My favourite recipes...

Because you can never go wrong with a delicious Lamb for Easter lunch...try this Jamie Oliver version, yum!

                                               

Ingredients

• 1 bulb garlic, 3 cloves peeled and crushed, the others left whole
• 1 small bunch fresh rosemary, half the leaves removed and coarsely chopped, half in sprigs
• zest of 1 lemon
• olive oil
• 2 kg quality leg of lamb
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1.5 kg potatoes, peeled and cut in half

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºC/gas 6 and place a roasting dish for the potatoes on the bottom. 

Mix the crushed garlic, chopped rosemary, lemon zest and olive oil together. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and rub the marinade into it. Place on the hot bars of the oven above the tray. 

Boil the potatoes, simmer for 10 minutes and scuff the edges. Add the rosemary sprigs and whole garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and drizzle over a good lug of olive oil. Tip the potatoes into the tray and place under the lamb to catch all the lovely juices. 

To make the mint sauce, mix the chopped mint, sugar, salt, hot water and wine vinegar. 

Cook the lamb for about an hour and 15 minutes if you want it pink, or an hour and a half if you want it more well done. Take it out of the oven and cover with tinfoil and leave for 15 minutes before serving. Carve and serve with the potatoes and mint sauce. 

Janice favourite recipes...

Crepes Suzette

Ingredients:

• 1 x classic pancake recipe 
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 250ml freshly squeezed orange juice (2-3 oranges)
• zest 1 orange
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 50g unsalted butter
• 
  

Method:

1. Prepare pancakes following the classic recipe - Fold the pancakes into quarters.
2. Tip the caster sugar into a non-stick frying pan and set the pan over a low-medium heat. Allow the sugar to melt slowly without stirring and continue to cook until it becomes a deep amber-coloured caramel.
3. Immediately slide the pan off the heat and add the orange juice – be careful as it may splatter and spit as it hits the hot caramel. Add the orange zest, lemon juice, the Grand Marnier and return the pan to a low heat to re-melt the caramel into the liquid.
4. Add the butter to the sauce in small pieces, bring to the boil and simmer gently until glossy and reduced slightly. Add the pancakes to the pan and warm through. Serve immediately.

                                           

Janice favourite recipes...

Sausages & mash with quick onion gravy

A great British dish, perfect after all the cakes and booze we're having during the jubilee celebrations this weekend...

Ingredients: 

• 500g potatoes , peeled and cut into large chunks
• 6 meaty pork sausages , look for free-range
• 2 onions fried with a pinch of sugar to caramelise or 

• 4-6 tbsp caramelised red onions from a jar (such as The English Provender Co)
• 150ml beef or chicken stock fresh, cube or concentrate
• butter
• milk

Method: 

1. Boil the potatoes until tender. Meanwhile, grill the sausages for about 10-15 minutes. Put the onions and stock in a pan and bring to a simmer.
2. Mash the potatoes with a little butter and milk. Season and serve with the sausages and onion gravy.

Serves 2

Janice's favourite recipes...

Easy peasy yummy Rocky Road!

Ingredients

250g short bread biscuits, roughly chopped
Handful of small marshmallows
Handful glazed cherries
Optional, handful of assorted nuts
300g milk or plain chocolate, or a mixture of both, chopped
100g butter, chopped
140g golden syrup

Method

Butter and line a 20cm square tin with non-stick baking parchment. In a large bowl, combine the biscuits, marshmallows, cherries and nuts (optional). Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth and glossy, then pour this over the biscuit mixture.Tip everything into the tin, then flatten lightly - it doesn't need to be completely smooth. Chill in fridge for at least 2hrs or overnight before cutting into squares.

Janice's favourite recipes...

French style honey & mustard chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp crème fraîche
• 2 tbsp grainy mustard
• 2 garlic cloves , crushed
• 150ml chicken stock
• 8 skin-on chicken drumsticks
• and thighs
• 500g baby potatoes
• 200g green beans
• 2 tbsp clear honey
• ½ small bunch tarragon, roughly chopped

Method:

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.

Mix together the crème fraîche, mustard, garlic and stock with some seasoning. 

Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, in a roasting tray just large enough for the chicken and vegetables.

Tuck the potatoes and beans in between the chicken pieces. 

Pour over the stock mixture then season the chicken and drizzle with honey. 

Cook for 40-45 mins until the chicken is cooked through and the potatoes tender. 

