Creamy tagliatelle with sausage, ricotta and basil

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
400g good quality sausages, skins removed, broken in to chunks
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g tagliatelle
handful basil
125g ricotta

Instructions
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, tip in the onion and garlic, and soften for about 10 minutes. Add the sausage meat chunks and brown for 5 minutes. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and simmer for 5 mins or so, until thick and the sausage meat is cooked through. Meanwhile, cook the pasta following pack instructions.
2. Season the tomato sauce and toss through the drained tagliatelle. Tear the basil and stir it through as well. Spoon into bowls and dot with ricotta. Grind over some pepper and sprinkle with the basil leaves.

Taken from BBC Good Food Magazine, July 2013

Baked Potatoes with Spicy Dhal

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 baking potatoes

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red chilli, de-seeded and sliced
85g (3oz) red lentils
1 tomato, chopped
400ml (14 fl oz) vegetable stock
210g can chickpeas, drained
handful chopped coriander

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 200c/180c fan. Put the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the skin is crispy
2. While they are baking, make the dhal. Heat the oil in a medium pan and fry the spices to release their flavours. As soon as they start to crackle, tip i nthe onion, garlic and chilli, with a splash of water. Cook for 5 minutes or until the onion softens.
3. Add the lentils, tomato and stock, then cover and cook for 10 minutes. Tip in the chickpeas, cover and cook for 10 minutes until the lentils are tender. Season to taste, stir in the coriander and spoon on to the jacket potatoes.

Taken from BBC Good Food Magazine June 2013

Cajun Meatballs with Rice

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp Gluten Free plain flour
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
400g can plum tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
dash of Tabasco
4 spring onions, finely sliced
handful coriander, freshly chopped
rice, to serve
1 tbsp Cajun spice mix
500g pack turkey mince
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions
1. Put the butter in a pan over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring all the time to make a roux. Cook until the roux is hazelnut brown in colour. Tip in the vegetables, garlic and bay leaf, stir briefly, then pour in the tomatoes and 1 1/2 cans of water. Crumble in the stock cube, add the hot sauce, then cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, whilst you make the meatballs.
2. Work the spice and some seasoning in to the turkey mince. Try not to over handle it. Shape in to 20 meatballs.
3. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and quickly brown the meatballs in batches until coloured on all sides.
4. Stir the sauce, then drop in the meatballs and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until the turkey is cooked through. Scatter over the spring onions and coriander, and serve with rice (or mash).

Taken from BBC Good Food Magazine, June 2013

Grilled Chicken with Chilli and Sesame Seeds

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp veg oil
1 1/2 tbsp sriracha chilli sauce (or alternative chilli sauce)
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tbsp clear honey
2 tbsp rice vinegar
250g pack tenderstem broccoli
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Instructions
1. Slice each chicken breast lengthways into 2 thin pieces. Rub with the oil and season on both sides. Heat a grill pan and cook the pieces for 2-3 minutes each side.
2. While the chicken is cooking, mix the chilli sauce, ginger, honey and vingar with a little seasoning in a small bowl. Brush over the chicken as it cooks (wait until it is grilled on one side first before brushing, otherwise it'll burn)
3. Blanch the broccoli, divide between the plates and pour over the remaining sauce. Top with the chicken and sesame seeds.

Taken from BBC Good Food Magazine - July 2013

Chicken and Lentil Stew with Gremolata

Serves 4 

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
8 chicken drumsticks, skin left on
2 onions, very finely chopped
6 tbsp red lentils
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube, crumbled (gluten free)


Instructions
1. Heat half the oil in a large flameproof casserole dish, brown the drumsticks on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
2. Add the onions and remaining oil to the pan, and cook for 5 minutes or so until soft. Add the lentils, tomatoes, 1 can of water and the stock cube. Return the drumsticks to the pan. Bring to the boil then turn down the heat. Put on the lid and simmer for 30 minutes, or until tender. Keep an eye on the stew and add a little water if it is drying out.
3. Remove the lid and cook for another 10 minutes, or until thickened, then season.
4. Meanwhile, make the gremolata. Mix the lemon zest, garlic and parsley together. Sprinkle over the cooked stew.

Adapted from BBC Good Food July 2013

Tip: Serve with a small portion of rice, or crusty bread (if not looking for a gluten free alternative!)


 

Banana Bread

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients
100g margerine
6oz sugar
8oz plain flour
2tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarb of soda
3 bananas
3 eggs

Instructions
1. Cream the margarine and sugar
2. Add flour, baking powder and bicarb
3. Slowly add whisked eggs
4. Add mashed bananas. Pour into loaf tins
5. Bake for 45 minutes at 350f/180c

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