Big Pancakes Mixture

1 cup S.R Flour
1 cup Yoghurt
1 cup Milk
2 large Eggs
0.25 t Bicarbonare Soda

Mix it all together. Cook in medium sized frying pan and move mixture to cover whole pan. Great with fillings.

Best Mac Cheese

1. boil pasta
   
2. In rapeseed oil, fry medium diced red onion
3. Season with S'nP'
4. Add 1 clove garlic; crushed
5. Add 1T butter,when caramalised
6. Add 1T plain flour and cook the roux
7. Add combination of semi-skimmed and soya milk
8. Add 1 bayleaf and peppercorns crushed
9. Add 1 t English mustard
10. Stir continuosly and bring to the boil
11. Stir on gentle heat until it starts to thicken
12. Take off the heat and add 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
13. Place drained pasta in baking dish; optional(can add tuna and or sweetcorn)
14. Pour over cheese sauce, top with (breadcrumbs and) cheese and bake for 20 minutes at 180dgrees C.

Aloo Gobi-Curried Cauliflower and potatoes

This is a traditional north Indian dish. It turns a simple cauliflower into something special. Of course eating more cruciferous vegetables are beneficial to our health. Best eaten with rotis or parathas, but still delicious as a sandwich filling!

I used a deep saute pan.
In 2 T of hot rapeseed oil, add 1 t crushed coriander seeds and 1 t of cumin.
On popping add 1 medium diced onion.
Add 3 cloves of garlic.
1.5 T finely chopped fresh ginger.
Add 2-3 slashed green chillies, 1 t salt, 1 t turmeric and 3/4 t garam masala.
When browning, add 2T chopped tinned tomatoes. Cook for 2-4 minutes.
Add florets from head of a small cauliflower. Chop the central core in as well if fresh.
Stir to incorporate spices into cauliflower.
Add 3-4 potatoes cubed(1.5cm).
Add 1 diced fresh tomato.
Cover and cook on lowest heat ; checking to see if veg are done(to softness); after 7-8 minute intervals.
Add chopped green coriander and serve with plain natural yogurt.

Pav baji

instead of onion, make turka with diced green pepper in jeera!

3 Berry Black Forest Gateau

If you can make choc cake its just a case of whipping cream and assembly for dramatic results!

 grating coolate and preping berries.

Make standard choc cake in to sandwich tins(cadburys milk powder recipe)

 to assembly:

1. Place holes in bottom cake and pour Kirsch into them(I used kirsch from jar of cherries in Kirsch).
   
2. Whip 2 cartons of yeo valley double cream, with 3 T of sieved icing sugar and 1t of vanilla extract.
3. Spread half of the cream onto the cake.
4. Grate G&B dark cooks choc onto cream on cake.
5. Place  raspberries on edge and cherries from kirsch jar into centre(this is to hide them from dd who wont eat cherries!)
6. Place top layer cake on.
7. Decorate as before with an extra layer of grated choc b4 spreading on cream.
8. Decorate top with raspberries and strawberry slices.
9. Dust with vanilla sugar powder.

Lamb burgers

I served these burgers in seeded buns with finely shredded pointed cabbadge, tomatoe slices, cucumber slices, red onion slices and ketchup. If children find them hot; minted greek yogurt can be used as a relish-this takes the heat out of the chilie.

Deeeeeeeee-licious in the words/word of my 3 yr old and my 7 year old went very quite while guzzling it down with satisfied slurpy sounds!

Ingredients:

• 1 packet organic lamb mince-500g
  
• 1 T ginger-garlic paste(minced garlic and ginger stored in rapeseed oil)
• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 0.25 -0.5 t red chillie powder
• 1 finely diced red onion
• 2 T chopped green coriander
• 1 T dry roasted chickpea flour

The following were also dry roasted in a pan, allowed to cool and ground in a pestle and mortar

• 1 t sesame seeds-till
• 1 t coriander seed-dhaniya
• 1t cumin seeds-jeera

All the ingredients were first mixed with a spoon and then kneaded by hand to really combine all the flavours into the meat. It was quite a sticky mixture. Small hamburger patties were shaped and coated in rapeseed oil to prevent sticking. They were ready to go straight onto the barbecue or grill pan. Patties can be left to stand for 20mins minimum or refrigerated or use later in the day.

