Another great free seeds offer, this time from BBC Dig In. With this offer you’ll get basil, carrots, courgettes, mixed leaves and french beans.

Here is the plan:

The Britain On Show is giving away packets of beetroot and spinach seeds along with full planting and harvesting instructions as part of their free superfoods seeds giveaway.

Click here to get in on the action!

Thanks to Magic Freebies UK for the tip.

The Co-operative Best Buys for the week commencing 25th January.

Feed the family with a fantastic pork stir-fry meal deal for just £4.00. There are also lots of great veg deals and better-than-half-price bargains to be found in the aisles at The Co-operative this week.

The Co-operative Pork Stir Fry 400g - £2.35

The Co-operative Long Grain Rice 500g - £0.50

The Co-operative Sweet & Sour/Black Bean Cook In Sauce 430/440g – £0.70

The Co-operative Beansprouts 300g - £0.45

The Co-operative Bone in Whole Leg of Lamb 1.6kg
Now £4.49 Was £8.99 – HALF PRICE

The Co-operative Dry Cured British
Now £3.00 Was £5.99

Breaded Ham 300g
ONLY £3.00

The Co-operative Strawberries/Raspberries/Blueberries 227g/150g/225g
BUY ANY 2 FOR £3.00

The Co-operative New Potatoes 1.5kg
ONLY 50p

The Co-operative Closed Cup Mushrooms 250g
ONLY 50p

The Co-operative Truly Irresistible Yogurt 150g
BUY 4 FOR £2.00

The Co-operative Fresh Beef Brisket Joint 700g
£5.00 – ONE OFF SPECIAL BUY

The Co-operative Mixed Fruit/Fruit & Nut Muesli
ONLY £1.00

Heinz Tomato Ketchup 700g
Now £1.00 Was £2.16

HP Brown Sauce 450g
Now £1.00 Was £2.15

New Covent Garden Soup of the Month 600g
Now £1.00 Was £2.15

Nestlé Shreddies 500g
Now £1.00 Was £2.29

Kraft Philadelphia Medium Fat Soft Cheese 300g
Now £1.00 Was £2.08

Nouvelle Soft Recycled White Toilet Tissue 4’s
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE

Gran Tierra Cabernet-Carmenere/Chardonnay-Viognier 75cl
Now £3.99 Was £7.99

Herbal Essences Hello/Dazzling/Seductively/Ignite/Uplifting/Fresh/Frizz Shampoo & Conditioner 250ml
Now £1.32 Was £2.65

Aunt Bessie’s 6 Large Light & Crispy Yorkshire Puddings 165g
ONLY £1.00

Bisto Favourite Gravy Granules 360g
ONLY £1.00

Cadbury Dairy Milk 140g
ONLY £1.00

You’re home with your family, so am I! So I’m bringing back one of my favourite posts from the archives to keep you entertained. Happy Christmas!

This was originally posted 13th October 2009. x

Peanut butter is a staple in American children’s diets. It’s inexpensive and high in protein and there are about a zillion different things you can do with it. I’m not sure why it hasn’t caught on among English families—once I discovered it, I couldn’t get enough! Only word of caution is that it is high in fat, so you’ve got to keep an eye on portion size. A couple of tablespoons should do it.

I’m pretty partial to the natural kind, which has two ingredients: peanuts and salt. This tends to separate so you’ve got to give it a stir when you open it, but its much nicer.

If you’re not a peanut butter supporter yet, try one of these easy ideas and I bet you’ll convert.

Classic PB&J Sandwich

The quintessential kid lunch, peanut butter and jam (or jelly to Americans) is a sandwich so popular that posh versions can be found in some upmarket diners. Strawberry or grape jam is traditional but any flavour can be delicious. Another brilliant option is the peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Ants on a Log

Take a piece of celery, fill it with peanut butter and top with a few raisins and you’ve got Ants on a Log (see snap above). You now have a healthy snack and your kids may not even notice they’re eating veg.

Quick and Comforting Cookies

Warm, chewy peanut butter cookies take no time to make and fill your kitchen with the most amazing, comforting smell. Click here for a classic American recipe and here for a British version.

Breakfast to Go

Peanut butter on toast, with a swirl of honey if you’re after something sweet, is a great breakfast on the go. Pop it on a piece of kitchen roll and you’re out the door.

Afterschool Special

Slather peanut butter on sliced green apples or crackers to make a simple afternoon snack.

The folks at Bellaverde have sent us some tempting, budget-friendly recipes for trying out their new sweet-tasting long-stemmed broccoli.

Bellaverde has all of the health benefits of other types of broccoli but spends more time growing above ground in the Lincolnshire sunlight, giving it a sweeter taste that is more appealing to some taste buds (especially those belonging to children!)

