Quick and Easy Recipe Suggestions.....

noonoo

NOO NOO's SPECIAL CHOCOLATE SPONGE CAKE

6oz marg or butter (I use Pure sunflower spread)
6oz golden caster sugar
3eggs
2 heaped tablespoons Green and Blacks cocoa powder
5oz SR flour

Blend the marg and sugar together, add the eggs then fold in the flour and cocoa powder.

Put into 2 x round sponge tins and bake for approx 15-20 mins at 180C and allow to cool completely.

For the buttercream:-
Combine about 1 tablespoon of marg, 1/2 tablespoon cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons icing sugar, add a little water if needed, into a smooth thick paste.

Sandwich the two cakes together with the buttercream.

Melt 1/2 bar of Green and Blacks Maya Gold chocolate and spread over the top of the cake.

Enjoy!!!

Rainbow77

Here is my favourite flap jack recipe;

Peanut butter and banana flap jack

85 grms margarine or soft butter
1 large tablespoon of peanut butter
1 large banana mashed
125 grms brown sugar
225-250 grms of oats
1 handful of raisins - optional

Melt the butter and peanut butter together
Add the mashed banana and sugar and melt
Add the oats and mix together thoroughly

Put in a lined tin and cook at 180oc for about 30 minutes or until golden brown

Mark out into bars and let it cool....

I am waiting for mine - it is in the oven as i type!!

fayann xxx

elnafinn

Serves 4

11b onions
2 ozs oil
2 level tablespoons flour
seasoning
1 pint water
half a pint of milk

Peel and slice onions fairly thinly

Cook onions in oil stirring frequently until cooked

Sprinkle flour over onions, add seasoning and stir again until the flour is absorbed and can no longer be seen

Add the water, stir well and bring to boiling point
Reduce heat, cover pan and allow to simmer until onions are soft

Add milk, stirring as you pour. The soup should be of a thick creamy consistency. Do not let it boil.

You can liquidise if preferred.

elnafinn

A nice variation is to coat liver in stuffing mix as opposed to flour for a change. Delicious

I tried this yesterday and it tasted sooooooo good :!: :!: along with fried onions, kidneys, mash and gravy :!: :!:

There is enough left for tonight - cannot believe what a couple of cheap meals that is :!:

elnafinn

Cabbage Soup

Serves 4

1 large onion
500g potatoes
200 - 300g cabbage (black nero/savoy/kale as substitute/white cabbage but flavour will not be as strong)
1 litre vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped, e.g. thyme, parsley
30ml vegetable oil
200g cooked cannelloni beans or butter beans (optional)


Peel the onion and chop it roughly. Peel the garlic and crush it.

Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.

Wash the potatoes and chop into 1 cm chunks. There's no need to peel, unless you want to. Add to the pan and sauté for about 5 minutes.

Add the herbs and stock. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Wash the cabbage and chop it. Add to the soup and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes.

Liquidise the soup, if you prefer.

Add the cannelloni beans or butter beans (optional).

Heat through.

Serve with chunks of crusty bread.

elnafinn

Ratatouille

Heat a little olive oil in a large-ish saucepan.

Add one large onion chopped into chunks and 2-3 cloves garlic.

Throw in roughly chopped peppers (2), aubergine, (1) courgettes (2), some salt, put the lid on and let the whole lot sort of steam through.

Add the tomatoes but not the juice from a tin of plum tomatoes.

(I use fresh, soft tomatoes when they're being grown in the garden/allotment.)

Let it cook for about 30 mins till just soft but not mushy. A little sweet paprika sprinkled on at the end will thicken up the juice if necessary.

That's it!

Delicious, and quick, if you like ratatouille!!!!

ellie99

thanks noo noo and elna,
I have between six and eight at home at the mo and these receipies will go down a treat. Passing them on to my eldest too,
thanks Ellie

bluesky05

Quick question Elna about the ratatouille recipe do you throw the aubergine straight in or do you salt it first? Cheers x

elnafinn

bluesky05 wrote:

Quick question Elna about the ratatouille recipe do you throw the aubergine straight in or do you salt it first? Cheers x

Hello bluesky

I did not salt it first, just chopped it up and added some salt to the pan.

