Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta

I do like it when I come across a recipe that fits in with the title of my blog! If you happen to have a bit of cream to spare then this is just the thing if you want to rustle up something simple for tea. It's a lovely variation on the creamy, carbonara theme that I discovered in Rachel Allen's recent book, Home Cooking, a really good book full of great ideas for family-friendly meals. Salty bacon and mushrooms are fried and mixed with cream, gruyere and parmesan cheese to make deliciously flavoured pasta sauce which I'll definitely be making again.

Creamy Bacon and Mushroom Pasta Sauce

(adapted from Home Cooking by Rachel Allen)

1 tbsp olive oil

175g/6oz back bacon (about 6 rashers), chopped

250g/9oz button mushrooms

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

250ml/9 fl oz double or regular cream

75g/3oz gruyere cheese, grated

25g/1oz parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Squeeze of lemon juice

1) Pour the olive oil into a frying pan on a medium heat, add the bacon and fry for 3-4 minutes or until crisp and golden.

2) Meanwhile, blend the mushrooms in a food processor until finely chopped, or chop by hand. Add to the bacon and saute for a further 3-4 minutes or until softened. Season with a little salt and plenty of pepper

3) Reduce the heat, add the cream and simmer gently for 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Gruyere and Parmesan, followed by the parsley and lemon juice and check the seasoning. Pour the sauce over cooked pasta (I do about 100g per person), tossing together to coat evenly, and serve.

Serves 4

Delia's Souffled Macaroni Cheese

OK, so if you were after something light and healthy for your dinner then this probably isn't the recipe for you. This is one to turn to if you fancy something warm, comforting and filling and is an absolute favourite of mine. That said, it's also quite light thanks to the souffle element created by the beaten egg whites folded in at the last minute.

This isn't a quick dish to prepare as it requires a fair bit of grating, egg-separating and measuring before you start, but once it's all ready it doesn't take too long and is pretty fail safe.

I usually pair it up with some oven baked potato wedges for a seriously cheesy carb-fest. Add vegetables if you must but it won't be the same!

You can find the recipe on Delia's website here or in Book One of her How to Cook series.