Tortilla (73p per serving) see picture above

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 20 – 25 mins
Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g Bellaverde broccoli
• 225g/8oz new potatoes, sliced
• 30ml/2tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 6 eggs
• 50g/2oz mature Cheddar cheese, grated
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1.      Wash the broccoli and prepare the by trimming a little off the end of each spear. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 5 mins. Drain the potatoes in a sieve, reserving the water and returning it to the pan. Add the broccoli to the pan and cook for 3 mins or until just tender. Drain in a colander and rinse in cold water until cold. Drain.

2.      Heat the oil in a medium non-stick frying pan. Add the onion and potatoes and sauté for 5 mins. Beat the eggs with seasoning, then add to the pan.

3.      Arrange the broccoli spears on top of the tortilla, pushing them into egg, cook for 5mins or until the base has set.

4.      Scatter over the cheese and pop under a hot grill. Cook for 2-3 mins or until the egg has set. Cut into wedges and serve warm or cold with salad.

Not suitable for freezing

Thai Green Curry with Prawns & Broccoli

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 10-15 mins
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g Bellaverde broccoli
• 225g/8oz Thai fragrant rice
• 1 (400g) can reduced fat coconut milk
• 30ml/2tbsp Thai Green Curry paste
• 5ml/1tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 500g/1lb raw peeled tiger prawns, thawed if frozen
• 1 (220g) can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
• 4 spring onions, sliced
• zest and juice 1 lime
• 45ml/3tbsp fresh chopped coriander leaves

METHOD:

1.   Prepare the broccoli by trimming a little off the end of each spear. Place the rice in a sieve, rinse under with cold water, then cook in a medium pan of boiling water for 10 mins or until tender.

2.   Whilst the rice cooks place the coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce and sugar in a large frying pan or wok. Slowly bring to the boil, then add the broccoli reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 3-4 mins or until just tender.

3.   Stir in the spring onions, prawns and bamboo shoots and stir well. Bring the mixture back to the boil, then simmer for 2 mins, stirring occasionally until the prawns have turned pink. Stir in the lime zest and juice and coriander.

4.   Drain the rice in a sieve and divide between four bowls, top with the prawn curry and serve.

Broccoli and Salmon Tagliatelle

Difficulty: Easy
Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 15 – 20 mins
Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS:

• 200g Bellaverde broccoli
• 350g/12oz tagliatelle
• 225g/8oz skinless and boneless salmon fillets
• 150ml/1/4pt dry white wine or stock
• 25g/1oz butter
• 4 spring onions, finely sliced
• 300ml/1/2pt single cream
• chopped fresh dill to garnish if liked
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

1.    Cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling salted water for 8-10 mins or until just tender or ‘al dente’. Drain in a colander.

2.   Whilst the pasta cooks, place the salmon in a medium frying pan, add the white wine and salt and pepper. Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5-6 mins or until the salmon is just cooked and flakes easily.

3.   Transfer the salmon to a plate and break into large flakes with a fork. Increase the heat and simmer the cooking liquid until it is reduced to about 45ml/3tbsp.

4.   Meanwhile, wash and prepare the broccoli by trimming the base of each spear and chopping the remaining into 3cm pieces. Add the butter to the reduced wine, then add the spring onions and broccoli and sauté for 3 mins. Add the cream, cover and simmer for 3-4 mins or until the broccoli is tender.

5.   Remove the lid, stir in the salmon and season to taste. Add the sauce to the cooked tagliatelle, then toss until coated in the sauce. Serve sprinkled with a little dill if liked.

For more recipes, click here.

Nothing makes you feel like a proper gourmet cook than fresh herbs growing in your own kitchen. Plus, if you keep your plants healthy and happy, you’ll save money in the end.

E and I have tried growing lots of things with mixed success. We managed to keep a basil plant alive long enough to make an amazing summer pesto (Jamie Oliver’s, natch) but our attempt to grow sage, rosemary and thyme from seeds didn’t quite get off the ground.

I thought I’d do some research before our next try, and pass that wisdom along to you. This is my first post in what I hope will be a series on successful kitchen gardening!

Starting from seeds

• All the experts say to sow your seeds in April.
• Sprinkle approx five seeds onto moist potting compost in a small pot, about 5cm wide.
• Cover with compost, place in a warm spot and sit tight for a couple of weeks, when the seedlings should emerge.
• Place the pot in water to keep the soil damp and keep them in sunlight so they stay warm.
• About three weeks in, when you’ve got tiny plants, toss the smallest two (heartless, I know, but that’s survival of the fittest for you!)
• When the plants have five proper leaves (ignore the first two tiny seedling leaves) and are several cm tall repot each in its own pot, about 10cm wide, or together in a long window box.
• Repot by gently removing each seedling and placing in a hole 1cm in diameter. Firm up the soil and water. If you’re potting together, place 10cm apart.

Starting from cuttings

• Take a long-necked bottle and fill with room-temperature water.
• Take a 15cm cutting off of your basil plant and remove the lower leaves from the stem so you’ve got about three sets of leaves on top.
• Place the lower half of the stem in the bottle. If you keep the water level high and fresh, you’ll have roots to your cutting in about two weeks.
• Once roots are well established, remove the cutting from the bottle and place in a 10cm wide pot filled with compost.