We are still eating ratatouille that I made earlier in the week. It makes quite a panful, especially as I added an extra courgette and pepper.

If you make it, I hope you like it!
Luv
Elna

bluesky05

Thanks Elna. I am going to make it next time my eldest daughter is round as she has been veggie all her life and I am always on the look out for something new to cook for her, this definitely fits the bill. x

elnafinn

Mediterranean Pasta

This is basically the ratatouille ingredients from previous recipe chopped up really small, flung in a pan with some olive oil, and then Passata added to moisten and thicken it all up. A dollop of cream or a spoonful of evaporated milk at the end makes it extra creamy.

It's nice on coloured spirals, or Penne.

elnafinn

RICE PUDDING

600ml (1 pint) Milk
50g (2oz) Pudding Rice or Tapioca
15g (½oz) Butter
2 tbsp Sugar
¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon, Nutmeg or Mixed Spice

Pre-heat oven to 170°C: 325°F: Gas 3.

Place the milk, rice (or tapioca), butter and sugar into a greased 1.1 litre (2 pint) oven-proof dish.

Place into the oven.

Bake for 2-2½ hours.

Stir 2 or 3 times during the first hour of cooking.

Sprinkle with the chosen spice.

Continue cooking until a golden brown crust has formed.

Serve hot or cold, with a spoonful of jam or seasonal fruit.

noeltone

Hi Kat you must be pyschic went out for the day and got some plaice and now I know what to get done with it I hope I can waiyt the 25-30 minutes and we got some potatoes and yes Jersey New Potato's on offer from Somerfield you should become a predcitor cant think of the right name if it goes wrong Ill know who to balme he he

elnafinn

noeltone wrote:

Hi Kat you must be pyschic went out for the day and got some plaice and now I know what to get done with it I hope I can waiyt the 25-30 minutes and we got some potatoes and yes Jersey New Potato's on offer from Somerfield you should become a predcitor cant think of the right name if it goes wrong Ill know who to balme he he

Hi Kat and Chrisov

Firstly, a great recipe, Kat and secondly, Chrisov, you cannot blame Kat if it all goes pearshaped, which I am sure it will not, as where is there to go wrong :?: :!: Chrisov, put the fish in the oven first, and then prepare the tatties as they will not take as long as the fish. The 25 - 30 minutes will soon go.

Hope you enjoy your meal!

Luv
Elna x

noeltone

Um it was gerat and a great recipe Kat and I did not burn it well the spuds were not quite done but the fish was and Elna even me manged to cook it he he lol

elnafinn

'morning Chrisov!

You must have more confidence in yourself, with your cooking abilities. I knew you would be able to cook it!

I am sorry to hear, from another thread that you did not sleep well and were up and about at all hours. I hate that too. I wander round the house. sit at the pc and generally end up having a huge bowl of cereal and that usually sends me off to sleep again.

Hope your day goes ok

Luv
Elna x

noeltone

Hi jasperalty fish was succulent but spuds a bit hard not cooked concetrated to much on fish I think not enough planning on veg fish is meant to be good for you so could have it often

noonoo

DORSET APPLE CAKE

I made this yesterday and it was delicious and easy to make. My son's parting words to me as he headed off to school today with the last slice in his lunchbox was 'can you make another apple cake today mum'!! Say no more!

Ingredients:-

250g of bramley apples
225g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
125g marg or butter
125g caster sugar
2 eggs beaten

You will need a 20cm cake tin about 3" deep - greased.

Put flour, baking powder and spices into a bowl and rub in the marg/butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Add the sugar and mix.

Peel and core the apples reserving half an apple for decoration. Dice the remaining apple and add to the mixture. Stir in the eggs until it forms a stiff mixture.

Spread the mixture evenly into the tin and level it off with the back of a spoon. Cut the remaining apple into thin slices and arrange over the mixture for decoration.

