Potato, bacon and onion in cheese sauce

Ingredients
2 small potatoes (sliced)
1 onion (sliced)
3 slices of bacon (chopped)
25g butter
packet of cheese sauce (to make about 150ml)
1 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp poppy seeds

1. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the potatoes and onions for 10 minutes.

2. Add the bacon and cook for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and poppy seeds

3. Make the cheese sauce according to packet instructions and pour over the other ingredients in the pan

4 Stir well and serve immediately

Serves 1

Fish lasagne

Ingredients

250g lasagne sheets
2 white fish fillets

100g tin tuna
500g tomato pasta sauce
500g white lasagne sauce
50g cheddar, grated
2 tsp parsley 

1 tsp garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4

2. Break up the fish and fry for 10 minutes

3. Stir in the tuna, bolognese sauce and herbs and heat through for 5 minutes

4. Place a layer of lasagne sheets in the bottom of a baking tin / dish

5. Spread half of the mixture on top, then another layer of lasagne sheets, then mixture, then lasagne sheets

6. Spread the white sauce over the top and sprinkle the grated cheese over

7. Bake for 30 minutes

Serves 4

Chewy cherry biscuits

Ingredients
30g demerara (brown) sugar
50g butter
3 tablespoon golden syrup
50g plain flour
50g glace cherries (chopped)
30g cornflakes (crushed)

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4. Grease 2 baking trays

2. Melt the sugar, butter and golden syrup over a low heat. Stir in the flour

3. Add the cherries and cornflakes and stir

4. Put spoonfuls of the mixture onto the trays, well spaced out

5. Bake for 10 minutes

Makes about 10

Tuna pasta bake

Ingredients
150g pasta
100g tinned tuna
400g tomato pasta sauce
50g sweetcorn
200ml water
Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4

2. Put all ingredients into a baking tin (except the cheese) and stir well

3. Sprinkle the cheese over the top

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes

Serves 2

Feta filo parcels

Ingredients
3 sheets filo pastry
100g feta cheese, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp dried parsley

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2. Lie the pastry sheets on top of each other and cut into 12 squares (3x4)

3. Take each square (3 layers) and push into the holes in a baking tin (as shown in photo)

4. Mix the cheese, egg and parsley together and put equal amounts into each pastry

5. Scrunch up the corners of each pastry to make a little parcel and brush with a small amount of milk or beaten egg

6. Bake for 15 minutes

Feta, sundried tomato and basil quiche

Ingredients

Savoury pastry case
2 medium eggs
150ml single cream
100g feta cheese, crumbled
100g sundried tomatoes
Fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 6

2. Place the tomatoes, cheese and basil into the pastry case.

3. Beat the eggs, add the single cream and mix

4. Pour into the pastry case

5. Bake for 30 mins

Salmon with couscous and tomato sauce

Ingredients
1 salmon fillet
50g couscous
1 chicken stock cube
300ml water
200g tin of chopped tomatoes
1tsp dill
Parsley, chopped
Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Season the salmon and fry for 10 minutes, turning over halfway through.

2. Add the tomatoes, dill and water and bring to the boil. Crumble the stock cube in and stir.

3. Add the couscous and simmer until water has absorbed.

4. Stir in the parsley, put on a plate and sprinkle the cheese over

Serves 1

Chicken and bacon risotto

Ingredients
75g risotto rice
1 chicken breast, chopped into chunks
3 slices of bacon, chopped
1 onion
50g peas
1 chicken stock cube
400ml water
rosemary and thyme

1. Boil the water and dissolve the stock cube, keep it hot.

2. Fry the chicken, onion and bacon until they are all cooked.

3. Add the rice, peas and some of the stock. Stir and cook until it has been absorbed then add some more, gradually until all of the stock is absorbed

4. Stir in the herbs

Serves 1

Cheese and bacon potato salad

Ingredients
150g small potatoes (or larger ones cut up)
3 slices bacon
5 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp parmesan, grated
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp chives

1. Boil the potatoes for 20-25 minutes until cooked. Meanwhile fry the bacon

2. Mix the mayonnaise, parmesan, poppy seeds, parsley and chives together in a bowl

3. Add the potatoes and bacon and mix well

Serves 1

Spicy chicken

Ingredients
1 chicken breast fillet
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
Pinch of salt and pepper
Breadcrumbs (3 slices of bread, no crusts)

1. Mix together the flour, salt, pepper, mustard powder, paprika, oregano

2. Coat the chicken in the flour mixture, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes

Serves 1

Rocky road

Ingredients
300g plain chocolate, broke up
125, butter
100g digestive biscuits, broken into small chunks
100g mini marshmallows
3 tbsp golden syrup

1. Line a square tin (about 20 x 20cm) with greaseproof paper

2. Melt the chocolate  and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water

3. Stir in the golden syrup and biscuits

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallows

5. Pour into the tin and leave to cool then put in the fridge until ready to eat

Makes about 20

Fish in tomato and onion sauce

Ingredients
600g white fish fillets
500g jar tomato pasta sauce
2 small onions, chopped
100g parmesan
dried parsley
dried basil

1. Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F / gas 5

2. Fry the onions until soft then place in a baking dish.

3. Pour the sauce over the onions and stir well, stir in the herbs.

4. Place the fish in the middle of the dish and cover with some of the sauce.

5. Sprinkle the parmesan over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes

Serves 4

Baked eggs with tomato and chorizo

Ingredients
50g chorizo, chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 red onion, chopped
2 eggs
1/2 tsp garlic powder
oregano
parsley

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6. Grease a small baking dish

2. Fry the chorizo and onion for 5 minutes

3. Add the tomatoes and garlic powder and heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently

4. Stir in the herbs then put the mixture into the dish, make a hollow in the middle

5. Break 2 eggs into the hollow, season and bake for 15 minutes or until the eggs are cooked

Creamy pork and rice

Ingredients
500g pork, chopped
1 red onion, chopped
200g rice
500ml water
chicken stock cube
2 tsp paprika
1 tbsp tomato puree
100ml creme fraiche
parsley
chives

1. Fry the pork and onion until cooked.

2. Dissolve the stock cube in the water and pour over the pork and onion. Add the rice

3. Add the tomato puree, paprika and parsley

4. Stir well then cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally

5. Stir in the creme fraiche and chives and cook for another 5 minutes

Serves 4

Creamy pasta with chorizo

Ingredients
300g pasta
200g chorizo, chopped
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
100ml creme fraiche
oregano
basil

1. Boil the pasta for 5-10 minutes until cooked

2. Fry the chorizo for 5 minutes then add the tomatoes

3. Stir in the pasta and herbs and cook for 5 minutes

4. Stir in the creme fraiche and cook for another 5 minutes

Serves 4

Fish goujons

Ingredients
400g white fish
flour
egg, beaten
2 slices bread, grated into breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2. Cut fish into about 5 cm long chunks and season

3. Roll in flour, then egg then coat with breadcrumbs

4. Wrap in foil and place on a baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes

5. Open up foil and cook for another 10 minutes until breadcrumbs are golden

Serves 4

Ciabatta sandwich

Ingredients
1 ciabatta loaf
sun dried tomatoes
mozzarella
green pesto
dried basil
olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2. Cut the loaf in half and spread the pesto over the bottom half

3. Place the sun dried tomatoes on top, sprinkle over some dried basil then put the mozarella on, then the top half of the loaf

4. Bake for 15 minutes then drizzle the olive oil over the sandwich and sprinkle with more basil

Serves 1

Sausage rolls

Ingredients
5 sausages, skins peeled off
2 sheets puff pastry

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6. Grease 2 baking trays

2. Lie the pastry out on a board and lie the sausage at one end

3. Roll the pastry, with the sausage over until it meets. Wet the pastry where it meets and press down. Cut along the length of the pastry

4. Cut the long roll into 3-4cm pieces and place on the baking tray

5. Repeat with the rest of the sausage and pastry. Then brush each sausage roll with milk

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden

Chicken pie

Ingredients
4 chicken fillets, chopped
1 leek, chopped
100g sweetcorn
300ml milk
2 chicken stock cubes
puff pastry (enough to cover 4 pie dishes)
1tsp sage

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2. Fry the chicken and leek for 10 minutes until cooked

3. Dissolve the stock cube in the milk and pour over the chicken and leek

4. Add the sweetcorn and sage and mix well. Heat for about 2 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly

5. Cut the pastry into the shapes for the pie dishes

6. Divide the mixture between the 4 dishes and place pastry on top of each one

7. Brush with milk, make a hole in the middle of each pastry lid and bake for 30 minutes

Serves 4

Potato cakes

Ingredients
400g potatoes, boiled and grated
200g carrots, grated
1 onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2. Fry the onion until soft.

3. Mix together the potato, carrot and onion. Season and stir in the egg.

4. Shape the mixture into burger shapes and place on a greased baking tray

5. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over then bake for another 15 minutes

Makes approx 12

Toad in the hole

Ingredients
2 sausages
1 egg
60g flour
150ml milk

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6. Grease a baking tin

2. Put the sausage in the tin and bake for 20 minutes

3. Meanwhile mix the flour, egg and milk together, season then whisk until smooth.

4. Remove the tin with the sausages from the oven, immediately pour the batter over the sausages and return to the oven for another 20 minutes until batter has puffed up and cooked

Serves 1

Breaded salmon with hollandaise sauce and parsley

Ingredients
1 salmon fillet
egg, beaten
flour
2 slices bread, crusts cut off
1tsp dill
hollandaise sauce
fresh parsely, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2.  Grate the bread into breadcrumbs, stir in the dill and lie out on a plate

3.  Dip the salmon into the flour, then the egg, then coat with the breadcrumbs

4. Wrap in foil and bake for 20 minutes, open up the foil and bake for a further 10 minutes

5. Make/heat the hollandaise sauce according to instructions and mix in the chopped parsley

6. Place the salmon on a plate and pour the sauce over

Serves 1

Fish Pie

Ingredients
500g white fish and/or salmon
500g potatoes, peeled, boiled and mashed
400ml milk
10 black peppercorns
50g butter
40g plain flour
1tsp dill
1tsp parsley
1tsp lemon juice
50g cheddar cheese (grated)

