Leek and Potato Bake

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Leeks (sliced)
• 700g of potatoes, sliced thinly
• 150ml of chicken stock
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 28g of parmesan cheese (HEa)
• 84g of mozzarella cheese (HEa)
• low calorie spray
• Salt and Black Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 200c of 400f (gas mark 6)
2. Spray a round shallow ovenproof dish with some low calorie spray and spread all around the dish the crushed garlic clove.
3. Place a layer of leek in the dish, then a layer of sliced potatoes, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
4. Repeat the layers and pour over the chicken stock.
5. Top with the mozzarella cheese, season with salt and pepper and bake in the oven until the top is golden and the potatoes are cooked through. (Approx 30-45 mins)

Creamy Tomato Pasta Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 ripe tomatoes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 baby aubergine (egg plant), chopped
• 1 courgette chopped
• 1 cup of passata
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 250ml of chicken stock
• 5 laughing cow lights (approx 9 syns)
• sprinkling of Italian herbs (I used dried)
• Frylight/Pam Spray
• Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the tomatoes in a bowl, and cover with boiling hot water, to loosen skin. Peel off skin, then remove seeds and chopped.
2. Place a non stick frying pan over a medium heat, spray with some Frylight or Pam spray.
3. Add, the onion, garlic, chilli, aubergine and courgette and cook until softened. Approx 5 mins.
4. Add the tomatoes, passata, italian herbs and most of the stock, leaving a few tablespoons in the jug.
5. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer until sauce reduces down, approx 15-20mins. But keep an eye on it, as you dont want it to reduce too much.
6. Add the 5 laughing cow lights to the remaining chicken stock and whisk until you have a smooth mixture.
7. Make sure sauce is on a low heat and then gradually add in the laughing cow light mixture, stirring as you do. This is what will make your sauce nice and creamy.
8. Season with salt and pepper if needed and pour over cooked pasta for a delicious meal.
9. NOTE: If you want to have this sauce syn free, then you can count the laughing cow lights as part of you HEa, just make sure you get the rest of your HEa portion into your meals somewhere else throughout the day. As of course the sauce serves 4 and only has 1 HEa portion for the entire recipe.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mousse

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 box Red Velvet Cake mix
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 C. butter, melted and slightly cooled (or oil)
• 1 C. sour cream
• 1/2 C. milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Quick Mousse:
• 1 Box White Chocolate Instant Pudding mix
• 3 C. Heavy Whipping Cream
• Sprinkles for decoration

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line pans with cupcake liners.
2. Sift cake mix into a small bowl and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine eggs, butter, sour cream, milk and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.
4. Stir in cake mix.
5. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 17-20 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
6. Let cool.
7. Quick Mousse: In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat instant pudding mix and heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
8. Pipe mousse onto cooled cupcakes and top with sprinkles!
9. Copyright © YourCupofCake

Chorizo, Red Pepper and Manchego Tarts

INGREDIENTS:

• 3tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
• 11⁄2 red peppers, thinly sliced
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 stalks of rosemary
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 375g ready-rolled puff pastry
• 125g Manchego cheese, grated
• 100g thin slices of chorizo
• Caperberries, to serve (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 220˚C/gas 8. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the peppers, onion, garlic and rosemary for 20 to 25 minutes, until the onion and red pepper are wonderfully soft and juicy.
2. Season with salt and pepper, remove the rosemary stalks and leave to cool. Unroll the pastry, and either leave as a large piece or cut into eight individual rectangles. Sit the pastry on a greased baking tray and score a 5mm to 1cm border around the edge with the tip of a sharp knife.
3. Brush with a little olive oil and spoon the onion and red pepper mixture over the top, inside the border. Scatter over half of the Manchego cheese, lay slices of chorizo, overlapping slightly, on top and then scatter with the remaining cheese.
4. Place in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, until the pastry around the edges is golden and the top is bubbling.
5. These are delicious served warm, but if you are making them for a picnic, leave to cool and pack flat. Serve with the caperberries (available pickled from most delis), if using.

Scotch eggs

INGREDIENTS:


6 medium eggs
400g lean pork steaks, all visible fat removed, roughly chopped
125g bacon, fat removed, roughly chopped
1-2 tsp mild curry powder
2 tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
50g wholemeal bread, crumbed
Cooking spray


DIRECTIONS:

1. Put four eggs into a pan of cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for five to six minutes then plunge into cold water for another four minutes. Carefully peel and set aside.
2. Place the pork steaks, bacon, curry powder and dried herbs into a food processor. Season and blend until fairly smooth. Transfer to a bowl and divide the mixture into four portions.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Flatten a portion of the mixture in your right hand and, with your left hand, take an egg and wrap the mince around it until it’s fully encased. Repeat for the remaining three boiled eggs.
4. Spread the breadcrumbs out on a wide plate. Beat the remaining eggs and dip each Scotch egg in the beaten egg, then roll in the breadcrumbs. Place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and lightly spray with cooking spray.
5. Place the Scotch eggs in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until lightly golden. Eat hot, or cool completely on kitchen paper then cover and chill until you’re ready to eat.

Red Pepper Pasta Bake

INGREDIENTS:

6 ounces penne pasta1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers1/2 cup grated Parmesan2 teaspoons honey1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more, to tasteKosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste3 tablespoons olive oil, divded2 cloves garlic, minced8 ounces spicy Italian sausage, casings removed1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat an 8x8 baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
3. To make the red pepper sauce, combine red peppers, Parmesan, honey and red pepper flakes in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add 2 tablespoons olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
4. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add sausage and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks. Stir in pasta and red pepper mixture until well combined.
5. Add pasta to prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella. Place into oven and bake until cheese has melted, about 5-10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cup Rocky Road

Ingredients:
150g milk chocolate
150g dark chocolate125g butter3 tbsp golden syrup225g Oreos

1 bag mini milk chocolate peanut butter cups

1 bag white chocolate peanut butter cups




Directions:

Heat the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan, stirring until all the chocolate has melted then set aside to cool. Bash the Oreos and stir these into the chocolate mixture, then chop the peanut butter cups into quarters and add about two thirds of them into the mix. Spread into a 9×9″ square tin, lined with foil, then push the remaining pieces of peanut butter cups on top. Chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, before cutting into squares and serving.