This is a classic and for me never loses its appeal. It's a perfect starter and so easy to make too!
INGREDIENTS
Little Gem Lettuce / Iceberg Lettuce
Cooked Prawns
Marie Rose Sauce
4 Parts Mayonnaise
1 Part Tomato Ketchup
Tabasco
Garnish
Paprika
Lemon
METHOD
Shred the lettuce and place in the bottom of chilled glasses. Toss the cooked prawns in the Marie Rose sauce and pile on top of the lettuce. Dust with a little paprika. Serve with a lemon wedge balanced on the side of the glass. Traditionally this is also served with brown bread and butter, with the crusts removed and cut into triangles
NOTE If you use frozen prawns make sure you defrost them thoroughly and drain off any liquid before mixing with the Marie Rose sauce.
You can also use the prawn mixture to serve with melon as alternative starter, see 3 Melon Starters
3 MELON STARTERS
Here are 3 easy starters using Melon. I recommend using a Charentais Melon. They are wonderfully sweet and fragrant with an orange flesh and pale green skin.
MELON WITH PORT
This is another recipe from my Mother-in-Law Shirley, a favourite when in the South of France where the Charentais Melon originates from
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Port
Method
Place the melon half into an individual serving bowl. Mix the reserved juice with a little Port and pour into the centre of the melon. Serve immediately
MELON WITH PARMA HAM
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Parma Ham
Method
Halve the melon, remove the seeds and cut the melon into slices
Serve with slices of Parma Ham either on the side or wrapped around each slice of Melon
Method
Make a Marie Rose Sauce by mixing together..
MELON WITH PORT
This is another recipe from my Mother-in-Law Shirley, a favourite when in the South of France where the Charentais Melon originates from
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Port
Method
Halve the melon, remove the seeds and any flesh that comes with them and place in a sieve over a bowl. Agitate the seeds and flesh to release any juice into the bowl. Reserve the juice
MELON WITH PARMA HAM
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Parma Ham
Method
Halve the melon, remove the seeds and cut the melon into slices
Serve with slices of Parma Ham either on the side or wrapped around each slice of Melon
MELON WITH PRAWNS
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Cooked Prawns
Mayonnaise
Tomato Ketchup
Tabasco
Paprika
Ingredients
Charentais Melon
Cooked Prawns
Mayonnaise
Tomato Ketchup
Tabasco
Paprika
Method
Make a Marie Rose Sauce by mixing together..
4 Tablespoons of Mayonnaise
2 Heaped Teaspoons of Tomato Ketchup
A Dash of Tabasco
Halve the melon, remove the seeds and place the melon half into an individual serving bowl. Mix cooked prawns in the Marie Rose sauce, place in the centre of the melon. Sprinkle the prawns with a little Paprika. Serve immediately
NOTE If you use frozen prawns make sure you defrost them thoroughly and drain off any liquid before mixing with the Marie Rose sauce
You can also combine the prawns with lettuce to serve as a Prawn Cocktail
NOTE If you use frozen prawns make sure you defrost them thoroughly and drain off any liquid before mixing with the Marie Rose sauce
You can also combine the prawns with lettuce to serve as a Prawn Cocktail
BLACKCURRANT PIE
I will never forget my first taste of Blackcurrant Pie! When I was growing up we often used to go for lunch in a cafe called 'The Tender Trap' in St. Annes-on-Sea. The blackcurrant pie was made by Mrs. Sterk and it was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted. This recipe is my attempt at replicating it!
INGREDIENTS
Shortcrust Pastry or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
4-6 Cups of Blackcurrants
1-2 Tablespoons of Cornflour
½ Cup Sugar
Lemon zest (optional)
METHOD
Filling
Toss the blackcurrants in the cornflour, sugar and lemon zest, put aside.
The cornflour mixes with the juice from the blackcurrants to form a thick jammy filling
Pastry
Make the Shortcrust Pastry as per my recipe
or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
Leave to chill for 20 minutes
Divide the pastry into two and roll out
Line a pie plate with half of the pastry, using the plate as your guide
Fill with the blackcurrant mixture
Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water
Top with the other half of the pastry
Press down on the pastry edges making sure they are properly sealed. Hold the plate elevated in one hand, with the other hand trim off any excess pastry with a knife in a downward motion, using the plate edge as your guide
Flute the edges with a pinching action using your fingers and thumb. If you struggle to do that you can always just use a fork and press down on all the edges to make a lined pattern on the pastry edge
Decorate with pastry leaves, sticking them down with a little water
Make two small incisions in the middle of the pastry lid to let the steam escape
Brush the pastry lid with a little milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar
Bake at 200c for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.
