Recipes Page!

I've found the Internet a great source for recipes but most of these recipes are given in American cooking measures i.e. cups rather than Imperial (ounces and pounds) or Metric (grams and kilograms) units. I've found a number of sites that offer handy converter calculators for cooking measures (including dry and liquid measures and temperature conversions). Click here to go to About.com's Home Cooking site - tons and tons of info on all aspects of home cooking! Check out their list of conversion calculators.

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RECIPES

Miscellaneous Recipes (including biscuits and breads)

Please choose a category of recipes from the list below:

Savoury/ Main Courses

Sweets/ Deserts

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SAVOURY RECIPES

Helen M.'s Risotto
Australian Hostel Pasta
Chris's Creamy Garlic Pasta
Pixie's Pasta Bake
Leek and Potato Soup
Joanne's Mushroom Puffs
Elaine's Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms
Lorna's Fish Paprikash
Helen M.'s Tuna Bake
Salmon Pie
Tuna Mexicana
Hudson's Fish with Noodles in Sour Cream Sauce
Mia's Corned Beef Hash
Elaine's Smothered Steak
Ma Nolan's Famous Chicken Curry
Chris's Low Fat Creamy Tarragon Chicken
ladyhawk's 20-Minute Gourmet Meal
Soulcake's Cucumber-Feta-Walnut Salad

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SWEET RECIPES

Not-Sherry Trifle
Teresa's Banoffee
Chris's Strawberry and Rhubarb Cobbler
Apple Crumble
Hudson's Strawberry and Rhubarb Trifle
Jane's Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce
Jane's Chocolate Mousse

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MISCELLANEOUS RECIPES

Smoothies
Mia's Really Easy Crunchy Flapjacks
Helen's Nutritious Poppin Fresh Cookies
Hudson's Brown Bread

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AUSTRALIAN HOSTEL PASTA

This recipe evolved during my travels around Australia in 1998. Hostel cooking means battling with a dozen other hungry backpackers for the hostel pot and a turn on the cooking ring! So this recipes is quick and easy to prepare and the sauce is an all-in-the-one-pot dish. This recipe makes two generous portions.

Ingredients:

Pasta (whatever shape you want!)
salt
1 can of chopped tomatoes
6-8 button mushrooms, sliced (I'm sure any type of (edible!) mushroom will work here)
1 small courgette, sliced fairly coarsely (a courgette is a zucchini in case you're wondering!)
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped (crushing releases more of the garlic flavour)
1 vegetable stock cube
Freshly ground black pepper
A little olive oil (or corn or sunflower oil)

Method:

Fry onion and garlic in some oil in a saucepan.
Add courgette and mushroom and fry until slightly tender (about 5 minutes or so).
Add tomatoes and stock cube.
Cook for this sauce for at least twenty minutes.
While the sauce is cooking bring some salted water to the boil (don't forget the salt!).
When the water is boiling vigorously add the pasta.
Allow pasta to boil for about 10 minutes until its cooked to your taste - I like it al dente ('to the tooth', that's when its still a little firm). Test a piece to see how well its cooked. Be sure not to overcook the pasta - few things are yukkier on your dinner plate than soggy pasta!
Drain pasta and rinse with boiling water.
Serve sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with grated parmesam cheese if you like.

Variations:
Add meat (e.g. lean minced beef) with the garlic and onion to make a bolognese-style sauce.
Add a dash or two of Tabassco sauce for a bit of 'kick' to the sauce.
Add your favourite herbs to the sauce. Basil and sage work well. Fresh herbs are best but dried herbs will work well too.

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APPLE CRUMBLE

This is a yummy tangy, spicy apple desert with a crunchy crumble that's really quick and simple to prepare. This recipe makes two (big!) servings.

Ingredients:
2 medium cooking apples
4 oz plain flour
2 oz butter
2 oz sugar (light brown sugar works well but granulated or caster white sugar is fine too)
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
1 - 2 oz sultanas (optional)

Method:
Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees Celsius
Sieve flour into a bowl.
Add butter to flour and blend with a fork (I pop the bowl with the flour and butter into the microwave for a few seconds to soften the butter)
Add sugar and blend mixture with a fork. This is the crumble mix.
Peel apples and slice finely into a cassarole or other suitable baking dish.
Sprinkle apples with some more sugar to taste. I use three or four tablespoons of sugar. Beware that cooking apples are very tangy!
Add cinnamon and nutmeg and sultanas to the apples and sugar. Mix the whole lot together.
At this stage I usually pop the apple mix into the microwave for a few minutes as I find that this helps to soften and sweeten them up.
Sprinkle the crumble mix over the apple mix and pop in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with cream or custard.

