Roquefort and Walnut Salad with Garlic Croutons

This was an attempt to use up some more of the seemingly endless Xmas leftovers...

For one person you need:
3 walnuts, shelled and broken into bits
1 slice bread, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, crushed
salt and pepper
olive oil
salad leaves e.g. watercress and endive
leftover cheese
walnut oil
white wine vinegar

Toss the bread in a bowl with the garlic, salt and pepper and some olive oil. Toss on to a baking sheet and cook in a hot oven for about 10 mins, checking every couple of minutes. DO NOT LET THEM OVERCOOK!!! Remove and leave to cool.

In the same bowl you made the croutons in, place the salad leaves and walnuts. Season with pepper but no salt. Drizzle over some walnut oil and white wine vinegar. Toss the salad and place on a plate. Top with the croutons and cheese.

Butternut Squash and Tofu Laksa (v)

I made this last night. Oh my! It was splendiferous even if I do say so myself..! It's based on the recipe in Celia Brooks Brown's New Vegetarian.

For 3 portions you need:
1 pack tofu, drained and cut half widthways, then in half lengthways and then into 10 triangles
2 bundles ramen noodles
1/2 butternut squash cut into 1.5cm dice
2 cups boiling water
pinch salt
1/4 cup light soya sauce
1 can thai coconut milk
1/2 jar thai red curry paste (about 2 tbsp)
1 red chilli
2 onions
4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp ginger
2 tsp brown sugar
1 lime
1 cup beansprouts
2 inch piece cucumber cut into fingers
handful corriander, roughly chopped
1/4 cup peanuts
oil for deep frying
1 tsp tumeric

Begin by frying the tofu till golden all over. Drain on kitchen paper.

Meanwhile boil the squash in the salted water for about 10 mins till tender. Drain but reserve the water.

Blend the onion, tumeric, ginger, garlic, chilli and thai paste together till smooth. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan and fry out the spice paste. Add the coconut milk, reserved water and noodles and cook for about 5 mins till the noodles are cooked. Add the squash to heat through.

Divide the tofu, cucumber and beansprouts between the bowls and ladle in the noodles, squash and broth. Top with the corriander and peanuts and add a squeeze of lime juice.

Banana Toffee Cheesecake (dairy free)

This is in Nigella's new book Kitchen. She describes it as a way to use up leftover over-ripe bananas and I decided to use up the dregs of the biscuit tin too and some vegan cream cheese that had just been sitting the the fridge looking sad. Whilst the cheesecake is dairy free, it does contain eggs and is therefore not vegan, obviously... and the sauce contains cream and butter. This recipe was also an opportunity to try out my new silicon cake tin i.e. one that won't ooze wet cheesecake mix out the bottom or need lining with clingfilm/baking parchment. Quite how I remove it from the tin is another matter!!

For 10-12 portions you need:

For the base:
250g mixed biscuits (I used a mixture of royal danish butter and ginger)
75g unsalted butter, softened

For the cheesecake:
4 overripe medium bananas
60ml lemon juice
700g vegan cream cheese
6 eggs
150g light soft brown sugar

For the toffee sauce:
100g unsalted butter
125ml golden syrup
75g light soft brown sugar

You also need a 23cm springform tin or I used a 21cm silicon tin.

Start with the base. Blitz the biscuits with the butter in a food processor till it's come together. Press into the tin and chill in the fridge.

Mash the bananas with the lemon juice. Nigella says to use a fork but frankly life is too short so use a potato masher instead and be done in a quarter of the time...

In the cleaned food processor, lob in the cream cheese and blitz. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the sugar and then the bananas and lemon juice. Mix well till smooth.

Pour the batter on to the base and bake in a moderate (160 degree) oven for about 1hr 15 mins. Remove and leave to cool then chill over night.

For the toffee sauce melt everything together then boil for 2-3 mins till light golden brown and bubbly. Leave to cool.

Serve the cheesecake drizzled with the sauce with more sauce on the side for greedy buggers like me. Yum yum yum.

Number 86 aka Special Vegetable and Tofu Chow Mein (v)

This is quick, easy and tasty. What more could you want...!

