Armenian Lamb

Today's addition is Armenian Lamb. I love this dish as it is super easy-peasy to make, but tastes like you've slaved over a hot stove! The spices make it rich, aromatic and quite delicious, whilst it's not hot. I will often make this if I have friends over for dinner as its a bit different. It is based on a recipe that someone gave me years ago but I've tweaked it to make it healthier. You can also freeze any leftovers.

You can download my recipe for Armenian Lamb here.

Just click on the link and print and you can add it to you Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File. Look at the tab in the left hand side for other easy-peasy recipes plus you can add the front cover for your folder.

Don't forget to let me know how you got on by leaving a comment.

Happy eating

Judith xxx

Spanish Chicken

I used to make this dish with my Year 8 classes at school. It's very easy and helped to teach them the basic principles of casseroles.

Chorizo sausage (pronounced chor-eeth-o) has become a store cupboard essential in our house, we put it in everything! This dish is definitely improved with a glug of red wine, particularly if you have guests for dinner.

You can download my recipe for Spanish Chicken here

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Buen apetito!

Judith xxx

Spaghetti Carbonara

I saw Rick Stein make this on the TV. He said that authentic carbonara shouldn't have cream in it, it's just very simple ingredients with eggs and parmesan. This makes it incredibly quick and easy to make. My version doesn't use the bucket-loads of oil that TV chefs always use!

You can download my recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara here

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Thanks Rick Stein and Rachel for your yummy photo!

Judith xxx

Cottage Pie

Apparently it's cottage pie if it has beef in it and shepherds pie if it is made from lamb! Thanks again to my friend Rachel for this picture.

This was one of our staple mid-week meals when I was growing up and to this day I always have to put baked beans in it as this is how my mum made it and have it with sprouts. I'm feeling very nostalgic just writing this!

There are all sorts of variations you can try such as:

• add finely diced carrots and swede to the meat
• mash carrots or swede into the potato topping
• mix a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard with the potatoes for a mustard mash
• sprinkle grated cheese over the top of the mash
• add kidney, pinto or borlotti beans to the meat mixture
• when using lamb add chopped bacon and rosemary
• to make a cobbler - cover the meat with savoury or cheese scones (instead of mash). Make homemade scones, layer over the meat and cook for 25 minutes at 190 degrees / mark 5

You can download my recipe for Cottage Pie here

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Judith xxx

Bacon and Pea Risotto

My bacon and pea risotto is always a hit with my husband, who says he doesn't usually like risotto. It's so easy to make, it's cheap and healthy too. This is the picture posted by my friend the first time she made it. It looks like she's added some extra ingredients and made it her own. That's what's so great about these dishes, you can get creative and change them to include the foods you like. I often add mushrooms and diced courgettes and it's extra nice if you use fresh parsley.

You can download the recipe for my Bacon and Pea Risotto here.

Just click on the link above for the PDF file and print it out. If you like it please let me know by leaving a comment below.

Happy eating!

Judith xxx

Cowboy Bean Bake

This one's a favourite with my daughter. I try to get her to cook once a week and this is one she likes to make. This picture was taken by my friend and was enjoyed by her family. I like it because it's a one pot meal and is very fulling and full of fibre too. You can use different types of beans: kidney, borlotti, cannellini, haricot, pinto, butter or a tin of mixed beans. This recipe is great if you're on a tight budget.

Serve Cowboy Bean Bake with crusty bread or some green veg.

Download my recipe for Cowboy Bean Bake here

Please feel free to download any or all of my recipes and build them into your own Easy-Peasy Recipe File. They are all available in PDF format. just click on the link above and print them out. I simply ask that you leave a comment below when you have tried a recipe to say what you think, I would love your feedback!

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating my Cowboy Bean Bake.

Judith xxx

Chilli Con Carne

As I mentioned in my introduction to my Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File, I was inspired to start this venture by a friend of mine. This is the photo she posted on her Facebook page with the comment

"Many of you will know that I can't cook but have been wanting to learn some simple meals to make for my little family. My amazing friend Judith has written me a recipe book and I'm hoping today's meal will be the first of many. We sat at our dining table for the first time! Feeling chuffed"

With her permission, I will be adding some of her pictures of the meals she has tried as we travel on our Easy-Peasy recipe journey!

Download my recipe for Chilli Con Carne here

Please feel free to download any or all of my recipes and build them into your own Easy-Peasy Recipe File. They are all available in PDF format. just click on the link above and print them out. I simply ask that you leave a comment below when you have tried a recipe to say what you think, I would love your feedback!

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating my Chilli Con Carne.

Judith xxx

New ventures - Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipes

I've never seen myself as a particularly adventurous cook, but I enjoy cooking and find simple baking relaxing. I love to eat good simple food and consider it important to provide proper nutritious meals for my family. I fell into teaching Food Technology as a second subject alongside Textiles and have taught 11 to 14 year olds to cook for the last ten years.

The idea for the Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File came about after chatting to a friend at a party recently. She was laughing about the fact that she had a lovely new kitchen and cupboards full of kitchen equipment but didn't know how to cook and resorted to living on ready meals. As others joined the conversation and echoed these views, I was shocked. I was brought up cooking with my mum and sister from a very young age, with a kitchen chair pulled up close to the worktop, indeed I do the same with my four year old grandson now! I took this experience for granted and thought every one could cook at least a few basic meals. I decided that night, using my experience as a food teacher, I would create a book of easy to follow recipes for the ordinary everyday meals that I feed my family on.

All my Easy-Peasy Recipes are what they say they are! I'm not claiming to be original and innovative, I just use a few basic ingredients and try to explain how to make each dish clearly and simply. I like to eat healthily most of the time so I can have a few indulgences as treats. Therefore in my recipes,  I don't add any fat when I fry, I fry the meat gently first to release the fat then use this to fry the onions etc. I also don't add any additional salt but use lots of black pepper. There is already enough natural salt in the foods we eat and your taste buds soon adjust to a less salty flavour This is far better for you. you can add seasoning as you prefer.

Each recipe card has Extra Tips where, for example, advice is given on how to batch cook and freeze some recipes. Each recipe card has suggestions for Alternative Ingredients to suit different tastes or to ring the changes.

I have started the file with a Cooking Tips page where I give really basic instructions on how to chop vegetables, explanations of cooking terms and suggestions for a basic herb stash for beginners.

Please feel free to download any or all of my recipes and build them into your own Easy-Peasy Recipe File. They are all available in PDF format. just click on the link below and print them out. I simply ask that you leave a comment when you have tried a recipe to say what you think, I would love your feedback!

Cover page for Easy-Peasy Everyday Recipe File available here

Cooking Tips page available here

Don't forget to leave me a comment to tell me how you got on. Watch this space for regular posts of Easy-Peasy Recipes. I'll be posting 'real' pictures of the dishes too. Happy cooking!

Judith xxx