Variations:
The spices are optional, as are the sultanas but I think they add a bit of interest to this dish.
Chopped banana can be added to the apple mix to give a very interesting tropical flavour to the crumble. Definitely worth a taste especially if you're a banana fan.

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LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

A lovely filling soup that's really easy to prepare. Serve with crusty fresh bread.

Ingredients:
2 medium potatoes (choose a variety that's suitable for boiling and mashing) peeled and diced
2 medium leeks (or one big one!), sliced
1 pint water
1-2 vegetable stock cubes
salt
freshly-ground black pepper
A little cooking oil (about a tablespoon)

Method:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the chopped leeks and potatoes and fry for about ten minutes.
Add the water and the stock cube to the pot.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Bring to boil and then simmer for 30 minutes.
Massacare the soup with a hand-held blender (really handy little yokes!) or in a food processor or (the hard way!) by mashing it through a sieve until smooth.
Serve with fresh crusty bread.

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NOT-SHERRY TRIFLE

I hate sherry trifle! What a waste of both sherry and trifle! And I think cold custard is a sin! This is the only way trifle should be made (in my humble opinion of course).

Ingredients:
1 packet of jelly (I think our USA friends call it jello) + water required by the jelly preparation instructions
1 Swiss Roll cake (a good quality cake please! Cheap and nasty trifle sponge makes cheap and nasty trifle)
Fresh or tinned fruits of your choice sliced/chopped/pipped/peeled or otherwise suitably prepared e.g. peaches, pears, pineapple, banana, fruit cocktail, etc.
half pint of cream
'Flake' chocolate for topping

Method:
Disolve the jelly in the bowl you want to make the trifle in accordance with the instructions on the packet. Use just a little less water than the packet suggests. If you're using a glass bowl (which looks nice with the colour of the fruit and jelly showing through) be sure to place a metal spoon or fork in the bowl before adding hot water (otherwise the bowl with crack!)
Slice the Swiss Roll into five or six slices and sink these slices into the melted jelly. (Don't worry if it goes mushy and breaks up a bit, its supposed to!)
Add the fruit of your choice to the jelly and Swiss Roll
Leave to set.
Whip the cream and spread it over the set jelly-Swiss Roll-fruit mix which shoul be set now.
Crush a 'Flake' bar and sprinkle over the top of the cream. You could also decorate with 'Smarties', 'Hundreds and Thousands' or any of your favourite chocolates or sweets.

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TERESA'S BANOFFEE

This recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, Teresa, and has become a favourite among our family and friends. In fact Colm made two giant bannoffees using this recipe for our wedding reception! And they were all eaten! Its sticky and super-sweet and toffeey and bananay and easy ... Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 can of Nestle sweetened condensed milk
1 or 2 ripe bananas
Digestive biscuits crushed into crumbs, enough to make a 9" cake base so the amount depends on how deep you like your base - 12 biscuits or so should do the trick. For USA readers I believe Graham Crackers are the nearest things you have to digestive biscuits.
4 oz butter
half pint of cream (250ml)
'Flake' chocolate for topping

Method:
Melt butter over a low heat.
Add the biscuit crumbs and mix.
Pour biscuit crumb-butter mix into a 9" springform cake tin (the round type you can pop the sides off) and press down with the back of a large spoon to form a base.
Place the base into the 'fridge to chill.
Place the unopened (yes, unopened) can of condensed milk into a deep saucepan. Cover can with water and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 hour turning the can occasionally (and very carefully!).
Slice banana and cover base with slices of banana.
Very carefully open the can of condensed milk - this is very tricky! Because the liquid has expanded with the heat it will spurt out when you puncture the can to open it so open it over the sink! Beware too that the milk will be very hot and sticky.
Spread the boiled condensed milk over the banana slices. Allow to cool.
Whip the cream.
When the condensed milk has cooled spread the whipped cream over the cake.
Decorate with crushed 'Flake' or other chocolate.

