Tapas ideas/recipes

I have already posted individual recipes for Patatas Bravas with chorizo and sweet potato fries but just wanted to share some other 'tapas' ideas and quick recipes to make at home for the perfect Saturday night in!

1. Cheesy garlic pizza bread with brie & red onion

Shop-bought cheesy garlic pizza bread then simply slice a red onion, and whack on some brie and freshly chopped parsley! Heaven.

 2. Smoked cheese & tomatoes

 Visit your local fresh cheese counter and see what you can find - I bought some smoked cheddar with a paprika crust (to die for), and just bought some simple cherry tomatoes.

3. Lamb & mint meatballs with tzatziki

 You can't make everything... so you can pick these delicious meatballs up from Sainsbury's - they have amazing flavour and taste so good dunked in tzatziki (which was also not home-made...)

4. Chicken & mushroom wholegrain mustard wraps

Fry some chicken chunks in olive oil until cooked, then add in some fresh garlic and mushrooms. Once cooked, stir in a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and some soft cheese (e.g. Philadelphia). Serve in a bowl then spoon into wholegrain wraps with some fresh spinach leaves. Delicious!

5. Don't forget the dips!

Of course you can make your dips from scratch but if you don't want to be slaving in the kitchen all night long then opt for some ready made salsa, tzatziki and garlic mayonnaise - perfect dips for all of the above dishes.

Enjoy :)

Chicken, chorizo & potato bake

This is a new mid-week favourite of mine - super delicious, quick and easy but different to anything else I usually have. Definitely one for you all to try as it has tons of strong flavours and the crisp texture from the roasted potatoes compliments the soft chicken and chewy chorizo perfectly. The best part is, everything cooks together in one roasting tin!

Serves 2 

- 250g new potatoes
- olive oil
- 4 chicken thigh fillets (skinless & boneless)
- 1 tsp paprika 
- sprinkle of ground cinnamon
- sprinkle of dried thyme or mixed herbs
- dried chorizo sausage, sliced
- 75g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 garlic clove, crushed

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. Halve or quarter the new potatoes and toss with plenty of olive oil in a baking tin/tray and season. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cut the chicken thigh fillets in half and place them in a bowl. Add the paprika, cinnamon and herbs and stir until the chicken is coated.
4. Take the potatoes out of the oven and place the chicken in the tray around them. Scatter the chorizo,  tomatoes and fresh garlic around the chicken and potatoes as well and place in the oven after seasoning and sprinkling with some more herbs.

5. Cook in the oven for a further 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes crisp.

Enjoy :)

Pasticcio

Sorry for this unappetising picture - camera quality isn't great and I always find pasta bakes impossible to present nicely - especially when I'm starving and want to eat it quickly! My dad has made this in the past and I loved it - it's a Greek dish since it has cinnamon and greek yogurt in it which gives it that warming but fresh flavour. It's really comforting as it's pasta and mince, and the tomatoes and yogurt/egg topping almost make an omelette like texture on top. I can't really describe this dish in a way that does it justice, it's a very different pasta dish but in a oh-my-god-why-haven't-I-tried-this-before way! It's a lot more simple than other pasta bakes like lasagne as there is no slaving over the pan trying to make the perfect bechamel sauce. Although this takes a long time simmering and baking in the oven, it is easier than most other dishes and is worth it - you won't be disappointed.

Serves 4

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, crushed

- 450g lamb mince

- 2 tbsp tomato purée

- 2 tbsp plain flour

- 300ml chicken stock

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- 200g dried macaroni

- 2 beef tomatoes, sliced

- 300ml Greek yogurt

- 2 eggs, beaten

- handful of cheddar, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degrees. Heat the oil in a large pan and soften the onion and garlic. Add the lamb mince, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until browned all over.

2. Stir in the tomato purée and the flour, cooking for 1 minute, then add the chicken stock and the cinnamon. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cover for around 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, cook the macaroni according to packet instructions in salted water. When cooked, drain, and add the pasta to the mince mixture.

