57. crème fraîche quiche Lorraine (Lorraine Pascale)

Lorraine Pascale - Baking Made Easy

Rating: 2.7/5 
Comment: This was alright but the crème fraîche gave it an unusual flavour. Not won over by this one. I may well have over-whisked the eggs.

Use it again: No.
Lovely recipes from this book: Fudge brownies, Chocolate cake, Chocolate melting pots, Soda bread, Strawberry and mascarpone swiss roll, baked plaice with rosemary and anchovies, mini toad-in-the-hole, Focaccia, glam mac and cheese, mini dark chocolate and raspberry swirl cheesecakes. 
Avoid: Banana and Honey Soufle.

56. Cinnamon and Orange Biscuits (R.A. - Fave Food for Friends)

Rachel's Favourite Food for Friends 
Rating: 5/5 
Comment:  Great biscuits. Subtle flavour and lovely texture. I also use the ginger version of these.
Use it again: Yes.
Lovely recipes from this book: Chocolate Roulade with raspberries and cream, apple pudding, rhubarb pudding, lemon tea cake, raspberry and honey mascarpone tart. 
Average but still nice: Sweet corn and coriander cakes with tomato salsa, maple roast parsnips, jane's biscuits, cauliflower and cheese soup. 
Avoid: Chocolate fudge mousse, chocolate tart.

55. Orange and Chocolate chip cupcakes

Rachel's Favourite food at home  
Rating: 3/5 
Comment: Only OK. These have quite a heavy texture - had thought the ingredients and method would lend itself to a heavier cake but decided it was worth an attempt (I had oranges that needed using up). They taste nice enough but not sure if these will be made again.
Use it again: No.

Other nice recipes from this book: lemon biscuits, spicy salmon cakes, wholemeal shortbread biscuits, apple and cinnamon muffins, asparagus and spring onion tart.
Avoid: Upside-down rhubarb and ginger cake.

54. Apple Cake

Granny's apple cake - link
Rating: 3.5/5
Comment: simple recipe for an old fashioned apple cake, although it was a little heavy. I've been looking for a nice recipe for a while and I think this fits the bill. Will try with vanilla in place of cinnamon next time.
Use it again: Yes.

53. Red velvet Cupcake swirls

Saved by Cake - Marian Keyes 
Rating: 2/5
Comment: These were nice but considering the amount of effort the taste wasn't as nice as expected - can make up lovely lemon  or vanilla cupcakes in less than half the time and effort. I followed the recipe exactly but the cream cheese part was quite liquidy, and would need to be more of a cake texture to be able to swirl it properly. I must have missed something but I will not ever make these again! These did improve with age, but still won't try them again. Will go for regular red velvet one's.
Use it again: No.

52. Banana Bread (Avoca Cafe Cookbook)

Avoca Cafe Cookbook (1) 
Rating: 3.5/5 
Comment:  I have only made banana bread once before and had forgotten how tasty it is. Very easy recipe. 
Use it again: Yes. 
Cost: Under €5
Other nice newly tried recipes: Tuscan Bean soup, chicken marinated in honey and mustard, herb crusted cod.

51. Toria's crispy marinated chicken

Recipes from my mother for my daughter (Lisa Faulkner) 
Rating: 3.5/5
Comment: Yummy and easy but my mother's version of this is far nicer! I've only just started to embrace all the functions of my food processer which made quick work of slicing the potatoes!
Use it again:  Yes.

50. Raspberry and Honey Mascarpone Tart

Rachel's Favourite Food for Friends 
Rating: 3/5
Comment:  This was fine - my pastry making skills aren't brilliant. Strawberries would be better (which is what's meant to be used).
Use it again: Possibly, but I'm more likely to try a similar recipe from a different book.

Lovely recipes from this book: Chocolate Roulade with raspberries and cream, apple pudding, rhubarb pudding, lemon tea cake. 
Average but still nice: Sweet corn and coriander cakes with tomato salsa, maple roast parsnips, jane's biscuits, cauliflower and cheese soup. 
Avoid: Chocolate fudge mousse, chocolate tart.

49. mini Dark chocolate & raspberry swirl cheesecake

Lorraine Pascale - Baking Made Easy
Rating: 2.5/5 
Comment: This was only OK. The cheesecake part is really just philly, cream, icing sugar and some melted butter and digestives with a few raspberries thrown on top. I wasn't in the mood for sweet food so may not have given this a fair score.

