Butternut squash macaroni

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2½ cm/1in chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion finely chopped 
15 sage leaves, 6 finely chopped
300g macaroni
50g butter
50g plain flour
1 tsp English mustard powder
500ml milk
200g cheddar

1)Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Toss the squash with the olive oil and some seasoning, and roast on a baking sheet for 15-20 mins until tender. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni following pack instructions, then drain.

2)Melt the butter in a pan and lightly fry the onion until soft. Add the chopped sage leaves and cook for a minute more. 

3)Remove from he heat then stir in the flour and mustard powder to make a paste. Gradually whisk in the milk and return to the heat and simmer to thicken to a smooth sauce, stirring constantly.


4)Take the sauce off the heat and mash in a third of the squash with 3/4 of the cheddar. Season, then stir in the drained macaroni with the remaining squash. Tip into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the remaining cheese and scatter with the sage leaves and bake for 30 mins a 180C until golden and bubbling.


Strawberry & Prosecco cupcakes

Makes 8 large gorgeous cupcakes. First attempt at piping icing!

• 110g butter softened at room temperature
• 110g 4oz caster sugar
• 2 free-range eggs lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla escence 
• 110g Self raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk

For the icing

• 55g softened butter 
• 120g cream cheese
• 250g icing sugar 
• 1 tsp prosecco flavouring 
• a few drops of food colouring 
• 8 small fresh strawberries, stalks removed 

1. Heat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a muffin tin with 8 paper cases.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale. Beat in the eggs a little at a time and stir in the vanilla extract.

3. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little milk until the mixture is of a dropping consistency. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.

4. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
5. To make the icing, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. 
6. Add the icing sugar and beat until combined then add the prosecco flavouring and food colouring and mix well. 
7. Put to one side and cutout a small hole in the top of each cake and pop in a strawberry
8. With a piping bag, pipe the cream in a swirl on the top of each cake. Voila! 

Fish curry

This is a delicious light curry and not too spicy  if you like it hotter add an extra chilli and/or more curry powder.

SERVES 4

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped

1 green chilli chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 

1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp cumin seeds, freshly ground

2 tbsp mild curry powder

½ tsp tomato purée

1 medium tomato roughly chopped

1 lgreen pepper, seeded and roughly chopped

1 tbsp ground coriander 

1 chicken stock cube

1 300ml  coconut milk

300g white fish fillets, cubed, 

300g peeled cooked prawns

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cornflour (optional)

1)Put the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. When hot, add the onions and stir them for 2 minutes, until starting to soften. Add the chilli and fry for another 3 mins then turn the heat down to low.

2)Add the garlic, coriander and ginger and fry for 3 minutes, then add the turmeric, cumin and curry powder. Fry for about 4-5 minutes and stir in the tomato purée as they cook.

3)Put the tomatoes, green pepper into a food processor and blend to a paste. Add this to the hot mixture and cook over a moderate heat, stirring regularly until it becomes a smooth purée.

4)Crumble in the stock cube and leave the mixture to bubble for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. If the sauce looks too runny, mix some cornflour with a small amount of water to make a paste then mix into the sauce to thicken  

5) Gently spoon in the fish cubes and prawns and cook for 4-8 minutes (the time depends on how big the pieces are). Do not stir as the fish will break up: simply shake the pan gently to mix the fish into the sauce. 

5)when the fish looks white and cooked through you are ready to serve with some fluffy boiled or pilau rice. 

Creamy Potato Soup

OK so it's getting cold in the UK now, so that means soup season is upon us. This is perfect to warm you up on a cold day.

Serves 4

2 leeks sliced
2 onions roughly chopped small
2 potatoes peeled and diced
50g butter
800ml vegetable stock 
200ml milk
Salt and pepper

1)In a large saucepan, gently melt the butter, then add the leeks, onions and potatoes, stirring them all round with a wooden spoon so they get a nice coating of butter. 
2)Season with salt and pepper, then cover and let the vegetables sweat over a very low heat for about 15 minutes.
3)After that, add the stock and milk, bring to simmering point, cover and let the soup bubble very gently for a further 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft 
4)Put the whole lot into a blender – leave it to cool a little first – and blend to a purée.
5)return the soup to the saucepan and reheat gently, tasting to check the seasoning then serve!

Spicy chicken with spinach

Serves 4

4 chicken fillets diced
1 onion finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 carrots sliced
2 handfuls of broccoli florets 
100g spinach
2 tbsp harissa paste
400 ml tin chopped tomatoes
100 ml mascarpone cheese
1 tsp mixed herbs

1)mix the chicken and harrisa paste in a large bowl and leave to marinade for st least 30mins in the fridge 
2)heat the olive oil in a large pan, stir fry the onion carrot and broccoli for 3-5 mins until starting to soften then add the marinaded chicken and stir until the chicken is browned
3)add the tomatoes and stir well and bring to a bubble for 10 mins until the chicken is cooked through
4)add the mascarpone and stir into the sauce until fully melted then stir in the spinach and stir until wilted
5)serve with freshly cooked pasta, rice  or warm flatbread 

Apple & Raspberry pie

I am not a pastry maker. I usually cheat and buy some ready made frozen stuff! So, I thought I'd give it another go after several years of abstaining! I've got to say I was pleased with the result and it was easier than I remembered.  Here's the recipe for a tasty apple and raspberry pie. 

