Chicken with mushrooms, parma ham and mozzarella

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 chicken breast fillets
4 medium chestnut mushrooms
Parma ham
Mozzarella cheese
150 grams of rice
Olive oil
Rosemary
Asparagus
Garlic butter

1. Heat oven to 190c/375f or gas mark 5.
2. Slice mushrooms and place on top of chicken, wrap chicken with two pieces of Parma ham and place in dish. Add two large pieces of rosemary to each chicken. Stab it through or place on top.
   
3. Get a saucepan of hot water on the boil. Place chicken in oven and cook for 25 minutes.
4. Once the water has boiled, add the rice and cook for about 10 minutes.
5. Drain rice and run through cold water. With 5 minutes to go, turn on wok and add about four tablespoons of olive oil.
   
6. Turn on frying pan add a large knob of garlic butter.
7. Take out chicken, cover with a large amount of mozzarella, put back in oven for 3/5 minutes.
8. Add the rice to the wok and the asparagus to the frying pan, cook both for about 4 minutes then serve.

Pat and Elly's individual Wellies!

This is our variation on a Beef Wellington recipe, done as individual parcels (because Walt doesn't like mushrooms, and Pat only had steaks in!)

Ingredients:

1 packet of chestnut mushrooms (crimini mushrooms to the Americans!)
1 white onion
1 pack of puff pastry (ready made and ready to roll)
1 fillet steak per person
1 garlic clove or 1 teaspoon of garlic paste
Olive oil
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water for the egg wash.
Green beans

1. Pan sear the steak for 5 minutes on each side in a little olive oil then place in 230C/450F oven for 10 minutes, remove from the oven then let it come to room temp in the pan.
2. Sautee a finely chopped white onion in a little olive oil, with a little garlic and salt to taste for 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent, then set to one side.
3. Sautee some finely chopped chestnut (crimini - US translation!) mushrooms in butter until the liquid dissipates and set to one side.
4. Do the same with the sliced mushrooms, keep separate and set to one side.
5. All of this can be done using the same frying pan!
   

Assembly:

1. Lay a square of puff pastry (suitable to the size of the steak - we had about 3 -4 inches over on each side for folding) on a lightly floured surface.
2. Add a single layer of chopped mushroms.
3. Place the steak on top of the chopped mushrooms.
4. Add a layer of chopped onions.
   
5. Add a layer of sliced mushrooms.
6. Fold the edges of the pastry up and around the parcel (ensure there are no gaps or piercings in the pastry!) and use the egg wash to help the sides stick.
7. Place the parcels seam side down on a baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.
8. Bake in a 450f oven for 30 minutes or until brown and crisp on top.
9. Serve with vegetables (we had green beans) and a potato if you wish.

Here are the layers for you to see:


The finished wellies!

French Toast

2 slices per person - this will make enough for at least 8 slices!

Ingredients:

2 eggs well beaten
75ml milk - added to the egg
1ml vanilla extract or essense
cinnamon
bread slices (the thicker the better)

1. Beat the eggs together until they are well mixed and add the milk and the vanilla extract
2. Melt a knob of butter in a frying pan
3. Dunk the bread slices into the liquid egg mixture and place into the frying pan
4. Sprinkle the bread with cinnamon and cook for 3 minutes on each side
5. Serve with maple syrup!

Quick and easy meatballs & pasta

Serves 5 people

Ingredients

24 fresh meatballs
1 packet of spaghetti or pasta
1 large pot of fresh tomato sauce
Salt & Pepper
2 crushed garlic cloves

1. Heat a large pan of water, once boiled add pasta or spaghetti and garlic
   
2. Add a little olive oil to the frying pan and heat for a few minutes, before placing the meatballs in. Do this just before you add the pasta/spaghetti
   
3. With 4 minutes to go. Pour the sauce into a bowl and heat in the microwave for 4 minutes. Take out and stir every minute or so
   
4. Drain and serve pasta/spaghetti, serve meatballs, pour over sauce and serve

Lamb Shank

Ingredients

1 lamb shank per person
Mashed potato
Asparagus
Spinach
Gravy
Salt and Perrer to season

This is an American recipe as I'm currently in Maryland USA!

