Family Friendly Cookbook 2014 - Open Objects Software Ltd

20-27 October 2014

www.familyandchildcaretrust.org

Family Friendly
Cookbook

A cookbook of families’ favourite recipes sent to
us during Family Friendly Week 2014

timApthsneedafomlstrioommmsetaesok!ftinogp

Baby Edward getting stuck in!
Photo taken by his brother Charlie, aged 5

– sent in by the Wright family

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Favourite family recipes included:

1. Mini chicken kievs with baked potatoes and salad - Sam Imray and family
2. Mince slop - Mandie Taplin and family
3. Chicken fajitas - Tracey Foley and family
4. Potato latkes – Ed Miliband MP and family
5. Ham pesto pasta – Claire Procter and family
6. Creamy chicken, bacon & leek pie – Emma McConnellogue and family
7. Pulled pork rolls with homemade apple sauce – Sarah Swain and family
8. Party pizza – Jill Rutter and family
9. Home-made coleslaw salad with jacket potato – Laura Hardstaff and family
10. Empanadas – Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister and family
11. Chicken & chorizo pasta in garlic and cherry tomato sauce –

Sharon Hodgson MP and family
12. Chicken korma – Amanda Ayres and family
13. Fish curry – Jo Swinson MP and family
14. Sausage casserole a la Bolter – Samantha Bolter
15. Creamy fish pie - Lynn Heath and family
16. Cheesy lasagne – Fiona Haward and family
17. Lamb casserole – Carol Wilkinson and family
18. Healthy turkey upside down pie and jam sponge pudding -

Vicky Ashley and family
19. Easy trifle – From Margot James MP and family
20. Fairy cakes – Rebecca Morgan and family
21. Apple crumble – The Wright Family
22. No pastry pear tarts – Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of

State for Education and family
23. Banana and Flake bake -

Rebecca Griffin

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Top tip 1!

Make the meal a chance to chat about all the good things that have happened
during the day!

► Turn off the television and radio so that you can concentrate on talking and listening

You could ask your children:

► What was the funniest thing that happened this week?
► What was the best thing they learned this week?
► What nice things did they do with their friends this week?

“The meal my family
loves most is a roast
dinner! Always!
Sunday is the day
that we make the
effort to stay in, sit
around the table,
talk about the week
and get ready for
school the next day!”
From Caroline Lyons
who sent in a photo
of her family’s roast
dinner.

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Mini chicken kievs with baked
potatoes and salad

From Sam Imray and family

“We love making these!”

Ingredients

►► 500g chicken
►► Half a teaspoon of garlic salt
►► Half a teaspoon onion salt
►► A pinch of sea salt
►► 2 large eggs whisked in a bowl
►► 2 cups of flour sieved in a bowl
►► 120g breadcrumbs in a bowl
►► Flavourless oil for frying
►► Garlic Philadelphia soft cheese

Method

1. Place the chicken, salt, onion and garlic salt into a food processor until smooth
2. Using wet hands spoon a large tablespoon of the chicken mixture onto the palm of your hand and flatten
3. take a heaped teaspoon of the garlic Philadelphia and drop it into the middle of the chicken mix
4. bring the mixture up and around the Philadelphia encasing it inside then smooth
5. Line up the flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in order
6. Preheat your oil to 165°C
7. Fry the kievs for 12 minutes until they are golden brown
8. Remove and place them on kitchen paper to drain any oil
9. Serve on a bed of salad with a baked potato topped with cheese

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Mince slop

From Mandie Taplin and family

“Quite simple and versatile: and handed down to me from my mum so a
trusted family favourite, called (unappealing name but tasted delicious,
and we used broad beans instead of baked beans and peas) Mince Slop.
Very quick and easy after a hard day at work and nutritious for the whole
family. Can be blended for smaller palettes and also can be frozen. Is
cheap and uses up most cupboard stock essentials.”

