Snack - Blueberry Cupcakes

I am slowly making my way through the Simple and Delicious Cupcakes book, and this is my latest success. The book has them as larger desserts served in a ramekin or teacup, but they work just as well as normal cupcakes. They also make a yummy dessert if you pour cream or custard over them :)

Makes 16

140g butter
70g golden caster sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp milk
175g wholemeal self raising flour
115g blueberries

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C
Put 16 bun cases into bun trays
Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl
Beat in one egg
Add half of the milk and stir
Add half of the flour and fold in
Beat in the second egg
Add the rest of the milk and stir
Add the rest of the flour and fold together
Gently fold in the blueberries
Spoon into the cases
Bake for 25mins until golden.

Enjoy!

Lunch - Prawn Pasta

This is another Nigellissima inspired recipe that I love because it is easy, quick and delicious. It is both warm and spicy, and creamy which makes it perfect for this time of year when we all need a little warming up! The original is called Prawn Pasta Rosa.

Serves 2

4 x 15ml tbsp milk
4 x 15ml tbsp cream cheese
1 x 15ml tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
150g frozen prawns
200g spaghetti
salt

Boil and salt water in a pan and add the pasta
Whisk together the milk and cream cheese
After the pasta has been on for 5mins;
Put the oil, garlic and chilli in a pan and heat
Add the prawns and stir fry until piping hot
Drain the pasta and put back into the pan
Add the prawns and the sauce and stir to combine
Divide between two bowls and serve immediately

Enjoy! 

Lunch - Mushroom Terrine

This is a great dish to serve something different but still familiar-tasting and healthy. It be kept in the fridge to eat for lunch later in the week, I like it with a baby spinach leaf salad and buttered bread. The original recipe is from The Little Paris Kitchen cookbook by Rachel Khoo.

Serves 6

450g mushrooms
2 knobs of butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, crushed to a paste (or 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
4 eggs
250g creme fraiche
2 tsps Dijon mustard
a pinch of nutmeg
2 tsps dried parsley
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C
Line 2 mini loaf tins, or 1 large loaf tin with baking paper
Clean the mushrooms
Slice large pieces
Melt the butter in a large pan
Add the shallots and garlic
Once the shallots begin to brown, add the mushrooms
Fry until they have released all their juices (about 10mins)
Beat the eggs in a bowl with the creme fraiche and mustard
Add the nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper
Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon or drain to remove the liquid
Divide between the tins or put into one big tin
Pour the creme fraiche mix over the top
Bake for 15mins for two small tins, 30mins for one big tin - it should be set and golden on top
Leave to cool before serving

Enjoy!

Snack - Oatmeal and Yoghurt Cream

This is quick and easy to prepare, and is great for a snack or breakfast. The original recipe is from The Sainsbury Book of Wholefood Cooking by Carole Handslip

Serves 4

40g ground almonds
40g medium oatmeal
25g muscovardo sugar
Grated rind and juice of 1/2 a lemon
150g natural yoghurt
150ml double cream

Mix together the almonds, oatmeal and sugar
Add the lemon zest and juice and mix
Add the yoghurt and mix
Add the cream and mix
Serve in 4 bowls
Drizzle with honey if you like

Enjoy!

Snack - Carrot and Orange Cuptakes with a Cream Cheese Icing

This is another lovely recipe from the Simple and Delicious Cupcakes book, I just keep finding more to bake in this one! It's particularly good for me as it gives me my required bit of protein in already in the recipe, instead of just shoving a bit of cheese on the side like I normally do :)

Makes 12

115g butter, softend
55g soft light brown sugar
juice and grated rind of 1 small orange
2 large eggs, beaten
175g carrots, grated
125g wholemeal plain flour
1tsp ground mixed spice
or
1/3 cinnamon, 1/3 ginger, 1/3 nutmeg
1 1/2tsp baking powder

icing;
140g cream cheese
2tbsp icing sugar
grated rind of 1 orange

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Put 12 paper cases in a bun tray
Mix the flour, spice and baking powder together
Beat the butter, sugar and orange together
Add 1 egg and beat well
Add 1/2 the flour mix and fold in
Add the second egg and beat well
Add the rest of the flour mix and fold in
Spoon the mix into the paper cases
Bake for 25mins
Leave to cool
Make the icing;
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and beat until mixed
Keep in the fridge until the cupcakes are being served
Put the cool cupcakes in a lidded container
When you want to serve them, spread the icing over the top with a knife

Enjoy!