1. Preheat oven to 160C/325F/gas mark 3 - place the lamb shanks in a shallow pan and season to taste with salt, pepper and rosemary.
2. Drizzle with a little olive oil, cover tightly with aluminium foil and place in oven for 2.5 - 3 hours (no peeking as it cooks!)
3. For the gravy - thicken the pan juices with a little plain flour and serve (or use a bisto granules if you prefer)
4. The asparagus can be steamed for 15 minutes, or microwaved for 4-5 minutes, or pan fry in a little butter for 3-4 miutes - choice is yours!
5. Spinach is cooked in the hob in a saucepan with 2 ounces of water, and a pinch of salt - 5 minutes max!
6. Mashed potatoes - chop spuds into small pieces and boil for 15-20 minutes until fork tender (soft!) then mash with a little butter and milk and salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve and enjoy - I like mine with a little mint sauce on the side:)

Bun in the oven

This is just to say good luck Elly! Hope the buns cook in the oven and they give you the results you want on valentines day!

Pink little sprinkle thoughts are going out and scattering everywhere!

Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

4 skinless chicken breasts
85 g (3 oz) mushrooms
1 large carrot
8 small shallots
250 ml (8 fl. oz) chicken stock (1 chicken cube in boiling water)
1/3 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut the chicken breasts into quarters
2. Peel and top and tail the shallots
3. Peel and slice the mushrooms
4. Lightly peel and slice the carrot
5. If not using pre-prepared chicken stock, dissolve one chicken stock cube in 250 ml (8 fl. oz) of boiling water
6. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 425°F / Gas Mark 7

Cooking

1	Heat the olive oil at medium in a largish frying pan. Add the chicken pieces and sauté them for 12 minutes until they have turned light golden brown. Turn the pieces frequently as they sauté
2	Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and place them in the casserole dish with the mushrooms, carrot, shallots, chicken stock, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir well.
3	Cook in the pre-heated oven for 40 minutes.
4	Serve on hot plates with new potatoes or mashed potatoes.

Chocolate brownies with ice cream & sauce

Makes 20 - 24 sqaures

Ingredients

275g/10oz plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
275g/10oz unsalted butter
85g/3oz pecans, broken into pieces
85g/3oz milk chocolate, cut into large chunks
85g/3oz white chocolate, cut into large chunks
175g/6oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
325g/12oz caster sugar
Chocolate sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas3. Line a 30x20x3.5cm/12x8x1½in tin with lightly buttered greaseproof paper or foil.
   
2. Put the plain chocolate and butter in a large bowl, place over a pan of simmering water and allow to melt.
3. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir in the sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla essence. Fold in the flour, nuts and chocolate.
4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the prepared cake tin. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. The top should be firm but the inside should feel soft when cooked. Allow to cool in the tin. Remove the brownies from the tin and cut into squares.
5. Heat one sqaure for a few seconds on the microwave. Add a scoop or two of ice cream, then cover ice cream with sauce
   

Pizza Toast

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread per person
Grated cheddar cheese
Pizza toast topping (you buy this from Tesco - it's a new product in the aisle where the sandwich spreads are)


Total time to prepare and cook: 5-7 minutes

This one is so simple even my husband can make this - amazing!

1. Simply take a slice or two of bread - I like the bread you can cut yourself (a bloomer - or French stick goes equally as nice with this recipe), and grill it on one side to toast it.
2. Turn it over to the non toasted side and spread a nice layer of pizza toast topping on the bread.
3. Add some grated cheese - any kind of your choice, mozzarella works well, but a nice bit of cheddar is just as good and tasty!
4. If you want, you could also add some diced onion, mushrooms, ham or any other pizza topping - it's up to you!
   
5. Place back under the grill until the cheese is melted and it's browned on top.
6. Serve!

I have a variation on this that I actually make from scratch with a tin of tomatoes, but I will save that for another day!

This is great as a snack, or to have for lunch - quick and easy to do!

