These recipes have been lurking in the depths of my hard drive since I was at university.  Seeing as it’s nearly that time again for students to return to their respective universities. I thought I dig a few of my favourites out as this is where my love for food really began!

Cheesy Nachos with Salsa Dip

Ingredients

For the Nachos

• 1 large bag of Tortilla Chips (Doritos etc)
• 500g Grated Cheddar
• 1 jar sliced Jalapenos

Method

• Put a layer of the Tortilla Chips in an oven proof dish
• Sprinkle over some of the cheese and jalapenos
• Repeat until all are used up
• Bake in the oven until the cheese has melted

For The Salsa

• 1 Tin Chopped Tomatoes
• 1 Clove of Garlic
• ½ Red Onion
• Sweet Chilli Sauce
• Oil for frying

Method

• Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic, and gently fry off
• Once the onion has started to brown off add the chopped tomatoes and continue to cook
• Once the sauce begins to thicken add a good slug of chilli sauce and simmer for around 5 minutes stirring continuously
• The remove from the pan and place into a bowl for serving
• You can either leave it to cool or serve it warm either way it tastes great!

 

Spicy Belly Pork One Pot

 

Ingredients

• 2 strips belly pork deboned, skin taken off and cubed.
• 1 small onion
• ½ tin chopped tomatoes
• ½ tin baked beans
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 garlic
• 2 slices smoked bacon (chopped)
• Small piece chorizo (chopped).

 

Method

• Cook belly pork in pan in about 1 tbsp oil not too much because belly pork is fatty remove to a plate and cook onions till soft
• Add bacon, garlic, stir, add belly pork again.
• Add tomatoes and beans and paprika and a little water if need.
• Give a good stir, put in a dish and cook in oven 160C for an hour can be a bit longer but check
• Serve in a bowl with crusty bread.

Potato Wedges

Ingredients

• 2 Large Baking Potatoes
• Seasoning choices
  • Cayenne Pepper Powder
  • Sea Salt and Black Pepper
  • Rosemary and Sea Salt
• Oil for cooking

 

Method

• Cut the Potatoes into wedges and par boil
• At the same time place your chosen seasoning into a sandwich bag
• Heat the oven to 200C and place the oil on a baking sheet to heat up
• Once the potatoes are par boiled put into the seasoning bag and shake so they are covered in the seasoning
• Then put them onto the heated tray and bake in the oven until golden brown

Chinese 5 spice chicken

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs

For the marinade

• 4 tablespoons oil
• 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 4 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon 5 spice powder

 

Method

• Mix altogether and pour over chicken, leave all day or for 20 minutes.
• Cook in oven 200 for 30-40 minutes, keep an eye so does not burn, or 160 for 40 minutes or more if needed.

 

Chicken Fajita Wraps

Ingredients

• 1 Chicken Breast
• 1 Packet Fajita Seasoning
• Grated Cheese
• ½ red pepper
• Oil For Frying
• 1 Pack Tortilla Wraps

 

Method

• Cut the chicken into strips and fry off in the oil
• Whilst the chicken is cooking cut the pepper into strips
• Once the chicken is cooked sprinkle over the fajita spice mix and fry for another couple of minutes
• Finally make your wraps with a few strips in each topped with the grated cheese and sliced pepper.

 

Teriyaki Beef

Ingredients

• Beef Steak

For the Marinade

• Vegetable Oil
• Caster Sugar
• Black Treacle or Honey
• Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 Clove of Garlic (Crushed)

 

Method

• Add oil to a saucepan and gently heat
• Once oil is heated add the soy sauce and stir
• Add the crushed garlic stirring continually
• Add the Caster sugar and black treacle and stir continually for 3 – 4minutes
• Take the marinade off the heat and pour over your chosen meat.
• Marinate the Beef over night
• Then just fry off to your personal liking and serve.

Sloppy Joe

Ingredients

• 1/2lb mince
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 garlic
• 1 beef Oxo cube
• Chilli sauce
• ½ tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp cumin powder

Method

• cook off mince, drain off fat
• add onions and other ingredients and cook, add about ½ pint of water
• simmer for 20 minutes put in dish add slices of garlic bread from the Chiller section or defrost frozen one and place slices on top of mince mixture
• Cook in oven 190o 12 minutes until garlic bread is cooked. Yummy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Variation

• Can do above but only use mince, onion, Oxo cube, water and add barbecue sauce, simmer for 20 minutes, put in dish and place garlic bread slices on top, cook 190 12 minutes till garlic bread is cooked.

 

Smoked Peppered Mackerel and Colcannon

Ingredients

• 1 Packet Smoked Peppered Mackerel
• Salt
• Pepper
• Vinegar
• Potatoes
• Savoy Cabbage

 

Method

• Put the smoked Mackerel on a plate
• Boil potatoes and Cabbage
• Mash potatoes and season
• Mix in the cabbage and serve

 

Garlic and Thyme glazed carrots

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove
• Butter
• thyme leaves (dried)
• carrot into sticks or suchlike
• light chicken stock

 

Method

• put garlic and butter in a pan with carrot and mix round whilst melting,
• add stock to just barely cover the carrots.
• cover and simmer for 10 – 15 mins until just tender
• increase the heat and cook until all the stock has evaporated and the carrots are glazed.
• season and serve.

Boiled Egg Hollandaise and Asparagus

 

Ingredients

• 1 Egg
• 3 Drops Cider Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper
• Knob of Butter
• Asparagus

 

Method

• Boil Asparagus
• Boil Egg (make sure runny centre)
• Top the egg add the vinegar, salt and pepper and butter
• Serve

Cumin-Scented Chicken Curry

 

Ingredients

• 12 Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 4 tbsp Oil
• 2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds
• 2 Medium Onions (Sliced)
• 3cm Piece Fresh Ginger/ ½ Teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 3 Garlic Cloves
• 3 Green Chillies Halved
• ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
• ½ Teaspoon Garam – Masala
• 2 Teaspoons Paprika
• 2 Large Peppers (Sliced)
• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree
• 250ml Plain Yoghurt
• 1 Teaspoon Parsley
• 125ml Water

 

Method

• Fry of cumin seeds for a while, then add onions and turn heat down cook until onions soft
• Add ginger, garlic, chillies, Turmeric, Garam Masala and Paprika… stir in Chicken and Peppers and fry until spices stick to chicken (splash of water if they start to catch)
• Add Puree and Yoghurt and 125ml of water, simmer for 30-35mins
• Scatter with parsley and serve.

 

Fruity Pork Steaks

 

Ingredients

• 4 Pork Loin Steaks
• 2 Teaspoons 5 Spice
• 1 Tablespoon Oil
• 1 Red Onion (Cut into thin wedges)
• 4 Small Red Apples (Cut Into eighths)
• 2 Tablespoons Red Currant Jelly
• 1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar
• 200ml Chicken Stock

 

Method

• Dust Pork with 5 spice and brown off
• Remove from pan and fry off onion wedges and the apples stirring occasionally
• Add redcurrant jelly, and stock and vinegar and simmer rapidly until sauce is slightly syrupy reheat pork and serve.

Classic American Pancakes

 

Ingredients

• 1 Cup SR Flour
• 1 Cup Milk
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

 

Method

• Mix all Ingredients together and fry
• Cover in Maple Syrup and a Knob of Butter

PG