Ingredients

►► Serves 3-4, and amounts can be varied to personal taste
►► 1 pack beef mince (fry on own, no oil needed)
►► 2 onions, chopped
►► Several handfuls frozen peas
►► Baked beans (if desired)
►► 8 mushrooms, chopped
►► 3 carrots (if desired)
►► 1 large tin new potatoes (chopped)
►► Beef stock cube
►► Gravy granules

Method

1. Fry the mince and onion together, until mince has gone brown and onions translucent
2. Add mushrooms and fry for further 5 mins
3. Add carrots, peas and beef stock cube and ample water to cover and simmer for 30 mins
4. Add tinned potatoes, simmer for further 10 mins and then add gravy granules to thicken to taste
5. Serve with crusty bread or roll and butter

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Chicken fajitas

From Tracey Foley and family

“This is great for dipping and sharing, it can get messy too. We love it and
sometimes use mince instead of chicken.“

Ingredients

►► 2 chicken breasts
►► 1 tbsp tomato paste/puree and 2 tbsp water
►► 1 whole lettuce
►► Cheese (such as cheddar) grated
►► Sour cream
►► 1 pack of fajitas

Method

1. Cut up 2 chicken breasts into small bite size pieces
2. Fry the chicken until it is really crispy and brown on the outside
3. Mix together some tomato paste with some tinned tomatoes. Mix in about 2 tablespoons of water
4. Put the sauce and the chicken into a saucepan and boil it down until it is quite thick
5. Wash a whole lettuce and break it into pieces
6. Heat up some fajitas in the microwave or oven according to pack instructions
7. Serve up with some grated cheese and sour cream

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Top tip 2: Cook together!

Cooking with children can be great fun. They learn all sorts of different skills, such
as listening to instructions, weighing ingredients, how ingredients work together
and how to be safe and hygienic.

“My name is Joseph. I am 8. I made this
dish with my dad. I like cooking with
dad. It had salmon, onion rings, croutons,
and a lettuce leaf to make it look good.
I chose what to cook. When I watched
Masterchef Australia I got the idea for it.
I did all the cutting and frying. Daddy put
the gas on. It was very nice.”

“Our favourite family meal to
make and eat together is spaghetti
bolognese. It’s such an easy meal to
make, very cheap & extremely tasty!
The kids love helping me make it. This
is my son helping make the start of
our spag bol!”
The Jones family sent in a photo of
their son starting off their yummy
spaghetti bolognese.

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Potato latkes

From Ed Miliband MP, Leader of the Labour Party and family

“One of my favourite recipes is my mother’s potato latkes. I can remember
her making them for me as a child and now it’s something she makes for
my two boys.”

Ingredients

►► 1kg potato
►► Heaped tablespoon flour
►► 1 egg
►► Salt and Pepper
►► Oil for frying

Method

1. To make them you need to grate the potato (squeeze out all the water you can), and mix with a heaped
tablespoonful of flour and an egg

2. Mix together and season with salt and pepper
3. Place large spoonfuls into a frying pan with fairly hot oil to shallow fry
4. Flatten out the latkes and cook for about 5 minutes until nice and brown
5. Then flip over to cook for about the same time on the other side

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Ham
pesto pasta

From Claire Procter
and family

“Here’s our favourite
family recipe. My boys
love pasta dishes but
aren’t overfond of
strong tomato sauces,
but this really hits the
spot, as pesto is their
favourite sauce.”

Ingredients (serves 2 adults and 2 children)

►► 250g fusilli pasta (75g per adult and 50g per child)
►► 1 medium onion
►► 4 slices smoked ham (medium thickness, use extra slices if wafer thin)
►► 100g frozen sweetcorn
►► 50g pesto
►► Salt and pepper
►► 2 tablespoons of olive oil
►► 30g grated cheese

Method

1. Tear the ham into pieces
2. Chop the onion
3. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil
4. Add a tablespoonful of olive oil to the pan
5. Add the pasta to this pan of boiling water and cook for

10-12 minutes
6. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoonful of olive oil in a wok

and add the onion
7. After 2 minutes, add the sweetcorn and ham and cook

for a further 2 minutes
8. Season with salt and pepper
9. Drain the pasta and add to wok
10. Stir in the pesto

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Creamy chicken, bacon & leek pie

From Emma McConnellogue and family

Ingredients

►► 4 Skinless chicken breasts
►► 6 Rashers of smoked back bacon
►► 300G of chopped leek
►► 1 onion
►► 400g of diced potatoes
►► 250g broccoli
►► 1 Egg
►► 1 Pot of double cream
►► 1Tbsp of mustard
►► 1 Clove of garlic
►► Pinch of black pepper
►► Pinch of parsley
►► Filo shortcrust pastry pack