Cottage Pie

Ingredients:

800g potatoes (about 2lb or 6 medium sized potatoes)
1 pack (500g) of lean minced lamb
300g leeks (about 3 leeks)
1 white onion finely chopped
1/2 pint Lamb stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
Peas and Carrots or another vegetable of your choice (runner beans also goes well with this)
Gravy

1. Preheat the over to 200C (gas mark 6 or 400F)
2. Chop the potatoes into small chunks and boil for about 15 minutes, or until soft - you add in the leeks to the potatoes and cook for a further 3-5 minutes until they are also soft. If you don't have a large enough pan to fit it all in, you can boil the leeks separately and add together when you mash them.
3. Once the potatoes are on, dry fry the lamb mince in a large frying pan (I use a deep one or you could use a wok).
4. Once the mince has gone brown, drain off the excess fats as this is a nice low fat meal!
5. Add in the onion and fry for another 3-5 minutes
6. Put the peas and carrots on to boil for 5-7 minutes.
   
7. Add the stock and tomatoes then simmer this for about 10 minutes until the juices have all soaked into the meat and it's not all liquid any more
8. Take the potato and the leek and mash together, I also add a knob of butter and a dash of milk, salt and pepper to taste - this stops the mash being too dry.
9. Transfer the meat/tomato to an ovenproof dish and use a spoon to push it into the bowl
10. Add in a layer of peas and carrots (you don't have to do this, but I prefer to as it makes enough for 4 people and there is only me and hubby so we get 2 meals from this and the veggies are now included!) If you prefer you can serve the veggies on the side instead.
11. Add the mashed potato and leeks to the top and use a fork to ensure there is an even covering and also it makes lovely ridges that brown in the oven.
12. Transfer to the over and cook for a further 15-25 minutes (until the potato is nice and brown - mine takes 20 minutes but I have a convection over which is super fast!)
13. Serve with gravy!

Please note: this dish can be frozen if you make too much, to re-heat later take out of the freezer and leave to thaw for a few hours (best to take it out in the morning) and re-heat in the oven (cover with tin foil so it doesn't burn) for about 40 minutes at the same temp as above.

Swordfish, rice & asparagus

Serves 2 people

Ingredients

2 swordfish steaks
140g of rice
parsley
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 lemon for juice
1 large bunch of asparagus
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Soy sauce

1. In a medium bowl, add, 3 table spoons of olive oil, good pinch of pepper & salt, the juice of one lemon, two crushed garlic cloves and a good hand full of coarsely chopped parsley
2. Place a few cuts into the swordfish on both sides, then place in the marinade
3. Heat a saucepan of water for the rice, Once boiled pour in the rice, when boiled, reduce to a high simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the rice is nearly soft. Drain rice, run cold water through until clear leave to one side
4. Heat a frying pan, once hot add the sword fish & sauce. Cook for 2 minutes on a high heat, then turn down to a medium heat
   
5. Turn on wok and add about 4 table spoons of olive oil, once hot add rice, keep stirring or tossing the rice on a medium heat
   
6. Turn over sword fish and cook for a further 4 minutes
   
7. Add asparagus to the sword fish for the last 3 minutes
8. Add a few dashes of soy sauce to the rice and stir well
9. Plate up rice, swordfish and asparagus. pour any juice in the pan over the rice. Enjoy!

Sweet potato, Tuna mayo and salad

Ingredients:

1 good sized sweet potato
1 tin of tuna (I prefer in brine)
1 small red onion
Mayonnaise (I always use Hellmans!)
Lettuce (any kind you prefer)
Tomatoes, cucumber and other salad items if you have a preference
Toasted sunflower seeds (optional)
2 carrots
1/2 white onion
half a small white cabbage

Wash the sweet potato and wrap in silver foil (this is really important because sweet potatoes tend to leek a sticky substance while they are cooking and you don't want this all over your oven!)

1. Place the potato in the oven at 200c (400f or gas mark 6), you will cook this for 45 minutes to an hour - could be longer depending on the size of the potato! It is ready when you can stick a knife into the centre and it is soft all the way through.
   

