Baked Potato Dinosaurs

BAKED POTATO DINOSAURS

Serves 4
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

4 small to medium baking potatoes
olive oil for brushing
250g cauliflower cut into florets
10g butter
1 tbsp plain flour
125g milk
75g grated Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper

Decoration

1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 stoned black olive

Method

1 Prick the potatoes in several places, place in a circle on kitchen paper on a microwave tray and cook on high in the microwave for approx. 15 minutes or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, blanch the cauliflower in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for about 5 minutes.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook, stirring for one minute. Whisk in the milk a little at a time, bring to the boil and cook stirring until the sauce is thickened and smooth. Stir in half the cheese until melted and season with salt and pepper.

4. Drain the cauliflower, chop into pieces and mix with the cheese sauce.

5. Cut one-third off the top of the potatoes using a sharp knife. Scoop out most of the potato flesh leaving a shell about ½ cm thick all around.

6. Mix the potato flesh together with the cauliflower cheese. Cut the tops of the potatoes in half to make two wedges — one for the dinosaur’s neck and head and one for the tail.

7. Pre-heat the grill. Pile the cauliflower cheese mixture back into the potato shells and put these onto the baking sheet together with the wedges for the dinosaurs tail. Sprinkle the stuffed potatoes and the tail wedges with the remaining cheese and cook under the grill for a few minutes until golden.

8. Arrange the potatoes on serving plates. Push the dinosaur’s neck into the potatoes and attach the grilled wedges for the tails.

9. Use the peppers and olives as desired to make the potatoes look like dinosaurs

Beefburger Boy and girl

Serves 1
Preparation Time: 2 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

4 frozen beefburgers
150g Smash (instant mashed potato)
½ pint boiling water
¼ pint hot milk
1 knob of butter
1 carrot, sliced and cooked until tender
2 tbsp cooked frozen peas
4 slices courgette
4 slices spring onion
1 slice of red pepper

Method

1. Make up the instant mashed potato using boiling water, hot milk and butter according to the packet instructions.

2. Cook the beefburgers in the oven or under a grill.

3. Arrange the beefburgers on a plate and pipe mashed potato hair around them using a piping bag with a star nozzle.

4. Decorate with peas for eyes arranged on sliced courgette for the boys and sliced spring onion for the girls, carrots for ears, bows and buttons and red pepper for lips

Boats, Cars, Trains

INGREDIENTS PER PERSON

1 medium Potato, well scrubbed

25 g Cheese, grated (1 oz)

15 ml Tomato relish or ketchup (½ fl oz)

25 g Mozzarella cheese (optional) (1 oz)

Preparation time: 20 mins

Oven temp: 200°C (400°F) Gas mark 6

Cooking time: 1-1¼ hours

Garnish: Cherry tomatoes, black olives, red pepper, 1 thin slice of ham, 1 stick Peperami plus cocktail sticks for fixing

METHOD

1. Bake the potato for 1-1¼ hours or until tender.

2. For the car: slice the top third off the potato lengthways then using a teaspoon carefully scoop the potato flesh from both parts into a small bowl.

3. Mix in the grated cheese, season then spoon half back into the larger potato shell. Add the relish then spoon over the remaining potato mix.

4. Mould into either the shape of a boat, car or train and top with mozzarella.

5. Use the ham fixed with a cocktail stick for a sail on the boat. Use a piece of Peperami for the funnel of the train with wheels made from tomatoes and/or olives.

6. For the car use pieces of red pepper for the doors and wheels as for the train.

Clown Frittata

INGREDIENTS FOR THE FRITTATA

SERVES 4

350 g Potatoes, peeled, sliced and cooked (12 oz)

6 medium Eggs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients FOR THE FACE

50 g Red cheese, grated, eg Red Leicester (2 oz)

1 Mushroom

½ Red pepper

½ Green pepper

1 small Tomato

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Oven Temp: 180°C 350°F Gas mark 4

METHOD

1. Lightly oil a shallow, oven proof dish.

2. Arrange the cooked slices of potato in the dish.

3. Beat the eggs together with some salt and pepper then pour over the potato.

4. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes until the egg is just starting to set.

