I thought I would start this thread even though I don't really have any recipes to contribute to it at this time. Anyone have some to share?

Well I do fairly good toad-in-the-hole or bangers and mash, but I can't take credit for it-the recipes are Delia's!

Haha!! The thread of my dreams has been started! I'll have to nick my mum's Yorkshire pudding one and stick it here... but in the meantime... for my marie rose dressing (it is my job at Christmas to do the prawn cocktails...).

Bear with me - there are no measurements - it is done with taste and by eye!!

Ingredients:

• Mayonnaise (any type - it's all good A 500g jar serves about 10 people)
• Ketchup
• Worcestershire sauce (I know you can buy it in the grocery store but I haven't put it to the test yet - it has corn syrup in so it blatantly isn't the original no matter how "authentic" they claim it to be!)
• Tabasco sauce
• Lemon juice
• Ground black pepper

Method:

• Empty most of the jar of Mayo into a bowl - maybe about 3/4 of the jar
• Chuck in some of the ketcup until it is a light salmon pink colour
• Add the Worcestershire sauce - I'd say a tablespoon at a guess but the sauce should look like a slightly darker colour than it did before
• Add a couple splashes of tabasco to your own taste and a squeeze of lemon juice
• Grind some black pepper into it to season
• Taste - this is the crucial part!
• If it is too sharp or "flavoursome" then add some more of the mayo. If it tastes a bit bland, add more Worcestershire sauce. If it isn't picante enough for your tastes then add more tabasco...
• Und so weiter

That's pretty much it - it's a bit of trial and error but it goes down a treat with my family every year

a wee dessert as we heading towards burns night.

CRANNACHAN

340g (12oz) Fresh Raspberries or Soft Fruit (in season)
10 fl oz Double Cream
50g (2oz) Medium Oatmeal
3 tbsp Honey (preferrably heather honey)
3 tbsp Scotch Whisky

Toast the oatmeal under a grill or in a dry pan, turning occasionally, until golden brown.
Allow to cool.
Whip the cream until stiff.
Fold in the oatmeal, honey, and whisky.
Layer the cream mixture with the raspberries in four tall glasses, reserving a few raspberries for garnish.
Cover with cling film and refrigerate.
Allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving
Decorate with a few raspberries.
Serves 4

Hubby loves the typical English cupcakes, with hard icing & all. Anyone have any recipes for me?

I picked up a recipe card at Waitrose once for Gooseberry Fool and hot damn if it isn't the best (and most popular) dessert I've ever made. I now generally make it with raspberries, and I have to used tinned Ambrosia Custard as I can't find fresh custard in the supermarket here but still! Nummy.


Ingredients


350g gooseberries (raspberries also good!)
1 tbsp water
75g caster sugar (or to taste)
284ml carton double cream (that’s about 10oz of whipping cream)
200g cold, ready-made, fresh custard (or make your own, or use a tin of Ambrosia custard if available. Best ever was Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference custard with Madagascan vanilla!)




Method

1. Put the gooseberries in a saucepan with the water and place over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the gooseberries are very soft, squashing them with a spoon as they cook. Purée in a blender then press through a sieve to remove the pips. Stir the sugar into the sieved purée, adding more if the fruit is very tart, then leave to cool completely.
2. Whip the cream until it holds soft peaks, then fold it loosely into the custard. Loosely fold in the gooseberry purée so the fool has a marbled texture. Serve chilled, in small glasses.

Ugh, same here... Hard icing = gross! Except on cookies... MMMMM

One of the most special and meaningful gifts I have ever received in my life was a recipe book given to me at my wedding, and contributed to by all the special people in my life. Here is the link if anyone is interested.

Next to each recipe is a personal message written by each contributor. Some are funny or heartwarming memories. Some are notes of love and congratulations. Some are just funny comments. Like my Cousin's son, Rob. Part of his message says "It was hard for me to come up with something, as I would rather just get in my truck and go over to Nanny's house to eat."

This recipe is for Wirral Hotpot, contributed by my Aunt Audrey. She passed away, suddenly, just a month later. Her comment was "Probably not as famous as Betty's (Coronation Street) but still really tasty. If you can get it, adding some crumbled black pudding makes the gravy thick and tasty (if you happen to think black pudding is tasty). When I made this, my husband leaned over and slapped my arm. As I looked at him in surprise he said "This is so good it makes you want to reach out and slap somebody." (It's a Southern thing. )

WIRRAL HOTPOT

You Will Need

1 tsp vegetable oil
800g lamp chops and steaks
2 leeks, trimmed and sliced
2 onions, halved and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped from the stems
1 beef stock cube
6 medium potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced
50g butter, cut into small cubes

How to Prepare

Preheat oven to 160c/320f. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry as much of the lamb as will fit into a single layer until brown on both sides. Remove to a plate and cook the rest of the lamb the same way.

Layer the lamb, leeks, onions, and carrots in a large casserole dish, seasoning each layer with thyme, pepper, and a little salt. Dissolve the stock cube in 900ml water and pour enough stock into the dish to just cover the meat and vegetables.

Layer the potatoes on top, then press down lightly. Dot with the butter. If necessary, top up with more stock to come level with the top of the potatoes, then cover the dish and cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and cook uncovered for 2.5 hours.

That is an awesome idea!! I think I might have to just e-mail my mum the link I said to her that she should make me a recipe book

You know, it is absolutely, hands-down, THE best gift I have ever received in my life. I bawled my eyes out when I started reading each sentiment. I had been so heartbroken that some of my dearest and closest friends and relatives had been unable to make it to our wedding day. I knew that time, cost, and circumstances played a role in that, but it still hurt. So when I saw the messages from each and every one of them in that book I just lost it. Receiving this gift at a time when I needed it most was monumental to me. With each turn of the page, a loved one appeared and spoke to me. It was just what I needed. And now, when I miss those same people and am feeling lonely, I can just go back to my recipe book and read what each one has to say. Plus the recipes are amazing.

It sounds great! It's little things like making Yorkshire puddings and things that I need to know for when I move - and like you said - just something so sentimental sounds wonderful - although I am bound to be blubbing loads anyway!!!

Yorkshire puds is one of the recipes in the book!... from my brother-in-law, Jase, who's from Yorkshire. His note says "There is no secret to making a successful Yorkshire Pudding. The only requirement is that you were born in Yorkshire. Janet's (my sister) are pretty good, but mine rise with the lightness of cumulus clouds."

LMAO - that is great Awww - I hope mum takes it on board!!

I don't have to worry about yorkies anymore Neil's mom just mailed us some packets of mix for yorkies. hopefully I can make those yummy