Quick and Easy Recipe Suggestions.....

elnafinn

Beets Skordalia

1 kilo beetroots

Skordalia Sauce:

6 tbs olive oil
2 tbs vinegar (eg cider vinegar)
4 crushed garlic cloves
Seasoning

Clean and wash the beets. Boil the beets in water until tender or microwave them (much quicker). Place is large dish with a little water in the bottom and cover. Perhaps start off with 15 minutes cooking and check how they are doing.

When tender, strain them and remove the skins while they are still hot (much easier) and cut into slices.

Mix all the Skordalia sauce ingredients together and toss with the sliced beetroots.

This salad dish can be eaten hot or cold.

elnafinn

Greek Village Salad

3 tomatoes cut into wedges
1 green pepper cut into thin rings or slices
1 red pepper cut into thin rings or slices (optional)
1 medium (preferably) red onion, sliced thinly
1 cucumber peeled and sliced
green or black olives

feta cheese cut into chunks
olive oil
seasoning
oregano herb (fresh or dried)

Place all the vegetables into a salad bowl including the oregano and seasoning. Pour over the olive oil (amount to your liking) and toss the salad.

Before eating the salad, add the feta cheese and drizzle over a little more olive oil and a little more oregano for effect.

This salad should be left out of the fridge for 30 minutes before eating.

It is a good idea not to put the feta in too early before eating the salad.

Serve with slices of crusty bread and a bowl of olive oil to dip the bread into.

I love this meal and not a LETTUCE LEAF in sight!

noonoo

ROASTED BEETROOT WITH HONEY AND MUSTARD GLAZE

250g pack of cooked beetroot (not pickled!) or can use fresh cooked beetroot
6 shallots
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
some bayleaves
2 tbsp olive oil
4 tbsp honey
2 tbsp dijon mustard

Cut the beetroots into wedges and halve the shallots. Place them in a roasting dish with the garlic and bay leaves. Pour over the olive oil and roast at 180C for approx 30 mins.

Mix the honey and mustard and stir into the vegetables. Roast for a further 10 minutes until golden.

noonoo

BAKED FISH WITH OLIVES AND TOMATOES

4 Cod fillets
4 tbsp Sherry
4 large tomatoes, quartered
12 Black Olives (pitted)
1 tbsp capers
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar

Place the cod, tomatoes, olives and capers into a roasting dish and pour over the sherry, olive oil and vinegar.

Cover and bake for 25 mins at 180C, until the fish is flaking and the tomatoes have softened.

(Elna - I am sure you could probably put garlic cloves in also!!!)

noonoo

TUNA LINGUINE

300g Linguine (or spaghetti)
350g Arrabiata pasta sauce
400g Tuna chunks
12 Black Olives (pitted)
2tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)

Cook the pasta.

In a separate pan heat the sauce and add the tuna and olives. Stir and heat thoroughly.

Drain the pasta, add the sauce and chopped parsley, toss together and serve.

Easy, peasy but very tasty!

noonoo

TEA BREAD

1 Large Mug of cold Tea (no milk or sugar!)
8oz Mixed dried fruit
8oz SR Flour
4oz Caster Sugar
1 Beaten Egg
2 tbsp Marmalade


Soak the fruit in the tea overnight until the fruit swells.

Combine the flour, sugar marmalade, egg and the wet fruit in a large bowl.

Pour into a greased 1and half lb load tin and bake for approx 1 hr at 180C.

Serve sliced on it's own or with butter.

elnafinn

Carrot and Swede Soup (cheap and cheerful)

(Serves 4)

2 Tablespoons Olive oil
1 large onion (chopped)
4 carrots (chopped)
1 Swede (chopped)
2 pints of vegetable stock
Seasoning
Toasted bread and olive oil, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over a low heat and add the onion, cover with the lid and sweat.

Add the carrot and swede then pour in the stock. Cook until the carrot and swede are soft.

Take off the heat and liquidise the ingredients until smooth.

Season to taste

Serve with toasted bread drizzled with olive oil.

