Yorkshire Puddings

I have been so scared to make Yorkies for such a long time now that they have almost reached legendary status.  I found this recipe and tried it to make Toad in the Hole and it worked perfectly! Not as difficult as I had feared! :)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 cup of eggs (I find 3 fits in my cup)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 3 drops vinegar
• vegetable oil - enough to cover the base of each well in your pudding tray.

Method

1. Put everything into your mixing bowl and give it a good whisk. 
2. Once combined and bubbly, pour into a jug and leave to settle for 15 mins.
3. When your ready, heat your oil in the oven, when the oil is smoking, remove your tray from oven and pour in your batter. 
4. Cook until golden and well risen.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Ingredients

• 225g/8oz baking spread, straight from the fridge, or butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 275g/10oz self-raising flour
• 2 level tsp baking powder
• 4 free-range eggs
• 4 tbsp milk
• 2 lemons, zest only
• 1 heaped tbsp very finely chopped lemon verbena (optional) 

For the glaze:

• 175g/6oz granulated sugar
• 2 lemons, juice only 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. 
2. Grease the tin with baking spread and line the base with baking paper. 
3. Measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat for 2 minutes, or until well blended. 
4. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. 
5. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the cake has shrunk a little from the sides of the tin and springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip in the centre of the cake. 
6. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Mix the granulated sugar with the lemon juice and stir to a runny consistency.
7. Leave the cake to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then lift out, with the lining paper still attached, and place on wire rack set over a tray. 
8. Brush the glaze all over the surface of the warm cake and leave to set. 
9. Remove the lining paper and cut into slices to serve.

Sausage and Potato Bake

I've been watching Mary Berry's Absolute Favourites and this recipe looked delicious.  This will make a lovely, easy dinner.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, sliced lengthways into wedges
• 2 red peppers, deseeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 500g/1lb 2oz baby new potatoes, halved
• 12 sausages, pricked with a fork
• 200ml/7fl oz white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan/Gas 7. 
2. Place all the ingredients except the wine in a large, resealable freezer bag. Seal the bag shut and shake well to coat everything in the oil. Alternatively, put everything in a large bowl and turn the ingredients until they are fully coated in the oil. 
3. Tip into a large roasting tin, spreading the ingredients out into one even layer and ensuring that the sausages aren't covered by any of the vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper. 
4. Roast for about 30–35 minutes until golden-brown. 
5. Remove from the oven, turn the sausages over and toss the vegetables in the cooking juices. Pour in the wine and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes or until browned and the sausages are cooked and the potatoes tender. 
6. Serve hot with a dollop of mustard on the side.

Chicken Pakora

Taken from: Feed your family for about £20 a week

Ingredients
Chicken Pakora:

• about 500g chicken in small cubes (if you want massive pakora, you have to cook the chicken first, a gentle simmer for 5 mins, or they will still be raw in the middle)

Batter:

• 4 heaped tablespoons Gram flour (chick pea flour. You NEED this, you use it for pakora and bhajis and you cant sub for wheat flour. It doesn't taste the same. A 3kg bag is about £2.50 in the asian shop, it lasts ages)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry or 1 clove crushed garlic, same of dry or crushed ginger
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder or flake
• 1 level teaspoon each of ground cumin and ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala and 1 of turmeric.
• optional dollop of mango chutney and fresh coriander leaves.
• cold water to turn to sticky batter

Method
Deep fry in med/hot oil (the batter should immediately sizzle but not immediately brown and spit, that's too hot, they will burn before they are cooked in the middle) (I use my wok with 3-4 ladles of oil from the chip pan. Easier to clean)..for about 4-5 mins till all golden dark and lush  (the batter isn't red, but the cooked item is)

*spices... you get at least 4-6 times the amount of spice for your money at the asian shop compared to asda.