only, not the pods as these do not tenderize down.) Stir the crushed seeds into the cake batter, then pour the mixture into the prepared tins. Bake for about 25 minutes until golden-brown and springy to touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 minutes and then turn them out to cool on a wire rack. To make the icing, gently melt the white chocolate. Do this in a bowl over a pan of just simmering water. Alternatively (and more easily) do it in two or three 10 second bursts in the microwave, stirring between. Do not overheat the white chocolate otherwise the icing will not set. Once melted, set it aside to cool and thicken a little. Whisk the butter and cream cheese together until fluffy and soft. Add half the icing sugar, whisk again, add the vanilla and the remaining icing sugar and whisk again. Stir in the white chocolate until combined. Transfer to the fridge for about 20 minutes until thickened to a spreading consistency. Divide the icing between the two cakes, spreading half on one, sandwiching with the second cake and using the rest of the icing to cover the top. Use a sharp knife to cut the remaining white chocolate into shards and then arrange over the top to beautifully and deliciously decorate!

grandma’s biscuits Ingredients

Directions

115g margarine 1 egg, beaten 60g caster sugar 140g self raising flour 100g chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180C. Mix the ingredients together. Place circular blobs on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Speedy Kid friendly Makes 12

almond and chia energy balls Ingredients

Directions

200g almonds 400g Medjool dates 4 tbsp raw cacao powder 2 tbsp almond butter 2 tbsp coconut oil 2 tbsp chia seeds

Placing the almonds in a food processor and whiz for about 30 seconds, until they’re nicely crushed.

Speedy Makes 20

Then pit the dates and add them, plus all the other ingredients and 2 tablespoons of water, to the processor and blend again until everything has mixed together perfectly and it’s all nice and sticky. Roll the mix into balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Tip! Use an ice cream scoop to make the balls

white chocolate and berry muffins Ingredients

Directions

1 egg 120ml milk 4 tbsp veg oil 7oz plain flour 3.5oz caster sugar 2 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt A handful of white chocolate, chopped into chunks A handful of mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries etc)

Heat oven to 200C.

Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 9 portions

Beat eggs and stir in the milk and oil. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and stir into a lumpy batter. Add the white chocolate and berries. Put into cupcake cases around two thirds full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until brown on the top. Tip great if you’ve run out of butter!

nanny’s cheese loaf Ingredients

Directions

8oz self raising flour pinch of salt and pepper 2oz margarine 5oz cheese, grated 1 egg 6 tbsp milk 6 tbsp water

Rub the margarine into the flour and seasonings. Stir in the cheese, egg, milk and water. Pour into a lined loaf tin and bake at 200C for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Tip! Add pesto or mustard to increase flavour. Great warmed up with butter

6-8 servings

chocolate shortbread Ingredients

Directions

300g self-raising flour 30g cocoa powder 250g soft unsalted butter 125g caster sugar

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and soft.

Speedy Kid friendly

Roll into walnut-sized balls. The kids enjoy getting involved at this point (you can imagine what shape my kids feel inspired to mould with the brown dough!)

Makes 24

Sieve together the flour and cocoa then add to the butter-sugar mixture (it might look a bit dry at this stage but keep working it and it’ll come together). If you have a food processor you can just add all of the ingredients and pulse until the dough forms.

Bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 170C then bake for a further 10-15 minutes at 150 degrees. These biscuits are so simple but have a lovely shortbread-like texture. Sometimes I drizzle some chocolate over the top.

new mum flapjack Ingredients

Directions

150g ready-to-eat stoned dates 100g low fat spread/butter 3 generous tbsp agave syrup/golden syrup 50g ready to eat stoned dried apricots - finely chopped 50g chopped toasted hazelnuts 3 tbsp mixed seeds 50g raisins 150g porridge oats 100-180g dark chocolate chips or dark chocolate chopped into pieces

Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Line an 18cm square tin with baking parchment. Put dates in food processor and blitz until they are finely chopped and sticking together in clumps. Heat the spread/butter, syrup and dates in a saucepan gently. Stir until spread has melted and dates are blended. Add remaining ingredients to pan and stir until well mixed. Spoon mixture into the prepared tin and spread until level. Bake in the oven for 15-20mins until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate on top. Wait a few minutes until chocolate has melted then spread until the top is fully coated. Leave in the tin until cold and then cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

12 pieces

Pret’s irresistible dark choc & almond cookies Ingredients

Directions

Dry ingredients: 43g caster sugar 112g soft light brown sugar 4g salt 40g flaked almonds 112g dark choc pieces ½ tsp bicarb.

Mix dry and wet ingredients separately, then combine.

Wet ingredients: 65g coconut oil 72g almond butter 100g golden syrup 40g water

Tip! These freeze really well too as cookie dough balls! They can then go straight into the oven from frozen and make a delicious dessert with icecream!

Good for a crowd Speedy 10-15 Cookies

Divide the dough into ten equal piece and roll into balls. Press down with your fingers to flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 mins at 180°C.

cornish fairings Ingredients

Directions

8 oz self raising flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice 2 tsp ginger 4 oz butter 4 oz sugar 2 heaped tbsp golden syrup

Mix all ingredients together in a food processor or use a hand whisk. Roll into balls and put on a lined baking tray. Bake at 180C for about 10 minutes until edges are golden. Tip! We nearly always double this recipe as it’s so easy and the biscuits freeze well.

Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 12-15 biscuits

best chocolate cake ever Ingredients

Directions

250ml gluten free flour 250ml sugar 125ml cocoa powder 5ml gluten free baking powder (see notes) 2.5ml baking soda 2.5ml salt 5ml instant coffee* 125ml milk alternative* 60ml oil 50ml liquid egg substitute* 2.5ml vanilla extract 125ml boiling water

Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare a 9”x13” or 10” square baking dish by greasing with dairy free margarine or oil and dusting with flour. Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coffee in a large mixing bowl. Add milk alternative, oil, egg substitute and vanilla to the flour mixture and mix together until well combined. Carefully stir the boiling water into the cake batter and pour into the prepared dish. Bake for 30-35 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes away clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Enjoy as is, or add icing of choice, or serve with dairy free ice cream.

Gluten free Special occasion/luxury 8-10 pieces

*Notes Can be covered and kept on the counter for up to 3 days. Feel free to use regular flour, eggs and milk if allergies are no issue.If you don’t have instant coffee, use 25ml espresso and reduce boiling water. We use ASDA gluten free flour, Dove’s Free baking powder, Oggs aquafaba for eggs (though applesauce works too) and cashew milk. This is really moist and delicious–the only cake we’ve found works since being gluten and egg free!

lemon & elderflower cake Ingredients

Directions

For the cake oil, for greasing 6 medium eggs 100g natural yoghurt 50ml milk 450g butter, softened 450g golden caster sugar 450g self-raising flour finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus juice 3 tbsp elderflower cordial

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line the base and sides of 3 x 20cm cake tins with baking parchment. In a jug, whisk the eggs, yogurt and milk. Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using an electric hand whisk. When you have a light and fluffy mixture, add the flour, the liquid in the jug and the lemon zest. Mix again until smooth. Divide the cake mixture between the tins, level the surfaces and bake for 40 mins.

For the icing 250g butter, softened 300g full fat cream cheese 700g icing sugar Finely grated zest of 1 lemon Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury 18 slices

Mix the lemon juice and elderflower cordial. When the cakes are cooked, poke all over the surface with a cocktail stick then spoon the lemon and elderflower syrup over the cakes. Leave to cool in the tins. Once cool, you can wrap in cling film and keep for 3 days before icing. To make the icing, beat the butter until smooth with an electric hand whisk. Add half the icing sugar, use a spatula to mash the mixture together (this will help to prevent an icing sugar cloud) then whisk again. Add the remaining icing sugar, cream cheese and lemon zest, mash again, then whisk again until smooth. Stack the cakes on a cake stand with plenty of icing between each layer. Pile most of the remaining icing on top, then use a palette knife to spread it across the top and down the sides, covering the cake in swirls (don’t worry about it looking too perfect). Add the final bit of icing to the top and use it to cover any patches where the cake is poking through. 27

notes

main

sausage surprise Ingredients

Directions

4-8 sausages, depending on how many sausages you want each 1 onion, sliced 2 apples, cut into chunks 4 tbsp sweet chutney 2 stock cubes 2 mugs boiling water 2 tsp mustard 4 medium potatoes, cut into small cubes oil for frying

Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes in a pan of boiling water and then drain.

4 people

Bring to a boil then turn the heat down so that it simmers for 10-15mins, stirring every so often.

Fry the sausages in a frying pan or wok until they are browned on all sides, then remove them for the pan. Fry and the onions and the potatoes until they begin to brown. Dissolve the stock cubes in the mugs of boiling water and add to the frying pan/wok. Add the apples, mustard, chutney and return the sausages to the pan.

TIp! This is an easy recipe to scale up if cooking for a crowd

pork, spinach & crème fraiche lasagne Ingredients

Directions

Butter, for greasing 6 large dried lasagne sheets 75g mature Cheddar, grated

Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease the ovenproof dish with butter.

For the pork & spinach sauce: 1 tbsp oil 450g pork sausage meat 1 tbsp plain flour 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 2 fat garlic cloves, crushed 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 200ml full-fat crème fraîche 100g baby spinach, chopped salt and freshly ground black pepper For the tomato sauce: 500g passata 2 tbsp sun-dried tomato paste 1 tsp light muscovado sugar 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage Good for a crowd Speedy 6 people

Soak the lasagne sheets in recently boiled warm water to soften while you prepare the two sauces. For the pork and spinach sauce, heat the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan. Add the sausage meat and brown over a high heat for 5–10 minutes until golden-brown, breaking up the mince with two wooden spoons. Sprinkle in the flour and fry for a minute. Add the chilli, garlic and mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche and spinach. Bring to the boil and allow to bubble for a couple of minutes. Season well with salt and pepper and set aside. For the tomato sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a jug or bowl and season well with salt and pepper. Drain the lasagne sheets. Spoon one-third of the spinach sauce into the base of the ovenproof dish. Spoon one-third of the tomato sauce on top and arrange half the lasagne sheets over the tomato sauce. Repeat using two more layers of spinach and tomato sauce and one of lasagne sheets. Sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the top of the dish is golden-brown and bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately. 31

hunter’s chicken Ingredients

Directions

Oil, for frying 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 75g pancetta / lardon cubes Bunch of spring onions, finely sliced 1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (dried is also fine) 500g chicken thigh fillets, each cut into 4 pieces ½tsp celery salt 125ml white wine 1x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 2 bay leaves ½ tsp sugar

Heat the oil in a heavy-based pan with a lid and fry the garlic, pancetta, spring onions and rosemary for a few minutes.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 4 people

Add the chicken pieces, brown them, then sprinkle in celery salt. Add the wine, let it come to a bubble, then add the rest of the ingredients. Put the lid on and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with rice and vegetables.

Tip! Can be easily scaled up to feed a crowd and can also be made in advance and reheated on hob when needed.

Thai green roast chicken Ingredients

Directions

1 whole chicken 1 lemon, quartered 1 jar Thai green curry paste 1 tin coconut milk 1 onion, quartered Pack of green beans Rice Optional extras: naan / mango chutney

This is a basic roast chicken with a curry twist!