For 3-4 people you need
2 bundles noodles (soba, udon or egg if not vegan)
1 pack marinated tofu
1 onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 pack baby corn, halved
1/2 pack snow peas, halved
1 jar chow mein sauce (yes yes I know...)
4 spring onions, whites cut on the diagonal and the green bits sliced
handful corriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 cups beansprouts

Cook the noodles as per the instructions. Meanwhile stirfry the onion for 2-3 mins then add the other veggies (apart from the beansprouts) and tofu and the sauce. Cover with a lid and steam cook for 2 mins. Drain the noodles and add to the pan along with the tofu. Serve in bowls topped with the green bits of spring onion, corriander and the soya sauce.

And so it ends...

The last recipe I blogged took me to 31 for December 2010 which meant I have achieved my goal of blogging a recipe a day for a whole year. I can't believe I managed it! At times I did wonder whether I would make it; and cluster blogged (mainly at weekends) in order to ensure each month had at least as many recipes as days. But I've enjoyed it, and it's made us eat different meals which was one of the aims. L is also enjoying the blog, and often asks me to blog something "so I have have it when I leave home mummy". So aim two met as well.

I'll keep going with it; but maybe not commit to a recipe a day each month for 2011. But many of my twitter followers ask me where my recipes are if I don't blog one for a while so I guess the constant links sent via dlvr.it aren't *that* annoying!

Thanks for following and for commenting and for eating!

Cheese and Ham Croissants

This is sort of a croque monsieur in a croissant and is an excellent speedy brunch or snack. It's also a good way to use up stale croissants and the last of the christmas cheese pile...

For one croissant you need:
1 croissant (the round ones work better than the long ones)
1 slice quorn ham
1 slice smoked cheese
1/2 slice gruyere cheese
1 thin spreading of french mustard

Cut the croissant in half. Smear the mustard over one half. Top with the ham and cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 mins in a hot oven. Scoff.

Snowflake Biscuits

My wonderful moogi made these for Christmas and oh my! They're divine. I can't stop eating them! This is her recipe, adapted from one for lemon puffs in the January Good Food magazine.

You need:
200g butter, softened
140g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
280g plain flour.

Mix sugar and butter together and then add the egg yolk and vanilla. Add the flour and knead in to a dough. Chill if you want or else roll out and stamp into shapes. Cook in a medium oven for 10-12 minutes and leave to cool. Ice if you want and then try not to eat the whol batch in one day..!

Boxing Day Breakfast (v)

This is an excellent way to use up those leftover potatoes...

For one person you need:
2-3 leftover potatoes (roast or boiled)
1/2 onion
salt and pepper
handful tomatoes, sliced
if you're veggie then add an egg
1-2 vegan bacon style strips (or a handful of bacon bits salad crispy thingies)

Roughly dice the potatoes and finely chop the onion. Fry on a high heat in a little oil for 5-10 mins till crispy and golden all over. Add the bacon strips if using and the tomatoes and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Season to taste. Fry the egg if using and serve with copious orange juice and coffee.

Old School Melon Boats (v)

I ended up doing three starters yesterday as blue cheese has been giving me a frightful migraine recently :( So this was my starter, much to the disgust of L who wanted it for himself too...!

For one portion you need:
3 slices of melon
3 slices of orange
3 cocktail cherries
3 cocktail sticks
1/2 tsp ground ginger.

Lay the melon slices on a plate and slice the flesh from the skin. Cut into segments. Carefully thread the orange on to the cocktail stick and top with a cherry. Stick into the middle of the melon slice. Repeat. Dust with ground ginger. Feel like you're stuck in the 1970s eating the height of novel and new cuisine...

Boxing Day Soup with Cheese

This is an excellent way to use up those leftover veggies and cheese.

For as many portions as you need simply take:
1 cup veggies per person
1 cup stock
salt and pepper
1/2 cup leftover cheese e.g. stilton; blacksticks blue; st agur etc also works with cheddar, gruyere or mature gouda. Not so good with brie...

Heat the veggies in the stock and then blend when hot. Crumble or grate in the cheese and let it melt. Blend till smooth and enjoy. Vow to buy less cheese next year. Fail. Repeat.

Boxing Day Soup (v)

This is an excellent way to use up those leftover veggies.

For as many portions as you need simply take:
1 cup veggies per person
1 cup stock
salt and pepper
1/4 glass white wine
1/2 onion
2 sticks celery
1 tbsp veg oil

Fry the onion and celery in the oil and then heat the veggies in the stock and wine and blend when hot. Serve topped with left over crunchy roasties if you have any or deep fry some left over new potatoes/limp and soggy roasties. Add a swirl of cranberry sauce to the middle and scoff. Lovely.