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SMOOTHIES

This recipe is a great way to use up slightly over-ripe fruit and make a lovely light summer drink/desert. The amounts mentioned are given as a guide - adjust to your taste.

Ingredients:
1 or 2 pieces of ripe soft fruit e.g. banana or strawberries
half pint of milk
half pint of thick yogurt

Method:
Bung all the ingredients in a food processor and blend like mad. Serve chilled in a tall glass with a straw and decorate the glass with fruit or mint leaves.

Variations:
For a bit of a treat add a scoop of your favourite ice cream.
For a malty flavour add a couple of spoons of Horlicks powder very slowly during the blending.
To add a little extra sweetness add a couple of spoons of honey.

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FISH PAPRIKASH
by Lorna

Lorna says: "I've got a recipe which is quick to prepare but takes a long time to cook. Its called Fish Paprikash (apparently a traditional Hungarian/Yugoslavian dish). I believe that traditionally this is made over an open fire in a cauldron. Its a great winter soup/stew and I ususally make enough for a couple of nights - it alwasy tastes better then next day and is also very healthy."

Ingredients:
Fish - preferably white
Onions
Carrots
Garlic
Hot red chillis
Paprika
White wine
Fish stock
Red peppers
Potatoes
Mushrooms
Any another veg you like - all chopped
Tomato Juice (I've found the Tropican Fresh one to be the best).

Use as much/little of the ingredients depending on how much you want to make.

Recipe:

In a large pan heat some oil, add the onions, garlic and carrots, cover with a lid and allow them to sweat for about 5 minutes, add the red peppers and chillis - sweat for a couple of minutes, add the wine (about a glass or so). Add fish stock and a generous pinch of paprika, salt & pepper. Add potatoes & mushrooms and any other veg you want. Add the tomato juice and half the fish. Allow this to simmer on a very low heat for about 2 hours. Have a taste, season accordingly (it should be a bit spicy). Add the rest of the fish and simmer for another 15 minutes and then its ready.

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PIXIE'S PASTA BAKE
by Pixie (aka Hilary)

Hilary says: "Sorry about the lack of quantities, but I always do it by ear, as its easier when u get in from work. Have been told by many its really tasty, and can be eaten cold/reheated as well.. HTH, its my family's (and my H2b's family too!) fav. recipe for everyday eating!!"

Ingredients:

(no quantities, I just chuck in what looks about right!!)
(To make this veggie, just leave out bacon)
Pasta twirls/penne/any fav. pasta shape
Can of chopped Tomatoes
1/2 packet of Bacon
1 Onion
clove or two of garlic
Tomato Puree (tiny blob)
pinch of sugar
lots of grated cheddar cheese.
Herbs to taste

METHOD:

1/.Cook pasta
2/. Whilst this is happening, chop onion, bacon, & garlic.
3/. Fry onions in saucepan (and bacon if using)until well cooked.
4/. Add garlic, fry quickly (if left to go black or too brown, goes very bitter and ruins dish!!)
5/. Add can of chopped tomatos, blob of puree, pinch of sugar (brings out the flavour of the toms, not sweet at all.....honest!!) and desired herbs.
6/. Leave to bubble, until liquidness of it is reduced to a thick sauce.
7/. Grate cheese whilst waiting for this.
8/. Take big oven-proof dish and layer:
Pasta, sauce, cheese, pasta, sauce, cheese.. (keep going until all used up).
A final good covering of cheese is essential to stop it drying up if you've underestimated the amount of sauce u will need. HOWEVER, try not to use tons of cheese(as I usually do) as its makes it a bit queasy & greasy.
9/. Pop in oven (about Gas mark 5/6 (only have gas marks, sorry!) until cheese is melted.
10/. Serve.

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CORNED BEEF HASH
by Mia

Mia says: "Well I've already nicked your leek & potato soup recipe and your banoffee recipe from your website so I thought I'd pass on a couple of my (easy) faves in return."

Ingredients:

One tin of corned beef
One tin of baked beans
One large onion, chopped
8-10 medium sized potatoes, suitable for mashing
2 oxo cubes
150mls of boiling water approx.