Good for a crowd 8 people

Tuck your roast chicken into the roasting pan with lemon and onion quartered and stuffed inside. Pop about an inch or so of water in the bottom to help with the sauce. Smear the jar of curry paste over the chicken. Roast as normal (I roast under foil for about 1 hr, then without the foil for 30mins, re-basting for a small chicken, adding extra water to make sure there’s something for the sauce if its dried up.) When the chicken is cooked, lift it out of the juices and tuck under foil to rest on a plate. If you haven’t put your rice on cook it now. Put the coconut milk and green beans into the chicken juices in the roasting tray, stir and pop back in the oven for 10-15mins. Serve the roast chicken with green beans in the green Thai curry sauce and rice. I love this because it brings a ‘chilled dinner with friends’ feel to a roast chicken, can be left in the oven cooking over little people’s bedtimes and is super yum! If you’re a curry pro you can make the curry sauce yourself :) 33

tender lamb shoulder Ingredients

Directions

500g dried chickpeas (tinned also works fine) 2 preserved lemons 2 x 500g tins of plum tomatoes 1 x 2kg lamb shoulder, bone in 2 heaped teaspoons ras el hanout

Pour the dried chickpeas into a 30x40cm roasting tray.

couscous/greens to serve

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury 8 people

Quarter the preserved lemons and trim away the seedy core, then finely chop the rind and add to the tray with a good splash of liquor from the jar. Roughly chop the tomatoes, adding them to the tray as you go. Drizzle the lamb with 1tbsp olive oil, then rub all over with the ras el hanout and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Sit the lamb in the tray, pour in 1 litre of water, cover tightly with tin foil and place in a cold oven. Turn the temperature to 170C/ 325F/Gas 3 and leave the lamb in there for 6 hours, or until the chickpeas are cooked through and the lamb is pullable- after 3 hours, stir a splash of water into the chickpeas (if using dried) covering tightly again with foil. To serve, taste the chickpeas, season to perfection, and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil, then pull the lamb apart with two forks. Serve with couscous and some sort of green veg! Tip! This recipe is ideal if you are hosting people for lunch after church. It takes 5 minutes to chuck everything into the tin, and then it’s all ready by the time you get back from church! No hassle!

santa fe chilli Ingredients

Directions

1kg mince 2 onions, chopped 4 tbsp dried parsley 2 tsp garlic powder 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp basil 1 tsp black pepper 2 tsp dill 2 packs taco seasoning 1 tin kidney beans 1 tin pinto beans 1 tin black beans 2 tins chopped tomatoes 1 can sweetcorn 2 cups of water (optional)

Brown meat and onions, drain fat. Add seasonings, tins (incl. liquids), add water. Cook for 2hrs (boil, then simmer), or put in slow cooker for 3-4hrs high, 6-8hrs on low.

Good for a crowd 8-10 people

moroccan spiced lamb tagine Ingredients

Directions

½ tbsp olive oil 450g lamb neck fillet, chopped into chunks 1 large onion, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander ¼ tsp cinnamon 400g tin chopped tomatoes 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed 150g dried apricots, cut in half 30g raisins 1 tbsp runny honey 350ml water Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4.

Gluten free Kid friendly 4 people

Heat the oil in a heavy based casserole dish over a medium to high heat and brown the meat, so it has a little colour. Cook in batches if necessary. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and spices and stir for a futher minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, apricots, raisins, honey and water. Bring to the simmer, cover with a lid and transfer to the oven for 1.5-2 hours until the lamb is tender. Stir occasionally during the cooking process and if it looks like a lot of the juice has evaporated, add a little more water if needed. You are looking for the initial liquid to be reduced by about half to make a thick sauce. Season to taste. Serve with rice/cous cous/green vegetables tables or salad leaves. This is mildly flavoured so not overpowering for young children

prawn and fennel risotto Ingredients

Directions

1.2l vegetable stock 1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped 1 small fennel bulb, cored and finely chopped 300g risotto rice 300g peeled raw king prawns 1 lemon, 1/2 zested and 1 tbsp juice

* Miss out the prawns to make a de-

4 people

licious vegetarian lemon and fennel version!

Put the stock in a large saucepan, bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer (not really necessary, I often just have it in a jug as usual). Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and fennel, and cook on a low heat for 10 mins until the vegetables have softened but not coloured. Add the rice and stir for 2 mins until the grains are hot and making crackling sounds. Increase the heat to medium and start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and making sure the stock has absorbed into the rice before adding the next ladleful. When the rice is almost cooked, add the prawns, lemon zest and some seasoning. Continue adding stock and cooking for another 3-4 mins until the prawns are pink and the rice is cooked. Remove from the heat and stir through the lemon juice (and rocket). Check the seasoning. Leave the risotto to sit in the pan for 2 mins, then serve. Tip! Use salmon instead of prawns. 37

goat’s cheese risotto Ingredients

Directions

2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large celery stick, finely chopped 1.2 litres fresh vegetable or chicken stock 350g risotto rice 200ml dry white wine 25g parmesan or vegetarian alternative, grated 100g soft goat’s cheese 100g sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped 200g rinded goat’s cheese log, cut into 4 even discs A few fresh basil leaves

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan and gently fry the onion and celery with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes until softened. Meanwhile, heat the stock in a pan until simmering, then keep warm on a low heat.

Gluten free Vegetarian

Brush the goat’s cheese discs with olive oil, put on a baking sheet and grill for 5 minutes until golden. Serve the risotto topped with the grilled cheese, scattered with the basil.

4 people

Stir the rice into the onion and celery and cook for 1-2 minutes. Pour in the wine, bring up to a fast simmer and bubble until the wine has mostly evaporated. Start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring often, only adding more stock once the liquid has been absorbed. Keep adding stock until the rice is tender (you may not need it all; this should take around 20-25 minutes). Heat the grill to medium. Stir the grated parmesan, soft goat’s cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. Taste and add salt and black pepper.

This is a hug in a bowl - comfort food of the very best kind. 38

slow cooker lamb rogan josh Ingredients

Directions

700 g lamb-neck fillet 1 white onion 2 tbsp oil

In a large bowl, mix together the ingredients for the paste until smooth.

For the paste: 3 tbsp tomato paste 3 garlic cloves, minced 1½ tsp cumin 1½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground ginger ½ tsp ground black pepper 2 tsp paprika 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chilli powder (hot) 1 tsp salt 1 lamb stock cube, crumbled For the sauce: 400 g tomato passata 250 g (1 cup) natural yogurt 50 ml water 1 red chilli, finely chopped 1 cinnamon stick 1 tbsp cardamom pods, pressed 2 bay leaves 1 tbsp chopped coriander ½ tsp sugar Gluten free 4 people

Prepare the lamb fillet by removing any sinew and cutting into 3-4cm (1-1.5 inch) chunks. Add the lamb to the paste and coat thoroughly. Leave for a minimum of 30 minutes, but ideally 2 hours (or overnight if preparing the night before). Sear the marinated meat in a pan, along with the onions. Transfer to the slow cooker. In another bowl, mix together the yogurt, coriander and chopped chilli (remove seeds) and then gradually stir in the passata and water. This will ensure a smooth consistency. Pour the sauce over the lamb and onions in the slow cooker, then add the bay, cardamon pods and cinnamon stick and ensure they are submerged in the sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.5 hours. Tips! Marinate the meat. The longer you can marinate the meat, the more flavour from the spices that’ll be imparted into it. Sear the lamb before you put it in the slow cooker for extra flavour and to lock in the juices. Don’t cut the chunks of lamb too small. Chunks of 3 to 4 cm (1 to 1.5 inch) cubes are ideal. Too small and they’ll fall apart and simply melt into the sauce! 39

potato goulash Ingredients

Directions

1.2kg potatoes, chopped 1 onion, chopped 1 litre vegetable stock 4 tbs tomato puree 2-3 peppers chopped (green peppers taste best) 10 Frankfurter sausages, sliced 3 bay leaves 2 tbs marjoram 75ml single cream salt pepper paprika oil parsley

Heat the oil in a big pot and fry the chopped onion.

Good for a crowd Speedy 8 people (but you can multiply it easily)

Then add the chopped potatoes and the tomato puree. Add the chopped peppers and salt, pepper, paprika, marjoram. Add the vegetable stock and the bay leaves. Leave it to cook for about 30 minutes. Once the vegetables are soft enough to your taste, add the sliced sausage pieces to warm. Add the cream and season again. Serve with chopped parsley and nice bread or baguette.

gnocchi bake Ingredients

Directions

1 pack fresh gnocchi 1 pack frozen Mediterranean vegetables ½ pack frozen butternut squash (or vegetables of your choice) 100g cream cheese or ricotta 100g mature cheddar, grated

Roast the veg in a large roasting tin until tender.

Return to the oven for 20-30 mins until golden and bubbling. Serve with garlic bread and salad.

Good for a crowd

Tip! It’s good for using up leftovers, and can be made vegetarian or gluten-free.

optional leftover cooked sausages, ham, chicken, bacon etc chopped up

Add in whatever meat you’re using (optional) and the gnocchi (no need to pre-cook the gnocchi) and roast for 10 more minutes. Stir in the cream cheese or ricotta, with some splashes of boiling water if it’s a bit dry, and top with the cheddar.

3-4 people

chicken, edamame and ginger pilaf Ingredients

Directions

2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 onion, thinly sliced Thumb sized piece of ginger, grated 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced 3 skinless chicken breast, cubed 250g basmati rice 600ml vegetable stock 100g frozen edamame beans

Heat the oil in a deep sided pan, add the onion, ginger and chilli, along with some seasoning.

4 people

Cook for 5 minutes then add the rice and the chicken. Cook for a further 2 minutes, sealing the chicken pieces Add the stock and bring to the boil Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, until the rice is almost cooked. Add the edamame beans and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Tips! This is an easy recipe to stretch if you have unexpected guests, just add more rice and cut the chicken smaller. I often leave out the beans as I normally forget to buy them, but instead add a diced red pepper, adding that at the start with the onions. As a one pot dish, its a winner in our house as there isn’t much washing up! Also it stays really hot so great as a winter warmer.

chicken gyros Ingredients

Directions

1kg chicken thighs or breast, diced 3 tsp minced/purée garlic 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or red wine or apple cider vinegar) 3 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp Greek yogurt, preferably full fat 1½ tbsp dried oregano 1 tsp salt black pepper

Put marinade into a large ziplock bag, seal and shake to mix.

Speedy 4 people

Put chicken into bag, seal and massage marinade to coat chicken. Marinade chicken in the bag in the fridge for minimum of 1 hour but ideally overnight or for 6-8 hours. After marinading chicken, either fry in a heavy bottom pan or bake in the oven until chicken is thoroughly cooked and a little crispy! Serve with warm pitta, hummus and chopped up raw veggies. Tip! We find chicken breast works best. We love to serve this with shredded red cabbage, cucumber, carrots and red pepper. It makes the best pitta wrap!

teriyaki salmon Ingredients

Directions

2 skinless salmon fillets 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce 1 tbsp honey 1tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp mirin or dry sherry 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tsp finely grated ginger 2 tsp sesame seeds, for sprinkling

Pre-heat oven to 180C Fan.

2 people

Put salmon in a shallow baking dish (the recipe works best when the salmon fits fairly snugly inside the dish so it gets covered in sauce). Combine all the sauce ingredients and pour over the salmon. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, depending on how well-cooked you like your salmon. Sprinkle each fillet with sesame seeds. Serve with rice and vegetables of your choice.

Tip! You can freeze your leftover fresh ginger and the next time you make the recipe grate it straight into the sauce from frozen. I actually prefer to do it this way as I find it grates much more easily when frozen, and you don’t have to work out what to do with leftover ginger!

pad thai Ingredients

Directions

225g rice noodles 12-16 king prawns, peeled and deveined 1 tsp of sugar 2 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp tamarind paste, soaked in 2-3 tbsp of warm water for 10 mins 3 eggs 3 tbsp of vegetable oil 4 garlic cloves, sliced 30g bean sprouts Handful of coriander, chopped 4 spring onions, green and white parts, roughly chopped 50g peanuts, crushed to serve 1 lime, quartered to serve

Mix the king prawns in a bowl with the sugar.

