Ridiculously simple recipes that never fail.

Really ? Might try the pizza one ….what is a cup measure?

250 ml in Australia not sure what that is in the UK. They sell measuring cups here so I just use one of those.

lentil soup - 4oz red lentils, 1 onion, 500ml water and a ham stock cube.
Skin and chop onion, lightly fry in a drop of oil or bit of butter is better, add lentils, add water, (do not add stock cube at this point or lentils won't cook down) simmer until soft, add stock cube, stir and blitz if required. Very cheap, very tasty and very nutritious.

Mackerel pate:

2 peppered mackerel fillets. Take off skin
Tub of Cottage cheese
Dollop of horseradish
Squirt of lemon juice
Whizz together and chill

Non-alcoholic Zabalgione:

Put a couple of eggs in a saucepan (or bain-marie if you can't set your hob at a VERY low setting. Whisk with an electric mixer for ages with the hob at the lowest setting until it's pale fluffy and can be spooned like a mousse. Drizzle in some runny honey as you go. Only disadvantage, has to be eaten immediately.

For the alcoholic version add Madeira instead of honey. Not sure if that needs sweetening, so dollop some honey in that one, too if needed.

Carb-free cheese sauce.

Melt cheese in the cream, it will thicken.

1" water in teacup. Salt if desired. Pop in raw egg. 1.15 mins in micro. Et voila; perfection on toast!

shysal

Carb-free cheese sauce.

Melt cheese in the cream, it will thicken.

I’ve done that tonight with macaroni and smoked bacon lardons!
Best ever cheese sauce!

Melt cheese in what cream though?

Shortbread: flour: butter: caster sugar in proportions 4: 3: 2

Rub butter into flour, stir in sugar, press into cake tin/ Swiss roll tin/ baking tray.

Chill for half an hour.

Cook at 160 for until just lightly straw coloured. In an 8” cake tin, it’s about 30-35 mins.

(My mum-in-law used to leave the butter out for a couple of days till it just started going sour. It is rather good that way.)

Buy a pastry base; put in a tin of tuna that has been mixed with garlic and mayo; grated cheese on top, then in the oven. It is yummy both hot and cold.

Pea soup - gently fry an onion in a good dollop of butter for 10 minutes. Add 750ml chicken stock and bring to the boil. Add 500gm frozen peas, return to boil for 3 minutes. Blend. Add ham and/or mint. Thanks, Mary Berry

whizz a tin of tomatoes and tin of drained carrots = tomato soup or the base of any sauce!

Carb free cheese sauce…….I use half hat crème fraiche. To avoid it splitting in macaroni cheese,add the cheese and crème fraiche to the warm,cooked pasta and mix thoroughly.

I’ve tried that pizza recipe, easy, make base and put in a hot griddle pan. I use ready made pizza topping, then put on cheese, onion (I microwave the onion) then whatever is in the fridge, yummy!

Loving these!

Very easy starter - cut a cross in a fig, stuff the openings with a couple of nubs of goats cheese then wrap the fig in a slice of parma ham; put in oven for 5 mins (or until parma ham has crisped up). Serve on a bed of rocket and drizzle with balsamic glaze.

What fantastic ideas, can't wait to try them out!

No-bowl choc-bit slice

Ingredients
90 gram butter, melted
1 cup (125g) sweet biscuit crumbs
1 1/2 cup (185g) choc bits
1 cup shredded coconut
400 gram can sweetened condensed milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Grease a 23cm square slab pan, cover base with baking paper; grease paper.
Pour butter into prepared pan, sprinkle evenly with biscuits, Choc Bits, coconut and nuts. Drizzle with condensed milk.
Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool in pan before cutting into squares; store in refrigerator.

fevertree

Melt cheese in what cream though?

I don't think it matters. I use Elmea double light.

Shysal thank you and I'm not sure whether I've missed something or just being dim, but do you mean that you make cheese sauce (e.g. for cauliflower cheese or macaroni cheese) simply by taking a tub of cream and adding grated cheese?

This is my type of thread! Thanks ladies. My cooking is rubbish these days. I think I make it more complicated than it should be. Also can’t resist throwing more flavours into a recipe and ruining it because they don’t gel. ?‍♀️ I’m saving this thread for later use!!

fevertree

Shysal thank you and I'm not sure whether I've missed something or just being dim, but do you mean that you make cheese sauce (e.g. for cauliflower cheese or macaroni cheese) simply by taking a tub of cream and adding grated cheese?

Yes, just heat gently in a saucepan, probably best not to boil, although I haven't tried.

Ooh I love that cheese sauce one- thanks so much shysal. Also try microwave marmalade
I lemon and 4 oranges. Chop them up or food process them . Add about 200 ml water and microwave about 10 mins until softened. Add 3 cups sugar, stir and microwave about 10 mins, stir and then another 5 to 10. Pour into sterilised jars. Don’t overcook it or it ends up like my first lot - orange concrete!