Parents North Leeds

Broccoli and Bacon Pasta

Broccoli, pasta (any type), small carton of crème fraiche, blue cheese (or cheddar/ parmesan if your kids won’t eat blue cheese), Streaky bacon (or normal bacon or ham)

Cook your pasta. Chuck in some broccoli florets for the last 4-5 minutes of cooking. Meanwhile grill or fry the bacon until crispy. Once cooked, drain off the water and stir in a small handful of the cheese. Spoon in the crème fraiche and mix. Finally sprinkle over the bacon or ham and season with pepper.

Chicken Surprise

Boil some broccoli and separately fry chicken with onions, peppers, mushrooms and whatever you like.

In a dish layer the broccoli then the chicken mixture.

Mix in a separate bowl a can of chicken soup, curry powder and a bit of mayonnaise. Add this on top of your broccoli and chicken layers. Then add crunched crackers or plain crushed crisps to add a crunch. Then sprinkle cheese on top. Put in the oven/ grill to melt the cheese. Umm! Serve with extra veg and jacket potatoes.

Fantastic Fish Pie

5 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 2 . 5cm/1 inch squares, 2 free range eggs, 200g fresh spinach, 1onion, finely chopped, 1carrot, halved and finely chopped, 600ml cream, 200g cheddar cheese, 1lemon, juice of, 1teaspoon English mustard, 100g flat leaf parsley, finely chopped, 500g haddock or 500 g cod fish fillets, skin removed pin boned and sliced into chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/gas 8.
2. Put the potatoes into salted boiling water and bring back to the boil for 2 minutes.
3. Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minutes until hard boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked.
4. At the same time steam the spinach in a colander above the pan. This will only take a minute. When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze any excess moisture away.
5. Then drain the potatoes in the colander.
6. Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them. Place to one side.
7. In a separate pan slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, than add the double cream and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard and parsley.
8. Put the spinach, fish and eggs into an appropriately sized earthenware dish and mix together, pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce.
9. The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed – add a bit of olive oil, salt, pepper and a touch of nutmeg if you like. Spread on top of the fish. Don’t bother piping it to make it look pretty – it’s a homely hearty thing.
10. Place in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are golden.

Homemade Meatballs

Put mince, finely chopped onions, herbs and spices/chilli, some mustard powder and a little tomato paste in a bowl with breadcrumbs (this bulks it up apparently!) mix, make into balls, brown in a frying pan.

I never add oil, then add to a casserole type dish over the top I put homemade tomato sauce, (made from garlic, tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, more spices, dried chilli, and some real chillies if you like spicy). Make enough to cover the balls. put in oven for around 40 mins. Delicious with either spaghetti, pasta, or mashed potatoes

Penne with Chicken, Tomato & Basil

1 small onion, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into thin strips, 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, drained, 1 cup chicken stock, 1 cup sour cream, grated parmesan cheese, basil

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions and pine nuts for about 5 mins.  Add the strips of chicken and sauté for a further five minutes, add the sun dried tomatoes a cook for 1 min.

Pour the chicken stock into the frying pan and bring to the boil.  Stir in the sour cream and parmesan cheese.  Toss the pasta with the sauce and stir in the basil.

Play Dough Recipe