Chai

Boil freshly grated ginger and cinnamon with
black tea
add milk and sugar to taste

Warming and soothing

Kithcherie-vegetarian chicken Soup

We have been suffering with the boomerang flu and when I finally managed to clamber into the Kitchen-my best ever kitcherie was borne. Its quick and nutritious and does claim to have the life rejuvenating properties of chicken soup.

In a heavy based saucepan add

• a knob of butter(good for sore throat)
• a teaspoon of cumin seeds
• inch of freshly grated ginger
• 1 t salt and pepper
• 0.5 t of turmeric(antibacterial)
• 0.5 cup each of masoor(washed orange/red lentils) and basmati rice
• fill saucepan 3/4 full with filtered water

Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.

Organic Sausage Rolls

• 1 pkt Organic Pork mince
• 1/2 apple finely diced
• 1 stick of celery finely diced
• 1 T pickled red jalepenos finely diced
• 1 t mustard powder
• 1 t smoked paprika
• 1 t garam masala
• 1/2 t each salt and pepper
• 1 T chopped fresh sage leaves
• 1 T finely diced shallots- I cheat here and use frozen diced shallots
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• beaten egg for sealing pastry and brushing on top.
  
• 2 pks of organic puff pastry or 1 pack will give you spare mince for just sausages.
• sesame seeds or poppy seeds to sprinkle on top if you like.
  

Baileys Cookies

Great with coffee!

Don't turn your back or they will all disappear very quickly!!
Best to make the coffee whilst in oven ;)

Method and Ingredients:

4oz softened unsalted butter beaten with
2oz soft light brown muscovado sugar
Beat in 1 beaten egg.
Add 1 T Baileys Irish Cream and
1 t Vanilla extract
Gently fold in 5 oz plain flour and 1/2 t baking powder.
Add about 2-4oz of a mix of white, milk and or dark chocolate chips.
Place 1 t of mixture onto baking sheet lined with paper.
Cook on 180degrees C for 10 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!

These cookies can be made by omitting the Baileys for teetotalers.

Raita : yogurt and cucumber dip

Raita

Raita is a healthy spiced yogurt and cucumber companion to cool hot curries but works equally well as a dip. My secret ingredient is dry roasted sesame and cumin seeds-now you all know it;).

Ingredients:

• 1 pot of organic yogurt
• 5-6 inches or half of an organic cucumber grated coarsely (non organic may have a waxy coating on the nutritious skin)
  
• 1/4 to 1/2 t sea salt to your taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 t freshly ground black pepper to your taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 garam masala
• 1/4 to 1/2 t smoked paprika
  
• 1/2 to 3/4 t each sesame and cumin seeds
• 1 T chopped green herb of your choice: for authentic raita add coriander, for a Greek edge add mint, chives or just add parsley( a clove of crushed garlic and 2 T parsley turn it into a good sauce to go with fritters)
• for decoration a sprinkle of red chili powder or smoked paprika or cayenne, garam masala, black pepper, sesame and cumin seeds and 2-3 coriander leaves.

Method:

1. Place a dry frying pan on gas and let it get hot.
2. Add the cumin seeds and sesame seeds into the hot pan and toss the pan around to brown the seeds without burning. They will start to pop.
3. Empty the seeds into a clean dry plate and allow to cool, while you prepare the yogurt.
4. Grate the cumber
   
5. Empty yogurt into a bowl and whisk
   
6. Add the cumber and mix
7. Add the salt, pepper, garam masala, paprika, cumin and sesame seeds(reserve a few for decorating the top).
   
8. Add the chopped coriander
9. Transfer to your serving dish and decorate the top with a sprinkling of

• garam masala
• black pepper
• paprika
• sesame seeds
• cumin seeds
• a sprig of coriander

Serve with roti, pitta, tortillas, poppadoms, carrot sticks, celery sticks, broccoli trees .............

Further variations:
The cucumber can be diced instead of grated. Also you can try adding cubed avocado, cubed tomatoes and spring onions. This trio is a great combination when served with curries!

Can I have a pink chocolate dolly cake?

