Smoked Salmon Carbonara

Once again, I find myself undertaking a health and fitness overhaul - and whilst I am trying to lose a little weight, it's more a case of adjusting lifestyle and nutrition for the whole family, without compromising on the delicious food that we all love.

I've made a version of this Smoked Salmon Carbonara for a few years - firstly taking inspiration from this BBC Good Food recipe. 

However, I have tinkered and tweaked, as I generally do to make it my own, and just recently have overhauled the cream element to use fat free Greek yoghurt to help with the sauce - it works marvellously. I also use dill rather than chives, as it's a beautiful complementary herb with salmon and the addition of spinach just gives it some veggie goodness.

It's a super speedy meal and can be on the table in under fifteen minutes including preparation so is perfect for midweek when time is short.

The below makes three adult portions - with each portion coming in at around 512 calories.

Smoked Salmon Carbonara

Here's how:

• 100g smoked salmon
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 eggs
• 2 heaped tbsp Fat Free Greek Yoghurt
• 200g dried spaghetti
• 100g spinach
• 50g Grana Padana or other hard cheese
• Black pepper
• Sea salt
• Handful dill leaves

Firstly fill and boil the kettle and pour the boiled water over the dried spaghetti in a large pot, season with a pinch of salt and place onto a medium heat. Use a fork to gently tease the spaghetti down into the water as it softens and cook for 9 minutes (or according to the packet instructions).

In the meantime add the olive oil to a pan or wok and place onto a low heat. 

Now mince the garlic and add to the pan to gently soften and flavour the oil. Add the spinach leaves to the pan and allow to cook gently, then carefully remove the spinach and set aside.

Slice the salmon into thin slithers and set aside. Chop the dill finely. 

Now in a jug or bowl crack in the two eggs, add the Greek yoghurt and the cheese; season generously and mix well. Now add the salmon and half of the dill.

Once the pasta has cooked through, use tongs to remove it and place directly into the pan with the oil and garlic, still on a low heat. 

Toss the past using the tongs, to ensure it all gets a slight coat of the garlicy oil, and then add the yoghurt and egg mixture over the pasta and mix well to ensure all of the pasta becomes coated with the creamy sauce. 

Return the spinach to the pan and mix through and then remove from the heat and dish up, sprinkling over the remaining dill leaves onto each portion to serve.

For more family pasta recipe inspiration I've included a few of our favourites below:

• Super Green Pasta Sauce
• Squash Mac and Cheese
• Seafood Spaghetti with Saffron and Chilli
• Bridget's Easy Peasy Cheesy Pasta Bake
• Pastitsio - The Greek Lasagna

Easy Sausage Rolls

I have been making these for a few years - I think the original recipe was a BBC Good Food one with a few little tinkles and tweaks over that time. Sausage rolls are a great party food bite or for any packed lunches or picnics.

They have been popular with whoever has been the recipient but never more so than by my daughter's dance school - I made them for an all day competition recently and then they were in heavy demand for the end of year presentation and over 50 of them went almost immediately! But then you just can't beat a fresh sausage roll straight from the oven can you?

I use mustard in these but you can vary these according to your personal taste - I have used red onion chutney and pickles before now too.

For the sausage meat, I would say try to get the best quality you can afford, as it will impact the flavour; and if you can't find the blocks or sausage meat that have been adorning the supermarket lately for festive reasons, then feel free to buy good sausages and just squeeze out the meat from their skins.

Easy Sausage Rolls

Here's how:

• 350g Sausage meat 
• Sea salt and black pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 2 tbsp English Mustard
• 1 sheet ready roll puff pastry
• 1 egg

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and line a couple of baking sheets with grease proof paper.

Now prepare the sausage meat in a bowl, break it up a bit and season generously with the black pepper, and more modestly with the sea salt as sausages tend to be quite salty anyway. Add the garlic salt and mix well - you may need to use your hands!

Now wash and dry your hands, then roll out the pastry which will be in a rectangular shape - cut length-ways straight down the middle so you have two sections, and pull apart slightly. 

Take a pastry brush, and brush a generous amount of English Mustard all the way along the centre of both pieces of pastry.