Speedy 2 people

Mix the fish sauce and the soy sauce in a bowl. Strain the tamarind mixture and add it it the fish/soy sauce. In a separate bowl, beat the 3 eggs lightly and reserve. Heat a wok on a medium high heat. Add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and the garlic. Stir fry for about 1 minute or until the garlic just browns. Add the prawns and stir fry them for about 2 minutes. Pour over the beaten eggs and allow to set for 2-3 minutes. Then carefully break it up with a wooden spoon. Remove the eggs and prawn mixture from the wok. Reserve. Clean the wok and then heat it up again over a high heat. Add the remaining tbsp of oil and when hot, add the rice noodles. Allow them to fry for about 1 minute. Add the tamarind and soy sauce mixture and stir. Add the bean sprouts and spring onions and stir for another 30 seconds. Add the prawns and eggs, cook for another couple of minutes and then serve immediately with coriander, peanuts and lime wedges. 45

chicken and chorizo jambalaya Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp olive oil 2 chicken breasts, chopped 1 onion 2 red peppers, chopped or thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, crushed 100g chorizo, sliced 1 tbsp of Cajun seasoning 250g long grain rice 400g can plum tomatoes 350ml chicken stock

Heat 1tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan with a lid (or casserole dish) and brown the chicken breasts for 5-8 minutes until golden.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Kid friendly

Tips! Use gluten free stock cubes to ensure it’s s totally gluten free.

4 people

Remove and set aside. Tip in the diced onion and cook for 3-4 mins until soft. Add the red pepper, garlic cloves, chorizo and Cajun seasoning and cook for 5 minutes more. Stir the chicken back in with the rice, add the can of plum tomatoes and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 20-25 mins until the rice is tender.

For kids, be careful with the amount of spice you use, unless they like it. You can always pick out the chorizo for kids if it’s too spicy. Serve it with vegetables or salad. You could prepare up to step 3 in advance and then just add the remaining rice, stock and tomatoes when needed.

cupboard quesadillas Ingredients

Directions

1 wholemeal wrap ½ tbsp pesto (or other paste of choice) 1½ tbsp grated cheese 2 tbsp protein of choice (cooked chicken, pinto beans and tuna all work well) 1½ tbsp vegetable of choice, diced (eg, tomatoes)

Lay wrap flat and make one cut from base of wrap up to the centre of the wrap.

Speedy Kid friendly 1 person

In bottom left hand quarter of the wrap, spread your paste. In top left hand quarter of the wrap, place your protein. In top right hand quarter of the wrap place your cheese. In bottom right hand quarter of wrap place your vegetables. Fold bottom left hand quarter up so it covers the top left hand quarter. Then fold top left hand quarter to the right so it covers the top right hand corner. Finally, fold the top right hand quarter down so it covers the bottom right hand quarter. Place inside a meat grill (ideally) for 5 minutes. If you don’t have a meat grill, a toastie maker, a toaster (as long as you place quesadilla in a toastie bag), a grill pan, grilled in the oven will all work, but it works best when the quesadilla is pressed down and then the melted cheese holds it together.

slow cooker coq au vin Ingredients

Directions

6 large skinless chicken breasts (or left-over roast chicken) olive oil 125g streaky bacon or pancetta cubes 300g shallots 2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly 3 sprigs fresh thyme 1 dried bay leaf 750ml bottle red wine 250g button mushrooms 1 tbsp butter 3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped Sea salt and black pepper

Brown the chicken if uncooked.

Optional extra chicken stock cube for flavouring Optional extra dessert spoon cornflour (gluten free), or plain flour for thickening sauce at the end made into a paste with a teaspoon water. Gluten free Good for a crowd 6 people

Heat oil and fry bacon and shallots until lightly browned. Add the garlic and chicken. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and enough wine to cover. Add the butter. Bring to simmering and transfer to slow cooker. Add pinch salt and a good twist of black pepper. Cook on HIGH with the lid on for 4 hours. After 2 hours stir in the mushrooms. If you want to thicken the sauce before serving, pop on the hob and stir in the flour paste bringing to a bubble. Sprinkle the parsley on just before serving. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Tip! This recipe doubles easily to fill a large slow cooker and is great for feeding a crowd because it’s super tasty!

slow cooker sausage casserole Ingredients

Directions

2 red onions, chopped 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 clove of garlic 2 carrots, cut into chunks 1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks 3 spring onions, chopped 6 sausages half a chorizo sausage 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato puree 1 beef oxo cube salt and pepper mixed herbs smoked paprika

Fry the red onions in the vegetable oil until they soften. Add the chorizo, garlic and spring onions and fry until starting to brown. Tip all into the slow cooker.

Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly

Brown the sausages all over in the same frying pan (either cut them up before or after frying). Tip into the slow cooker along with the carrots and sweet potatoes. Put the tomato puree and crumbled oxo cube in the frying pan and add 250ml boiling water. Swirl around the pan and tip into the slow cooker. Add the herbs, paprika, salt and pepper and tin of tomatoes. Cook on high for 4 hours and serve with pasta or crusty bread.

Tip! Works well with different vegetables and seasonings. Very colourful so great for children and slow cooker means it can be ready for after church.

6 people

butter chicken Ingredients

Directions

Chicken marinade: 600-800g diced chicken 250ml natural yoghurt 1½ tbsp garlic, crushed 1 tbsp ginger, grated/chopped 2 tsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp red chilli powder 1 tsp salt

Combine diced chicken with all the marinade ingredients. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least half an hour but preferably longer.

Sauce: olive oil 2 tbsp ghee (or 1 tbsp butter plus 1 tbsp oil) 1 large onion, chopped 1½ tbsp garlic, crushed 1 tbsp ginger, grated/chopped 1½ tsp ground cumin 1½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp ground coriander 400g passata 1 tsp red chilli powder 250 ml double cream 1 tbsp sugar

Heat butter or ghee in the same pan. Fry the onions until soft. Add ginger and garlic and fry for a further minute. Add cumin, garam masala and ground coriander. Cook for a further 30 seconds.

Kid friendly 4-6 people 50

Heat oil in a large pan. Cook chicken for about 3 minutes on each side to brown (you will probably need to do this in 2-3 batches). You will finish cooking the chicken in the sauce later. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add passata, chilli powder and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes until thick and a deep red colour. Remove from heat, add to blender and blend until smooth. Put blended sauce back into the pan. Add cream, sugar and the browned chicken. Cook for a further 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened. Salt to taste. Serve with rice, naan and whatever veg you fancy!

bacon fried rice Ingredients

Directions

2 cups cooked basmati rice 200g bacon, cut into strips 250g frozen peas/corn/ mixed veg 1 onion, chopped 15ml curry powder (mild for kids) 15ml apple cider vinegar 15ml golden syrup 10ml sesame oil (optional) 2.5ml garlic powder, or 2 cloves fresh chopped garlic salt to taste

Cook the frozen vegetables, covered, in a microwavable dish. Sauté onions with salt (I use 2.5ml) until soft and transparent.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 6 people can be multiplied

Add bacon and fry until cooked through and most liquid has evaporated. Add curry powder and garlic powder/fresh garlic and stir through, frying for about 30 seconds (longer for fresh garlic) then move the bacon mix to the edges of the pan. Add the cider vinegar to the middle of the pan and let the acrid smell cook off a bit, about 30 seconds. Add the syrup to the middle of the pan and let it start bubbling, then stir the bacon around the pan to collect the juices. Stir the sesame oil through, if using. Add the vegetables, including any liquid from cooking. Stir the cooked rice through - in a larger dish if frying pan is too small. Tip! This is a very adaptable recipe, any veggies your family likes work well - if using mushrooms or peppers add them after the bacon and before the spices until cooked. If allergies are no issue, feel free to substitute the cider vinegar and syrup with gluten free, or regular, soy sauce. You can also use honey if you don’t have syrup. If Pork is an issue, use chicken breast. For vegetarians, add halloumi cheese, or tofu/cashew nuts for vegans.

slow-cooker creamy mango chicken curry Ingredients

Directions

10-15 chicken thighs or breasts diced or 2 bags frozen, diced chicken 6 diced onions or bag of frozen pre-chopped onions 3 tins chickpeas (use at least half of the liquid to add some moisture to pot initially) 3 tbsp medium curry powder 1 jar mango chutney, plus extra to serve 200ml single cream (or coconut milk for lactose free alternative) salt and pepper to season

In slow cooker, add all ingredients apart from the cream (do add coconut milk at this point if using)

Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 20 people

Leave to cook on high for 4 hours Stir in cream a few mins before serving. Tip! You may choose to brown the chicken before adding to the slow cooker.

Make this vegan by using chickpeas to replace chicken and use coconut milk instead of cream.

turkey casserole & polenta dumplings Ingredients

Directions

Casserole: 2/4/6 onions, chopped 2/4/6 carrots, chopped 2/4/6 parsnips, chopped 3/6/9 sticks celery, chopped 2/4/6 sprigs rosemary, chopped 3/6/9 sprigs thyme, chopped 3/6/9 bay leaves, dried 2/4/6tsp English mustard 2/4/6tbsp plain flour 1½/3/4½ L veg or chicken stock * 500g/1kg/1½kg turkey pieces

Fry onions & brown meat. Add all ingredients except celery to slow cooker or casserole pot.

Dumplings: 2/4/6 rashers bacon, chopped 2/4/6 leeks, chopped small 125/250/375g plain flour 25/50/75g polenta flour 1½/3/4½ tsp baking powder ½/1/1½ tsp bicarb soda 30/60/90g unsalted butter 125/250/375ml buttermilk or full fat milk 1/2/3 large eggs oil Good for a crowd Kid friendly 6/12/18 people

see separate quantities

Cook for 4-6hrs in slow cooker, probably an hour in moderate oven. Make Dumplings: Fry bacon & leeks. Mix dry ingredients. Add diced butter to dry breadcrumb consistency. Add milk & bacon & leeks. Roll out to 2cm/1inch thick & cut out with scone cutter to make 6/12/18 large (or more if smaller). Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas6. Add celery and any other veg that cooks fast. Bake the dumplings either by putting the casserole in a flat dish and topping with dumplings like a cobbler or putting them on top of the casserole in the slow cooker. NB The larger the quantity, the less room there will be in the slow cooker for all the dumplings! Brush with beaten egg. Bake for 20-30 mins until cooked. Serve with mashed potatoes & green veg *much less if using slow cooker, eg ¼ less, enough to just cover the meat & veg) 53

chicken divan Ingredients

Directions

500g chicken breast diced 200g broccoli (approx) 1 small can condensed mushroom soup 2 tablespoons mayonnaise ½ tin of milk (use soup tin as measure) ½ lemon juice 1 tsp mild curry powder 80g cheddar cheese grated

Preheat oven to 200C. Brown diced chicken in a tablespoon of oil. Par-boil broccoli for 5 mins. Transfer chicken and broccoli to oven proof dish. Mix together soup, mayonnaise, milk, lemon juice and curry powder. Pour mixture over the chicken and broccoli. Cook in oven at 200C for 15 minutes.

Good for a crowd Speedy 3-4 people

Add grated cheese to top and cook for further 10 minutes. Serve with potato and veg.

Tip! Works best with Campbell's Condensed™ soup.

pulled pork Ingredients

Directions

2lb/900g boneless pork chops (recommend pork shoulder) 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp brown sugar ¼ tsp pepper ¼tsp salt ¼ tsp garlic powder 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) 1 large sweet yellow onion, sliced 1/3 cup salted butter, sliced

Heat oil on medium high heat, brown pork chops on both sides, 2-3 minutes. Set aside. Add Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes (optional) in slow cooker. Stir together. Add browned pork chops, then add onions and butter slices. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours (or high for 3 hours). Serve with rice and vegetables.