Lunch - Yellow Spaghetti

This is a recipe inspired by Yellow Spaghetti in Nigellissima, by Nigella Lawson. It is warm, slightly spiced and comfortingly creamy, and quick to make! I like to have it with a baby spinach leaf salad on the side.

Serves 2

1/4tsp saffron strands
200g spaghetti
salt
2 eggs
4 x 15ml tbsp grated chedder
2 x 15ml tbsp double cream
pepper
1 x 15ml tbsp butter

Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions
5mins before the pasta is cooked, start making the sauce;
Melt the butter in a small pan and add the saffron, stir and take off the heat
Whisk (or mix with a fork) the eggs, cream and cheese in a cup
Add salt and pepper to taste
When the pasta is cooked, remove a small cupful of the pasta water
Drain the pasta
Add 2tbsp of the pasta water to the butter and saffron
Pour over the spaghetti and mix thourghly
Add the creamy mixture to the spaghetti and mix thoroughly
Grate more chedder over if you like
Divide between 2 bowls and serve immediatly

Enjoy!   

Dinner - Chicken and Mushroom Puff Pie

This is one of my favourite meals, it is very warm and comforting, perfect for the snowy winter we have at the moment! I make it with home-made pastry because wholemeal pastry is not available, but you can buy ready to use puff pastry which is just as good as home-made. I like it with broccoli, carrots, and lots of gravy. The original recipe is from BBC Good Food and can be found here

Serves 4-6

Filling;
1 tbsp butter
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped into chunks
8 rashers of streaky bacon, sliced
1 onion, halved and sliced
250g baby mushrooms,quartered
1tsp thyme
2tbsp plain flour
400ml chicken stock
200ml milk

Puff pastry;
125g wholemeal plain flour
125g white plain flour
1tsp salt
250g butter
150ml cold water

Pre-heat the oven to 220 degrees C

Filling;
Heat the oil in a large pan
Fry the chicken for 5-8mins, until white all the way through
Remove the chicken and fry the bacon for 5mins
Add the onion mushrooms and thyme, and fry for 3mins
Add the flour, stir and leave for 1min
Remove the pan from the heat
Stir in the stock
Stir in the milk
Add the chicken
Bring to the boil
Turn down the heat and simmer for 30mins

Pastry;
Put the salt and flour together in a bowl and mix well
Cut up the butter into small chunks and add to the flour mixture
Rub the butter and flour together with your fingertips until they are mixed but still lumpy
Make a well and pour in half of the cold water
Mix until it comes together in a ball - add more water if you need to
Cover with cling film and fridge for 20mins

Put the filling into a large casserole dish
Roll out the pastry into a rectangle
Fold one third of the pastry down to the centre, then fold the last third over the top
Roll out again into a rectangle
Roll onto the casserole dish
Cut away any excess around the edges and prick holes in the centre (think Snow White making gooseberry pie for the dwarves)
Brush with egg
Bake for 30mins
Serve immediatly

Enjoy!

Snack - Lemon Drizzle Cake

This is so moreish it is difficult not to eat it all in one day! It takes a lot of mixing so you should be able to work up a good appetite for it!  The original is from BBC Good Food and can be found here

225g butter, softened
55g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
225g wholemeal plain flour
1tsp baking powder
Splash of milk 

For the drizzle topping

Juice 1 1/2 lemons
40g golden caster sugar

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Cream the butter and the sugar
Add the baking powder to the flour
Add 1 egg and mix
Add 1/4 of the flour and mix
Repeat until the eggs and flour are mixed in
Add a splash of milk and mix
Add the lemon zest and mix well
Line a loaf tin with baking paper
Pour in the mixture and smooth the top
Bake for 45mins
Mix the lemon juice and the sugar together
Once the cake is ready, take out of the oven and prick all over with a fork
Pour the juice mix over the cake
Once it has cooled, remove form the tin
Store in a lidded container

Enjoy!