Method

1. Roll out pastry to cover bottom and sides of your pie dish and keep enough for the lid of your pie
2. Grease the inside of your pie dish and place rolled pastry into pie dish to fit, trim as necessary around the edges
3. Place diced potato and broccoli in a large pot and boil until soft
4. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and place in a large pan to fry until golden. Set aside
5. Cut bacon into small pieces and fry until crisp. Set aside
6. Lightly fry onion and leeks and garlic and re-add bacon and chicken. Add potatoes and

broccoli once cooked
7. Mix mustard and cream together and add to pan of ingredients and stir on a low heat
8. Add pepper and parsley and stir thoroughly and frequently to avoid sticking
9. Once heated through, empty contents into pie for the filling
10. Add your pie top and join the edges by scoring the pastry, add a little milk and squeeze

together. Brush pie top with egg and place in the oven at 180C for 40 minutes
11. Serve with cheesy herb roasties and buttered green beans

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Top tip 3: Have a floor picnic!

Not all families have a dining table, or one that is free to use every day. So why not
instead clear the floor and have an indoor family picnic?

► Use an old sheet or blanket to protect the floor
► Use easy-to-prepare fingerfoods, such as pizza, or raw veg and dips, so that you don’t need

to use a knife and fork
► Stick to water for drinks just in case there are any spills!

“Spending quality time together is the cornerstone
of a happy family, and with modern life putting so
much pressure on families these days it is important
that we all make that extra effort. Cooking is a
fantastic way for families to spend time together
whilst learning and playing. It is also a wonderful
way to promote healthy eating and broaden both
parents’ and childrens’ horizons. By bringing all this
together, Family Friendly Week is not only reminding
us of the importance of family time, but also the
importance of family fun.”
Nicky Morgan MP, Secretary of State for Education

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Pulled pork rolls with homemade
apple sauce

From Sarah Swain and family “A photo of Ridley collecting
apples from our tree and
“We’ve moved house and have no kitchen at the eating the pulled pork rolls
moment (6 months on!), so I get by with a slow we made this week!”
cooker and the BBQ. Our favourite recipe at the
moment, without the benefit of a kitchen to use, is
pulled pork rolls with homemade apple sauce. It’s
absolutely delicious, easy-to-make, fun to eat, and
I know there won’t be a crumb left on the plate.

My 3 year old joins in by collecting the apples
from our tree in the garden to help make our
homemade apple sauce, and then often eats any
left over apple sauce for dessert with custard – so
no wastage either.

Here’s our recipe for a hearty autumn, quick, tasty
dinner. Hope you enjoy it!”

Ingredients

►► Pork shoulder
►► Brown sugar/chilli power/cumin/cinnamon/black pepper/salt
►► Rolls/or any bread you like
►► Home grown apples/sugar/splash of water

Method

1. Grab a bowl and mix one tablespoon of brown sugar, then
half a teaspoon of cumin and chilli powder and ¼ teaspoon of
cinnamon, black pepper and salt to taste. Rub onto the pork

2. Has to be quick and easy so I put it in the slow cooker and leave
cooking away for about 8 hours – while I get on with the rest of
the day, like the school run, work, etc

3. The apple sauce I make in the slow cooker the day before (only
because I don’t have a hob!), so I cut 2 large cooking apples,
add a couple of teaspoons of sugar, a splash of water and let
the slow cooker do the rest until it’s soft

4. Then shred up the pulled pork once cooked, put in tasty soft rolls
and add a generous scoop of homemade apple sauce.
Or sometimes I put three bowls out (for pork, rolls, apple sauce)
and let everyone help themselves!

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Party pizza

From Jill Rutter and family

“Creating your own pizzas is a good way to entertain children who have
come for a sleepover or a party. They always overload them hopelessly,
but this in itself teaches them an important lesson.”

