Chocolate Pudding to die for (otherwise known as a Chocolate Cobbler)

This is unbelievably easy to make and so scrumptious you will think you are in Paradise.  It is not a pretty dessert but if you love chocolate pudding you won't care - I promise 

The recipe is all in cup sizes but I have found that as long as you use the same size cup for everything it doesn't matter what sort of cup you have.  When I first started making it I didn't have any measuring cups so I used ordinary ones, now I don't bother with measuring cups, if I just want to make a small one I use espresso cups or for more people I use large mugs.  I only make an espresso sized one if I am making a gluten free version just for my son - otherwise it is a big one - the bigger the better - slurp.

Don't be too worried about the making process of this, it all sorts itself out in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 190 or reg 5 and put the kettle on to boil 

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Self Raising Flour
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1 tablespoon of melted butter (don't panic I usually just pile  a good tbsp of solid butter into a cup and then melt in the microwave)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• ½ cup of milk

Topping

• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• ½ cup of sugar
• 1½ cups of hot water

• Mix the flour and sugar together and put into a greased ovenproof dish
• put the butter (or spread) into the cup and melt in the microwave then add to half a cup of milk and add the tsp of vanilla essence.
• Pour onto the flour & sugar and mix well until it is all combined.
• Using a dry cup of the same size as the first one measure the sugar into a basin then add the cocoa powder (if you should accidentally add more cocoa powder than required don't worry it will just add to the deliciousness of the dish) put them into a medium sized basin so that you can mix them together well. then sprinkle it on top of the pudding mix but do not stir it into the pudding just let it sit there.
• Mix some of the water you boiled in the kettle with some cold water so that it is hot but not boiling, measure it in the cup as the cocoa and sugar  and pour over the top of the sugar and cocoa, again you can be more liberal with the water if you wish - it will make extra chocolate fudge sauce.  Again - do not stir or mix - just leave it alone and let it do its own magic.

• Put the whole thing into the oven for approx 1 hour.  When done there will be a vanilla sponge swimming in a thick, gooey chocolate sauce - sorry I'm slurping again.  

We always serve this with Tip Top but you could use ice-cream or possibly pouring cream or just eat it straight from the dish - but not if you have company, it tends to put people off.

Kashmir Chicken (for 4)

I have just come up with this one and am very pleased with it, it is utterly delicious.


4 Chicken portions 
approx 30 - 60 mls (2- 4 tablespoons) of cooking oil
1 large or 2 small onions - sliced
1 tbsp ground Cumin
1 tbsp ground Coriander
¼ tsp Cayenne Pepper
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cornflour
500g natural yoghurt
60mls cold water
1 tin sliced peaches 
1 tsp Garam Masala

• Cut up the chicken portions into reasonably large pieces then fry the pieces in the oil until well browned on both sides.  
• Remove the chicken from the pan, putting it into an ovenproof dish, and add the cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt and onions to the frying pan and cook gently for 2 minutes.  
• Sprinkle the cornflour over the onions and stir in.  This step is important as it will help to stop the yoghurt curdling as it heats.
• Stir in the yoghurt and water and gently bring to the boil.
• Pour it over the chicken pieces.  Cover and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
• In the meantime drain the tinned peaches, discard the syrup and rinse the fruit with cold water.
• After the 30 minutes is up add the peaches to the chicken, stir well, replace the cover and return it to the oven for a further 30 minutes.
• At the end of the cooking time separate the chicken and the sauce, transfer the sauce to a pan and add the Garam Masala.  Bring to the boil stirring all the time.  Return the sauce to the chicken.

Serve with boiled rice.

Savoury bread and butter pudding

For an inexpensive and easy meal a savoury B&B pudding is a good option.  As it is one of my daughter's favourites you might guess that it contains cheese!!  For one or two people I would suggest halving the amounts shown - except for the eggs - just use two.

• 300mls whole or semi-skimmed milk 
• approx 75g butter (you can use spread but butter really is preferable if you can afford it)
• 8 slices of slightly stale white bread, cut into triangles.  If it isn't already stale leave it out for a few hours.
• 3 eggs
• 1 onion
• cream cheese
• grated strong cheese 

1. Put the milk into a pan and heat to just below boiling point then allow to cool
2. Peel and chop the onion very small
3. Butter the bread and the dish
4. Spread the bread with the cream cheese
5. Arrange half of the slices of bread in overlapping rows in the dish and sprinkle half the onion over the top
6. Beat the eggs until well mixed, then beat the milk (and cream) into the mixture
7. Pour half the mixture over the bread and leave to soak in for around 20 minutes
8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC  gas mark 5
9. Arrange the other half of the bread and onion over the top and drizzle over the remainder of the egg custard mixture. 
10. Place the dish in a roasting tin and half fill the tin with water to create a bain marie then place in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
11. When ready remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Basics: Spoons

It occurred to me that not everyone is familiar with the sizes of spoons.  I can remember when I was much younger thinking that a tablespoon was the sort that was put on the table to eat dessert with.  It isn't.  In a set of cutlery there can be several different sizes of spoons. 

1. A teaspoon - I think most people know what this is, it generally holds approximately 5mls.
2. Dessert spoon - this is the one which you put on the table to eat dessert or cereal with.
3. Soup spoon - this is a round shape and is usually very distinct from all the other shapes.
4. Tablespoon - this is similar to a dessert spoon but is much larger, you really wouldn't want to put it in your mouth.  It usually holds approximately 15mls.