Now get half of the sausage meat and roll out or pull into small balls and put along the centre of one of the pastry sections all the way along, using the mustard as a guide.

After repeating the process, wash and dry your hands again, and then beat the egg in a small bowl, ready to egg wash the sausage rolls.

Now brush the egg wash along the side of one of the sides of each pastry section and carefully fold the other half over the sausage meat, and press the dry side down onto the egg-washed side and hold down to secure along the length of the sausage roll. 

Now use a sharp knife to cut into smaller sausage rolls - about 3cm long, or just use your eye to cut them into the size you'd prefer. 

Once cut, use the knife to make gentle incisions or little cuts along the top of each individual sausage roll. 

Now use a fork to crimp the edge of each sausage roll, just press down with the ends, where the two pastry sections (dry and egg washed) have met and been pressed together.

Finally lay onto the two baking trays and brush with the remaining beaten egg generously and then place into the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!

For more party food inspiration there are a few ideas below:

Spiced Chicken Goujons
Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Blinis
Children's Vegetable Train
Children's Caterpillar Sandwiches 
Skinny Spicy Breaded Prawns
Prawn Summer Rolls

Sag Paneer

This is a lovely vegetarian Indian dish that works as a stand-alone main course or to go alongside a curry dish such as Chicken Dhansak or Beef and Lentil Curry perhaps.

Paneer is a lovely cheese that really absorbs flavour like a sponge and this is a delicious dish - although it took me a few goes to find the right spicing and I pinched from BBC Good Food, Jamie Oliver and The Guardian to make this plus some of my own experimentation.

Sag Paneer

Here’s how:

• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Thumb sized piece of ginger
• 1 large green chilli
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 500g spinach
• 400g paneer
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp ghee (butter will do just as well if you don’t have ghee)

Firstly melt the ghee or butter in a bowl and mix in the turmeric and chilli powder.

In the meantime cut the paneer into cubes and then toss into the melted butter and spice mixture. Ensure they are coated all over.

Place the spinach into a colander and pour over freshly boiled water. Allow to drain off and then place the spinach into a clean tea towel or muslin and squeeze off the excess water. Chop roughly.

Chop the tomatoes and set aside for the minute.

Make a paste by roughly chopping the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli and adding to a blender or Nutribullet and blitzing.

Now add the paneer to a hot frying pan and allow to cook on all sides, getting colouration on each side. Cook for 7-8 minutes and then remove from the pan but leave the pan on the heat.

Add the cumin seeds to the pan and allow to cook for a minute before ading the onion mixture and them allow this to cook for ten minutes until the onions are beginning to caramelise.

Now add the chopped tomato and garam masala and cook for a further three minutes or so to allow the spice to cook out.

Now add the spinach to the pan seasoning generously with salt and white pepper at this stage. This will cook in a minute or so and now it will be time to add about 3 tablespoons of water to unleash all the delicious flavours from the bottom of the pan.

Add the paneer at this stage, and squeeze over the lemon juice and cook for a further 3-4 minutes; remove from the pan and serve immediately. Enjoy

Halloween Mumified Sausage Rolls

I copied the idea from BBC Good Food but used ready rolled puff pastry instead of croissant pastry and these went down well at a mini Halloween gathering I held on Saturday evening.

The are a really fun, festive Halloween inspired snack sure to get everyone in the spooky mood and are super simple to make.

Mummified Sausage Rolls for Halloween



Here's how:

• 12 chipolatas 
• 1 sheet ready rolled Puff Pastry (I use Jus Rol)
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp English mustard

 

 Firstly pre-heat the oven to 180 and line a baking sheet with some greaseproof paper and set aside. 

 

Place a frying pan on a medium heat and fry off the sausages for 6-7 minutes, to sear all the way over.

 

 Leave the sausages to cool for fifteen-twenty minutes.

 

Now roll the puff pastry out onto the paper its wrapped in, and cut into 12 rectangles - three straight lines down, long-ways, and three across should do it. 

 

Now take each sausage and place into the centre of one of the pastry rectangles, with at least 1cm hanging off the edge, for the Mummy's face.

