Summer Holidays

We've all heard the expression “Don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs” and I wouldn't dream of suggesting that I know any better than all you experienced cooks out there - though sometimes a bit of help and/or a few ideas can't hurt.

What I do know, from experience, is that even the most grumpy of teenagers can become absorbed and creative in the kitchen and forget to be grumpy!

The other “given” is that most children and teenagers all like to get messy. If you've to entertain/occupy of any age, with varying degrees of supervision – you can sit back with coffee and a cake – I would suggest you keep your camera ready for the pictures I know you'll take – enjoy the fun.

I'm a firm believer in harnessing the energy so, for example, one day each week of the holidays choose lunch snacks they can make themselves with a sweet treat for afters – look at it this way, it's a meal you won't have to prepare. You'll save yourself a lot of stress by laying out on trays the required ingredients. I'd suggest that one tray shared between two works. You could even suggest that they each invite a friend – four in total should be fine, if of course you've got the space. Safety in numbers!

As usual I'm going to give you a few suggestions with recipes. I'm sure you've got plenty of your own, but, if any of them sparks an idea or two then my work here is done!

Tuna and Parsley rolls

200g/7oz tin tuna in oil

1 onion, chopped

100g/4oz cheddar cheese, grated

2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and black pepper

1 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 puff pastry sheet

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp poppy seeds

Pre-heat oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6

Drain the tuna, reserving 1 tbsp of the oil. Pour the oil into a pan and cook the onion for 5 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and stir in the tuna, cheese, parsley, seasoning and mustard until well combined. Allow to cool.

Roll out your pastry sheet and cut in half lengthways.

Divide the filling between the two rectangles, laying it in strips down the centre of the pastry.

Brush one edge with beaten egg and carefully roll up to create two long tubes. Cut each into 12 rolls. Brush with egg and put on a baking tray. Sprinkle over poppy seeds and bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

You can vary the filling with any ingredient of your choice.

Quesadilla and Pineapple Salsa

For the quesadilla

• 8 ready-made flour tortillas
• 250g/9oz mature cheddar, grated
• 300g/11oz cooked chicken, thickly sliced
• ½ red onion, finely sliced
• 60g/2½oz jalapeno chillies, roughly chopped
• 1 small bunch coriander leaves and roots
• 4 tbsp sour cream
• 2 tbsp olive oil

1. For the quesadilla, place four of the tortillas onto a board and cover each with the grated cheese.
2. Divide the chicken, red onion, jalapeno chillies and coriander equally over the cheese-covered tortillas.
3. Spread the sour cream onto one side of each of the remaining four tortillas and place sour cream-side down onto the filled tortillas.
4. Heat a frying pan and add the oil. Carefully place a quesadilla into the frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes, until crisp and golden and the cheese filling is melting. Carefully turn the quesadilla over and cook on the other side for a further two minutes, or until crisp and golden. Remove from the pan and set aside to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining quesadillas.
5. Cut the quesadillas into quarters and serve fresh and hot.
6. To serve, arrange the quesadillas serving plate and place a bowl of salsa into the middle.

Pineapple Salsa

1 x 432 tin pineapple pieces, drained

2 red chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped

3 spring onions, finely chopped

Small bunch of coriander, leaves only, chopped finely

if you can't get fresh add ½ tsp of ground or to suit

personal taste

salt and black pepper

50g (2oz) sweetcorn (defrosted if frozen) (optional)

Put the pineapple pieces into a bowl. Add the spring onions, coriander and chillies, season and mix well. Whiz a quarter of this mixture in a food processor until smooth. Mix into the bowl with the remaining salsa and add the sweetcorn if desired.

You can add and subtract ingredients to suit. There are chillies in both the above recipes – you could substitute with Romano peppers, finely chopped.

Afters,

Lemon Eton Mess

Pack of 4 or a large tub of lemon flavoured yogurt

Drum of ready-made mini meringues – available from most supermarkets

Jar of good quality lemon curd – or they could make their own – see Microwave Lemon Curd in Luscious Lemons

Lemon juice – 2-4 tsps to taste

Scoop out all the yogurt into a bowl. Spoon the lemon curd into another bowl and stir in the lemon juice. Put half the lemon mixture into the yogurt, you want a rippled effect so go slowly! Repeat, but leave the bowl with a little mixture left – all will be revealed!

Crumble meringues in a plastic food bag, clipped at the end – you won't get bits of meringue flying around this way. Fold into your mixture and spoon into glasses/dishes. The remaining mixture in the bowl is then drizzled over the top.

…..a final suggestion – they could make the Vanilla ice cream – as mentioned in Store Cupboard desserts – uber-useful extras, they then have a dessert for the evening too! Get some strawberries that they can prepare.

It doesn't have to cost a fortune, check out the cheaper supermarkets.

Hope that's helpful – sorry, nearly forgot – for the Lemon Eton Mess you could use half pint plastic glasses – widely available in the cheap shops - no washing up!