4. Spoon into a large ovenproof dish.

5. Arrange the tomato slices on top

6. Mix the yogurt with the eggs then spoon over the top evenly, and sprinkle with cheese.

7. Bake in the pre-heated oven for around 45 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Moroccan Lamb

I made this meal a few weeks ago in an attempt to make two lamb steaks a bit more interesting. I looked up various Moroccan lamb recipes and most of them were slow cooked and different cuts of meat so I had to make quite a few adjustments. I nearly always use smell to decide what I should put with what, and this is especially important when adding spices in this dish, but I had a blocked nose at the time so cooking this was a bit of a nightmare. It also meant I couldn't really taste it  very well when eating it - all I know is that it was very hot in my mouth (spicy hot), but I am a massive wimp when it comes to spice so if you enjoy spicy food this will probably seem very mild. My mum said it had a lovely flavour so I'm trusting her and sharing this with you guys! The honey and apricots will add a sweetness to counteract the spice, which will go perfectly with the warm cinnamon and tomato flavours.

Serves 2
- 2 lamb steaks
- olive oil
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tbsp paprika
- 1/2 tbsp ground ginger
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 300ml lamb/beef stock
- handful of dried apricots, quartered
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- handful of pine nuts
- handful of parsley, chopped

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3 / 160 degrees. Rub oil on the lamb steaks.

2. In a dish, combine all the spices, and rub the lamb steaks in the mixture until coated. Keep in the fridge for half an hour.

3. Fry the onion and garlic in a large pan until soft. Add the lamb steaks, browning each side. Then, add the tinned tomatoes and stock, and bring to the boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the liquid has started to reduce.

4. Next, add the apricots, pine nuts, honey and parsley and stir.

5. Return the mixture into the dish and cover with foil. Cook in the oven for about an hour, or until the meat is tender and the sauce reduced. Serve with rice and vegetables!

Enjoy :)

Stuffed red peppers

I made these with the stuffed mushrooms - I love meals like this, I just think it's a really good way to eat the vegetable as opposed to just having them chopped up in something - it's much more interesting and you actually get the flavour of the pepper. I made a simple tomato and basil risotto to go inside and then just topped it off with lots of cheddar cheese!

Serves 2
- 1 large red pepper, cut in half
- olive oil
- 1/2 vegetable stock cube with 300ml water
- 125g rice
- cherry tomatoes, quartered
- basil leaves, torn
- cheddar cheese, grated

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180 degrees, and remove the seeds from the pepper.
2. Brush the pepper halves with olive oil and place on a baking tray.
3. Meanwhile, to make the risotto, prepare the stock and pour into a pan, bringing to the boil. Add the rice and cook over a moderate heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft to taste. (You can always add more water)
4. Add the tomatoes and basil to the rice, and stir, heating for a few minutes.
5. Stuff the pepper halves with the risotto and grate lots of cheddar cheese on top.
6. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the pepper is softened and the cheese is melted.

Enjoy :)

Beef cannelloni

Although this dish never looks particularly appetising (hard to dish up neatly!) it is absolutely delicious. Fairly similar to lasagne but much more fun to make and more delicious in my opinion. Cannelloni is pasta tubes (or lasagne sheets rolled up) stuffed with a filling - in this recipe it is mince and onion, but spinach and ricotta is also very popular, and vegetarian. I then used a passata to cover the tubes in a dish, and made a bechamel sauce to finish, with lots of cheddar cheese of course. This is a real comfort food treat, and I guarantee you will love it! I served this on a bed of spinach leaves with sun-dried tomato flat bread. Mm mm.

