Tag: serves 4

Recipes suitable for serving four people

Pasta Bake Recipe

Pasta Bake Recipe
Pasta Bake Recipe

Ingredients fo make Pasta Bake Recipe

600ml milk
40g butter
30-40g plain flour
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
500g pre-cooked filled
Salt and pepper to season
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Broccoli florets

How to cook pasta bake recipe

  1. Put pre-cooked pasta in an ovenproof dish.
  2. Preheat oven to 180°C.
  3. Melt the butter over a medium heat in a saucepan.
  4. Add flour to the melted butter and mix throughly to form a paste.
  5. Pour in the milk and stir until combined. Add nutmeg and wholegrain mustard. Season with a little salt and pepper.
  6. Keep stirring the milk mixture, still over a medium heat. It will slowly thicken.
  7. Once thickened to the consisitency of gravy remove from heat and pour over the pasta in the ovenproof dish.
  8. Arrange cut tomatoes and broccoli over the pasta.
  9. Bake for 30 minutes and serve.

Variations to make pasta bake recipe

Any pasta shapes can be used. Pasta will have to be cooked according to packet instructions.

Other vegetables can be used eg. sliced courgettes, mushrooms and more to make pasta bake recipe.

Add grated cheddar cheese 10 minutes before the end of cooking time for a richer dish.

If you prefer a meatier dish, replace vegetables with sliced cooked chicken breast, or experiment with other cooked meats.

 

 

 

Chicken and Apricots Recipe

Chicken And Apricots Recipe
Chicken And Apricots Recipe

Ingredients for Chicken and Apricots recipe

400g boneless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced
175g ready to eat apricots
400g canned chopped tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
1 sprig of rosemary
Salt and pepper

How to cook chicken and apricots recipe

  1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.
  2. Fry the chopped onion until soft.
  3. Add chicken and stir with the chopped onion.
  4. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and apricots.
  5. Stir in the honey, ground cinnamon, ground coriander, salt and pepper.
  6. Heat through until close to boiling.
  7. Turn down heat and insert cinnamon stick and rosemary sprig.
  8. Let it simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  9. Taste the dish, add a pinch more of salt and pepper or half a teaspoon of honey if you like a sweeter dish.

Serving suggestions

Serve chicken and apricots with rice, cous cous or flat bread.

Notes

Chicken and apricots recipe is influenced by Morrocan tagine dishes.
This dish can be made using lamb, just increase simmering time to about 1 hour.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe

Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe
Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe

Ingredients for Cheesy Garlic Bread Recipe

2 part-baked baguettes
40g butter
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme
80g of cheddar cheese, sliced

How to make Cheesy Garlic Bread

  1. Put the butter in a bowl and cut in to small cubes. Use a fork to press down and soften.
  2. Peel and crush 2 garlic cloves. Mix with butter to make garlic butter.
  3. Add dried thyme to butter mixture and blend together.
  4. Slice the Cheddar cheese thinly and make little squares of about 2cm each sides.
  5. Now make slits in the baguettes (about 1.5cm apart) using a bread knife. Do not slice completely through the baguette.
  6. Then spread a little of the garlic butter mix in each slit of the baguettes. Be careful not to break the baguettes.
  7. Insert the cheddar cheese slices in each baguette slit.
  8. Place the baguettes under a medium grill for about 4 minutes, in a lower shelf. Check your cheesy garlic  bread each minute to make sure it is not burnt. It is ready when it is only slightly brown at the edges of the slits and the cheese melted.

Suggestions

Cheesy Garlic Bread can be served as a side dish during a barbeque.

Cheesy Garlic Bread is perfect enjoyed dipped in your favourite soup.

Notes

I prefer to use freshly crushed garlic as the smell is less intense ( and to some others less unpleasant) than ready packaged crushed garlic to make Cheesy Garlic Bread.

Dried thyme is optional, I find it enhances the flavour and kitchen aroma, ensuring a quick arrival to the dinner table knowing Cheesy Garlic Bread is being served.

 

 

 

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Recipe

Recipe image coming soon
Recipe image coming soon

My grandmother used to make the most fantastic apple and blackberry crumble. Sadly I don’t have her recipe but this one is as close as I’ve managed to get to it.

When you make it, don’t forget to leave a comment and let me know what you think. Better still snap a quick pic on your phone and share with me via facebook, twitter or instagram. I always enjoy seeing your creations.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble Ingredients

500g Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped
500g Fresh blackberries, washed
175ml water
2-3 tbsp granulated sugar

For the crumble topping…

175g plain flour
75g butter, cubed
40g granulated sugar

How to make apple and blackberry crumble

  • Preheat oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas mark 6.
  • Place the apples into a saucepan and add the water. Bring to the boil then cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
  • Drain the water and add the sugar and blackberries. Mix well then turn into an oven proof dish.
  • To make the crumble, sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the butter. Mix together with your fingers until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs then stir in the granulated sugar.
  • Spread evenly over the apples and blackberries and back for 35 minutes or until the crumble is a light golden brown and the apples have cooked through.

Serving suggestions…

Serve with either double cream, custard or vanilla ice cream on the side.

Variations

Try different kinds of fruit to make an alternative dish. Pear and plum work well as do peach slices. Don’t be afraid to experiment.

If you have a favourite, leave a comment and let s know. We’d love to hear it 🙂