Serve with cream or custard
VARIATIONS
You could replace the Blackcurrants with Peaches
Instead of using pastry you could make this into a Sponge Pudding
*Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
This is Paul Hollywood's recipe. Use the same method as in my Shortcrust Pastry, mixing the flour and icing sugar together, adding the butter, then the egg and lemon juice:
7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp icing sugar
3½oz unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
INGREDIENTS
Shortcrust Pastry or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
4-6 Cups of Blackcurrants
1-2 Tablespoons of Cornflour
½ Cup Sugar
Lemon zest (optional)
METHOD
Filling
Toss the blackcurrants in the cornflour, sugar and lemon zest, put aside.
The cornflour mixes with the juice from the blackcurrants to form a thick jammy filling
Make the Shortcrust Pastry as per my recipe
or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
Leave to chill for 20 minutes
Divide the pastry into two and roll out
Line a pie plate with half of the pastry, using the plate as your guide
Fill with the blackcurrant mixture
Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water
Top with the other half of the pastry
Press down on the pastry edges making sure they are properly sealed. Hold the plate elevated in one hand, with the other hand trim off any excess pastry with a knife in a downward motion, using the plate edge as your guide
Flute the edges with a pinching action using your fingers and thumb. If you struggle to do that you can always just use a fork and press down on all the edges to make a lined pattern on the pastry edge
Decorate with pastry leaves, sticking them down with a little water
Make two small incisions in the middle of the pastry lid to let the steam escape
Brush the pastry lid with a little milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar
Bake at 200c for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.
Serve with cream or custard
VARIATIONS
You could replace the Blackcurrants with Peaches
Instead of using pastry you could make this into a Sponge Pudding
*Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
This is Paul Hollywood's recipe. Use the same method as in my Shortcrust Pastry, mixing the flour and icing sugar together, adding the butter, then the egg and lemon juice:
7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp icing sugar
3½oz unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
APPLE SPONGE / FRUIT SPONGE
This uses the same ingredients and method as the filling for Apple Pie and the same ingredients and method as a Victoria Sponge Cake for the topping. I would make just half the quantity of the Victoria Sponge mixture or make the full amount and make some fairy cakes with the excess. If you're making a batch of cake mixture you may as well take advantage and make two things at once!
You can also vary it by using different fruits for the filling. Rhubarb is delicious, using the same method as cooking apples or you could use any tinned fruit.
Apple Filling
Ingredients and method as per the filling in the Apple Pie recipe
Sponge Topping
Ingredients and method as per the mixture in the Victoria Sponge recipe
Place cooked (or tinned) fruit in the base of a greased ovenproof dish and then top with the cake mixture for a light sponge pudding. Serve hot with cream or custard.
You can also vary it by using different fruits for the filling. Rhubarb is delicious, using the same method as cooking apples or you could use any tinned fruit.
Apple Filling
Ingredients and method as per the filling in the Apple Pie recipe
Sponge Topping
Ingredients and method as per the mixture in the Victoria Sponge recipe
Place cooked (or tinned) fruit in the base of a greased ovenproof dish and then top with the cake mixture for a light sponge pudding. Serve hot with cream or custard.
APPLE PIE
My Mother-in-Law Shirley taught me how to make this, it's surprisingly easy! I'm sorry I don't have any quantities I usually do it by eye but I would buy between 4 & 6 large Bramley Apples. If you make too much the excess can always be saved (or frozen) for apple sauce.
INGREDIENTS
Shortcrust Pastry or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
Bramley Apples (cooking apples)
Sugar (adjust according to taste / how sour the apples are)
Water
METHOD
Filling
Peel and core the apples, slice or chop, it doesn't really matter
Place in a pan with a little sugar
Pass the pan quickly under a running tap to add just a touch of water. Not too much, the apples will release their own liquid. If you add too much water the final result will be too sloppy, you can always add more if necessary
Cook on a medium heat until the apples are cooked and collapsing (it shouldn't take long). Keep an eye on them that they don't boil dry, add a little more water if necessary. Taste and adjust the sweetness with a little more sugar if necessary
Once they are cooked, place in a sieve or colander sitting over a bowl to collect the juice. Reserve the juice
Leave to cool
Pastry
Make the Shortcrust Pastry as per my recipe
or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
Leave to chill for 20 minutes
Divide the pastry into two and roll out
Line a pie plate with half of the pastry, using the plate as your guide
Fill with the cooled and strained apple mixture
Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water
Top with the other half of the pastry
Press down on the pastry edges making sure they are properly sealed. Hold the plate elevated in one hand, with the other hand trim off any excess pastry with a knife in a downward motion, using the plate edge as your guide
Flute the edges with a pinching action using your fingers and thumb. If you struggle to do that you can always just use a fork and press down on all the edges to make a lined pattern on the pastry edge
Decorate with pastry leaves, sticking them down with a little water
Make two small incisions in the middle of the pastry lid to let the steam escape
Brush the pastry lid with a little milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar
Bake at 200c for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.