Scatter over the tarragon before serving

Janice's favourite recipes...

Ingredients

• 350g pasta shells

• 200g pack trimmed fine beans, cut into short lengths

• 200g can tuna in oil

• Grated zest of a lemon

• 1 heaped tbsp small capers

• Generous pinch of chilli flakes

• Olive oil for drizzling

• Method

Meanwhile, tip the tuna and its oil into a bowl and flake the fish, keeping the pieces quite large. 
Stir in the lemon zest, capers, chilli and plenty of salt and pepper.
Drain the pasta and beans, return them to the pan and toss with the tuna mixture. 
Add a little olive oil if you need to moisten everything. 
Serve the tuna and lemon pasta on its own or with a tomato and onion salad.
Add the beans and cook for a further 3 minutes until both the pasta and beans are just tender.
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water for 8 minutes. 

Janice's favourite recipes...

Quick bean & chorizo chilli

This is the quickest tastiest dish ever!

 

Ingedients
100g chorizo sliced                                           
A tin of chopped tomatoes
tsp chilli powder or tsp freshly chopped chilli                                                                                       
400g can kidney beans                                                                                       
400g can chickpeas (As an alternative you can use cannellini beans)


Method
Dry-fry the chorizo for a few mins in a non-stick frying pan until crisp.
Carefully pour off any fat from the pan, then tip in the tomatoes and beans with 100ml water add chilli.
Bring to a simmer, cover, then lower the heat and bubble for 10 mins.
Spoon over rice or a big baked potato and serve with yogurt. Done. Easy peasy!

Janice's favourite recipes...

Scones

Ingredients
225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tbsp baking powder

2 tbsp caster sugar

50g cold butter, cut into cubes
1 free-range egg

75ml milk

Whipped cream and strawberry jam for the filling

Method

Preheat the oven to 200C

Place the flour, baking powder and sugar in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and make a well in the centre.

In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk, reserving a tablespoon of the mixture to use as an egg wash. Add the rest to the flour mixture, stirring until the mixture comes together to form a dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead briefly until the dough is smooth.

Gently press the dough out to a thickness of about 2.5cm and cut out circles using a biscuit cutter. Arrange the scones on a baking tray, spaced slightly apart, and brush the tops with the reserved egg wash.

Bake the scones for 10-12 minutes, or until golden-brown and risen. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly.

To serve, cut each scone in half and serve with cream and strawberry jam.

Janice's favourite recipes...

Spaghetti with sardines
Last night I cooked this healthy pasta dish. It is sooo quick and easy and oh so very tasty, serve with red wine and enjoy! Heres the recipe..


ps. As I only cook for two, I halved the ingredients and instead of tinned sardines, I used fresh ones bought at Food Lovers Market.

Ingredients
400g spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves , crushed
pinch chilli flakes
227g can chopped tomatoes
2 x 95g cans skinless and boneless sardines in tomato sauce
100g pitted black olives , roughly chopped
1 tbsp capers , drained
small handful parsley , chopped


Method
Cook the spaghetti in a large pan of boiling salted water according to pack instructions. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil in a medium pan and cook the garlic for 1 min. Add the chilli flakes, tomatoes and sardines, breaking up roughly with a wooden spoon. Heat for 2-3 mins, then stir in the olives, capers and most of the parsley. Mix well to combine.
Drain the pasta, reserving a couple of tbsp of the water. Add the pasta to the sauce and mix well, adding the reserved water if the sauce is a little thick. Divide between 4 bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Janice's favourite recipes...

Chicken Cacciatore


Looking for something real quick and tasy for dinner tonight? It doesnt take much ingredients. This is a favourite in the Johnson household!

 

Ingredients
1 onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , crushed
olive oil
2 x 400g tins cherry tomatoes
4 tbsp mascarpone or cream cheese
a handful basil
6 chicken breasts , skin on


Method
Heat the oven to 190C.  Fry the onion and garlic in 3 tbsp oil until softened but not coloured. Add the tomatoes, season, then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick and glossy. Take off the heat and stir in the mascarpone and half the basil, roughly torn.
Heat a little oil in a pan and fry the chicken on both sides until golden. Transfer to a baking dish and pour over the sauce. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Scatter over the rest of the basil.


Serve with short pasta, roasted potatoes or as I prefer some warm italian bread, enjoy!


Image via bbc good food