Easy and quick, but amazing cookies

Makes 16
 
Ingredients
4oz/115g Caster sugar
4oz/115g Butter
1 tbsp Golden syrup
1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence
6oz/175g Self raising flour
3oz/85g chocolate chips or smarties

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 180c/350f. Grease 2 cookie sheets.
2. Beat together the caster sugar and butter. 
3. Add the golden syrup and vanilla essence and mix well.
4. Sift in half the flour and beat together. Add the rest of the flour with the chocolate chips and mix together.
5. Spoon the dough (in balls) on to the cookie sheets. Should make about 16. Do not flatten. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Variations: I've tried chocolate chips (white and milk), smarties, combination of cranberries and white chocolate, but think most things would work!

Taken from Perfect Muffins

Kashmiri Chicken

Serves 6

Ingredients

50g ghee or veg oil

3 large onions, finely sliced

10 peppercorns

10 cardamoms

5cm/2in piece of cinnamon stick

5cm/2in piece of fresh root ginger, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp paprika

1.5kg chicken pieces, skinned

250ml natural yoghurt

salt

Instructions

1. Heat the ghee/veg oil in a deep, lidded pan. Add the onions, peppercorns, cardamoms and cinnamon and fry until the onions are golden.

2. Add the ginger, garlic, chilli powder, paprika and salt to taste and fry for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the chicken pieces and fry until browned. Gradually add the yoghurt, stirring constantly. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. 

Taken from Complete Indian Cooking

Scalloped Hasselback Baked Potatoes

Ingredients
2 large whole potatoes
100g butter
100g parmesan cheese
veg oil
2oz (60ml) heavy cream
2oz (60g) cheese, grated
salt
garlic powder
sour cream

Instructions
1.Preheat the oven to 200c. Scrub the potatoes clean.
2. Using a sharp knife, make slices across the potato, stopping before you reach the bottom
3. Slice the butter and parmesan. Next, open the potato's crevices and pop in the Parmesan and butter, alternating between the two.
4. Transfer the potatoes to an oiled baking sheet and drizzle with oil.
5. Season with salt and garlic powder, bake for about 60 minutes (depending on the size of your potatoes).
6. After about 45 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Drizzle cream over the top and top with grated cheese. Return to the oven for the last 15 minutes.
7. Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream and spring onions.

Tips: We didn't use heavy cream, just sour cream instead and returned to the oven (just to make it a little healthier!)

Adapted from Zoomyummy.com (found via Facebook)

Pork, Spinach and Ricotta Lasagne

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, diced
500g pork mince
2 tbsp flour
200ml chicken stock
250ml semi-skimmed milk
100g spinach
1 lemon, zested
15g chopped parsley
150g ricotta
50g half-fat mature white cheese, grated
250g lasagne sheets

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Heat the oil in a large pan and cook the onion and courgettes for 5-10 minutes, until just golden. Stir in the mince, and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute more, then pour in the stock and milk Bring to a simmer then bubble for 5 minutes before stirring in the spinach until wilted. Add the lemon zest and parseley, then season.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the ricotta with the grated cheese until combined
4. To assemble to lasagne, place two sheets of the pasta in the bottom of a 1.5 litre baking dish then pour over half of the mince mix. Follow with 2 more of the pasta sheets and the remaining turkey mix. Top with the remaining two pasta sheets, the spread over the ricotta mixture.
5. Cook in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden and bubbling.

Adapted from Tesco Magazine (recipe for turkey, spinach and ricotta lasagne), January 2013

Pork Curry

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 lb lean pork, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 teaspoons tomato puree
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons coconut cream
1 green chili, seeded and sliced
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Heat a pot and melt the butter.
2. Fry the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
3. Add the cinnamon, chili powder,coriander, cumin and turmeric, stir and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the pork and cook for 3 minutes stirring to coat the meat with the spices.
5. Add the chopped tomato and puree with the water, mix well and add the chopped chili coconut cream and paprika.
6. Cover pot and cook on low heat till the meat is tender, approx 30 minutes.
7. Season with salt to taste.