How to Feed Your Whole Family a Healthy, Balanced Diet: With Very Little Money and Hardly Any Time, Even If You Have a Tiny Kitchen, Only Three Saucepans (One with an Ill-Fitting Lid), and No Fancy Gadgets---Unless You Count the Garlic Crusher

275 Pages·2007·1.15 MB·English

by  Gill Holcombe

How to feed
your whole
family a healthy,
balanced diet
Acknowledgements
I’d like to thank the following people for passing on tips and
recipes and sharing their knowledge and expertise. They are:
housewives of the 1950s and 60s; Jean Hack, Barbara Holcombe,
Irene Rutman, Doreen Gould, June Greenland, Daphne
Croucher and Norah Pearce; also Tim Hack, Claire Orencas,
Carole Moore and Sarah Todd – and last but not least my three
children, Oliver, Billy and Eleanor who eat everything up and
make it all worthwhile.
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How to feed
your whole
family a healthy,
balanced diet
with very little money
and hardly any time,
even if you have a tiny
kitchen, only three
saucepans (one with an
ill-fitting lid) and no fancy
gadgets – unless you count
the garlic crusher…
Simple, wholesome and
nutritious recipes for family meals
GILL HOLCOMBE
howtobooks

Published by How To Content
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Hill)
Spring Hill House, Spring Hill Road
Begbroke, Oxford OX5 1RX. United Kingdom.
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All rights reserved. No part of this work may be
reproduced or stored in an information retrieval
system (other than for purposes of review)
without the express permission of the publisher in
writing.

The right of Gill Holcombe to be identified as
author of this work has been asserted by him in
accordance with the Copyright, Design and
Patents Act 1998

© 2007 Gill Holcombe

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.
A catalogue record for this book is available from
the British Library.