Keeping your basil alive

• Water your plant regularly and keep the soil moist, but make sure you’ve got good drainage because plants that sit in water can rot.
• Tepid vs cold water keeps basil plants happiest.
• Pinch off the tops of the plant regularly to encourage new leaves to grow.
• Remove any flowers as soon as they appear.

Harvesting your basil

• When your plant is about 10cm tall, you’re ready to harvest.
• Pinch off leaves, not the whole stem, which can weaken your plant.

What to cook with it

• Toss in any pasta dish.
• Serve with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes for a caprese salad.
• Grind up with pinenuts, garlic, parmesan and olive oil for a scrummy pesto (see link to Jamie’s recipe above).

Pumpkins are in season and there are so many brilliant things to do with them that I’m getting excited just writing about them! I’ve done some price-checking and here is the scoop:

Tesco–£1 each
Waitrose–£1.32/kg
Sainsbury’s–£2 each
Asda–74p each

My favourite thing to do with pumpkin is, of course, Classic Pumpkin Pie.

Start by roasting your pumpkin. Make sure to use cooking pumpkins rather than the carving kind. Cut it in half and scrape out the stringy insides, setting aside the seeds for later. Put skin side up in a roasting pan with about 200 ml of water and roast on 180 for about 90 minutes, until the skin pierces easily with a fork. Let cool and scrape out the flesh, then puree in a food processor.

Credit for this recipe goes to ivillage.co.uk. They don’t mention it in the recipe, but my STRONG preference is to serve this up with a healthy dollop of fresh, lightly sweetened whipped cream.

INGREDIENTS:

175g granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 eggs
300g pumpkin purée (tinned or fresh)
350g evaporated milk
1 unbaked 23cm/9in deep-dish pastry case (or line a deep 23cm/9in tart tin with shortcrust pastry)

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7.
2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl.
3. Beat the eggs lightly in large bowl.
4. Stir the pumpkin purée and sugar-spice mixture into eggs.
5. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.
6. Pour into the pastry case.
7. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
9. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.
10. Serve immediately or chill.
Do not freeze.

While your pie is in the oven, turn your attention to the pumpkin seeds.

Toasted pumpkin seeds are a fantastic snack. First, separate out the seeds and toss the pulp. Then add to well-salted water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and toss the seeds in olive oil. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and pop them on the highest rack in your oven at 200 for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool, toss with salt to taste. Yum!

Peanut butter is a staple in American children’s diets. It’s inexpensive and high in protein and there are about a zillion different things you can do with it. I’m not sure why it hasn’t caught on among English families—once I discovered it, I couldn’t get enough! Only word of caution is that it is high in fat, so you’ve got to keep an eye on portion size. A couple of tablespoons should do it.

I’m pretty partial to the natural kind, which has two ingredients: peanuts and salt. This tends to separate so you’ve got to give it a stir when you open it, but its much nicer.

If you’re not a peanut butter supporter yet, try one of these easy ideas and I bet you’ll convert.

Classic PB&J Sandwich

The quintessential kid lunch, peanut butter and jam (or jelly to Americans) is a sandwich so popular that posh versions can be found in some upmarket diners. Strawberry or grape jam is traditional but any flavour can be delicious. Another brilliant option is the peanut butter and banana sandwich.

Ants on a Log

Take a piece of celery, fill it with peanut butter and top with a few raisins and you’ve got Ants on a Log (see snap above). You now have a healthy snack and your kids may not even notice they’re eating veg.

Quick and Comforting Cookies

Warm, chewy peanut butter cookies take no time to make and fill your kitchen with the most amazing, comforting smell. Click here for a classic American recipe and here for a British version.

Breakfast to Go

Peanut butter on toast, with a swirl of honey if you’re after something sweet, is a great breakfast on the go. Pop it on a piece of kitchen roll and you’re out the door.

Afterschool Special

Slather peanut butter on sliced green apples or crackers to make a simple afternoon snack.

I love tips lists–six tips, eight tips, 10 tips, whatever you’ve got–and I just came across Miss Thrifty’s post Six Thrifty Uses for a Lemon. I won’t copy all of her useful tips here (you should just go to her site and read them there!) but particularly wanted to call out this one, which I absolutely plan to use in my neverending battle with limescale:

3. Do what Frugal Grandma does: squish leftover lemon wedges against the bases of your bathroom taps and remove them after an hour or so. The citric acid dissolves limescale.

In late summer blackberries grow wild so you can usually pick them by the bucket for free. We saw loads of bushes growing in Wimbledon Park last time we were there.

In honour of blackberry season, I’ve rounded up a few easy and delicious recipes for making the best of them.

Jamie Oliver’s Blackberry Tart

Delia Smith’s Quick Bramble Jelly

Nigella Lawson’s Apple and Blackberry Kuchen

Rose Elliot’s Blackberry Ice Cream

The River Cottage’s Blackberry, Apple and Almond Cobbler

Good Food Magazine’s Blackberry Muffins