What you need to make the meatballs:

2 large mild Italian sausages (remove casings)
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 cup bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes
1/8 to 1/4 cup milk

What you need to make the soup:

4 cups chicken broth
1 tbs tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (do not use extra!)
1/2 cup mini pasta shells
a few handfuls of chopped spinach

What you do:

Lightly beat egg in a medium size bowl. Remove the casings from the sausage and add to the egg. Combine cheese, basil, black pepper and garlic salt. Mix together with a fork. Add bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes, alternating with milk, until firm consistency is achieved. Roll into small balls and bake at 350° for 20 to 30 mins.

In a large pot bring chicken broth, tomato paste, minced garlic and red pepper flakes to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and add meatballs and pasta shells. Cover and cook until pasta is tender. Add desired amount of chopped spinach to the pot, just prior to serving. Top with a little Parmesan cheese.

What you need:

2 c dried green lentils
2 1/2 c water
1 can diced tomatoes (16oz)
1/2 can tomato paste (7&1/2oz)
1 tbsp soy sauce
A dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp each of: marjoram,
   sage, thyme, basil &       
   oregano
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 diced/crushed garlic clove
1 stalk celery
1 carrot
1 yellow onion

Topping:
​2 tsps parsley (chopped or dried)
grated cheddar cheese

What you do:

Mash the diced tomatoes in their juice. Chop celery, carrot and onion finely.

Combine all ingredients into a large casserole, starting with the lentils and working your way down the list. Give the concoction a good stir.

Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375° for 1 hour. Peel back the foil and see if more water needs to be added and simply pour over.
*Tip: heat the water first in the kettle so you don't risk cracking your dish with cold water.

Re-cover and cook for an additional 1 hour.

What you do:

Peel and slice potatoes, carrots and parsnips. Slice celery and mushrooms. Chop onion finely. Cut beef chunks in half. 

Line the bottom of a medium sized casserole dish with one layer of sliced potatoes. Alternate with layers of beef, carrots, parsnips, celery, mushrooms and potatoes with small handfuls here and there of diced onion, kernel corn and peas. Finally top with a layer of potatoes.

Pour 1 cup of beef broth, mixed with the thyme and a dash of salt and pepper, over top the dish. 

Cover and bake at 300° for 2 1/2 hours, or to whenever meat is thoroughly cooked.

What you need:

9-12 dry lasagna noodles
ground beef or turkey
salt & pepper
1 beaten egg
1/2 tub ricotta cheese
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
200 ml strained or 1/2
  large tin diced tomatoes
dried minced onion
Italian Seasoning
bay leaf
sliced mushrooms (fresh or
  canned)
shredded and sliced
  mozzarella cheese

What you do:

Mix together beaten egg, ricotta & Parmesan cheese. Set aside in refrigerator. Grate a small mound of mozzarella cheese and cut about a dozen thick slices as well. Set aside.

Put on a stockpot of water to boil.


Brown desired amount of ground beef or turkey in frying pan. Sprinkle with salt & pepper to taste. Add strained or diced tomatoes, sprinkle very liberally with dried minced onion and Italian Seasoning. Add bay leaf and mushrooms. Stir until heated through.

Add lasagna noodles to boiling water until just soft and flexible (don't overcook). Drain on paper towel.

Building the lasagna:
Choose a deep, rectangular pan for your lasagna. Start with a thin spreading of meat sauce on the bottom of the pan. Cover with a layer of noodles (cut to fit if necessary, saving the trimmings to patch any holes). Then create the first and remaining layers as follows: meat sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, spinach leaves to cover and dot liberally and evenly with ricotta cheese mixture. Cover with another layer of noodles and continue until the top layer. Line the top layer of noodles with the thickly cut slices of mozzarella cheese (a few gaps are okay).

Bake uncovered for 1/2 hour to 40 minutes at 350°. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

You will need:
3 slices of cooked bacon
butter
1/2 c chopped yellow onion
1 1/2 c chicken or vegetable stock
1 c peeled & cubed potato
1 1/2 c milk
1 Tbsp flour
salt & pepper
3 cups kernel corn (frozen works nicely)

What you do:
Cook the bacon very crisp, drain, crumble and set aside. Heat a small pat of butter and cook finely chopped onion until softened but not browned. Add stock and potato. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, whisk flour and salt & pepper into milk and set aside. Stir in the corn and bacon. Then add the milk mixture. Cook and stir until bubbly and slightly thickened. Serve with crackers or buns and a sharp white cheddar.

What you need:
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/4 cup chopped green onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 to 1/2 cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup flour
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 to 1 cup cooked chicken; shredded, cubed or ground
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked pasta

What you do:

Add the carrot and green onion to melted butter and cook slightly in frying pan. Combine and whisk milk, chicken broth, flour, Worchestershire sauce and pepper in a separate bowl. Add to frying pan. Cook and stir over medium heat under thickened and bubbly. Stir in cooked chicken and 1/2 cheese. Pour over cooked and drained pasta in casserole dish. Cover with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered at 325° for approximately 1/2 hour.