Ingredients

►► Some pizza bases – you can buy these from the supermarket or make your own with a standard dough recipe
►► Pizza tins
►► A selection of toppings which could include mozzarella, chopped herbs, chopped button mushrooms, cherry

tomatoes, red onion, red pepper, chopped chorizo and salami, anchovies and seedless black olives. Prawns and
tinned tuna can be included if you want to make seafood pizza
►► Your own passata as a base. To make this you will need two tins of top quality plum tomatoes, one chopped
onion, chopped herbs to taste, oil, two teaspoons of sugar, salt, pepper, a vegetable stock cube and a teaspoon
of balsamic vinegar. Fry the onion until golden and caramelised then add the remaining ingredients apart from
the vinegar. Cook for two or three minutes, then whizz with a hand blender. Return to the heat and add the
vinegar. Cook down until the mixture is thick enough to put on the top of your pizza. You may wish to adjust your
seasoning or add a little more vinegar at this point

Method

1. Then you are ready to go. Heat up your oven to 180C.
2. Put your pizza toppings in little bowls on a table or bar, alongside your passata. Call the children and give each a

half or whole pizza.
3. Let them create their own pizzas. Cook until the top and crust goes golden (about 15 minutes)

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Home-made coleslaw salad
with jacket potato

From Laura Hardstaff and family

Ingredients

►► Beetroot
►► Tomatoes
►► Spring onions
►► Grated carrots
►► Red and yellow pepper
►► Mayonnaise
►► Large potatoes to bake in the oven

Method

1. Prick your potatoes with a fork and place in the oven for 1 hour at 190C
(rub with some olive oil and salt for an extra crispy skin)

2. Chop up and add all your colseslaw ingredients to a big bowl and mix it all up
3. Put your coleslaw on the crispy jacket potatoes straight from the oven

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Top tip 4: Try something new!

Use family mealtimes as a chance to introduce new foods that the children might
not have tried before, but make sure there’s no pressure if they don’t like it.

► You could put something on the plate you know they will like and then introduce the new food
along with it to make it all part of the same meal. Sometimes kids can find it strange to taste
things they have never tasted before which can make them reluctant to eat it. Encouraging
them, praising them for trying and a few white lies like “superman ate carrots to help him
recover from kryptonite because they make you really strong” can go a long way!

“We love to enjoy king prawns with
fresh vegetables with beansprouts
and mushrooms cooked in a wok with
only a little fresh ginger and a little soy
sauce to taste not only is this healthy but
there is plenty for the whole family to
enjoy . I love that my kids love to eat fish
from an early age as it really does feed
the mind.”
From Ann Tabares who sent in a lovely
image of her toddler enjoying a prawn
stir fry.

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Empanadas

From Nick Clegg MP, Deputy Prime Minister, and family

“This is the dish I made for when I appeared on Channel 4’s show Sunday Brunch recently. I
say I made it but, to be honest, Miriam played a pretty pivotal role. And indeed, it’s her recipe.
It can be a bit laborious but the end result is well worth waiting for. It’s a classic Spanish dish
and a favourite with my three boys. The version we made was delicious (even if I do say so
myself) and was done with tuna. But this dish is equally good if done with cockles, scallops or
dry salted cod.”

Ingredients

►► 2 big onions (in thin slices)
►► Half a green pepper (cut thinly)
►► 4 ‘piquillo’ peppers (cut in strips)
►► 2 cans of tuna (in oil or spring water)
►► 2 hard-boiled eggs (chopped in slices)
►► 4 tablespoons olive oil
►► 1 bay leaf
►► 2 teaspoons of vinegar
►► Salt
►► 1 pack of ready made puff pastry

Method

1. For the filling: In a deep frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions, the green peppers. Let it fry over low heat
for around 20 minutes until it is caramelised and translucent. When it is cooked, drain the excess oil and reserve it.
Add the tuna (in little flakes), the eggs, and the piquillo peppers.

2. Add the salt and vinegar, fry for 2 minutes and reserve
3. Line a tray with baking parchment and ‘paint it’ with olive oil
4. Cut the dough in two. Over a floured surface roll out the first half to 2mm thick and put it onto the tray. Make

holes over the whole surface with a fork
5. Put the tuna filling on top. Roll out the other half of the dough and put it on top of the filling.

