Mediterranean Soup

I love a good soup year round but this particular one which relies on ripe and flavourful tomatoes is just a bowlful of summer - it's divine. I guarantee if you make it you'll want to make it again, and soon.

Mediterranean Soup

Here's how:

• 1 red onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 carrot
• 2 red peppers
• 600g ripe tomatoes
• 100g olives
• Olive oil
• 900ml chicken or vegetable stock
• Pinch salt
• Black pepper to taste
• Handful of basil leaves and stalks
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• Grana Padana to taste (optional)

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. 

Cut the tomatoes and the red peppers in half and place into a baking tray or dish and drizzle generously with olive oil. Season and add the oregano and then place into the oven for 30 minutes.

In the meantime make the base of the soup by finely dicing the onion and crushing the garlic and adding to a saucepan with a little olive oil on a low heat.

Finely slice the celery and add to the mix. 

Peel and finely dice the carrot and roughly chop the olives and add to the soup base.

Take the basil leaves away from the stalks and finely chop the stalks - add these to the mix.

Once the tomatoes and red peppers have cooked for 30 minutes and are beginning to char, remove from the oven and place into the soup saucepan - including any juices left behind in the tray.

Make up the stock and pour into the saucepan. Season to taste and at this point add the basil leaves - keeping a couple back to garnish the soup.

Cook for twenty minutes and then remove from the heat. Once cooled, blitz and return to the heat to warm through.

Add a few shavings of Grana Padana or even Cheddar if you like and a basil leaf or two and serve with fresh crusty bread. Enjoy!

Some other soup recipes you may like:

Restorative Green Soup
Asparagus Soup with Crispy Bacon
Chunky Lentil, Bacon and Kale Soup
Mexican Mushroom Soup
Curried Parsnip and Spinach Soup
Leek, Potato and Cauliflower Soup
Skinny Broccoli and Fennel Soup
Red Pepper Soup
Quick Pork Noodle Soup
Smoky Tomato Soup

Cheat's Chocolate Trifle

This isn't so much a recipe - more of an idea for a great assembly job to prepare an impressive looking dessert in no time at all. 

You can add a layer of jelly as you would in a traditional trifle if you have the time, but when I throw this together it's usually when we have unexpected guests for dinner. 

I've also made it with Madeira cake instead of the chocolate Swiss roll - any kind of sponge cake works. You can also use dark chocolate or white chocolate for the custard - both work well.

Cheat's Chocolate Trifle

Cheat's Chocolate Trifle

Here's how:

• 1 chocolate Swiss roll
•  750g ready made custard
• 200g milk chocolate
• 1-2 squares white chocolate
• Punnet of raspberries
• 200ml whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Firstly rinse the raspberries and dry them off and set aside.

Break up all but 1-2 squares of the milk chocolate and place into a bowl. Place over a pan of boiling water to gently melt. Once thoroughly melted, remove the bowl from the heat and pour over half of the custard and mix well. 

Now for the cream - add the vanilla extract and whisk firmly for about 5 minutes or until the cream is really thick. 

Cut the Swiss roll into thin slices and place some around the outside of the edge of the trifle dish you are using. Into the centre place a handful of the raspberries. Then cover the raspberries with another slice of Swiss roll.

Now pour over some of the plain custard, then top that with of the chocolate custard and then add another layer of the sponge - this should use the remainder of the Swiss roll up now. 

Scatter a few raspberries over this layer then pour on the rest of the plain custard, followed by the chocolate custard.

Spoon the whipped cream over the top of the trifle and use the back of a spoon to smooth it as evenly as you can.

Place the remaining raspberries on top of the trifle to decorate and then finally grate over the milk chocolate and the white chocolate to give a final decoration. Enjoy!

Lovely Lemon Cake

This citrus cake is light and delicious with a triple hit of lemon running through it from the sponge cake, the lemon curd and the lemon buttercream. It's perfect for a celebration cake.

It's simple to make too - I've used the all-in-one method for the sponge which works every time.

Lovely Lemon Cake

Add caption

Here's how:

• 250g salted butter
• 250g self-raising flour
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• Zest of 2 lemons
• 1 drop of Sicilian lemon extract
• 2-3 tsp milk 
• 1 tsp baking powder

For the buttercream:

• 180g salted butter
• 500g icing sugar
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons
• 1 drop Sicilian lemon extract
• 3 tbsp lemon curd
• Lemon Jelly Slices (I use Morrison's from the baking department)

First pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees and grease and line two 20cm sandwich tins. 

Into a large bowl measure the flour, softened butter and sugar and baking powder and mix well to combine. Add the lemon zest and extract and once well mixed, add a drop of milk at a time until you have a thick and unctuous cake batter at a consistency you're happy with. 

Now carefully divide the cake batter between the two sandwich tins, level out and place both into the hot oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and risen.

Test the cake with a skewer - as long as it comes out dry the cake is good to go.

Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for 20 minutes, then carefully remove and place onto a board to cool further.

