Pancakes

These are a bit lighter than regular pancakes.

• 100g plain flour
• 2 eggs
• 300ml milk
• 1tbsp oil

Beat everything together(incl the oil). Makes about 8 pancakes.

Apple Flapjack Crumble

Serves ~6

• 1.2kg eating apples
• 4tbsp apricot jam
• Juice of one orange or about half a glass of orange juice
• 140g oats
• 100g plain flour
• 2tsp cinnamon
• 100g butter
• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 1tbsp golden syrup

Peel core and slice up the apple and put them into a buttered 1.5 litre ovenproof container(I like to use a large pyrex bowl so I can see the apples cooking)with the apricot jam and juice, mix it all together. Mix the dry ingredients together and add the butter in pieces and rub in. Drizzle over the syrup and stir in. Sprinkle over the apples and bake at 190/170(fan) degrees for 35-40mins. Great with icecream.

Apple Pancakes

Serves about 4.

• 225g self-raising flour
• 2tsp baking powder
• 175ml buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 175ml milk
• 500g cooking apples, peeled, cored and roughly grated
• 1tsp vanilla extract

Beat everything except the apples together until smooth then stir in the apples. Heat a large pan and brush with a bit of oil. This'd be a good time to say I love tefal and they are sooooo worth the money. I makes ones about 15 cm in diameter or 2 spoonfuls' worth but you can make bigger ones.

Great with toffee sauce, yoghurt and fruit.

Toffee Sauce

• 50g butter
• 50g light muscovado sugar
• 2tbsp golden syrup
• 2tbsp double cream
• 1tsp vanilla essence

Put everything except the cream into a pan and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for a couple of mins until thick and then stir in the cream.

Minestrone

Makes ridiculously large amounts.

• 4 large carrots
• 1 large onions
• 5 sticks of celery
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 large potatoes, finely diced
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2-3 litres of vegetable stock(enough to cover the veg)
• Can of chopped tomatoes
• Can of cannellini/butter beans
• 150g spaghetti broken into short lengths
• about a third of a savoy cabbage, shredded

Process the carrot, celery, and onion into small pieces. Fry gently in a huge saucepan with the garlic and potatoes for about 5 mins until softened. Stir in the tomato puree, stock, tomatoes and some herbs, I like pasley and some oregano. Bring to the boil. cover and simmer for about 10 mins. Add the beans and pasta and cook for another 10mins add the cabbage for the final 2 or so. Season and serve,

Calzone

Makes 4 large calzone.

Make bread dough using

• 500g strong white flour
• 1tbsp dried yeast dissolved in about 300ml warm water with 1tbsp sugar or a sachet of yeast
• sprinkling of salt

Leave the yeast to froth up a bit. Mix into salt and flour and knead until smooth(if too sticky add a bit more flour, if too dry add some more warm water but remember that it will be quite sticky at first). If you're using a sachet just follow the instructions on it. Leave it to rise until about 2 times as bit, this will take about 20mins(if using sachet skip this).

To make calzone.

Roll out 4 rounds of dough and leave for 10mins on baking sheet to rise. Spread them with some chopper tomatoes from a tin and some herbs(oregano, basil, parsley whatever you feel like) some mozarella, ball or otherwise. Good fillings include ham, roasted peppers, chopped griddled artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, mushrooms, red onions, whatever you want really. I like mushrooms and ham. Fold each one into a semi circle and press the edges well to seal. Bake for about 20 mins until golden at about 180 degress.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse

Makes 4 regular glasses worth.

• 150g white chocolate
• 142ml carton double cream, softly whipped
• 4 eggs
• 250g frozen raspberries, thawed(or indeed fresh but I'm being realistic)

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over, but not touching some simmering water. Cool slightly then mix in the whipped cream and the egg yolks(beware of curdling). Whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Stir a couple of spoonfuls into the mix to lighten it then fold in the rest. Fold in the raspberries. Put into whatever you want and chill for at least 2 hrs.