Meat Free Monday

We do try to have at least one vegetarian meal a week, and Mondays work for us.
I'm usually at home doing the laundry and the general after-weekend clean up - so an afternoon in the kitchen suits me perfectly.
Having a meat free dish is not only healthy, but can work out economical too.

This Lentil & Vegetable Curry is made with red lentils, butternut squash, carrots and green beans.
It's really packed with flavour and has a lovely fresh, chilli hit.
The recipe is from  Hairy Bikers Great Curries

Love Your Mummy!

Don't you just love Pinterest?
I found these cute little 'Mummy Dogs' on there,
and they are so easy to make.

All you need is a tin of hotdogs, a shortcrust pastry sheet and a little mustard.
Cut the pastry sheet into thin strips and just wrap around each hotdog. 
Push open the pastry a little at the top, for the 'face'. 
Place on a greased baking tray and brush with a little beaten egg.
Bake as per your pastry instructions.
(Mine took about 30mins at 170C)
Use a toothpick to dot on a little mustard, for the 'eyes'.
 

Comfort Pudding

Nothing ends an Autumn meal quite like a Blackberry & Apple Crumble

 - it's a real crowd pleaser.
Here's one I made at the weekend.
Despite 'not wanting' any, my dd managed to eat a big bowl full after dinner and much to 
Mr. Kiss' annoyance, she even ate the leftovers for breakfast the next day!

Heat the oven to 180C/160 Fan.
Peel and core 3 eating apples and 2 Bramleys - slice thickly.
Put the apples in a pan with 2tsp cinnamon, 100g demerara sugar and a splash of water.
Cook slowly, until the apples are beginning to soften, but still retain their shape.
Place the apples in an ovenproof dish. Scatter over the blackberries.

You can jazz up your crumble topping with dried fruits or nuts, 
but I usually just stick to a simple, oaty mix.

100g plain flour  
50g porridge oats   
75g butter    
100g brown sugar

Put everything in a food processor and blitz a few times, until it looks, well...crumbly!! 
You don't want a really fine crumb.
(You can do this by hand if you have to).
Scatter the crumble mix over the fruit, covering it completely.
Bake in your preheated oven for 40 mins.
Keep your eye on the crumble near the end of the cooking time,
so that the topping doesn't burn.

Serve with custard, cream, or ice-cream.

Autumn Fruits

Here's another first for me.

I had never cooked figs before, but they were simply delicious

in this very easy Autumn fruit salad

Oven 180C / 160C Fan.
4 figs,  halved.   4 plums, halved and stoned
Place the fruit in an ovenproof dish and scatter with about 80g brown sugar. 
Pour over 200ml red wine.
Cook for approx 45mins.
You want the fruit to be soft, but still have a little shape to it.
Take out of the oven and allow to cool for 10mins.
Before serving, sprinkle with 40g walnuts.
Serve with a dollop of fresh cream, or mascarpone, or my favourite,  vanilla custard.

You can use other fruits in this too - whatever you have to hand really. 
Peaches, pears, nectarines or apricots would work well.
And you can substitute the walnuts for almonds.