Leftover lamb turned into a yummy curry!

Mum and dad cooked the most fantastic roast lamb on Easter Sunday. As with any roast there's usually some meat left over and I'm definitely not one for throwing it away. Dad challenged me to rustle something up using the leftovers from Sunday and I turned it into a really tasty curry!

Ingredients:

Left over lamb cut into chunks
2tsp ground ginger
1tsp chilli powder
1tbsp curry powder
1 onion diced
1/2 tsp garlic
Vegetable oil
1/2 bag of spinach
1tsp mustard seeds
1 red pepper cut into chunks
Tin of chopped tomatoes
Tin of reduced fat coconut milk

Method:

Put the diced onion, ginger, garlic, chilli and curry powder in a blender with a glug of oil and a handful of spinach and blend until it makes a paste.

In a wok heat up some oil and add the mustard seeds. Once you hear the seeds pop add the red pepper and fry for a few mins. Add the curry paste you've blended up and stir.

Add the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk and bring to the boil. Add in the lamb and simmer for about 20 mins. Add in a few more handfuls of spinach and once it's wilted you're ready to dish up! Easy as that......

Enjoy
Laura x

Crunchy chocolate orange traybake

This 'no bake' traybake is unbelievably easy and sooooo nice too! I made a couple of trays for Alice's birthday party for all the parents to enjoy with a cuppa and boy did it go down well!

My recipe makes 2 trays.

3 Terry's chocolate orange (milk Choc) - melted
1 pack of rich tea biscuits - crushed
4oz sultanas
8oz margarine
2oz sugar
4tbsp syrup
2tbsp drinking chocolate

Melt the margarine, sugar, syrup and drinking chocolate in pan. Add to the crushed up biscuits and sultanas. Split the mixture into two tins and press down well. Cover with the melted chocolate and refrigerate overnight to set.

Enjoy

Laura x

Easter Chocolate cake

Dessert for Easter had to feature chocolate, chocolate and yes more chocolate! I decided to make something everyone would enjoy and after my technical challenge of scotch eggs and went into my comfort zone of baking........ I did make a few cake pops at the same time for the girlies..... 

Ingredients for the sponge

175g butter

• 200g caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, whites and yolks separated
• 100g (70%) dark chocolate, melted and cooled
• 60ml milk
• 200g plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.  Lightly grease 2 cake tins.
2. Mix together the butter and sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg yolks and continue to beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add the melted chocolate.
4. Mix in flour and baking powder; beat for another minute until mixture is an even colour.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate cake mixture until evenly mixed. Do this with a metal spoon or knife in a chopping and folding motion. Place the mixture in the tins.
6. Bake for 30 minutes or until cooked. At a skewer into the centre and if clean then its ready. Leave to cook on a wire rack. 
7. When cooked, fill with chocolate buttercream. Coat with melted chocolate or chocolate buttercream and decorate as you fancy..... for quickness you could use Betty Crockers chocolate buttercream. 
8. To create a nest on top. I melted dark cooking chocolate and added cornflakes. mixed together until evenly coated. I then allowed to cool for a couple of minutes and placed on top of the cake. 

Enjoy.....

Runny Mini Scotch Eggs....... perfect for Easter and picnics

Ok so I've been a bit rubbish typing my recipes up! Laura is putting me to shame. Last weekend we cooked up an Easter theme feast. We had such a laugh! 

I decided to feature egg in my starter..... Laura cooked chicken for main so the theme is 'Chicken and Egg'....... 

I decided to challenge myself and try something I haven't cooked before. If you stick to the timings and temperatures below then this is actually quite an easy recipe. I decided to use Quail eggs as hen eggs seemed a bit big for a starter. 

Ingredients

- Pack of Quails eggs
- Pack of lincolnshire sausages
- Egg
- Breadcrumbs


Method

- Boil the water in a pan
- Place the quails in a pan and cook for exactly 2 mins 15 seconds. Cook the eggs in batches of 4. 
- Place the eggs straight into a bowl of iced water to stop the eggs from continuing to cook. 
- Cut the ends of the sausages and squeeze out the sausage meat into a bowl. Mix together with a fork. 
- Deshell the eggs and sprinkle on a little flour. 
-  Create round balls with the sausage meat and coat the eggs. Make sure there are no gaps and the egg is fully covered. 
- roll in beaten egg and then roll on a plate of breadcrumbs. 

To cook

- I didn't have a deep fat fryer so I poured vegetable oil into a large heavy based pan. Turn on the heat and use a temperature probe to check the fat. When it reaches 180C, drop the scotch eggs into the pan - 4 at a time and cook for 4-5 mins. You may want to test 1 before cooking all of them. The time depends on how thick the meat coating is. When you've taken your test one out of the pan, stick the temperature probe in and make sure it reaches 82C. The meat should be cooked through and not pink. 

These were delicious and cooked to perfection! Any left over, place in the fridge and use on a picnic the next day. 

I served this with a fig and apple chutney. 

Enjoy..... and remember...... food tastes better with friends x 

Easter theme night - chicken with seasonal vegetables

Last night's Easter Theme Night with the Mal's was a huge success! Louise was on starter and dessert (recipes to follow) and I was on the main course and hosting. I absolutely love this time of year, not only because of the weather warming up and the flowers coming out but also the food. There's so many lovely seasonal things to try over the Easter holidays.

For Easter get togethers with family/friends I usually cook lamb, however Louise isn't a big fan so I decided to go with a chicken dish using some seasonal springtime vegetables to brighten up the plate.

