Recipes – Page 7 – Bangers & Mash

Apple and mincemeat streusel slice

January 11, 2015December 14, 2018Posted in Cakes and biscuits, RecipesTagged apple, baking, cake, Christmas, coconut, mincemeat, shortcrust pastry, streusel15 Comments

If you’re anything like me, at the start of December you have all these great plans for all the foods you’re going to make from scratch for Christmas. But as the month passes by, you realise there’s no just no way you can do everything you planned and you resort, as usual, to the shop-bought versions instead. Mince pies are a case in point for me. Every year without fail, I promise myself I’ll make my own this year. And every year without fail, I end up buying them in.

So, if like me, you have a jar of mincemeat sat in your cupboard, don’t let it skulk there until next Christmas. Now that we’re into January and things have calmed down a bit, why not make the most of it by baking this gorgeous apple and mincemeat streusel slice? It’s just the ticket for cheering up a wet and dreary afternoon with a good strong cup of hot tea. Continue reading “Apple and mincemeat streusel slice” →

The festive Family Foodies round-up

January 4, 2015January 4, 2015Posted in Competitions and challenges, RecipesTagged children, Christmas, family food, Family Foodies, festive, Hanukkah, party food8 Comments

It might seem strange bringing you a round-up of festive foods at this time of year, but it just wouldn’t be right to wait until next December. So you’ll simply need to bookmark this post for when you start planning your party foods for the next festive season. Although saying that, I think you’ll find there are plenty of tempting treats in this Family Foodies round-up you’ll be keen to try out whatever the time of year. Continue reading “The festive Family Foodies round-up” →

Pot-roast chicken with soured cream and allspice

December 30, 2014December 30, 2014Posted in Meat, RecipesTagged allspice, chicken, pot roast, soured cream7 Comments

It’s a slightly old-fashioned kind of dish but I’m rather partial to a pot-roast chicken. It’s the easiest way to guarantee a succulent, perfectly moist bird, especially when you slaver it in plenty of butter too.

This pot roast is very much like the Poulet a l’Estragon I made in France and featured on the blog last year. But whereas that one is a wonderfully aromatic summer dish, this pot-roast is a subtly spiced winter warmer. Continue reading “Pot-roast chicken with soured cream and allspice” →

Easy filling ideas for party vol au vents

December 20, 2014June 10, 2017Posted in Meat, RecipesTagged apple, chicken, cinnamon, cream cheese, egg, Family Foodies, ham, party food, smoked salmon, soured cream, vol-au-vent, yoghurt6 Comments

Right up there with mini cocktail sausages and cheese and pineapple chunks on sticks, vol-au-vents are the epitome of 1970s retro chic when it comes to party food. Continue reading “Easy filling ideas for party vol au vents” →

Guest post from Budget Pantry: Vietnamese ‘Bo Kho’ Minced Meat Noodles

December 16, 2014December 15, 2014Posted in Meat, RecipesTagged beef, bo kho, minced meat, noodles, pork, vietnam, vietnamese, WORLDFOODS1 Comment

I’m thrilled to be handing over the reins of my blog today to the lovely Singapore-based Chris from Budget Pantry. We’ve been partnered up by WORLDFOODS to take part in their International Fusion Recipe Swap Challenge. Today I bring you Chris’ very tempting recipe for Vietnamese ‘Bo Kho’ Minced Meat Noodles, while over on her blog you’ll find my Spicy Beef Cobbler.

So without further ado, I hand you over to Chris… Continue reading “Guest post from Budget Pantry: Vietnamese ‘Bo Kho’ Minced Meat Noodles” →

Swiss roll ice cream cake

December 6, 2014December 14, 2018Posted in Puddings and desserts, RecipesTagged cake, children, Christmas, Family Foodies, ice cream, lorraine pascale, Swiss roll10 Comments

This is going to sound nutty but I’ve started watching cookery shows at six in the morning. I’m on a desperate get-healthy-lose-weight kick and so, as well as going back on the 5:2 diet, I’ve also started getting up half an hour earlier than I need to in order to fit in some exercise time. And I’ve found one of the best ways of taking my mind off all the stomach crunches and tricep dips is to watch celebrity chefs on the Food Network at the same time. I know. It’s not normal behaviour, is it?

The other morning I found myself drooling while I worked out as Lorraine Pascale made her Swiss Roll Bowl Cake. It looked so insanely easy and yet such a work of genius at the same time, I decided there and then I had to make it. My kids would love it, and I only need have the tiniest sliver. What’s more it’s frozen, so it’ll be around for a while. Plenty of time to have a few tiny slivers. On non 5:2 fast days, of course. Continue reading “Swiss roll ice cream cake” →

Salt and pepper chocolate truffles

November 30, 2014November 30, 2014Posted in Puddings and desserts, RecipesTagged black pepper, Caramac, chocolate, dark chocolate, peppercorn, salt, salted caramel, strawberry, truffle, white chocolate5 Comments

Now these truffles really won’t be everybody’s cup of tea, but I personally rather liked the result of my latest exploits with chocolate. Continue reading “Salt and pepper chocolate truffles” →

Quick salmon salad for lunch on the go

November 29, 2014November 30, 2014Posted in Fish, RecipesTagged orange, rocket, salad, salmon, walnut6 Comments

As a working mother, it can be difficult to get the balance right between family life and work life. I can’t say I always get it 100% right. All too often when I’m with the kids, for example, I’ll be thinking about work stuff, and I constantly find myself worrying about the house or the family when my head should really be in work mode.

I’ve got pretty good, I think, at making sure the family eats well. Meal planning, combined with cooking way more than we need at weekends to stock the freezer with homemade ready meals, has been my saving grace. However I’m not always so great at feeding myself on the days when I’m in the office. I am making a conscious effort to put that right though. Continue reading “Quick salmon salad for lunch on the go” →

Black pepper chicken

November 27, 2014November 30, 2014Posted in Meat, RecipesTagged black pepper, chicken, curry, kerala, pepper, the spice trail1 Comment

I’d love to tell you some story about how I first came across this black pepper chicken curry when I was backpacking around India, or how I discovered it in some wonderful Keralan restaurant. But in fact this was the first time I’ve tried this recipe and it was the result of looking up inspiration for pepper recipes online.

When I started researching something to cook for this month’s Spice Trail challenge, which has peppercorns as its theme, Kerala-style dishes came up again and again. I suppose this isn’t surprising really, since black pepper is thought to originate from the rainforests of Kerala in southern India and it’s still one of the main producers of the spice. Continue reading “Black pepper chicken” →

Brussels sprout and red cabbage slaw

November 26, 2014November 30, 2014Posted in Recipes, VegetarianTagged Brussels Sprout, coleslaw, red cabbage, salad, slaw19 Comments

People are often taken aback when I tell them my children enjoy Brussels sprouts. A few months ago I was invited on BBC Radio Bristol as a parenting expert (me, a parenting expert!) to talk about fussy eaters, and when I mentioned both my girls like sprouts the presenter was flabbergasted.

Perhaps it’s because we eat them all year round and not just at Christmas. Or maybe it’s because I don’t overcook them until they turn to soggy green mush. Of course, there are plenty of other foods they’ll turn their noses up at, but their love of sprouts does make me a teeny bit proud.

If your kids don’t like cooked sprouts, they might possibly prefer them raw, as in this simple slaw. Here’s they’re chopped up fairly finely, along with red cabbage, dried cranberries and a few nuts and seeds. It’s a great way to use up all those extra sprouts you always seem to end up with in the fridge at Christmas time. Continue reading “Brussels sprout and red cabbage slaw” →