Bake for about 30 minutes gas mark 5, 190C, until cooked and springy to the touch. Sprinkle liberally with caster sugar while still warm and leave to cool in the tin.

It's delicious eaten on it's own with a cuppa or served slightly warm with cream or ice cream.

Enjoy...!!!

elnafinn

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 40 mins

Serves 4 - 6 people

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, sliced
225g/8oz potatoes, cubed
2 medium leeks,sliced
1.2 litres/2 pints vegetable stock
150ml/5fl oz double cream or crème fraîche
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions, potatoes and leeks. Cook for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften.
2. Add the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Season well and simmer until the vegetables are tender.
3. Whizz with a hand blender or in a blender until smooth. Reheat in a clean pan, stir in the cream or crème fraîche, heat through and serve.

A smooth, creamy vegetable soup full of flavour.

elnafinn

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

300g/12oz leeks, washed and finely sliced
300g/12oz potatoes, peeled and sliced
150g/6oz lean and chopped bacon
700ml/1¼pt stock (preferably fresh chicken stock, but chicken or vegetable stock cubes can be used)
290ml/½ pint milk
fresh ground black pepper
cream (optional)

Method:

1. sauté the potato, leeks and bacon in a pan, until soft but not coloured. This can be done in a bowl in the microwave if preferred.
2. Add the stock and cook until the potatoes are tender. Liquidize. Return to the pan and add the milk. Add the cream if desired.

bigmomma

Hi, all. I've been drooling at some of the recipes on here. However, I have an itsy bitsy problem - I'm currently trying to cater for my hubby, who's diabetic, myself with IBS which reacts to wheat and milk products, and my son, who eats what passes for normal in this house. My food bill has shot throught the roof, and our choices have become quite narrow.

However, I have discovered I can make a reasonable cake using the Dove's Farm gluten free flour. I substitute equal quantities of the non-wheat flour for the self-raising flour, adding 1 tsp of wheat-free baking powder per 8 oz of flour. I also have to add extra liquid, as the non-wheat flour absorbs more than ordinary flour. My first couple of efforts were a bit dry. I also substitute fruit sugar for ordinary sugar, so my other half can have some of the cake with a meal.

AGYG

Rainbow77

Hi AGYG

Have you come across the receipe books called 'cooking without' by barbara cousins.

There are 3, cooking without, cooking without made easy and vegetarian cooking without.

There are loads of cooking ideas with no wheat, gluten, sugar or dairy products.

You can get them on the famous 'rain forest' internet shopping website for about £9 - well worth it. They also include bread and cake treats to.

Hope this helps you

Fayann xxx

bigmomma

Thanks for that, Fayann. I shall certainly look out for them. I suspect I shall try my local library first, before forking out cash, though. I'm looking forward to extending the range of things we can eat, instead of whittling about what we can't have.

AGYG

noonoo

Hi AGYG

I am ok with wheat and sugar but I am on a milk free diet. All the recipes I've posted on here are milk free. When I first gave up milk I lost loads of weight and found it hard as so many products contain milk, but as time has gone on I've found lots of alternatives and all recipes work well with soya milk, Pure sunflower spread instead of butter or regular marg, Swedish Glace ice cream is delicious and a product called Oatly is a good substitute for cream.

I can imagine catering for yours and your husbands needs must be challenging!! But we are lucky that the supermarkets now cater for various allergies and intolerances.

I do think that overall we eat more healthily now as a lot of our food is home cooked rather than ready meals.

NooNoo
x

elnafinn

bigmomma wrote:

Thanks for that, Fayann. I shall certainly look out for them. I suspect I shall try my local library first, before forking out cash, though. I'm looking forward to extending the range of things we can eat, instead of whittling about what we can't have.

AGYG

Hi Annie

I get my recipes from the internet. Just the cost of printing them out in order to make them!

I use my recipe books very infrequently now, except for the old favourites I cook from them.

There are lots of recipes on the net for diabetics and wheatfree, and as NooNoo says there are milk substitutes.

Happy cooking! 8)

Luv
Elna x