Tag Archives: cookbook

Top tips for spending less and eating well in January

Half price sale

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Top tips for spending less and eating well in January

Back to reality and time to reign back a little. After an indulgent time, January is a good month to eat a little less and spend a lot less.

To do this, I shall be planning all our meals in advance, so I can keep track of what we eat and what we spend.

Taking inspiration from our cookbook,
Fantastic Food for Less, which advocates
forward planning, making a shopping list
and sticking to it!

Dairy Diary recipeI have decided to make planning easier for us by first listing all our favourite meals (including the recipes that we most like from our cookbooks). This seems quite an arduous task, but once done I can print and laminate our list and glance at it for inspiration each time I plan our weekly meals (which are written on each day in the Dairy Diary).

No more umming and aaahing about what to eat each week, and by making a list of our meals and sticking to my shopping list, we should waste less and spend less too!

 

Half-price cookbook sale!

For more tips on how to save money and waste less food, as well as 100 delicious low-cost recipes see Fantastic Food for Less.

AND just for this week, it’s half price!

 

Here’s a taster of what Fantastic Food has to offer…..

 

Pea and Ham Quicke recipe

Pea & Ham Quiche

Time 1 hour
Per portion: 608 Kcal, 44g fat (22.1g saturated)
Serves 6
Suitable for freezing

Ready-made shortcrust pastry 375g (13oz)
Eggs 4, beaten
Crème fraîche 250ml tub
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Frozen peas 110g (4oz), defrosted
Spring onions 3, trimmed and finely chopped
Ham 250g (9oz), chopped into chunks
Double Gloucester cheese 75g (3oz), grated
Mixed leaf salad to serve (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.

2 Fold the pastry in half and then roll out until a little larger than a 23cm (9in) fluted flan tin. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin, drape in the tin then ease up the sides pressing it in place with your fingertips. Trim the top of the pastry so that it stands a little above the top of the tin. Prick the base of the pastry and then chill for 15 minutes.

3 Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes.

4 Meanwhile, in a jug, mix together the eggs and crème fraîche and season well with salt and pepper.

5 Remove the paper and beans from the pastry case and reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Pour in the creamy mixture and then evenly sprinkle in the peas, spring onions, ham and grated cheese.

6 Return the quiche to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes, until it is just set and golden. Serve with a mixed salad if you like.

A Fabulous Food For Less recipe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seasonal Recipes | Baked Apples

Baked Apples recipe

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Baked Apples

Serves 4
Time 45 mins
Per portion
223 Kcals/serving
Fat 8g (5.2g sat)
Suitable for vegetarians
Butter 40g (1½oz), softened
Light muscovado sugar 40g (1½oz)
Chopped glacé ginger 1 tbsp
Glacé cherries 25g (1oz), chopped
Ready-to-eat prunes 75g (3oz), chopped
Dessert apples 4
Custard to serve (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until soft and smooth. Stir in the glacé ginger and then add the cherries and prunes.

2 Cut a thin slice off the top of each apple and reserve. Core the apples and cut a very thin slice off the bottom if needed, to stop them rolling around.

3 Stand the cored apples in a small 20cm (8in) circular dish, then press the fruit mixture into the cavities, spooning the remainder over the cut top edge. Press the apple lids back in place.

4 Add 2 tbsp of water to the base of the dish, then bake for 30 minutes until the apples are tender. 5 Serve hot with custard, if you like.

Recipe taken from Fantastic Food For Less

 

Don’t miss the seasonal recipes available on the Dairy Diary website.

 

Seasonal recipes from the Dairy Diary

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Friendship Month | Competition: Win 25 superb stack-a-boxes

Friendship Month

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Friendship Month

Competition: Win 25 superb stack-a-boxes

Friends, where would we be without them?

My select group of special ladies are my lifeline, my fashion/interiors consultants, my sanity and my guarantee for a great night out! They have seen me through many great times and difficult times too.

So, during Friendship Month I would like to
say thank you buddies – you’re the best!

As well as being fabulous, my pals also test all my recipes for me. As you may know, here at DD headquarters we insist that everything is triple-tested – once by the recipe writer, then by an amateur cook (my friends) and finally at shoot by the food stylist. This is to ensure that every recipe will work each and every time and also tastes delicious.

Win a set of 25 stack-a-boxes

Almost every recipe tested for our new cookbook, Fantastic Food for Less, got 9 or 10 out of 10 for taste so we know that this book is going to be a huge success.

