Our Kitchen

A Simnel cake is a light fruit cake packed with dried fruit and pockets of marzipan throughout the cake, a layer of marzipan in the middle and another one on top, decorated with 11 marzipan balls to represent Jesus's 11 disciples (excluding Judas of course).

Well who knew that there was such a versatile sustainable fruit growing in the tropics that could become a staple part of our diet in the next few decades? As the human need for a more plant based diet becomes necessity rather than choice as we will no longer be able to produce meat at the current level for all the people on the earth the jack fruit is a perfect meat like go-to. 

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, is the traditional Ash Wednesday feast day prior to the start of Lent. Lent–the 40 days leading up to Easter–was traditionally a time of fasting, and Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession on Shrove Tuesday and were "shrivelled" (absolved from their sins).

Risotto is one of my favourite meals and it never gets boring because you can add some many things to it. Treat it well, and it will reward you with a creamy, comforting dinner that the whole family will love. Being vegetarian, it's a great meal for a 'no meat Monday' if you're a meat eater and you could dress it up a tad for a very tasty posh dinner dish.

This is a fabulous recipe to have a go at this weekend with your children. A simple, quick and easy to do bake that is well, quite simply, delicious! Chocolate Chip Muffins...

In the words of the legendary Nigella Lawson, this is more of a framework than a recipe and, definitely one you should try if brussels are not normally a veg that graces your plate! So many people say they don't like brussel sprouts, basing that opinion on soggy, mushy, marble sized, blobs of green. I can see where they're coming from if that is their only experience of the winter vegetable. But let me tell you, sprouts, treated properly can be so much better than that...

Who doesn't love a mince pie and to me, Mince Pies are an essential during the festive season. The smell of them cooking conjures up memories of Christmases past and make me feel a tingly warmth inside with anticipation for the forthcoming celebrations.

Granola bars make a great alternative to cereal at breakfast time or a snack when you're out and about. They are simple to make and you can always mix things up and bit by changing the seeds, nuts and dried fruit combinations that you add. Very versatile are these little beauties!

Sometimes, I think those simple bakes with a touch of je ne sais quoi are the best. Light, airy and simply delicious. Also ideal to accompany a cup of tea in the late afternoon when you just need that little pick me up. Lemon Drizzle Cake is certainly one of those types of cake in my book.