Ready in 45 Minutes

Ingredients

250g Lamb Mince
100g Cous Cous
⅓ Cup Red Onion, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Carrot, Finely Diced
⅓ Cup Celery, Finely Diced Half Cup Swede Roughly Chopped
Half Cup Parsnip Roughly Chopped
1 Tin Tomatoes
3 Dry Apricots
½ Chicken Stock Pot
⅓ Cup Fresh Coriander
1 Clove of Garlic
1 Spring Onion
¼ Tsp All Spice
¼ Tsp Cumin
¼ Tsp Turmeric
⅛ Tsp Ginger

Method

1. Chop the carrot, celery, garlic and onion as finely as possible. Tip: Whizz in a food processor if you have one. Peel and roughly chop (2cm cubes) the parsnip and the swede. Finely chop the spring onion and roughly chop the apricots

2. Heat a tbsp of oil in a non-stick pan on medium/low heat. Cook the finely diced carrot, celery, garlic and onion for about 8 minutes. Tip: You want to cook the mixture until it is soft and be sure not to let it brown off

3. Now add the swede and parsnip. Sprinkle on a ¼ tsp of salt with the turmeric and ginger. Add the chopped apricots, put a lid on a stew for 5 minutes more. When the veg has softened add the tomatoes, half the stock and a cup of water

4. For the meatballs, thoroughly mix the spring onions into the lamb. Mix in ½ teaspoon of salt, the all spice and the cumin. If your stew is drying out a little, turn the heat to low and add a dash of water

5. Take a tsp of the lamb mixture at a time and roll it into a little ball. Tip: Keep a cup of water to clean your fingers while you make the meatballs also you want to keep the meatballs small, so give your helpers a guide for the first one

6. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium/high heat. Cook the meatballs for a couple of minutes on each side until they are just browned off. When the meatballs are cooked drain the oil and rest them on kitchen towel if you have some

7. Boil 150ml of water with a quarter teaspoon of salt. Add in your cous cous and cover the pot tightly. Take the pot off the heat and leave to rest for 5 minutes. Tip: Be exact with the amount of water to prevent soggy cous cous!

8. Roughly chop the coriander. Fluff up your cous cous with a fork. Stir the meatballs gently into the stew. Serve the stew on top of the cous cous with a sprinkle of coriander

Anyone with children will know that when it comes to eating, fuss is often high on the menu. It’s not surprising, then that we can lose heart when our children turn their noses up at anything with green bits in, or when they will allow only plain pasta with grated cheese to pass their lips! But rest assured you’re not alone. In fact, 90 percent of children go through at least one lengthy stage of being fussy. And in a 2007 survey nearly 50 percent of parents said food is their children’s worst area of fussiness, coming well ahead of clothes, toys and even their hairstyles!

Why fuss?

Children’s eating habits have changed dramatically in recent years. More than 25 percent of children in England are overweight and one in six 10 year olds is classed as obese. According to a 2007 report, 4 million people in the UK now suffer from malnutrition, as a direct result of eating more junk food. It doesn’t have to be like this for your children!

Be positive!

Try to make mealtimes a really positive experience. One of the most important things is to hide your frustration. Praise your child excessively when he or she eats well or tries something new. You may need to ignore some bad eating behaviour to refocus attention on good behaviour. This may make mealtimes less stressful for you, too.

Variety is the spice of life

Do not just stick to favourite meals offer a variety of healthy dishes and keep trying new recipes. Offering only the foods that your grandchild will eat can encourage extreme fussiness and may lead to a restricted and unbalanced diet.

A fear of new foods is known as neophobia. It generally develops at around 18 months and babies who would happily accept many foods suddenly become suspicious and reject anything unfamiliar.

If your grandchild has a very restricted diet, it is best to give new foods when she is really hungry. Try to encourage her to eat just a small amount and give lots of attention and praise if she is willing to try it. If she still refuses to eat it, maybe mix it together with something your child likes. For example, if your grandchild likes pasta but won’t eat vegetables, try making a lasagne with spinach.

