Peppa Pancakes

Saw these recently and thought I'd give them a go: Good fun, and lots of mistakes to eat up. And no matter how they turn out, even if they only vaguely resemble the famous pig, your little ones will love them!

Saturday Night Supper Suggestions

If you're searching for something to make for those dark, cold, winter evenings, look no further. Perfect for snuggling down with in front of the fire...

Lamb and Herb Stew - delicious. Make it as hot or mild as you want by adding more or less Harissa.

Oxtail Stew - you could spice this one up with the addition of chilli flakes.

Tartiflette - reminiscent of those bright cold ski days - one of my favourites, though make sure you do something during the day to deserve this winter treat!

Green Thai Curry - you don't have to make your own paste for this one, but the addition of onions and green pepper makes it even more tasty. Serve with coriander flatbread.

Gnocchi - very easy so don't be put off by making your own pasta. It's simple. And a range of sauces to choose from too.

Herby Lamb Cobbler - a great winter warmer for those chilly evenings.

Mushroom and Spinach Pancakes - if you use shop-bought pancakes it takes even less time to prepare!

Mushroom and Spinach pancakes

This was meant to be Wednesday's dinner with a traditional asparagus wrapped in pancetta with Hollandaise for starters. Scallops on leek puree and home-made pasta stuffed with ricotta and spinach and a sage butter sauce should have been Tuesday's dinner. The boyf, him again, was out for a work leaving do on Tuesday, however, and really wanted scallops so 'suggested' I swap the two days so he could have the scallops on Wednesday.

This was no skin off my nose as I was having trouble finding rennet to make my own Ricotta-type cheese, so it gave me an extra day! Still haven't found any in a real-life shop - any ideas? And I love these pancakes, always wanting one more, so was happy to eat alone. I think the recipe was originally a Good Food one, but can't remember. Anyway, this is generally how it goes:

First, fry off some chestnut mushrooms and chopped garlic until soft.

Remove from the pan when done and wilt the spinach.

Either use ready-made or make your own savoury pancakes - I always use a Delia recipe, though feel I should be able to remember it without the book by now!

Make a cheese / bechamel sauce. Just mix flour with butter and stir in milk on a hot heat little by little until a thick consistency is reached. Add cheese to taste.

Spoon the ingredients onto a pancake with a little of the sauce. Roll and place into an ovenproof dish.

Dollop over the rest of the cheese sauce and sprinkle a little more grated cheese over the top. I find that the sauce always disappears so add a few more dollops than you think it needs.

Bake at 180 for about 20 minutes.