Method:

Boil the potatoes and mash them well, adding lots of lovely milk and butter and seasoning well.
Place the chopped onion, the baked beans and the roughly mashed tin of corned beef in a medium pyrex dish and mix together well.
Mix the two oxo cubes with the boiling water and pour over the mixture.
Place the mash over the top of the mixture, smooth it down and then "rough up" the top with a fork. Place small flakes of butter in strategic places on top.
Place in a hot oven (200 degrees) for about 30 mins.
Bloomin' lovely!

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REALLY EASY CRUNCHY FLAPJACKS
by Mia

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Mia says: "I tend to make more mixture than I need and eat the mixture raw too...Mmmmmmm!
Please use them with my blessing!"

Ingredients:

3oz of butter
3oz of soft brown sugar
4oz porridge oats

Method:

Heat the butter and the sugar together in a saucepan.
Add the porridge oats.
Mix well. Press into a shallow round baking tray (7" approx) and bake for 10-15 mins in an oven at 190 degrees.
Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn but it must be deep golden in colour.
When cooked, remove and, keeping in baking tray, place on a wire rack.
After 5-10 mins cut into 8 pieces and leave to cool down before removing from baking tray.
EAT ALL 8 PIECES YOURSELF IN 10 MINS LIKE PIGGY LITTLE ME!!!

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MUSHROOM PUFFS
by Joanne

Joanne says: "This is a bit lardy but its really yummy! I got it out of an Asda mag of all places. Like Hilary I don't know quantities either."

Ingredients:

(serve 4)
1 pack of puff pastry
2 cloves garlic
Button mushrooms, sliced
Olive oil
Bacon or ham
1 tub half-fat creme fraiche
Oregano

Method:

Get one pack of puff pastry and roll out until 8"x8" cut into four squares.
Stick them in the oven on 200 for about 10-15 mins till brown.
In the meantime fry 2 cloves garlic, 1 pack sliced button mushrooms in some olive oil; sometimes i add bacon or ham in here.
Then add half a tub of half fat creme fraiche, some oregano and warm thru - dont let it boil.
Take puffs out of oven and split each one into a top and bottom.
Spoon your mixture in the middle and there you go.

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MA NOLAN'S FAMOUS CHICKEN CURRY

Anyone who has visited my parents' house for dinner will most likely have tried this fruity chicken curry.

Ingredients:

Free Range Chicken Breasts (1 per person - this recipe is for 4-5 people) ... you don't really have to use free range but happy chickens make happy chicken curry!
4 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots
Garlic (the more the merrier, or rather the currier!)
1 heaped tablespoon of curry powder
1 rounded tablespoon of plain flour
1/4 (quarter) teaspoon chilli powder (more if you like really hot curry)
Stock cube (chicken or vegetable)
2 tablespoons of Mango Chutney
2 tablespoons of cider vinegar.

Method:

Mix flour and curry powder and chilli powder together in a mug.
Add a little water and mix to a paste (hot water makes the mixing easier)
Fry the onion and garlic in a little oil in a saucepan.
Add the curry powder paste and a mug of water.
Add another mug of water and the stock cube.
Add chicken cut up into bite-sized pieces.
Add the Mango Chutney and cider vinegar.
Allow to simmer on a low heat for as long as you like (I haven't yet come across such thing as cooking this for too long at this stage.)
45 minutes before serving add the chopped carrots and continue to simmer.
Serve with your favourite rice.

Tip: If you find you've made the curry too hot before you've finished cooking add a little chopped apple to the curry to counter the heat. If you found out its too hot after its finished cooking serve it with chopped banana and with bread e.g. naan bread.

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HELEN'S NUTRITIOUS POPPIN FRESH COOKIES
by Helen

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Helen says "Don't worry about the 'cup' thing. I just guess and they have always turned out scrummy!"

Ingredients:

2 and 1 /4 cups self rising flour
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
6 oz pkg (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 /2 cup chopped nuts or sunflower seeds

Optional ingredients � Stir ONE of the following into the dough, if desired:

1 cup peanut butter
OR
1 cup wheat germ
OR
1 cup flaked coconut
OR
1 cup nonfat dry milk

Method:

Heat oven to 350�.
Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off.
In large bowl, combine all ingredients except oats, chocolate chips and nuts.
Beat at medium speed until well blended, about 1 to 2 minutes.
By hand, stir in remaining ingredients.
Add one Optional ingredient, if desired.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool 1 minute. remove from cookie sheet.