Seal the sides with your fingers and make holes with the fork again. Paint the empanada with
the beaten egg
6. Cook in a preheated oven at 200C for 45-50 minutes (until it becomes golden brown)
7. Best eaten at room temperature

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Chicken & chorizo pasta in garlic
and cherry tomato sauce

From Sharon Hodgson MP and family

Ingredients

►► Serves 4
►► Large splash of olive oil (3 tbsp)
►► 1 large onion, diced
►► 4-6 garlic cloves according to taste, crushed
►► 3-4 chicken breasts, diced
►► 1 chorizo ring, diced small
►► 20 cherry tomatoes, whole or halved (or 6 salad tomatoes chopped or a tin chopped tomatoes)
►► Paprika to taste (1 tsp)
►► Chilli to taste (1/2 to 1 tsp)
►► Italian mixed herbs to taste (1 tsp)
►► Salt and plenty of ground black pepper to taste
►► Splash of tomato puree to taste
►► Splash of water from the pasta to make sauce silky (not runny)
►► Any pasta (guide allow 3oz dried pasta per person)

Method

1. Prepare all ingredients as above
2. Warm olive oil in non-stick stir frying pan
3. Add onion and fry gently until soft and golden
4. Add crushed garlic and fry gently for 30 seconds with onion
5. Add chorizo and fry for further 2mins
6. Add chicken and fry gently for 3-4mins until turns white but not cooked through
7. Add cherry tomatoes and all the herbs and spices and bubble gently for 12 minutes
8. Taste, adjust all seasonings and spices to taste
9. Add tomato puree to taste and splash of water from the pasta as required to create a smooth, silky sauce (don’t

make it too runny)
10. Serve immediately over a steaming plate of your favourite pasta

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Chicken korma

From Amanda Ayres and family

“Our favourite mid-week meal in this house is my low-fat homemade
chicken korma and rice. We love this and call it our family ‘fakeaway’
although it’s low in fat it’s just
as tasty and goes down a treat
with the family”

Ingredients

►► Low fat cooking spray/olive oil
►► A couple of skinless, boneless chicken breasts
►► 1 onion chopped
►► 1 apple peeled, cored & chopped
►► 1 garlic clove crushed
►► 2 tablespoons of korma curry paste
►► 400ml chicken (or vegetable) stock
►► 25g sultanas
►► 1 tablespoon of cornflour
►► 4 tablespoons of low fat plain yoghurt
►► 1 banana
►► Some rice

Method

1. Spray a large lidded saucepan with the cooking spray. Add the chicken, onion, apple and garlic and stir-fry for
2-3 minutes. Stir in the curry paste and cook for a few seconds

2. Add the stock and sultanas. Bring up to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for
35 minutes. Stir occassionally

3. Meanwhile cook the rice
4. Just before serving, add 2 tablespoons of cold water to the cornflour and blend. Add the

blended cornflour to the curry, stirring until thickened. Add the yoghurt and slice in the
banana, cooking gently for a few moments. Check and season and serve with the rice
5. There you have a lovely curry that’s easy on the pennies and the hips!

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Fish curry

From Jo Swinson MP and family

“We adapted this recipe from my mother-in-law’s signature “Chicken
American” dish as my husband Duncan doesn’t eat meat. It’s so easy and
scaleable - we’ve enjoyed cooking this for friends when we all get together
in a large group. Our son is only 9 months old so hasn’t quite graduated to
fish curry but we’re sure he’ll enjoy this with us before too long.”

Ingredients

►► Fish pie mix (or chunks of fish fillets)
►► Broccoli
►► Fresh leek & potato soup
►► Garam masala
►► Medium curry powder
►► Breadcrumbs
►► Cheese (grated)

Method

1. Baste the fish with the curry powder and garam masala.
2. Parboil the broccoli.
3. Mix the breadcrumbs with the grated cheese.
4. Lay out the fish and broccoli in a large oven dish and pour the soup on top to cover the fish.
5. Top with the cheesy breadcrumb mixture.
6. Bake in the centre of a preheated oven (170C) for around half an hour

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Sausage casserole a la Bolter

From Samantha Bolter and family

“Our fav recipe is one that we regularly make on holidays in France.
Usually we prepare it and then vanish off to the pool for a couple of hours,
getting back to a yummy evening supper that goes well with a crusty
french baguette and glass of wholesome red.”

Ingredients

►► Toulouse sausages
►► Panchetta, cubed
►► Tinned tomatoes
►► Vegetable or beef stock
►► 1 large glass of a deep bodied red wine
►► Garlic
►► Shallots
►► Dijon mustard
►► Herbs de provence
►► Celery/carrots (optional)
►► Olive oil

Method

1. In a large pot mince garlic and add to shallots,
celery, carrot then fry gently before adding the
sausages and browning slightly.

