Pork Ball Noodle Soup

This is a delicious, dark, rich, oriental-flavoured soup with mouth watering spicy pork mince balls which really make the dish. It’s great as a fairly quick dinner to prepare for yourself or for friends and also makes a nice starter. Pork mince is very inexpensive, which is a bonus…more.

Dinner Time Poached Eggs

This is great as a quick dinner for when you can’t be bothered to cook anything more strenuous, as it’s super easy to make. After eating this you feel pleasantly full but not too stuffed so it’s ideal if you’re going out afterwards. It’s made of ingredients that you are likely to have in your cupboard and if not you can get them from your local shop. You can make it two ways – vegetarian or with bacon…more.

Creamy Salmon Gratin

This is the ultimate comfort food. I can only describe it as ‘the dish that does everything’ because I think you’ll find it can be adapted to suit almost every eating situation. It’s nice to cook for yourself, particularly if you’re one of those people who likes to cook in ‘bulk’. Make a tray of it to keep in the fridge for a couple of days, then heat up portions in the microwave. It’s also great to cook for friends; either a dinner party or when one person pops over. It can be prepared in advance so you’re not flapping round the kitchen while you’re talking…more.

Stir Fry

The strong, fresh flavours in this stir-fry make it a regular part of my weekly menu. It is easy to throw together after work as a quick nutritious meal, as it takes just 15 minutes prep.
You can vary this recipe quite a bit, depending on taste and what you have in the cupboard, and if you’re a passionate carnivore there’s even the option to add chicken…more.

Sausage Casserole

This is simply mouth-watering instant comfort food – the perfect dish for a winter’s day. It has the rich flavours of a slow-cooked stew, with a slightly fresher feel than your average sausage casserole, because of the light topping you sprinkle over it before serving…more.

Brown Bread and Butter Pudding

This yummy pudding takes no more than 15 minutes actual preparation time. The ingredients are really cheap and it’s got a comforting, warm yet light texture. Your friends will love it, which is why it serves four – so there are always leftovers to go around…more.

White Fish, Coriander and Lemon Risotto

The lemon and coriander complement the fish in this fresh, tasty risotto. If you have space in your kitchen for people to sit then it’s ideal to cook for friends when they come over, as you can chat to them while you’re stirring. But I wouldn’t cook it for more than three people or for a dinner party because the need to stir may take you away from the guests in the dining area…more.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Curry

I love a good curry – who doesn’t? This curry is influenced by Kashmiri flavours of dried fruit, and is also similar to an Achari curry because of its tangy flavour. These sweet, fruity and sometimes sour flavours are created by the dried cherries and olives (not something that usually pops up in a curry!). The chicken is tender and delicious because it is marinated in yoghurt in advance…more.

Avocado and Chicken Sandwich with Zing

This is a delicious, original sandwich that provides a great way to use up left over cooked chicken. Use chilli powder rather than paprika if you like things with a little extra spice…more.

Winter Vegtable Soup

Soup season is fast approaching and this recipe holds the key to a healthy, warming lunch. It is made from all the best winter vegetables, and the key to the flavour is in the coriander and parsley stem that are added. It’s ideal to take to work in a thermos flask or if you have a microwave at work you can heat it up there. Serve with bread and butter…..more.

Egg and Roasted Tomato Sandwich

This is a simple, easy and filling sandwich to take to work. The flavours of rich roasted tomato complement the and creamy hard-boiled egg so much more than raw tomatoes. To make life even easier, the fillings can be made in advance….more.

Oriental Nicoise Salad

This salad is ideal for taking to work for lunch, as it’s healthy but the egg and tuna make you feel comfortably full. The salad dressing provides a delicious oriental flavour. It takes as little as 10 minutes to throw together in the morning, as the main ingredients can be prepared the night before…more.

Ultmate Hummus Sandwich

This is a more exciting version of your average houmous sandwich, so you’ll look forward to a scrummy lunch at work…more.

Bruschetta

This Bruschetta is perfect for a dinner party. The flavour of roasted garlic and fresh tomato and basil is amazing. The bruschettas can be made the day before and the topping put on just before the party, to make your life that much easier…more.

Coconut, Orange and Passion Fruit Tarts

These scrummy little tarts are perfect for a party, because they are small and manageable and delicious. The flavour of passion fruit and coconut in a creamy tart is almost like eating ice-cream and the orange gives it a little zesty tang. I promise you these will be eaten up before you can even blink. You can serve them on their own or with a little dollop of cream or ice cream…more.

Goats Cheese and Pear Canapés

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Spicy Tomato Quiche

I created the recipe for these lovely mini quiches years ago and have made them for practically every party I have held. A twist on your average quiche, the tomato cuts through the richness and they’re vegetarian so everyone’s happy. They can be made in advance and frozen. You can also make this as a large quiche (see below for instructions for this variation)…more.

Portuguese Chorizo Stew

This stew has rich, fresh flavours of Portuguese food; chorizo and lemon, with a sweet kick of honey. The fresh tomatoes that sit on top, brown in the oven, adding a lovely roasted taste. The perfect meal for a cold winters day…more.

Salmon Pie

This delicious pie has a light fresh salmon filling, encrusted in rich crisp pastry. Its ideal as a winter dinner with some steamed veg on the side, and equally perfect eaten in summer served cold with a salad. It’s a fairly healthy option as pies go – we’re sure you’ll love this one as much as us!…more.

Beef Pie

This warm, meaty pie is perfect for a cold winters night in. The flavour of the rich stew and light buttery, melt in the mouth pastry together is exquisite…more.

Melt in the Mouth and Oh So Simple Lemon Cake

This lemon cake melts in your mouth like no other, the combination of lemon and white chocolate makes for a lovely fresh and smooth cake – perfect for any occasion. In fact, it’s been voted my best cake yet by my work colleagues. It’s so quick and easy to make and the ingredients are all things you’ll be able to buy at your local shop, so you can throw it together at the last minute…more.

Apple Cake

This scrummy apple cake is perfect for a spring or summer day serves with (or even without) a small dollop of ice-cream or cream. The combination of apple and sweet cinnamon and the texture of buttery sponge is lovely. It’s super easy to make, as you don’t even need to peel the apples…more.

Chocolate Orange Muffins

Without doubt muffins are some of the best in the cake kingdom and these chocolate orange muffins are surely some of the best there are. You bite through the sweet crunchy coating and into the soft gooey middle filled with rich chunks of chocolate. These are delicious served warm while the chocolate chunks are still a bit melted…more.