My recipe serves 4

Ingredients:
Olive oil
Butter
2 large chicken breasts cut into 3 pieces
6 shallots cut in half
1 small bag of new potatoes cut in half
2 large carrots cut into strips
Garlic
150g green beans
150g asparagus tips
2tbsp plain flour
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 pint white wine
1/2 pint chicken stock
60ml double cream (I used double light)
Few splashes of lemon juice
Dried parsley and tarragon

Method:
Heat the oil and butter in a large wok.
Add the chicken and fry until cooked. Remove and keep warm in the oven.
Next fry the shallots, garlic, carrots and new potatoes.  Add the flour and mustard and stir through the vegetables. Pour in the wine and stock.  Add the chicken back into the pan, cover and simmer for about 10 mins.
Add the beans and asparagus but don't stir. Cover and simmer for 5 mins.
Add in the lemon juice, cream and herbs, stir through and cook for a further 5 mins. All ready to dish up.

I transferred everything into a large Creuset dish which I warmed through in the oven first and then put in the centre of the table with some fresh brown crusty bread to mop up the lovely creamy sauce! Delicious! ☺

Enjoy
Laura x

Potato, mozzarella & tomato frittata

I've had a ball of mozzarella in the fridge which is due to go past its sell by date very soon and I wasn't prepared to throw it away!
This was so easy to make, it's high in protein and definitely something the kids will love.

Ingredients:
Potatoes
5 eggs
Ripe vine tomatoes
Mozzarella ball

Method:
Roast some potatoes on a baking tray in olive oil for about 30-40 mins.
Take them out the oven and put in a round shallow frying pan with a little more oil. Fry for about 5 mins.
Whisk up the eggs then add to the pan so the potatoes are covered and leave to cook for about 10-15 mins or until the egg mix has started the go solid.
Take the pan off the heat, add the sliced tomatoes to the top along with torn up pieces of mozzarella and place under the grill for about 10 mins.

My daughter wouldn't normally eat eggs so this was a great way of disguising them! I served with some rocket salad.

Enjoy x

Chilli Sausage Bake with Crushed Potatoes - ready in 30 mins

Its cold..... brrrr...... and I fancy something hearty but still low in fat as I'm trying to be good. Had a great day promoting gastronamis and supporting another charity. Didn't really have time tonight to prepare a lot but I came up with quick and easy mid week meal. Hubby loved it! 

Ingredients

- 1 pack of good quality sausages
- Oil
- 1 Red Pepper
- Crushed Garlic
- Chopped red chillies
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp Coriander
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp italian herbs
- 1 carton of chic peas
- 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
- salt and pepper

Method

- Peel and Chop the potatoes into chunky pieces
- Cook the potatoes
- While the potatoes are cooking add a little oil to a frying pan
- Chop the ends off the sausages and squeeze out into 3 pieces (to make sausage    
  meatballs)
- Add to the trying pan and cook for 4-5 mins
- Add the sliced red pepper and cook for 5 mins. 
- Add the crushed garlic, chopped chillies, cumin, coriander, chilli powder and Italian 
  herbs. 
- Add the drained chic peas
- Add 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
- Season with salt and pepper
- Simmer for 10 mins
- When the potatoes are cooked. Drain and add to a bowl. Lightly mix so they loose their 
  shape a little. 
- Place on a preheated baking tray and drizzle a little oil over the top and sprinkle with 
  italian herbs. 
- Place in a preheated oven at 230C for about 10 mins until crisp. 

Serve and enjoy

Louise

5 minute fish dish

This has to be one of the easiest fish dishes ever! Literally 5 minutes prep and 20 minutes in the oven and yet so tasty.

All you need is :
Sea bass fillets (boneless)
Red onion chopped up
Garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
Cherry tomatoes (I used 6)
Ready sliced chorizo
Olive oil

Fry the onion, chorizo and garlic. Add the thyme and tomatoes and fry for a few more minutes.
Add everything into an ovenproof dish, lay the sea bass fillets on top, drizzle with olive oil and cook for 20 minutes.

How easy is that!

I served with sweet potato mash. It really was delicious.
Enjoy x

Cajun Chicken Wraps and Spicy Rice

Fancied something spicy tonight.... here's a quick 30 mins tasty dish that is low in fat too..........

Cajun Chicken Recipe

- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Corriander- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/4 tsp Oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Pinch of Cracked black pepper
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 2 Chicken Breasts

Method

- Mix together the dry ingredients and put in 
  a bowl. Add the sliced chicken breasts and 
  coat. 
- Place on a baking sheet and cook in the 
  oven at 200C for 20 mins. 

While the Chicken is cooking you can prepare the rice:- 

Ingredients

- 1/2 onion chopped smaller
- 1/2 Red pepper chopped smaller
- 1/2 cup of peas
- 1 tsp of Paprika
- 1 tsp Cumin
- Chopped Chilli - add amount to required 
   taste/ heat.
- 2 cups of rice


Method

- Heat the oil in a pan
- Add the diced onion, red pepper, peas, 
  paprika, cumin, 1 chicken oxo and fry for 2-
  3  mins.
- Add 2 cups of rice
- Add 4 cups of boiling water
- Add 1 chicken oxo cube
- boil then simmer for 20 mins until the water 
  and stock is absorbed. 

Serve the chicken in wholemeal wraps with salad.

To make a low fat dressing instead of Mayonnaise - mix together natural yoghurt with 1/2 tsp of harissa paste. 

Enjoy 

Louise x