2. Add the wine, boil off the alcohol for a few
minutes then add the rest of the ingredients. Stir,
leave on a low light on top of the stove or put in
the oven.

3. Go and enjoy life for approximately 2/3 hours.
You know it’s ready when you’re walking back
to your tent, mobile, apartment and there is the
most wonderful home cooked smell coming
from your accomodation.

4. Warm some fresh bread, pour a glass of wine
and sit down the rest of the evening and enjoy a
good meal with good company!

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Top tip 5:

Get help preparing the table to sit and eat together. You could ask your children to
make it extra special with candles or flowers so they really look forward to sitting
down together.
Depending on the age of your children you could ask them to:

► Clear the table and the area around the table
► Give the table a clean with a cloth
► Set the table with cutlery and place mats
► Pick some flowers from the garden or find some candles for the table
► Fill glasses with water to bring to the table
► Fold napkins

“Sharing quality time together at the
dinner table is a long held British tradition.
It is something my parents did with me,
that I did with my own children and now
I enjoy nothing more than eating with my
grandson. It is a very simple yet effective
way to spend time with each other, to talk
and develop important communication
skills, while time in the kitchen beforehand
also presents an opportunity to learn
valuable cookery skills.”
Alex Cunningham MP

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Creamy fish pie

From Lynn and family

“Creamy fish pie is a firm favourite in our
house. As a mum I love to make it as it is really
quick to make, tastes delicious and I know
that the kids will clear their plates. The kids
love eating it as it is one of their favourites
and I can guarantee they will come back for
seconds, sometimes even thirds!!! This really is

a perfect meal for after school now these autumnal evenings are really drawing in.”

Ingredients ►► 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
►► 200 ml double cream
►► 1kg white potatoes ►► Pinch of salt and pepper
►► 325g fish pie mix (salmon, haddock, smoked ►► 1 tsp vegetable oil

haddock)
►► 100g cooked prawns
►► 1 white onion

Method 7. Once potatoes are boiled, remove from heat, drain
and mash
1. Put the potatoes on to boil
2. Heat vegetable oil in a separate pan 8. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to fish pie mix
3. Sauté onion for approx. 2 minutes until soft
4. Add prawns and continue to cook for 2 minutes 9. Put the fish pie mix into an oven proof dish and top
5. Add the fish pie mix and gently turn fish to cook with the mash

on all sides 10. Pop in the oven for apx 20 Minutes
6. Add cream and herbs to fish mix and simmer
11. Serve with carrots and peas
for 10 minutes

“Here is a photo of my children loving
their dinner tonight!!!!!”

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Cheesy lasagne

From Fiona Haward and family

“Family mealtimes with the kids is always
fun! Coming down to breakfast on Mother’s
Day can sometimes be a surprise!!
My favourite meal I cook them is a really
cheesy lasagne. It’s so easy because it can
be prepared and cooked in advance before
they come in from school, leaving me free to collect them from friends, run them
around for swimming lessons/clubs etc and still have a healthy meal ready for them,
to quickly heat up.
It is also ideal, as I can cook and hide lots of finely chopped vegetables into the sauce
and the kids munch it all up without fussing about eating their greens!”

Ingredients (vary the amounts depending on how many you are cooking for)

►► Pack of mince
►► Vegetables (Courgettes, onions and peppers = hidden)
►► 1 tbsp tomato puree
►► 1 tin tomatoes
►► 1 tsp salt and pepper
►► 1 beef stock cube
►► Lasagne sheets
►► White sauce with melted cheese

Method

1. Cook the mince until brown,
2. Mix in the vegetables and cook until soft (you can pick whichever vegetables you enjoy eating).
3. Add the tinned tomatoes, puree and a stock cube, with salt and pepper
4. Layer up lasagne sheets with the mince mixture and white sauce in a large

oven proof dish
5. Put lots of grated cheese on top.
6. Bake for 40 minutes at 180C/Gas Mark 4

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Lamb casserole

From Carol Wilkinson and family

“My family’s favourite winter recipe”

Ingredients

►► 8 lamb cutlets
►► Large onion
►► 6/8 tomatoes
►► Mushrooms
►► 1 tin condensed mushroom soup
►► Potatoes

Method

1. Fry cutlets to seal in the flavours
2. In a large casserole dish layer cutlets with sliced raw potatoes, mushrooms, onion and tomatoes.
3. Continue to layer
4. Pour soup round ingredients
5. Pop in oven for 1.5/2hrs at 180C
6. Enjoy!

