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Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

Mains, Pasta and Rice

Chef’s tip: If you want to add a bit of spice to this, you can throw in a few slices of fresh chilli when you add the spinach.

Ingredients (serves 2 people)

  • 3-4 rashers of smoked bacon
  • 1 large chicken breast
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed/chopped
  • 50g fresh spinach
  • 500ml milk
  • 150-200g spaghetti/linguine
  • 60-70g green pesto

Method

  • In a large frying pan/wok/low sided large saucepan cook the bacon with some olive oil until crispy
  • Add the chicken to the pan and season well with salt, pepper and the garlic powder
  • Cook until all the pink in the chicken is gone and then remove the chicken, placing it in a bowl to the side (keep the bacon in the pan).
  • Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the onions are soft and brown
  • Add the spinach and once it’s wilted, add the milk
  • Bring it to the boil and then add the dry pasta.
  • Stir continuously for around 7-8 minutes, until the pasta is cooked (you may need to add more milk and cook for longer if using thicker pasta or wholewheat)
  • Mix the chicken back in and add the pesto
  • Serve and sprinkle generously with parmesan

Swedish Meatball Pasta

Mains, Pasta and Rice

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

  • 450g mince (beef or pork)
  • Half an onion, diced
  • Breadcrumbs (amount is subjective but around 30-40g)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon pepper

For the sauce:

  • 500ml beef stock (I use knorr which makes 490ml)
  • 500ml milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • Approx 400g spaghetti/linguine/tagliatelle (or however much you’d make for 4 people).
  • Grated parmesan
  • 1/2 bunch chopped parsley

Method

  • In a large bowl, combine the mince, onion, egg, salt and pepper. Add the breadcrumbs gradually until the mixture is smooth and doesn’t fall apart if you try to make a meatball.
  • Roll the mixture into golf ball sized meatballs and cook with a little oil over a medium heat in a large frying pan or wide large saucepan.
  • Add the beef stock, milk, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce, and stir.
  • Bring the sauce to the boil then add the pasta.
  • Stir constantly for around 7-8mins (a bit longer if you use wholewheat pasta) until the pasta is cooked and coated with the sauce. You may find that you want to add a bit more milk if it thickens before the pasta is fully cooked.
  • Add a sprinkling of parmesan and the parsley and stir through.

Salted Caramel Shortbread Slices

Christmas, Sweets and Biscuits

Ingredients

For the shortbread

  • 175g/6oz unsalted butter
  • 75g/2.5oz golden caster sugar
  • Seeds from 1 vanilla pod OR 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 225g/8oz plain flour

For the caramel

  • 200g/7oz unsalted butter
  • 1x 397g tin of condensed milk
  • 4tbsp golden syrup
  • 1tsp sea salt

For the topping

  • 100-150g milk chocolate

 

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4
  • Grease and line a 20cm square tin
  • Rub the butter, sugar, vanilla and flour together to form a rough dough – don’t worry if it doesn’t all come together, it should be crumbly
  • Press the dough into the tin evenly and prick it all over with a fork
  • Bake the dough for 5 mins then turn the oven down to 150C/Gas Mark 2 and bake for another 35 mins.
  • Remove the tin from the oven and let the base cool in the tin
  • Now you can make the caramel. Add all of the ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to the boil for 10mins. I’d recommend stirring for the whole time even before it starts boiling.
  • After 10mins, the mixture should be golden and now you can pour it over the biscuit base. Use a spoon to level it all out.
  • Put your tin in the fridge to cool the caramel until it’s cool and slightly hardened.
  • For the topping, add the chocolate to a bowl and melt it over a sauce pan of simmering water.
  • Once melted, pour the chocolate over the caramel and level it out.
  • Return to the fridge to let it set.
  • Cut into as many or as few pieces as you like 🙂

Fluffy American Pancakes

Desserts, Sweets and Biscuits

This makes roughly 8-10 small pancakes

Ingredients

  • 225g plain flour
  • 1tbsp baking powder
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 eggs (beaten)
  • 30g butter (melted and cooled slightly)
  • 300ml milk
  • Butter for frying

Method

  • Combine flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl and make a well in the middle.
  • Add the eggs, butter and milk into the well.
  • Mix with a fork or a whisk until smooth
  • Heat some butter in a frying pan
  • Use a ladle to spoon small amounts into the pan one at a time
  • All you need to do is wait for the top of the pancake to blister and bubble and then flip it for around 1-2mins on the other side.

Chef’s tip: Delicious with berries, honey and yoghurt. Or for a savoury approach, butter and smoked bacon.

Creamy chicken pie

Chicken, Mains

There are many variations you can make here so I’ve written in the options/substitutes where I can but it’s a very flexible recipe so you can adapt it your own way.