5. Using the cheese, mushroom, peppers and tomato make a clowns face.

6. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C, 400°F, Gas mark 6 and cook for another 10 minutes.

7. Serve immediately.

Fish and Chips in a Comic

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 2 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

200g plaice or sole fillets, skinned

25g flour

Salt and pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

100g crushed cornflakes

vegetable oil for frying

300g oven Crinkle Chips

Home-Made Tomato Ketchup

400g passata

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp golden caster sugar

Tartare Sauce

150 ml mayonnaise

lemon juice to taste

1 tbsp snipped chives

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp chopped gherkins

1 tbsp chopped capers (optional)

Method

1. To make the tomato ketchup, put all the ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes until the mixture is reduced by about half. Allow cooling and then serve.

2. To make the tartare sauce mix all the ingredients together.

3. Cook the oven chips according to the packet instructions

4. Cut the fish into strips, coat in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, dip in the beaten egg and then roll in the crushed cornflakes.

5. Deep fry for 3 to 4 minutes in batches.

Mini Fish Pies Faces

Serves 4-6

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

2 × 450g packets ready made, chilled creamy mashed potato

25g butter

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

3 ripe tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and roughly chopped

2 tbsp flour

250g cod fillet, skinned and cut into cubes (approx 3cm)

250g salmon fillet, skinned and cut into cubes (approx 3cm)

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 bay leaf

200 ml milk

salt and pepper

75g Cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg lightly beaten

Carrot for hair (use zester to make long thin strips)

Salad cress for hair

Red pepper for lips

Baby sweetcorn for nose

Spring onion, mini cucumber and peas for eyes

Blanched French beans for moustache

Blanched cauliflower for ears

Cherry tomatoes for cheeks

Basil for bow-tie

Method

1. Melt butter in a saucepan, add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the chopped tomato and cook for 2 minutes.

2. Add the flour and stir for about 30 seconds.

3. Add the fish to the onion and tomato together with the parsley and bay leaf. Pour over the milk and season to taste. Simmer for about 4 minutes until the fish is cooked through. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the cheese until melted.

4. Divide the fish between the ramekin dishes (makes 4 to 6 portions according to size of dish) and top with the mashed potato.

5. Brush beaten egg over the surface of the mashed potato.

6. Cook in an oven pre-heated to 180C for 15 minutes and finish off for a few minutes under a pre-heated grill until golden.

7. Decorate the pies with faces — children will enjoy designing their own if you give them a selection of vegetables.

Monster Mash

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes

Cost: £1.15 per portion

Ingredients:

750g peeled potatoes

175ml (¼ pint) milk

8 sausages

1 Can of baked beans

4 cherry tomatoes, halved

½ cucumber

Directions:

1. Cut the peeled potatoes into even sized chunks and place into a pan, cover with boiling water, add a little salt, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and push the potatoes to one side. Add 175ml (¼ pint) milk and heat gently until the milk is almost boiling. Remove from the heat, season and mash until smooth.

2. While the potatoes are cooking grill 8 sausages and heat a can of baked beans.

3. Pile the mash onto either one large plate or 4 individual plates and surround with the heated baked beans. Halve the grilled sausages and push into the top of the mash for ’hair’. Place 2 halves of cherry tomatoes as ‘eyes’ and arrange pieces of cucumber or pepper as ‘teeth’. Finally add a carrot for the ‘nose’!