Lunch - Amy's Tuna Tagliateli

This is a super simple recipe that is perfect for lunch. I can't remember when I first had this, but it always a useful recipe to store away as most of the ingredients are already in my cupboard

Serves 2

4 tagliateli nests
1 can of tuna in brine
3tsp of mayonaise
Grated chedder cheese for topping
Baby spinach leaves
Salt and pepper

Cook the pasta according to the packet insructions
Drain the tuna and empty into a bowl
Add the mayonaise
When the pasta is cooked, drain and mix with the tuna mayonaise
Sprinkle the cheese on top
Add the spinach on the side

Enjoy!

Dinner - Spaghetti Bolognese

Unfortunately, I am intolerant to tomatoes, so I have to omit them in this recipe! :( But I have included it with the tomatoes, so you only need to omit them if you are special like me, and it is still nice. This recipe is inspired by one in one of my Dad's old recipe books Reader's Digest Classic Recipes, which is nicely old and used looking.

Serves 3

1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 carrot, grated
1 celery, chopped
250g mushrooms
3 tbsp olive oil
250g minced beef
350ml beef stock
200g canned tomtoes
1 tbsp tomatoe puree
1 clove, crushed
1tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
250g spaghetti
1tsp parsley
Grated parmesan or chedder

Heat the oil in a large pan
Add the onion and the celery and cook for 2mins
Add the mince and cook until brown
Add the mushrooms
Add the carrot
Add the salt, pepper, nutmeg and  parsley and stir to mix
Put a beef stock cube in a jug and add 350ml water, stir until dissolved
Pour into the pan and stir
Add the tomatoes and stir
Simmer for 30mins
15mins before serving, cook the pasta according to the packet instructions
Serve immediately, with sprinkled cheese on top

Enjoy!

Dinner - Emma's Spaghetti Carbonara

I actually first had this in my second year of university when my friend Lucy made it for me and I have loved it ever since. Both my friends Lucy and Emma were masters of this yummy dish, so much so that when I eventually had it in a restaurant I was disappointed because theirs was so much better! This is Emma's version, it is very yummy :) Thanks Emma!

Serves 4

300gms spaghetti (I normally snap in half the spaghetti as it makes it
hard to stir)
For sauce:
50gms of butter
1 large garlic clove, peeled and left whole.
125gms pancetta or smoked bacon cut into strips
4 eggs
142mls single cream
50gms Parmesan cheese grated finely
1 tablespoon of chopped parsley or chives (I normally do chives but
either are nummy)
Salt and pepper

Instructions
1. Melt half the butter in a frying pan. Add the garlic clove and
pancetta or bacon and cook over gentle heat for 8-10 minutes. Discard
garlic clove.

2. Whilst the pancetta is cooking, add the spaghetti to a large pan of
boiling, lightly salted water and cook for 6-8 minutes until just
tender. Drain well.

3. Beat the eggs, single cream and Parmesan cheese together. Add the
chopped parsley or chives and season with salt and pepper.

4. Return the spaghetti to the saucepan and add the remaining butter,
egg mixture and pancetta. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring. Serve
immediately and enjoy :)

Snack - Drizzled Honey Cupcakes

This is another Simple and Delicious Cupcakes inspired recipe :) The first time I made this I thought it had gone wrong, as the cupcakes were a much darker brown than normal, but fortunately they turned out to be yummy!

Makes 9

85g wholemeal flour
3/4 tsp of baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp gound cloves
1 tsp ground nutmeg
85g butter, softened
40g golden caster sugar
1 tbsp clear honey
Finely grated rind of 1 orange
2 eggs
40g chopped nuts (the recipe says walnuts, I used cashew nuts because that's what I had in)

Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees C
Put 12 bun cases in bun tins
Beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy
Beat in the honey and orange rind
Beat in 1 egg
Mix in half of the flour
Add the second egg
Mix in the rest of the flour, the cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and baking powder
Stir in the nuts
Spoon into the cases
Bake for 20mins

Enjoy! 