Serves 3-4

- drizzle of olive oil

- 500g beef mince
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 small red onions, chopped
- pinch of mixed dried italian herbs
- large jar of passata
- salt and pepper
- handful of fresh basil, torn
- handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 1 egg, beaten (for binding)
- cannelloni tubes (about 12)
(For bechamel sauce)
- 25g butter
- 25g plain flour
- 300ml milk
- lots of cheddar cheese, grated
- spinach and cherry tomatoes, to serve

1. Heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the mince, with the garlic, onion and dried herbs. Once cooked, set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix the passata with the salt and pepper, fresh basil, and cherry tomatoes. Set aside.

3. Grease a large baking dish with oil and pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees.
4. Once the mince mixture is cool enough to handle, mix with the beaten head and stuff the pasta tubes. Warning - this can be tricky and messy - the key is to stuff them quite full so the mixture is stuck together. Place the cannelloni tubes in the dish

5. Pour over the passata until the pasta is covered.

6. Next, make the bechamel sauce. Heat the butter in a pan, and once frothing, stir in the flour. Stir for about a minute, then very gradually add in the milk, stirring constantly. This can take around 20 minutes to thicken over a low heat but it is worth being patient because a white sauce can go wrong so easily.

7. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, pour over the top of the passata covered pasta tubes, and top with lots of grated cheddar.

8. Cover with foil and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and cook for a further 20 minutes or until golden brown and the pasta is soft.

9. Serve on a bed of fresh spinach leaves, with cherry tomatoes.

Enjoy :)

Summer salad

Yay, summer has finally hit England! It probably won't last for long but the heat and the sun lured me into making a refreshing salad for lunch yesterday. Thinking back I wish I had put fruit in it after my post about the salads in Ibiza, but oh well it was still delicious and very filling while still being healthy/nutritious. You don't have to put egg in it if you don't like egg, or any of the ingredients for that matter, swap something you don't like for something you do like - salads are amazing like that! I haven't put quantities for everything because you can put as much or as little as you like :)

- lettuce, torn (I used little gem)
- cucumber, cut into chunks
- tomatoes, quartered
- 1/4 of an avocado, cut into chunks
- new potatoes (already cooked), quartered
- 1 egg, hard boiled, quartered
- salad cream

Simply put everything together in a bowl! You can make your own dressing or try different ones with this salad but you can't beat a bit of Heinz salad cream - it goes with every ingredient! Hope I have inspired you to make some interesting salads this summer


Enjoy :)

Crispy chicken thighs with red pesto spaghetti

Sun-dried tomato pesto, cream, mushrooms, onions, fresh basil, cherry tomatoes, parmesan - coating spaghetti on a bed of spinach leaves, with parmesan crusted chicken. Mmmmm. Chicken thighs can be quite difficult to eat since these ones had the bones still in, but I actually prefer having a chunk of meat with pasta, rather than it being chopped up inside (unless it's a pasta bake). I used chicken thighs because they still have the skin on and I love the crispy texture with the moist chicken. This is one of my perfect meals since I'm obsessed with pesto and pasta!

Serves 2
- 4 chicken thighs
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
- dried italian herbs
- parmesan, grated
- 180g spaghetti
- 1 red onion, chopped
- handful of mushrooms, sliced
- handful of cherry tomatoes, quartered and some left whole
- 1/2 jar of red pesto (sun-dried tomato)
- dash of cream
- fresh basil, torn
- handful of spinach leaves


1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 7. Cut slits in the layer of fat on the chicken thighs - this will help it crisp up.

2. Brush with olive oil, season, sprinkle with herbs and grated parmesan.

3. Bake in the oven for 35 - 45 minutes - cover with foil for the first half of the cooking time!

4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions, and in a separate pan, fry the onions in some olive oil.

5. When softened, add the mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, and continue to fry.

6. Place some tomatoes in with the chicken for the remaining 5 minutes of the cooking time.

7. Once the pasta is cooked, drain and return to the pan. Stir in the onions and mushrooms, and add the pesto and cream, stirring and tossing until coated. Add some fresh basil.