There are sometimes other spoons as well, some sets include a cereal spoon which is larger than a teaspoon but smaller than a dessert spoon.  A grapefruit spoon is a similar size to a teaspoon but is elongated and has a slightly pointy end.  An ice-cream spoon is teaspoon sized but is squarer although there are spoons for tall ice-creams which are like teaspoons but have very long handles.

I would recommend the purchase of a set of measuring spoons for cooking - usually you can pick them up for around £2 - to ensure consistency of measurement as different brands of cutlery are different sizes. 

Bread & Butter Pudding

There are a number of variations you can make to this classic dessert depending on your tastes.  I will show the standard recipe first and then give a few ideas of how you can change it.
For one or two people I would suggest halving the amounts shown - except for the eggs - just use two.

• 50g dried fruit - your choice - currants, sultanas, raisins or a mix of all three.
• 300mls whole or semi-skimmed milk or 200mls milk and 100mls double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla essence - optional
• approx 75g butter (you can use spread but butter really is preferable if you can afford it)
• 8 slices of slightly stale white bread, cut into triangles.  If it isn't already stale leave it out for a few hours.
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons sugar

1. Put the milk into a pan with the vanilla essence and heat to just below boiling point then allow to cool
2. Butter the bread and the dish
3. Arrange half of the slices of bread in overlapping rows in the dish and sprinkle half the fruit over the top
4. Beat the eggs with the sugar until well mixed, then beat the milk (and cream) into the mixture
5. Pour half the mixture over the bread and leave to soak in for around 20 minutes
6. Preheat the oven to 180ºC  gas mark 5
7. Arrange the other half of the bread and fruit over the top and drizzle over the remainder of the egg custard mixture. 
8. Place the dish in a roasting tin and half fill the tin with water to create a bain marie then place in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
9. When ready remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

As an alternative to the usual fruit based bread and butter pudding you can add marmalade to the bread (also known as Osborne pudding), alternatively you could use jam or even chocolate spread.  A favourite with us is to spread the bread with butter and a caramel spread which we buy in France although we have occasionally found it in England.  In France it is called Confiture du lait (which translates as "milk jam") although I can't remember what the English label says,   it does clearly say it is caramel, and is made by Bonne Maman.

Tuna Pasta Bake

This is just as good cold as it is hot.  I usually make it with thread egg noodles (in which case it is called Tuna Noodle Bake).  When we eat this hot I often serve it with hot beetroot - just buy the vacuum packed stuff from the supermarket (it keeps for ages unopened in the fridge) empty it into a microwave friendly dish and using a fork to hold it cut it into quarters with a knife then microwave it for a couple of minutes.  Cold, it can be served with either beetroot, salad or whatever you want.


You will need

• 1 onion
• 1or 2 can(s) of tuna
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1oz flora
• 1 pint milk
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Breadcrumbs
• Grated mature cheese
• 1 mug of dried pasta per person

• Put the pasta on to boil

• Melt a 1oz knob of butter or flora in a pan
• Dice the onion
• Place the onion in the melted butter and stir, do not over cook, this needs to be very al dente.
• Add 1 tablespoon of flour and a teaspoon of paprika, stir into the onions and cook for approx 1 minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat, add the milk a little at a time and stir in well, until the sauce is smooth.
• Drain the can of tuna, flake the fish and add to the sauce.
• Drain the pasta when cooked and add to the sauce.  
• (At this stage you can stop if you wish and just eat it as a pasta dish)
• Turn the mixture into an ovenproof dish and smooth the top.  Put the breadcrumbs and cheese into a dish and mix together then sprinkle them over the top of the dish.  
• Put the dish under the grill to melt the cheese.

Fridge Bottom Spanish Style Omelette

This is a very filling omelette made with eggs, potatoes and whatever else you can find in the bottom of the fridge, hence the name.

I usually make it with 2 eggs per person but you choose what works best for you.

• If you have an electric grill turn it on now

• Boiled potatoes cut into small pieces
• 1 Onion - diced
• 2 rashers of Bacon cut into small pieces
• and/or Mattesons smoked sausage - not the whole sausage, just some thin slices - the amount depends on the intensity of the smoky flavour you want in the finished omelette.  
• Half a teaspoon of Mixed herbs if you have them
• Eggs
• Oil 
• Salt & Pepper

I sometimes add in:

• small cherry tomatoes
• mushrooms
• a small amount of grated cheese.

but you can add whatever you like - peppers, green beans, pieces of cooked chicken - whatever you want to use up or really like.


The potatoes can be leftovers from the day before, you could even cook extra with this omelette in mind, or you can cook them freshly, just ensure that they are cut into small pieces.

• Heat the oil in a frying pan (the more people you are cooking for the larger the pan you will need)  then add the potatoes, cook them, turning regularly until they are browned and slightly crispy on all sides.
• Add the bacon and ensure that it is all in contact with the bottom of the pan so that it all cooks through
• Add the onions and cook until translucent and soft
• Add the sliced sausage and anything else you wish, with the exception of cheese.
• Sprinkle the mixed herbs over the top and stir in
• Beat the eggs together and add salt and pepper according to your taste
• Pour the  eggs evenly over the ingredients already in the pan,  pull the bottom layer of egg which has cooked on contact back to allow uncooked egg liquid to make contact with the bottom of the pan, this helps to cook more of the egg.
• If you want cheese on your omelette grate some over the top of it
• Carefully place the pan under the grill to brown the cheese (and ensure the top of the egg is cooked)

This is a whole meal in a pan and is delicious but if you wish you can put it with baked beans.