Lamb, asparagus and mushrooms

Here’s something which we’ve put together for the evening meal tonight – all served with a jacket sweet potato! Yum, who knew Wednesday nights could be such fun!

Ingredients
2 lamb steaks
4 large mushrooms
Chunk of blue cheese
8-10 asparagus spears
1 large tomato

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C or gas mark 4.
2. Place the mushrooms in a large dish – slice some blue cheese on top of each, and top with a thick slice of tomato. Grind some black pepper on top.
3. Lay the asparagus in the dish.
4. Place the lamb on top of the asparagus.
5. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

Deep filled savoury tarts

Ingredients

• 4 filo sheets, cut into 4
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tb milk
• A few twists of black pepper
• Oil
• Fillings, such as:

- 100g goats cheese (sliced), 1 cooked beetroot (sliced) and 1 Tb parmesan (grated)

- 100g Cheddar (grated) and 2 rashers grilled bacon (sliced)

- 100g Red Leicester cheese (grated), 2 spring onions (chopped) and 1 slice ham (cur into strips)

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5.

2. Oil 4 ramakin dishes.

3. Place 4 quarters of filo into each ramakin.

4. Share the ‘filling’ ingredients between the ramakins.

5. Beat the egg, milk and black pepper together, then pour into the ramakins.

6. Place the ramakins in a baking tray and cook for 20-25 minutes.

 

Top tips

* Serve with a tasty salad.

* Go for different fillings – just use your imagination (or what’s let in the fridge)!

* Instead of ramakins, use muffin trays.

Coffee & Oreo Brownies

Ingredients

• 75g butter
• 20g cocoa
• 3tsp instant coffee
• 225g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 75g plain flour
• 5-6 Oreo cookies, broken into thirds
• 1tsp instant coffee
• 3-4Tb hot water
• 175g icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4.

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, remove from the hob and stir in the cocoa, coffee and sugar.

3. Stir in the eggs, followed by the flour.

4. Pour into a greased/lined baking tin (we used a 18cm square tin).

5. Push the pieces of Oreo cookie into the mixture.

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

7. Allow to cool completely.

8. Make up the instant coffee – pour 1-2 Tbs into 100g icing sugar.

9. Spread over the surface of the brownie.

10. Mix together the remaining coffee and icing to form a slightly darker colour – pop into an icing bag and pipe lines over the brownie.

11. When the icing is set, cut into pieces.

 

Top tips

* In a rush? Don’t bother with the icing!

* No pipping bag? Don’t worry, make a square from greaseproof paper, cut into 2 triangles and roll-up one piece into a cone. Fill with icing and cut a nozzle at one end.

* Instead of oreo cookies, why not try pecan, hazelnuts or walnuts?

Courgette and Lentil Bake

Ingredients

• 180g red lentils
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 Tb oil
• 4 large mushrooms, sliced
• 1 courgette, grated
• 1 egg, beaten
• 75g Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or gas mark 6.

2. Boil the red lentils for 10-15 minutes, until soft.

3. While the lentils cook, gently fry the onion and garlic for 4-5 minutes.

4. Add the mushrooms and fry for another 4-5 minutes.

5. Stir in the courgette and continue to cook until the lentils are ready.

6. Drain the lentils.

7. In a bowl, stir the vegetables, lentils, egg, cheese and herbs together.

8. Place into a baking dish and bake for 20-30 minutes.

 

Top tips

*For a healthy dinner, serve with steamed baby veg and boiled new potatoes.

Blue Cheese, Pear and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• Small chunk blue cheese, cit into small cubes
• 1 pear, cored and sliced
• 8-10 sun-dried tomatoes, cut in half
• 3-4 cooked beetroot, cut into wedges
• Rocket leaves
• Dressing

 

Method

1. Prepare all the ingredients.

2. Arrange the leaves on a serving plate.

3. Decorate the leaves with the cheese, pear, tomatoes and beetroot.

4. Pour over a little dressing.

5. Serve and enjoy.

 

Top tips

*For a tangy change, why not substitute the Pear for peach or orange segments?