And to celebrate the launch of Fantastic Food for Less this month we have this fabulous set of stack-a-boxes to give-away. You’ll wonder how you ever lived without them and this recipe book!

ENTER NOW

Win a set of 25 stack-a-boxes

And here’s a little taster from the book.

Autumn Vegetables with Feta

Autumn Vegables with FetaTime 50 minutes.
Per portion: 454 Kcal, 23g fat (8g saturated)
Serves 4

Butternut squash 450g (1lb), about ½ the squash
Sweet potato 450g (1lb)
Parsnips 450g (1lb)
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Coriander seeds 2 tsp
Paprika 1 tsp
Olive or sunflower oil 4 tbsp
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Runny honey 1 tbsp
Feta cheese 200g (7oz)
Chopped mint 2 tbsp to serve (optional)
Warmed pitta bread to serve (optional)

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6. Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and then peel away the skin. Peel the sweet potato and parsnips, then cut all the vegetables into similar-sized chunks.

2 Crush the cumin and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar or improvise using a mug and the end of a rolling pin. Add the seeds and paprika to a large plastic bag with the oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Squeeze the bag to mix, then add the vegetables and shake.

3 Preheat a large roasting tin in the oven for 5 minutes, then tip the vegetables out of the bag into the tin and spread into an even layer. Roast  the vegetables for 30 minutes, turning once.

4 Turn the vegetables again and drizzle with the honey. Roast for 5–10 more minutes until browned around the edges. Crumble Feta over the top and scatter with mint, if using. Serve with warmed pitta if you like.

Cook’s tips
The beauty of this dish is that you can use whatever root vegetables you have available. Chop the leftover squash and use for soup: fry an onion, add the squash and 1 tbsp curry paste. Cook for 1 minute then cover with vegetable stock. Simmer until tender, then purée.

Recipe taken from Fantastic Food for Less.

Read the blogs on our website. 

Recipe of the Day | Spiced Cottage Pie

Spiced Cottage Pie from Fantastic Food For Less

 

Spiced Cottage Pie

Cottage pie is one of those timeless favourites; this version is flavoured with a little curry powder and mixed with red lentils to produce a delicious take on a classic.

Time 50 minutes.
Serves 6
Per portion: 737 Kcal, 25g fat (10.8g saturated)
Suitable for freezing.

Sunflower oil 1 tbsp
Minced beef 500g (1lb 2oz)
Onion 1, peeled and chopped
Medium hot curry powder 2 tbsp
Carrot 150g (5oz), diced
Red lentils 150g (5oz)
Beef stock 600ml (1 pint)
Tomato purée 1 tbsp
Sultanas 50g (2oz)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Potatoes 680g (1½lb), peeled and cut into chunks
Butter 50g (2oz)
Milk 4 tbsp
Ground turmeric ¼ tsp
Cooked frozen peas to serve (optional)

1 Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and fry the mince and onion, stirring and breaking up the mince, for about 5 minutes until it is evenly browned.

2 Stir in the curry powder and carrot, cook 1 minute and then mix in the lentils. Pour in the stock, tomato purée, sultanas and seasoning and bring to the boil.

3 Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally until the lentils are soft.

4 Meanwhile, put the potatoes into a saucepan with just enough lightly salted water to cover them. Cover with the lid and bring the water to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

5 Drain the potatoes, return them to the pan with half the butter and the milk and turmeric and season with salt and pepper. Mash well, adding the milk as needed to make a soft spoonable mash.

6 Preheat the grill to hot. Spoon the mince mixture into an ovenproof dish, cover with the potato and fork the mash into an even layer. Dot the remaining butter over the top and grill for 5–10 minutes until browned. Serve with peas, if you like.

Cook’s tip
Leftover lentils can be used to make a delicious, filling soup. Cook 110g (4oz) lentils with 1 chopped potato, carrot, onion and parsnip (or any other leftover veg you fancy) and 900ml (1½ pints) stock very gently for 1 hour. Purée with a stick blender before you serve.

 

Fantastic Food For Less cookbookRecipe taken from
Fantastic Food for Less
cookbook. which is now
available for just £7.99.