 

Now use a knife and make incisions all the way along the edges, both sides, to make the 'bandages'. And then 'wrap' each one over the sausage, one side at a time, to look like a bandage and once wrapped place onto the baking sheet.

 

Repeat for each sausage, and then beat an egg and brush over the pastry coat of each, then place into the oven for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and well risen.

 

Leave to cool for ten minutes before serving and before doing so, use a skewer dipped into the mustard to place tiny eyes onto each sausage. Enjoy!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Recently the infamous secret blend of eleven secret herbs and spices that makes the chicken from KFC so moreish was leaked all over the internet, and I must admit I am due to host all of the family to trial the recipe and see if it matches up that of the fast-food chain favourite - I'll be sure to post the results here.

For now, however, after a few years of trial and error, here is my own preferred version of Buttermilk Fried Chicken.

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

I have experimented a lot taking inspiration from BBC Good Food, Jamie Oliver, Martha Stewart and a whole range of American blogs and websites, but this combination seems to go down the best - especially when served with crunchy homemade slaw and macaroni cheese.

Buttermilk is quite easy to come by in supermarkets these days, but you can make your own by combining the required amount of natural yoghurt with a tablespoon of lemon juice or even vinegar.

I use a dry brine rather than wet, but I then marinate further in the buttermilk for a couple of hours at least, to ensure the chicken is really tender and moist on cooking.

It may seem a lot of effort to marinade overnight and then for a further couple of hours but once you make this the once, I guarantee you'll be back for more. This does pack a punch so to make a milder version cut down on some of the spices and leave out the tabasco from the buttermilk marinade. We made some goujons from chicken breast for Bridget and she liked them though, so it depends on your taste buds.

This is one of the naughtiest recipes I make at home, and one of the most happily devoured, it really is delicious but best to avoid if you are on any kind of diet - this is definitely a 'once in a while' kind of dish.

Here's how:

• 4 pieces if chicken, thighs are best but you can use drumsticks
• 1 litre rapeseed, vegetable or ground nut oil

The dry brine:

• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp celery salt
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• Zest of 1 large or 2 small lemons

The wet marinade:

• 1 tub of buttermilk (250-300ml)
• 1 tsp tabasco
• 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• Juice of half a lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

The flour coating:

• 220g plain flour
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp black pepper.

Firstly in a small bowl combine all of the dry brine ingredients. Now place the chicken into a marinade bag or bowl and scatter over the brine. Try to ensure each piece gets a good coating by using your hands to rub in. Now zip up and place into the fridge overnight, or for a good 10-12 hours.

When ready for the next stage, place the buttermilk, tabasco, lemon juice, garlic and Worcestershire Sauce into a large bowl or another marinade bag and then place each piece of chicken inside. Zip up then use your hands on the outside to ensure each piece is immersed in the buttermilk. Return to the fridge and leave for a couple of hours.

Chicken marinading in buttermilk

Pre-heat the oven to around 100 degrees – it’s just to keep the chicken warm once cooked if cooking in batches.

Now pour your oil into a fryer - or if like me you don't own one, a good quality wok or metal, heavy bottomed pan and place on a medium heat.

Meanwhile combine the flour coating ingredients, stir and set aside.

Test the oil is hot enough by dropping in a breadcrumb, when it sizzles, you know it's ready.

Now take each piece of chicken and coat in the flour, all over, tossing to ensure an even spread.

Now use tongs or a metal slotted spoon to lower the chicken into the hot oil - be careful. If using a wok or pan you'll need to do this in stages of 3-4 pieces at a time.

After 6-7 minutes, use the tongs or spoon to turn over the chicken pieces. Now cook for the same amount of time on the other side, or until cooked through and golden brown and very tempting looking on the outside.

Now place onto a wire rack in the oven and repeat the process until all the chicken is cooked, then place onto some kitchen towel on a plate to absorb any excess grease.

Buttermilk fried chicken

Serve with your choice of accompaniments. Enjoy!

Buttermilk fried chicken

Cheat's Pavlova

This is a great quick and easy dessert that looks impressive as a centre-piece, for times when you might not have bundles of time to prepare one.

