Meatloaf

An Italian dish in origin, but quite a popular dish in the USA. Such a filling dish that is quick and easy to cook.

Serves 4

Meatloaf
500g Minced Beef
3 Slices worth of breadcrumbs
1 Large Egg
3 tbsp Parmesan
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
Pack of Streaky Bacon
1 Garlic clove, crushed
1 Onion, finely sliced
2 tsp Oregano

Tomato Sauce
300ml Passata
200ml Beef Stock
1 Garlic Clove, Crushed
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 Small Glass of Red Wine
Shake of Worcestereshire Sauce
1 tsp of Brown Sugar
Torn up Basil

1. Preheat the oven to 200/180 fan assisted. Line a loaf tine with the streaky bacon.

2. Take a food processor or blender and add the egg, beef, breadcrumbs, parmesan, tomato puree, garlic, onion and oregano. Blend together.

3. Add this to the tin. Cover with the over hanging bacon. And put in the oven for an hour. It will shrink in the oven.

4. For the tomato sauce: fry the onion and garlic in a pan with a bit of olive oil. Add the brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce for a minute. Then add the stock and red wine and leave to boil for 5 minutes. Add the passata and heat through. Then blend until smooth.

5. Slice the loaf and pour over the meatloaf. Serve with salad, basil and potatoes.

Homemade Baked Beans & Garlic Bread

A twist on the classic student meal.

Serves 4

3 tbps Tomato Purée

A couple of shakes of Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 Rashers of Bacon
250ml Vegetable Stock

1 Can of Canellini Beans

1 Onion, finely chopped

1 Garlic Clove, crushed
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Red Chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp of Brown Sugar
1 tbps Mustard
Vegetable Oil

Garlic Bread
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Butter
French Baguette
Parsley, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the grill (or use a griddle pan).Put oil in a large pan. Fry the bacon for about 5 minutes. Then  add the onions, garlic, chilli, pepper and fry for a further 3 minutes.

2. Add the stock, tomato purée, Worcestershire to the pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to simmer and add the mustard and brown sugar. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the beans. Keep on the heat for a further 5 minutes. Season if needed.

3. While the beans are being cooked, make the garlic bread. Slice the garlic bread and place under the grill or on a griddle pan. Mix the butter, garlic and parsley together. Once the bread is toasted put the butter mixture on the toast and put under the grill for less than a minute. Serve

Triple Chocolate Cookies (V)

Such a yummy treat with chocolatey goodness. Make sure not to eat all the cookie dough.

Makes 18-20 Cookies

375g Plain Flour
3 tbs Cocoa Powder
250g Butter
200g Caster Sugar
175g Soft Brown Sugar
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
2 Large Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
300g Milk Chocolate, broken into bite size chunks
300g White Chocolate, broken into bite size chunks


1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c Fan assisted.

2. In the mixing bowl, mix the butter, cocoa powder, brown sugar, caster sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.

3. In a second bowl, mix the bicarb and flour together. Then gradually mix the flour into the butter/sugar mixture. The mixture should thicken. If too stiff add either one more egg or softened butter. Or if too gooey, add more flour. Add the chocolate and stir.

4. Put greasproof paper on 2/3 baking trays. Take a good tablespoon full of the cookie dough, place on the greaseproof paper. You could fit about 5/6 cookies worth on each tray. They will flatten out in the oven.

5. Put in the oven for about 10 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack for half an hour. Serve.

Cookie Dough

Yum ^_^

Toad in the Hole

A British favourite that is quick and easy to cook (with added Bacon).

Serves 4

130g Plain Flour, Shift
300ml Milk
2 Eggs
2 tsp Mustard
8 Sausages
Salt and Pepper
8 Rashers of Bacon
1 tsp Sage



1.Wrap the sausages in bacon. Then grill the sausages for 20-25 Minutes, turning halfway. Then preheat the oven for 200/180 Fan Assisted

2. For the batter, whisk the milk, mustard, sage, seasoning and eggs in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the plain white flour. It should thicken. Add more flour if too runny. Leave for 15 minutes

3. Once the sausage have been cooked transfer to a dish and pour over the batter. Then put in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Serve

Serving Suggestions:
- Gravy (Onion Gravy)
- Mixed Vegetables
- Mashed Potatoes

Calzone

Essentially a pizza folded in half. Fill it with anything you want. Can make it really meaty with pepperoni, sausage, pork, beef etc. Go veggie, with peppers, onions, sweetcorn etc. Or have a bit of everything

Ingredients

Serves: 4

Dough

250g Strong White Flour, shifted

Sachet of Yeast (7g)

Pinch of Salt

Splash of Olive Oil
125ml of Milk
75ml Water

Filling

1 Onion, sliced finely

Ingredients for the Dough

1 Pepper (Red or Green)

Black Olives, halved

Pepperoni

Ham, cut into pieces

Cooked chicken, cut into chunks.

Mozzarella Ball, cut into slices
Mushrooms, sliced
200ml Passata

40g Butter
2 Garlic Cloves
Parsley



1. To make the dough, you put the flour into a mixing bowl. Add the milk, water, salt and yeast to the bowl and mix together. Once combined begin to knead the dough for about 5 minutes

2. Add the olive oil and knead the dough for a further 5 minutes. Leave in a warm place for a couple of hours.

3. Preheat the oven for 220c/200c fan assisted.

4. Fry the pepper, onion and mushrooms in a pan. Put in a large bowl and add the other filling ingredients to the bowl, apart from the mozzarella. Mix well.

5. For the garlic butter, put the butter in a bowl and microwave. Fry the garlic. Add the garlic and parsley to the butter and stir.

6. Get the dough and separate into 4 pieces. Put the dough onto a floured surface and roll into circles.

7. Add the filling in the centre of the dough, then place the mozzarella on top.

8. Fold the dough over the filling and brush the edges with the butter to seal. Then brush a bit on the top.

9. Put on a baking tray with greaseproof paper on it. Put in the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Serve

Carbonara

A simple dish for when you are alone and tastes delicious.


Serves 1

2 Eggs
1 Clove of Garlic
75 g Spaghetti
2/3 Rashers of Bacon, cut into bite size bits
Salt and Pepper
30g Cheese
Knob of Butter




1. Add the pasta to a pan of boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes.

2. While this is boiling fry the bacon with a bit of olive oil in a frying pan until crispy.

3. Mix the egg, half the cheese, garlic and salt and pepper in a bowl.

4. Drain the pasta, put back on the heat and add the butter. When this has melted add the egg mixture and bacon. Cook for a further 1/2 minutes.

5. Serve with the remaining cheese.

Hot Cross Bun Pudding (V)

A lovely Easter Sunday pudding. A variation of the classic bread and butter pudding with a few added extras. Either save time by buying the hot cross buns from the shop or go the extra mile and make them from scratch.

Serves 6

6 Hot cross buns
75g Caster Sugar
2 Handfuls of Sultans
2 handfuls of apricots, chopped
150g Marzipan
3 Eggs
250ml Double Cream
400ml Whole Milk
1 Vanilla Pod
Butter, to spread on the buns
Marmalade, to spread on the buns

1. Cut each bun in half and spread on butter and marmalade. Put into a large shallow oven proof dish.

2. On the hob heat the milk, cream and the vanilla pod for about 5 minutes. In a separate bowl mix the eggs and sugar together. Then mix the cream and egg mixture together.

3. Add the apricots, marzipan and sultanas to the dish. Then pour the cream mixture over the the hot cross buns and leave to the side for 10 minutes.

4. Put in the oven for about 40 minutes at 200/180 fan assisted. Serve