Hubby does not "do" carrots and swede but he eats this soup.
The liquidiser is a wonderful invention.

vonski

Chicken Simla

2 tspns Worcestershire sauce
Flour (to toss)
4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 tblspns olive oil or similar
2 oz butter
1 chicken stock cube
1/2 pt hot water
2 tblspns mild mustard
1/2 pt dbl cream
1oz flaked, toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 170C (325F or gas mark 3).
Toss chicken in flour, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pan and fry chicken on both sides , until golden and tender. Arrange in a shallow ovenproof dish.
Dissolve stock cube in hot water. Stir in mustard and Worcestershire sauce, pour over chicken.
Cover and bake for 1 hr. Stir in cream and sprinkle with almonds.
Serve with veg or rice.

vonski

Mushroom and Nut Layer Bake

2 oz oil
4oz breadcrumbs
1 tspn mixed herbs
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 large onion chopped
4oz chopped nuts
8oz mushrooms washed or peeled and chopped
salt and pepper

Heat oil on fairly high heat and fry breadcrumbs until crispy but not burnt.
Take off heat and add nuts, herbs and salt and pepper to season. Add onion just before assembly stage and mix well.
Mix roughly mushrooms and tomatoes, salt and pepper to season.

Assemble in layers, nut mix, tomato mix etc.

Bake for 30 mins at 200C (400F, gas mark 6)

vonski

Banana and Sultana Cake

8oz/200g SR flour
1/2 tsp mixed spices
1lb ripe bananas
pinch of salt
6oz/150g soft brown sugar
4oz/100g margarine
4oz/100g sultanas
2 large eggs

Pre heat oven 190C/Gas mark 5
Grease and prepare 1&1/2lb loaf tin.
Sieve the flour, salt and mixed spice into mixing bowl. Add margarine and rub in to form bread crumbs.
Mash bananas, add to flour mix.
Add all remaining ingredients. Mix in well.
Put into cake tin and bake for 50-55 mins.

Cool and decorate with glace icing.

Sultanas can be replaced with walnuts, dates, cherries, chocolate chips or a combination.

elnafinn

Corned Beef Loaf

12 oz can corned beef
2 breakfast cups breadcrumbs
1 onion
1 oz oil
1 egg
litle milk for binding
pinch sage
seasoning

Fry chopped onion in the oil until soft.
Mix with flaked corned beef, breadcrumbs, sage, beaten egg and enough milk to give a sticky consistency.

Place the mixture into a greased loaf tin and cover with greased paper. Bake for 45 minutes Gas Mark 5.

Serve hot with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy or cold with salads.

elnafinn

Smoked Salmon Rolls (starter)

Thin slices of smoked salmon
Cream cheese
Tin of asparagus tips/ fresh asparagus tips

Serve slices of smoked salmon spread with a layer of cream cheese wrapped round an asparagus tip.

Arrange on plate.

Ready to serve.

elnafinn

Corned Beef Hash

12 oz can corned beef
approx 8 ozs mashed potato
1 egg
1 oz oil
seasoning

Garnish:sliced beetroot, parsley (optional)

Flake the corned beef and mix with the potatoes and beaten egg. Season well.

Hea oil in frying pan and put in the mixture spreading this evenly and allow to cook slowly until the underside is golden brown and the mixture really hot.

Fold like an omelette and turn on to a hot plate.

Serve garnished with beetroot and parsley

elnafinn

Bacon and Pineapple Loaf

Approx 12 ozs bacon
2 cups breadcrumbs
1 egg
small can pineapple rings
seasoning
pinch mixed herbs

Garnish: sprigs of watercress (optional)

Mince or chop bacon finely. Add breadcrumbs, seasoning, pinch mixed herbs, the beaten egg and about a tablespoon pineapple juice from the can.

Blend well and put into a well-greased loaf tin. Cover with greased paper and bake for approx 1 hour Gas Mark 4.