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Healthy turkey upside down pie

From Vicky Ashley and family

Healthy turkey upside down pie (serves 4)

►► 350g turkey mince ►► 1 drop of gravy browning

►► 1 small onion (chopped) ►► 500g Maris Piper potatoes (cut into pieces)

►► 1 clove garlic (chopped) ►► 50ml milk

►► 1 large carrot ( diced) ►► 30g butter

►► 100g swede (diced) ►► 1 tablespoon cooking oil

►► 15g plain flour ►► 1 pinch of chilli powder

►► 100g Savoy cabbage (shredded) ►► ¼ teaspoon mixed herbs

►► 2 teaspoons cornflour ►► Salt and pepper

1. Mix turkey with onion, garlic, chilli powder, herbs, plain flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Divide turkey
into 20 portions. Make each portion into a small ball

2. Heat oil in a large sauce pan. Fry the meat ball gently for 2-3 minutes. Add in swede and carrot and cook for
5 minutes. Add a cup of water into the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes till the meat balls are
cooked. Blend cornflour with a tablespoon of cold water and the gravy browning. Add to the meat balls to thicken
the sauce

3. Put potatoes in a large pan of boiling water. Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes till soft. Drain. Add in butter and
milk. Mash the potatoes till light and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the potatoes into a piping bag.
Pipe the potato around the edge of the dish. Put the dish in a preheated oven Gas Mark 6/ 200C for 20 minutes
until the potato is golden brown on top

4. Cook Savoy cabbage in a pan of salt water for 10 minutes. Drain

5. Remove the dish from the oven. Place the cooked cabbage in the centre of the dish. Transfer the cooked turkey
ball and vegetables on top of the cabbage. Pour over the gravy. Serve and enjoy

Jam sponge pudding

Jam Sponge Pudding (serves 4)

►► 2 tbsp raspberry jam ►► 1 egg, lightly beaten
►► 100g self-raising flour
►► 100g butter, softened

►► 50g caster sugar

1. Grease 4 small pudding dish or ramekin dishes. Place
1/2 tablespoonful of jam at the bottom of each dish

2. Cream the butter and sugar together till light and
fluffy. Add in beaten egg. Mix in the flour

3. Divide the pudding mixture between the prepared
dishes. Cover with greaseproof paper. Secure with
elastic bands

4. Cook in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Insert a
skewer into the centre and check it comes out
clean. Leave to stand for 2 minutes

5. Transfer the pudding onto warm plates. Serve with
custard. Add a few drops of jam on the custard to
decorate

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Top tip 6: Play some foody games!

Game idea 1: What am I?

► Select one person from your family to be ‘it’ and write a name of a food on a piece of paper
without them seeing, and get them to stick it to their head. They have to guess what food
they are by asking questions where you can only answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ until they guess what
food they are. Once they have guessed their food, select a new person to be given a food to
guess.

Game idea 2: What’s on the tray?

► Lay foods on a tray e.g. a tomato, a banana, a chocolate bar. Ask your children to close their
eyes, take one away, and they must guess which item is missing.

Game idea 3: Apple bobbing

► A classic favourite – fill large bowls (one per person) with water and put lots of apples in it,
but few enough that they can all move around. Whoever gets an apply out using only their
teeth first wins.

“My children are some of the most
amusing people I know and by
just simply spending everyday, but
special, moments with them gives me
a sense of firm foundations, for them
and myself.”
Henry Smith MP

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Easy trifle

From Margot James MP and family

“My mother had an expression about things being for “high days and
holidays” and this trifle is one of those treats. I usual make a couple for
Boxing Day and Easter Day when my nephews, nieces, cousins and
aunt come to join my partner Jay and I for a long lunch.”