3 large cooking apples, peeled cored and chopped
100g raspberries 
4oz softened butter cut into small cubes
8 oz plain flour
3oz sugar
1 egg beaten
Splash of milk

1) place the apples in a large pan and cover the bottom of the pan with a small amount of water. Bring to the boil and then simmer until the apples have started to soften the turn off the heat and put to one side
2) grease a large Pyrex dish and add the apples (drain off any excess juice) and sprinkle the raspberries on top
3) put the butter in a large bowl then add the flour and rub into crumbs
4) stir in the sugar, and then mix in the beatened egg to make a dough. If needed add a splash of milk
5) need the dough and roll out and place on top of the fruit
4) brush with a beaten egg or milk and pop in the oven for 30 mins until the top has browned

Chicken & halloumi cannelloni

Serves 4

For the filling

1 tbsp Olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove,finely  chopped

100g halloumi

100g soft cheese

2 egg yolks

Handful of sage leaves, roughly chopped

300g cooked chicken shredded

12 dried cannelloni tubes - you will need an oven proof dish or dishes that can snugly fit the pasta tubes (test this first!)

For the sauce

1 onion chopped finely

1 tbsp olive oil

400 ml tin chopped tomatoes 

1 tbsp tomato purée 

100 ml water

2 tsp chilli oil

2 tsp dried mixed herbs

Sprinkle of salt and pepper

100g mascarpone 

50g Parmesan 

1)preheat the oven to 200c.  Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onion and garlic clove for 3-4 minutes 

2)put in a food processor then add the chicken, egg, halloumi, soft cheese, sage leaves and blitz until the mixture is a pate texture 

3) spoon the mixture into the tubes using a teaspoon and arrange in the ovenproof dish

4)heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan and heat then add the onion and fry for 3-4 mins, add the tomatoes, water (use to swill out the tomato tin) tomato purée, chilli oil and herbs and bring to a bubble and simmer for 5 mins

5)add salt and pepper to taste and then add the mascarpone and stir until melted

6)pour the sauce over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and heat in the oven for 30-35 mins until the pasta is crisp on top 

Apple & carrot chutney

This sweet chutney tastes delicious on a chesse or ham butty or on the side of the plate with sliced pork or chicken. It's so yummy and versatile. 

Makes approx 1-1.5 litres 

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 onions peeled and chopped

4 large cooking apples peeled, cored and chopped

3 carrots grated

4 tbsp sultanas 

100g granulated sugar

200g dark brown sugar 
300ml water 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground allspice 

1/4 tsp cumin or chilli powder

Sprinkle of salt

1)In a large pan, heat the olive oil gently and add the onion. Cook on a very low heat until soft and nearly caramelised, stirring occasionally, don't let the onion brown. 

2)add all of the other ingredients and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and cover. 

3)simmer for 30 mins stirring regularly until the mixture has reduced and the apples are tender

4)immediately stir into hot sterilised jars and seal. Once cooled store on a cool, dark place. 

5)after opening the chutney should last 4 weeks in the fridge 

Blackberry & Apple crumble

I made this delicious pudding with some apples from a local tree, and some juicy blackberries that me and hubby picked during a trip to the gorgeous Llangollen in Wales. 

• 6oz butter
• 8 oz plain flour
• 2oz brown sugar
• 4oz porridge oats
• 1 lb blackberries 
• 2lb cooking apples

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Peel, core and chop the apples into small chunks. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice over the apple and mix well. This not only adds flavour but prevents the freshly peeled apples from discolouring.
3. Layer the apples, blackberries, and sugar in a large pie dish (a lasagne dish is ideal).
4. Place the flour in a large bowl and then rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs - leave a few lumps of butter so that the topping is not too fine. Add the muesli or oat/seed/nut mixture and the sugar and mix through.
5. Use a spoon to sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the fruit. Bake for 45 minutes or until the fruit is cooked and bubbling juices seep through the topping

Chicken & Vegetable Curry

3 chicken breasts sliced into bite sized pieces
1 onion sliced 
1 carrot
1 pepper chopped 
80g curry paste
400ml chopped tomatoes 
4 large mushrooms
2 handfuls of spinach

1)fry the carrot and onion gently for 3-5 mins until they have softened
2)add the chicken and curry paste and stir for 3 mins
3)add the tomatoes, mushrooms and pepper and bring to a bubble and simmer for 15 mins. 
4)stir in the spinach and stir until wilted and serve.