Serve with the reserved apple juice and cream or custard
VARIATIONS
You can always add a little cinnamon to the apples
You could swop the apples for pears or a mixture of the two
When adding the apple mixture to the pie you could dot a few blackberries on the top, no need to cook them first
Instead of using pastry you could make this into a Sponge Pudding
You can also make this with with Puff Pastry but I prefer to make that in a deeper dish with only a pastry top as the bottom pastry can sometimes end up soggy. Buy ready make Puff Pastry, life is too short to try and make it!
*Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
This is Paul Hollywood's recipe. Use the same method as in my Shortcrust Pastry, mixing the flour and icing sugar together, adding the butter, then the egg and lemon juice:
7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp icing sugar
3½oz unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
INGREDIENTS
Shortcrust Pastry or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
Bramley Apples (cooking apples)
Sugar (adjust according to taste / how sour the apples are)
Water
METHOD
Filling
Peel and core the apples, slice or chop, it doesn't really matter
Place in a pan with a little sugar
Pass the pan quickly under a running tap to add just a touch of water. Not too much, the apples will release their own liquid. If you add too much water the final result will be too sloppy, you can always add more if necessary
Cook on a medium heat until the apples are cooked and collapsing (it shouldn't take long). Keep an eye on them that they don't boil dry, add a little more water if necessary. Taste and adjust the sweetness with a little more sugar if necessary
Once they are cooked, place in a sieve or colander sitting over a bowl to collect the juice. Reserve the juice
Leave to cool
Pastry
Make the Shortcrust Pastry as per my recipe
or *Sweet Shortcrust Pastry, see bottom of post
Leave to chill for 20 minutes
Divide the pastry into two and roll out
Line a pie plate with half of the pastry, using the plate as your guide
Fill with the cooled and strained apple mixture
Dampen the edges of the pastry with a little water
Top with the other half of the pastry
Press down on the pastry edges making sure they are properly sealed. Hold the plate elevated in one hand, with the other hand trim off any excess pastry with a knife in a downward motion, using the plate edge as your guide
Flute the edges with a pinching action using your fingers and thumb. If you struggle to do that you can always just use a fork and press down on all the edges to make a lined pattern on the pastry edge
Decorate with pastry leaves, sticking them down with a little water
Make two small incisions in the middle of the pastry lid to let the steam escape
Brush the pastry lid with a little milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar
Bake at 200c for 25–30 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.
Serve with the reserved apple juice and cream or custard
VARIATIONS
You can always add a little cinnamon to the apples
You could swop the apples for pears or a mixture of the two
When adding the apple mixture to the pie you could dot a few blackberries on the top, no need to cook them first
Instead of using pastry you could make this into a Sponge Pudding
You can also make this with with Puff Pastry but I prefer to make that in a deeper dish with only a pastry top as the bottom pastry can sometimes end up soggy. Buy ready make Puff Pastry, life is too short to try and make it!
*Sweet Shortcrust Pastry
This is Paul Hollywood's recipe. Use the same method as in my Shortcrust Pastry, mixing the flour and icing sugar together, adding the butter, then the egg and lemon juice:
7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2 tbsp icing sugar
3½oz unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon juice
EGGY BREAD / FRENCH TOAST / ROLL UPS
We never really had French Toast in our house, or "Eggy Bread" as we call it over here. I remember seeing it for the first time in Kramer v Kramer. I have since become quite fond of it though, not necessarily for breakfast but for when I crave something sweet and don't want to go to the trouble of making pancakes.. I find the taste is quite similar. It's also a great way of using up stale bread.
Plain French Toast is just bread dipped both sides in beaten egg thinned with a little milk (or water if you've no milk in), then fried in butter until golden brown. It's up to you what you do with it thereafter. You can make it savoury or sweet...