Ingredients

►► 1 packet 8 trifle sponges
►► 8 amaretti biscuits
►► Flaked almonds
►► Raspberry jam
►► 3 small glasses sherry
►► 1 carton fresh ready-made custard
►► Half pint double or whipping cream
►► Whole almonds and cocktail cherries, to decorate

Method

1. Cut sponges in half and spread with the jam
2. Sandwich together and place in base of a large bowl
3. Crumble biscuits and cover
4. Sprinkle over flaked almonds
5. Pour over sherry (leave to soak in for an hour or two, if you’ve got time)
6. Cover with custard whip cream and cover trifle
7. Decorate with cocktail cherries and whole almonds

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Fairy cakes

From Rebecca Morgan and her family

“I am not a great cook! But I love to bake fairy cakes with my children.
It’s not complicated or fancy, but it’s something we love to do together.
It’s sticky and messy, but we have SO much fun. And even if it goes
completely wrong, it’s still very tasty!”

Ingredients ►► 1 tsp vanilla extract
►► 110g/4oz self-raising flour
►► 110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room ►► 1-2 tbsp milk
temperature ►► Paper cake cases

►► 110g/4oz caster sugar ►► 2-3 drops food colouring
►► 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten ►► hundreds and thousands, or other cake decorations!

For Icing
►► 300g/10½oz icing sugar
►► 2-3 tbsp water

Fairy cakes method

1. Mix the sugar and butter or margarine together until creamy and smooth
2. Beat in the two eggs and vanilla extract and stir in the milk
3. Sieve the flour and fold in gently until combined
4. Spoon into cake cases and bake at 180C for 15-20 minutes until golden
5. Sieve the icing sugar and mix in with the water. Add any food colouring of your choosing and put on the cakes

once cooled. Sprinkle with decorations

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Apple and blackberry crumble

From the Wright family

Ingredients

►► 3 large cooking apples
►► 2 handfuls of blackberries
►► 2 tablespoons of caster sugar

(use more or less to taste)
►► 50g butter
►► 100g self raising flour
►► 50g sugar

Method

1. Peel, core, chop and stew about 3 big cooking apples (ideally from our neighbour’s garden), then pop them in
a dish, and add a few handfuls of blackberries (from our garden or from a lovely autumn walk). Then liberally
sprinkle some golden caster sugar over the lot

2. Meanwhile, using your fingertips (ideally the whole family can get involved here!) rub around 50g butter and 100g
s/r flour together. Then mix in some more sugar (50g). Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the fruit and bake in the
oven for around half an hour (at 190C/Gas Mark 5)

Baby Edward getting stuck in!
photo taken by his brother Charlie, aged 5
– sent in by the Wright family

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No pastry pear tarts

From Nicky Morgan MP and family

“This is an absolutely staple recipe which can provide a quick and easy
dessert (serve with ice cream or crème fraiche) or just some delicious
cakes to go with a cup of tea!”

Ingredients (Makes 6 tarts)

►► 180g unsalted butter
►► 50g plain flour
►► 180g icing sugar
►► 100g ground almonds
►► 2tsp finely grated lemon zest
►► 5 egg whites
►► 2 small ripe pears, peeled and cored and quartered
►► Icing sugar to serve

Method

1. Lightly grease the muffin tin
2. Melt butter in small saucepan over a low heat and gently cook for 1-2 mins until the butter turns golden. Do not

burn the butter
3. Sift the flour and icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Stir in the ground almonds and lemon zest
4. Lightly beat the egg whites with a fork until just foamy and pour into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the

warm butter and mix with a wooden spoon until smooth
5. Pour the mixture into the muffin tins, filling each to three-quarters full and top with pieces of pear
6. Bake for 5 mins at 200C then reduce heat to 180C and cook for a further 10 -15 minutes or until golden and risen
7. Allow to cool in the tins for 5 mins before turning out to cool completely
8. Dust with icing sugar to serve

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Banana and Flake bake

From Rebecca Griffin and family

“These are so easy to make and children absolutely love them!”

Ingredients (for 4 people)

►► 4 bananas
►► 4 Flakes
►► Ice cream or cream to serve
►► Tin foil

Method

1. Slit your bananas open down the middle while keeping the skin on
2. Push a flake into each one and wrap with foil
3. Place in an oven at 180C for 20 minutes (or less if you want them a bit firm)
4. Open up, cover with cream or ice cream, and serve

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