Traditional Celebration Trifle

There are some things not to be messed with. Part of their pleasure is the tradition and nostalgia, and this is never truer than when we're talking about the classic English Trifle, which is one of the few times I'm an advocate of cutting the same culinary corners my mother, mother's mother and mother's mother's mother also used.

There's only one tiny modern modification that I've added, and that's the addition of a couple of spoonfuls of Chambord, a black raspberry liquor which I use instead of sherry.

This is one of our family's favourite puddings. There's something incredibly nurturing and celebratory about the combination of smooth creamy custard, and punchy raspberry jelly, and everything is better with cream. When our daughter had severe chicken pox and could barely swallow, her sad-eye request was for mummy's trifle. The girl lived off it for almost four days, and was the only time she smiled. That's the power of trifle. It's literally happiness in a bowl.

Traditionally, trifle is served on Boxing Day, New Year's Eve or any other family celebration day, such as birthdays, but honestly, if the weather is grey and you've got an afternoon to kill, most of the ingredients can be in permanent store aside from cream and milk, and it's the perfect mood enhancer.

Enjoy x


SERVES 10
COST £  (approx £8 - less than £1 a head)

INGREDIENTS: 

Trifle Sponges
Tin of raspberries in syrup (In this very rare case, tinned work better than fresh)
Raspberry Jelly squares
3/4 pint of boiling water
2tbsp of Chambord liquor
2.5tbsp of Birds Custard Powder
1 pint of milk
2tbsp of sugar
1.5 pints of Double cream, whipped until very stiff.
Sprinkles to decorate.

NOTE about the Bowl: kitsch vintage is best. Cut glass is transformed in candlelight, adding to the showgirl nature of this dish. If you haven't had a heavy crystal bowl passed down to you, then they are very often available at charity shops, car boots, and flea markets for just a few pounds. We use Jonathan's granny's bowl, and the sentimentality adds an extra layer of sweetness.


METHOD
1) layer the bottom of a heavy glass bowl with trifle sponges. Spoon out the tinned raspberries over the sponge and a couple of spoons of syrup over the sponge.
2) Make the jelly according to instructions, except reduce the amount of water slightly to ensure a good firm set. I use 3/4 of a pint rather than the recommended pint. Allow to cool slightly before pouring over the sponge mix. Set in the fridge until firm.
3) Whilst the jelly is setting, make the custard, according to the directions but instead of using 2tbsp to a pint of warm milk, use 2.5tbsp to ensure that it sets. When the custard is is thick enough to see spoon tracks, set aside in the pan, covering the top with clingfilm  (pressed against the custard) to stop a skin forming. Allow to cool. If time is short, place the custard in a bowl and then place the bowl on top of a bowl of ice, stirring continuously for about 5-7 minutes to take the heat out.
4) When the jelly is set and the custard is cool (but not cold enough to set) pour over the jelly base and return to fridge, where it can sit for about 2 hours.
5) Whip double cream until is is stiff and then spoon over the trifle, smoothing it.
6) Go crazy on the sprinkles.

SERVE with either a glass of Chamord and sparkling wine, or a glass of ice wine.

EASY HOMEMADE GNOCCHI, with ANYTHING YOU LIKE

This is a recipe that once tried, you'll come back to over and over again.

1. It's SUPER EASY
2. It makes you feel like an Italian Domestic Goddess
3. It's SUPER CHEAP
4. It's versatile to the point you can pretty much stick anything you like over it. 
5. It's great to make with the kids. 

When Roo was weaning and we were very skint, I made a lot of gnocchi. That was about 9 years ago. We were mad for the stuff, and then I kind of just forgot about it. Well, in the interests of our budget saving, I returned to it last night - and honestly, I can't believe how easy it is and how silly I've been for not making it in several years. 

I had forgotten the simple joy of making dough, cutting it and then watching with child-like fascination as it pops to the top of the boiling water announcing to the world that it's cooked. 

I'm going to give you last night's recipe but at the end of it, I'm going to talk you through some fabulous alternatives. 

Last night I fried mine off in butter - because that is how I really love gnocchi, but very often you don't need to do the frying stage, especially if you're going to do sauce based bakes - more on that later. 

Gnocchi is so versatile, you can do a lot of
different things with it. Last night we had it
with wilted spinach and blue-cheese and
roast tomatoes. It was delicious with salad,
and very man-pleasing LOL. Jonathan
said it was his favourite dish of the week,
and there has been some stiff competition
this week. 