INGREDIENTS
2 Slices of Bread
1 Egg
2 Dessert Spoons Milk
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (optional)
Knob of Butter
Drop of Vegetable Oil (this stops the butter from burning)
METHOD
Soak the bread slices in the eggy mixture for 5 minutes a side
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan
Fry the egg-soaked bread until golden on both sides
VARIATION - ROLL UPS
Cut the crusts off the bread slices
With a rolling pin flatten the bread slices
Spread filling of your choice
Roll up the bread as tightly as you can into a sausage shape
Soak in the egg mixture on all sides
Cook as above
SERVING IDEAS
Savoury
Serve on it's own or with bacon
Make a sandwich with..
Cheese
Cheese and Ham
Cheese and Tomato
Cheese and Onion
Press sandwich together to help it hold, soak in the egg mixture, fry on both sides
Tip.. finely grate the cheese and mix with a little mayonnaise to make a spread
Make roll ups filled with any savoury filling as above
Sweet
After cooking dredge with..
Sugar
Sugar and a little Lemon Juice
Icing Sugar
Cinnamon Sugar (a little cinnamon mixed with sugar)
Golden Syrup
Maple Syrup
Or top with Marmalade! A favourite of mine, acquired during my time at boarding school, is fried bread and marmalade… trust me it's delicious! Topping Eggy Bread with Marmalade is pretty good too.
Make roll ups filled with..
Peanut Butter
Nutella / Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Jam
Lemon Curd
Thinly sliced Banana*
Thinly sliced Strawberries*
*Don't overfill with fruit or have the slices too thick or you'll have trouble rolling them up. When you put them into the egg mixture to soak, put the side with the join at the bottom so that it soaks up the egg mixture first.. it helps to seal the join.
After cooking dredge with any of the above toppings, sugar, syrup etc.
If desired top with Cream / Crème fraîche / Yoghurt
Filling the Roll Up with Strawberry Jam and dredging in Sugar after cooking tastes remarkably like a Jam Doughnut! You can also cut the Roll Ups into bite sized portions so that you can eat them with your fingers.
Enjoy!
Plain French Toast is just bread dipped both sides in beaten egg thinned with a little milk (or water if you've no milk in), then fried in butter until golden brown. It's up to you what you do with it thereafter. You can make it savoury or sweet...
INGREDIENTS
2 Slices of Bread
1 Egg
2 Dessert Spoons Milk
1 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract (optional)
Knob of Butter
Drop of Vegetable Oil (this stops the butter from burning)
METHOD
Soak the bread slices in the eggy mixture for 5 minutes a side
Heat the butter and oil in a frying pan
Fry the egg-soaked bread until golden on both sides
VARIATION - ROLL UPS
Cut the crusts off the bread slices
With a rolling pin flatten the bread slices
Spread filling of your choice
Roll up the bread as tightly as you can into a sausage shape
Soak in the egg mixture on all sides
Cook as above
SERVING IDEAS
Savoury
Serve on it's own or with bacon
Make a sandwich with..
Cheese
Cheese and Ham
Cheese and Tomato
Cheese and Onion
Press sandwich together to help it hold, soak in the egg mixture, fry on both sides
Tip.. finely grate the cheese and mix with a little mayonnaise to make a spread
Make roll ups filled with any savoury filling as above
Sweet
After cooking dredge with..
Sugar
Sugar and a little Lemon Juice
Icing Sugar
Cinnamon Sugar (a little cinnamon mixed with sugar)
Golden Syrup
Maple Syrup
Or top with Marmalade! A favourite of mine, acquired during my time at boarding school, is fried bread and marmalade… trust me it's delicious! Topping Eggy Bread with Marmalade is pretty good too.
Make roll ups filled with..
Peanut Butter
Nutella / Chocolate Hazelnut Spread
Jam
Lemon Curd
Thinly sliced Banana*
Thinly sliced Strawberries*
*Don't overfill with fruit or have the slices too thick or you'll have trouble rolling them up. When you put them into the egg mixture to soak, put the side with the join at the bottom so that it soaks up the egg mixture first.. it helps to seal the join.
After cooking dredge with any of the above toppings, sugar, syrup etc.
If desired top with Cream / Crème fraîche / Yoghurt
Filling the Roll Up with Strawberry Jam and dredging in Sugar after cooking tastes remarkably like a Jam Doughnut! You can also cut the Roll Ups into bite sized portions so that you can eat them with your fingers.
Enjoy!