Favourite Fussy Eaters Recipes

Mini Muffin Pizza from ‘New Complete Baby and Toddler Meal Planner’

Its easy to make your own ‘Healthy Fast Food’ like this mini pizza which uses split toasted muffins for the pizza base. Let your grandchild choose his own favourite toppings and he may like to decorate it with a face.

Ingredients

• Half a small red onion, chopped (25 g)
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tsp sundried tomato paste
• 1 tbsp later
• 2 English muffins
• 2 tbsp Sweetcorn
• 2 slices of ham
• 25g Mozzarella or grated Cheddar
• Suggested Toppings (enough for 2 pizzas)
• mushrooms, sliced and sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 ring pineapple, diced
• stoned black olives, thinly sliced
• baby courgette, thinly sluiced and sautéed in 1 tsp olive oil
• sunblush tomatoes, diced
• 1 rasher cooked bacon, crumbled
• Strips of sweet pepper

Method

• Heat the olive oil and sauté the onion for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the tomato puree, sun dried tomato paste and water and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Split the muffins and toast. Preheat the grill to high and spread the tomato sauce over the muffins. Sprinkle over the ham and sweetcorn and cover with the grated cheese.
• Preheat the grill to high. Cook the pizzas for 4 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Decorate with your favourite toppings. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Information

Makes 2 mini pizzas

Krispie Fish Fingers from ‘Fussy Eaters Recipe Book’

Rice Krispies make a tasty coating for fish, and I like to make these finger-sized goujons as they cook quickly and can be easily cooked from frozen. Another good coating to try is crushed cornflakes. Simply cut the fish into strips, coat in seasoned flour, lightly beaten egg and then crushed cornflakes and sauté until golden and cooked through.

Ingredients

• Half pound skinless sole or flounder fillets
• One and a half cups Rice Krispies
• 3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 (quarter) tsp paprika
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2–3 tbsp canola oil, for frying
• salt and pepper, to season
• Lemon mayo dip
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• A pinch of salt to season

Method

1. Cut the fish into little finger-sized pieces. Cover and set aside in the fridge. Put the Rice Krispies, Parmesan and paprika in a food processor, and whiz to fine crumbs. Transfer to a plate and stir in salt and pepper to taste and the sesame seeds (if using). Beat the egg in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Spread the flour out on a separate plate.
2. Toss three or four of the fish pieces in the flour then dunk in the egg and roll in the Krispie crumbs until well coated. Sit on a clean plate and continue with remaining fish. Cook immediately or freeze according to the instructions below.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and add the fish fingers. Fry for 1 1/2 –2 minutes each side, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper and cool slightly before serving.
4. To make the dip, mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. If you like you can season the dip to taste with a pinch of salt.
5. To freeze, lay the uncooked fish fingers on a baking sheet lined with cling film. Cover with cling film and freeze around 2 hours, until firm. Transfer to re-sealable plastic bags and cook as above, direct from frozen (the cooking time is the same). Not suitable for reheating.
6. Dips are a good way to encourage healthy eating. Serve with sticks of carritm pepper, celery as well as toasted pitta slices.

Information

Prep time 20 minutes

Cooking 3 to 4 minutes

Makes 6 to 8 portions

by Annabel Karmel

Ingredients

• 125g Plain flour
• 100g unsalted butter
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 Happy Egg

Flavouring (choose one of the below or make your own):

• 1 tsp vanilla essence (taste brilliant on their own)
• Lavender essence (the flavour of a summer garden, but not as floral as you might think. Goes great with coffee)
• 150g chocolate chips (Kids favourite. Substitute 2 tsp cocoa powder instead of flour for a delicious double chocolate biscuit)
• 100g chopped nuts (Mix with the other flavours. We mixed them with chocolate)
• 1 tsp ginger (ideal with a cup of tea)
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon (lovely on their own)

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl
2. Add the egg and mix, then fold in the flour
3. To this mixture add your chosen flavouring from the list above or make up your own
4. Spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet in biscuit sized portions
5. Place on a baking tray and cook in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes
6. Check to see whether they are cooked, they should be firm and just starting to brown
7. Remove and leave to cool on a rack