Gluten free Good for a crowd 6-8 people

baked salmon gnocchi Ingredients

Directions

2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely sliced 1 large head broccoli 300g reduced fat cream cheese 3 tbsp fresh pesto 400g fresh gnocchi 1 lemon, juiced 4 salmon fillets

Heat oven at 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Heat olive oil in oven proof pan/casserole dish and fry onion for 2-3 minutes. Add broccoli, stir fry for 2 minutes. Mix cream cheese, pesto and 160ml water, heat gently, and stir. Prepare gnocchi according to packet. Stir gnocchi into sauce with a pinch of pepper, lemon juice and salt. Nestle salmon in sauce among gnocchi and bake for 12-14 minutes until cooked.

Speedy 4 people

aubergine and beef parmesan Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp butter 1 onion, diced 7 cloves garlic, crushed 750g lean beef mince 600g closed cup mushrooms 2 tsp Italian herbs ½ tsp dried rosemary 1½ tsp salt 3 heaped tbsp tomato puree 1 aubergine, thinly sliced 250g (drained weight) mozzarella, shredded 100g grated parmesan (or other Italian style hard cheese)

Pre heat oven to Gas 5 / 190C.

Gluten free 6-8 people (leftovers freeze well)

In a large frying pan or skillet melt the butter and cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes, until soft. Add the beef to begin to brown. In a food processor, pulse the mushrooms until very small - do not just process down or you'll end up with mush (you'll likely need to do this in batches). Alternatively, slice the mushrooms. Add to the beef (you can do this as each batch is done, you don't need to keep them to one side until all done). Add the Italian herbs, rosemary and salt. One the beef is browned and the mushrooms have cooked down, add the tomato puree and cook for another 5 minutes or so. In an oven proof baking dish (roughly 12x8 inches) spoon a layer of meat. Place a layer of aubergine slices on top of the meat layer. Add half the mozzarella and about 1/3 of the parmesan. Repeat with another layer of remaining meat-aubergine-mozzarella-parmesan. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

thai pork and peanut curry Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp vegetable oil bunch of spring onions, sliced small bunch of coriander, stalks finely chopped & leaves picked 400g pork, sliced 4 tbsp Thai red curry paste 4 tbsp peanut butter 1 tbsp soft brown sugar 1 tbsp soy sauce 400ml can light coconut milk 175g pack baby corn juice of 1 lime jasmine rice

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the spring onions and coriander stalks and cook for 1 min. Add the pork and cook for 5 mins until starting to brown.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy

Serve scattered with the coriander leaves and rice.

4 people

Stir in the curry paste and peanut butter. After 30 secs, add the sugar, soy and coconut milk, plus ½ can of water. Mix well, put a lid on and leave to simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid, add the baby corn and increase the heat. Bubble for 3 mins until the corn is cooked and the sauce has thickened a little. Stir in the lime juice and check the seasoning.

Tip! You can double the ingredients and freeze leftovers. Easy, midweek meal. If you (and your children) like peanut butter and fairly mild curries, you should like this!

one tray oven-baked honey chili lime salmon with potatoes & beans Ingredients

Directions

4 pieces of salmon,skin on or off 1 large or 2 small limes, to make 1½ tsp. lime zest and 3 tbsp. lime juice 1½ tbsp honey 1 tbsp soy sauce 4 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat oven to 180C and place a large rimmed baking tray in the oven.

450g baby potatoes, halved 1½ tbsp melted butter, or olive oil pinch of salt, to taste 2 garlic cloves, minced (optional) 250g green beans, trimmed dash of olive oil salt and pepper For optional garnish 1 lime and/or 1 chili pepper (freshly chopped if fresh, and grated if frozen) Speedy Kid friendly 4 people

Make a marinade from the lime zest and juice, honey, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Marinate the salmon for 20 minutes (no longer). Toss potatoes, melted butter, salt, and minced garlic in a bowl. Remove the tray from the oven and pour the potatoes onto the tray. Place back in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Combine the green beans, olive oil, and salt and pepper in the same bowl you used for the potatoes. Remove the salmon from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Take the tray from the oven, move the potatoes to one side, and place the salmon in the middle, skin side down. Pile the green beans into one corner, don't spread them out, so they can steam. Sprinkle salt and pepper over everything on the tray. Drizzle some marinade on each salmon piece, and return the tray to the oven, baking for about 10 minutes more, depending on your salmon thickness. Turn the broiler onto maximum. Drizzle the remaining marinade onto the salmon and grill for 2 minutes or until lightly golden on top. If desired, sprinkle lime zest and chili pepper over the salmon. Serve with lime wedges on the side. 59

slow-braised pork ratatouille Ingredients

Directions

1 kg butcher's pork belly, rind and string removed 2 onions 1 red pepper 1 yellow pepper 1-2 courgettes 4 garlic cloves 2 cans of tomatoes glass of red wine 3 sprigs of rosemary salt and pepper to taste

Place the belly pork in the slow cooker. Chop the vegetables, onions and garlic and place on top of the belly pork with the Rosemary. Tip into the slow cooker the tomatoes and red wine. The above can all be done the night before and put into the fridge or can be done just before turning on the slow cooker. Turn slow cooker onto high. Cook for 6-9 hours. Taste and add salt and pepper as required.

Good for a crowd

Serve with mashed potato.

8 people Quick to prepare, long to cook! Tip! Good for Sunday dinner if your oven doesn’t have a timer. Also can be prepared the night before cooking.

summer in winter chicken Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp olive oil 4 boneless chicken breasts 200g pack cherry tomatoes 3 tbsp pesto 3 tbsp crème fraîche fresh basil, if you have it

Heat the oil in a frying pan, remove skin from chicken breast (if any), add the chicken and fry without moving it until it takes on a bit of colour. Turn the chicken and cook on the other side. Continue cooking for 12-15 mins until the chicken is cooked through. Season all over with a little salt and pepper.

Speedy 4 people

Halve the tomatoes and throw them into the pan, stirring them around for a couple of minutes until they start to soften. Reduce the heat and stir in the pesto and crème fraîche until it makes a sauce. Scatter with a few basil leaves if you have them. Serve with rice and salad or mash and broccoli.

sausage & sweet potato traybake Ingredients

Directions

2 red onions, peeled & quartered 2 corn cobs, cut into 4-6 pieces 1 mango, stoned & chopped 2 large sweet potatoes, cut into wedges 8-12 pork sausages

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 6. Mix together the ingredients for the spiced sauce in a bowl. Tip the onion quarters, corn, mango, sweet potatoes and sausages into a roasting tin, then pour over the sauce and stir to coat. Add a pinch each of salt and pepper.

For the spiced sauce 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground paprika 2 tsp fennel seeds 2 tsp dried oregano 2 tbsp barbecue sauce 2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil To serve (optional) coriander, chopped chillies, chopped Serve with a green salad, crusty bread or rice Good for a crowd Kid friendly 4-6 people

Bake for 45-50 mins, giving it a toss halfway through, until the sausages are cooked through and the sweet potato is soft. Serve sprinkled with the coriander and chilli, if you like.

Tips! If freezing, leave to cool completely first. Can be frozen for up to one month. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 35-40 mins. Slightly more exciting than your usual traybake, yet still child friendly!

sausage ragu Ingredients

Directions

2 x 400g tubes of sausage meat (can be gluten free) 2 tbsp oil 1 large onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, finely chopped 2 celery sticks, sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 bay leaf 400g tin of chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2-3 tbsp tomato puree salt and pepper

Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry onion and carrot. Add garlic when onion is nearly browned. Transfer everything to a non-stick pan and add the tin of tomatoes, bay leaf and balsamic vinegar. Simmer on low heat. Heat 1 tbsp oil and fry the sausage meat and celery, with 2-3 tbsp tomato puree. Keep frying for 15-25 minutes until the meat is crispy. (Drain off excess sausage fat.) Season the tomato sauce and remove bay leaf. (Whizz with a food processor if you like it super smooth.) Cook the pasta and serve with tomato sauce on top, followed by the sausage meat.

Pasta to serve with (can be gluten free) Gluten free Kid friendly 5-6 people

chicken cacciatore and orzo Ingredients

Directions

2 tbsp olive oil 4-6 chicken thighs skin-on, bone-in 1 onion, finely sliced 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced 250ml red wine 2 bay leaves 4 thyme sprigs 2 rosemary sprigs small bunch of parsley 2 x 400g cans cherry tomatoes 1 chicken stock cube 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp capers (optional) handful pitted green olives 300g orzo, rinsed

Preheat the oven to 200C fan.

4 people

Cover the chicken thighs with 1 tbsp of oil, season and place in an ovenproof casserole dish skin side up and bake for 20-25 minutes (until golden but not fully cooked). Remove chicken from dish and set aside on a plate. Add the remaining oil to the dish, mixing with the fat from the chicken. Add the onion and garlic and fry until the onion is tender. Pour in the wine, stirring with the onions and leave to evaporate slightly. Add the bay, thyme, rosemary, parsley stalks and cans of tomatoes. Pour in the stock, add the vinegar, capers, olives and orzo. Stir well and season. Nestle the chicken back into the dish and roast for 20 minutes until the sauce has thickened, the orzo is tender and the chicken is fully cooked. Stir and leave for 10 minutes to allow the orzo to soak the excess liquid. Scatter parsley leaves to serve.

Tip! You can replace the wine with extra stock.

Karen's gnocchi bolognese Ingredients

Directions

500g lean minced beef 1 onion, chopped 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped 250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced 440g jar of tomato & herb pasta sauce 500g gnocchi, fresh or long life 350g tub of cheese sauce (with pasta sauces in the chiller cabinet, not long life) 100g grated mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Good for a crowd Kid friendly 4-6 people

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan, then place the minced beef, onions and garlic in together and fry gently for 5-6 mins, stirring regularly, until the onion is starting to soften and the mince is browning nicely. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for a further 5 mins until the meat is fully browned. Pour over the tomato and herb pasta sauce, bring to the boil, season with black pepper, then cover and simmer for 12-15 mins. Meanwhile, cook the gnocchi in a pan of boiling water according to the pack instructions. Drain well. To assemble the dish, spoon half the bolognese mixture into a large shallow ovenproof dish, then top with the gnocchi. Add the remaining bolognese sauce and then spoon the cheese sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella. Bake on the top shelf of the oven for 30-35 mins, until golden brown and bubbling. Karen's gnocchi bolognese is loved in our church family and people always hope Karen will make it if they are the happy recipients of a meal train. It's incredibly versatile–as a family supper, to share with people coming over and has even been used en masse to feed a crowd at a wedding. 65

chicken tinola Ingredients

Directions

1 large chicken or packet of chicken thighs 3 large onions, sliced 8 garlic cloves, crushed 6 carrots, chopped 1 large ginger, grated 1 large green cabbage, shredded water to cover, (or chicken stock for extra flavour) salt and pepper lemon or lime, to garnish

Put the whole chicken (or chicken thighs), straight into the slow cooker or large casserole pot.

To serve rice or crusty bread

10 mins before serving, add the cabbage and squeeze in some lemon or lime. Check seasoning for more salt or pepper needed.

Gluten free Slow cooker-quick to throw together

Serve! It's really nice served with rice or crusty bread.

6-8 people

Add the onions, carrot, garlic, ginger and seasoning. Cover with water (or if you have any chicken stock/ stock cube add this now.) Set slow cooker on low and let simmer away for a good 6hrs. If cooking in casserole dish, put into a low ovenabout 160C and cook for 3 hrs or until chicken is falling off the bone.