Lunch - Spinach, Pine Nut and Cheesey Pasta

This recipe has been adapted from Nigella's Green pasta with Blue Cheese recipe from her Nigelissima cookbook, to suit what I had in the fridge at the time. I recommend her book, and website, www.nigella.com for very yummy recipes :)

Serves 2

250g pasta (I used penne but Nigella recommends a curly pasta like fusilli)
Salt
100g chedder, grated
25g camenbert, torn into pieces (125g of camenbert would be lovely if you have it)
100g baby leaf spinach
Pepper
3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 tsp butter

Put the pasta in a large pan and pour over freshly boiled water
Add salt to taste
Bring to the boil, then simmer according to the packet instructions, but minus 3 mins from the time on the packet
While the pasta is simmering, melt the butter in a small frying pan and add the pine nuts
Cook until the pine nuts go golden, tossing regularly
Remove from the heat
Remove 1 cup (about 100ml) of pasta water from the pasta
Drain the pasta
Tip back into the hot pan
Add 2 tbsp of the pasta water to the pasta
Add the cheese and mix
Add the spinach and mix
Add a generous amount of black pepper
Add the rest of the pasta water and put back on the stove for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and the spinach is wilted
Serve in 2 large bowls and add the pine nuts on top

Enjoy!

Dinner - Amy's Chicken and Mushroom Delight with Lucy's Nutmeg Mash

This is a recipe I can genuinely claim as my own! Me and Lucy spontaneously decided that we wanted to make a really delicious dinner, instead of the nice, but samey variations on pasta we normally had. So this was the result, it is very filling and yummy and comfort foody :) It was also the first time I had mashed potato with nutmeg in, and I have been a convert ever since. We served it with carrots and broccoli, but most veg suits this meal.

1 large chicken breast, sliced into strips
160g mushrooms, sliced
1/2 jar of white sauce
1 veg stock cube
4 tbsp of butter
2 small potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 tsp nutmeg
A splash of milk

Put the potatoes in a medium pan
Pour over boiling water to cover them completely
Add salt
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20mins
While the potatoes are simmering;
Fry the chicken in 2tbsp of butter for 5mins
Add the mushrooms, and fry until starting to crisp around the edges
Crumble a vegetable stock cube over the chicken and mushrooms and stir
Pour the white sauce over and mix well.
Simmer for 15mins
When the potatoes are soft, drain them and put them back in the pan
Mash them thoroughly with a masher or a fork
Add the butter, milk and nutmeg and mix well
Serve immediately with the veg of your choice

Enjoy!

Lunch - Brie and Cranberry on Toast

This is so simple and so tasty, I absolutely love it! It has just started to snow here and it has cheered me up very much, snow is my favourite weather, it is bright and beautiful and soft, and makes everything pretty! This is a great recipe for cold winter days because it is warm and comforting with a hint of Christmas because of the cranberry.

2 slices of toast
Brie
Cranberry sauce
Butter
Baby spinach leaves to serve

Slather the toast with butter and cranberry sauce
Put generous slices of Brie on top
Put under the grill for 3-4 mins until melted
Serve immediately with baby leave spinach

Enjoy!

Sunday Roast Dinner

Bring on the comfort food! It has become significantly chilly these past couple of days, so anything warm and traditional is very welcome in my tummy :) This is how I used to make myself a roast when I briefly lived alone in York, it cheered me up and it is mainly a one-pot dish, which was useful in my super tiny kitchen.

Serves 1

1 chicken thigh
1 carrot
1 potato
small bowl of frozen peas
olive oil

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C
Peel and chop the potato into chunks
Peel and chop the carrot into chunks
Put everything into a casserole dish and drizzle with olive oil
Put into the oven for 30-45mins
2mins before serving, put the peas in the microwave
Serve with gravy

If you like your Yorkshire Puddings too much to miss them out, then use 1/8th of the recipe from Toad in the Hole to make the batter, pour into a bun tin, and put into the oven with the rest of the meal

Enjoy! 