It's certainly a cheating version for meringue to shop buy it, but sometimes needs must and this is particularly good if you have unexpected guests for dinner as can be whipped up in next to no time.

If you do have time to prepare your own meringue, all credit to you, and I would suggest this fine recipe from BBC Good Food.

Cheat's Pavlova

Here's how:

• X2 Meringue Rounds
• Large tub of whipping cream
• 1 tsp good vanilla (I use Nielson Massey)
• 2 kiwis
• 100g each: Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries Drizzle of Raspberry Coulis (I use a Morrison's one

Firstly place the two meringue rounds on separate plates.

In a bowl whisk the whipping cream with the vanilla until thick and spread over the cavity of each of the meringues.

Wash and then dry the berries. Halve the strawberries and set aside.

Peel the kiwi and cut into thin slices.

Now start in the centre and create your own pattern of fruit - I did a round of blueberries, followed by raspberries then alternated between a strawberry half and a kiwi slice.

Once you've arranged the fruit into a nice pattern, drizzle over a little coulis over each.

Now finally lift one and set it on top of the other (if you have one neater than the other, this is the time to showcase it on top). Enjoy!

Peach Upside Down Cake

This is a really lovely moist cake that makes the most of any leftover peaches you may have in the house. I took it from BBC Good Food - a truly wonderful cooking resource, and the recipe called for tinned peach halves but I had a punnet of fresh so use whichever you prefer.

I baked this with my daughter Bridget who is nearly two - she loves making cakes or helping with anything she can in the kitchen and I love to encourage her. She's already a great eater and children are much more willing to try foods they've had a hand in preparing. Obviously if making with children ensure you do the peeling with sharp knife and keep them away from the hot oven.

It's gorgeous when slightly cooled from the oven and works as a cut and keep cake for 2-3 days (I doubt it would last much longer) but also works as a dessert with ice cream or custard too.

Peach Upside Down Cake

Here's how:

• 250g salted butter, soft
• 280g self raising flour
• 250g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 150ml natural yoghurt
• 1 tsp good vanilla extract (I use Nielsen Massey)

For the top:

• 2tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 6 fresh peaches or 2 tins of peach halves
• 12 raspberries

Pre-heat the oven to 180 and grease and line a baking tin - I used a 22cm round one.

Firstly peel the peaches and halve, removing the stone from each. Try not to squeeze out too much juice as you are doing so as you want that to help keep the cake nice and moist.

Now mix the topping flour (1 tbsp) and caster sugar (2 tbsp) and scatter over the base of the baking tin.

Place a raspberry into the cavity of each peach half and then place, cut-side down, onto the base until the tin is covered.

Now in a mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, butter, yoghurt, vanilla, baking powder and eggs until a smooth cake batter is achieved.

Now pour evenly over the peaches and try to get the cake looking as even as possible. Then place into the oven on the middle shelf and leave to bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake has risen and has a golden brown topping. Test with a skewer and see if it comes out dry - if so it's cooked through. If not, return to the oven for five to ten minutes.

Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes then use a knife round the edges to loosen before turning out.

Try to enjoy a slice while warm - it's delicious. Enjoy!

Limoncello Drizzle Cake

Naughty but very, very nice!

I am no baker I have to admit, but there are a few things I can knock up that always go down well, Carrot Cake is one of my tried and tested favourites and for the last year or so I've mastered the art of the Lemon Drizzle Cake. That glorious citrussy delight that when served with a cup of English breakfast tea makes me more than a little happy.

Being a lover of food and booze I often like to add to recipes using various tipples and a few months ago I decided to experiment by adding a generous glug of Limoncello.

I have to say the result was bloody good - I made it for family, for friends and even the work colleagues and have to say it went down a treat with all.

I use this trusty recipe from BBC Good Food Adding in 2-3 tablespoons of syruppy Linmoncello results in a very moist and delicious cake which has a nice alcoholic kick and the citrus flavour is both sweet and sharp - the perfect combination in my opinion.

I like to serve with just a little cream, preferably clotted but if you're fighting the Christmas bulge then a lower calorie alternative such as Creme Fraiche is just as good.

Enjoy!