Tip! Add a touch of cinnamon to give a warmer twist to this recipe.This recipe is a great immune system booster!

chicken/lamb pasanda Ingredients

Directions

2-4 chicken breasts, diced (or upgrade to diced lamb) 200g Greek-style or natural yoghurt 2 tbsp ground almonds 2 tbsp desicated coconut ½ tsp salt 1 tbsp ginger, grated or ground 1 tbsp garlic, crushed 1 tsp ground coriander ½ tsp turmeric ½ tsp chilli powder 400ml coconut milk/cream 1 small onion, diced 3 tbsp oil or ghee 5cm cinnamon stick 2 cardamom pods, lightly bruised desired vegetables, diced (pepper, carrot, etc.) chilli flakes, to taste

Earlier in the day mix together the yoghurt, almonds, coconut, salt, ginger, garlic, coriander, turmeric & chilli powder in a bowl and stir in the meat. Leave in the fridge to marinade for a few hours.

basmati rice /naan bread, to serve

Heat the oil, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods in a pan over a medium-high heat for 2 minutes or so, until the oil is sizzling. Remove the pieces of meat from the bowl and fry add them to the pan. They should each have a thin layer of the yoghurt mixture on them, but there should be plenty left in the bowl. Once the meat is sealed, add any vegetables and cook together for 4-5 minutes, mixing frequently. Add the rest of the yoghurt mixture and stir well for 2-3 minutes. Then pour in the coconut milk. Stir well for 2-3 minutes, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 30+ minutes, stirring regularly. If you wish to turn this mild curry into a hot curry, add chilli flakes as desired. 5 minutes before serving, use flour or cornflour to thicken the sauce if required.

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury 2-4 people 67

slow cooker bean (and lamb) tagine Ingredients

Directions

750g diced lamb (if using) 1 onion, diced 2 coloured peppers, sliced 75g apricots, chopped raisins, handful 5x 400g tins of different beans (chickpeas, butter beans, kidney beans, baked beans etc) 2x 400g tins chopped tomatoes 500g passata 2 tsp dried coriander ½-1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp turmeric 1½ tsp paprika 2 lamb or vegetable stock cubes, crumbled (may be gluten free) gravy granules, lamb or vegetable, to thicken if needed (may be gluten free)

Put it all in the slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours!

Serve with crusty bread Gluten free Good for a crowd 8 people

Tips! Adjust the spices to your taste. Make sure the diced lamb (if using) isn’t too small otherwise it’ll disintegrate into the sauce It’s very easy! Throw it all in and leave it! Great for Sundays!

Thai curry Ingredients

Directions

1 jar of Thai curry paste* 2 courgettes, chopped 6 large mushrooms, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 1 can of coconut milk 4 large chicken fillets (other meat that can be slow cooked such as pork or beef can also be used). garlic powder or fresh garlic ginger powder or fresh ginger soya sauce 1" lemon grass, finely chopped olive oil to fry vegetables rice, to serve

Slow cook the chicken for two and a half hours on high heat in a slow cooker. Submerge chicken under an inch of water.

Special occasion/luxury 4 people

Chop up courgettes, mushrooms, bell pepper and lemon grass and fry with splash of olive oil, two tablespoons of soya sauce, two teaspoons of garlic powder and two teaspoons of ginger powder. Heat coconut milk over a low heat and stir in curry paste to make sauce. Check ratios on side of jar– usually one can to one jar of paste. Mae ploy is the exception. Add fried vegetables and mushrooms to sauce mix. After chicken is cooked, remove from slow cooker, chop into pieces and add to sauce. Stir chicken in gently with other ingredients. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook rice. Tips! *Mae ploy is a lovely brand of curry paste found in Asian supermarkets. Contains a larger quantity than a standard jar and cheaper over all. It is more tricky to get the ratio of coconut milk to paste correct so follow instructions on container carefully. Do not use light coconut milk as it is not thick enough. Slow cook the meat rather than frying as will be much more tender.Serve rice with Naam Pla (Thai fish sauce) mixed with chopped up chillis if you are wanting to be extra Thai. 69

chicken katsu curry Ingredients

Directions

4 chicken breasts 2 eggs, beaten breadcrumbs (panko preferably) plain flour 2 medium onions 2 medium carrots 4 cloves of garlic 2 heaped tbsp curry powder (ideally Japanese, but we use mild) 2 tbsp honey 3 tbsp soy sauce 300g rice

Fry the onion and carrot in a good lot of oil (at least 3 tbsp) until approaching brown and sticky, then add the garlic and cook a little more.

Special occasion/luxury, Kid friendly 4 people

Add the curry powder and 2 heaped tbsp flour. Mix and cook for a minute or so. Add 400ml water plus the soy sauce and honey, bring to the boil the let it simmer. Flatten the chicken (I usually stick it in a sandwich bag and whack with a rolling pin) then coat with flour, followed by egg, followed by breadcrumbs. Cook the rice. Fry the chicken in quite a bit of oil until outside is nice and crispy. This should take around 10-15 minutes depending on the thickness. Blend the curry sauce, slice the chicken and serve both with the rice. You can serve with pickled veg and/or sesame seeds if you're feeling fancy.

bacon-wrapped green beans Ingredients

Directions

fresh green beans, trimmed smoked streaky bacon butter brown sugar

Preheat oven to 180C fan. Begin by cooking the bacon. Heat pan over medium heat. Add as many strips of bacon as can fit in your pan without overcrowding (for me, usually 6-7 strips). Cook bacon until it is nearly done and still malleable. It should not be crispy.

Gluten free Special occasion/luxury, Speedy Kid friendly 6-8 people

While the bacon is cooking, blanch your green beans. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook only for a few minutes. You want them very al dente and bright green. Remove from heat, drain, and plunge green beans into a bowl of ice water to keep them from overcooking at this stage. Drain your green beans and pat dry. Melt a large pat of butter. Gently toss the green beans in the melted butter. Wrap a small cluster of green beans in a strip of bacon. After wrapping, try to tuck the bacon into itself around the beans so that it stays put. Place the bacon-wrapped green bean clusters on a baking sheet. Rub a little brown sugar into the bacon belt of each cluster. Bake in the oven until the bacon looks lovely and slightly crispy. You will need to keep an eye on the green beans so that they don't wither at the ends. Serve immediately. Works well as a vegetable side dish to traditional main courses, like roast dinners.

stir-fried pork with spring onions Ingredients

Directions

450g pork fillet, thinly sliced 4 tbsp rice wine 4 tbsp light soy sauce 2 tbsp sesame oil 4 tsp cornflour 8 spring onions, sliced diagonally, 5cm length 1 tbsp groundnut oil

Place pork in a bowl. Add the rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour and stir well.

Speedy 4 people

Leave to marinate for at least 20 minutes (we normally prepare in advance and leave for a couple of hours). Heat wok (or frying pan) until it is very hot. Add the groundnut oil and heat until very hot and slightly smoking. Add the pork slices and all the marinade to the wok and stir fry until they are brown. Keep it moving to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom. Just be aware it spits quite a lot at this point! Add the spring onions and continue to stir-fry until the pork is cooked and slightly firm - about 5 minutes. Pour extra juices from the wok on top and serve immediately.

Mexican chicken traybake Ingredients

Directions

4 chicken breasts cut into 5mm slices 1x 30g pack fajita seasoning 1x 300 jar tomato salsa 280g sweetcorn 400g chopped tomatoes 175g peppers (frozen, chopped ones work well!) 90g grated cheese 3x handfuls tortilla chips, crushed

Put chicken in the base of a large baking dish and scatter the fajita seasoning over it. Stir to coat the chicken in the spices.

Good for a crowd Speedy

Tip! You can easily double or triple the recipe to feed a crowd.

4 people

The chicken comes out super moist in this recipe. It's the easiest way I know of making delicious Mexican food quickly!

Add salsa, sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes and peppers to the dish and stir again to combine Scatter over the cheese, followed by the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in an oven preheated to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 for 50 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese topping is golden and bubbling.

simple but spectacular Christmas sausage roll Ingredients

Directions

170g pack sage & onion stuffing mix 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry 8 sausages 200g cooked chicken or turkey breast, sliced 200g cranberry sauce 1 egg, beaten

Prepare the stuffing mix as per the packet instructions. Cook flat in a dish so that stuffing is about 1-2cm deep.

Good for a crowd Kid friendly

Cut the stuffing into strips 10cm wide and layer neatly onto the sausage meat.

8 slices

Add a layer of the cooked chicken or turkey onto the stuffing, then top generously with cranberry sauce.

While the stuffing cooks, lay out the puff pastry portrait on a sheet of greaseproof paper. Use a sharp knife to cut the side of each sausage, then remove the skin but keep the sausage in its shape. Lay these down the centre of the pastry, 2 sausages wide, 4 down. Press the meat down lightly until approx 10cm wide.

Use a small knife to make diagonal cuts in the pastry down each side of the sausage filling, spaced 2cm apart. Fold in alternately to create a plaited look, and seal the ends. Brush with beaten egg. Bake for 35-45 minutes at 220°C/200°C fan until crisp and piping hot. Serves 4 as a hearty main, or 8 as a delicious snack on your Christmas buffet table. Tip! try topping the sausage with goats cheese and caramelised onion chutney. I love this recipe as it is super easy and hassle-free but looks and tastes amazing! It's also easy to scale up for a church lunch. 74

Vegetarian

Taste and See!

spinach & basil pesto Ingredients

Directions

1 bunch of basil 50g parmesan cheese 2 cups spinach ¼+ cup of olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, minced ¼ cup of pine nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds could be an alternative) 1 lemon, juiced ½ tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients into a food processor and blitz.

4 people

There are so many ways to use this yummy pesto but chicken and griddled courgette pasta is a fave for us!

spinach & feta pie Ingredients

Directions

100g pine nuts 5 eggs 300g feta cheese 50g cheddar cheese, grated dried oregano zest of 1 lemon knob of butter 400g prewashed spinach 270g pack of filo pastry olive oil cayenne pepper salt and pepper ½ nutmeg, grated

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6.

4-6 people

Toast the pine nuts in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat until golden, tossing occasionally. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, crumble in the feta, then grate in the Cheddar. Season with black pepper and a couple of pinches of dried oregano. Finely grate in the lemon zest, drizzle in a little oil, then toss in the toasted pine nuts. Mix well. Melt the butter in the frying pan over a medium heat with a drizzle of oil, add half the spinach, stirring until wilted, then when there’s space, add the remaining spinach, stirring frequently. Lay a 50cm strip of greaseproof paper out on a clean surface, rub lightly with oil and scrunch up, then flatten out again. Arrange 4 sheets of filo in a large rectangle on the greaseproof paper, overlapping at the edges, so that it’s almost covering the greaseproof. Rub the filo with a little oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Repeat until you have 3 layers. Stir the wilted spinach into the egg mixture, then grate in half a nutmeg and mix well. Slide the greaseproof and filo into the empty frying pan, so that the edges spill over, then push down into the sides of the pan. Pour in the spinach mixture and spread out evenly, then fold the filo up over the filling to cover. Place the pan over a medium heat for 2 minutes, just to get the bottom cooking, then transfer to the top shelf of the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. 77

chickpea & kale curry Ingredients

Directions

2 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp mustard seeds 1 onion, chopped 1 tsp cumin 3 garlic cloves, chopped finely 8 plum tomatoes, chopped 2 tins of chickpeas 1 tsp coriander 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp chilli flakes 200g kale or spinach, chopped salt rice or naan bread, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a big pan, add the mustard seeds and the cumin. Stir until you can smell the flavours. Add the chopped onion. Fry until lightly brown. Then add the chopped garlic. Don't let it get too dark. Add the chopped tomatoes and let them cook for a few minutes. Then add the coriander, chilli flakes, turmeric, salt. Stir well and leave to cook on a gentle heat until the sauce is thicker. Add the chickpeas (rinse before adding) and a splash of water. Stir well to coat them fully.

Speedy 4 people

Add the chopped kale or spinach and leave it for 5 more minutes until the kale is tender and has a more vibrant green. Serve with rice or naan bread.

Jamie Oliver's veggie korma & cauliflower pilau Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp flaked almonds 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 4cm chunks olive oil 1 red onion, peeled and finely sliced 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely sliced 1 handful curry leaves 1 tbsp Korma curry paste 400g tin chickpeas 1 large cauliflower 50g feta cheese, crumbled

Put sweet potatoes in pan with olive oil on medium heat and fry for 5 minutes or until golden.

