Chocolate Fudge Icing

• 5 oz of butter
• 5 oz of icing sugar, sifted
• 4 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons of milk

(If you’re a proper choccy monster use double – I tend to make half as much again.)

Method

Slowly and gently melt the butter in a pan (skim it if you want to to remove excess salt and impurities).

Add the cocoa and up the heat, cooking it gently for a minute or so, then add the icing sugar.

Add the milk gradually (you’ll know when to do this, as the icing sugar will eventually make your cocoa and butter the consistency of cement) and keep stirring until you have a glossy, smooth paste.

Allow it to cool, and then use half to sandwich your cake together, and half for the topping. It looks fabulous and tastes divine.

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Chicken Potato Layer

• leftover cooked chicken
• onion
• mushrooms
• bacon
• garlic
• potatoes
• mixed herbs and black pepper
• cheese sauce

Line a greased ovenproof dish with thinly sliced potato.

Lightly fry some chopped onion, mushrooms and bacon (cut into little squares). You can use low fat bacon to make it even healthier. Add some finely chopped garlic at this stage if liked. Mix together with the cooked left over chicken, add a pinch of mixed herbs and a dash of black pepper if liked.

Spoon the mixture over the potato slices and top with another layer of potato slices and a cheese sauce made from semi skimmed milk and low fat cheese.

Pop in oven (180 C/Gas 4) for about an hour and a half or until potato is cooked. Just before serving add a sprinkle of low fat cheese on the top and pop into the oven to melt. If liked, you could add sliced tomatoes on the top too for more vitamin value and colour.

This is nice eaten with green vegetables for a winter meal or with a leafy salad for a summer meal.

Mince and Sweet Potato Pie

• 500g Mince - beef or lamb (beef is the cheaper option)
• 2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 Large onion - peeled and chopped
• 2 Large carrots - washed and chopped
• 1 Cup frozen peas
• 1 Stock cube (optional)
• 1 Tin of baked beans
• 2 Large sweet potatoes (more nutritious than white potato)
• Handful of grated cheese to top (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 190 C/Gas 5.
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into chunks. Heat a large pan of water, and add the potato chunks when boiling.

In a large pan, heat the oil and add the chopped onions and chopped carrots and gently fry for 3-4 minutes until the onions have softened. Add the mince and fry off, ensuring it's browned all over. Cook on a medium heat for about 10 - 12 minutes.

Crumble in the stock cube and stir thoroughly. Add the peas and tin of beans and continue to cook for another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally.

Check the sweet potatoes and see if they are tender. Drain (but keep a small amount of water to help you mash if needed) and mash.

Empty the mince into a large ovenproof dish and spread the sweet potato mash on top. Sprinkle cheese over the top if desired, and pop it in the oven for 40 minutes.