Fancy sharing your foolproof recipes?

[QueenOfOversharing]

I'm a shit cook. Really only do a few things that I know, otherwise just not confident. Have lots of cookery books, but tbh never even open them! 😂

BUT! I do have a recipe for shortbread that is absolutely foolproof and the shortbread is delicious - melt in the mouth, not hard. So, in the spirit of sharing, and I case you get quarantined, enjoy.

Please do share any of yours, that even I could finesse.

Shortbread

250g unsalted butter, softened
250g plain flour
125g caster sugar
125g cornflour

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until they form one ball.
Roll out to about 1” thick.
Cut into circles.
Place on baking tray, spaced evenly.
Fork the top of each round.
Oven bake - low/medium heat - for 20-30 mins (do not allow to brown).
Take out of oven, sprinkle with caster sugar.
Allow to cool.

What size tin condensed milk for the flapjack (is it the little can). My go to is the fay Ripley Bakewell... it is foolproof

Easy Bakewell

150g (5 1/2 oz) butter, softened
150g (5 1/2oz) golden caster sugar
150g (51/2 oz) self-raising flour
150g (5 1/2 oz) ground almonds
2 large free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 tsp raspberry jam
150g (5 1/2 oz) raspberries
50g (1.oz) flaked almonds
Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Line a 22-24cm (8½-9½in) cake tin with baking parchment.
Using a food processor or an electric whisk, blitz or whizz the butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, eggs and vanilla extract. Plop half of the mix into the lined cake tin and smooth.
Now dot the jam, ½ tsp at a time, all over and scatter with the raspberries. With the remainder of the cake mix, drop dollops over the fruit to cover, but don’t worry about the holes, just use your fingers to spread it about a bit.
Scatter the flaked almonds over and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I made Delia's moussaka for tea tonight. It was brilliant.

Great idea of a thread. Thankyou

Mine are pretty basic but I’ve had compliments for and not just from family —hostages— 😂.

My portions can be a bit weird as I was only cooking for dd and I but I’m from a big family and used to doing big batches of things!

Spiced butternut soup

serves 2 at least 3 days running (unless one of the 2 is dd when I’m lucky if it’s allowed to cool down!) best served with buttered crusty rolls

Ingredients

1 Butternut squash
4-6 carrots
2 cloves garlic
Teaspoon cumin
Teaspoon curry powder - strength depends on preference I have to stick to mild unfortunately
Oil for roasting and heating spices

Halve & deseed the squash
Pop a clove of garlic in the remaining hollows
Peel carrots and quarter by slicing lengthways
Drizzle with preferred oil
Roast in a med-hot oven for 45 mins

At 43 mins in heat a soup pan with a little oil in and heat up the spices, then add the roasted veg to the pan, you scoop out the flesh of the squash easy once cooked.

Give it a wee shuggle (technical term 😉)

Add 1 pint stock

Season and bring to boil.

Simmer for 10 mins

Blend and serve as is or with a swirl of sour cream or creme fraiche.

Freezes great too and will keep in fridge fine for a few days.

Cheats homemade tomato pasta sauce

Carton of passata
1 tbsp tomato purée
Clove of garlic
Basil - dried or fresh
Garlic & herb crusher grinder

In a dish (I use Tupperware as this makes enough for 2-3 meals for 2 people)

Crush garlic, add purée then passata and mix thoroughly add herbs and grinder seasoning.

Cook your pasta as usual then drain and add sauce to pan and mix in and heat just until bubbling.

Sausage casserole makes 4 servings

4-6 Favourite sausages (I’m veggie and mine are linda McCartney especially for this dish)
3-4 dessertspoons Diced onion (I use frozen)
1 tin Baked beans
1/3 pint stock
Small pack sage & onion stuffing mix

Sauté onions
Brown off sausages in same frying pan.
Once done put these in casserole dish
Add beans and stock

Cook at 200°c for 40 mins

Then sprinkle the stuffing mix over the casserole & cook for further 10 mins, creates a lovely “herb crust”

“Chicken” casserole 4 servings

Diced “chicken” (I use a full pack of quorn)
2-3 dessertspoons Diced onion
4-6 carrots sliced & boiled at least par boiled (or 2 tins drained)
Tin of creamed mushrooms
Guessing here - about 1/4-1/3 pint of milk
Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme and marjoram

Put carrots on to boil
Sauté onions and diced chicken
In a bowl/jug mix the creamed mushrooms, milk, seasoning and herbs
Put chicken onions and carrots in casserole dish
Add mushroom mixture

Cook at 180° for 20 mins covered, ten mins uncovered.

Lovely with either roast or mashed potatoes also goes well with yorkies.

These are fantastic. Marking place to come back later with a recipe.

@Littleshortcake it’s a 397g can of condensed milk for the flapjacks.

I made that cauliflower soup today, it was lovely and very easy.

Some of my easiest one-pot favourites below.

Easiest veg soup ever

Put a pack of frozen casserole veg in a large saucepan, cover with veg stock, add some dried cumin and salt and pepper. Boil until veg are cooked (20mins or so) then blend.

Pea and ham soup - this is my favourite ever! It’s so bright and fresh and healthy looking!

1 Smoked gammon joint
Veg stock
1 onion chopped
2 potatoes peeled and chopped
Packet of frozen peas

Boil the gammon joint in vegetable stock until cooked through.
Remove gammon and add the onion and potatoes to the stock.
Boil until potatoes are soft
Tip in your peas and cook for 5 mins longer
Blend to desired consistency
Shred some of the gammon and stir through

Slow cooker chilli

Mix mince, chopped frozen onions, chopped frozen peppers, a jar of red jalapeños (liquid and all), a drained can of kidney beans, 2 bovril cubes and a sprinkle of thyme together in a slow cooker, cook on low for 8 hours. When ready you might need to add some gravy granules to thicken the sauce and if you have a couple of squares of dark chocolate hanging about then shove them in too!

Chorizo and chicken rice
Chip up chorizo and fry in a pan until cooked and has given up its oil.
Scoop out chorizo and add diced chicken breast and frozen onions to the oil and cook for 5 minutes
Stir in a chopped red pepper and some easy cook rice and coat in the oil too.
Add the chorizo back in and pour in stock to cover rice by 2cm
Stir in a tsp of paprika and some cayenne pepper if you like it spicy and a tsp thyme, put the lid on, turn heat to low and cook for 25 mins or so until the stock is absorbed and the rice cooked.