Rocky road

• 125g soft butter
• 200g dark chocolate drops
• 100g milk chocolate drops
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 200g rich tea biscuits
• 100g mini marshmallows
• 2 tsp icing sugar

1. Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a saucepan. Put 125ml of the melted mixture to one side.
2. Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin so you have some crumbs and pieces of biscuit.
3. Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture, and then add the marshmallows.
4. Tip into a foil tray 9 inch square and flatten with a spatula. Then pour the remaining 125ml of melted chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture and smooth the top.
5. Pop in a fridge for at least 2 hours (or overnight).
6. Cut into squares and dust with the icing sugar using a small sieve.

Potato soup

When you buy too many spuds this is a great way to use them up quickly 

Knob of butter
500g potatoes chopped into small chunks
1 onion sliced finely
1 leek sliced 
1 garlic clove crushed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp mixed herbs
600ml hot vegetable stock

1)gently heat the butter and add the onion, leek and garlic. Fry for 5 mins until the veg have started to soften
2)add the potatoes and stir well. Sprinkle over the salt, fennel and dried herbs and fry for another 5 mins. 
3)pour over the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer, pop on a lid and leave for 15-20 mins until the potatoes are soft
4)remove from the heat and blitz in a good processor until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add  some milk or water until you get the right consistency 
5)tasty!

Cranberry & chia muffins

50g melted butter
150ml milk
1 egg beaten
200g plain flour
1 tsp salt
150g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
100g dried cranberries
25g chia seeds

1)preheat oven to 180 degrees c
2)stir together the milk, butter and egg
3)in a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt then stir in the cranberries and chia seeds
4)add the milky mixture into the flour and mix together gently 
5)line a muffin tin with cases then fill each one 3/4 full with the most
6)bake for approx 20 mins when you insert a skewer into the centre of the bun it comes out clean

Peanut butter and chia bites

I used Aldi chia seeds and Sainsburys smooth peanut butter

Ingredients:
* 100g peanut butter
* 50g light brown sugar
* 1 large egg
* 1 tbsp runny honey
* 140g rolled oats
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 tsp chia seeds
* 2 tsp crushed almonds
* 2 tbsp dates, chopped very finely
Directions
1. In a large bowl, cream peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the honey and egg. Add oats and baking soda to creamed mixture; mix well.
2. Mix in the almonds chia seeds and dates.
3. Roll into small balls and place onto a greased baking sheet approx 2 inches apart; flatten slightly.
4. Bake at 180° c for 8-10 minutes and pop onto wire racks to cool.

Apple cake

• This is a yummy cake that an also be served as a dessert - hot or cold. 
• Delicious with custard or ice cream 🍦 😍

• 110g plain flour
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 
• 4 large apples - I used a mix of Brambly, Granny Smith and cookers
• 2 large eggs
• 150g caster sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 115g butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 
  
• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm round loose-based cake tin. 
• 2. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and pinch of salt. Peel and core the apples, then dice them into 3cm pieces.
• 3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then add the vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, and then gently stir in half of the melted butter. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.
• 4. Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and smooth the top a little.
• 5.Bake the cake in the middle of the oven for 50-55 minutes, or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack. Remove the lining paper when ready to serve. 
  
  
  
  

Butternut Squash lasagne

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion sliced
2 carrots chopped into bite size chunks
1//2 small butternut squash peeled and chopped into bite sized chunks
1 clove garlic crushed 
1 small chilli sliced finely 
1 pepper sliced
2 mushrooms sliced
2 handfuls kale or spinach
Lasagne sheets
400ml tin chopped tomatoes
Splash of Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander 
250g mascarpone cheese
Grated parmesan cheese

1) heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion and crushed garlic gently for 5 mins then add the chilli, carrot and squash and fry for 5 mins 
2) add the chopped tomatoes and Worcester sauce and bring to the boil then add the pepper, coriander, mushrooms and kale (or spinach) then cover with a lid and simmer for 15-20 mins until the squash and carrots have softened. Season with salt and pepper. 
3) put a layer of lasagne sheets on the bottom of an ovenproof dish then put half of the sauce onto of the lasagne. Put another layer of lasagne on top the spoon over the mascarpone cheese (you might want to soften this first in a bowl and wooden spoon. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese over the top then spoon over the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with more Parmesan then cover with foil and pop in a preheated oven at 180C. 
4) cook for 30-40 mins until the lasagne sheets have softened (test with a skewer)
5) serve! 

Creamy prawn pasta

This is such a quick and easy meal that is perfect for those busy evenings when you just want to eat something tasty quickly!

225g dried pasta
150g prawns 
1/2 lemon
1 red chilli chopped finely 
3 tbsp mascarpone cheese
2 carrots chopped into small pieces 
2 handfuls of kale
1/2 yellow pepper
1 handful of chopped coriander 

1) bring a pan of water to the boil and add the carrots and pasta, simmer for 6 mins
2) add the kale and pepper and contain to simmer for another 2 minutes 
3) drain the pasta but keep about a cup of the pasta water
4) add the prawns, zest and juice of the lemon, the chilli, coriander and mascarpone and stir well
5) return to the heat and add some of the pasta water to make a creamy sauce, season with salt and pepper and then serve 

For a different taste add some chopped pitted olives 😄