Slow Cooked Mac n Cheese

GOVERNMENT HEALTH WARNING!! OH MY!!!!

Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

• 500 g Macaroni pasta (dried)
• Small tin of evaporated milk
• Small dollop of double cream
• 2 heaped tbsp full fat soft cheese
• 3 heaped tbsp grated parmesam
• Milk if needed
• Fresh shredded parsley
• pancetta cubes
• Garlic powder
• Tsp dried basil

Chuck it all in the slow cooker raw and cook on low for 3 hours.  It looks horrid but really is the dogs bollocks!!

We serve it as a side but if you are feeling brave - get a bowl full and watch some telly!!  Garnish with red leicester.  I dare you!!

Deconstructed Bloody Mary Prawn Cocktail

This is a recipe that speaks for itself - it has a warning - don't drive!!!

BLOODY MARY SAUCE

• Pack of small prawns
• 3 x tbsp light mayo
• 1 inch of tom puree
• generous slug of worcester sauce
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• tsp balsamic
• 4 shots vodka
• 4tbsp passata
• squeeze of lemon
• Paprika shake to garnish

SALAD

We did this as a starter.  If you want it as a main, butter some brown bread or boil some new potatoes.  I find the following goes best with this fun prawn cocktail!

• Shredded Iceberg
• Shredded yellow pepper
• Halved plum tomoatoes
• Shredded red onion
• cucumber
• Lemon segment on the side

Proper nice and easy! Enjoy!!

Turkey, Sweetcorn and Noodle Soup

Turkey, Sweetcorn and Noodle Soup (colour may vary due to ingredients)

It is all about the left overs - if you didn't make turkey stock and freeze those turkey slices alternatives are covered in the recipe including the veggie option.  I personally got bored of turkey curry, turkey stew (bleurghhh) and other variations.  We needed a healthy meal to counteract the Christmas bloating and this is it!

INGREDIENTS:

2 pints of turkey or chicken or vegetable stock
1 tin of reduced fat coconut milk
1 diced onion
1 can Sweetcorn (or 3 cobs)
1 tsp thai green paste
1 diced green pepper
1 tsp lazy chilli (or 2 chopped chilli's - more if you are brave)
2 tsp lazy garlic
1 tsp pureed ginger
1 tsp fish oil (or salt)
Sliced or diced turkey, chicken (or shitake mushrooms for the veggie option)
100g Rice noodles

METHOD:

Put the stock, onions and pepper into a large pan and cook on a very low heat.  Add the garlic, chilli, ginger, fish oil and paste whilst heating.  Add the coconut milk and simmer for 20 minutes then add the sweetcorn and cook for a further 10 minutes.  At this point you can cool the pan or carry on.  Add the turkey or chicken or mushrooms along with the noodles and turn up the heat without bringing to the boil.  It is ready to serve after 10 mins and it is lush!!

Enjoy!!

If I Did Airplane Food ...

I am so over Christmas and New Year and crave tasty, non-meat related food.  As you can see we have olive oil and raspberry balsamic dip to go with newly baked baguettes and a healthy rocket, tomato, red onion and black olive salad with ranch.  The main event is what the focus is on - anyone can do bread dippers and salad.  I still think the presentation is a little bit too "cabin service" but mix all these flavours and it is awesome.

TOMATO AND MASCAPONE LINGUINI A LA ICELAND - MARINADE

I have dropped all airs and graces with regard to Iceland, Aldi and Lidl.  Iceland do massive frozen prawns to die for.  Marinade as they defrost

• MARINATE THE FROZEN PRAWNS - Half a pack in 2 tablespoons of lazy garlic, 2 tablespoons of oregano and of basil.  Grind some chilli to taste.  Sea salt and pepper to taste and a healthy squeeze of lemon.
• Bake bread
• Prepare salad

SAUCE

The main flavours are infusing with the frozen prawns so the sauce is simple.  Add pack of passata and 3 generous spoons of mascarpone cheese to a pan then add the prawns and marinade.  cook on a low heat for 20 minutes.  Take a mixing bowl and add the sauce, prawns and linguine together and mix.  Season and then - time for serving.  Totally easy and fit as fuck!

Saag Paneer

Saag Paneer is a fabulous veggie dish full of goodness and very tasty!  I was so proud of this one I put it into a foil box.  Yum!

You need:

• A block of paneer indian cheese
• Two handfuls of cherry tomatoes
• Tspn coconut oil
• Roughly chopped brown onion
• Cumin Seeds
• Four frozen cubes of spinach
• Pinch of medium curry powder
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Sprinkle of garam massalla powder
• Generous salt and pepper seasoning

Brown the onion and cumin seeds then add the paneer and spices.  Then add the spinach and reduce.  This recipe works best if you add the tomatoes last then place the saag paneer in the oven for 20 minutes.  Yum!

Linguine Aglio

Sometimes, simple is best.  This is a 20 minute, healthy powerhouse of a meal which I adapted from a dinner in Lake Garda.  We served this recipe together with the Zucchini Swirl as a side.

It serves three to four and its simplicity speaks volumes.  Concentration is required right at the end.

• Pack of linguine
• Two handfuls each of fresh basil and parsley shredded
• Good quality olive oil (don't scrimp)
• Four tbsp of chopped black olives or a tsp of crostini
• Tbsp of lazy garlic
• Half tsp chopped chilli's
• Half a cup of grated parmesan
• Salt and Pepper to season

Whilst cooking your pack of linguine, prepare the fresh herbs and spices in a bowl.  Save the parmesan

When the linguine is cooked simply add to the herbs and whilst stirring add the olives and cheese.  

Serve immediately!!

Loz's Zucchini Swirls (v) (lactose free)

We have more courgettes than anything else from the allotment this year and needed a recipe to get rid of a few in an interesting way.  Cue lil sister in law! I have adapted this amazing recipe and would love to share it! 

Heat the oven to 170 and put on your favourite episode of Jeremy Kyle whilst you curl those courgettes!!

• 8 Zucchinis - peeled into ribbons avoiding most of the seeds and curled into rosettes in the baking dish. (This will take about an hour to do!)
• 3 bulbs of fresh elephant garlic (much sweeter), small cloves halved and spread evenly inside zucchini curls.
• -Large punnet of organic plum tomatoes halved and scattered over Zucchini
• -handful of fresh thyme and parsley leaves scattered over 
• -1 packet of soft goats cheese and the odd sliver of blue goats cheese for flavour scattered over the masterpiece!
• 3-4 Tablespoons of melted coconut oil drizzled over the top.  Or Olive oil as an alternative
• Season with black pepper and drizzle with balsamic if you like!

Bake for around 30-40 minutes and discover the ways of the zucchini.  This is a healthy dish that is so tasty it feels wrong!