Turn out carefully and garnish with pineapple rings - replace for a few minutes in the oven to heat the pineaple then top with sprigs of watercress and serve.

elnafinn

Walnut cheese Ball ( starter)

8 ozs Cream cheese
celery salt or teaspoon crushed garlic
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon grated onion
1 tablespoon chopped green paper
4 ozs walnuts chopped
4 ozs drained crushed pineapple

When serving: lettuce leaves,cocktail biscuits,olives,tomatoes

Beat cream cheese until soft then gradually stir in the salt, parsley, onion green pepper and crushed pineapple.
Finally add half the nuts and combine well.

Chill in refrigerstor until firm.

Sprinkle remaining nuts on a sheet of foil. shape the chilled mixture into a ball and roll evenly in the nuts to coat.

Serve on lettuce leaves with small cocktail biscuits, olives and tomatoes.

To freeze: wrap closely in foil, keeping the ball as round as possible.

To defrost: unwrap and place on a serving dish to defrost.

Suzi

My favourite recipe is one that Ronnie Barker (the great comedian) invented.

The £5 note sandwich.

4ozs Ham
2ozs mature cheddar cheese
crispy £5 note
2 slices wholemeal bread
envelope (brown or white to taste)
mayonnaise
gentlemans relish

Smooth the mayonnaise over the bread, chop the ham and grate the cheese then put on bread.
Insert the £5 into envelope then whisk it off to your favourite charity and sit back and enjoy your sandwich with relish, knowing that some one will benifit from your hard work in preparing this snack.

Suzi xx

noonoo

Nice one Suzi - I've not heard that before!

Noo Noo

elnafinn

Cream of Tomato Soup

(serves about 6)

31b tomatoes
2 large or 4 small onions
2 cloves garlic (optional)
3 oz oil
2 teacups milk (the creamier the better!)
6 level teaspoons cornflour
seasoning
2 Bay leaves
parsley (about 2 teaspoons when finely chopped) (optional)
2 teacups water
2 tiny pinches of bicarbonate of soda
pinch of sugar (if liked)

Wash tomatoes and cut into several pieces
Peel and slice onions fairly finely; cut garlic into several pieces
Cook onions and garlic in oil until gold coloured
Add tomatoes, bayleaves, seasoning, two teacups of warm water
Stir and bring slowly to boiling point
Cover and turn heat low and simmer until onions are soft
Remove bayleaves and pass soup through a sieve (or use a juicer) to make a puree (discarding pips and skins of tomatoes)
Blend cornflour with a little of the milk and add with the rest of milk to puree. Add pinches of bicarbonate ((prevents curdling)
Return all to the pan and bring to the boil stirring often for 3 - 5 minutes
Correct seasoning (adding pinch of sugar if you like it)
Add chopped parsley (optional) and serve.

Freezes well.

daisee

Truffles
20 digestive biscuits
405ml can condensed milk
4 tbsp coconut
4 tbsp drinking chocolate powder or cocoa if you don't mind more bitter/rich
1 tsp vanilla extract
2oz/50g melted butter

Turn digestives into breadcrumbs using a food processor and mix all ingredients together, I usually add wet ingredients last. Leave to firm in the fridge for 30 minutes, roll into balls (approx 20-25 large or 30-40 small) and roll in cocoa, 100s & 1000s, vermicelli or coconut. Keep in the fridge as I think they have more flavour when chilled
Yummy and a great x mas gift

elnafinn

January Trifle

8 ozs christmas pudding or fruit cake
3 rounded tbs golden syrup
1 oz butter
1 lemon
2 eating apples
1 pear
1 banana
2 eggs
1 oz shelled walnuits (optional)
caster sugar

Cut christmas pudding or fruit cake into thin slices and place in a large ovenproof dish

Place syrup in small pan and add butter and stir over a low heat for about 5 mintues or until the mixture becomes a rich golden brown

Remove pan from heat and using a wooden spoon stir in 2 tablespoons of water a little at a time. Allow mixture to cool

Prepare a moderate oven - Gas mark 4. Arrange fruit over christmas pudding or fruit cake and put in nuts.