Basic ravioli

Yes, sounds complicated – but is actually quite simple, fun to make and tastes wonderful. If you don’t have a pasta maker, use a rolling pin!

Ingredients

• 200g ’00’ flour (strong flour)
• 2 large eggs
• large bag of spinach
• 1 tub ricotta cheese
• a little black pepper

Method

1. Mix the flour and eggs together to form a soft dough – cover in cling film and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

2. Cook and drain the spinach.

3. When the spinach is cool, mix with the ricotta cheese and a few twists of black pepper.

4. Run the pasta through the pasta machine to make long sheets – you’ll need to do this several times to get smooth, elastic sheets.

5. Spoon a little cheese mixture along the sheets.

6. Brush the surrounding area with water and fold over the sheet.

7. Using a ravioli wheel (or knife), cut into ravioli shapes.

8. Cook in boiling water for 2 minutes.

9. Serve with a basic tomato sauce or splash of olive oil, black pepper and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Top tips

* For a change of filling, try cooked butternut squash with applewood Chedder, or chicken, mushroom and sage.

Marmite, cheese & mushroom panini

Ingredients

• 2 panini rolls
• marmite
• Cheddar cheese, sliced
• 1 mushroom, sliced

 

Method

1. Preheat the panini toaster.

2. Cut the bread in half.

3. Spread with marmite, then add the cheese and mushrooms.

4. Close the rolls and place in the panini toaster for about 4 minutes.

 

Top tips

*If you haven’t got a panini toaster (well, how many of us do?), then simply use the grill (a bit like making cheese on toast) or get a frying pan really hot.

*Go for these fillingsL pesto, tomato and basil – roasted vey and brie – or – tune, cheese and red onion.

Easy choc-choc muffins

OK, these aren’t really muffins – but my niece (aged 8) really enjoyed making them. They are simple and delicious!

 

Ingredients

• 120g self raising flour
• 100g soft margarine or butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 75g choc chips

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or gas 6.

2. Beat the flour, margarine/butter, sugar and eggs together until fluffy.

3. Stir in the choc-chips.

4. Evenly divide the mixture between 12 muffin cases.

5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden.

 

Top tips

*Add some walnuts or pecan nuts.

*Try chopped pineapple and coconut, or white chocolate and macadamia nuts.

*Make some butter icing and top for a treat!

*Don’t bother with the muffin cases – bake into 1 large cake.

Stilton Baked Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 large flat mushrooms
• 1/2 slice wholemeal bread
• 1/2 small red onion, peeled
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• a few bits of fresh rosemary
• 1 Tb parmesan, grated
• 4 slices Stilton cheese

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C or gas 6.

2. Place the mushrooms in a shallow baking dish.

3. Blitz th

 

e bread, onion, garlic and rosemary in a food processor – so chop up yourself.

4. Stir in the parmesan into the bread mix.

5. Place a slice of Stilton on top of each mushroom.

6. Spoon over a little breadcrumb mix.

7. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

 

Top tips

*Just bake the mushrooms with the stilton – forget the topping, delicious!

*Try different types of cheeses.

*Use small mushrooms – perhaps for a starter?

Slow roasted tomato risotto

Ingredients

• 8-10 tomatoes
• 1 onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 1 Tablespoon oil
• 3 field mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 225g risotto rice
• 1 glass white wine
• 850ml stock
• 10-12 fresh butter beans
• 25g parmesan, grated
• a few twists of black pepper

 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C or gas 4.

2. Place the tomatoes in a baking dish, cut crosses on top, sprinkle with oil, salt and pepper and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes (longer if you have time).

3. Fry the onion and garlic for 5-8mins, until softened.

4. Stir in the mushrooms and continue to cook for a further 5 mins.

5. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 mins.

6. Pour in the wine and stir. Add the butter beans.

7. Add a little stock, stir in and allow to cook. When the stock has been absorbed, stir in more stock. Continue this until the rice is al dente.

8. When the rice is cooked, stir in the cheese and pepper.

9. Place the tomatoes on top.