First published 2007
First published in electronic form 2007

ISBN: 978 1 84803 216 3

Cover design by Baseline Arts Ltd
Produced for Spring Hill Books by Deer Park
Productions, Tavistock
Typeset by Baseline Arts Ltd
Contents
introduction
/ 1 Spicy Pork Meatballs / 66
Where did we go wrong? / 1 Steak & Kidney Pudding / 68
The stumbling blocks… Beef Stroganoff / 70
what puts you off? / 7 Lancashire Hot Pot / 71
A word about weight loss / 10 Chicken Liver Risotto / 74
Everyday essentials / 11 Tuna Lasagne / 77
Notes on preparing vegetables / 16 Sweet & Spicy Prawns / 78
Kedgeree / 79
1 wake up to breakfast
/ 21 Fishcakes / 81
Everyday breakfasts / 22 Stuffed Peppers / 83
Weekend breakfasts / 28 Stuffed Mushrooms / 84
Veggie Burgers / 85
2 little gems and tough
Aubergine Lasagne / 87
cookies
/ 31 Lentil Moussaka / 88
Fussy Eaters / 32 Rice Salad / 90
Packed Lunches / 36 Nut-free Nut Roast / 92
Pizza / 93
3 make dinner, not excuses
/ 43 Baked Potato Pizzas / 96
Main recipes: Cheese & Onion Tomatoes / 97
Shepherd’s Pie / 44 DIY Pasta Sauce / 99
Moussaka / 45 Ratatouille / 101
Chilli Con Carne / 47
Recipes in brief:
Hamburgers / 49
Beef & Cheese Crumble / 51
Rissoles / 50
Chicken in Cream & Mushroom Sauce / 59
Chicken Nuggets / 52
Chicken Goujons / 59
Chicken Curry / 54
Pork in Plum Sauce / 67
Mexican Chicken / 55
Greek-style Pork / 67
Chicken & Ham Pasta Bake / 57
Kebabs / 72
Sweet & Sour Chicken / 58
Medallions of Lamb in Red Wine / 73
Toad in the Hole / 60
Liver in Black Bean Sauce / 75
Cider Sausages / 61
Mixed Grill / 76
Sausage Rolls / 63
Spicy Liver & Pork Meatballs / 76
Sweet Apple & Apricot Pork / 65
Fish Pie / 82
Ginger Beer Pork / 66
Grilled Sardines / 82
v
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet
4 quick fixes
4 quick fixes/ 105 Baked Apples / 147
/ 105 Baked Apples / 147
Quorn Stir Fry / 106 Rhubarb Crumble / 148
Quorn Stir Fry / 106 Rhubarb Crumble / 148
Pacific Pie / 107 Poor Man’s Apple Pie / 149
Pacific Pie / 107 Poor Man’s Apple Pie / 149
Noodles / 108 Jimmy Young Trifle / 150
Noodles / 108 Jimmy Young Trifle / 150
More Noodles / 109 Bread & Butter Pudding / 151
More Noodles / 109 Bread & Butter Pudding / 151
Bacon Cakes / 110 Raspberry Ice-Cream / 152
Bacon Cakes / 110 Raspberry Ice-Cream / 152
Devilled Kidneys / 111 Chocolate Mousse / 153
Devilled Kidneys / 111 Chocolate Mousse / 153
One Step Pasta / 112 Treacle Tart / 154
One Step Pasta / 112 Treacle Tart / 154
Instant Corned Beef Hash / 112 Tiramisu / 155
Instant Corned Beef Hash / 112 Tiramisu / 155
Prawn & Egg Pie / 113 Fruit Fool / 156
Prawn & Egg Pie / 113 Fruit Fool / 156
Fish Finger Pie / 114 Spotted Dick / 157
Fish Finger Pie / 114 Spotted Dick / 157
Smoked Salmon Tagliatelle / 115
Smoked Salmon Tagliatelle / 115
Fastest-ever Fishcakes / 116 Recipes in brief:
Fastest-ever Fishcakes / 116 Recipes in brief:
Things on Toast / 117 Strawberry Meringues / 159
Things on Toast / 117 Strawberry Meringues / 159
Orange Cups / 159
Orange Cups / 159
5 the joy of soup
5 the joy of soup/ 119 Baked Banana Custard / 159
/ 119 Baked Banana Custard / 159
Orange Squash / 120 Fruit Jelly / 159
Orange Squash / 120 Fruit Jelly / 159
Slug & Celery / 121
Slug & Celery / 121
7 cant cook? dont cook!
Watercress / 122 7 cant cook? dont cook!/ 161
Watercress / 122 / 161
Stinging Nettle / 123
Stinging Nettle / 123
8 let them eat cake
Sweet Potato / 124 8 let them eat cake/ 165
Sweet Potato / 124 / 165
Lentil & Vegetable / 125 Cooking with children:
Lentil & Vegetable / 125 Cooking with children:
Spicy Bean / 126 Easy Cheesy Biscuits / 171
Spicy Bean / 126 Easy Cheesy Biscuits / 171
Tomato & Red Lentil / 127 Cheese & Courgette Scones / 172
Tomato & Red Lentil / 127 Cheese & Courgette Scones / 172
Minestrone / 128 Jam Tarts / 173
Minestrone / 128 Jam Tarts / 173
Smoked Mackerel Chowder / 130 Chocolate Rice Krispie Cakes / 174
Smoked Mackerel Chowder / 130 Chocolate Rice Krispie Cakes / 174
Borsht / 131 Cornflake Cakes / 175