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HELEN M.'S RISOTTO
by Helen M.

Helen M. says "Thought I'd share with you two of my (and my Mum's really) quickest recipes."

Ingredients:

Enough rice for as many people as you are preparing for - measured in floz in a measuring jug (I use 6 floz for 2 - I think)
Vegetable stock cube in boiling water - 1.5 times the volume of rice used.
Chopped Onion
Tin of sweetcorn
Mushrooms
Left over chicken from Sunday dinner - cold and roughly chopped

Method:

Fry up onion cut into small pieces in the bottom of a saucepan.
Add mushrooms to it and fry until starting to go juicy.
Add cut up chicken and sweetcorn to pan.
Add rice and then stock and keep on a high heat until it boils.
Stir once, reduce heat to lowest level possible, cover saucepan and walk away for 15 minutes.
Return to pan and test rice on top. It may need another 5 minutes.
Test again and when done (top few grains may not even get totally soft).
Serve.

Leave husband to wash up pan (particularly if anything is stuck to the bottom)!

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HELEN M.'S TUNA BAKE
by Helen M.

Ingredients:

(serves 2 hungry people)
200g Pasta
Tin Campbell's condensed mushroom soup (cream of mushroom is best, but 99% fat free is healthier)
1 Onion
Tin of tuna fish in brine - drained and flaked
Grated cheese

Method:

Put oven to 200oC.
Place pasta in boiling salted water.
Chop onion finely.
When pasta is slightly before al-dente, remove, strain and mix in onion, tuna, mushroom soup and a splash of milk.
Place into an oven proof dish, cover with cheese and place into the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove when the cheese is browned.

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ELAINE'S GARLIC STUFFED MUSHROOMS
by Elaine

Elaine says "Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms .. YUM!!"

Ingredients:

(Serves 2 as a starter or 4 as an side dish to my Steak !!)
4 Large flat mushroom
Garlic crushed (to taste .. I use about 4 or 5)
Butter (softened)
Mozarella cheese
Breadcrumbs
Bacon - grilled or fried crispy, in pieces

Method:

DO NOT peel the mushrooms, lie skin side down on a baking tray.
Remove stalks, cho and include in stuffing
Combine garlic and butter, and spread thickly over mushroom
Combine all 'stuffing' ingrediants together, and pack into mushrooms.
Drizzle with Oilve Oil and bake for approx 15 - 20 minutes.
Cheese melted, crispy top ..garlic butter YUM !!!!!!

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ELAINE'S SMOTHERED STEAK
by Elaine

Elaine says "Not good for dietters, buyt deeeeelicious - especially if you're addicted to garlic like me :o)"

Ingredients:

1 onion
1 lb mushrooms
butter for frying
6 cloves garlic
Steaks
Mozarella cheese

Method:

(Serves 4)
Fry 1 onion and 1lb of mushrooms in butter and add 6 cloves of garlic.
Fry til very soft and mushroom reduced by 1/3 (allow this to cool and it thickens slightly - easier for next stage)
Grill your steaks til 'just under' how you like'em
Top each steak with the mushroom mix, and top with Mozarella cheese.
Place under grill until cheese it browned
Serve with Stuffed Mushrooms and jacket wedges ...

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SALMON PIE

This is a great recipe for when you just can't/couldn't be bothered going out to the shops as it uses the sort of ingredients you'd probably have in your cupboards and freezer.

Ingredients:
(makes two generous portions)

Potatoes (as many as you want! Make sure they're suitable for mashing)
A bit more than 1/2 pint Milk (low fat)
butter
1 tablespoon of flour
1 vegetable stock cube (where would I be without veg stock cubes!)
salt
pepper
1 tin pink salmon, drained and with as many bones as possible removed
1 onion, chopped
Fresh Parsley, chopped

Method:

Boil potatoes and then mash them with butter, milk, salt and pepper (to add a bit more flavour to the potatoes you could boil them in stock)
To make white onion sauce: Melt about 1 ounce of butter in a saucepan
Add the flour and mix to a paste
Very gradually add a little milk to this paste stirring all the time
Continue adding milk in this way until you've added about 1/2 pint.
Add stock cube, salt, pepper and chopped onion and chopped parsely if you have it
Flake the salmon into the bottom of a small casarole dish and spread evenly
Pour white onion sauce over the salmon
Spread the mashed potatoes over the salmon and white sauce
Place in a warm oven for about 20 minutes to allow all the ingredients to heat through
Serve with peas.