Now begin to prepare the lemon buttercream - ensure the butter is soft, and if not place into the microwave for 10-15 seconds. Add the icing sugar, the lemon juice, zest and extract to the butter and mix well. Once all combined you can begin the assemble the finished cake.

Place one sandwich at the bottom and spoon over a few tablespoons of the lemon buttercream - use a palette knife to spread so it's evenly distributed.

Now spoon over the lemon curd and spread around - it doesn't need to be too neat but try to get an even spread.

Place the second sandwich on top of the first. 

Now spread the buttercream over the top and the sides of the cake all around. Again, use a palette knife to spread and make as neat as possible. 

If using the Lemon Jelly Slices simply place them all around the outside of the cakes' top and you're done. 

The cake will last for up to a week if covered and kept in the fridge but it never lasts more than a day or two around here.

If like me you're partial to a fruity cake here are a few other recipes you might like:

• Lemon & Honey Yoghurt Cake
• Lemon Drizzle Cake
• St Clements Drizzle Cake
• Guilt Free Apple Cake
• Rhubarb and Custard Cake
• Peach Upside Down Cake

Beef Kofta Kebabs

As we’re now in the midst of barbecue season, it seemed a perfect time to cook and share one of our favourite charcoaled meat dishes - beef koftas.

I cook these year round (under the grill outside of summer), but there is something extra special about the taste when barbecued and served with pitta, salad and tzatziki or any other array of lovely summer dishes.

You can play around with the herbs and spices depending on what you like, but these are good. I use 15% steak mince, as whilst I’m attempting to shave off some calories here and there, they need a little fat in them to keep them moist and prevent them drying out.

The below makes around six koftas.

Beef Kofta Kebabs

Here’s how: 

• 500g 15% fat steak mince
• 2 large spring onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• Pinch salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp cumin
• Handful each of fresh mint, parsley and coriander
• 1 beaten egg to bind

Firstly get a large bowl and throw the meat in. Season generously.

Now peel and mince the garlic and finely chop the spring onions and add to the meat bowl.

Measure out the spices and add to the bowl.

Roughly chop the herbs up and throw into the bowl and then crack the egg into a separate bowl and whisk it.

Now throw the egg into the bowl and use your hands to smoosh everything together.

Once you’re happy with the consistency, break into six roughly equal sized pieces and roll into a sausage shape.

Really use your hands to bring together and roll against the chopping board to help it get into this shape.

Once the koftas are ready, use a skewer for each and pierce all the way through. You’ll now need to use your hands to press the koftas around the skewers a little and this can help lengthen the koftas too. You ideally want an equal thickness all the way along, so they cool evenly. Don’t be too gentle, you want them to be tightly packed around the skewer so they don’t fall apart during cooking.

Beef Kofta Kebabs

Now wash your hands, and find a plate or board and spray with some Fry Light or an alternative and then place each kofta on this. Cover with cling film and place into the fridge until cooking time.

Allowing them some time in the fridge also helps prevent them from falling apart when cooking.

When you’re ready to cook them, give them a quick spray with Fry Light, to stop them sticking to the grill, then place them onto the main part of the barbecue grill and allow to cook for 4 minutes on each side, turning carefully with tongs as you go.

They take about 10-12 minutes in total cooking on coal, but if you are unsure, just cut into the thickest part of one of them to ensure it’s cooked through.

If you like it really charred, then cook for longer. Enjoy!

Plain Scones

Cream Tea at Home

If you enjoy a cream tea, and like baking, then a simple scone recipe is a great one to have in your cooking armoury. 

You'll be surprised at how easy these are to make, and if you serve them slightly warm, they are just to die for. Buttery, crumbly and delicious - especially with a cup of tea.

As we are heading to Cornwall very soon, I served these the Cornish way; jam first, then the Roddas Clotted Cream - just perfect.

Plain Scones

Plain Scones

Here's how:

• 375g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 95g butter - room temperature, and cut into cubes
• 3.5 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 190ml milk (use full fat)
• 1 drop of lemon juice
• 1 beaten egg to brush over before baking
• Roddas Clotted Cream and some Strawberry Jam to serve

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees and get a baking sheet ready - line it if you wish.

In a large bowl tip in the self raising flour, the salt and the baking powder and mix a little.

Now add the butter cubes into the bowl and use your hands to rub the mixture together, until it resembles breadcrumbs.

At this point add the sugar and mix well.

Measure out the milk into a small jug or bowl and add the vanilla then pop into the microwave for twenty seconds to take the chill off of it. 

At this point pop the baking tray into the oven to warm up as you want to place the uncooked scones onto a hot surface.

Now make a hole in the middle of the flour in the large bowl and pour in the liquid as well as the drop of lemon juice.

Use your hands to bring everything together, it will be quite wet to begin but will soon come together as a dough.

Once it is a dough consistency, scatter some more flour over a clean work surface and place the dough onto it. Use your hands to fold over the dough 3-4 times, until it is quite smooth. Be careful not to overwork it here.

Use your hands to then smooth it out into a flat piece of dough, it doesn't need to be perfectly straight or flat, just a similar thickness, about 3-4cm deep.