1. Place the fish in a pan and cover with the milk. Add the peppercorns and heat for 10 minutes until cooked.

2. Preheat oven to 190°C / 375°F / gas 5

3. Remove the fish from the pan and place in an ovenproof dish. Remove the peppercorns and discard. Keep the milk

4. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour, stir in the milk and bring to the boil. Keep stirring into a thick sauce. Season

5. Pour the sauce over the fish in the dish, add the lemon juice, parsley and dill and stir well

6. Put the mashed potato over the top and sprinkle the cheese over

7. Bake for 30 minutes

Serves 4

Lasagne

Ingredients
250g lasagne sheets
500g minced beef
500g tomato pasta sauce
500g white lasagne sauce
1 onion, chopped
50g cheddar, grated
basil, oregano

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4

2. Fry the onion until soft then add the mince and cook until the mince has browned

3. Stir in the bolognese sauce and herbs and heat through for 5 minutes

4. Place a layer of lasagne sheets in the bottom of a baking tin / dish

5. Spread half of the mixture on top, then another layer of lasagne sheets, then mixture, then lasagne sheets

6. Spread the white sauce over the top and sprinkle the grated cheese over

7. Bake for 30 minutes

Serves 4

Feta, tomato and basil triangles

Ingredients
270g pack of filo pastry (6 sheets)
125g feta cheese, crumbled
3 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp dried basil

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6. Grease 2 baking trays

2. Mix the cheese, tomato puree and basil together

3. Open out the filo pastry sheets and cut in half (across the width) then cut each half into 3 equal strips.

4. Take 2 strips of pastry and lie on top of each other on a board

5. Put a spoonful of the cheese mixture on one end of the strip and fold the corner over to make a triangle shape

6. Now fold that over, and continue along the strip until it is all wrapped up into a neat parcel

7. Brush with milk and place on a baking tray.

8. Repeat with the rest of the strips, then bake for 15 minutes until pastry is golden and crispy

Pancakes

Ingredients

50g plain flour

150ml milk

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 medium egg

pinch of salt

1. Heat some oil in a pan.

2. Put the flour, salt, egg and oil in a bowl, add half of the milk and whisk into a thick paste

3. Add the rest of the milk and whisk into a batter that coats the back of a spoon 

4. Put a ladleful of the batter into the pan, swirl around to spread into a thin circle

5. Heat for 30 seconds then turn over and cook for a further 30 seconds. Serve with desired topping (I used golden syrup)

Makes 3-4 pancakes

Minced Beef Pies

Ingredients
500g minced beef
1 onion, chopped
1 sheet puff pastry, cut into 4 shapes to cover each pie dish
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 beef stock cube
250ml water
2 tbsp tomato puree

1. Fry the mince and onion until cooked.

2. Add the worcestershire sauce and water then stir in the stock cube. Cover and cook for 20 minutes

3. Preheat oven to 220°C / 425°F / gas 7

4. Season the mixture, stir in the tomato puree and place in the pie dishes

5. Place the pastry on top of each pie and brush with milk or beaten egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes

Serves 4

Sausage and mash bake

Ingredients
400g sausages
800g potatoes
400ml water
2tbsp onion gravy granules
25g butter
1tsp sage

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas 4

2. Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes then mash with the butter

3. Grill the sausages for 25-30 minutes then place in a baking tray/dish

4. Mix the water, gravy granules and sage and stir well. Pour over the sausages in the tray/dish

5. Spread the mash over the sausages

6. Bake for 30 minutes

Serves 4

Chicken and Rice Hotpot

Ingredients
2 chicken fillets (chopped into chunks)
75g rice
1 small onion (or half of a large one), chopped
300ml water
1 chicken stock cube
1 tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme

1. Fry the chicken and onion for 5 minutes until cooked

2. Add the water, chicken stock cube and rice and stir. Season, add the herbs and stir.

3. Cook on a medium heat for 30 minutes

Serves 1

Salmon and feta filo parcel

Ingredients

1 salmon fillet

2 sheets filo pastry

25g feta cheese

Dried basil and dill

1. Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6

2. Lie 2 sheets of filo pastry on top of each other then fold in half to make 4 layers. Lie on a baking tray

3. Crumble the feta in the middle of the pastry. Sprinkle the herbs over the cheese

4. Place the salmon on top of the cheese and brush with milk

5. Fold the corners of the pastry over the salmon to make a parcel. 

6. Brush the parcel with milk and bake for 25 minutes until the pastry is golden

Serves 1

Pizza spirals

Ingredients
1 sheet of ready rolled puff pastry
1 tbsp tomato puree
1tsp dried herbs (I used oregano and basil)
50g cheddar cheese (grated)

1.  Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas 6. Grease a baking tray

2. Mix together the tomato puree and herbs. Spread over the sheet of puff pastry leaving a 2cm space at one end

3. Sprinkle on the cheese and roll up tightly. Brush the edge of the pastry (where you left a space) with water and seal

4. Cut into 1cm thick slices and place on the baking tray

5. Bake for 10-15 minutes