  
Use it again: Probably not but I may try it again in the future when I feel fine. 
Lovely recipes from this book: Fudge brownies, Chocolate cake, Chocolate melting pots, Soda bread, Strawberry and mascarpone swiss roll, baked plaice with rosemary and anchovies, mini toad-in-the-hole, Focaccia, glam mac and cheese.
Avoid: Banana and Honey Soufleé

48. Spiced Lamb Pie

A Year at Avoca - Cooking for Ireland - Cookbook 3
Rating: 3.7/5 
Comment: Nice enough but not really spicy. Used less meat than suggested and more spice so next time I'll use even more.

Use it again: Yes. 

Nice recipes from this book: Brilliant Beef bourguignon with redcurrant and rosemary (fab), low fat chicken curry with ginger and coriander, baked chicken with peppers and smoked paprika, best ever apple pie.

47. Chocolate melting puds (L Paascale)

Lorraine Pascal - Baking Made Easy 
Rating: 4.5/5
Comment: Yummy, these are very good - gooey chocolate surrounded by sponge. Didn't bother tipping the puds out of the ramekins. (Meant to use dariole moulds but don't have any). 

The second time I tried these they came out of the moulds grand (used Dariole ones). Also prepared the mixture in advance and left in the fridge for a few hours. Left them in the oven slightly longer and still worked great. (12/13 mins at 170 - fan oven).
Use it again: yes.

Other lovely recipes from this book: Fudge brownies, Chocolate cake, Soda bread, Strawberry and mascarpone swiss roll, baked plaice with rosemary and anchovies, mini toad-in-the-hole, Focaccia, glam mac and cheese.
Avoid: Banana and Honey Soufleé

46. Red thai chicken and coconut curry

The Butler's Pantry 
Rating: 2.8/5 
Comment: Grand but lacking in something. First time I've ever made a red thai curry, and thought it was a little odd that the only ingredients are the base one's - red cury paste, chicken, broccoli, coconut milk, and a tiny bit of coriander. I use a green thai curry recipe that adds a few bits and pieces like kaffir lime leaves and fish sauce. It was alright but if I was going to make it again I'd need to check out some other red thai curry recipes first and steal some of their ingredients. None of my current books have a good recipe so it'll have to be the internet. I will not, however, ever make curry sauce from scratch - too much bother in my opinion. I used the full 2 tablespoons of curry paste as suggested but my final dish didn't look as red as the one in the book but it was still well spicy enough.

Use it again: Yes, but with added ingredients, in which case I may as well use a different recipe but I did like the method for this one.

45. Wholemeal shortbread biscuits (Rachel Allen)

Rachel's Favourite food at home 
Rating: 3.2/5
Comment: Tasty enough but too healthy tasting for me. They have a good bit of wholemeal flour but the same large amount of butter as normal biscuits. Lovely with a bit of jam on top!
Use it again: Yes, but not on a regular basis.

Other nice recipes from this book: lemon biscuits, spicy salmon cakes, apple and cinnamon muffins, asparagus and spring onion tart.
Avoid: Upside-down rhubarb and ginger cake.

44. Banana and Honey Soufleé

Lorraine Pascal - Baking Made Easy   
Rating: 1/5 
Comment: This was not tasty at all - not enough flavour. Possibly over-whisked the egg white, but husband agreed the flavour was very weak. This is the first Lorraine recipe I haven't liked at all.
Use it again: No, never!

Other lovely recipes from this book: Fudge brownies, Chocolate cake, Soda bread, Strawberry and mascarpone swiss roll, baked plaice with rosemary and anchovies, mini toad-in-the-hole, Focaccia, glam mac and cheese.

43. Raspberry Cream cupcakes

Hello - lifestyle 
Rating: 3/5     
Comment: I didn't think the cream cheese icing went that well.
Use it again: Yes, but using buttercream icing or glace style, or even some kind of sour cream icing.

42. Sticky Marmalade Chicken Drumsticks

Kitchen Hero - Donal Skehan - link
Rating: 3/5    
Comment: Cheap and easy, perfect for mid-week food.
Use it again: Yes, but not very often.
Other nice recipes from this book: Spicy white bean and chorizo soup, chicken and broccoli pie, mini caramelised and goat's cheese tarts, Chorizo and Spring onion Quesadilla