Mo Smith - The Lazy Cooks Family Favourites

After many years of cooking and creating recipes, many of which I demonstrated to members of the public in my Cotswold kitchen, life suddenly changed when I became a carer for my husband. With extra household chores and a family of three teenagers to feed I had to rethink my style of cooking. I began by taking a fresh look at some of the ready-prepared ingredients available to me on the supermarket shelves and putting all my experience to the test by creating a completely new range of recipes. I called myself the Lazy Cook.

Enjoying a weekend brunch is a relaxed way of entertaining friends or guests and the section headed Breakfast & Brunch recommends recipes to make the kitchen a relaxed place as well.

Everyone loves a party but being the host can be quite daunting so theres always the temptation to buy the canaps. But showing off your culinary skills to your friends neednt be stressful or difficult and in Lets Party I give you simple canap recipes, which are prepared in advance so you can enjoy yourself and play the perfect hostess.

As well as recipes covering everyday cooking, you will find a section headed From Plot to Pot, recommending unusual ways of cooking your garden produce.

Cooking with children can be so much fun and is an important life skill for them to learn. In Food for Hungry Tums, youll find a selection of easy recipes to cook with the kids. And for special treats, Ive included some easy baking ideas in Grandma, Can We Make Some Cakes?

Whether you are a new mum keen to give baby healthy, home-cooked meals or a more experienced parent looking for some short cuts in the kitchen, The Lazy Cooks Family Favourites is for you. Using seasonal ingredients, these recipes are quick and easy to prepare and are ideally suited to the busy lifestyle of todays family.

If you have a wealth of experience of cooking or none at all, my Lazy Cook recipes will give novices confidence in the kitchen and new recipes and flavours for talented cooks to add to their repertoire. To make things even simpler for you, Ive highlighted the recipes that are especially quick and easy to make as Quick Fixes.

Armed with this book you are sure to impress not only yourself but your friends and family too.

Mo Smith
The Lazy Cook

In most households a rushed weekday breakfast is limited to a quick bowl of cereal, bite of toast, or yoghurt. Many people have their breakfast standing up, on the way to work, or even worse, not at all. Thank heavens, then, for the weekend when theres more time to stretch this meal into the day and serve it as a more substantial brunch.

Any of the recipes in this section are suitable for early-bird breakfasters, as well as those who prefer to make a more leisurely start to their weekends. Saturdays and Sundays are for socialising so why not invite some friends round for brunch?

Read carefully through the recipes and note the ease with which they are prepared. Youre sure to find something tasty to suit your guests.

B REAKFAST & B RUNCH

Scrambled Egg with Chives & a Curl of Smoked Ham

Herb Omelette

All-in-One Traditional English Breakfast

Breakfast Slices

Continental Platter of Cold Meats, Fish and Cheese Fresh Bread Rolls

Bread Offcuts

Muesli

A Compote of Dried Fruits

Grilled Kippers

Kedgeree

Rice

Lamb Kidneys in a Devilled Cream Sauce

S CRAMBLED E GG WITH C HIVES & A C URL OF S MOKED H AM

*Quick Fix*

So often, scrambled egg is served as a flavourless solid mass of overcooked ingredients, whereas the perfect scrambled egg should have a creamy texture and a delicious flavour. The key to success is to cook the ingredients over a medium heat, stirring continuously. I recommend that no more than 4 large eggs are scrambled at a time and preferably in a non-stick saucepan.

F OR EACH LARGE EGG USE:

50 ml (2 fl oz) of milk

7 g ( oz) of unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper

A few fresh chives (snipped with scissors)

1 wafer-thin slice of Black Forest or Parma ham

Gently heat the milk and butter in a pan until the butter has melted.

Add a little pepper, then crack a whole egg into the pan and immediately break the yolk using a wooden spoon or spatula.

Stir the ingredients continually until they form a soft, creamy texture, then remove from the heat.

Sprinkle in the chives, pile onto hot toast (there is no need to butter it) and serve with a curl of smoked ham on top.

L AZY C OOK T IPS

Once the egg begins to cream together, the heat of the pan will continue the cooking process. At this point I recommend the pan is removed from the heat to avoid the egg overcooking and splitting disaster! For easy cleaning, make sure you fill the saucepan with cold water as soon as the egg is removed.

H ERB O MELETTE

B ASIC INGREDIENTS FOR A 2 EGG OMELETTE:

12 g ( oz) unsalted butter

2 large eggs

Freshly ground black pepper

A dessertspoon of chopped fresh parsley

Crack the eggs into a measuring jug, then add the chosen herbs and season. Using a fork, lightly whisk together just a few turns is sufficient.

Heat a heavy-based (preferably non-stick) omelette pan over a high setting. Add the butter and, lifting the pan, swirl it around the base.

When hot, pour on the prepared eggs and immediately draw a wooden spatula through the eggs several times to build up layers of egg before they set.

Finally, tilt the pan to spread any remaining liquid egg. Fold in half and shake onto a hot serving plate.

Serve with bread and butter.

L AZY C OOK T IPS

Omelettes must be cooked quickly (in seconds) over a high heat and a good pan is essential preferably 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter. This should not be washed, but wiped with kitchen roll after each use and kept for omelette or crpe/pancake making only. In addition to fresh herbs, grated cheese is another perfect filling for an omelette and should be added just before the omelette is folded. The heat of the omelette will melt the cheese to the perfect consistency. Other popular fillings are cooked ham or mushrooms to be added before the omelette is folded. Not only is an omelette high in nutritional value, its speedy preparation means its the perfect choice for breakfast.

A LL-IN- O NE T RADITIONAL E NGLISH B REAKFAST

T O PREPARE FOR A CROWD, FOR EACH SERVING:

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 slice of bread (white or wholemeal)

1 large mushroom (wiped with damp kitchen roll)

1 medium egg

1 small tomato

A pinch of granulated sugar

2 rashers of back bacon or 4 lean streaky rashers

Set oven to gas mark 6/200C/400F/Aga roasting oven.

Heat the oil in a shallow roasting tin. Dip in the bread and leave dipped side down.

Remove the stalk from the mushroom and discard. Place the mushroom on top of the slice of bread, cavity facing upwards.

Crack an egg into the mushroom cavity, top with slices of tomato and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar.

Finally, top with the bacon slices and put into the preheated oven.

Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the bacon has cooked. Serve straight from the oven.

L AZY C OOK T IPS

The choice of mushroom is important: select one which will leave a cavity to hold the egg once the stalk is removed. An excellent way of serving breakfast or brunch to a crowd.