Ingredients

• 4-6 long pieces fo rhubarb, cleaned and cut into finger lengths
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp whole oats
• 2 tbsps blanched almonds, roughly chopped
• 100g brown sugar
• 50g caster sugar
• 75g flour
• 50 g Butter
• Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream & Honeycomb Ice Cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C
2. Firstly place the rhubarb in a sauce pan with the lemon and orange juice, cinnamon stick and brown sugar. Heat gently for a few minutes to melt the sugar, being careful that the rhubarb doesn’t stew and lose its shape. Place the rhubarb lengths into a shallow baking dish.
3. Meanwhile prepare the crumble mixture . Place the oats, almonds, flour, butter and caster sugar in a food processor and combine quickly on a pulse setting to just combine the ingredients. If not using a food processor, rub the ingredients together until they’re combined.
4. Sprinkle the crunchy crumble mixture lightly over the rhubarb and syrup and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve just warm or cold with Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream & Honeycomb Ice Cream.

175g butter

75g caster sugar

175g flour

1 tbsp fine semolina

500g strawberries

extra strawberries for making the coulis

juice of 1 lemon

icing sugar for dusting

1 tub of Kelly’s of Cornwall Cornish Dairy Vanilla Ice Cream

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 160ºC.
• First make the shortbread biscuit. Soften the butter in a food processor or with a wooden spoon and cream together with the sugar. Add the flour and semolina and mix together. Divide the mixture in two. Using your fingers, press the shortcake mixture into a round tart tin or ring and repeat the process. Prick the shortcakes with a fork and score eight portions in each with a knife. Place in the fridge to cool.
• Hull and quarter the strawberries and place in a bowl with lemon juice. Reserve a handful of the strawberries and blend with some lemon juice until smooth, pass through a sieve and reserve.
• Bake the shortcakes for around 30 minutes. Once golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack. Place one shortcake base on a serving plate. You can score it again if you need to, which will make it easier to serve. Arrange half the strawberries on top, drizzle over a little juice and a drop of coulis and place the other shortcake on top. Add the rest of the strawberries and coulis, sprinkle wirth icing sugar and serve with Kelly’s of Cornwall Cornish Dairy Vanilla Ice Cream.

Ingredients:

• Mince up a quantity of pork (I use a mini chopper)
• Make an equal quantity of breadcrumbs (in my mini chopper)
• Mince up red onion to taste (mini chopper)
• Salt and pepper
• Herbs you like – to taste

Method:

1. Whisk an egg and put the whole lot into a bowl. Squidge through with your fingers (that is a technical culinary expression you know). Note that if you use a large quantity of breadcrumbs and meat you may need more egg.
2. Put some seasoned flour in a flat dish and some oil in a frying pan, heat oil until very hot.
3. Roll meat mixture into small balls with damp hands and then coat in the flour, put the balls in the hot oil and move them around so that the balls are sealed all round. Put them on kitchen paper to drain.
4. Make the sauce by putting tinned tomatoes and herbs of choice (I used frozen coriander and dried Italian herbs) with a dash of Worcestershire sauce, splash of balsamic vinegar (you can also splosh some red wine in if you want), white pepper and salt and bring to the boil, tasting regularly until you get the right taste. You can add lazy garlic if you like the taste. Well you can add anything that takes your fancy really!
5. Put the meatballs in a flat dish, cover with the sauce mixture and foil and put in a moderate oven until hot. Service with tagliatelle and a sprinkling of cheese if liked.

Thanks Tizzy!

Makes 9 – 12

Prep time: 10 minutes

Total time: 22-25 minutes

Ingredients

1 pack Jus Rol TM ready rolled All Butter shortcrust pastry

Half a jar good quality cherry jam

Caster sugar for lightly dredging

Method

Follow pastry preparation instructions.

