Ham Lasagne

Ingredients:-

250g fresh lasagne sheets
1 tbsp oil
1 fat garlic clove
2 x 400g tinned chopped tomatoes
8 slices ham
150g pot mild natural yoghurt
50g strong cheddar plus exta for top

Preheat oven to gas mark 5.

Prepare lasagne sheets if using dried (boil for 10 mins, drain and place in cold water to avoid them sticking) Separate sheets and 'hang' over pan sides to keep apart.

Crush garlic clove and fry in the oil in a frying pan. Add the tomatoes and simmer for a while until reduced a little. Season with herbs etc. Remove from heat and put into a bowl.

Using same frying pan layer pasta, ham (keep in slices) and tomatoes.
Beat together yoghurt, eggs and cheese.Pour over the top of the pasta and grate some cheese on the top.

Cook for 15 minutes or until cheese is golden and the top has set.

I didnt have an oven proof pan so made it in a pizza dish and it turned out fine.

Courgette & Choc Chip Muffins

Ingredients:-

110g white self raising flour
125g soft brown sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
110g wholemeal self raising flour
85g melted butter
180 ml milk
1 egg lightly beaten
125 g courgette, grated
125 g chocolate chips
1 tsp demerera sugar

Preheat oven to gas mark 4, 170 degrees


Sieve together the white flour, sugar, mixed spice, salt and baking powder. Then sift in the brown flour and save the remaining bran in the sieve.

Melt the butter, allow to cool down and then mix with the milk and egg. Stir in the grated courgette, chocolate and then the flour mixture. Do not over mix.

Line a muffin tray with 12 paper cases.

Fill each one with the muffin mix till about 2/3 full. Mix together the reserved bran and demerera sugar and sprinkle on top of each muffin.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Spicy Sausage Soup

Ingredients

Vegetables:-
2 medium onions
2 carrots
3 sticks celery
1 courgette
2 baking potatoes, peeled, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic,
2 tbsp cornflour
1 litre vegetable stock
1 chorizo horsehoe
200g tin of kidney beans or something similar, drained (kidney beans in chili sauce give an extra kick)
salt and pepper



For simple cooking, chop all vegetables/sausage and add to slow cooker. Prepare stock, mix cornflour with small about to make smooth paste. Gradually add remainder of the stock, then pour over vegetables into slow cooker. Cook on High for 2.5 hours or low for 4 hours.

Hob method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the chopped garlic and onions until the onions are just softened.

In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour with some of the vegetable stock to make a smooth paste. Add this to the pan. Cook, stirring for 2 minutes before adding the remaining stock and sliced potatoes.

Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for approximately 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender.Add in the chorizo, courgettes and beans and cook for a further 10 minutes. Finally, if using the cream, stir in the cream and cook for just 5 minutes more before removing from the heat. Puree if you'd rather not look at the lumps and serving with some lovely crusty bread.