There were 2 things that inspired this dish.

Firstly, my new ceramic muffin tray that I couldn't resist and this recipe by one of my favourite blogs. Macaroni cheese is one of my Mum's signature dishes. It's what we always ate as children when we felt poorly or needed comforting. So when she came to stay a couple of weeks ago I wrote down her recipe and gave it a new twist with the seafood and comical crackers.

I wanted to make something we could all share for a Valentine's tea, as we will have had a fancy (albeit) home cooked meal, the night before for Richard's birthday, I wanted something simple but satisfying. After all the boys are the loves of my life!

A good way to sneak seafood into fussy eaters too.

Here is what you need:

Makes 12 muffins.

• 250g/8oz/2 cups macaroni 
• 50g/1.75oz/0.6 cup butter
• 2 chopped spring onions
• 2 heaped tablespoons cornflour
• 275ml/10oz/1.2 cups milk
• 125g/4oz/1 cup grated mature cheddar cheese
• generous pinch of chives (fresh or dried)
• generous pinch of paprika
• fresh, peeled prawns/shrimp - I allowed 2 per muffin
• 1 tin pink salmon
• 1 smoked mackerel fillet, flaked with a fork
• handful cheese crackers - I love the fish and heart shaped ones!
• chopped fresh dill 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees/350F/Gas Mark 4.

In a saucepan cook the macaroni according to the instructions. Cook until tender but not squishy. Drain and set aside, so all the water drains away.

In a large saucepan melt your butter on a low heat and add the chopped spring onions to soften.

In a jug mix your cornflour with 50ml/0.2 cups of milk. Stir vigorously until all the cornflour has dissolved. Add the remainder of your milk.

Take your butter and onions off the heat and stir in your jug of milk. Again off the heat add your grated cheese. Return to a medium heat and stir continuously for around 5-8 minutes until you have a smooth cheese sauce. If you find your sauce a little thin add a level teaspoon of cornflour (again dissolved in a splash of milk) to your sauce to thicken.

Add your chives and paprika and season.

Take your sauce off the heat and add your drained pasta. 

Layer your muffin tray with a spoonful of the macaroni mix, a layer of flaked salmon, prawns/shrimp and flaked mackerel and top with another spoonful of macaroni.

Submerge 3/4 crackers per muffin and sprinkle with chopped dill.

Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and bubbling. Leave to stand for a couple of minutes before serving.

Creamy and delicious, with texture and flavour, and it got the boys eating 3 types of fish in one.

Bonus!

Where do you get your inspiration from for recipe ideas? I have just discovered this blog. Wow. 

Find more inspiration over on #TastyTuesdays and #recipeoftheweek

I love breakfast ideas, but by the time we get moving on a weekend it is most definitely brunch.

But this works perfectly for a lazy day when it feels like Spring is in the air.

There are so many textures in this dish, which stops the watermelon from tasting wet and sloppy!

I can't believe I have never thought to grill a watermelon until now.

Ingredients:

• Sliced watermelon 
• Peeled mandarin
• 2 Tablespoons of honey
• Handful muesli of your choice
• 1 small pot of yoghurt to serve

Using a griddle (if you want the seared lines across the slices) or shallow frying pan, brush your watermelon slices and mandarin segments with honey and cook on a medium/high heat for 8 minutes on each side.

The honey will caramelise slightly and the natural water in the watermelon stops it from sticking.

Take off the heat and layer up your watermelon. Sprinkle with muesli and mandarin and top with a dollop of yoghurt. 

The boys loved their "fruit pizza" slices. Easy to make for just 4 of you or for a big group.

Lazy brunches are most certainly the way forward! I used my cabbage leaf plates in these photographs and it reminded me of our beautiful breakfast in Honfleur.

Bon appétit! 

psst how do you like my new bone vintage cutlery? A little bargain I picked up in an antique store opposite Spitalfields Market in London when I was working last week. I got 3 sets of knives and forks for £12, they are so heavy and just feel full of history. They are from America and apparently from the days of cowboys! 

Linking up with Magpie Monday, Tasty Tuesdays and Recipe of the Week. Check them out for some brilliant inspiration.

I picked up these tiny metal moulds in the sale and knew they would come in handy for a Valentines treat idea.

A simple but effective recipe that takes only a few minutes.

Sammy is going to make up some little boxes for his sweethearts at school, but substituting the nuts for jelly beans!

All you need is chocolate and your choice of extras. I chose some freeze dried raspberries and chopped pistachio nuts, and you could add fresh raspberries too.

Melt your chocolate in the microwave slowly so it doesn't burn. I melted approx 75g for 40 seconds and then an extra 10 seconds at a time until it was smooth.

Stir in your nuts and raspberries and spoon into your moulds. Set in the freezer for 20 minutes. Pop them out of the moulds and present in a little muffin loaf basket or whatever you fancy!

This batch is for the woman Sammy loves the most. Of course - Granny! 

Gifts don't have to be extravagant, I think the thoughtful ones are the best.

Will you be making a loved one a gift this Valentines?

Check out some other gorgeous dishes linked up over on Tasty Tuesdays here