Chicken roulades

2 chicken breasts
100g cream cheese
1tsp lemon jest
2 sundried tomatoes in oil finely chopped
tsp fresh thyme
60g parma ham

• beat the chicken breats between cling film till flattened but not too thin
• mix together the cheese, lemon zest, tomatoes and thyme and place in the chicken breasts
• roll up the chicken breasts then wrap in parma ham.
• wrap loosly in foil and bake 30mins at 190'c unwrapping the foil for the last 5 mins

Rhubarb dream

dead easy to make really yummy, very filling. i served the iced cookie hearts with this for valentines.

500g rhubarb in inch pieces

sugar

200g greek yogurt

200g mascarpone

acacia honey

• simmer the rhubarb in 50ml water with sugar to taste till tender. allow to go cold


• mix the yogurt, mascarpone and 75ml water together till smooth


• layer up the yogurt mix and rhubarb in 4-6 serving dishes and top with the honey to taste

Iced heart cookies

I served these with the Rhubarb dream and they are really moorish

200g sweet short crust pastry
1tsp ground cinnamon
icing sugar
pink colouring

• roll the pastry to around the thickness of a pound coin, and cut heart shapes out
• place in a cookie sheet. mix cinnamon with 1tsp icing sugar and sieve over the cookies
• bake 10 mins at 220'c
• allow to cool then decorate with pink icing

Wholemeal beer soda bread

450g wholemeal flour

1 tbsp baking powder

half tsp salt

1 tsp honey

340ml dark ale

• mix all the dried ingredients together in abowl


• stir in the honey and beer to make a heavy wet dough


• pour into a large greased loaf tin or round cake tin


• bake 40-50 mins at 175'c

Roast pork with onion and apple stuffing

boned pork loin joint
1 onion
1 apple
50g fresh bread crumbs
25g butter
1tsp dried sage

• fry the onion in the butter gently till begining to brown, add the apple and cook for a few more minutes
• add the bread crumbs and herbs and mix well
• stuff the centre of the pork joint with the stuffing and tie with string if not already
• roast 30mins per 500g plus 30 mins at 200'c

Rhubarb fool

400g rhubarb cut into inch pieces
75g sugar
1tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp syrup from a stem ginger jar or a pinch of ground ginger
25g custard powder
300ml milk
284ml pot double cream

• cook the rhubarb with the sugar, lemon juice and ginger syrup (or ground ginger) in a covered pan till tender. then break down with a fork
• make a paste with the custard powder and a little of the milk, bring the rest of the milk to boil in a pan, then pour onto the custard paste, return to the pan then heat till thickened. mix the rhubarb into the custard and cool.
• whip the cream then fold into the custard mix. spoon into serving glasses and chill.

Lemon glazed cranberry cake

300g sugar

250g marg

3 eggs

250g cream cheese (phillidelphia)

350g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

75g dried cranberries

4tsp icing sugar

juice of 1 lemon

• cream the butter and sugar. gradually beat in the eggs. beat in the cream cheese.


• mix in the flour, baking powder and cranberries


• spoon into either 2 loaf tins or 1 big cake tin


• bake 1 hour 10mins - 1 hour 30mins at 180'c


• while still in the tin, make a glaze with the lemon and icing sugar and drizzle over the cake.

Chocolate brownies

these are very rich and i would recommed cutting them into smallish squares

225g butter

350g good dark chocolate

2 tbsp cocoa

100g self raising flour

3 large eggs

225g caster sugar

100g roughly chopped pecans

• melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl


• in another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar to a mousse consistancy, then stir in the chocolate mix


• sift in the cocoa and flour, and fold in with the pecans


• pour into a deep square lined tin, roughly 20-25cm, and bake 35-40mins 180'c


• cut into squares while still warm but not hot.

Ratatouille gougere

Tastes like pizza

50g butter

150ml water

75g plain flour

2 eggs

50g mature cheddar (grated)

1 clove garlic

1 red pepper

1 leek

200g mushrooms

1 tin chopped tomatoes

• bring the butter and water to boil in a pan, remove from the heat and add the flour beating well to produce a ball. set aside


• slice the peppers, leeks and mushrooms, crush the garlic and place them all in a seperate pan with a dash of olive oil, cook gently till softened, then add the tinned tomatoes


• beat the eggs into the dough mix gradually then add half the cheese


• spoon the dough around the edge of a large ovenproof dish. fill the middle with the veg. sprinkle with the rest of the cheese and bake 25-30 mins at 200'c

Chocolate mousse

Really yummy, and dead easy to make. it has got raw egg so dont eat if pregnant etc. and the eggs were fresh out the chooks that morning.