Borsht / 131 Cornflake Cakes / 175
Chicken / 132 Fairy Cakes / 175
Chicken / 132 Fairy Cakes / 175
Scotch Broth / 134 Gingerbread Men / 177
Scotch Broth / 134 Gingerbread Men / 177
Cool Cucumber / 136 Sweetloaf / 178
Cool Cucumber / 136 Sweetloaf / 178
Hot or Cold Leek & Potato / 137 Treacle Crunches / 180
Hot or Cold Leek & Potato / 137 Treacle Crunches / 180
Chocolate Chip Cookies / 180
Chocolate Chip Cookies / 180
6 join the pudding club
6 join the pudding club/ 141
/ 141
Main recipes: Wholesome cakes:
Main recipes: Wholesome cakes:
Cherry Cheesecake / 143 Carrot Cake / 182
Cherry Cheesecake / 143 Carrot Cake / 182
Lemon Cheesecake / 144 Bran Loaf / 183
Lemon Cheesecake / 144 Bran Loaf / 183
Cheshire Tart / 145 Rock Buns / 184
Cheshire Tart / 145 Rock Buns / 184
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vi
Contents
Contents
Ginger Cake / 185 Soft Fruit Spread / 227
Ginger Cake / 185 Soft Fruit Spread / 227
Banana Cake / 186 Grapefruit Curd / 228
Banana Cake / 186 Grapefruit Curd / 228
All-in-One Apple Cake / 187 Figgy Pudding / 229
All-in-One Apple Cake / 187 Figgy Pudding / 229
Bread Pudding / 188 Fudge / 231
Bread Pudding / 188 Fudge / 231
Flapjacks / 189
Flapjacks / 189
10 weekly menu planning
Seed Cake / 190 10 weekly menu planning/ 235
Seed Cake / 190 / 235
Plum Cake / 191 Chilli Con Carne & Rice / 239
Plum Cake / 191 Chilli Con Carne & Rice / 239
Apricot & Almond Muffins / 192 Chilli & Chips / 239
Apricot & Almond Muffins / 192 Chilli & Chips / 239
Muesli Muffins / 194 Veggie Burgers & Potato Wedges / 240
Muesli Muffins / 194 Veggie Burgers & Potato Wedges / 240
Pumpkin Muffins / 195 Chinese Chicken Stir Fry / 241
Pumpkin Muffins / 195 Chinese Chicken Stir Fry / 241
Frankfurters & DIY Pasta Sauce / 241
Frankfurters & DIY Pasta Sauce / 241
Special cakes:
Special cakes: Roast Chicken / 242
Roast Chicken / 242
Swiss Roll / 196
Swiss Roll / 196 Chicken & Leek Casserole / 243
Chicken & Leek Casserole / 243
Caterpillar Cake / 199
Caterpillar Cake / 199 Bubble, Bangers & Beans / 244
Bubble, Bangers & Beans / 244
Chocolate Yule Log / 200
Chocolate Yule Log / 200 Kedgeree / 245
Kedgeree / 245
Layer Cake / 201
Layer Cake / 201 Cheese & Spinach Omelette / 245
Cheese & Spinach Omelette / 245
Honey, Lemon & Yoghurt Cake / 202
Honey, Lemon & Yoghurt Cake / 202 Boiled Bacon & Roasted Vegetables / 247
Boiled Bacon & Roasted Vegetables / 247
The Ultimate Chocolate Cake / 203
The Ultimate Chocolate Cake / 203 Vegetable Tortilla / 249
Vegetable Tortilla / 249
Chocolate Caramel Cakes / 205
Chocolate Caramel Cakes / 205 Pork Meatballs, Tagliatelli & Tomato
Pork Meatballs, Tagliatelli & Tomato
Sauce / 250
Sauce / 250
9 not only but also
9 not only but also/209
/209 Stuffed Peppers / 250
Stuffed Peppers / 250
Quick Brown Bread / 209
Quick Brown Bread / 209 Pacific Pie / 250
Pacific Pie / 250
Soda Bread / 210
Soda Bread / 210 Liver, Bacon & Onions / 252
Liver, Bacon & Onions / 252
Garlic Bread / 212
Garlic Bread / 212 Tomato & Red Lentil Soup / 253
Tomato & Red Lentil Soup / 253
Chicken Liver Pate / 213
Chicken Liver Pate / 213 Salmon & Tomato Pasta Bake / 253
Salmon & Tomato Pasta Bake / 253
Kipper Pate / 214
Kipper Pate / 214 Pork Ribs, Sausages & Rice / 253
Pork Ribs, Sausages & Rice / 253
Guacamole / 214
Guacamole / 214 Bread Roll Pizzas / 254
Bread Roll Pizzas / 254
Hummus / 215
Hummus / 215 Corned Beef Hash / 256
Corned Beef Hash / 256
Roasted Nuts / 216
Roasted Nuts / 216 Fish Finger Pie / 257
Fish Finger Pie / 257
Mayonnaise / 216
Mayonnaise / 216 Spaghetti Bolognese / 257
Spaghetti Bolognese / 257
Potato Salad / 217
Potato Salad / 217 Curried Nut Roast / 258
Curried Nut Roast / 258
Hash Browns / 218
Hash Browns / 218 Gammon Steaks, Egg &
Gammon Steaks, Egg &
Hot Cross Buns / 219
Hot Cross Buns / 219 Homemade
Homemade
Honeycomb / 222
Honeycomb / 222 Chips / 259
Chips / 259
Ginger Beer / 222
Ginger Beer / 222 Index / 261
Index / 261
Toffee Apples / 224
Toffee Apples / 224
Chutney / 226
Chutney / 226
vii
vii