Twice baked potatoes

• 4 large potatoes or 4 sweet potatoes or a mix of both ;)
• 1 onion chotpped fine
• 8 mushrooms chopped fine
• 250g cheddar cheese or feta cheese (feta better with sweet potatoes)
• 2 slices bacon chopped fine
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 160 degrees.

Bake potatoes as normal, for around an hour until jacket is crisp.

Whilst baking, fry the onion off in a pan until soft. Add bacon and mushrooms and fry until cooked.

Once potatoes are cooked, slice in half lengthways and scrape out potato into a bowl leaving skins in tact. Repeat for all halves and put skins to one side.

Add the onion, bacon, mushroom and 3/4 of cheese to the bowl and mix until combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Divide the mixture up into 8 portions and spoon back into skins, pushing into skins to reform potato shape. Once skins filled, sprinkle the left over cheese on top. Place on a baking tray and cook in oven again for 10-15mins until top is golden brown and crispy.

Cauliflower Cheese

Inspired by an idea from my mum and my sister and expanded on ;)

• 1 head cauliflower
• 250ml tub reduced fat creme fraiche
• 125ml double cream (you can substitute with semi skimmed milk to make it healthier, but it tends to split when cooking and goes watery, alternatively use Elmlea low)
• 200g grated cheddar cheese
• 3tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard
• 1tsp english mustard
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder (leave out if not overly keen on mustard)
• 1/4 nutmeg grated
• 1 clove garlic
• 1tsp onion granules (not salt)
• breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper to taste

Cut the cauliflower into individual florets and boil for five minutes, then place stalk down in an ovenproof dish in a single layer closely packed together.

Preheat oven to 180-200 degrees.

In a bowl mix together the creme fraiche and the double cream. Add the wholegrain mustard, the english mustard, the mustard powder, the nutmeg, garlic and onion granules. Leave for at least 10 minutes for the mustard flavour to develop.

Next taste and then add salt and pepper to adjust to your own liking.

Then add the cheddar and parmesan cheese and mix together.

Pour the sauce over the cauliflower in the dish, covering the tops of the florets.

Sprinkle over breadcrumbs to form a thin layer and place in oven for 30-40 mins or until golden brown and crisp on top.

Great with roast dinners, especially lamb.

Chilli Nachos - or Death by Nachos

I love chilli nachos, they are one of my favourite comfort foods of all time. The first time I really remember having them was on holiday with my mum and dad in Canada and we were staying in Banff, we went to a bar for dinner and mum and I ordered chilli nachos to share as a starter. They were presented to us on a dustbin lid! It was the biggest plate of nachos I had ever seen and we had more food to come after that, I just remember handing them round the bar as we made no impression on them!

This recipe was invented by my mum with a few fiddlings in between by me :)

Essential items to have is a very large shallowish salad bowl (ovenproof), mine is around 40cm diameter, and a lazy susan to go underneath so people can get to it easily! Have all the ingredients ready and prepared as this one is the most complicated when putting together.

Pre-heat oven to around 180 degrees

• Packet salted Nachos (I used a large bag of salted Doritos)
• 1 tub mild tomato salsa
• 200g grated cheese
• 1 tin refried beans (optional)
• 1 portion chilli con carne (everyone has their own recipes for this!) or 1 tin Stagg Chilli
• 2 tubs guacamole (or 1 if you are not as keen as I am on it)
• 1 tub/jar soured cream (from mexican aisle at supermarket)
• 1 tub hot tomato salsa (or use mild if you don't like it too spicy)
• Jar of Jalapeno Peppers (again optional if you don't like it hot)

OK, now for the science bit.

Get a pan and put in the tub (or one of the tubs) of mild salsa and about 150g of the cheese. Heat gently until the cheese melts and combines with the salsa. When we first started making this, Doritos used to do a jalapeno cheese dip which was vivid yellow but great, but we haven't been able to find it in ages, if you find it you can use this instead.

Pour the nacho chips into your serving bowl and then slowly pour the cheese/salsa mixture over the chips. Place the bowl in the oven to warm the cheese and toast it slightly. Give it around 10-15 mins.

Whilst the cheese is heating up in the oven, reheat both the refried beans and the chilli in a microwave so both are piping hot.

Take the serving bowl out of the oven and first spread the beans over the chips, then top with the chilli. Each layer should get just slightly smaller so you can see the layer underneath round the edges. The bowl can be put back into the oven whilst you get the next part ready and get everyone sat down.

Once ready to serve the nachos, take the bowl from the oven, and spread the guacamole over the chilli. On top of this put a layer of soured cream, then use the last tub of salsa and add this, sprinkling with the remaining 50g of cheese and a few jalapenos on top for some heat. Serve, either let people just grab from the bowl with their fingers, or give side plates and forks. Warning, it is very filling!

French Onion Soup

This is a combination of every recipe I found for French Onion Soup and even if I do say so myself, is amazing ;)

• 6 large onions, sliced (I used the slicing blade in my food processor, quick and perfect!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2oz butter
• 2 cloves garlic (chopped or minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 3 pint beef stock (I use Knorr beef stockpot - the little jelly things, the better the stock the better the soup)
• 3 oxo cubes
• 300ml/10fl oz red wine
• 2 tablespoon cognac
• 4 tablespoon port
• Crusty bread (optional)
• Grated cheese (optional)

Fry the onions and garlic in the butter and olive oil in a large pan (I use 24cm round casserole pan 4.2l) on a low heat until soft.

Add the sugar, wine, cognac and port and make up the stock and add that.

Bring to boil, then simmer on a low heat as long as possible. I tend to do around 2-3hrs. Either serve at this point or continue for the proper french experience with cheesy crouton.

About 45mins before serving preheat oven at 180oC.

20mins before serving cut a piece of crusty loaf about 1/2 to 1 inch think for each serving of soup. Brush each side with olive oil and place on a tray in the oven.

After 20 mins, or until brown and crispy, remove bread from oven and chop into croutons.

Preheat the grill.

Serve the soup into bowls or bean pots, put the bread on top, and cover with the grated cheese. Place the bowls under the grill until the cheese goes brown and toasted. Enjoy :)