QUICK & HEALTHY BREAKFAST / GRANOLA BARS
I've tried many different recipes for Breakfast / Granola Bars but have never found one that I've been completely happy with, probably because I like to switch ingredients. Finally I've found a way to do it that's simple, it takes a few minutes to prepare, no weighing scales are needed and you can switch the ingredients as much as you like. You just need to stick to the same ratio of wet and dry ingredients. 2 cups of dry ingredients and 2 cups of wet. 1 cup of the dry ingredients must be porridge oats.
DRY INGREDIENTS
DRY INGREDIENTS
1 Cup of Porridge Oats
1 Cup of Nuts/Seeds/Dried Fruit of your choice
WET INGREDIENTS
1 Cup of Honey (Or a mix of Honey and Maple Syrup)
1 Cup of Nut Butter (Peanut/Almond/Cashew)
FLAVOURINGS
1 Large Tablespoon of Coconut Oil (measured cold)
Half Teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon (optional)
1 Cup of Nuts/Seeds/Dried Fruit of your choice
WET INGREDIENTS
1 Cup of Honey (Or a mix of Honey and Maple Syrup)
1 Cup of Nut Butter (Peanut/Almond/Cashew)
FLAVOURINGS
1 Large Tablespoon of Coconut Oil (measured cold)
Half Teaspoon of Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon (optional)
NOTES
Accuracy isn't key. Once you've done it a few times you'll soon get to know if it's a bit too wet or a bit too dry and adjust the ingredients accordingly. Just don't add too much fat or they will be greasy.
I tend to add a bit more of the dried fruit and nuts. Only because the mix that I buy comes in a 175g bag, a bit more than 1 cup so I just add the whole thing, I don't even bother to chop the nuts but that's up to you. I also add a couple of tablespoons of Milled Linseed that has Goji Berries and Seeds (Aldi) or you could add some Wheatgerm. I tend to use Coconut Oil but you could also use Olive Oil or Butter if you prefer their taste. You can use any type of nut butter but I prefer Peanut Butter. If you've not got enough honey you can always add a few spoons of brown sugar but try not to add too much as the idea is to keep these bars as healthy as possible and without refined sugar. If you've got some honey in the cupboard that's crystallised this is a great way to use it up. You could also use Agave Syrup. You can omit the Cinnamon if you like but it is good for you! You can also add a little Vanilla Extract.
Accuracy isn't key. Once you've done it a few times you'll soon get to know if it's a bit too wet or a bit too dry and adjust the ingredients accordingly. Just don't add too much fat or they will be greasy.
I tend to add a bit more of the dried fruit and nuts. Only because the mix that I buy comes in a 175g bag, a bit more than 1 cup so I just add the whole thing, I don't even bother to chop the nuts but that's up to you. I also add a couple of tablespoons of Milled Linseed that has Goji Berries and Seeds (Aldi) or you could add some Wheatgerm. I tend to use Coconut Oil but you could also use Olive Oil or Butter if you prefer their taste. You can use any type of nut butter but I prefer Peanut Butter. If you've not got enough honey you can always add a few spoons of brown sugar but try not to add too much as the idea is to keep these bars as healthy as possible and without refined sugar. If you've got some honey in the cupboard that's crystallised this is a great way to use it up. You could also use Agave Syrup. You can omit the Cinnamon if you like but it is good for you! You can also add a little Vanilla Extract.
METHOD
Start by melting the Nut Butter, Honey and Coconut Oil together so that it's easy to mix into the dry ingredients. I do it in the microwave for a few seconds. Use a bowl big enough to mix all the ingredients so that you don't lose any by having to transfer it. You could also melt it in a pan and use the pan as a mixing bowl.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the melted wet ingredients and mix well.
Line a baking or roasting tray with greaseproof paper. Then they won't stick and it's easy to lift them out and cut into bars. To make the greaseproof paper easier to handle run it under the tap, wring it out to get rid of the water and then smooth it out and line the tray. It works, try it!
Tip out the mixture into the tray and spread it out with your hands until it's even. Wet your hands first so that they don't stick to the mixture and press it down into the tray getting into the corners. If your tray is too big just use a knife to push up the mixture and make a neat edge and pull up the greaseproof paper to the edge.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180c for about 30 minutes for a chewy bar but keep an eye on them. If you want a crunchy bar they need to be baked until the edges are a nice golden brown but they can go from golden to burnt in minutes. If you can smell them it's time to take them out!
When you take them out of the oven they will be soft which can make you think they're not cooked but they will harden up as they cool. Leave them to completely cool then lift them out of the tray using the greaseproof paper and cut into squares or bars.