BUY NOW 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A selection of fantastic recipes for you to try:

Thai-Style Chicken Satay
Strawberry Trifle with Pimms
Tomato & Artichoke Tart
Wild Alaska Salmon Picnic Fishcakes
Tomato & Rosemary Gnocchi
Pesto Chicken with Petits Potatoes
Coconut & Plum Pavlovas
Gooseberry & Hazelnut Fool
Treacle Tart with Glazed Apples
Kashmiri Butter Chicken

 

 

 

 

 

 

#roalddahlday
#familyrecipe
#favouritebooks

#moneysavingcookbook

Recipe of the Day: Treacle Tart with Glazed Apples

Treacle Tart with Glazed Apples

 

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Treacle Tart with Glazed Apples 

Serves 6
75 mins plus cooling
555 Kcals/portion
Fat 16g (7.2g sat) per portion
Suitable for freezing
Suitable for vegetarians

Plain flour 175g (6oz)
Butter 65g (2½oz), diced
White vegetable cooking fat or lard 40g (1½oz), diced
Golden syrup 454g tin
Ground ginger 1 tsp
Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
Fresh breadcrumbs 110g (4oz)
Cooking apples 2, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Icing sugar 1 tbsp
Custard or ice cream to serve (optional)

1 To make the pastry, put the flour, 40g (1½oz) butter and fat in a bowl and rub in with your fingertips until you have fine crumbs. Gradually add 2 tbsp water and mix to a smooth dough. Alternatively, you could use a food processor.

2 Knead the pastry briefly, then roll out on a lightly floured surface until a little larger than a 24cm (9½in) diameter fluted loose-bottomed flan tin. Lift the pastry over the rolling pin, place in the tin then ease up the sides, pressing it in place. Trim the top of the pastry so that it stands a little above the tin. Chill for 15 minutes.

3 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Pour the syrup into a saucepan, add the ginger, lemon zest and half the juice and gently heat. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the breadcrumbs. Leave to cool.

4 Pour the syrup into the tart case. Toss the apple in the remaining lemon juice. Arrange the slices, overlapping, in rings over the top of the tart. Then melt the remaining butter and brush it over the apples. Bake for about 35 minutes until the apples are golden.

5 Sift the icing sugar over the top and return the tart to the oven for a further 5 minutes or until the sugar has caramelised. Leave to cool for 30 minutes, then remove the tart from the tin and cut into wedges. Serve with ice cream or custard, if you like.

Cook’s tips
Place any stale bread you have in a food procssor and whizz into breadcrumbs.
Separate into portions and freeze in polythene bags so that you have a ready-made supply.

 

Fantastic Food For Less cookbook

Recipe taken from Fabulous Food For Less cookbook

 

When you get the book, I would love to know which your favourite recipe is.

 

Read the blogs on our website

Win a copy of Fantastic Food For Less

Save hundred of pounds on your food bills

#recipeoftheday #moneysavingcookbook #foodforless

Competition | Win a fantastic new cookbook and save hundreds of pounds on your food bills

Money saving cookbook shows you how to stop wasting food

.

Save hundreds of pounds on your food bills

Win a fantastic new cookbook

Honestly it’s true!

Did you know that we, as a nation, throw away around 7 million tonnes of food every year?

In financial terms that means the
average UK family wastes nearly £60
per month by throwing away food*.

However, by making a few simple changes to our habits, it is still possible to cook amazing, nutritious food more economically and less wastefully.

Fantastic Food For LessThis week we officially launch Fantastic Food for Less, a brilliant book packed with delicious recipes that use good quality, reasonably priced ingredients and have minimal leftovers. From tasty soups and snacks, to quick and easy main meals, and heavenly desserts, there is something to suit every taste and occasion.

There are two types of recipes: Quick & Easy, which can be on the table in 30 minutes or less, and Take it Easy, which allows you to do something else while they cook slowly.

And as with previous editions of the Dairy Cookbook series, Fantastic Food for Less features triple-tested recipes, simple to follow instructions, easy to source ingredients and full nutritional information.

Using good quality, affordable ingredients we’ll show you how to make fantastic food and reduce waste with careful shopping, clever storage and fabulous recipes. Leftovers are kept to a minimum with tips on how to use them up or store them. Everything is simple to cook, tastes delicious and won’t cost the earth.”

For 20 lucky people, we have a FREE Fantastic Food for Less

Enter here for a chance to win.

Good luck.

Enter to win Fantastic Food For Less

 

 
Here’s a taster of what is in the book. Mmmmmm.

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Treacle Tart with Glazed Apple recipe

Treacle Tart with Glazed Apples 

Serves 6
75 mins plus cooling
555 Kcals/portion
Fat 16g (7.2g sat) per portion
Suitable for freezing
Suitable for vegetarians

Click here for the recipe.

 

When you get the book, I would love to know which your favourite recipe is.

 

Read the blogs on our website

Win a copy of Fantastic Food For Less

Save hundred of pounds on your food bills

#moneysavingcookbook #foodforless

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