Squeeze lemon juice out of lemon and place in a bowl. Peel and core apples, pear and peel banana. Cut the fruit into slices and turn in lemon juice in bowl.

Separate eggs, add yolks to the syrup mixture and place whites in a clean bowl.

Whisk egg whites until stiff. aAdd some caster sugar and whisk again.

Pile spoonfuls of meringue on top of trifle and sprinkle with a little caster sugar.

Bake in centre of oven for 25 - 30 minute until meringue is lightly browned.

Serve hot.

elnafinn

Beehive Apples

4 small cooking apples
2 ozs sultanas
1 oz ground almonds
4 tbs orange jelly marmalade
1 1b frozen puff pastry (defrosted)
1 egg beaten

When serving: 1 oz butter, 4 tablespoons orange jelly marmalade (optional)

Peel and core the apples. Mix the sultanas, ground almonds and marmalade and use to fill the centres of the apples.

Roll out the pastry thinly to a rectangle and cut into strips, 1cm wide. Wrap round each apple, until the whole apple is covered and looks like a beehive. Place on a greased baking sheet.

Brush the apple beehives all over with the beaten egg and bake in a moderately hot over for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown.

To Freeze: Pack in a rigid container.

To Serve: Unpack and arrange on a baking tray to defrost, then reheat in an moderately hoyt over for 15 minutes.

(optional)
Meanwhile place the butter and marmalade in a saucepan, stirring frequently, until both are melted. Serve the hot beehive apples with the marmalade sauce

elnafinn

Tomato Sardine Starter

4oz can sardines in tomato sauce
3 ozs butter
2 ozs soft brown breadcrumbs
grated zest and juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
seasoning

When serving: lemon wedges, sprigs of parsley

Remove backbones and tails from sardines and mash them with the tomato sauce.

Melt the butter, stir in the breadcrumbs and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Beat in the mashed sardines, lemon zest and juice, parsley and seasoning to taste.

Divide among 4 ramekin dishes or individual containers.

To serve: Garnish with lemon twists and parsley and serve with hot rolls.

This tomato sardine starter can be frozen.

msbojangles

this one is easy peasy and no heavy lifting and very tasty,

sausage quiche.

one ready made savory flan case (bought in most supermarkets)
pack of 6 sausages
6 rashers of bacon/smoky or non smoky.
2 large eggs
large tin of condensed milk
2 tbsp of paprike
handful of grated cheese
salt/pepper to taste

heat oven to gas 6 or 200c
grill the bacon and sauages until golden brown
mix together the condensed milk, eggs, salt, pepper and paprika in a pouring jug..
place the flan case onto a baking tray.
cut the bacon and sauages into chucks and place in the bottom of the flan case, then carefully pour over the egg mixture (not right up to the top yet) then sprinkle the cheese on top.
place the baking tray into the heated oven and then pour some more egg mixture in until comes to just below he top of flan case.
cook for 30 mins
serve hot or cold and yummy enjoy.

elnafinn

Hello dear Kath

I am flattered if you have copied any of the recipes that I have submitted. I am sure Noo Noo and the others who have contributed to this thread would feel the same way too. Why wait - nothing may come of it.

Happy cooking! Happy eating!
Enjoy!

Luv
Elna xx

elnafinn

Cheesy Leeks

8 small leeks (white part only)
8 slices cooked ham
100g cheddar , grated
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
6 tbsp crème fraîche (full or half-fat)

Serves 4

Heat oven to Gas Mark 6.
Cook the leeks in a pan of boiling salted water for 4-5 mins or until just tender.
Drain and cool under a cold tap to stop them from cooking any further, then drain again well and pat dry on kitchen paper.

Wrap each leek in a slice of ham, then arrange, side-by-side, in a large baking dish. Mix the cheddar in a bowl with the Dijon mustard and crème fraîche, until well combined. Season to taste. Spread over the leeks, then bake for 15-20 mins until bubbling and golden brown.

Serve at once with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the juices.