TASTY ON IT'S OWN OR NOT

GRATIN DE COURGETTE SURPRISE - Serves 4/6


1kg courgettes sliced
500g grated cheese
1kg tomatoes sliced
2 large onions sliced to rings
2 eggs beaten
1/2 a cup of milk
salt & pepper


In a large oven proof dish arrange a layer of courgettes, then tomatoes, then onions and sprinkle with some of the cheese.
Continue the same until you have used all the courgettes, tomatoes and onions, saving some cheese to sprinkle on top.
Beat the milk, egg and salt & pepper, (as much as you wish), together and pour over the courgette ingredients.
Bake in a pre-heated oven at 175° for 1 hour until golden brown, lowering oven temperature after 30 minutes if required.
Serve hot on it's own or as a side dish.

HOT & TASTY LIKE MOTHER USED TO MAKE

CHEESY POTATO PIE - serves 4

1kg large potatoes peeled & chopped for mashing

500g cheddar or similar cheese grated

3 large tomatoes 2 diced 1 sliced round

2 medium onions sliced round

a little milk

salt & pepper

2oz butter or margarine

Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain, and put back into saucepan.

Add the butter, a little milk to soften, and a good helping of pepper.

Mash thoroughly until smooth.

Add 3/4 of the grated cheese, the chopped tomatoes and the onion and mix thoroughly.

Transfer into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and decorate with the tomato rounds.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 150° until bubbling and golden brown.

Serve hot either on it's own or with baked beans.

A SEA LOVERS STARTER

SCALLOPS A LA PROVENCALE - serves 4 - a real taste of southern France

8oog Fresh or frozen (thawed) scallops

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic crushed or diced

2 dessert spoons white wine

2 dessert spoons chopped parsley

75g butter

2 tblsp flour

Lettuce to decorate

Dry scallops with kitchen roll.

Melt butter over low heat in a frying pan.

Add the onion, cook until soft. Meanwhile, coat the scallops in flour.

Add the scallops, garlic, parsley and white wine to the frying pan, cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Serve immediately on a bed of lettuce.

THE PERFECT SNACK OR APPETIZER

PARTY - SIZE SAVOURY MEAT PATTIES - Makes 12

500g sausage meat

500g minced beef

2 eggs beaten

80g quick cook porridge oats

1 tsp sage

1 small onion diced

4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly mixed.

Divide mixture into 12 parts and shape into thick patties.

Arrange the patties on a lined baking tray leaving space between them for growth.

Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes.

Serve hot with vegetables, or cold with pickles & salad, or even just by itself.

Speedy Soup

HOT MINESTRONE SOUP - THE FAST WAY - SERVES 4

1 large can mixed diced vegetables in juice

1 large can peeled chopped tomatoes

1 clove garlic crushed

2 dessert spoons tomato puree

salt & pepper

Pour mixed vegetables, tomatoes and tomato puree into a saucepan.

Add crushed garlic, salt & pepper to taste, stir well.

Warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until piping hot.

Serve with hot crusty bread rolls.

CHOCOLATE HEAVEN

QUICKIE DOUBLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE - SERVES 6 - takes approx 10 minutes to make

50g soft butter

125g dark chocolate broken into squares

125g white chocolate broken into squares

60 ml boiled water

150g marshmallows

1 tub creme fraiche (or sour cream) approx 285ml

fresh mint sprigs

Put marshmallows, chocolate, butter and water in a thick-based saucepan.

Stir over medium heat until melted, then remove from heat.

Fold in the creme fraiche until smooth.

Pour into 6 small, (approx 125ml), glasses, and decorate with mint leaves, then chill for at least 10 minutes.

A perfect dinner party starter

SUCCULENT PATE STUFFED MUSHROOMS - SERVES 4

8 large white mushrooms cleaned and de-stalked

1 pack pate de foie (liver pate), or other pate of your choice

1 pack breadcrumbs

2 eggs beaten

4 tbs flour

oil for shallow frying

Spoon pate in the middle of up turned mushrooms until just over full.

Dip mushrooms first into flour to coat, then coat with egg, then coat with breadcrumbs.

Shallow fry on low heat until golden brown.

Serve immediately on a bed of salad with a sprinkling of parsley.