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LOW FAT CREAMY TARRAGON CHICKEN
by Chris

Ingredients:

Small chicken pieces (either boil or use spray fry)
1 garlic clove
1/2 lb mushrooms
Fresh tarragon
1/4 cup skimmed milk
Low fat creme fraiche

Method:

Once you have cooked the chicken add to a frying pan lightly sprayed with low fat cooking oil and add the garlic and mushrooms, stirring continuously.
In the meantime heat the tarragon with the skimmed milk 30secs in the microwave or just until steaming in the pan (this adds all the flavour of the tarragon to the milk).
When the mushrooms and half done add the heated milk and the tarragon and slowly stir in the creme fraiche, if the consistency is too runny you may need to add 1/4 teaspoon of cornflower.
Leave this to simmer slowly until the mushrooms are fully cooked.
Then either serve with a fresh crisp salad or on a bed of pasta shells.

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CREAMY GARLIC PASTA
by Chris

Ingredients:

(Served cold) Pasta shells (or your favourite) cooked
One garlic glove crushed
1 tin tuna in brine (drained)
1 small tin sweetcorn
1/4 cucumber diced
1/2 pepper (red/yellow) sliced in strips
3 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon tomato puree

Method:

Wait until the pasta has cooled.
Add all the other ingredients and mix in well, so as to evenly distribute the garlic, mayonnaised and puree throughout.
Serve on a bed of lettuce with tomato and fresh basil and sprinkle with fresh black pepper.

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20-MINUTE GOURMET MEAL
by ladyhawk

ladyhawk says "I have my 20-minute gourmet meal that I absolutely love. Its really easy, and soooo good. Grilled Salmon steaks, with Baby new potatoes and asparagus with Hollandaise sauce."

Ingredients:

Baby new potatoes
Water (to cook potatoes in)
Salmon steaks
Lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Butter
Asparagus
Packet of Hollondaise Sauce
Milk or Water as per instructions on packet

Method:

Wash the baby new potatoes and put in water and on to boil.
If they're not real small you may have to cut them smaller to cook faster.
Prepare salmon steaks by dousing libarly in lemon juice (or not - I just like lemon)
Sprinkle lightly with salt and peper or other fish seasonings - thats up to you.
Put a few little bits of butter on top.
Place under grill - not to close or it'll burn though.
Keep and eye on it as its cooking - usualy about 10 min or thereabouts a side.
After the 10 min turn over - season again if you want - and put back under grill.
Ok, Asparagus - I have to admit I usualy cheat and open a can but - if you have fresh asparagus you can steam it or boil it.
Cook them just to tender but be careful not to overcook.
Open a packet of hollondaise sauce mix (or make it yourself - sorry haven't the foggiest clue how) Folow directions on packet - its usualy like boil some milk and whisk in the mix and then stir till it thickens.
Keep stirring as much as possible or a skin forms.
By now the salmon should be done - it should be opaque all the way through.
And the potatoes should also be done, drain them and put in a bowl with a pat of butter and some parsley if you want to make it fancy.
Drain the asparagus and put in a bowl.
Put the salmon steaks on a plate with a lemon wedge or two, and pour the hollodaise sauce into a sauce bowl.
You are ready to serve up a delicious gourmet meal.
Enjoy!

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STRAWBERRY AND RHUBARB COBBLER
by Chris

Chris says "I tried out this GREAT recipe for strawberry-rhubarb cobbler last night that is definitely going into my "keeper" file. Ready? "

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced or chopped strawberries
2 cups of chopped rhubard
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegeatable oil
2/3 cup milk
2 cups white flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

Method:

Preheat your oven to 450 F (425 F if you`re using a glass pan)
Mix the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar and water.
Place this mixture into a 9 inch cake pan and put it in the heating oven while you mix the batter.
Mix the vegetable oil and milk, set aside.
In a larger bowl, mix the white flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture and stir until well blended.
Place spoonfuls of the biscuit batter on the hot fruit.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Serve up plain or with whipped cream.
To die for!