Snack - Apple Cupcakes with Peanut Butter

This recipe is a hybrid of the Toffee Apple Cupcakes recipe, from a lovely cookbook my friend Anna bought me for my birthday, called Simple and Delicious Cupcakes, published by Love Food. I used to bake weekly for everyone in our house and most things were gone within days! I am happy to report, it is the same at my parent's house, though the food is more wholesome now, it is still yummy :)

Makes 16

2 apples
1 tbsp lemon juice
250g plain wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
35g light muscavardo sugar
55g butter
100ml milk
100ml juice
1 egg, beaten

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C
Put 16 paper cases into bun trays
Core and roughly grate one apple
Slice the remaining apple into  32 wedges and toss in lemon juice
Sift together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon
Stir in the sugar and grated apple
Melt the butter
Mix with the milk, apple juice and egg
Add the liqued mix to the dry mix and stir until combined
Spoon into the paper cases and arrange 2 apple slices on top of each
Bake for 15-20mins
Cool for 10mins
Serve with peanut butter

Enjoy!

Sunday Brunch

We have got into a routine in our house where I make everyone Brunch on a Sunday and I don't mind at all! It is quite a pleasing moment when everyone is sat down together enjoying something you have made for them. Now, scrambled eggs on toast with beans and mushrooms doesn't exactly sound hard, but the timing of it can be a bit tricky; and bacon and sausages and things can really get stressful! So I thought I'd put up a bit of a guide on the timing aspect of this meal (although I still don't always get it right...) And remember practice makes perfect. Also, if it all gets completely out of time, you can always just wack it into the microwave to heat it all up again.

Serves 4

8 eggs
8 slices of wholegrain bread
1 can of baked beans
10 mushrooms
Splash of milk
2 1/2 tbsp butter

If you're feeling confident (and hungry!);

4 sausages
4 rashers of bacon

Turn the grill onto a high heat
Clean and quarter the mushrooms
Open a can of beans and put into a bowl
Brake the eggs into a jug and beat until mixed
Add a splash of milk
Get out 4 plates
Prick the sausages and put under the grill
Melt 1 1/2 tbsp of butter in a medium pan and add the mushrooms
Put the bacon under the grill
Stir the mushrooms
After a couple of mins, melt 1 tbsp of butter in a medium pan on a medium heat
Add the eggs
Turn the sausages and the bacon
Start toasting the bread
Stir the eggs and the mushrooms (Keep stirring the mushrooms until the water starts to come out of them, then you can just leave them to cook)
Butter the toast and put in another batch
Check the sausages and bacon
Put the beans in the microwave for 1 1/2 mins
Keep stirring the eggs until they are a little bit more liquid than you like, then take off the heat (they continue to cook in the pan for a little while)
Butter the second batch of toast
Check the sausages and bacon, if done, turn off the grill
Stir the beans and microwave for one more minute
Spoon the eggs onto the toast
Spoon the mushrooms onto the plates
Take out the sausages and bacon and put onto the plates
Spoon the beans onto the plates
Serve immediatly

Enjoy!

Dinner - Toad in the Hole

Another comfort food classic, and very easy to make. I like mine crunchy on the top with a soggy middle, but if you want it to be less soggy, just keep it in the oven for 5 - 10 more mins. Gorgeous with gravy and steamed carrots, broccoli and peas. This is original is from BBC Good Food, and can be found here

Serves 4 

8 sausages
150g plain wholemeal flour
2 eggs
300ml milk
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees C
Put the sausages into a casserole dish and drizzle with olive oil
Season with salt and pepper
Bake for 25mins
Put the flour into a large bowl, make a well in the middle and add the eggs and milk
Whisk to make a smooth batter
Take the sausages out of the oven and pour over the mixture
Cook for 40mins until crisp and golden
Serve with steamed veg and gravy

Enjoy!

Lunch - Leek and Potato Soup

I love that this is comfort food and actually good for you! This can be made in a slow cooker but it is very quick, so the hob is just as easy. It is another good one to make a batch of and re-heat for lunch for a few days. The original can be found on BBC Good Food here

Serves 6 - 8

50g butter
450g peeled and chopped potatoes
1 onion, diced
450g leeks, sliced
850ml vegetable stock
142ml whipping cream
125ml full fat milk

Melt the butter in a large pan on a medium heat
Add the onion, leeks and potatoes
Season with salt and pepper
Put the lid on and cook for 10mins
Pour in the stock
Put the lid back on and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer for 5mins
Either tip the lot into a blender or use a hand blender to blend thoroughly
Tip back into the pan and add the cream and the milk
Simmer until hot, and serve with crusty wholegrain bread and butter

Enjoy!

