Baked macaroni cheese

Macaroni is a hollow tube of pasta which lets the sauce squish about inside. My daughter Laura started making it all by herself when she was 10.

Prep – 10 minutes
Cook – 20 minutes

Equipment:
• weighing scales
• teaspoon
• sharp knife
• chopping board
• large saucepan
• medium saucepan or frying pan
• grater
• large ovenproof baking dish
• colander
• sharp knife
• oven gloves

Ingredients:
(serves 4)

• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 120g ham
• handful of parsley
• 350g macaroni
• 1 teaspoon of butter
• 300g crème fraîche (it's like yogurt)
• 250g soft cream cheese
• 60g Parmesan cheese, grated (save a bit for the top)
• salt and pepper

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/Gas Mark 6. Use the sharp knife and chopping board to chop the onion, ham and parsley into small bits. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Add the macaroni to the boiling water, wait for it to boil again, and give it one good stir to keep the macaroni from sticking together. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 10 minutes. Check it every once in a while to make sure it isn't sticking. If it bubbles over the side, turn the heat down a little more.

2. While the macaroni is simmering, melt the butter in the medium saucepan or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry gently for a few minutes. Be sure to push the onion around in the pan so it doesn't stick. Turn the heat down to low, and stir in the crème fraîche, cream cheese and Parmesan cheese (keep a little bit of the Parmesan aside for later). Keep stirring until all the ingredients have mixed together. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

3. Add the chopped ham and parsley to the sauce. Mix in well, and then pour the sauce into your baking dish.

4. When the macaroni has finished cooking, drain it very well in a colander. Remember, the steam will be very hot! You may need some help from an adult.

5. Stir the macaroni into the baking dish with the sauce. Make sure it's coated well. Then sprinkle the top with the leftover Parmesan – do not mix it in. Using your oven gloves, place the baking dish in the hot oven for 10 minutes. After about 10 minutes, when the top has turned a golden brown colour, remove the dish from the oven using oven gloves, then serve on plates with a side salad or cooked vegetable, such as peas.

Pick'n'mix funky burgers

Homemade burgers every once in a while are a special treat. They are much better for you than pre-packed burgers. You can add things like chopped-up onion, herbs or cheese to the meat for different flavours. You can even try this with minced lamb or turkey for something completely different.

Prep – 10 minutes
Cook – 10 minutes

Equipment:
• sharp knife
• chopping board
• grater
• large mixing bowl
• plate
• metal spatula

Ingredients:
(serves 6)
• 6 soft bap rolls
• 1kg minced beef
• salt and pepper
• any topping you want
(see list)

Extra toppings – whatever you fancy, such as:

Vegetables
• sliced tomatoes
• shredded lettuce
• rocket leaves
• chopped red onions
• pickles

Sauces
• mustard
• mayonnaise
• tomato relish/ketchup
• mashed-up avocado

Cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Swiss cheese
• blue cheese

Herbs
• basil
• coriander
• mint – nice with minced lamb

1. Slice the baps in half, and prepare any extra toppings you are using. For example, you can grate the cheese, wash and shred the lettuce, or slice the tomatoes or onions. Turn on the grill.

2. Break up the mince in a large bowl using your hands. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Take a handful of the mix – enough for one burger. Shape it into a burger, and put it on a plate. Repeat until the mix is used up and all the raw burgers are stacked up on the plate ready to be cooked. Don't forget to wash your hands after touching raw meat.

3. Cook the burgers under the grill for 4 minutes on each side, using the metal spatula to turn them over. In the summer, try cooking the burgers on a barbecue!

4. When cooked, place a burger on the bottom half of a bap, and pick 'n' mix your favourite toppings. Put the other half of the bap on top, and serve on plates. You can eat this with your hands if you want, but you might have trouble fitting it in to your mouth!

• Recipes from Nora's Dinners, published by Collins, priced at £12.99