4. Serve immediately to mini monsters! (or children)

Potato Crusted Pizza

Meal Occasion — Kids treat

Serves 4

Prep time 15 minutes

Cooking time 35 minutes

Ingredients

400g (14oz) large British maincrop potatoes, peeled

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp mixed dried herbs

150 ml (5fl oz) milk

Topping:

150g (5oz) broccoli florets

2 tbsp tomato puree

2 tomatoes, sliced

75g (3oz) wafer thin ham

50g (2oz) smoked flavour cheese, grated

Method

1. Cut the potatoes into even size pieces and boil for 15 minutes in lightly salted water until tender. Drain well and allow to cool, then mash.

2. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli florets in a small pan of water for 3 minutes, drain and set aside

3. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl, add the potato and herbs and stir to combine. Add the milk and mix to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly to form into a smooth ball

4. Place on a greased baking sheet. Press out evenly to a 23cm/9" round. Put into the oven 225c/425f/Gas 7 to bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pizza base and lower the temperature of the oven to 200c/400f/Gas 6.

5. Spread the tomato puree over the surface; arrange the tomatoes on top then scatter over the broccoli and ham. Finally add the cheese then bake in the oven for a further 8-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and the edge of the base is crisp.

Potato Gratin

INGREDIENTS SERVES 4

675 g Potatoes, well scrubbed (1½ lb)

2 Tomatoes

125 g Cheddar cheese, grated (4 oz)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

150 ml Single Cream ¼ pt

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Oven Temp: 180°C 350°F Gas mark 4

Cooking Time: 1¼ — 1½ hours

METHOD

1. Lightly grease an oven proof dish.

2. Very thinly slice the potatoes then cover the base of the dish with a layer of slices.

3. Make alternate layers of potato, tomato and cheese seasoning with salt and pepper. Reserve approximately 25 g (1 oz) of cheese for the top. Finish with a layer of potatoes.

4. Pour over the cream and top with the reserved cheese.

5. Cook for 1¼ — 1½ hours or until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown — if the top is brown before the potatoes are cooked cover with foil and continuing cooking.

Potato Sailboats

Serves 8

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

16 potato wedges

4 cherry tomatoes

40g gruyere or emmenthal cheese cut into slices

Method

1. Cook the potato wedges in the oven according to the packet instructions.

2. Arrange the wedges on skewers with slices of cheese in between.

3. Return to the oven for a couple of minutes to melt the cheese.

4. Remove from the oven and decorate the top with a halved cherry tomato.

Potato Volcanoes with Meatball Sauce

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

MEATBALLS

450 g Minced lean beef (1 lb)

1 Egg, beaten

1 × 15 ml sp Worcestershire sauce (1 tblspn)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 × 15 ml sp Vegetable oil (1 tspn)

SAUCE

1 × 400 g can Chopped tomatoes (1 × 14 oz can)

1 × 5 ml sp Chilli powder or mixed herbs (1 tsp)

4 Button mushrooms, sliced

1 Green pepper, deseeded and chopped

VOLCANIC MASH

900 g Potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (2 lb)

150 ml Milk, hot ¼ pt

Plus you will need at least 4 sheets of absorbent kitchen towel

Preparation Time: 30 mins

Cooking Time: 30 mins

METHOD

1. In a large mixing bowl mix together the minced beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce and seasoning. Using the palm of your hands roll the mixture into small balls.

2. Heat the oil in a frying pan for 1 minute then fry the meat balls for 5 minutes until brown all over. (You will need to keep turning them). Remove the balls and drain on kitchen paper and also draining any remaining oil from the frying pan.

3. Add the tomatoes, chilli powder (or mixed herbs), mushrooms and green pepper to the frying pan with seasoning and meat balls.

4. Meanwhile cook the potatoes in a pan of lightly salted boiling water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender.

5. Drain the potatoes and return to the pan with the hot milk. Mash until smooth with plenty of salt and pepper.

6. Arrange the potato as a volcano and serve with the sauce.

Ranch Style Potato Kebabs

Simple Kids Meal

Serves 4

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

201kcals / 12g fat per serving

350g new potatoes, scrubbed and cut into large bite-sized pieces

1 tbsp oil

2 giant frankfurters, each cut into 8

8 button mushrooms

3 tbsp BBQ sauce

8 cherry tomatoes

3 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise

To serve — 8 satay / kebab sticks, pre-soaked

1) Place the new potatoes in a pan of lightly salted boiling water. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and allow to cool slightly.

2) Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and fry the frankfurters and mushrooms for 2-3 minutes.

3) Mix together the potatoes, frankfurters and mushrooms and stir in 2 tbsp BBQ sauce. Onto each kebab thread 2 or 3 pieces of potato, 1 tomato, 1 mushroom and 2 slices of frankfurters. Place under a preheated grill or barbecue for 1-2 minutes to finish off, brushing with any remaining BBQ sauce.

4) For the dip, mix remaining 1 tbsp BBQ sauce with the mayonnaise and serve with the kebabs.

Shepherd’s Pie

Serves 4-6

Preparation Time: 2 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Ingredients

2 × 450g packets ready made chilled creamy mashed potato

1 small onion, diced

½ tbsp vegetable oil

10 oz frozen peas

200ml (7 fl oz) chicken stock (use 1 chicken stock cube)

600g carrots

a generous knob of butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb minced lamb or beef

1 × 400g (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes, drained

½ tsp mixed herbs

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 bay leaf

1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method

1. Cook the carrots until quite soft (about 20 minute), then mash with the butter until smooth and season to taste.

2. To prepare the layer of peas, sauté the onion in the vegetable oil for about 5 minutes until softened, stir in the peas and pour over the stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 3 minutes.

3. Drain the stock from the peas and reserve.

4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and saut? the onion until softened. Add the meat and cook stirring occasionally until browned.

5. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add 5 fl oz of the reserved stock from the peas, the herbs, Worcestershire sauce tomato ketchup and bay leaf and season to taste.

6. Bring to the simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (add more stock if necessary). Remove the bay leaf.

7. Spoon the carrot puree into the base of a glass ovenproof dish (approximately 18cm/7" diameter and 7.5cm/3" deep), spoon the meat sauce on top followed by a layer of peas and finally cover with the mashed potato.

8. Brush the potato with the beaten egg white and cook in an oven pre-heated to 180C for 25 to 30 minutes.

Smiley Face People

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 2 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Ingredients

6 potato smiles

6 potato croquettes

8 chipolata sausages

a little vegetable oil for frying

Decoration

1 large Carrot

Gem lettuce

1 slice of cheese

2 cherry tomatoes

2 slices of courgette

slice of spring onion

2 tbsp cooked frozen peas

Method

1. Cook the potato smiles and croquettes according to the packet instructions and fry the chipolata sausages.

2. Arrange the potato smiles and croquettes in groups of three to make mummy, daddy and baby. Add halved chipolata sausages to form arms and legs.

3. Arrange thin strips of carrot for hair (use a zester to make the strips).

4. Make an apron for mum using gem lettuce and a strip of carrot, wrap a triangle of cheese around the croquette for the baby’s nappy, and give the baby a small circle of carrot and a thin slice of spring onion for a dummy.

5. Make a cap for dad using a cherry tomato and slice of courgette and give him a carrot bow-tie and peas for buttons.

Waffle Fish Pie

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes

Oven: 200 C, 400 F, gas mark 6

6-8 Frozen potato waffles

600ml (1pt) pkt White sauce mix

600ml (1pt) Milk

450g (1lb) White fish eg cod, skinned and cubed

50g (1¾oz) Frozen peas

1 × 198g can Sweetcorn, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

50g (1¾oz) Cheese, grated

Method:

1: Arrange half the potato waffles in the base of an oven proof dish.

2: Make up the white sauce according to the instructions on the pack then mix together the white sauce with the fish, peas and sweetcorn and season to taste. Spoon over the waffles in the dish.

3: Top with the remaining waffles and sprinkle with the cheese.

4: Cook for 25-30 minutes or until the waffles are golden brown and the filling is piping hot.