• Preheat oven to 200⁰C (180⁰C for fan assisted ovens) Gas Mark 6.
• Unroll the pastry sheet and using a pastry or cookie cutter cut out 9 discs to line a jam tart tin mould ( NB you will probably get more tarts depending on the tops you choose, but start with 9).
• Place a generous teaspoonful of jam in each base. Then cut out 4 smaller discs from the pastry and from the centre of each of these cut a heart shape. Carefully place the discs on 4 of the tarts, lightly pressing down around edges, then pop the heart shapes on the others, cutting one further heart shape for the last tart. With the remaining pastry, cut out further bases and tops (you will get more tarts by just cutting heart shapes as the tops.)
• Lightly brush the tops with water and sprinkle with a little sugar, then bake for 12 – 15 minutes until pastry golden and jam bubbling. Serve warm or cold dusted with further sugar if desired.

Ingredients

1 pouch Tilda British Curry Rice

200g leftover turkey, diced

2 tbsps low fat yoghurt

2 tbsps Mayonnaise

Juice of half a lemon

50g fresh mango, diced

1 tbsp mango chutney

3 spring onions, finely chopped

1 tsp garam masala

1 handful coriander, finely chopped

Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients together and season to taste – now that’s what we call an easy, post-Christmas recipe!

These delicious cookies are fun to make and look spectacular hanging on the Christmas tree or around the house.

Ingredients

140g icing sugar, sieved

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

250g butter, cut into small cubes

375g plain flour, sieved

To decorate:

200g icing sugar, sieved
Edible food colouring, optional
Edible gold and silver balls
Approx 2m thin ribbon cut into 10cm lengths

Method

• Tip the icing sugar, vanilla extract, egg yolk and butter into a mixing bowl.
• Stir together with a wooden spoon (or pulse in a food processor until well combined).
• Add the flour and mix to a firm dough.
• Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap in clingfilm.
• Chill for 20-30 mins. Meanwhile heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line two baking sheets with non-stick baking paper.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about the thickness of two £1 coins.
• Cut out Christmassy shapes (use a cutter if you like) and place on the baking sheets. Using the tip of a skewer, cut a small hole in the top of each cookie.
• Bake for 10-12 mins until lightly golden.
• Lift the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a thick, but still runny icing. Colour with edible food colouring, if you like. Spread it over the cooled biscuits, decorate with edible balls and thread with ribbon when dry.

By Lesley Waters, BBC Good Food

Quick Mince Pies

You can’t beat a good mince pie, but for a delicious twist, try this easy recipe with a crumble topping flavoured with cinnamon and orange. (Makes 12)

Ingredients

375g (13oz) ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

Approx 250g (9oz) mincemeat

50g (1oz) plain flour

4tbsp Demerara sugar

40g (1½oz) butter

Finely grated zest of ½ an orange

1tsp ground cinnamon

Method

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6.
• Unroll the pastry and cut out 14-16 discs using a 7.5-9cm (3-3½in) pastry cutter. Press the discs into the holes of a 12-hole patty tin.
• Spoon a couple of teaspoons of mincemeat into each pastry case and set aside.
• To make the crumble topping, rub together the flour, Demerara sugar, butter, orange zest and cinnamon until you have a chunky crumble mixture.
• Scatter over the top of the mincemeat and place in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the mince pies are golden and the tops are crisp.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes before taking out of the tins. Cool on a wire rack and dust with icing sugar to serve.

By Jo Pratt, Mail Online

Ingredients

25g/1oz butter
8 slices bread
50g/2oz sultanas/ mixed fruit
2tsp cinnamon
350ml/12floz milk
50ml/2floz double cream
2 eggs
25g/1oz demarera suga
Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream Ice Cream

Method

• Grease 2pint/1L pie dish
• Cut crusts off bread and butter one side
• Cut into triangles and arrange a layer of bread in the dish add a layer of sultanas and
  sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.
• Then repeat the layers until the bread is used up.
• Whisk the milk, cream and eggs together and gently pour over the bread.  Sprinkle a little sugar on top.
• Leave to stand for 30mins
• Place in pre-heated oven at 180C/355F/gas 4 for approx 30 mins or until golden brown.
• Serve with Kelly’s of Cornwall Clotted Cream Ice Cream

From Kelly’s of Cornwall