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Tuna Mexicana

This is one of my favourite everyday recipes. Its a spicy rissotto-style dish. The recipe comes from a really handy book of quick recipes called 'Meals in Moments' by Maggie Brogan published by Clarion.

Ingredients:
(serves four)

8 oz (225g) long-grain rice (easi-cook works well too - just reduce the cooking time)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced
2 tablespoons tomato puree
2 teaspoons Mexican chilli seasoning
Salt and pepper
1 stock cube
7 oz (200g) sweetcorn (canned or frozen work well)
8 oz (225g) red kidney beans (canned)
7 oz (200g) tin of tuna fish, drained and flaked
Juice of one lemon

Method:

Put the rice, onion, red pepper, tomato puree, chilli seasoning, salt, pepper and stock cube into a saucepan with just less than 1 pint of water (500ml) (I sometimes add the pepper later in the cooking so it stays crisp)
Bring to the boil and simmer with a tight-fitting lid for about 15 minutes until rice is tender.
Stir in the corn, beans, tuna fish, and lemon juice (I also add some frozen peas too here) and allow to heat through for a few minutes.
Serve with hot garlic bread.

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STRAWBERRY AND RHUBARB TRIFLE
by Hudson

Ingredients:

3 cups milk 5 egg yolks 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup whipping cream 7 cups cubed angel food cake or sponge cake (or one 10 oz/300g cake) 2 cups stewed rhubarb 2 cups sliced strawberries toasted almonds and 3 whole strawberries

Method:

In saucepan heat milk until bubbles form around edge.
Meanwhile in separate heavy suacepan, beat egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch till smooth.
Gradually whisk in milk.
Cook over medium heat, stir for 3 to 5 mins or until thickened.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stir for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour custard into a bowl cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours to cool (custard can be prepared a day ahead, covered and stored in fridge till ready to use.)
Whip cream and whisk one-quarter into custard.
Fold in remaining whipped cream.
Spread half of the cake in a 12 to 14 cup glass serving bowl.
Spread half of the rhubarb over cake, then half of the strawberries.
Spread half of the custard over top.
Repeat layers.
Chill for at least 1 hour or for up to 8 hours.
Garnish with toasted whole almonds and whole strawberries with green stem still attached. I usually use 4 whole strawberries in the centre and then surround with toasted whole almonds. Or you could toast sliced almonds and sprinkle all over the top of the trifle.
ENJOY!

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FISH WITH NOODLES IN SOUR CREAM SAUCE
by Hudson

Hudson says "My fav quick meal is fish on the gas grill, with noodles in a sour cream, butter ,and garlic sauce,and a nice green salad (for you Irish, romaine with tomato and sliced cukes, maybe some sliced black olives,) with an olive oil and lemon juice dressing. "

Ingredients:

cod, orange roughie, plaice, or any firm white fish
veggie oil spray
seasoned salt
noodles
sour cream
garlic powder
salt and ground pepper
parmesan cheese

Method:

Pre-heat the grill.
Meanwhile take cod, orange roughie, plaice, or any firm white fish.
I usually cut in portions, and spray with a veggie oil spray.
Lightly sprinkle with a seasoned salt(in the US I use Lawrey`s) and place on oiled aluminum foil.
Cook on grill rack covered for about ten minutes til done.
Meanwhile, boil noodles til done, drain.
In same pan, melt 3 or 4 tbsp. butter, a good blob of sour cream, and some garlic powder to taste.
Add salt and ground pepper to taste,stir over low heat, sometimes I also add 1/4c. parmesan cheese. (This is hard cause I don`t measure )
All the ingredients can be adjusted to your taste, and the amount of noodles cooked, you want a nice amount of sauce in the noodles.
I can usually have this done in 20 to 25 minutes and I usually make lots for leftovers, the fish and noodles reheat well. I just add about a tbsp of milk to the noodles and stir before I reheat.
Enjoy.