So many recipes and cooking books suggest that Quick and Easy is all people want. This has always frustrated me. There are some days that I actually want to take it SLOW and MINDFUL in the kitchen; when I'm not looking for a chuck it together kind of deal. I want dishes that I can chill out and cook with the kids whilst chattering about school, life and the universe. This is one of those dishes. 

It's a time to put on your pinny and the radio and lose yourself in the simple pleasures of turning basic ingredients into something special, just as if you were a magician. 

This dish will do ANY social occasion from after school children's dinners, to date night, to big family gatherings, to Sunday lunches. 

LEVEL: EASY

COST: £ (per portion, the gnocchi is about 40-50p a portion and then toppings vary) 

VEGETARIAN

TIME: About an 1 hour of lovely relaxing prep. 

INGREDIENTS  (Serves 6)

Basic Gnocchi recipe

1. 4-5 medium potatoes peeled, quartered and boiled until just soft. 
2. 90-100g of flour 
3. 1 egg

Pan Fried in Butter with wilted spinach, blue cheese and warm tomatoes. 

a couple of teaspoons of butter

1 bag of spinach or 2 large bunches from the market

1 palm size piece of blue cheese - gorgonzola or stilton or any other blue cheese

5-6 cherry tomatoes. 

METHOD. 

The dough should just hold
together like this. You'll
feel when it's right in
your hand. 

1. Rice or mash your boiled potatoes until they are fluffy and lump free (I always use a ricer) 
2. Scatter and fold in half the flour into the mashed potatoes 
3. Add the beaten egg and fold
4. Add the rest of the flour. and with your hands, begin to turn the dough over in the bowl. You want to keep the dough as soft as you can but so that it still holds together. You may need to had a small handful of extra flour if you're potatoes were a little bigger. 

NEXT 

They firm up whilst cooking
and go a little heavier and a
little slimy. 

1. Cut the dough into about 6 pieces and using your fingers on a floured board, make it into a small sausage / snake shape. Cutting it into small pieces a little wider than the width of a fork. 
2. In a large pan, bring water up to the boil and turn down to a gentle simmer. Plop your little soft dough balls into the hot water and watch as they sink to the bottom. After a minute or two, they will float to the surface and let you know they are ready. 



Cut them a little wider than
a fork and then press the
fork in - the idea is that
it will trap the sauce and
flavours, as well as making
it look pretty. 

3. Scoop from the surface and put on a plate. Repeat this process until you have used all your dough. 

NEXT - if you're not making a sauce-baked dish (see below for details) 

Fry until golden brown

1. In a frying pan, heat butter and oil until the butter starts to foam. Fry them off in batches (if you add too many, the residual water will make them sweat rather than fry golden brown.) Each batch takes a few minutes and they need a little care so as to keep them golden and not burned. 

2. In the same buttery pan, add your washed spinach and wilt it down. Spread out across the bottom of an oven proof dish and layer up the gnocchi around it, pulling out bits of spinach to make it look pretty. Add crumbled blue cheese and the tomatoes halved. 

3. Warm through in the oven for about 15 minutes. For the purposes of last night, I wanted to serve it with salad so didn't want it piping hot - just warmed, but leave it in for 20-25 if you want it really hot. 

TOP TIP: You can make these in big batches and then keep them in the fridge in a Tupperware box for 3-4 days, just heating them up when and as. 

OPTIONS & IDEAS

SPINACH AND PARMESAN

I split the gnocchi portions and fed the girls with the gnocchi, wilted spinach and parmesan - a drizzle of truffle oil is wonderful on top. 

BAKED TOMATO GNOCCHI

Stop at the boiling stage and place in a casserole dish / oven proof lasagne dish. Add pasta, basil leaves and mozzarella and bake for around 30-40 minutes. 

CREAMY CHICKEN GNOCCHI BAKE

Stop at the boiling stage and make a white cheddar cheese sauce. Add either fried or roasted chicken, asparagus or peas and / or blue cheese and pour over the gnocchi, baking for around 30-40 minutes 

PAN FRIED WITH HOT SMOKED SALMON & HORSERADISH CREAM

Pan fry the gnocchi, place on a warmed plate and flake over hot-smoked salmon or trout. 

3tbsp Mayonaise

1 tbsp Creme Fraiche

1 tsp (to taste) Horseradish

PAN FRIED WITH PRAWNS & SCANDI CREAM & DILL

Pan fry the gnocchi, place on a warmed plate. On the side place the Prawn and Scandi Cream & Dill mix

3tbsp of Mayonnaise

1 tbsp Creme Fraiche

About 2-3 tbsp of finely chopped dill

3 handfuls of small atlantic prawns. 