200g dark or milk chocolate (i used milk)

2 large egg yolks

500ml whipping cream

• whip the cream till quite thick, put aside


• melt the chocolate, then beat in the egg yolks, dont panic an the texture.


• fold the chocolate mix into the cream


• spoon into serving glasses and chill.

Oaty rhubarb crumble

400g rhubarb
50ml orange juice
75g sugar
100g plain flour
50g porridge oats
75g butter/marg
another 50g sugar

• place the rhubarb orange juice and sugar in a dish and cook 20 mins at 190'c
• meanwhile rub the flour and butter together, then add the oats and extra sugar
• spoon the crumble on top of the rhubarb and bake for another 25mins

Chocolate souffle

This makes 4 small or 2 medium souffle, and is very rich.

2 eggs seperated

30g caster sugar

60g melted dark chocolate

1 tbsp cocoa

icing sugar to dust

• whisk egg whites to stiff peaks, then fold in sugar and put aside


• in another bowl, melt chocolate, stir in cocoa, then egg yolk


• fold the egg whites into the chocolate mix


• spoon into greased ramekins, and bake 220'c for 10mins


• dust with icing sugar and serve immediately

Sesame pork bites

This was tasty and the kids liked them, it also uses pork mince which is often in the reduced section at the supermarket, so works out quite cheap to make.

6 spring onions
500g pork mince
2tbsp light soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
50g fresh white breadcrumbs
200g tinned sweetcorn
2 tbsp sesame seeds

• make breadcrumbs in the food processor, then add sp. onions and sweetcorn and blitz again.
• add the rest of the ingredients and blitz but dont completely puree
• shape into patties and bake on a baking tray for 20mins at 180'c.

Custard biscuits

2oz margerine
2oz lard
5 1/2 oz sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 oz custard powder
plain flour

• beat the margerine, lard and sugar together


• add the egg and custard powder and beat


• stir in , then kneed in, enough flour to make a stiff dough


• shape into small balls, and place on a baking sheet


• press down on the balls with the back of a fork


• bake at 180c (gas 4) for around 25 minutes or until golden brown

These are really tasty and crispy

Cherry chocolate muffins

100g melted butter

125g caster sugar

2 large eggs

250ml milk

150g chopped glace cherries

50g chopped white chocolate

50g cocoa

1 tbsp baking powder

250g pl flour

• mix the melted butter, sugar, eggs and milk in a large bowl


• stir in the cherries, chocolate, cocoa and baking powder


• lightly and briefly mix in the flour


• spoon into 12 muffin paper cases


• bake at 180c (gas 4) for 25-30 minutes

These were gorgeous and im affraid the kids didn't get many as they were too tasty to share

Courgette soup

500g (1lb) courgettes

1 onion

1pt vegetable stock

1/2 pt milk

• fry the chopped onion and courgettes till softened


• add the stock and simmer till tender


• add the milk and blitz with a blender till smooth

This was very yummy, and although it was courgettes the soup tastes a lot like broccoili.

Pork with mustard and tarragon sauce

This was ok but nothing to get excited over, also Connor wasn't keen so out it goes.

Chocolate lemon layer cake

This recipe off the back off the stocbloc cooking chocolate was too bland for me, but the kids will eat anything with choc in it.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Muffins

These were very tasty, and not too sweet. best eaten room temperature as when they are hot the white chocolate just tastes of butter.

1 large egg

50g (20z) butter, melted

125ml milk

150g (50z) pl flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

50g (20z) caster sugar

50-60g (2oz) dried cranberries

100g (4oz) chopped white chocolate

• Mix wet ingredients together


• Add dry ingredients and mix together lightly


• Bake in 12 muffin cases, oven 200c or gas 6, for 25-30 mins.

One-pan Sausage Pasta

Very tasty, and Quick and easy to make.

1 lb pork chipolatas

1 jar tomato pasta sauce

250g (half bag) quick cook pasta

1 tin baked beans

half tin sweetcorn

1 courgette thinly sliced

cheese for topping

• In large non stick pan, dry fry the sausages till browned.


• Add all ingredients except cheese, also add 450ml water.


• Simmer for 5-20 minutes,stirring often.


• Serve topped with cheese.

South African bake

The boys liked this but i found it disapointing, a little bland and too oily

Smokey beef goulash

One of my magazine clippings to try, which i quite liked, Brandon said was yummy and can i make it again, but which connor picked at, so it doesn't make it into the book.

nevermind another for the recycling pile.

just a little test run

just testing, lets see how this looks.