And now for the Xmas Menus...

Cos otherwise I'll forget like...

Christmas Eve

To Start
Vegetable Tempura with dipping sauces

To Follow
Pad Thai
Thai Red Curry
Jasmine Rice

To Finish
Exotic fruit kebabs with toffee sauce
Mango Sorbet

Christmas Day Lunch

To Start
Potted Stilton
or
Melon
or
Smoked Salmon with Lemon and Brown Bread

To Follow
Roast Gammon
Quorn Roast
Chestnut Roast
Veggie Pigs in Blankets
Roast Potatoes, Parsnips & Carrots
Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower & Peas
Braised Red Cabbage
Cranberry Sauce
Gravy

To Finish
Christmas Pudding
served with Brandy Sauce, Brandy Cream, Single Cream and Brandy Butter
or Chocolate Truffle Torte

Christmas Day Tea

Cold cuts (ham, quorn roast and chestnut roast)
Salad
Selection of chutneys and pickles
Bread
Cheese
Christmas Cake, Mince Pies
Chocolate Truffle Torte; Yule Log

Potted Stilton with Port

This is what the non fish eaters are having for their starter tomorrow. Tho I think I might be on the melon as blue cheese has started giving me blinding migranes :(

For 4 portions you need:
50g butter
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup port
125g Stilton
1/2 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter and sautee the onion for about 5 mins. Add the port and boil for 1 minute and simmer for a further 2 mins. Add everything else and stir till melted. Blitz till smooth and leave to set in ramekins. Serve with salad and crackers.

Chestnut and Cranberry Loaf

This is our stuffing/vegetarian centrepiece for this year.

For 10 or so slices you need:
200g fresh breadcrumbs
250g mushrooms
2 onions
1 tbsp each dried oregano and thyme
1/2 pack fresh parsley
200g chestnuts, roughly chopped
150g cranberries
1 egg
50g butter
1 clementine

Pulverise the mushrooms and onion in a food processor till a smooth puree. Melt the butter in a pan and cook the mushroom and onion mixture. After about 4 mins add the cranberries, herbs, seasoning and chestnuts. Mix in to the breadcrumbs and egg and then turn into a lined laof tin. Cut the skin off the celmentine and cut into 3-4 slices. Lay the slices on the top of the loaf and bake in the oven for about 50 mins. You can do this the day before and then just reheat on the big day.

Spinach, Mushroom and Tomato Brunch Eggs

This was a perfect way to start the seasonal festivities i.e. 3 of your 5 a day ;-)

For 4 people you need:
1/2 punnet mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced
50g butter
1 pack baby spinach
8 eggs
1 punnet baby plum tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Begin by melting the butter in a large non stick pan. Add the onions and mushrooms and sweat for about 5 mins. Add the spinach and cover with a lid to wilt. Meanwhile heat the olive oil in a separate pan and add the halved tomatoes. Season both pans with salt and pepper. Add the eggs to the spinach pan and scramble. Serve with the tomatoes on the side and lots of toast. Yum.

Mulled Wine (v)

I am addicted to this. It's the soothing, warming, inner core fug of happiness it distributes and it dissipates I think ;-)

For 6 generous servings you need:
1 bottle good quality red wine
2 clementines cut into slices
1 cinnamon stick
4-5 cloves
125g caster sugar
pared rind of a lemon
1/4 whole nutmeg, grated
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Place everything into a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved and the spices are aromatic. Serve warm in glasses and spread seasonal good cheer :)

Pasta with Peas and Pesto

Or the three p's... I'd had a really long day yesterday and a really long commute and needed something ultra fast to fuel me and soak up the LARGE glass of wine I downed upon arrival home ;-)

For one hungry person you need:
100g spaghetti
1/3 tub fresh pesto
1/2 cup frozen peas

Cook the pasta. 3 mins before it's done add the peas to the water. Drain. Toss through the pesto. Eat. Smile. Relax.

Slow Cooker Red Cabbage (v)

Christmas isn't Christmas without braised red cabbage :)

For 6-8 portions you need:
1 red cabbage, shredded
2 red onions, chopped
2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped
2 tbsp brown sugar
5 tbsp red wine vinegar
200ml apple juice
salt and pepper

Place everything in to the slow cooker and cook on low for about 5 hours till tender. You can reheat it in the slow cooker on the big day too if you want to save time and space.