My secret festive dessert

THIS IS MY SECRET CHRISTMAS PUDDING RECIPE. EASY TO MAKE AND VERY POPULAR - I GET ORDERS FROM ALL THE FAMILY AS EARLY AS JULY. FOR BEST RESULTS, COOK AT LEAST ONE MONTH BEFORE CHRISTMAS.

50g plain flour

1/2 tsp ground mixed spice

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

50g shredded beef suet

50 g fresh breadcrumbs

50g soft light brown sugar

175g raisins

175g sultanas

25g mixed chopped peel

1 eating apple peeled & grated

1 carrot peeled & grated

25g blanched chopped almonds

grated rind & juice of 1/2 lemon

grated rind of 1/2 orange

2 tsp black treacle

65ml barley wine (can be substituted with ordinary white wine or sherry)

1 tbsp brandy

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl or pan, mix thoroughly together,(let all family members have a stir for good luck).

Cover & leave in refrigerator overnight.

Grease well a 2 pint ovenproof pudding basin, spoon the mixture into the basin making sure to pack down with the back of a spoon.

Cover with pleated greaseproof paper and the 2 layers of tin foil and secure with string.

Steam in a saucepan for 6 hours.

Cool, remove covers and turn out of the basin. Cover with greaseproof paper & tin foil and store in a cool dry place until christmas.

This can be re-heated on christmas day either by putting back in basin, re-covering & steaming for 2 hours or (my choice), approx 6 minutes in the microwave, without the basin. Happy Christmas!!!

MY FAVOURITE PIE

Tasty home made quiche - my style - serves 6

1 pack puff pastry ready rolled round
1 pack diced bacon bits

1 onion peeled & sliced to rings

2 medium tomatoes sliced to rings

200 gms grated cheese (cheddar/emmentale/or other hard cheese)

4 eggs beaten

1/2 cup of milk

Salt & pepper

Place pastry into a well greased 12 inch tart dish, prick the pastry with a fork.

Sprinkle the bacon over the pastry, followed by the onions.

Arrange the tomato over the top.

Cover with grated cheese.

Mix the beaten eggs & milk together flavouring with salt & pepper.

Pour the mixture over the quiche.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 150 degrees until golden brown & firm to touch.

Serve hot or cold with jacket potato.

Easy pastry bake

HOME MADE CORNISH PASTY, MY WAY - SERVES 4





1 pack puff pastry ready rolled round
250 grams minced beef
2 carrots peeled & diced
1 large onion peeled & diced
1 large potato peeled & diced
1 egg to bind
salt & pepper
a little milk

Mix together the minced beef, carrots, onions and potatoAdd beaten egg and salt & pepper, mix thoroughly.Lay mixture across the middle of the pastry.Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little milk, and pull one side of the pastry over to meet the other forming a half moon shape, and seal together as shown in the picture.Bake at 150° for about 45 mins turning oven up after 35 mins to brown if necessary.Serve hot or cold with salad and crispy bread.

Hot potatoes

FRENCH POMMES GRILLADINE - For 4 pers

4 large baking potatoes

1 small pot single cream

1 clove garlic

2 dessert spoons fresh or dried parsley

1 knob of butter

Boil potatoes in their skins until cooked, leave to cool.

Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out flesh of potatoes with a teaspoon, (leaving a small wall of potato inside the skin so as it doesn't collapse), and put into a bowl.

Mash the potato flesh until smooth, add the cream, butter, garlic & parsley and mix together.

Put the mixture back into the potato halves and push together to make a whole stuffed potato.

Place on baking tray and bake in pre-heated oven until browned. serve hot with steak or fish.

My favourite winter warmer

SAVOURY BLACK BEAN & BACON CASSEROLE - makes 6 - cheap, quick & easy

2 cans baked beans in tomato sauce
1 can red kidney beans
1 large can peeled chopped tomatoes
2 medium onions cut into rings
10 rashers streaky bacon
1 oxo cube, or beef stock cube
2 tbl spoons gravy thickener
salt & pepper to flavour

In a large casserole dish, put the beans, kidney beans, tomatoes and onions, mix together.
Stir in the salt, pepper, oxo & gravy thickener until well mixed.
Lay bacon rashers over the top, and cover with tin foil.
Bake in pre-heated oven at 175° for about 2 hours, lowering heat if bubbling over.
Stir occasionally.
Serve hot with creamy mash potatoes, or simply with crispy hot baguette.