Dinner - Spring Chicken Stew

This is another recipe from The Little Paris Kitchen with Rachel Khoo. I sort of owe my love of these recipes to my boyfriend who told me about the program and switched it on before I had even heard of it! I am a bit of a francophile, so anything that brings me a little closer to Paris makes me extra happy. Rachel Khoo uses lamb neck; I prefer chicken but I encourage you to give both a go!

Serves 4

4 chicken thighs
2 cloves of crushed garlic or 1 tsp of garlic powder
1 onion, finely chopped (you can find a great video to learn to dice like a pro here)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
2 springs of thyme or 1 tsp of dried thyme
4 carrots, cut into chunks
200g frozen peas
200g green beans, chopped
Salt and pepper

Brown the meat, onion, and garlic with the olive oil in a large pan
Add the bay leaf, thyme and carrots, and enough water to cover the meat by a couple of inches
Bring to a simmer and remove any scum that rises to the top
Cover with a lid and simmer for 2 hours (this could also be done in a slow cooker for 6 hours)
Add the peas and beans 5 mins before serveing
Remove the bay leaf and the thyme (if using sprigs)
Add salt and pepper and serve

Enjoy!

Snack - Spiced Oat Cookies

I first made these in my second year of university to wrap in foil and take to seminars and lectures with me for when I got peckish. I also found that they make lovely cake bars as well, if you just tip the mixture into a deep sided baking tray instead of spooning it onto baking paper. They are particularly good in the winter months because the spices are nice and warming. The original recipe is from BBC Good Food and can be found here

Makes 18

175g butter
80g demera sugar
50g honey
85g flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250g oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp boiling water
1 egg

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Melt the butter, sugar, and honey in a large pan  on a medium heat
Mix in the water and egg
Mix in the remaining ingredients
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper
Spoon 2 tbsp of the mixture for each cookie onto the tray, about 2 inches apart
Bake for 15-20mins
Cool for 10mins

Enjoy!

Lunch - Fiorentina Pasta

This is a fantastic recipe to make a big batch of one evening, and then put into the fridge to be eaten for luch for a few days. The original recipe is from BBC Good Food and can be found here

300g pasta e.g penne or similar
1tbsp olive oil
500g sliced mushrooms
250g marscapone or any cream cheese
2 cloves of crushed garlic or 1 tsp garlic powder
2 handfuls of spinach
1 handful of grated parmesan or chedder cheese (for the sauce)
80g grated parmesan or chedder cheese (for the topping)

Boil the pasta according to the packet instructions, drain  and return to the pan
Fry the mushrooms in the oil and the garlic on a medium heat
Spoon the mushroom into the bottom of a casserole dish
Mix the spinach, marcapone or cream cheese and cheese together in a large bowl
Add the sauce to the pasta and heat for a few minuets
Spoon the pasta over the mushrooms
Scatter the cheese over the top
Grill until the cheese is golden

Enjoy!

Breakfast - Peanut Butter Pancakes

I first found the recipe for these pancakes while watching an episode of Nigella Express, and when I tried it, it was as good as it looked! Her recipe is for an instant pancake mix that you can save in a jar and add milk, eggs and butter when you want to use it. She has also included a recipe for blueberry syrup that you can find here I have given the measurements for one batch which makes about 15 small pancakes. If this sounds like too much, you can do the maths, or save the mixture you don't use in a jar in the fridge for a few days. Just make sure you mix it thoroughly before you use it again.

Makes 15

140g wholemeal plain flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten
250ml milk
1 tbsp melted butter
Peanut butter

Put all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix
Make a well in the centre and add the wet ingredients and mix until smooth
Heat a frying pan on a high heat until hot
Spoon 2tbsp of the mixture into the pan for each pancake, leaving space between each one
Wait until bubbles appear (should only take 1-2mins)
Turn over and wait for another minuete
Pile onto a plate 
Spread each pancake with peanut butter

Enjoy!

