That's Just Cheating Baked Eggs!

To all foodie pinners out there this is a familiar sight, Pinterest is absolutely full of knacky recipes like this one, I must have pinned (or salivated) over twenty of these recipes since I joined Pinterest. I gotta tell you this one was hard to resist, it's so easy to make, quick to prepare and a real crowd pleaser. It's the type of recipe you can pull out for breakfast, lunch or at tea time, actually when I come to think of it anytime you're feeling peckish this is a winner (wouldn't this make a nice alternative to quiche as finger food at a party). I would consider this as the basic recipe, you could jazz this up any way you please....Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients
8 Slices of cooked ham
8 Medium eggs
1 tbsp Dried parsley
50g  Grated cheddar, grated (optional)
Seasoning

Method
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Grease or oil eight holes of a muffin tray, place a slice of ham in each of the holes. Gently ease the ham into the base of the muffin tray, crack an egg into each of the ham pockets.

Season each egg with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Sprinkle with the dried parsley or if you prefer ......

...top with a grated cheddar cheese.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes or until the egg is cooked to your liking.

I think that two baked eggs per person is a fair portion once served toast and a large comforting mug of steaming coffee.

Homemade Baked Beans

There is a lot to be said for simple, undemanding food, baked beans are that for me, they are one of the most sustaining and satisfying midday snacks out there. I love them on a slice of good quality toasted bread, especially on chilly days. I'm warmed and ready to tackle whatever the weather throws as me. This is also a brilliant after school meal or in a lunch box with potato salad and crusty french bread. This recipe is quick and can be adapted to suit your needs, perhaps you like yours to have a smoky flavour or with the kick of chilli, you decide. Enjoy!

Serves 4 (yield 800g)

Ingredients
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Onion salt
1 tsp Garlic granules
1 level tsp Mustard powder
400g can Tinned tomatoes
3-4 tsp Soft brown sugar
5 level tbsp Tomato puree
2 tsp Dried mixed herbs
½ tsp Salt
2 x 300g cans Haricot or Cannellini beans in water, drained and rinsed
4 Basil leaves
Thick slices of toast to serve

Method
Heat the oil gently in a large saucepan and fry the onion salt, garlic granules and mustard powder for 1 minute, stirring. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato puree and dried herbs. Heat to a simmer and cook gently, uncovered, for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, blitz with a hand blender until smooth.

Return to the heat, add the rinsed canned beans.

Simmer over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes. If you want to at this stage, you could add a dash of sweet chilli sauce for a bit of warmth or BBQ sauce for a smoky flavour.

Garnish with fresh basil and serve over slices of thick crunchy toast. To freeze beans, allow to cool to room temperature, transfer to an air tight container and freeze. Allow to defrost completely before reheating.

*Recipe slightly adapted from  Asda  Magazine January 2013

American Buttermilk Pancakes

I've never been to America, so I can't compare to those I see on television. This recipe came about while reading a book recently, that waxed lyrical about how light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes are, it was too strong an urge to ignore. So I gave in and made a batch, once made my whole family declared that these are the only pancakes to be made in the house from now on! Well how can I deny them such a simple pleasure.

Yield 14 - 5 inch pancakes

Ingredients
375g Plain flour
40g White sugar
10g Baking powder
7g Bicarbonate of soda
5g Salt
710ml Buttermilk
120ml Milk
3 Eggs
75g Butter, melted

Method
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl or a 1.5ltr jug, beat together buttermilk, milk, eggs and melted butter.

Keep the two mixtures separate until you are ready to cook.



Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat, I used my 6 inch mini frying pan. You can flick water across the surface and if it beads up and sizzles, it's ready!
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, using a fork to blend. Stir until it's just blended together. Do not over stir!

Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/2 cup for each pancake. I flipped the pancake when they began to firm around the edges and bubbles appeared on the whole surface.

Brown on both sides and serve hot with crispy bacon and maple syrup.

Pea Soup

This is just the soup for days like today, that are a bit chilly and you need to be warmed from the inside out. When my husband started running, we started going to charity runs and this soup is great in a Thermos flask with some brown bread while the lengthy race registration process is taking place!

Serves 2

Ingredients
400g -450g Frozen peas
1 Shallot, finely chopped
1 Clove Garlic, crushed
600ml Chicken Stock
1 tbsp Butter
1 tsp Fresh ginger, grated
100ml Single cream (optional)
Seasoning

Method
Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat.

Prepare the vegetables, don't worry too much about chopping neatly as everything will be blitzed with a hand blender before serving

Sweat the shallot and garlic for 2-3 minutes.

Add the frozen peas, ginger and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cream (optional).

Blitz with a hand blender until smooth and serve.

Pea and Spinach Soup

Why not add 100g of fresh spinach....

add the spinach to the pea soup about 2 minutes before the end of cooking time.

Blitz as normal until the soup is smooth and serve. This pea soup is my 6 year old son absolute favourite, however he hasn't noticed that I've started adding in the spinach (Mum's the word!!).

Egg in the Basket

This is a quick snack that can be enjoyed any time, I love it on cold winter days, the combination of hot fried bread and gooey egg with a big mug of coffee, is too much to resist. My children love it for breakfast and they dip the lid into to the egg. Prefect for breakfast in bed or for something a bit more up market try Scrambled eggs and Smoked Salmon.

Serves 2

Ingredients
2 Slices of pan loaf
2 eggs
25g Lard or oil
Pinch of salt

Method
Melt the lard on the pan on a medium heat, not too hot or the bread will burn before the egg is cooked.

Using a scone cutter or any shape you choose, cut a circle out of the middle of the bread and fry until brown on the pan. Once nicely browned on one side, flip over and crack an egg into the hole.

Cover the pan with a lid, this cooks the top of the egg without the hassel of flipping the whole thing over (which I can never manage to do with breaking the yoke). Cook for a further 3-4 minutes or until the egg is to your liking.

Cool Tomato Salad

This simple salad only requires the maker to choose ripe sweet tomatoes for it to be successful. It's one of those dishes that requires little skill but looks very posh, a little care putting it together is all you need.

Serves 4

Ingredients
3 ripe, vine tomatoes
250g Mozzarella cheese, drained weight
10-12 Fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp Olive oil
Pinch of salt

Method
Wash and thinly slice the tomatoes and mozzarella. Wash the basil leaves and very gently dry with kitchen roll. Layer a slice of tomato, mozzarella and a basil leaf on a large serving plate in that order in concentric circles until you've run out of salad. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Serve immediately with crusty bread or as a side for pizza.

Irish Potato Bread

I always have left over mash and this is a quick way to use it up. These potato cakes are also known as potato scones and are best served with a greasy fry or with the more modest poached egg. Just perfect for hungry children and grown ups after school!

Makes 8

Ingredients
450g Potatoes, cold
100g Self-raising flour
50g Butter, softened
½ tsp Salt

Method
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl into a stiff mixture.





Knead lightly on a floured surface.



Roll out into a 22cm circle and cut into 8 triangles.







Heat a large frying pan on a high heat, lightly greased and cook each potato cake each side for 3-4 minutes.



Serve immediately.