Optional 1 red chilli (to spice it up) 4 tbsp natural yoghurt (to cool it down) 1 lemon (makes it taste better but not essential) half a bunch/15g fresh coriander, leaves picked

Put the cauliflower rice into a microwave safe dish, cover and microwave for 7 minutes.

4 people

Add curry leaves to pan and stir for 1 minute. Add onion, garlic, ginger and chilli (if using) and cook for 5-10 minutes until onions have softened, stirring occasionally. Add tin of chickpeas (including the juice) and 600ml of boiling water. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for around 30 minutes, or until softened. Pull off and chop the cauliflower leaves and stalk and add to rest of curry for about 8 minutes. Cut cauliflower florets into chunks and pulse in food processor until they are the same size and texture as rice.

Toast almonds in a frying pan for a few minutes until lightly golden, then set aside. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon onto curry (if using), crumble over the feta. Stir yoghurt through (if using). Serve cauliflower rice into bowls, dollop the korma on top and sprinkle with coriander leaves and toasted almonds. 79

sweet potato coconut daal Ingredients

Directions

4 sweet potatoes, chopped 5 handfuls red lentils 2 onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, chopped or 2 tsp garlic paste 2 tsp turmeric 1 tsp cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp garam masala 400ml coconut milk (or dissolved bar of coconut cream)

In slow-cooker

Optional 2 cans chickpeas

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 6 people

Put all ingredients in. Leave for minimum of 3hrs (on high) or 4hrs (on low). Serve…! Or, in a large pan Brown the onions Add garlic, sweet potatoes, lentils and spices and stir for a minute. Add the stock, then coconut milk and leave to simmer until potatoes are soft. Add the chickpeas, if using, when you’ve got about 20 minutes to go until serving. Optional serve with some chopped up coriander. Tip! This can be made into very large quantities at very little expense.

roasted red pepper pasta Ingredients

Directions

3 red bell peppers, roughly chopped 2 red onions, roughly chopped 3 cloves garlic 2 tbsp olive oil ½ tbsp smoked paprika ½ tsp mixed herbs 200ml milk (plant or dairy) 400g pasta (gf if you fancy) 300g frozen peas (optional)

Peel the onions and garlic cloves, roughly chop (deseeded) peppers and onions. Put all the veg in a roasting tin with the oil, paprika and mixed herbs. Roast at 200C for approx 25 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile cook the pasta. Use a blender to liquidise the roasted veg with the milk (adjust milk for desired sauce thickness). Heat up the sauce and stir through the cooked pasta. Optional add frozen peas

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly Low calorie 4 people

halloumi Burgers with chimichurri mayo & wedges Ingredients

Directions

1 shallot 1 large tomato 1 garlic clove 2 sweet potatoes 2 brioche buns 200g halloumi 1tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried chilli flakes 10g coriander & parsley mix 15ml red wine vinegar 50ml mayonnaise olive oil

Oven to 180°C. Cut potato with skins on, drizzle with oil and salt. Cook for approx. 30 mins. Finely chop parsley and coriander (with stalks), peel and finely chop garlic and shallot. Add oregano and 1 tbsp olive oil. Grind to a smooth paste. Combine with with red wine vinegar and mayo. Slice halloumi in half lengthways. Heat in hot non-stick pan, covered, for 2-3 mins until soft. Remove, flatten and roll each half to be larger than brioche bun. Cook again for 1-2 mins on each side/until golden. Toast buns and serve your halloumi burger with sliced tomato, chimichurri mayo and wedges.

Speedy 2 people

This is really simple and tasty! Easy to scale up too. I like to make plenty of mayo and use the end of a rolling pin to grind up the ingredients. Enjoy!

broccoli cheddar soup Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp coconut oil 2 medium onions, diced salt 6 stalks celery, diced 12 cloves garlic, minced 6 medium carrots, diced 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped, no stems 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp olive oil 2 heads broccoli, cut into bite-size florets 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces 400g kale, thinly chopped 2 potatoes, cut into bitesize pieces 1 tsp ground nutmeg 12 tsp whole linseeds 180g quinoa 190g green or brown lentils 240g Cheddar cheese, grated 80g Parmesan cheese, grated ground pepper

In a stockpot over medium heat, place the coconut oil and heat just until liquefied. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt, and stir occasionally until the onions are translucent, 2-3 minutes.

Good for a crowd

Once cooked, use a stick blender to blend until smooth. Or blend portions in an upright blender until it's all blended. Add the cheeses and blend until incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste.

12 people

Add the celery and stir occasionally until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and stir about 1 minute, until aromatic. Add the carrots, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, until the carrots soften. Then add the thyme and mustard, stirring to incorporate. Add 1000ml water, along with the olive oil and the lentils, and mix together. Bring to a simmer, add the broccoli, and cauliflower, stirring for 5 minutes or so until softened slightly. Add the kale and stir until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add 2500ml of water, or fill to about 5 centimetres below the rim of the pot, and return to a simmer while stirring occasionally. Add the potatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the nutmeg and linseeds and stir to incorporate. Add quinoa and simmer for 10-15 minutes until cooked.

mushroom & walnut ragu Ingredients

Directions

20g dried porcini or shiitake mushrooms 250ml boiling water 100g walnuts 1 onion, finely diced 2 garlic cloves, finely diced 2 celery stalks, finely diced olive oil 400g chestnut or button mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 red pepper, diced 1 tsp dried thyme 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried rosemary 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp tomato purée 2 tbsp tamari (or soy sauce if not GF) 1-2 tbsp of nutritional yeast (or grated parmesan if not vegan) 4 portions pasta salt and pepper parsley (to serve)

Put dried mushrooms in bowl with the boiling water and leave for 20 minutes. Drain well (keep liquid) and then cut mushrooms into small pieces.

Gluten free

Whilst the ragu simmers, cook pasta. Drain when ready and serve with the sauce. Serve with parsley.

4 people

Whilst mushrooms soak, chop walnuts into tiny pieces until they look like large breadcrumbs. Place in large deep frying pan (medium heat) and toast for around 5 minutes until golden, occasionally stirring. Remove from heat and spoon into a bowl. Place the frying pan back on the heat and add the onion, garlic and celery to the frying pan, along with a drizzle of olive oil and pinch of salt. Cool for 5-10 minutes, until soft. Add the fresh mushrooms, red pepper, thyme, oregano and rosemary and cook for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in chopped tomatoes, tomato purée, tamari/ soy sauce and dried mushrooms with their water. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the ragu is thick and has lost the excess liquid. Stir in the walnuts and the nutritional yeast /parmesan and leave to cook for a further 5 minutes.

This is a vegetarian / vegan meal that has the depth and warmth of a meaty one! Freezes well.

Taste and See!

Starters

Soups Sides

bacon broccoli salad Ingredients

Directions

2 heads of broccoli, washed and cut into bitesize pieces 1 red onion, chopped ½ cup dried cranberries ½ sliced almonds ½ cup sunflower seeds 1 pack of bacon, chopped and fried 1 cup mayonnaise 3 tbsp white vinegar ¼ cup of caster sugar ½ tsp ground black pepper

Put broccoli, red onion, cranberries, almonds and sunflower seeds into a large bowl. Make the dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly. Top with the crispy bacon!

Tips! To change it up a bit use different seeds as you prefer (or a mix!) I like pumpkin and sesame seeds too. If you have a large jar then this can be a quick way to mix the dressing (lid on and shake!)

Good for a crowd 8-10 people

Always feel free to add more bacon (you can't have too much!) I also like to fry the seeds in with the bacon for the last few minutes to get them a little crispy and covered in the yummy bacon fat (extra indulgent!) This is a crowd pleaser. As someone who finds leafy salads a waste of space this is my go to for any event where a 'salad' is called for!

Vietnamese fried spring rolls Ingredients

Directions

500g minced pork A packet of large circular rice paper 100g bean sprouts 3 carrots, grated 2 egg yolks 5 spring onions, finely chopped 50g fresh coriander, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced

Put the minced pork in a bowl (uncooked), and season with salt, pepper and garlic.

Dipping sauce 650ml water 200ml fish sauce 100ml rice vinegar 120g sugar 1 chilli, finely sliced 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Repeat this process for your whole bowl of mixture.

Mix in the shredded carrot, bean sprouts, spring onion and egg yolks. Set aside for 10 minutes. Dip a finger in water and wipe it over a piece of rice paper to moisten it, so it will roll without cracking. Put 1tbsp of mixture in a line along one edge. Fold up the bottom edge over the line of mixture. Fold in the two sides and roll, using more water if needed to soften the paper.

Fill a saucepan with 2cm oil and heat it until hot. Add your rolls to the pan. Cook on a medium heat for about 15 minutes or until they turn golden brown. (Take care not to cook them too hot or the outside will burn before the middle is cooked.) Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients.

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury 6-8 people

When the rolls are cooked, dry on kitchen paper and then serve. Tips! You could add glass noodles to the mix. You could also wrap the rolls in large lettuce leaves as you eat them and serve them with a Vietnamese carrot and daikon pickle. 87

spiced carrot & lentil soup Ingredients

Directions

2 tsp cumin seeds Pinch of chilli flakes 2 tbsp olive oil 600g carrots, coarsely grated (no need to peel) 140g split red lentils 1l hot vegetable stock 125ml milk plain yogurt and naan bread (unless GF)

Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry 2 tsp cumin seeds and a pinch of chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas. Scoop out about half and set aside. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 600g coarsely grated carrots, 140g split red lentils, 1l hot vegetable stock and 125ml milk to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened. Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer).

Gluten free Speedy 4 people

Season to taste. Serve with plain yogurt, reserved toasted spices and warmed naan breads.

So good on a cold day!

sweetcorn salad Ingredients

Directions

4 corn on the cobs ½ bunch of coriander, chopped ½ red chilli, finely chopped 4 spring onions, sliced 4 large tomatoes, sliced 2 limes, squeezed 1 tbsp olive oil sea salt, to season

Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add corn on the cobs for 15 minutes until lightly charred, turning with the tongs every now and then. Leave to cool. Hold charred corn with a teatowel and run the knife down the sides, until all the corn kernels are removed. Add coriander, chilli, spring onions and tomatoes. Mix the lime juice with olive oil and drizzle over.

Tip! In summer, barbeque the corn, for a smoky flavour!

Gluten free 4-5 people

pasta salad with chargrilled peppers Ingredients

Directions

1 red pepper 1 orange pepper 280g dried conchiglie pasta 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp green pesto 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 3 tbsp fresh basil leaves, shredded salt and pepper

Preheat the grill. Put the whole peppers on a baking sheet and place under the hot grill, turning frequently, for 15 minutes or until charred all over. Remove with tongs and place in a bowl with kitchen paper to absorb the juice. Meanwhile, boil the pasta in a large saucepan and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender but still firm to the bite. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, pesto and garlic in a bowl, whisking well to mix. Drain the pasta, add it to the pesto mixture while still hot, and toss well. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, cut open and remove the seeds. Chop the flesh coarsely and add to the pasta with the basil. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury 4-6 people as a side salad

Tip! To save time, you could buy pre-chargrilled peppers in a jar and slice them up finely. This recipe easily doubles up for large groups. Add more pesto to taste. Very popular!

strawberry summer salad & signature dressing Ingredients

Directions

large bag of spinach 1 carton strawberries, halved 100g walnuts 1 tsp of salted butter feta cheese (plain), chopped or crumbled olive oil balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar 1 orange 1-2 tsp brown sugar 1 half of small shallot, finely minced Dijon mustard, to taste salt and pepper

Begin by making the candied walnuts. Heat a pan over medium heat. Add butter and melt. When butter is starting to bubble, add walnuts, stirring frequently to coat. Sprinkle a teaspoon of brown sugar over the walnuts, and continue to cook until walnuts are candied, being careful not to let the walnuts get too dark. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy

To make the salad dressing, combine the olive oil and vinegar of choice (three parts oil to one part vinegar, or to taste) with the finely minced shallot, small amount of brown sugar, a good squeeze of an orange, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Shake vigorously to combine. In a large serving bowl, combine the spinach leaves, halved strawberries, crumbled or diced feta, and candied walnuts. Serve with salad dressing.

