Tiramisu-Italian Trifle.

This is an easy dessert to make, loved by nearly everyone.  6 - 8 servings.

1and 1/2 cups strong, cool, black coffee.
2 tablespoons dark rum, or sherry, or marsala wine.
2 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons of caster sugar
200g mascarpone and 50g Greek yoghurt or 250g mascarpone.
1 cup whipping cream-whipped
20 savoiyardi biscuits
2 teaspoons dark cocoa powder.

21cm or 8 and a half inch square dish.

Make it in the morning as it needs at least 3 hours of fridge time

1. Put coffee and rum into a narrow glass.
2. Beat egg yolks and sugar in a small bowl until thick and pale.
3. Beat egg whites in a separate small bowl until soft peaks.
4. Dip each end of 10 biscuits in the coffee mix, one at a time, shake off excess and lay flat in the dish.
5. Add mascarpone/yoghurt to egg and sugar mix, beat until just combined and smooth, fold in whipped cream, then fold in egg whites.
6. Cover the layer of biscuits with half the mascarpone mixture.
7. Dip the last 10 biscuits in the remaining coffee mix, layer them on top of the tiramisu in the dish.
8. Top with the last half of the mascarpone mix, smooth top.
9. Using a strainer, sift liberally with cocoa.
10. Refrigerate- 3  to 8 hours- lovely served with baked nectarines or peaches.
11. Indulge! 

10 Minute Main Course Salad.

  This is one serving, plated up.                         .

                                               

 This salad is so nutritious and tasty you will want to make it regularly.               

1/2 red onion- finely sliced

1/2 packet of snow pea shoots- cut into 3 lengthwise

1 large stick of celery- sliced thinly, diagonally.

3 trimmed spring onions- sliced diagonally.

1 400g drained can of chickpeas.

70g- half a bag of baby spinach leaves

4 large sprigs of mint- leaves stripped and roughly chopped

50g- toasted slivered almonds or use pine nuts.

1 Tablespn grated fresh ginger

350-500g lamb leg steak- or chicken breast or boneless thigh- or beef eye fillet.

Season the meat and cut into thin slices- fry on medium high about a minute-in a little oil.

   For a vegetarian option try Halloumi or Feta cheese.

Dressing: 2 teaspns Dijon or grainy mustard

              finely grated zest of 1/2 a lime

              1/4 cup of lime juice.

              1 Tblsp olive oil.

              3 teaspn honey

              Salt and pepper- mix all dressing ingredients in a lidded jar.

Mix all salad contents except the meat, in a large bowl

Pour dressing over salad, mix, add meat- serve immediately- serves 4.

Cider Chicken Roll-Ups.

Roasted Cider Chicken on Caramelised Apples and Onions. Serves 4-6.
Serve with Lemon Potato Roasties and a large Mixed Green Leaf Salad.

Ingredients:1and 1/2 red onions cut into wedges

                 2 Pink Lady or similar apples sliced.You can leave the skin on

                 10 thyme sprigs

                 2 Tblspns olive oil- extra for drizzling.

                 8 boneless chicken thighs

                 8 rashers of streaky bacon

                100ml apple cider

                100ml chicken stock

                2 Tblspn cider vinegar.

Preheat oven to 200C. Put apple, onion and oil into a roasting pan, season.

                Roast 10 minutes.

                Season chicken thighs, add thyme sprig, roll up and wrap with a

                bacon rasher.
 Remove hot pan from oven and place roll-ups on 

                bed of apple/onion. Drizzle with olive oil. Add cider and stock to 

                pan. Roast until chicken cooked through, approx 30 minutes.

                Test chicken and add vinegar. Cook longer if chicken pieces were

                very large. It should be moist and extremely delicious.

Lemon Potato Roasties: Serves 4-6.

                Peel roasting potatoes eg Agria[that hold their shape] 850gm-ish.

                Cut them in half then quarter again until walnut sized.

                Add 8-10 whole cloves garlic or shallots.

                Season: salt and pepper and fresh oregano or marjoram, lots.

                Add 80ml olive oil, juice of 2 lemons and a little zest. Add water

                to half way up the depth of the potatoes. Mix well.

                Bake at 200C for 1 and 1/2 hours, so put these in well ahead of the

                chicken. The potatoes don't mind being cooked longer. Stir halfway.

Large Green Mixed Leaf Salad: mix lots of every type of leaf: rocket, iceberg

                mesclun, endive etc. Scatter with halved cherry tomatoes.

Mustard Vinaigrette: mix salt, pepper, half teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon grain

                mustard and a little Dijon with 2 parts olive oil to 1 part cider vinegar, shake in a jar. Pour over when serving the salad.