The options are endless and I look forward to reading some of your favourite combinations in the comments. 

CHUNKY BEANY BIG SOUP

This week's menu plans are a little all over the place but we're still on track if not a little re-ordered and adapted. Tonight was meant to be Vegetable Green Thai Curry but Jonathan is at the dentist having work done so asked if we could have something a little softer and easier to eat.

Being as I hadn't made the Borlotti Bean soup for lunches (as I've been under a crazy writing deadline and haven't stopped for lunch) I decided to make it tonight for our supper.

The girls had leftovers, being that we unexpectedly had them. One had the courgette penne and the other had the Italian Cottage pie from yesterday - which is where your stock of tupperwear comes in really handy.

LEVEL: EASY
COST: £ (approx £3.50)
VEGETARIAN & VEGAN
TIME: 20 Mins.

INGREDIENTS: Serves 6.
Olive Oil
1 medium onion
Half a courgette grated
2 x garlic cloves
1 x Tinned tomatoes
1 x tin of Borlotti Beans
1 x tin of Kidney Beans
1 small red chilli
2 x vegetable stock cubes
Blanched finely cut Kale or dark green cabbage.
tbsp Paprika
tsp Cayenne Pepper
Salt & Pepper to Season
OPTIONAL: Parmesan cheese to garnish

METHOD:

• Sweat the onions and garlic off, add the courgette. 
• Add the tinned tomatoes and fill the tin 3 x with hot water, stirring in the stock cubes. 
• Add the Borlotti Beans, the Kidney beans and 1/4 -1/2 of a red chilli thinly sliced. 
• Cook for around 15-20 minutes until all softened down and thickened a little. 
• Using a hand blender, pulse the mixture down so that it breaks the beans down a little but keeps some of the texture (you don't want it smooth) 
• Add Paprika and Cayenne and cook for a further 5 minutes (tasting and adding more heat to suit your palate.) 
• Add 3 handfuls of blanched green Kale / collards / spring cabbage.
• Serve with a generous handful of grated parmesan (unless Vegan) 

This is a soup that is even better if it's left to sit for a few hours / overnight to really secure the flavours. 

BIG ITALIAN COTTAGE PIE

This recipe has arisen because originally on the weekly plan it was meant to be lasagna, however having had pasta the night before, and not being great on too much pasta, I made the snap decision to shake it up a little bit - and I'm so glad I did because my youngest, who is a very selective eater, sat and polished off a full portion and verbalised how much she was enjoying her dinner (not something she does very often) 

In order to stuff in some extra vitamins and goodness, and with the added effect of bulking it out too, I added a bowl of grated veg which cooks down, deepening flavour and adding to that 5 a day goal. 

This dish is an absolute winner for several reasons. 1) It's super economical (6 portions for around £5 less than £1 a portion), 2) It's a crowd-pleaser 3) It's a well balanced (it has hidden veg) and 4) It's super low effort.  

I served it with dark chopped kale because I had half a bunch left over from Sunday lunch and because my children love the stuff, especially when it's been buttered and sprinkled with a little salt. 

LEVEL: EASY

COST: £

MEAT

TIME: 15-20min PREP and 1.5hours cooking

INGREDIENTS: (MAKES 6 PORTIONS)

400g Lean Beef minced meat

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

1 chicken stock cube / gel

1 tin of tomatoes

2 tsp of tomato puree

3 finely chopped sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 carrot

1 courgette

6-7 medium mashing potatoes

Butter

2 tbsp of milk

2 handfuls of grated cheddar cheese

Optionals: I added a 1/4 bottle of old left over red wine being it was in the kitchen and if you've got a little spare budget, red wine is always a nice edition to this dish. I also added a spoonful of pesto from the jar in the fridge. (It keeps for two weeks and is really good to always have one in the fridge as a spoonful here and there really jazzes up dishes)

METHOD: 

• Grate your carrot and courgette into a bowl 
• finely chop your garlic and onion and fry off in the bottom of a heavy casserole pot
• add your minced meat and fry until it has taken some colour.
• Add the bowl of grated vegetables and finely chopped rosemary and cook down
• Add the tin of tomatoes and about half a pint of chicken stock. 
• Leave to simmer on the stove top for about 30-40 minutes until it has cooked right down and the oil is starting to split. It should have taken on a deep red colour and look rich and thick by this point. 
• Set aside and leave to cool and firm up slightly 
• Peel and cut your potatoes and place in a boiling pan until soft. Remove, Strain, return to pan and blast any remaining water off. Add butter, salt, pepper and a tiny splash of milk then mash until fluffy. 
• Spoon over the meat mix and fork until covered. Sprinkle with the cheese and then return to oven to cook for about 20 minutes 

NOTES: If like me, you tend to prep several hours or a day ahead, then it will need about 40-45 minutes to be piping hot. It's a great dish to make on a Sunday whilst cooking your roast, and then set it aside. If there's just the two of you, it can be boxed up and frozen and that's three lots of dinner all ready to go when it's needed. 