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BROWN BREAD
by Hudson

Ingredients:

3c.coarse whole wheat flour( Hodgeson Mills ok. Irish is the best.)
1c. white all purpose flour
1Tbsp.baking powder
1 tsp.baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2Tbsp. Brown sugar( I use a little less)
6 Tbsp. melted butter or Marg.
1 or 2 eggs( I use the whites only and it seems ok for me)
1 1/2c. buttermilk

Method:

Mix all the dry ingredients well.
Add these ingredients to the dry: 6 Tbsp. melted butter or Marg., 1 or 2 eggs( I use the whites only and it seems ok for me), 1 1/2c. buttermilk
Slightly beat egg and add to milk.
Add the butter to milk mix and pour into the dry ingredients.
Stir until dough is sloughy ( everything starts to cling together).
Add more milk if dough is too dry.
Dump out onto a floured surface and knead to form a smooth round ball( doesn`t take too long).
Place on greased baking sheet and pat to 2" deep, and make a slashed X across the loaf about 1/2" deep with a sharp floured knife.
Bake at 375 deg.( 190C., gas mark 5) for about 35 to 45 min. depending on oven.
Loaf will be rather brown and will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
I like it hot out of the oven and slathered with butter.
Cut at this point with a serrated knife or it will crumble.
I`m the only on here that eats it, so I cut it along the slashes and put the quarters in freezer bags and use it a bit at a time. It freezes well for me, and doesn`t dry out at all if you use it a little bit at a time. Wait until the bread is thoroughly cooled before you put it in the freezer bags, or it`ll be gummy on the top. If you like a softer crust I spray it with a spritz of Pam ( veg. oil spray) or cool under a moist tea towel:>) Enjoy!!!

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Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce
by Jane

This recipe is one my sister Jane (tall blonde one in the wedding photos) found recently on the Internet ... its dangerously yummy! (We call it something that sounds like a spoonerism of Sticky Toffee Pudding but that's too rude to put here!!)

Ingredients:

Pudding:

6 oz. demerara sugar
2 oz. butter
8 oz. plain flour
1 tsp. baking powder
6 oz. sugar rolled dates
1/2 pt. boiling water
2 eggs
1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp. vanilla essence

Toffee Sauce:

4 oz. demerara sugar
2 oz. butter
4 Tbsp. double cream.

Method For Pudding:

Put everything except the flour and eggs in a bowl, and leave for about two hours.
Liquidise, adding the flour and the eggs. This can be kept for up to two weeks in a covered container in a fridge.
Cook @ about 180degrees cup minutes for about 25 or until just firm.
To serve, cover with the toffee sauce, and dust with icing sugar.

Method For Sauce:

Place all Pudding ingredients in a pan and melt gently to make a smooth light coloured sauce.

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Chocolate Mousse
by Jane

This recipe is another one from my sister Jane (tall blonde one in the wedding photos) that she found recently on the Internet ... its also dangerously yummy! And I even think so and I don't normally like mousse or chocolate deserts.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
2 Tbspns sugar
dash of vanilla
2 Tbspns Green & Black's cocao
Mascarpone (1 tub)
250ml cream

Method:

Seperate the yolks of the eggs into a bowl and add the sugar, vanilla and mascarpone.
Mix up until blended.
Beat the egg whites in another bowl and the cream in yet ANOTHER bowl (people with a bowl fixation would love this recipe!).
Note: beat the egg whites BEFORE beating the cream if you are using the same beater.
Chuck the cream into the mascarpone mix and fold in.
Add the egg whites.
Finally, add the cocao and stir.
Chill until mousse is set to your personal sloppiness taste.

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Cucumber-Feta-Walnut Salad
by Soulcake

Soulcake says "This is VERY easy to make an a huge crowd-pleaser...this is one of my `potluck` and party dishes. MM-mmm!"

Ingredients:

2 cucumbers
Feta cheese
Walnuts
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Cracked Black Pepper
Sea Salt
Herbs and Spice to taste (suggest mint and dill)
Lemon juice
Sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Method:

Take a few cukes, or 2 English hothouse cukes, and slice them into little quarters (you know, halve them, halve them again, then dice).
Put in a large mixing bowl and toss in a healthy-sized brick of crumbled feta cheese and a handful of walnuts.
Douse with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cracked black pepper, sea salt, and any other appropriate herbs and spices (mint and dill are actually pretty nice), and some lemon juice if you have it.
The walnuts can be omitted for those who don`t like nuts, and sun-dried tomatoes are nice in this, too.