Cranberry Sauce with Clementines and Port (v)

This is a lovely, fruity sauce perfect for the big day.

You need:
350g fresh/frozen cranberries
4 tbs caster sugar
3 tbsp port
zest and juice of 2 clementines

Place everything in a pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 mins and then leave to cool in a serving dish. This will keep for about 3 weeks.

Amaretto and Chocolate Torte

This is the sort of pudding that Christmas is all about :) It's a variation on St Delia's famous chocolate torte.

For 10 people you need:
450g plain chocolate
75g liquid glucose
75ml amaretto
600ml double cream
150g amoretti biscuits

Line a springform tin with clingfilm. Smash the biscuits to smithereens and scatter them over the base of the tin. Melt the choc, amaretto and glucose in a double boiler till smooth and glossy. Meanwhile whip the cream to the floppy stage. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the cream and then pour into the tin. Leave to chill and serve, in thin slices, with more cream.

The Perfect Veggie Fry Up

Saturday is fry up day in our household. We have a lazy lie in (well we stay in bed and bribe Lex to stay upstairs for as long as possible...) and the come down to a large pot of coffee and a fry up for brunch.

For 3 people you need:
2 medium tomatoes, sliced in half
4-5 small mushrooms, destalked
2 knobs butter
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sunflower oil
3 hash browns
5 potato croquettes
3 rashers veggie bacon
3 veggie sausages
1 can beans
2 slices toast with butter and good quality marmalade
copious fresh orange juice
3 eggs

Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and season. Drizzle over the oil and bake for 15 mins in a hot oven.

Place the mushrooms in a pan, with some butter, seasoning and the sunflower oil. Cook covered for 10 mins before removing the lid and allowing to brown slightly.

Cook the croquettes and hash browns as per instructions on the packet (i.e. bung them into a hot oven for about 20 mins). Do the same with the sausages.

Heat the beans in a pan.

Fry the eggs. Toast the bread. Cook the bacon in the oven for 2 mins each side.

Serve, scoff and then run away and hide from the washing up...!

Lex's Favourite Snack (aka a plain omelette...)

This is what Lex requests most often for supper after school. It takes 3 minutes to make and imho is a good, filling snack.

For one hungry boy you need:
2 eggs
1 tsp sunflower oil
3 tbsp ketchup

Break the eggs in to a bowl and whisk lightly. Heat the oil in a small non stick frying pan. Add the eggs and swirl to cover the pan. Turn the heat down to medium and leave to set on the bottom side. Once mostly set, flip over the eggs and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Serve with copious ketchup and the Simpsons.

Thai Broth with Vegetables and Noodles (v)

I had a hangover yesterday. A hangover of epic proportions. A hangover never again to be repeated (until the next time ;-)). This was an attempt to restore some normality to my poor tummy and head...

For 2-3 portions you need:
1 can coconut milk
1 small can coconut cream
1 small jar thai red curry paste
500ml boiling water
1 courgette, roughly chopped
1/2 pack stir fry veggies
1 pack pak choi, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
2 handfuls peanuts
2 tbsp soya sauce
1/2 lime, squeezed
2 nests fine noodles

Place everything bar the peanuts, soya sauce, spring onions, pak choi and lime juice in a pan and bring to the boil. Stir well and simmer for 3-4 mins till the noodles are cooked. Add the pak choi and steam for one further minute. Serve in ramen bowls topped with the remaining ingredients and eat. Feel immediately better.

Marmite and Vegetable Stew (v)

Yes this is another variation on my favourite theme of the moment: slow cooker magic! But honestly, there's nothing nicer than coming home after a bloody long day to a hot, filling meal. Bliiiiiiiiis...

For 4-6 portions you need:
2 medium onions, chopped
1 leek, sliced
4 carrots, chopped
1/2 swede, diced
1 turnip, diced
2 sweet potatoes, diced
1/2 cup each of red lentils, pearl barley and quinoa
1.5 litres boiling water
1 tbap marmite

Bung everything into the slow cooker and leave on low for 8-10 hours. Eat. Sigh. Feel happy.

Vegan Peppermint Creams (v)

This recipe replaces dried egg White with liquid glucose so is effectively peppermint fondant icing. Cut in to whatever shapes you fancy.

