Happy St David’s Day! Today is a good day to get some Welsh cooking done – Welsh cakes are a must of course, but cawl should be on the menu too. This is my recipe so I can’t vouch for its authenticity – I’ve tried to make a lighter version that doesn’t need slow cooking. […]

We shouldn’t really be doing slow-cooked anything – it’s August for heaven’s sake. But as it’s been the suckiest ‘summer’ since records began I’m still making nice big warming pies. This was a great alterative to a Sunday roast – it’s very simple to cook, but does need to sit in the oven for a […]

This is a rediscovered family favourite. Not sure why I’d forgotten about it, or why it came up in conversation with my mum recently, but  once remembered it’s reestablished itself on our midweek menu very quickly indeed. Probably because it’s so simple to make and tastes amazing – I’m sure there’s a degree of nostalgia […]

In a short series of pie posts (two, to be honest), I thought I’d share my very easy approach to Shepherds/Cottage pie. And a real quick cheat’s version. Again, start with a pan of spuds. Gently fry a finely diced onion and carrot for about five minutes, then add mince (lamb or beef depending on […]

I don’t really know what to call this. Shepherd’s pie – made with lamb. Cottage pie – a dish of leftovers eaten by rural people, who lived in cottages. So what do I call my version of this classic British dish that I make with diced pork? I’m going for Pigsty Pie – there’s a […]

I know a lot of people think it’s minging, but I’m a big fan of corned beef. In a sandwich with brown sauce on crusty white bread – heavenly. So I also love a bit of corned beef hash. Which made me think about what else could be hashed. There’s usually a pack of smoked mackerel […]

Time to share my favourite ever recipe. I’ve made this for family, a dozen friends at a time or just for tea midweek and it was the first meal I ever cooked for my better half. It takes a little while in the cooking, but it’s so easy to prepare and the end result – […]

[tweetmeme source=”easyteas” only_single=false http://www.URL.com%5D For me fish pie is comfort food and a midweek treat all rolled into one. Creamy sauce, smoked fish and the crispy bits on the top of the mash…love it. There’s lots of quick fish pie recipes out there, but you’ve got to wait for a pan of spuds to boil […]

This is a favourite weeknight standby of ours. It’s an easy process to put them together and uses easy-to-keep ingredients. I use the vac-packed smoked mackerel fillets which are cheap as chips and give a lovely smoky flavour to the fishcakes. The only other ingredients are mash, spring onions and some breadcrumbs. The method is […]

Seems a bit silly doing a post about mash, but it’s one of my favourite things in the world. So, chop the spuds up – smaller than for boiled so they cook quicker and are easier to mash. Boil in salted water until a knife goes into the middle easily. Drain well.