Dinner - Nids de tartiflette (Cheese and potato nests)

This is another of my favourite from The Little Paris Kitchen book by Rachel Khoo. I have made this many times, and it has always been delicious. The original calls for Reblochen, but my favourite is Camembert or you could use Brie and make a Briefilette I like to have it with frisse lettuce and green beans as the freshness of the lettuce and the crunch of the green beans creates a nice contrast to the soft nests.

Makes 6 (Serves 3)

1tbsp soft butter
500g waxy potatoes e.g. Maris Piper or Charlotte
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
200g smoked bacon
250g brie, camembert or reblochen cheese, cubed

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree C
Brush a 6 hole muffin tin with the soft butter
Peel the potatoes and slice to make very thin matchsticks
Put the onion, garlic, bay leaf and smoked bacon into a large frying pan
Fry on a medium heat until the bacon is golden
Stir in the potato matchsticks and take off the heat
Remove the bay leaf and stir in the cheese
Divide the potatoe mix between the 6 muffin tin holes
Bake for 15-20mins

Enjoy!

Snack - Apricot, Honey and Pistachio Flapjack

The addition of the dried apricot and the pistachio makes this classic even more yummy! It is also quite important to use soft light brown sugar, white or golden sugars are too sweet and dark brown sugar is too heavy and makes the flapjack hard (this I found out through trial and error!) but I promise it is worth the extra effort. This is another BBC Good Food recipe I have altered, you can find the original here 

Makes 16 small squares

140g butter
70g soft light brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
175g rolled oats
75g chopped pistachios
140g dried chopped apricots

Melt the butter, sugar and honey together in a large pan on a medium heat
Take off the heat and stir in the oats, pistachios and apricots
Bake at 160 degrees C for 30mins

The original recipe says to bake for 45mins but I have found that it is too long and it makes the flapjack hard instead of soft and chewy, so I recommend 30mins even if you add the additional sugar

Leave to cool for 10mins, then cut into squares and put into an airtight container.

Enjoy!

Lunch - Honeyed Carrot and Garlic Soup

I first had this dish at a lovely pub in York called Plunkets on Low Petergate. It was so delicious I tried to find a recipe as soon as I got home! This is the closest I've managed to get to it, and it's pretty good.
The original recipe, that I have tweaked for this one, is on the BBC Good Food website you can find here

Serves 6

2 tbsp butter
1 onion, diced
800g carrots, grated
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
21/2 l vegetable stock

Melt the butter in a large pan on a medium heat
Add the onions and fry for 2 mins
Add the carrots, garlic, honey and bay leaf and fry for 3mins
Add the vegetable stock
Bring to the boil, and then simmer for 30mins
Serve immediately, with a drizzle of natural yoghurt or sour cream if you like

Enjoy!

Breakfast - George's Omelette

Serves 1

My boyfriend is the master of the omelette, so I have named this recipe after him :) It is a lovely, quick recipe that can be made easily on any day of the week. I have mine with bread, but you could omit the bread and double the other ingredients instead.

1 egg
1 mushroom
1 slice of ham
1tbsp of olive oil or butter
Handful of grated cheese

Slice the mushroom and ham into strips
Beat the egg in a jug
Heat the oil in a small pan on a high heat
Fry the mushroom for 2mins
Add the ham
Pour over the egg
Sprinkle on the cheese
Fry for 2mins on each side
Serve with a slice of wholegrain bread and butter

Enjoy

Dinner - Daddy's Beef Stew with Dumplings

Serves 4


My Daddy made this for the first time this New Year's Eve and it was absolutely delicious, defiantly a new favourite of mine. Even better it can be cooked in a slow cooker overnight or during the day (or on the hob on the lowest heat), ready for tea with only the dumplings to make before eating.

Stew

1 onion
1 clove of garlic
500g stewing steak or beef
1 beef stock cube
1 bay leaf
1l of water
2tbsp olive oil or butter
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
10 sprouts
1 handful of celery, sliced

Brown the onions, garlic and meat in the oil on a low heat
Tip into a slow cooker and add the stock cube bay leaf and water
Cook on the lowest setting for 6 hours
After 4 hours add the potatoes and vegetables and more water if needed
20 mins before serving, tip into a pan to put onto the hob

Dumplings

2oz vegetable or beef suet
4oz wholemeal self raising flour
2tbsp water

Mix everything together with a fork
Use a tablespoon to form the mixture into small balls - add more water if you need to
Tip into them into the pan with the stew and simmer for 20mins

Enjoy!