Courgette, Chili Penne Pasta with Spinach Balls.

LEVEL: Medium
TIME: approx 20-30 minutes
VEGETARIAN
COST: £

This was tonight's dinner.

Antonio Carluccio was a great food hero of mine. He elevated simplicity into something divine; his food based on principles of flavour, freshness and balance.

For years as a family we have loved going to Carluccio's and eating the courgette and spinach ball pasta dish; a firm favourite regardless of age.

Over the years, the dish has been assimilated into our own family recipe book. It's a dish that will force even the most dedicated carnivore to admit that there are really enjoyable vegetarian dishes.

In order to kick start our move towards more vegetarian dishes, this was put on the menu plan as a way of reassuring the family that it was all going to be alright LOL

INGREDIENTS: (For 4)

Good Quality dried pasta shells
1 large courgette
Half a red chilli
1 clove of garlic
olive oil

FOR THE SPINACH BALLS:

5-6 Frozen spinach balls
parmesan cheese
1 Egg
1 cup of white bread crumbs

This is my Tefl electric grater (several
different grating wheels for different jobs). It's
 fab
for making up 'posh' salads, and for jobs
like this. It's a really handy piece of
kitchen equipment. 

• Defrost the spinach balls by placing in a frying pan and stirring until all the moisture has gone and put aside.
• In a mixing bowl put a cup of breadcrumbs, a cup of grated parmesan, and one beaten egg. Add the spinach and mix well. 
• Place the pasta on to boil for about 10-13 minutes depending on preference. 
• Grate the courgette and fry in a pan with chilli and garlic and a generous slug of olive oil. 
• Form the spinach balls into balls about the size of a small ping-pong ball and shallow fry them in a frying pan, turning regularly until they turn a golden brown where the cheese and bread are. Place on baking tray and keep warm in the oven. 
• Drain the pasta, toss in the courgette mixture, plate up and place three spinach balls on top, sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. 

LOADED BAKED CHEESY POTATO and AMERICAN WEDGE SALAD

Never underestimate the indulgent, comforting
value of a baked buttery potato. Instant sense of
home and self-care

LEVEL: SUPER SIMPLE
COST:  £
TIME: Approx 15 minutes (Oven on for 1.5 hours)
VEGETARIAN


A simple, easy supper as it was Thursday and the first day of the new term and we'd just got back from travels late the night before.

The humble baked potato is one of my all time favourites as it offers an instant warm hug.


NOTES: This was a great dinner as it had all the comforts of buttery potato filling you up warmly and the fresh, lightness of the salad. Was full and slept really well that night as I didn't feel like I was grinding food all night.

I've often relegated Jacket potatoes to side dishes or to the children's menu because they were too simple a dish, but actually, there's a real beauty in the simplicity of it, and as it was a really low time investment, I managed to get some writing done too, leading to a really productive night. The lack of wine helped with that, too.

INGREDIENTS: 
2 good sized baking potatoes
Butter
Handful of grated mature cheddar
Salt and pepper
Iceberg Lettuce
Paul Newman's ranch dressing
Tsp of capers for dressing

METHOD:
Bake the potatoes in the oven until you can slide a knife in (Approx 1-1.5 hours)
Scoop out the flesh (careful not to damage the skins) and mash in a bowl with butter, pepper, salt and a little grated cheese.
Spoon back into the jackets and then place back in the oven until crunchy brown on top.

Cut two good wedges out of an iceberg lettuce, pour on Paul Newman's Ranch dressing (the best we've found of the choices) and sprinkle with a spoonful of capers.


NOTES: This was a great dinner as it had all the comforts of buttery potato filling you up warmly and the fresh, lightness of the salad. Was full and slept really well that night as I didn't feel like I was grinding food all night.

I've often relegated Jacket potatoes to side dishes or to the children's menu because they were too simple a dish, but actually, there's a real beauty in the simplicity of it, and as it was a really low time investment, I managed to get some writing done too, leading to a really productive night. The lack of wine helped with that, too.