Guacamole Salad

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, de-seeded, diced
• 2 avocados diced
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 mango, diced

 

Preparation method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Garnish with shredded cheese!


First time we tried this was on: April 22, 2014!

Whole Wheat Fusilli Bolognaise

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 6 rashers higher-welfare dry-cured smoked streaky bacon, sliced 1cm thick
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely sliced
• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 500 g quality British beef mince
• 200 ml red wine
• 1 x 280 g jar of sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 x 400 g tins of plum tomatoes
• 500 g dried fusilli
• Parmesan cheese
• extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Put a casserole pan on a medium heat, add a splash of olive oil then cook the bacon, rosemary, garlic and onion for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft. Add the mince and break apart any lumps with a wooden spoon. Let it cook for a couple of minutes until starting to brown then pour in the red wine.

Let that bubble away while you drain and blitz the sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor. Add them to the mince with the tinned tomatoes. Stir well and break the plum tomatoes apart a little. Cover with a lid then cook in the hot oven for 1 hour. Remove the lid after 30 minutes, and if it looks a little dry, add a splash of water to help it along.

About 10 minutes before the time is up, cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving a mugful of cooking water, then return the spaghetti to the hot pan with a few spoons of Bolognese, a good grating of Parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Mix it about to coat the spaghetti and to stop it becoming claggy, loosening with a splash of cooking water if needed. Divide the spaghetti between your plates or bowls, add a good spoonful of Bolognese to each one then shave over a little Parmesan before serving.

First time we tried this recipe was: on April 13, 2014 after a canal walk to the aqueduct!

Robyn's Banana Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 2 bananas chopped
• Optional: honey, lemons, and oranges for garnish

 

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and chopped bananas. Add the eggs, followed by the milk and 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. Continue whisking until there are no lumps.
2. Heat an 8-inch frying pan until hot, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, tilting the pan to spread the oil across the bottom. When the oil starts to smoke, pour the excess into a small bowl for later use. Return the pan to the heat. You now have a sheer coating of oil remaining on the pan.
3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into the pancake pan, tilting the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Cook until the underside of the pancake is golden brown, and then, using a spatula turn it over and cook the other side. Turn the pancake out onto an upturned dinner plate. Repeat until there is no more batter, using a bit of the reserved oil if the pan appears to be dry, or if the pancakes begin to stick. Continue to stack pancakes on top of each other on your dinner plate.
4. When finished, served the pancakes straightaway with the garnishes and the lemon and orange wedges on the side for squeezing on the pancakes.


First time we tried this recipe was: on Sunday, April 6th, 2014! Served as a treat before Nicholas' Tarragon Chicken and Roasted Veg.

 

Aubergine Stir Fry

Ingredients

• onions, wedged
• carrots, peeled and sliced
• broccoli
• red pepper
• aubergine
• Garnish: cheese cubes!

Preparation method

1. Heat the
2. Gently beat the eggs together in a mixing bowl and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. butter in an omelette pan until foaming. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook for a few seconds, until the bottom of the omelette is lightly set.
4. Push the set parts of the omelette into the uncooked centre of the omelette. Cook again, until the omelette has set further, then push those set parts into the centre of the omelette again.
5. Repeat the process until the eggs have just set but the omelette is still soft in the centre.
6. Place the cheese and three-quarters of the ham into the centre of the omelette and cook until the cheese has melted.
7. Increase the heat to high and cook the omelette for a further 30 seconds, or until it browns on the bottom.
8. Fold the omelette in half, then remove the pan from the heat and tilt it slightly to move the omelette to the edge of the pan. Slide the omelette onto a serving plate, then shape it into a neat roll. Sprinkle over the remaining ham.

First time we tried this recipe was: on April 1, 2014 after a canal walk and editing!

Red, Orange and Green Salad

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, de-seeded, diced
• 1 cucumber, diced
• cherry tomatoes
• 100ml/3fl oz extra virgin olive oil
• 50ml/3 tbsp red wine vinegar

 

Preparation method

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Garnish with chunks of cheese!


First time we tried this recipe was: on April 1, 2014 after a canal walk and editing!

Happy Birthday Nicholas!

Happy Birthday Nicholas!!

 Happy Birthday to you!!

Menu:

• Roast Pork in White Wine
• Robyn's Red, White and Green House Salad
• Chocolate Tomato Happy Birthday Cake

Chocolate Tomato Happy Birthday Cake!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups AP flour (or 1 3/4 cups plus 2 T cake flour)
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 can condensed tomato soup
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Icing Ingredients

• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• Optional: 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Preparation

• Sift together first 6 ingredients.
• Add next 5 ingredients, and beat on medium speed for 6 minutes.
• Pour into a greased and floured 9x13 pan or 2 round cake pans.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 mins. (start checking after 30 mins if making rounds)

 

Icing Preparation

• Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.
• Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in lemon peel and vanilla. 
• Cover and refrigerate until just firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

First time we tried this recipe was: for Nicholas' birthday celebration on Thursday, March 20, 2014!