8. Place the spinach leaves in two bowls/plates and serve the spaghetti on top. Top with the chicken thighs and tomatoes. Garnish with some fresh basil and parmesan.

Enjoy :)

Mozzarella, chicken, tomato and basil pizza

I love making pizza, it tastes so much better (in a healthier sort of way!) I have posted the recipe I use before  here but wanted to do two new posts on the specific toppings I used because they both worked so well. Sorry for the bad quality of the photos, the lighting is impossible with my camera sometimes, so this is the best I could do - plus I just wanted to eat it asap so was rushing a bit... This recipe is easy to follow and is so worth it for a delicious treat!

*the ingredients list for the bases and tomato sauce are for 2 large pizzas - the toppings are just for one of these pizzas, since I'm doing another post with the other toppings I used*

Makes 2 large pizza bases:
- 400g plain white strong flour
- 1 tbsp / 15g dried yeast 
- 50ml boiling water, 100ml cold water
- 1 tsp sugar- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing over base
- 1/2 tsp salt
- tepid water, to add to the dough
- extra flour for dusting surface

For the tomato sauce:
- 1 large jar of passata (crushed tomatoes)
- 2 cloves garlic
- pinch of salt
- handful of fresh basil, roughly torn
- 1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs
- 1 tbsp green pesto


For the topping:
- drizzle of olive oil
- 2 small chicken breasts, cut into chunks
- 1 tsp dried mixed Italian herbs
- 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella, sliced
- few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, halved
- fresh basil, torn
- handful of parmesan, grated

1. To make the pizza bases, sift the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the middle

2. In a jug, mix the yeast with the boiling water, cold water and sugar. Stir constantly until dissolved and leave in a warm place until it becomes foamy - around 20 minutes

3. Pour the yeast mixture into the hollow in the flour, along with the salt and the oil, and knead everything together for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic. You can do this on a floured work surface

4. Return to the bowl and cover with cling film, leaving a small gap. Put in a warm place and leave to rise for about an hour and a half, or until doubled in size.

5. Once risen, knead briefly and gently, then split into two pieces and roll out on a floured surface. Place on a baking sheet on a baking tray - it is ready to put toppings on!

6. For the tomato sauce, in a bowl mix all the ingredients together and season to taste. Spread generously on the pizza bases (should cover 2 or 3 so you might have some leftover)

7. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6 / 200 degrees. Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken with the dried herbs. Set aside to cool.

8. Place slices of mozzarella on top of the base, followed by the chicken, tomatoes and basil. Sprinkle generously with parmesan and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes.

Enjoy :)

Pasta and meatballs

A twist on the normal spaghetti bolognese! Although this takes a little longer than just browning mince, the dish is automatically transformed into something more special and exciting, so it is definitely worth it. I made half the meatballs with lamb mince and half the meatballs with beef mince (just what we had in the freezer) which made it even more interesting because there were two different flavours of meat - it was fun guessing which was which (clearly spend too much time with food...) It can be quite tricky cooking meatballs from scratch because they tend to crumble and fall apart when turning them in the frying pan. I found that the lamb meatballs didn't fall apart at all, and cooked perfectly, whereas the beef meatballs crumbled a bit (something to do with the type of meat? not sure what exactly though.) I love this meal, since I love cooking with fresh garlic and fresh herbs - the flavours in the meatballs and sauce were delicious. This meal will never fail to impress - people always think meatballs are more difficult to make than they really are (shh)!

Serves 2 (makes 12 meatballs)

- 250g mince (beef or lamb, or both)

- 3 garlic cloves, crushed

- 2 small red onions, chopped

- few handfuls of fresh parsley, chopped

- salt and pepper

- olive oil or egg yolk, for binding

- olive oil, for frying

- 1 red pepper, chopped

- tin of chopped tomatoes, or passata

- fresh basil, torn

- fresh parmesan, grated

- 200g pasta

(Above is the passata we used. It's a huge jar so I used just over half - it's basically the same as tinned tomatoes but just crushed rather than larger pieces of tomato. I think this brand was from Costco)

1. In a bowl, combine the mince, 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 chopped onion, chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and oil or egg. Shape into medium sized balls - it should make around 12.

2. Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan (I used 2 smaller frying pans) and fry the meatballs over a low-medium heat, turning occasionally to ensure they are cooked in the middle. They should be browned.

3. Set aside. Cook the pasta according to packet instructions (around 10 mins) in salted water. Meanwhile, fry the remaining onion and garlic in some olive oil. Once softened, add the peppers, cook for a few minutes, then add the passata or chopped tomatoes. Season to taste with fresh basil, salt and pepper, and some parmesan.

4. Return the meatballs to the sauce and heat through for a few minutes. Drain the pasta and serve topped with the meatballs and sauce. Garnish with some more basil leaves and some freshly grated parmesan!

Enjoy :)

Italian stuffed chicken breast with potato wedges

There isn't really much else to say that this photo doesn't already show - delicious Italian flavours, moist chicken breast, and soft flavoursome wedges with crisp skins. Mmmmm. Home-made potato wedges are far nicer than you could ever find in the freezer section at the supermarket, try for yourself! I served this with broccoli as well.

Serves 2

- 2 large chicken breasts

- buffalo mozzarella, sliced (about 3/4 of a ball)
- cherry tomatoes, sliced

- fresh basil, torn

- 1 onion, quartered

- olive oil

- 2 baking potatoes

- paprika

- salt

- dried mixed herbs

1. For the wedges, slice the potatoes into wedge shapes (half them, then half that, then half it again etc). In a deep sided baking tray, drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, then rub the wedges in the oil and lace in the tray. Sprinkle generously with the salt, paprika and mixed herbs. Bake in the oven for around 45 minutes - an hour at 180 degrees.

2. For the stuffed chicken, slice the breasts lengthways without cutting them completely in half. Place the mozzarella, tomatoes and basil in each one and gently close. (At this stage you could use cocktail sticks or wrap with bacon/proscuitto to secure the filling in place.) Place on a baking tray with the onion, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle mixed herbs on top of the chicken. Cook in the oven at 180 degrees for 20 minutes, covered with foil, and an extra 5 minutes uncovered.

Enjoy :)

Bacon and parsley beef burgers

I love making beef burgers from scratch, mainly because I get to smoosh raw beef mince around in a bowl with my hands (haha), but also because it just tastes so much better! You can put any herbs you want in and can even stuff them with cheese (I want to stuff the patties with gorgonzola or brie next time mm). When I've made these in the past I've always added breadcrumbs for extra texture, and used a beaten egg to bind the ingredients but this time I didn't add the breadcrumbs and I just used a dash of olive oil instead of egg and it worked fine and hey, I saved an egg... I love the flavour that the smoked bacon gives and parsley compliments it really well (and its my favourite herb).

I apologise for not having any good pictures of the beef burgers when they're cooked - the electric lighting does not agree with my camera and it is almost impossible to take still, clear photos. So they looked far better than in the picture below! We served the beef burgers on ciabatta, with cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and ketchup. Delicious Friday night treat!

Makes 2 large beef burgers, or 4 small/medium
- 300-400g beef mince
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules
- 3 rashers smoked bacon, fried and chopped
- lots of fresh parsley, finely chopped
- salt & pepper
- dash of olive oil for binding (plus extra for frying)
- whatever bread/bap you want and fillings like cheese, salad and sauces!

1. Mix together the mince, onion, garlic, bacon, parsley and seasoning in a large bowl until evenly combined.
2. Break into 2 or 4, drizzle with olive oil, and shape into patties.
3. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan and add the beef patties, cooking for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through (cut one open and check!). Cook for less if you like them rare and longer if you prefer them well done.
4. Serve in ciabatta/bap/bread with the fillings and sauces of your choice.

Enjoy :)