Tip! The salad dressing can be made ahead of time and keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

6-8 people

legit Los Angeles salsa Ingredients

Directions

1-2 cartons of cherry tomatoes, depending on how much salsa you want to make 1 fresh chili pepper, seeds removed red onion fresh garlic fresh coriander squeeze of lemon squeeze of lime chipotle paste or sauce eg M&S Chipotle Chili Paste salt

In a food processor, blitz together a 1/3 of a red onion, a couple of fresh garlic cloves, a handful of fresh coriander, and the small fresh chili pepper until finely diced.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy Special occasion/luxury, Low calorie 6-8 people

Add the tomatoes and pulse until finely chopped, but not pureed. Pulse in the squeezes of lemon and lime, chipotle paste to taste (beware, it's HOT!), and salt to taste. Serve with tortilla chips, over enchiladas, or inside burritos! Tip! For best results, make ahead of time and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a few days. I don't have exact amounts for this recipe because I usually just eyeball it and throw it all together. You can adjust the ingredient quantities according to your tastes. It's hard to go wrong! This approximates what you would find in a proper Mexican restaurant in the states. The store-bought jarred stuff just doesn't compare!

onion bhajia Ingredients

Directions

1 large onion, chopped 625ml (2½ cups) chickpea flour 10ml ground cumin 7.5ml salt 5ml baking powder 5ml chilli powder (optional) handful of fresh coriander, chopped 125ml water oil for shallow frying

Place all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Gluten free Good for a crowd 8-10 people

Add the onion and coriander, and mix well. Add the water a little at a time, mixing, until you have a batter of dropping consistency. If it is too stiff, add more water. If it is too wet, add a few extra tablespoons of gram flour (it's a very forgiving recipe). Heat oil in a pan and drop teaspoons of the batter into the hot oil. Shallow fry on one side until crispy, then turn and fry on the other side. Work in batches and don't overcrowd the pan. Drain the bhajia on kitchen paper and serve hot or warm.

Variations: Add fresh mint, fresh chopped chilli, or chopped spinach/swiss chard.

caponata Ingredients

Directions

2 medium aubergine, cut into 1cm cubes 2 tbsps olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 2 celery stalks, finely sliced 1 garlic clove, chopped 1 tin of chopped tomatoes 2 tbsps balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp soft brown sugar 50g sultanas 2 tbsps baby capers 50g stoned green olives, sliced

Put the aubergines into a large colander and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of salt. Toss together and then leave to draw out the juices for about half an hour. Rinse the aubergine and pat/squeeze dry with a tea towel.

2 balls of mozzarella (optional)

Gluten free 4 people

While the aubergine is salting, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion, celery and garlic and fry over a fairly low heat for about 10 minutes until tender and golden. Add the tin of tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce a little. Add the balsamic vinegar, sugar, sultanas, capers and olives to the pan. Simmer for another 5-10 minutes , stirring often, then turn off the heat. In a large frying pan, heat another tablespoon of oil over a medium-high heat. When hot, fry the aubergine cubes for about 5 minutes, until golden and tender. Tip them into the tomato sauce mixture. Return to a simmer again and cook for another 10 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover and leave until completely cold. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Tip! Serve this either as a starter with half a ball of mozarella on top, or as a side with a BBQ

your 5-a-day red lentil and vegetable soup Ingredients

Directions

1 tbsp coconut oil 2 onions, chopped 1 bulb garlic, peeled & minced 1 bunch celery, chopped 4 red, orange or yellow peppers, chopped 1kg frozen chopped carrots 1kg frozen butternut squash 2 cups dried red lentils, very well rinsed 300g frozen chopped okra 200g tomato puree 1½ tbsp salt (really - you may even find adults add more to their bowl) ¼ cup baobab powder (optional) 3 litres water, off the boil ¼ cup fresh chopped basil

In a very large soup pot, heat the coconut oil and turn to a medium heat.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Kid friendly Low calorie 12 people

Add the onions and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the celery, peppers, carrot and butternut squash, and cook for about 10 minutes (stir regularly to make sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pot) until the frozen veggies start to thaw. Add the lentils and continue to cook, still stirring. Blend the okra, tomato puree, salt and baobab (if using) with about 750ml of the water in a blender until smooth (a stick blender can't handle the okra and otherwise your soup will have bits of floating okra seeds and stringy bits!!) You'll likely have to do this in batches. Add to the soup pot. Add the remaining water. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are soft –about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with stick blender until smooth. Return to heat and add basil. Top up with more water if it feels too thick. This isn't the most exciting soup, but our children happily eat it and it's nice to know they've eaten a good number of vegetables that we'd otherwise be negotiating over! 95

Yorkshire puddings Ingredients

Directions

1 large egg 4 oz/110gm plain flour ½ pt 285ml full fat milk oil or lard for patty pans

Blend all ingredients till a consistency of thin cream. When smooth, cover & put in fridge for 2-3 hours. Heat to a very hot oven - 220C, 210C fan, Gas 7. Put about a ½ tsp oil/lard in each mould of the patty pan. Heat in oven until smoking hot. Add cold batter mix to pan & cook for 15-20 mins until crisp and golden brown.

Speedy Kid friendly 12 people

Tips! Serve with any roast meat, with veg, mince, sausages as a main. Serve with fruit, golden or maple syrup as a pudding. The key for Yorkshires to rise is hot oven, hot oil and do not open the oven until they are nearly cooked or they will sink! They also don't like sharing the oven with the roast; they tolerate the roast potatoes.

pudding 97

Taste and See!

dairy bomb Ingredients

Directions

1kg white grapes 100g sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 250g quark 250g double cream or whipping cream 250g mascarpone 2 packs of nice chocolate chip cookies

Whip the cream, sugar and vanilla stiff.

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury, Kid friendly 8 people

Mix the quark and mascarpone together. Mix the cream mixture with the quark/mascarpone mixture. Smash the chocolate chip cookies up into pieces and crumbs. Layer up the bowl–first grapes, then the cream mixture, then cookies, repeat. Eat within 2-3 days. Best eaten fresh.

Seriously amazing! You will make a whole crowd very happy. Easy to make bigger batches of too.

mousse au chocolat Ingredients

Directions

250g dark chocolate 3 eggs 60g caster sugar 2 tsp white rum 250ml whipping cream, whipped 100g frozen berries

Take your berries out of the freezer to defrost.

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury, Speedy

Whip the whipping cream for around 5 minutes with an electric whisk, until it forms stiff peaks.

6 people

Break up the chocolate into a Pyrex bowl. Set the Pyrex bowl above a saucepan of boiling water, to form a 'bain-marie'. Melt the chocolate in the bowl until it's silkily smooth, then let it cool slightly. Whisk the eggs and the sugar for 5 minutes in a large bowl with an electric whisk, until the mixture grows in volume and takes on a lighter colour.

Add the rum to the egg/sugar mixture, then stir in the cooled melted chocolate with a metal spoon. Fold in the whipped cream and lightly stir until it's all mixed. Spoon the mixture into 6 small ramekins and put them into the fridge for at least 2 hours, until the mousse is set. Before serving, top the mousses with a spoonful of defrosted berries. Tip! The tartness of the berries contrasts beautifully with the sweetness of the mousse. It's very easy to double up the recipe if you have a larger group of guests. This is translated from the French recipe book 'Gourmandises au chocolat' which was given to me after I lived in France. This particular recipe has been very popular! 99

squidgy chocolate pear pud Ingredients

Directions

200g butter 300g golden caster sugar 4 large eggs 75g plain flour 50g cocoa powder 410g can of pear halves in juice, drained 100g plain chocolate, chunks 25g flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 190C/170C fan and grease large baking dish (could use 2x 20cm square tins or 1 larger one).

Good for a crowd Speedy 8 people

Melt butter and stir in sugar. Whisk eggs with fork and gradually add to butter/ sugar mix. Sift in flour and cocoa and beat hard with wooden spoon until together. Pour into dish and nestle pears into batter. Scatter chunks of chocolate over and sprinkle almonds on top. You can freeze at this stage - just thaw before baking. Bake for 30mins.

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easy chocolate layer dessert Ingredients

Directions

110g fresh breadcrumbs 1½ tbsp instant coffee powder 4 tbsp drinking chocolate 85g demerara sugar ½ pint/285ml single cream ½ pint /285ml double cream 30g chopped nuts (either with the dry mix or for decoration on top) Sliced kiwis, tinned tangerine segments or summer fruits to decorate on top and make it feel healthier!

Mix dry ingredients. Whip creams together, not too thick remembering it continues to thicken after beating. Layer alternately the crumbs & cream in a glass bowl so you can see the layers. Cover with clingfilm & leave in fridge overnight. Add fruit just before serving. The moisture from the cream blends with the dry mix to give the appearance of gateau! You need to make it the night before. A delicious rich choc pudding & so easy to make!

Good for a crowd Speedy 8-12 people

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St Clements and rosemary posset Ingredients

Directions

500 ml double cream 1 sprig of rosemary 150g caster sugar Juice of 1 lemon & ½ orange Blackberries or blueberries

Put the cream, rosemary and sugar into a heavybased saucepan and slowly bring to the boil, stirring from time to time to help the sugar dissolve. Take it off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the rosemary, place back over the heat, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat slightly and let the cream bubble away for three minutes (make sure it doesn't boil over!) Pour into a bowl and whisk in the citrus juices. Divide the mixture between 6 small ramekins and allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate for about 3 hours so it firms up.

Gluten free Special occasion/luxury

Serve with blackberries or blueberries.

6 people

Feels posh, but dead easy (thanks Diana Henry!). It's fun to get people to guess the unusual pudding ingredient (rosemary!).

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easy crunchie ice cream Ingredients

Directions

568ml double cream 397g condensed caramel 6-8 crunchies smashed

Whip the cream until it starts to thicken. Add condensed caramel and stir/ whisk to combine. Mix in smashed crunchies and transfer to container. Freeze overnight.

Gluten free Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly Approx 1 litre

Tastes extra yum with brownies and raspberries! Works with other chocolates too–experiment and add buttons/ magic stars... enjoy!

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Nigella Lawson's blackberry crisp Ingredients

Directions

125g butter 60g jumbo porridge oats 40g flaked almonds 30g sunflower seeds 70g flour 1 tsp ground cinnamon 75g soft light brown sugar 500g blackberries 2 tsps cornflour 50g vanilla sugar or caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Melt the butter in a small saucepan (or in a bowl in the microwave) and put to one side for a moment.

To serve ice cream or thick cream

Good for a crowd Kid friendly 4-6 people

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Combine the porridge oats, flaked almonds, sunflower seeds, flour, ground cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl. Tip the blackberries into a wide, shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the cornflour and vanilla sugar over the berries, and tumble them about to mix. Stir the melted butter into the crisp topping that's the oat mixture - and spoon on top of the blackberries to partially, but not absolutely, cover them. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and serve with ice cream or thick cream.

chocolate melt in the middle puds Ingredients

Directions

200g plain chocolate 200g unsalted butter 200g plain flour 200g caster sugar 4 eggs 4 egg yolks

Melt chocolate and butter in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, set aside to cool.

Optional, to serve ice cream or cream raspberries

Whisk sugar, eggs and yolks until pale and thick. Sieve in the flour and beat. Beat in the chocolate butter mix a third at a time. Chill for at least half an hour. Cook in ramekins in the oven (200 degrees / fan 180 / Gas mark 6) for 12 minutes until just browned on top. Serve with ice cream or cream, you might like to add some raspberries on top as well.

