Twice baked cheesy potatoes recipe

When you are having a party it's great to have some hot food the guests love, it can be made in advance and reheated.  They're so good your guests will want more.

The instructions below make 4 cheesy baked potatoes.

Ingredients

2 baking potatoes - we normally bake 1 potato per person

150g grated cheddar cheese

Milk

Butter or margarine

Instructions

1. Wash the baking potatoes and stab them with a sharp knife 8 times.
2. Place in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees Celsius, cook for an hour turning once, when the centers are soft they are ready. 
3. Cut the potatoes in half and using a large spoon scoop out the centre into a pan (be careful, they are HOT), place the skins back on a baking tray.
4. Add into the pan of potato a knob of butter or margarine and a splash of milk.  Using a potato masher, mash until creamy.  
   
5. Add into the pan 4/6ths of the cheese and fold in well.
6. Using a spoon, scoop the cheesy mash potato back into the skins.
7. Sprinkle the top of the potatoes with the remaining cheese.
8. When cool, cover and keep in the fridge until needed.  I have kept the potatoes for up to 2 days before re-heating.
9. Heat the potatoes at 200 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes, until the top is golden and the centre is hot.

Eat and enjoy.

Hen party gifts

My friends Lauren and Jon are getting married in June and this bank holiday weekend is Lauren's hen party in London.  As I cannot go I put together a gift bag as a surprise and gave it to her on Friday night.

Hen parties usually include an alcoholic drink or two so I included a bottle of Italian wine (they are getting married in Italy), goblets, a pack of hangover tablets, a tube map of London, and Mr and Mrs Questions (with forfeits).  

To tie in with the love theme the hen and each chick will receive packet of Love Heart sweets and a heart shaped biscuit made using this recipe.  Each biscuit was packaged in a bag and with a label designed by the boy. 

It is common for hens parties to have a clothing theme and for Lauren's each chick will receive a fabric flower that can be worn as a corsage or in the hair, and as every bride to-be needs a veil I made Lauren's using a head band, a flower and some netting from my stash.

Lauren, I hope you have a great weekend.

Gx

Yummy lentil soup

This is my all time favourite soup recipe and is really easy to make.  My mum made it all the time when my sister and I were little.


Ingredients
2 medium-large carrots
1 onion
1 cup of red split lentils
3 ham stock cubes
1800 ml (3pt) water, additional water is required for soaking and topping up
Crusty bread rolls


Makes 4 portions.


Instructions

1. Soaks the lentils in hot water for 10 minutes, then rinse.
2. While the lentils are soaking, boil the water and finely chop the carrots and onion.
3. Place the water, stock cubes, lentils, carrots and onions in a pressure cooker and bring to the boil.
4. Use the pressure cooker seal, close the lid and when the pressure is reached add the weight, lower temperature to simmer. 
5. Cook for at least 45 minutes, I usually open the pressure cooker once during this period to stir and add water as necessary.
6. When the carrots are soft the soup is ready.  The lentils thicken the soup quickly, add water to the consistency you like.
7. Serve in a bowl with crusty bread rolls on the side, now dip.

Perfect winter food.