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 2-3 chicken breasts
  • 1 onion OR 1 leek
  • 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves crushed/chopped
  • Optional: mushrooms
  • 50g butter
  • 2tbsp plain flour
  • 300ml milk
  • 1 chicken or beef stock cube (I use beef for more flavour)
  • 100ml boiling water
  • Ground nutmeg (optional)
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Topping or side dishes:

  • Ready rolled shortcrust pastry OR
  • Ready rolled puff pastry OR
  • Potatoes for mashing

Method

  • Cook the chicken in a frying pan and set aside
  • In a new pan, heat a little olive oil and cook the onions and garlic on a medium heat
  • When soft, add the butter and once it’s melted, sprinkle over the flour
  • Combine into a paste and add the stock cube with the water
  • Gradually add the milk while whisking/stirring and make sure it stays thick (you don’t have to use all of the milk)
  • Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg
  • Once you’ve reached your desired consistency, add the chicken back in and simmer for 10mins.
  • At this point you can either cook your pie crust or mash your potatoes
  • You can either put the pie crust on top, cover with potatoes and cook in the oven for 20mins or serve with potatoes on the side.

Slow cook beef casserole

Beef, Mains

Serves 2 people

Chef’s tip: You can either use a casserole for the whole process or use a frying pan and oven dish which is how I’ll describe it.

Ingredients

  • 600g stewing beef (either casserole beef or brisket is fine) cut into chunks
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • Optional other veg: mushrooms, potatoes etc
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1tbsp butter
  • 1tbsp olive oil
  • 1.5tbsp plain flour
  • 1.5tbsp tomato puree
  • 1.5tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 beef stock cube (I use Knorr)
  • 400ml boiling water
  • 100ml red wine

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 150C/140C Fan/Gas 2
  • Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat.
  • Add the onion, carrots, celery (plus mushrooms if using) and bay leaves and soften for 10-15 minutes.
  • Sprinkle the flour in and stir until it’s not dusty anymore.
  • Add the purée and stir through
  • Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir through
  • Add the wine and wait for it to mostly cook away
  • Add the stock cube and water.
  • Stir until it simmers
  • Add your potatoes now if using (I usually cut them into big chunks)
  • Add the beef and simmer for 5 mins.

Transfer to an oven dish/casserole dish, cover and cook for at least 3hrs.

  • Turn the oven up to 200C/180C Fan and remove the lid.
  • Make your dumplings! Pop the dumplings on top of the sauce.
  • Cook for another 20-30mins or until the sauce has thickened up and the dumplings are crispy on top.

 

Steak and Ale or Red Wine Pie

Beef, Mains

Ingredients

  • Approx 500-600g stewing/casserole beef
  • Plain flour
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (optional – I have made without this and it’s fine)
  • 350ml beef stock OR if using wine instead of ale 400ml beef stock
  • 250ml ale – I find that something dark works best as it gives a richer flavour OR 200ml red wine
  • Ready rolled puff pastry

Method

  • Preheat oven to 150C/140C Fan/Gas mark 4
  • Cut the beef into 1cm squares and dust with the flour. I find it easiest to pour flour onto a plate/bowl and then add the beef and stir it around until covered.
  • Fry the beef until browned and then set it aside.
  • Put your casserole dish or a large high-sided frying pan on a medium heat to fry the onion, carrot and celery for 5-10mins to soften.
  • Add the beef back into the pan, along with the paprika, bay leaf, puree and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until covered.
  • Add the beef stock and ale, and bring to the boil.
  • Put the dish in the oven with the lid on (or if you’re using a frying pan, transfer to a dish first) and cook for at least 3 hours.
  • You can turn up the heat towards the end and remove the lid to thicken it up and add some more flour if needed.
  • At this point, it’s your choice what you do with the pastry but make sure you brush it with beaten egg or milk before it goes in the oven:
    • Cut the pastry into individual portions, cook in the oven on a baking sheet for around 20mins and then dish up the meat onto a plate and top with the cooked pastry.
    • Pour the meat and sauce into an oven dish, cover with pastry and cook in the oven for around 20mins.
    • Make mini pies by cutting rounds out of the pastry (large circles for a base and small circles for a lid). Line a cupcake tray with the bases, fill with meat and pop the lid on top to cook for 15-20mins.

Nutella Brownies

Sweets and Biscuits

This recipe blows my mind. There are only 3 ingredients because the Nutella takes care of the fat, sugar, milk and chocolate that you would normally add to brownies.

Ingredients

  • 280g Nutella
  • 2 eggs
  • 10tbsp/62g plain flour

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 180C.
  • Mix the ingredients in a bowl.
  • Tip the mixture into a lined/greased 20cm (max size) square tin.
  • At this point if you’re feeling fancy you can top with hazelnuts.
  • Bake until the centre is cooked.
  • Let the brownies mostly cool before cutting into squares.

Honey Cake

Cakes, Desserts

Serves 8 with a small slice each

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 170g/6oz clear honey
  • 140g/5oz butter
  • 85g/3oz light muscovado sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 200g/7oz self raising flour
  • Water

For the icing:

  • 55g/2oz icing sugar
  • 1tbsp clear honey
  • Hot water

Method

  • Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 3, and butter/line an 18cm (7inch) cake tin.
  • Measure the honey, butter and sugar into a large saucepan with a tablespoon of water. Heat gently until melted.
  • Remove from the heat and mix in the eggs and flour.
  • Pour into the cake tin and bake for 40-45mins (can be quicker than this depending on your oven).
  • Cool for a few minutes on a rack.
  • While the cake is still warm, make the icing by mixing the sugar and honey together with 2-3 teaspoons of hot water.
  • Trickle the icing over the cake in whatever pattern you like 🙂