For the Tuna:

1. Drain the brine from the tuna (give to your cats if you have one - they love it!) and place the tuna in a bowl.
2. Use a fork to mash up the tuna into small flakes
3. Dice the red onion into small pieces
4. Add the onion to the tuna and mix in with 1-2 tablespoons of mayonnaise to taste

Salad:

1. Wash your lettuce leaves - this week I used romaine lettuce and chop them up into smaller pieces and arrange on the plate.
2. Slice your cucumber and other salad items and place on the plate
3. Toast your sunflower seeds if you want these by taking a dry frying pan and heating them over the hob for 3-4 minutes until they turn light brown - make sure you stir/turn constantly or they will burn!

Coleslaw:

1. Thinly slice the white cabbage and add to a bowl
2. Grate the carrots and add to the bowl
3. thinly slice the white onion and add to the bowl
4. Add mayonnaise to taste and stir in!
5. Add seasoning (salt and pepper) to taste if preferred.
   

That's it - when the potato is done place on the plate - cut it open and add a little butter to taste, then place the tuna/mayo on top and eat!

Shelly's Spaghetti Bolognese

Will serve up to 7 people, but can be frozen for next time.

Ingredients

0.800kg of lean steak mince
1 large onion
1 pack of chestnut mushroom
1 tin of finely chopped tomatoes
500g of Italian passata with garlic & herbs
25cl of red wine
3 bay leaves
4 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
Salt & pepper
Pasta cup full in shaped pasta, or 4oz of spaghetti
Olive oil
Parmesan Cheese

1. Peel and slice the onion finely
2. Add the mince and the onion to a wok or very large frying pan, use oil of you know it sticks
3. While this is browning, quarter the mushrooms
4. Once brown, add the mushrooms, passata, tin tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, salt and then the wine. Once this has boiled turn down to a simmer for about 1 hour
   
5. Keeping stirring every 20 minutes. Once the sauce looks like it has about 20 minutes to go, turn on a large saucepan of water
6. Once boiled, add the salt, olive oil and then the pasta, or spaghetti, boil on a higher simmer for 10 minutes
   
7. Test the spaghetti is cooked by seeing if it sticks to tiles/wall. If it sticks, its cooked. Pasta should still be firm, but not hard
   
8. Once pasta is cooked drain and serve
9. Take out the bay leaves and serve
   

Garlic bread is always a good choice to go with this meal and of course don't forget the parmesan cheese!

Pork steaks with stuffing

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

4 Pork steaks
1 packet of sage & onion stuffing
potatoes
6 Garlic cloves whole and peeled
Rosemary
Broccoli
Asparagus
Carrots
Beef dripping
Butter

1. Heat the oven to 220c, 425f or gas mark 7, once hot enough place a large knob of beef dripping in a tray and place it in the oven
   
2. Peel and half the potatoes, place in a saucepan of water and turn on, once boiled, simmer for 10 minutes
3. Drain the potatoes and give them a shake in the saucepan
4. Place potatoes into the hot tray, add the garlic cloves and rosemary and cover potatoes with the dripping. Put back in oven for 40 minutes
5. With 30 minutes to go, place pork steaks onto a meat rack and place rack into a tray. Sprinkle the stuffing over the pork steaks, each with a covering of about 3/4 of a cm
6. Place pork into the oven and turn the oven down to 190c, 375f, or gas mark 5
7. Check the potatoes after 20 minutes, cover with more dripping if they look dry
8. Peel and slice carrots, snap the ends off the asparagus and cut up the broccoli onto small florets
9. With 15 minutes to go, place the broccoli into a saucepan of water and bring to boil, simmer for 5 minutes
10. 5 minutes to go, place carrots in a microwave dish, add butter and cook for 4 mins, if not quite done, cook for a further 1 minute
11. Once the carrots have cooked do the same with the asparagus and cook for 2.5 minutes
12. Drain the broccoli water into a jug, serve up, and just add bisto gravy granules to the water and enjoy

This recipe is from Kim Connolly, thank you Kim we shall have to give it a go!

