Childhood Memories and Jacket Potato Recipes for Bonfire Night

Remember remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot...

So what are the essential elements of a successful Bonfire Night party ? Well, if you ask me, I'd have to go back to my fabulous childhood memories of November 5th. We'd make a proper guy with a paper mache head, real clothes stuffed with paper and straw and proper boots (which must have been removed before he was put on the fire because I can't imagine having that many wellies to throw away year after year !), pulling on woolly hats, scarves and gloves to go outside and write our names with sparklers, buckets of sand laying around just in case, Roman candles, rockets and Catherine wheels and awestruck ooohs and aaahs. My grandad always used to make a big bonfire in the garden and I remember checking for hedgehogs before we lit it, then putting big potatoes wrapped in foil to cook in the embers.

Well, I have to admit, we don't really do anything for Bonfire Night any more. In France, it doesn't exist and if we're in the UK, we're more likely to head to a public display or watch everybody else's private displays from the bedroom window ! One tradition I do love to keep going though is lovely warming, satisfying (but still low-calorie) baked potatoes, even if they're not cooked in the bonfire !

I've just shared our traditional recipe for Twice-Baked Potatoes and the recipe for the Chunky Chorizo & Juicy Tomato McCain Ready Baked Jackets that (ahem) we almost tried out, but the other recipe ideas looked too good so ignore so I thought I'd share them with you too.

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Cheesy Tomato McCain Ready Baked Jackets

Serves: 2

Preparation & cooking time: 10 minutes

Cost per serving: £1.91

Ingredients:

• 2 McCain Ready Baked Jackets
• 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100g sun blushed tomatoes from a jar or the deli counter
• Drizzle of olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic puree, optional
• 50g fresh breadcrumbs
• 50g freshly grated parmesan
• Salt & pepper to season

Method:

• Cook two McCain Ready Baked Jackets as per instruction on pack
• Pre heat the grill
• Mix together the breadcrumbs and parmesan and put to the side
• Mix together the tomatoes, oil and garlic and season well with salt and pepper and pile the mixture onto an oven sheet. Start to grill gently, allowing the tomatoes to crisp and brown a little. Turn over once or twice
• After about 5-7 mins, top with the parmesan and breadcrumbs mixture and continue to grill gently until the topping is hot and crispy
• When the potatoes are cooked, open slightly and top with the tomato mixture
  
  

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Corned Beef Hash McCain Ready Baked Jackets

Serves: 2

Preparation & Cooking Time: 8 minutes

Cost per serving: £1.84

Ingredients:

• 2 McCain Ready Baked Jackets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 leek, finely sliced
• 150g chestnut mushrooms, broken into chunks
• 150g corned beef, cut into pieces
• Handful freshly chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper to season

Method:

• Cook two McCain Ready Baked Jackets as per instruction on pack
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the leeks until softened, then add the mushrooms, corned beef and parsley
• When the potatoes are cooked, open slightly and top with the corned beef hash

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Ranch-Style Egg Topped McCain Ready Baked Jackets

Serves: 2

Preparation & cooking time: 7 minutes

Cost per serving: £1.01

Ingredients:

• 2 McCain Ready Baked Jackets
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 large, free range eggs

Method:

• Cook two McCain Ready Baked Jackets in the microwave as per instructions on pack
• Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan. Add the garlic, the tinned tomatoes and the ketchup and season well. Next add the herbs and simmer until the sauce has thickened
• Make two gaps in the sauce and drop a cracked egg into each one. Cook gently until the eggs have set. Pop under a hot grill for a few minutes if you prefer a less sunny side up look!
• When the potatoes are cooked, split open slightly and top with the sauce and an egg

Top Tip:

• If you’re in a real hurry, simply heat a small jar of pizza sauce in the frying pan and add the eggs
  
  
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  Sausage & Caramelized Onion McCain Ready Baked Jackets
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Serves: 2
  Preparation & cooking time: 10 minutes
  Cost per serving: £1.46
  
  
  
  
  Ingredients:
  • 2 McCain Ready Baked Jackets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, finely sliced
  • 4 chunky sausages, cooked and cut into chunks
  • 3 tbsp red onion chutney
  • Handful of freshly chopped parsley
  
  
  Method:
  • Cook two McCain Ready Baked Jackets in the microwave as per instructions on pack
  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and fry gently until softened and slightly sticky
  • Add the sausage chunks and heat through
  • When the potatoes are cooked, add the chutney to the sausages and allow to bubble. When heated through, open the potatoes slightly and top with the caramelized red onion and sausage mixture
  
  
  for more information and recipe ideas : http://www.mccain.co.uk/mccain-products/family-classics-made-easy/ready-baked-jackets/
  
  
  Disclosure : I received a pack of Ready Baked Jackets and some ingredients in order to try out one of the recipes.
  
  
  Other blogposts you may be interested in :
  
  
  McCain Ready Baked Jackets for Quick Bonfire Night Tea
   McCain Ready-Baked Jackets review
  Baked Potato Recipe Ideas from McCain