Poultry keeper's Pie

Similar principle to a shepherd's or fisherman's pie, but using chicken left from Sunday's roast hence the name. I couldn't be bothered to make mash so I thinly sliced the potato with my mandolin. Mash would work just as well though.

Ingredients (serves 2)
1 leek, sliced
125g mushrooms, sliced
220g cooked chicken
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
400g potato, thinly sliced or mashed
250g milk
5g butter
5g plain flour
1/2 tsp wholegrain mustard

* in a little oil gently fry the leek, mushroom and garlic until softened
* mix with the chopped chicken in a casserole dish
* make a white sauce by combining the milk, butter and flour in a small pan. Bring to the boil, whisking continually, then simmer for a couple of minutes and stir in the mustard
* stir the sauce into the chicken mixture and top with the potato
* bake at 180C for 40 minutes or until the potato is cooked

Chocolate Biscuits

Ingredients (makes about 30)
225g self raising flour
100g caster sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
100g butter
5 tbsp milk

* heat oven to 190C and grease a couple of baking trays
* mix the flour, sugar and cocoa together then rub in the butter
* add the milk and mix to a soft dough
* turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and bring together into a ball, kneading gently
* roll out to about 0.5 cm thick and cut into rounds or any other shapes you fancy
* bake for about 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack

I topped them with chocolate glace icing

Nutrition (per iced biscuit):
Calories: 64, Carbs: 10g, Fat: 2g, Protein: 1g

Fruit crumble

Any fruit works in a crumble, but I love tinned fruit as you don't need to stew it first. On this occasion I used peach and pineapple.

Ingredients (serves 4)
120g plain flour
80g butter
80g caster sugar
20g porridge oats
Ground nutmeg or other spice
1 tin sliced peaches, drained
150g pineapple chunks

* put the flour and 1/2 tsp of your choice of spice in a mixing bowl and add the butter, chopped into cubes.
* using your fingertips, rub the butter and flour together until the mixture resembles bread crumbs
* stir in the sugar and oats
* tip the fruit into an ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the crumble topping
* bake at 190C for 30 minutes
Best served with custard or cream

Egg and 'chips'

Not chips at all!

Ingredients (serves 1)
190g potato, diced
1/2 onion, cut into chunks
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 mushrooms, quartered
1 egg
1 tsp sunflower oil
Paprika and thyme

* put the potato, onion and garlic in a roasting dish and sprinkle over the oil, paprika and thyme (or other seasonings of your choice)
* cook at 180C for 20 minutes then add the mushrooms and cook for a further 10 minutes
* make a gap in the middle of the potato and crack the egg into the space
* return to the oven for 4 minutes or until the egg is cooked

Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding

We didn't get through our hot cross buns quite quickly enough, and the last few started to go a bit stale so I decided to turn them into a yummy dessert.

Ingredients
4 stale hot cross buns
Butter
2 eggs
25g caster sugar
350ml milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Brown sugar to finish

* slice the buns and thinly spread with butter then cut into triangles
* beat together the eggs, caster sugar, milk and vanilla
* arrange the bun pieces in a buttered baking dish and pour over the milk mixture.
* sprinkle brown sugar over the top and bake at 180C for around 35 minutes or until golden.

Hot Cross Buns

Ingredients (makes 12)
500g strong white flour
300ml milk
75g sugar
1tsp salt
7g fast action yeast
50g butter
1 egg, beaten
150g Sultanas
70g mixed peel
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

* heat the milk to hand hot
* in a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, butter and egg, then gradually add the warm milk until a sticky dough is formed. Mix in the fruit and spices
* tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes or until the dough is smooth
* put the dough back in the bowl, cover the top with oiled cling film and leave in a warm place for an hour until it has roughly doubled in size
* divide the dough into 12 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper, spaced slightly apart so they have room to expand
* leave to prove for about an hour
* to add crosses to the top, mix 50g of plain flour with about 6 tbsp water to form a thick paste. Pipe crosses on top of the risen buns
* bake at 220C for 20-25 minutes
* to glaze the buns, brush the tops with a little melted apricot jam

Easter Nest Cakes

These are a bit of an Easter tradition in our house, ever since my daughter was little. She may be 18 now but it wouldn't be Easter without them.

Ingredients (makes about 18)
200g milk chocolate
100g plain chocolate
25g butter
4 shredded wheat
Bag of mini eggs

* melt the chocolate and butter in a large bowl over a pan of simmering water
* crush the shredded wheat very finely so it looks like little twigs and stir into the chocolate until well coated
* put spoonfuls of the chocolate mix into cake cases. Make a dip in the middle and put 2 or 3 eggs in
* leave to set