Chicken and Bacon Ragu with Fennel and Ricotta Dumplings

I found this recipe on thekitchn.com and have changed a few small things which I believe add a greater depth of flavour. The ricotta dumplings I have left alone (apart from adding a touch of grated nutmeg) as the recipe is so fantastic, so ridiculously simple and quite fun too. I love to slow cook…

Roasted Cauliflower Olive and Sundried Tomato Cavatelli

If you’ve not yet hopped on the roasted cauliflower bandwagon, please do soon for you will not be disappointed. Charring and caramelising the edges brings out a nutty, buttery flavour and when lightly oiled, salted and roasted for 20-30 minutes in a high temp oven it is tempting to pop it in like popcorn. I…

A Punchy Little Sandwich for Spring

Even though I am partial to the odd BLT or BELTAC, (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Avocado and Cheese) I tend to stray away from the DIY version at home…..maybe not giving credit enough to the old two slices which serve as a container for other food.  In Australia it was unusual for me to see…

Bagel Power – Kablam

We’ve all experienced the wonder of bagels, whether it be plain as butter or completely complexioned – as far as bagel fillings go. There were my younger days, when I would peruse the vast, white impersonal shopping centres with friends…..clinging onto an onion bagel for comfort. We’d eat them just as they came, no jazz,…

Slow Roast Chicken with Sun burnt Broccoli and Maple Sprouts

There’s not much I love more than getting up on a Sunday to put something in the oven, then out for breakfast, pub in the afternoon and returning to a house smelling delicious and as if someone else has made it for you – something perfectly slow roasted, ready to take out the oven and…

Pasta with Roast Pumpkin, Rosemary, Smoky Bacon and Spinach

I came across this recipe in my diary, it’s slightly embarrassingly called ‘The Foodies Diary’ maybe you have one too? The thing is, it’s great for listing seasonal produce, festivals and farmers markets and me being from the UK – everything’s back to front over here and good to know what’s in season – even…

Getting Exotic with Corn on the Cob

Every season brings with it great foods and corn has that oomph factor in the spring/summer (Sept-March in Australia). We usually eat this as a starter but have recently become more experimental with the sunny kernels. Some ideas to jazz up your cobs……. Spiced butter – I have a recipe in my post as follows,…

Waffling About

Everyone needs a bit of waffle now and then….so here’s to waffling on…and on………and on…………… I have a stove top waffle iron, which is good but I would still favour the old electric waffle irons purely for the fact it’s easier to get the timing right and the edges are less susceptible to burning. Anyway,…

Spiced Cauliflower Torchietti with Chilli, Tomato and Bacon

Mark Twain described the cauliflower as ‘cabbage with a college education’. Now I am starting to educate myself about this mysterious white vegetable. I started to sauté cauliflower about a year ago, which went down very well with my partner who normally detests the stuff. I llike to fry the florets in a little oil…

Creamy Bacon, Boursin and Courgette Pasta – My best kept secret

I know we’ve all added various cream cheeses to pastas before but this particular combination is something that pains me slightly to divulge as it has been a personal love affair since my mum first made this for us. A dish that pleases all, and can be made vegetarian easily with the exclusion of bacon….

Lovely Crumpets

A weekend breakfast maybe, but not difficult by any measure. Whether you go for bacon and maple syrup or poached eggs and dukkah – they are almost as revered as pancakes in my house (which is really saying something). I hope you give this recipe a go and you enjoy them as much as we…

Spaghetti Bolognese

My choice for death row, without a doubt. Hearty, homely and ‘a cuddle in the mouth’. I did try this in Bologna and it was very good (almost as good as this little number) – not too saucy, caressing the spaghetti, rather than drowning it. It was also mixed in, which my partner was happy…