STORAGE
Cut bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 7 to 10 days but I doubt they'll be around that long! If you want to make a big batch they can also be frozen for up to four months.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the melted wet ingredients and mix well.
Line a baking or roasting tray with greaseproof paper. Then they won't stick and it's easy to lift them out and cut into bars. To make the greaseproof paper easier to handle run it under the tap, wring it out to get rid of the water and then smooth it out and line the tray. It works, try it!
Tip out the mixture into the tray and spread it out with your hands until it's even. Wet your hands first so that they don't stick to the mixture and press it down into the tray getting into the corners. If your tray is too big just use a knife to push up the mixture and make a neat edge and pull up the greaseproof paper to the edge.
Bake in an oven preheated to 180c for about 30 minutes for a chewy bar but keep an eye on them. If you want a crunchy bar they need to be baked until the edges are a nice golden brown but they can go from golden to burnt in minutes. If you can smell them it's time to take them out!
When you take them out of the oven they will be soft which can make you think they're not cooked but they will harden up as they cool. Leave them to completely cool then lift them out of the tray using the greaseproof paper and cut into squares or bars.
STORAGE
Cut bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 7 to 10 days but I doubt they'll be around that long! If you want to make a big batch they can also be frozen for up to four months.
MACARONI CHEESE FOR 1 IN A MUG
This has been a revelation! I've seen loads of recipes on the internet for meals in a mug but never tried one, until now. Ok it's not as good as traditionally made Macaroni Cheese but when you're hungry and want something quickly it's not a bad substitute. Best of all it only takes 5 minutes!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup of Macaroni Pasta
1 Cup of Water (freshly boiled from the kettle)
1 Cup finely grated Cheddar Cheese
Splash of Milk
Knob of Butter
Dash of Mustard (optional)
Salt & Pepper
METHOD
In a large mug or similar vessel (I used a large soup mug) place the macaroni and water. I used freshly boiled water from the kettle to speed things up a bit but I've done it with cold water too. I used a proper cup measure but you could use anything, another mug perhaps. One measured cup would be equivalent to about half a normal mug. The rest you can guess at.
Put the mug with the macaroni and water into the microwave for 2 minutes. The water can boil over so I put a plate on top of the mug and I think the steam helps it to cook too. After the two minutes is up, take it out, stir it well to loosen the macaroni and put it back in for another 2 minutes. Repeat if necessary, perhaps for just 1 minute. The pasta should absorb all the water but if it doesn't just tip the excess out. Equally if it's looking a bit dry when you stir it add a little more water. The important thing is that the pasta is cooked. It doesn't take any longer than 5 minutes.
Whilst the pasta is cooking finely grate the cheese. Get your other ingredients out. I mixed them up together, ready to go.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, tip any excess water out and immediately add the cheese, a splash of milk to loosen it, the butter and seasonings, and give it a really good stir. The heat of the pasta will melt the cheese and mixed with the milk and butter a creamy sauce is created. Enjoy!
Check out traditional Macaroni Cheese
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup of Macaroni Pasta
1 Cup of Water (freshly boiled from the kettle)
1 Cup finely grated Cheddar Cheese
Splash of Milk
Knob of Butter
Dash of Mustard (optional)
Salt & Pepper
METHOD
In a large mug or similar vessel (I used a large soup mug) place the macaroni and water. I used freshly boiled water from the kettle to speed things up a bit but I've done it with cold water too. I used a proper cup measure but you could use anything, another mug perhaps. One measured cup would be equivalent to about half a normal mug. The rest you can guess at.
Put the mug with the macaroni and water into the microwave for 2 minutes. The water can boil over so I put a plate on top of the mug and I think the steam helps it to cook too. After the two minutes is up, take it out, stir it well to loosen the macaroni and put it back in for another 2 minutes. Repeat if necessary, perhaps for just 1 minute. The pasta should absorb all the water but if it doesn't just tip the excess out. Equally if it's looking a bit dry when you stir it add a little more water. The important thing is that the pasta is cooked. It doesn't take any longer than 5 minutes.
Whilst the pasta is cooking finely grate the cheese. Get your other ingredients out. I mixed them up together, ready to go.
As soon as the pasta is cooked, tip any excess water out and immediately add the cheese, a splash of milk to loosen it, the butter and seasonings, and give it a really good stir. The heat of the pasta will melt the cheese and mixed with the milk and butter a creamy sauce is created. Enjoy!
Check out traditional Macaroni Cheese