For 30 or so shapes you need:
250g sifted icing sugar
2 tsp peppermint extract (or to taste)
2 tsp lemon juice
A little water if necessary
2 tsp liquid glucose

Mix everything together until it forms a soft dough. Add more water if needed. Roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin and then cut into shapes. Leave to firm on a cling film lined tray till dry. Scoff. Dip in plain chocolate if you fancy.

Coconut Ice Snowmen

These are cute and easy and go down well with teachers!

For about 20 snowmen you need:
200g condensed milk
250g sifted icing sugar
200g desiccated coconut
Petit four cases

Sift the icing sugar in to a bowl and add the milk. Mix well and stir in the coconut. Roll into balls, placing a slightly larger one in the base of the petit four case and top it with a smaller ball. Leave to set and then deliver to coos of delight.

Root Vegetables in Beer (v)

This is ultimate winter comfort food. Ad it's also being blogged cos I was moaned at for being too political in my tweets recently what with all the to do over tuition fees etc ;) so here is a nice comforting recipe to sustain you after being kettled for hours by evil Police officers :)

For 4-6 portions you need:
4 carrots, peeled and cut into diagonal wodges
2 parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 large turnip peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 swede oiled and roughly chopped
8 baby onions/shallots, peeled
1 can guiness
2 tbsp each of soya sauce, mushroom ketchup and hendersons relish
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried herbs e.g. oregano
2 tbsp soya marge/butter
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pack vegan beef style chunks
1 tsp marmite

Hea the oil and sauté the vegetables in a pan, covered with a lid, for about 10 mins. Add everything else, aside from the butter and flour, and cook for 15 mins or so till the vegetables are tender. Mix the flour with the butter to make a buerre marnie and mix in to the stew. Allow to thicken and then serve with mashed potatoes. Lovely.

Fruit with Toffee Fondue Sauce

This is an easy way to use up any leftover sauce from a sticky toffee pudding.

For 4 people you need:
Assorted fruit - we used melon, mango, apple and clementine

Toffee Sauce made from
275g golden syrup
225ml double cream
275g light soft brown sugar
100g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Boil the sauce ingredients for 5 mins till golden and bubbling. Chop the fruit roughly and dip in to the sauce. This is an excellent way to get children (and adults!) to each fruit :)

Mushroom and Tomato Baked Gnocchi

This is a simple and quick after work feast.

For 2-3 people you need:
1 packet gnocchi
1 tub 4 cheese sauce
1 punnet mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 medium tomato, cut into 6ths
Handful each of grated cheddar, emmental and parmesan
1 tbsp olive oil

Saute the mushrooms in the oil for 10-15 mins till dark and all the juices have run out and concentrated. Cook the gnocchi till they rise. Drain the gnocchi and mix in the sauce. Lay the mushrooms in the bottom of a baking dish and then tip over the cheesy gnocchi. Top with the tomato and cheeses and bake in a hot oven for 15-20 mins till golden and bubbly.

White Chocolate, Cardamon and Rum Truffles

***warning*** these are addictive and seriously calorific. But make them anyway :) They are the perfect counter to the dark chocolate and orange truffles I am making for Christmas petit fours.

For about 12 you need:
seeds from 7 cardamom pods
200g good quality white chocolate, broken into pieces
25g unsalted butter
150ml double cream
1 tbsp white rum
50g icing sugar

Grind the cardamon seeds to a powder. Heat the cream till just about boiling. Pour over the chocolate, rum, cardamon and butter. Whisk with an electric whisk until ribbons form (about 5 mins). Once smooth, chill till starting to harden. Roll in to balls and then roll these in the icing sugar.

Chocolate Sticky Toffee Pudding

Why choose between chocolate sponge pudding and sticky toffee pudding when you can have both?! this is from Rachel Allen's Food for Living.

for 16-20 portions you need:
Cake:
100g dark chocolate, melted
150g pitted dates, blitzed
300ml water
100g butter
150g light soft brown sugar
3 eggs
225g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb
1 tsp baking powder

For the sauce
275g golden syrup
225ml double cream
275g light soft brown sugar
100g butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Place the dates in a saucepan and bring to the boil with the water. Simmer for 10 mins and leave to cool. Make the cake base in the usual fashion, adding the chocolate and dates last. Scrape in to a lined tin and bake at 160 for 45 mins or so.