Good for a crowd 8-10 people

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waffleberry pie Ingredients

Directions

12 toaster waffles 300g white chocolate 300g (frozen) raspberries 300ml creme fraiche 1 egg 55g sugar 1 tbsp flour

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Melt the butter in a small saucepan (or in a bowl in the microwave) and put to one side for a moment.

To serve ice cream

Tip the blackberries into a wide, shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the cornflour and vanilla sugar over the berries, and tumble them about to mix.

Combine the porridge oats, flaked almonds, sunflower seeds, flour, ground cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl.

Stir the melted butter into the crisp topping - that's the oat mixture - and spoon on top of the blackberries to partially, but not absolutely, cover them. Good for a crowd Speedy Kid friendly 6-8 people

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Bake in the oven for 25 minutes and serve with ice cream or thick cream.

It’s a Northern Irish classic pudding - how could it not be when it’s so easy to make and so yummy to eat!

almond pear flan Ingredients

Directions

185g plain flour 90g butter 55g caster sugar 2 egg yolks 1 can tinned pear* halves, drained 2 tbsp apricot jam, warmed 1 pot creme fraiche

Blend or process flour, butter, sugar and egg yolks until just combined.

*Pears can be replaced with apricots, blueberries, peaches or plums. Almond filling 125g butter 75g caster sugar 2 eggs 120g ground almonds 1 tbsp plain flour

Knead on floured surface until smooth, cover: refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the almond filling: beat the butter and sugar in a small bowl with an electric whisk until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the ground almonds and plain flour. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a 23cm round loose-based flan tin. Roll dough between sheets of baking parchment. Press dough evenly into base and side of tin. Spread the almond filling into the tin. Arrange the pear halves evenly on top of the filling. Bake about 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury

Brush the flan with the warm apricot jam to glaze. Serve with a large dollop of creme fraiche.

8 people

107

peach, apricot and blueberry gratin Ingredients

Directions

4 peaches, sliced 6 apricots, sliced 175g blueberries 250g mascarpone 250g greek yoghurt 3 tbsp light muscovado sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon 125g amaretti biscuits, crumbled 4 tbsp Kirsch

Cover the base of a flan dish with the biscuits, put the fruit on top and drizzle the Kirsch over, covering everything well. Leave to marinade for at least 15 mins.

Special occasion/luxury Speedy 4-6 people

108

Beat the yoghurt and mascarpone together and spread over the top Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over, cook under the grill for 6-8mins.

Tip! You could also substitute Kirsch for another liqueur

no-bake Oreo cheesecake Ingredients

Directions

Base: 20 pieces of Oreo cookies* with filling, crushed 80g butter, melted

Line an 8 inch tin with greaseproof paper. Mix the ingredients for the base together and add into the tin. Press it down.

* There are 14 Oreos per 154g pack Topping: 250g cream cheese 250g double cream 7 pieces Oreo cookies, crushed

Whisk the double cream until it doubles in volume and forms a nice peak. Then add the rest of the ingredients for the topping and beat until well combined. Then pour mixture onto the base and level. Leave in the fridge for at least 3 hours or until set.

So yummy and so easy to make! No baking required!

Good for a crowd Special occasion/luxury Kid friendly 6-8 people

109

banoffee pie Ingredients

Directions

For base 225g your choice of biscuit (eg,ginger nut, shortbread) 150g melted butter

Crush the biscuits until they are a nice crumb and mix together with the butter so it all sticks together. Mould it around the sides of a pie dish. Place in fridge.

For caramel 1 can of condensed milk 100g butter 100g light brown sugar

In a saucepan, add the condensed milk butter and sugar mix together on a high heat and stir for 2 minutes on a rolling boil.

For toppings 3 small bananas, sliced 300ml double cream chocolate to grate on top

Take the biscuit base out the fridge and pour on the caramel. Place back in fridge for 30mins-1hr for caramel to become firm. While it's cooling, whip the double cream until it is a nice thick consistency. Take the set caramel out the fridge and place sliced banana to top, followed by the whipped cream.

Speedy Kid friendly 8-10 people

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Grate some chocolate on top.

It's now ready to serve or keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

Grandma Freda’s sticky toffee pudding Ingredients

Directions

Pudding 6oz self-raising flour 6oz dark soft brown sugar 6oz chopped dates 2oz butter 1 level tsp bicarb soda ½ tsp vanilla essence ½ pint boiling water 2 eggs

To make the pudding: Place chopped dates into a basin and sprinkle bicarbonate of soda over them.

Sauce 7oz dark soft brown sugar 6 tbsp double cream 4oz butter ½ tsp vanilla essence

Good for a crowd Kid friendly 6-8 people

Pour on boiling water and leave to soak for 10mins. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla essence, then fold in the flour and the date mixture. Pour mixture into a greased and lined cake tin. Bake at 150C for 1 hour. To make the sauce: Mix together all the ingredients in a pan over a gentle heat, bring to boil, then simmer for 2-3min until toffee coloured. Turn pudding out on to a warmed serving dish, pour a little sauce over the pudding, then serve the remainder separately in a jug.

111

New York-style cheesecake Ingredients

Directions

For the crust 200g Digestive biscuits* 50g muscovado sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 80g butter

For the crust Grease the tin. Preheat oven to 180C.

For the filling 600g Philadelphia** cream cheese 200g icing sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 eggs *can substitute for supermarket own but I notice the difference in flavour if I don’t use the real deal

112

Bash/blitz those biscuits so it looks a bit like saw dust. Trying not to imagine the faces of those who’d you’d actually like to bash with a rolling pin… Add the sugar and cinnamon to the bashed biscuits either stirring/blitz/hands! Melt the butter then add that too. At this point I highly recommend taking a tsp and trying some of the mixture…licking the bowl is fun! Tip the biscuit mix into the tin. Pack down the biscuit mix and then bake for 10 mins. Leave to cool completely. I then just make sure that I can remove it from the tin. I use a wooden chopping board and turn it out, then turn it back in. It’ll be a bit crumbly but the filling will hide that! For the filling:

** it needs to be Philadelphia™ for creaminess

Turn oven down to 160C. Boil the kettle. Tip cream the cream cheese into big bowl. Beat it with an electric whisk/kitchen aid. It should be beautifully swirled. At this point you can add other flavours if you so choose. Lemon juice/Lemon zest/Lime/ chocolate/caramel…but Biscoff lotus spread is my pb.

Everyday?! overnight recipe

Sift in icing sugar and vanilla. You can skip the sifting if you’re one of those people who believe that you don’t need to (i.e. my Mother) but remember we want a smooooth filling.

10-12 people

Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the egg yolk breaks and disappears into the creaminess. Take care not to over-beat. Don’t be like Michael Jackson…

Directions continued Tip filling into crust. Put cheesecake into a roasting tin. If using a spring form tin here’s your achilles heel. You need to get some oven-proof plastic bags that are used for roasting and then put your cheese cake in that so that it’s water tight. Leave the bag open at the top though. Put roasting tin/cheesecake combo in the oven. Whilst it’s in the oven, pour boiling water around the sides of the cheesecake. So you have a little cheesecake island. I do this whilst it’s in the oven otherwise carrying a tray of cheesecake and boiling hot water is just a recipe for disaster…. Set timer for 1hr. Lick the bowl, dance around the kitchen and get someone else to wash up. The cheesecake will be ready when it looks a little like a Crème Brûlée and has very gently puffed up (like only a tiny bit). The middle might still look a little jiggly. I’ve found there’s no real hard and fast rule here. I’ve taken it out around an hour and it’s been fine every time. My biggest tip: don’t touch the middle like you might a cake as I once did as it’ll leave a very conspicuous indent! My cheesecake often looks half baked literally one side is more baked than the other. I think this is generally more to do with my oven so I tend to turn the cheesecake after 30 mins. If you have a normal working oven though - you should be fine! Remove from the oven and ditch the water/roasting tin debacle. Turn oven off and put cheesecake back in the oven for another hour. Remove from oven and put the cheese cake in the fridge overnight. After a whole night of dreaming about cheesecake and with your first course of Sunday lunch behind you…take the cheesecake out of the fridge. Tip it onto a plate then back onto another plate. The top shouldn’t be as badly damaged as you might expect, if it is whack on some icing sugar or if you’ve gone for a flavour add some of that as a sauce! Sit back and relish the compliments that will be showered upon you…and if not - then maybe they’re clueless/dairy-free/a freak/jealous/or maybe you didn’t sift that icing sugar….can’t say I didn’t warn you - MUM.

113

lemon-curd cheesecake Ingredients

Directions

150ml double cream 397g condensed milk 150ml approx finely grated zest and juice of 4 large unwaxed lemons

Beat the cream to softly whipped peaks.

1 tbsp fresh mint leaves 1 tsp granulated sugar Squeeze of lemon juice Lemon zest Fine biscuits

Special occasion/luxury, Speedy 6 people

114

Combine the lemon zest and juice with the condensed milk, the mixture should thicken. Fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until combined. Spoon the lemon cream into six ramekins or small dishes and chill until ready to serve. To serve very finely chop the mint leaves and mix with a squeeze of lemon juice and the sugar (pound to a sauce with a pestle and mortar if you have one). Add a teaspoonful of the sweet mint sauce. to each dish and serve curls of lemon zest and fine biscuit.

Tips! Try swapping the 4 lemons for 5 limes next time you make this! Minimum effort and no necessary setting time, these decadent little puds are perfect for any dinner party!

Dutch apple pie Ingredients

Directions

125g unsalted butter 125g margarine/spread 200g granulated sugar 1tsp vanilla extract 1 pinch of salt 2 medium eggs 400 self-raising flour 1.25kg cooking apples 1tbsp cinnamon raisins (optional)

Make sure butter and margine/spread are at room temperature. Preheat the oven on 180C. Mix together the butter, margarine/spread, sugar, vanilla, and salt to form a airy batter. Add 1 egg and mix to a smooth batter. Add the self-raising flour, mix again to form a coherent dough. Cover the tin with greaseproof paper and grease the edges with some butter. Take 2/3 of the dough and cover the bottom and sides of the tin. Put the rest of the dough in the fridge to cool. Peel the apples, core and cut up in slices or chunks. Cover the dough with the first layer of apple, add some cinnamon, and repeat. Take the leftover dough out of the fridge, roll into strips so you can make lattice to cover the apple/cinnamon in the tin. Take 1 egg and give it a quick whisk, use it to brush the lattice and sides of the dough.

Good for a crowd 10 people

Bake the cake in 60-75 min until it's golden brown and cooked (You might need to cover it in tin foil). Take it out of the oven and cool for 60 min. Keep leftovers in the fridge. The perfect memory of the Oak Hill Orchard with its abundance of apples. 115

pear & onion chutney Ingredients

Directions

1.4kg pears 675g onions 450g ripe tomatoes 2 small green peppers 4 tbsp raisins 450g Demerara sugar 1 tbsp salt ¼ tsp ground cloves ½ tsp ground cinnamon pinch of cayenne pepper 900ml white wine vinegar

Peel, core and dice the pears. Peel and slice the onions, and peel and chop the tomatoes. Core, seed and chop the peppers. Put all the prepared vegetables into a preserving pan and simmer over a low heat for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add all the remaining ingredients and slowly bring to the boil, stirring with a spoon, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 1-1 1/2 hours, or until the chutney has reduced and thickened. Spoon the chutney into warmed sterilised jars, to within 3mm of the tops. Seal the jars and label. Keep in a cool, dark place for 2 months before using, to allow the flavours to develop.

Makes about 2.5kg

116

Good to use with pears from the pear trees around the oak hill site! (Credit to Helen Greenfield’s mum’s recipe book!)

notes

Taste See OAK HILL RECIPE BOOK 2021