Ingredients:
2 or 3 large tomatoes
5 oz (6 or 8 good handfuls) of  
  spinach leaves
1 tsp garlic salt
4 tbsps melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp thyme
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs or
  3 prepared, crumbled pappadums

Instructions:
Grease a shallow casserole dish. Slice tomatoes thickly and place in the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle with garlic salt.

Melt butter over very low heat. Beat the eggs and add cheese, thyme, green onions and 1/2 of the bread crumbs. (For a tasty, wheat-free alternative to bread crumbs, try substituting prepared and crumbled pappadums instead. Add 1/2 to the mixture.) Mix in the melted butter.

Give the spinach a quick cook on low to medium heat in a large saucepan with only a little water clinging to the leaves left over from rinsing.  As soon as leaves wilt, remove from heat. Add the wilted spinach to the egg mixture and spread over tomatoes. Top with remaining bread crumbs or crumbled pappadums.

Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 1.  Collect two handfuls of perfect petals from your most beautifully scented rose bush.  Rinse lightly with cool water, place in a covered dish and pour boiling water over; just covering petals. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes.

Step 2.  Strain water and petals through a metal tea strainer; to catch petal debris. Press down slightly with a clean spoon to extract rose water.  Pour collected rosewater into a container, using a clean funnel.

You will need:
1 small can salmon or tuna (108g)
2 tsps butter
2 tsps flour
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of cayenne
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp parsley
1 egg
Crushed crackers
Olive oil

Instructions:
After removing the skin and bones; mash the fish and mix it together with the softened butter, flour, salt, a dash of cayenne, the lemon juice and parsley.  Form into cakes and chill on a plate in the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour, but longer if you wish.

When ready to cook, cover the cakes with the well-beaten egg and then coat with crushed cracker crumbs.  Fry in olive oil until brown on both sides.  Do not press down on cakes while frying and flip gently.  Makes 2 salmon cakes.  Serve with a green salad and rice or crusty buns.

*Note: Tinned fish has become quite expensive.  Buy a couple of tins whenever (and only whenever!) it is on sale; to have on hand for this recipe when money is tight.

Making applesauce and freezing it is a great way to preserve your apples for enjoyment all Winter long as well as into the Spring. This ensures you and your family can continue to receive the goodness of "an apple a day", without resorting to buying apples at the store, when they are out of season and more expensive.

Here are some of the many uses for applesauce:

1. Makes a healthy addition to kids' school lunch boxes
2. Mix into plain or vanilla yogurt for extra flavour
3. Add to the top of oatmeal & sprinkle with cinnamon 
4. Use to make applesauce cake or muffins
5. Add as a yummy side to pork dishes or sausages
6. Warm and pour over vanilla ice cream ​

You will need
(for the salad):
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 cups spinach leaves
2 cups iceberg lettuce
8 cherry tomatoes
1/2 red pepper
1/2 cup Swiss cheese
1 cup deli meats (chicken, turkey or ham)

You will need
(for the dressing):
1/4 cup grape seed oil
1 tbsp vinegar
2 tsps sugar
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 glove garlic
1/2 tsp paprika
pinch salt
pinch of crushed red pepper
pinch of dry mustard

You will need:
2 1/2 cups small white beans
1/2 package of bacon
1 can crushed tomatoes (281  oz / 796 ml)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (or 3 tbsp
  dried minced onion)
3/4 cup ketchup
1 cup fancy molasses
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

... start around 10 am to have ready in
​time for the evening meal.  ​

Cranberry Apple Chutney
2 medium apples, chopped
1 lemon, peeled and quartered
1 bag (12 oz / 340 g) thawed cranberries
1 cup raisins
4 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup brandy
1 box powdered fruit pectin

Honestly, this is my favourite meal to order in England.  Some pubs supply a simply awesome assortment of chutneys or relishes to accompany the Ploughman's Lunch. 

And if you were diligent in preserving your previous year's harvest, you will have a fine selection of homemade chutneys and relishes available in your pantry or freezer.

Linked to the right are recipes for Apple Chutney (featured in our Ploughman's Lunch) and Green Tomato Relish.  Both are wonderful choices to dress any sandwich!

Ploughman's Lunch

You will need:
Bread or buns
Sliced deli meats
Cheese(s) - sharp Cheddar is the best
Tomatoes, Lettuce, Onion (if desired!)
Pickles
Butter
Condiments (mustard, salad cream, etc.)
Chutney and/or Relish

Ingredients for cake:
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup gold raisins
1 cup currants
1 cup mixed peel (glace mix)
about 1/4 cup milk

Ingredients for topping:
2 to 3 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup butter
milk
vanilla

Instructions:
Cream butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each egg.  Sift the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl.  Add to the wet mixture, a bit at a time, blending well.  Fold in all the fruit.  Add enough milk to create a very thick, but also very sticky mixture. 

Grease two 8 inch cakes tins very well.  Fold in the cake mixture and press down into sides.  Slap and press the top of the mixture until you create a tight fit in the pans. 

Bake at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Remove, cover with parchment paper (to prevent burning) and bake for an additional 1 1/2 hours.