Now take a round cutter and make 4-6 scones. With any excess dough bring back together and press down and you can make another scone. 

Now quickly beat an egg and then remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. 

Place each scone onto the tray and brush over the beaten egg.

Place into the oven and bake for 10 minutes until they are golden brown and well risen.

Serve warm with your choice of clotted cream, jam or even butter. Enjoy!

If you enjoy simple bakes here are a few other ideas you might enjoy:

Rhubarb & Custard Cake

Guilt Free Apple Cake

Lemon and Honey Yoghurt Cake

Lemon Curd and Blueberry Muffins

Simple Double Chocolate Tray Bake

Chocolate Cornflake and Marshmallow Cakes

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Banana and Berry Breakfast Muffins

Cheese Muffins

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

I absolutely love the annual onslaught of Easter and all the chocolatey goodness that comes our way since having children but I'm very nervous about Mini Eggs or any other solid chocolate eggs of that shape and size because of the obvious choking risk.

We came up with these cookies last year in order to allow my girls to enjoy the Mini Eggs that were bought for them without me panicking about any choking risk. 

The cookie mixture is a recipe I use loads and is always well-received, you could always up the chocolate chips instead, or add raisins and oats instead. 

Bridget and Beatrice enjoyed making these this morning and enjoyed eating a couple straight after baking even more. I adore cooking with my girls - it's a fun, educational and sensory experience. 

Whatever your plans this Easter have a fabulous long weekend.

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Here's how:

Ingredients:

• 150g salted butter, room temperature
• 85g brown sugar
• 85g granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbsp cocoa (I use Green & Black's)
• 240g plain flour
• 100g milk chocolate
• Mini Eggs (80g bag) 

Method:

Firstly pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees and line a couple of baking trays with grease-proof paper.

If cooking with children, I tend to do the chopping etc. first - so I would at this stage chop the Mini Eggs in half or thirds and chop the chocolate bar into chunky pieces.

Now measure the butter and sugars and add to a mixing bowl and cream together with a wooden spoon.

Bridget and Beatrice making Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Bridget and Beatrice making cookies

Once well combined, add the egg and vanilla and mix well. 

Now add the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and the milk and again, mix well. 

Once you have achieved a good cookie dough consistency, add the chocolate chunks - but not the Mini Eggs. (If the cookie dough is too clunky or dry add a little extra milk a drop at a time until you are happy). 

Now use a couple of tablespoons to scoop out the cookies - you will need to do in a couple of batches, so don't be tempted to pack them on too tightly on the baking trays. Use about a heaped tablespoon in a round and place 5-6 on each,  try to keep them well spaced apart. You don't need to press them down or anything just leave in a round.

Place them into the oven for four minutes, by which time they will have spread out a little, and then remove and carefully place the Mini Eggs into each cookie 2-3 pieces  per cookie, with the coloured side up. 

Return to the oven and cook for a further 8 minutes. 

Easter Cookies with Mini Eggs

Remove from the oven and place onto a wire rack or board to cool. Enjoy!

Reduced Calorie Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is always a crowd-pleaser at our house and as I’m trying to get a few pounds off before the summer holiday season begins, I have tweaked the more traditional version to reduce the calories and this is pretty good even if I say so myself.

Using turkey thigh mince instead of the usual steak or beef mince immediately shaves off approximately 60 calories, and by taking out the red wine and adding instead a touch of balsamic vinegar, again takes out around 160 calories overall. I would usually use a generous amount of olive oil when making a bolognese sauce, but have reduced this too just three sprays of Fry Light Olive Oil at only 3 calories.

I serve with 150g cooked wholemeal spaghetti too - which is easier to digest and has half the amount of sugar to white spaghetti. The below gives x4 portions and one with the 150g pasta and a tiny 6g Grana Padana grated over too comes in at 515 calories.

I add cinnamon to the mince as it cooks, which gives a great flavour and is more of a nod towards the Greek flavours of a meaty ragu, rather than Italian, but trust me it works beautifully.

Reduced Calorie Bolognese

Here’s how:

• 250g turkey thigh mince
• 1 large white onion
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 large carrot
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried cinnamon
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Water
• 3x sprays of Fry Light Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Firstly spray the pan with the Fry Light and place on a low heat.

Peel and finely dice the onion and add to the pan.

Peel and mince the garlic and also add to the pan.

Now peel the carrot and finely dice, and cut the celery into small slithers too. Add both to the pan.

Once the vegetables are softened, add the turkey mince and season well.

Use a wooden spatula or spoon to gently break up the meat to avoid it all clumping together.

Once it has begun to brown, mix it around and allow it to cook all over. At this point add the dried cinnamon and stir.

Once the meat has all coloured, add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar, oregano, sugar and rosemary and mix well. Now fill the empty tomato can up with water straight from the tap and pour over the meat.

Now simply allow to cook for at least thirty minutes until the sauce has reduced down and thickened up a little. The longer you cook the sauce for, the more intense the flavour will be so if you're not in a rush leave it to cook down for as long as you can.

Serve over spaghetti with a small smattering of Grana Padana and enjoy!