Make the sauce by placing everything in to a pan and bringing to the boil. Boil rapidly for 4 mins then serve. Perfect winter fuel.

Apple Chutney (v)

I am in the thick of my Christmas hamper preparations. The actual contents are a suprise, but this is a new recipe so deserves to be blogged. Sometimes all you need with your cheese is a nice dollop of tangy chutney. And this one is lovely.

For 6-8 jars you need:
900g bramley apples, cored and chopped
225g onions, chopped
340g granulated sugar
425ml white wine vinegar
110g sultanas
3 tsp mixed spice
3 tsp ground corriander
3 tsp salt

Place everything in a preserving pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 60-90 mins, until a spoon drawn across the bottom leaves no trail. Spoon into sterilised jars and leave for 2 weeks until matured. This will keep for at least a year.

The Ultimately Boozy Christmas *ahem* Winter Solstice Cake

This is such a yummy cake. I truly think I have excelled myself this year (yes I know, pride cometh before a fall and all that but :P).

For a generous cake that makes an 8" square and 2 2" square cakes you need:
1.5 kilos mixed fruit e.g. currants, sultanas, raisins, mixed peel, cherries etc
500-700ml mixture of rum, brandy, whisky
225g butter
225g dark soft brown sugar
2 tbsp treacle
3 tbsp mixed christmas cake spice with orange peel (morrisons sell it... or use cinnamon, nutmeg and mixed spice and add some grated orange zest)
225g plain flour
4 eggs

Begin by soaking the fruit for a month. Yes a whole month. Place in a tub with the booze and leave well alone, save for shaking it once a day.

When you're ready to make the cake cream the butter and sugar and then add the eggs. Fold in the flour and spices and then add the fruit mixture. Mix well and place in the prepared tins. Bake the small cakes for 3 hours and the large one for 4 1/2 hours at 120 degrees. Leave to cool totally and then wrap. Cover as you wish :)

Quinoa, Pearl Barley and Celeriac Slow Cooker Stew (v)

This is another ridiculously easy one pot meal. If you are sans slow cooker then make it up and cook slowly for 45 mins or so instead.

For 4-6 people you need:
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup quinoa
1/2 cup pearl barley
1-1.5 litres stock (use a little more if cooking on the stove)
1 celeriac, diced into 1cm cubes
3-4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced

Fry off the onions in the oil for 5 mins or so. Add everything else to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve with mash.

Drunken Fruit (v)

This makes a totally decadent and utterly delicious topping for ice cream/sorbet/swedish glace. Yum. Make a batch up and stash it a cool place. It'll keep for ags. But leave it *at least* a week before using... Top up with more rum or fruit as you use it.

For 8-10 portions you need:
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup currants
1/2 cup mixed peel
1-2 cups rum

Place the fruit in a clean tub and pour over the rum. You want enough to cover the fruit but not drown it. Shake daily for at least a week and then use as you wish.

Vegan Chorizo Pasta Sauce (v)

Yes I know this is an oxymoron; but I have such a thing for cured, spicy meats and really really miss them. This is a super speedy after work dinner recipe. Make sure you skin the tomatoes too, even though it's a bit of a faff it's so worth it and makes a much nicer sauce.

For 1-2 people you need:
6-8 plum (or any other) tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 vegan pepperami (Holland and Barrett sell them)
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
pinch sugar
dash vinegar
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
175-225g pasta, cooked.

Cook the pasta. Meanwhile sautee the onion and pepperami in the oil for about 5 mins. Add everything else and reduce to a thick, pulpy sauce. Drain the pasta and mix in to the sauce. Scoff.

Slow Cooker Mincemeat (v)

I am falling seriously in love with my slow cooker. This recipe is great, very easy and no fuss at all.

For about 6-8 jars (so oodles of pies...) you need:
450g bramley apples, finely chopped (cored but not peeled)
225g shredded veggie suet
250g raisins
250g sultanas
250g currants
250g chopped mixed peel
250g glace cherries
50g flaked almonds
350g dark soft brown sugar
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons and 2 oranges
4 tsp ground mixed spice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2/3 grated nutmeg
250ml southern comfort
250ml sweet sherry

Place everything into the slow cooker crock and cover with a lid and leave overnight to mingle. The next day, place in a slow cooker on low for 6 hours, stirring after about three to ensure all the suet melts evenly. Leave to cool slightly and then pac into sterilised jars. Use as you wish.