                ENJOY YOUR MEAL!

Caramel Apple Pudding.

Comfort Food

Delicious Caramel and Apple Easy Pudding for 8.

5 medium apples- Granny Smith or Golden Delicious or Braeburn.

                          Peeled, cored and sliced 1/2cm thick.

1 and 2/3rds cups [250g] plain flour.

2 tspns baking powder.

150g caster sugar

200ml milk

140g melted butter

2 beaten eggs.              

Preheat oven to 180 C. Lightly butter a 2.5 Litre baking dish.

Place the cut apples into the dish.

Sift flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl.

Add sugar, milk, butter, and eggs.

Beat with electric mixer until pale. Spread over the apples.

2/3rds cup dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup golden syrup, 300 mls hot water.

Put these 3 ingredients in a pan, stir to dissolve sugar then bring to boil- no stir.

Pour over batter in dish.

Bake for 30  mins on fan bake or 35 mins  without fan.Fan may need to be 160C- check it after 10 mins. Bake till golden. Dust with icing sugar serve with thick cream.   Try to stop at one helping!

Easy Indian Kheema.

One Dish Dinner

Ingredients:3 Tblspns oil [vege or mustard oil]

                2 finely chopped medium onions.

                1 teaspn crushed coriander seeds
                1 teaspn turmeric

                1 teaspn coriander powder

                1/2 teaspn cumin seeds

                1/2 teaspn cumin powder

                1 teaspn mild curry powder

                2 teaspns crushed ginger or 2.5cm finely chopped fresh ginger

                1 heaped teaspn garam masala.

500g minced beef.

250g potatoes, quartered then cubed- 2cm

salt

250g peas- I used 350g frozen, then cooked and skinned, broad beans.

                 

Heat oil in a lidded pan.

Add onions and gently cook until soft.

Add spices and fry for 5 minutes.

Stir in the minced beef, cook over medium high until well browned.

Lower the heat and add the potatoes and salt [about 1-2 teaspoons]

Cover and cook 5-10 minutes.

Add the peas or broad beans

Cover, cook another 5 minutes until potatoes are cooked and peas/beans hot.

Serve hot with lime pickle, yoghurt and chapatis. Quick and delicious !

Italian Ham and Bean Soup.

Italian Soup.

Serves 8-10.

Ingredients: 2 onions

                 2 Carrots

                 3 stalks of celery or the ends minus the leaves.

                 20g butter

                 2 Tbspns olive oil. Chop onions, carrots and celery

                                           into cubes or small slices.

                                           Heat butter and oil in a large

                                           saucepan over medium heat.

                                           Gently fry the vegetables for about

                                           10 minutes.

Add           1 tin of chopped Italian tomatoes.

                1 Ham bone [the bone which ham off the bone has been taken

                from] The butcher or supermarket will find one. Don't accept

                a bacon hock instead as the flavour is too strong for this.

Add           2 litres of chicken stock [4 teaspoons of granules ] or to cover

                bone.

Simmer gently for 1 hour and 30  mins.

Remove ham and all loose fat and bones, cool, then remove lean flesh, chop and add to soup. Add 1 can of borlotti beans or other beans.

If you want extra thick soup add 100g short pasta and cook for 7 mins.

You may need to skim fat from top of soup before adding beans and pasta [if using it] Stir in parsley/chives and ground black pepper. Serve with parmesan and crusty Italian bread. Bella!

Healthier Veg and Meatloaf. Cannellini Bean Mash.

Healthier Meatloaf.

Serves 6.

Ingredients:

               1 small onion.

               500g lean beef mince.

               2 slices wholegrain bread.

               1 grated carrot.

               1 grated zucchini/courgette.

               2 Tblspns pesto.

               1 egg.

               2 Tblspns parsley.        

Process

               the onion, bread, parsley until fine.

Add          the egg, 1/2 teaspn salt, ground black pepper and the pesto.Pulse.

Grate        the carrot and zucchini.

Put           the minced beef and all other ingredients

               in a bowl. Mix well with hands.

Put into a loaf tin, press in and smooth top.

Bake        40 minutes at 180C /350F.                   

                                             

Cannellini Bean Mash: 1 can cannellini beans

                               1 large potato, cooked and mashed.

                               2 cloves of garlic.

                               1 plus 1 Tablspn butter.  Crush garlic and fry gently in butter for a few minutes, add beans to heat. Add potato and a little salt and butter. Mash roughly. 

                    Serve loaf with a good tomato sauce.

                              

 Serve mash and loaf with roast pumpkin, green veg or a green salad.

               High protein, lowish carb, economical, tasty.