BBQ'd Butterflied Leg of Lamb

Marinade

1 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup soy sauce
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
2 T. fresh rosemary, or 1 T. dried
1 T. coarsely ground black pepper
1 butterflied leg of lamb (about 4 to 5 pounds)

Marinade overnight - drain and BBQ or Roast till cooked

Baked Turkey and Broccoli Cheese

Baked Turkey and Broccoli Cheese – Serves 6

200g     White Rice – boiled and cooked

400g     Turkey Meat – cooked and chopped (you could use chicken)

285g     Frozen Broccoli – thawed

200g     Cheddar – grated

170g     Whole Wheat Crackers (Jacobs Cream Crackers will do) – crushed

85g       Butter – melted

1.     Combine together the Cooked Rice, Cooked Turkey, Broccoli and Cheese.

2.     Place in an ovenproof dish.

3.     Mix together the melted butter and crushed crackers

4.     Spread over the mixture in the oven proof dish

5.     Bake in a pre-heated oven 175C – 350F – Gas 3,  for 20 – 30 mins until crackers are crispy.

Serve with a crunchy winter salad. Maybe grated carrot, white cabbage, celery and shredded

Leek.

Tomato Basil and Goats Cheese Loaf

I don’t know about you but I am sure we have all been through a bread making phase at some point in time. Whether having been given or bought a Bread Maker or beaten up a portion of dough by hand. A great thing to do in the holidays with the young but I guess time consuming and as many say – fresh baked bread doesn’t last very long and gets eaten far too quickly especially by the ‘maker’

Of course another factor is the ingredients and the mystery of yeast – the dilemma of fresh or dried – normal of fast acting. Like most things practice makes perfect and you can find your own preferences. However if you don’t do it you won’t get that opportunity.

If you do bake, then of course Soda Bread is a good way of not having to deal with yeast. Soda Bread is really best on the day of baking and does not do well if not eaten till the next day.

When it comes to Al Fresco and BBQ’s depending on your ingredients when torpedo rolls or buns are required a good bread to accompany meats and fish can always be appreciated. I recently found the range of Frozen to Oven Bake at Iceland – reasonably priced good quality artisan breads ready to bake and serve.

On the other hand explore a range of breads that can be made quite easily and quickly with no fuss and are scrumptious.

Tomato Basil and Goats Cheese Loaf

4ozs butter

11ozs Self Raising Flour

 ½ tsp Salt

6ozs Goats Cheese or feta – flaked or grated

6ozs Firm Cherry Tomatoes – (halved)

15g Basil

3 1/2 ozs Milk

3 Eggs

Mix Fat and Flour (Rub together) and add 2/3 of the Cheese and Tomatoes. Tear in the Basil

Mix Egg and Milk add and mix.

Place into a lined loaf tin and top with remaining Cheese

Bake in Oven at 180C Gas 4 for 45 – 50 minutes

Check that the centre is cooked with a skewer.

Cool and slice

Pesto Chicken

For 4 people – Have 8 Chicken thighs (no bones) Pan fry gently till golden brown on both sides and cooked through about 20 minutes. Remove from Pan and keep warm. Add Pesto and warm through (about half a jar) or you can make your own fresh. Add a little Water or Cream if it is a little on the thick side. Pour over Chicken and Serve (you can use Green or Red Pesto)

Serve with Tomatoed Rice.

Roast halved Cherry Tomatoes sprinkled with crushed Garlic, Seasoning and Olive Oil in a hot oven for about 15 – 20 minutes. Add to a bowl of cooked Basmati or Long Grain Rice. Toss well together and serve.

Baked Turkey and Broccoli Cheese

Foods served do not have to be complicated in fact mid week simplicity is often the best.

Often a slow cooked pot in the oven or simmered on the top of the stove can provide a warming and nutritious idea. In addition there are the combination of convenience foods or using up left overs as written before.

One thing I do like doing is what I call ‘one pot cooking’. A dish complete in one container in which it is cooked and served from. I thought of this recipe a combination of one pot and left overs.

200g     White Rice – boiled and cooked

400g     Turkey Meat – cooked and chopped (you could use chicken)

285g     Frozen Broccoli – thawed

200g     Cheddar – grated

170g     Whole Wheat Crackers (Jacobs Cream Crackers will do) – crushed

85g       Butter – melted

1.     Combine together the Cooked Rice, Cooked Turkey, Broccoli and Cheese.

2.     Place in an ovenproof dish.

3.     Mix together the melted butter and crushed crackers

4.     Spread over the mixture in the oven proof dish

5.     Bake in a pre-heated oven 175C – 350F – Gas 3,  for 20 – 30 mins until crackers are crispy.

Serve with a crunchy winter salad. Maybe grated carrot, white cabbage, celery and shredded

Leek.

Potato Salad with Watercress and a Low Fat Dressing

Potato Salad with Watercress and a Low Fat Dressing

450g Small New Potatoes ( Salad Pots or Jersey’s halved)

1 Bunch Watercress( buy a packet washed and ready to use)

200g Cherry Tomatoes ( Grow your own!!) - halved

2 Tbsp Pumpkin Seeds

125g Feta - cubed

3 Tbsp Low Fat Fromage Frais

1 Tbsp Cider Vinegar

1 Tsp Soft Brown Sugar

Salt & Paprika

1. Cook the Potatoes in lightly salted water until soft, drain and leave to cool

2. Toss together the Potatoes, Tomatoes and Watercress

3. Shake together the Fromage Frais, Vinegar, Sugar, Salt and Paprika and

    pour over the Salad just before serving.

Beansagne

1 tbsp Olive Oil                                              

1 Onion chopped       

2 Cloves garlic – crushed                              

225g Button Mushrooms – sliced

400g Tin Baked Beans                                  

2 tbsp Ketchup

3 tbsp Soy Sauce                                          

Pinch of Chilli Powder

Sheets of No precook Lasagne sheets         

20g Flour

1 ½ tbsp Butter                                              

300 ml Milk

175g Cheddar – grated

1. Warm the oil and sauté off the onion and garlic (without colour) Add Mushrooms and cook till soft – add beans, ketchup, soy sauce, chilli, and season.
2. Layer mixture with lasagne sheets in an ovenproof dish.
3. Mix together the flour, butter and milk and bring to the boil – stirring all the time. 
4. Add half the cheese and melt it into the sauce. Top the Lasagne and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
5. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 – 40 minutes Gas 5 – 190C – 375F. 
6. Good nutritious stuff and serve with a crisp and crunchy salad, and crusty bread.