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Fruit n nut cookies - with or without egg

Ingredients:

150g soft butter
1/2 cup soft dark brown sugar
1/2 cup soft light brown sugar
1 T dessicated coconut
2 T flaked almonds
2 T dried cherries
2 T chopped dried apricots
1 T pumpkin seeds
1 cup plain flour
1 t baking powder
2.5 cups oats
1 egg or 1/2 cup whipped double cream

Method:

• cream butter and sugars
• add egg or lightly whipped cream
• add flour
• add fruit n nuts n oats
• roll into balls and flatten
• cook at 160 deg C for 20 minutes
  

Simple Soya Pasta:

Just add tamari to taste!

Ayurvedic Sweets

Dry tickly cough-try this:

• Soak almonds in water overnight.
• Remove there skins
• Make a paste of the peeled almonds with a little butter and sugar

This is good for a dry cough. My daughter is very suspicious of any paste like food items, so I turned the paste into balls and coated them in sprinkles and chocolate flakes.
Now show me a child who can resist medicine which looks like sweets!

My best ever Spaghetti Bolognese

Quick, nutritious and very, very, very tasty!

The secret ingredient!

It was so good that I did not even need to add the can of kidney beans I had waiting in the aisles, but that's an option.

In hot oil add:

• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 small cinnamon stick(the rough barked  Indian type)
• 2 crushed black cardamons
• 1 t freshly ground(in PnM) coriander seeds
• 1t cumin seeds

Soon after add:

• 1 diced onion
• 2 cloves garlic crushed
• 1 T grated ginger
• 2 sticks diced celery
• 3/4 diced red pepper 
• 1 T frozen sweetcorn
• 4-5 chopped mushrooms
• 1 t salt
• 0.5 t garam masala
• 0.25 t turmeric
•  1 T chopped mild red jalapenos (see pic of jar above)
• 1 pk organic minced lamb (~400-500g)
• 1 tin tomatoes
• 1 T tomato ketchup

Cook covered for ~30mins in total, but stir at 8-10 min intervals.  Must be served with organic spelt spaghetti for maximum taste and nutrition.

Leek and Potato soup

I felt that this soup called for the herb 'tarragon', but not having any on hand I used fennel seeds which hit the spot.  Simple to make, using up the tired leeks and potatoes in the back of the fridge.  

Purple and Pink

Couldn't resist a picture of my daughter in her purple and pink top holding the beautiful purple and pink beans.  Nature knows the colours that contrast well.

Rasmalai

Simple recipe

MMMMMmmmmm Tastes as good as it looks.

I found this recipe on the www first but something about it was not working for me. I called my aunt for her recipe which I heard also uses ricotta cheese. It sounded the same but I asked her to send me the recipe. One simple stage made all the difference-Mix together by hand! Previously I had unwittingly used a whisk and the results were a close texture rather than a more crumbly open texture achieved by hand mixing. My addition to the recipe is the vanilla flavoured milk syrup and the ground cardamon.

You need:

• ricotta cheese 2 cartons
• sugar 1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on how sweet toothed you are!
• ground cardamon 1 t
• 1 pint whole milk
• 1/2-1 large can evaporated milk (or use 2 pints of milk instead)
• vanilla dusting sugar
• flaked almonds or pistachios and rose petals to decorate

1. Mix the first 3 ingredients together by hand
2. Divide the mixture into a lined 12 cup muffin pan
3. Cook in oven for 40 mins fan oven 160 degrees C (lower if using more sugar)
4. Reduce the pint of milk to half by bringing to the boil and then simmering on a low heat.
5. Add the evaporated milk and a good dusting of the vanilla icing sugar(1t)
6. Place the cooked patties into the prepared milk syrup and chill.
7. Decorate-especially good with crushed pistachios!

Chicken Noodle Soup

1. The Little Miss decided to help herself to an ice-cream from the freezer!!!
2. The freezer was left open!!!
3. The Frozen chicken legs started thawing!!!
4. I did not want to start any heavy cooking having just cleared away lunch!!!
5. Chicken Noodle Soup for dinner!!!

The Simple Base:
celery,onion, carrot, sweetcorn and a big fat juicy bay leaf from the garden:)

• Saute for 6-8 minutes
• Season with Salt n Peppa
  
• Fill pan with water
• Throw in the frozen chicken
• Bring to the boil and forget about it...
• ...until the chicken is cooked
• Remove chicken and shred
  
• Throw back into stock base with addition of dried noodles
• I use my store cupboard iron fortified ones: