Fruit & Nut Pilaf - MS Word document for downloading

I must remember this recipe after Christmas, as a way of using up the leftover meat. It’s a meal in itself. You can vary the dried fruits you use, according to the meat. Fruit and Nut Pilaf is delicious without meat, in which case, this quantity would probably serve 4. Don’t substitute oil for the butter. The butter is essential for the flavour, unless you are going to be very generous with the seasoning and/or herbs.

Serves 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes, if you need to cook the rice

This is turning out to be quite a week! No time for lunch again today and it was duty day as well, so I hadn’t managed a coffee at morning break! Both staff are back, I am delighted to say, so I thought things might be getting easier, but not just yet. A kind colleague clearly saw that I was “wilting” as I was going to my afternoon class and offered me some chocolate. Just what I needed! That and a bottle of water kept me going!

After school, another meeting, so I was late going to the supermarket and getting home. I definitely needed a quick to prepare meal this evening! I put the rice onto cook before I started to unpack the shopping. The apricots and sultanas soaked in boiling water for ten minutes, while the onion cooked. Lovely black grapes were on special offer in the supermarket again, so they made a lovely quick pudding.

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Mediterranean Lamb - MS Word document for downloading

I love cooking with fresh herbs! This sauce in Mediterranean Lamb is lovely with fresh basil. This is one herb I have real difficulty in keeping alive and healthy, so I do substitute dried basil sometimes. I couldn’t get black olives for some reason, so substituted green ones. The black ones do provide a more pleasing colour contrast.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes Read more »

Tikka Masala - Ms Word document for downloading

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of my favourite meals.

Serves 4

It’s really simple and quick to prepare and cook. If you are well organised, you can pop the meat into the sauce overnight. I rarely manage that! It tastes really good even if you just mix it and pop it under the grill straight away.

Preparation time:
5 mins

Cooking time:
10-15 mins

I knew I was going to be really late home tonight. As I had four cookery practicals today, I knew I wouldn’t want to cook much this evening. I left the chicken pieces to thaw out in the fridge overnight, so I just had to put this altogether when I got home. Read more »