Lydia Brownlow
Teacher of Cookery

Prep: 2 hours Cook: 45 mins Serves: 4-6 This is a small labour of love but so worth it! It is also an easy way of using up the odd stick of celery or handful of mushrooms lurking in the fridge. You can always double up the ragu and use it for bolognaise sauce, cottage pie etc. Ingredients: For the ragu 2 tbsp olive oil 400g beef mince 1 onion, roughly chopped 2 sticks celery, a handful button mushrooms,2 carrots diced (optional) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp chopped thyme

Prep: 10 mins Cook: 15 mins Makes: 8 Anything goes with these biscuits, they are great for using up those leftover bits in your larder. The half tube of smarties, a handful of raisins and a few forgotten almond flakes. Ingredients: 125g butter 100g muscovado sugar 50g caster sugar 1 egg ½tsp vanilla essence 175g self raising flour 100g in total of chopped chocolate, nuts, raisins, dried apricots, fudge pieces, marshmallows..... Melt the butter in a small pan, or in the micro