Eggs muffins

Serves 2 people

Ingredients

Wholemeal, cheese or plain muffins
4 eggs
Salt & Pepper

1. Cut two muffins in half , place into a toaster and switch on
   
2. Place each egg into a poacher and place a knife into each egg yolk
3. Put the eggs into a microwave on a low heat for 15 seconds, check, run knife around the egg and side of pot, put back in for 8 sec, check again, should be cooked, if not cook for a few more seconds
   
4. Leave eggs to stand and butter the muffins
   
5. Place and egg of the top of each and sprinkle salt and pepper to taste

You can cook bacon, beans and mushrooms with this too, makes for a great brunch!

Vegetable soup

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

1 leek
1 medium onion, or two small
4 carrots
1 potato
4oz of barley
3 bay leaves
2 chicken stock cubes
1 pint of cold water
Black pepper & salt to taste
Olive oil
Crusty rolls

1. Cut up all the vegetable into small sized cubes
2. heat 3 table spoons of olive oil in a large sauce pan
3. place veg into the saucepan for a few minutes, you do not want to turn the onion brown
4. add the water, bay leaves, stock cubes and barley and give it a good stir
5. Bring it to the boil and simmer for about 30/40minutes, keep an eye on the water level and add more liquid if required.
6. When ready serve with crusty bread
   

Roast pork

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

1.058Kg pork leg joint
Potatoes
Swede
Carrots
Sprouts
Baby corn
Aunt Betty's Yorkshires

Goose fat, lard, beef dripping or oil
Bisto vegetable gravy granules

1. Heat oven to 180c, 350F or gas mark 4
2. Place pork in a tray and cook for 1hr 45 minutes
3. Peel swede and cut into cubes, peel carrots and slice, peel and cross sprouts, peel and half the potatoes. Use as many veg and potatoes that you require, cooking times wont be effected
4. 20 minutes before pork is cooked turn on the potatoes, add salt to the water if required
5. When pork is cooked, take it out the oven and leave it rest. Turn the oven up to 220c, 425f or gas mark 7
   
6. Place the goose fat, lard or dripping into a backing tray and pop into the oven to heat up
   
7. Once the potatoes have boiled turn down to simmer and cook for a further 10 minutes. Drain water and toss the potatoes in the sauce pan until they look slightly fluffy and add to the now hot baking tray. Coat with potatoes well and place back in the oven to cook for about 40 minutes. Take them out half way through to re-coat with oil
8. With 30 minutes to the end, Place the swede in a saucepan and turn on. Also place the carrots and sprouts into a pan and also turn on. Add salt if required. Once boiled turn down to a simmer
   
9. with 15 minutes to go carve the pork
10. 5 minutes to go place baby corn into the pan with the sprouts & carrots, bring up to the boil then back to simmer for 3 minutes
    
11. Place Yorkshires on a tray and cook for 3/4 minutes
12. Drain veg, saving some of the water in a jug for gravy, mash swede and then add a small knob of butter and a pinch of salt and pepper
    
13. Serve up, add bisto gravy granules to the vegetable water and thicken to suit

Creamy Bacon and Pasta

Ingredients:

Serves 2-3 people - just add more ingredients if there are more people!

1 white onion
7 or 8 good sized mushrooms
1 pack of back bacon (8 rashers)
1 full mug pasta per person (you can use any type from tagliatelli, to pasta shells or fusilli). If you use tagliatelli, I use 3-4 balls per meal.
1 carton double cream - you can use single but double tastes better!
a good handful of chopped parsley.
Olive Oil

1. Place a pan of salted water on to boil
2. Slice mushrooms, and dice a white onion
3. Cut up bacon into small squares
4. When the water is boiling add the pasta (about 2-3 handfuls).
5. Use a deep frying pan if you have one – add a little olive oil and fry the onion, then add the bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes until the mushrooms are done.
6. Turn the heat down and put the lid on, leave for 5 minutes but stir often.
7. Chop up some parsley into small chunks.
8. Pour in the cream and stir, add half the parsley, bring to the boil then turn down – do not let it burn!!
9. You can use cornflour to thicken if you prefer, I like to do this.
10. Add the pasta when drained and the last of the parsley, stir in and serve.