Snacks - Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Natural Yoghurt

Makes 16

I stole this recipe from my boyfriend's Grandma's cupcake book, the name of which I can't remember! But I will find out to avoid plagiarism... Again it has been slightly altered to make it more wholesome :)

75g unsalted butter
130g smooth peanut butter
95g dark brown soft butter
2 large eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
120g plain wholemeal flour
1tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
60ml semi skimmed milk at room temperature

Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees C
Mix the butter, peanut butter and sugar
Add 1 egg and mix
Add the second egg and mix
Add the vanilla extract
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl
Add 1/3 of the dry mix to the wet mix and mix
Add 1/3 of the milk and mix
Repeat until everything is combined
Fill 16 cupcake cases so they are about 2/3 full
Bake 20mins
Cool for 10mins

Spoon over 1tbsp on natural yoghurt before serving 

Enjoy!

Lunch - Chicken/Prawn Raman

 Serves 2

I fell in love with this dish after a trip to Wagamamas where I made a cowardly choice, as I had eaten a chicken noodle soup before so I didn't take a risk! But I didn't expect it to be as yummy as it was, and it came in a bucket sized bowl, with plenty left over for me to take home for lunch the next day. This version is a slight deviation from the Wagamama recipe you can find on their website here.

50g cooked chicken or frozen prawns
1l of chicken or vegetable stock
2 nests of wholegrain noodles
2 handfuls of baby spinach leaves
2 handfuls of beansprouts
2tbsp of olive oil or butter

Heat the stock on a high heat until boiling
Add the noodles and turn down to a simmer for 4-6 mins
If using prawns defrost them in the microwave (instructions should be on the packet)
Fry the beansprouts and the prawns in the butter or olive oil for 4mins on a medium heat
Remove the noodles from the stock and put into 2 large bowls
Share the beansprouts, spinach and prawns or cooked chicken between the bowls
Pour the stock over the spinach to wilt it until it has covered most of the noodles.
Serve straight away

Enjoy!

Breakfast - Croque Madame muffins

This is one of my favourite recipes from the BBC series and book, The Little Paris Kitchen with Rachel Khoo. It is defiantly a Sunday morning breakfast as it takes about 30mins to make, but it is definitely worth it. I have altered the original recipe slightly to make it quicker, but you can find the original in her beautiful book, The Little Paris Kitchen - Classic French recipes with a simple and fresh approach by Rachel Khoo, Penguin. I would highly recommend it :)

Makes 6

6 large slices of whole grain bread, no crusts
3 tbsps butter, melted
75g ham or bacon, cut into cubes or thin strips
6 small egs
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp nutmeg
30g strong chedder cheese, grated
drop of milk
 salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 180 C 
Flatten the bread with a rolling pin
Brush both sides of the bread with melted butter
Line a 6 holed muffin tin with the slices of bread, pressing them in firmly
Divide the ham/bacon between the mufins
Crack an egg into a jug and spoon out the yolk with a bit of the white (the whole egg will fill too much space)
Repeat with all 6 muffins
Add a very small amount of Dijon mustard, nutmeg and milk to each muffin
Cover each muffin with grated cheese and a sprinkle of pepper
Bake for 15-20mins
Serve immediately, preferably in bed with a cup of Red Bush (Rooibis) tea (the closest to black I have found!)

Enjoy!
 

Hello!

So, why have I decided to write a blog about eating? Well firstly, I love food. I love buying it, I love cooking it, I love watching other people cook it, and I love eating it. I started this when I got very ill and had to stay at home for a year after university, but now I am back on my feet again, I like use it to share the recipes for food I have cooked for my friends and family :) That way they can make it too, and we will all be happy and full of delicious things :)

Everything in here is also pretty inexpensive; one of the things that is a bit annoying about cookery shows is that the food is lovely but costs a lot of money! This is more for us poorer folk, especially us students!

Hope you enjoy looking and eating!
x