Sharing a love of good food
Apricot Tea Loaf is light, buttery and delicately flavoured with tangy plumped fruit plus a hint of vanilla. Quicker and easier than standard cakes, tea loaves are a lovely, sweet treat sliced and served with a cuppa or part of an afternoon tea. Disclosure: this …Read more
Corned Beef Plate Pie is an economical way to stretch half a can of corned beef to feed at least four people. Needing just potatoes, corned beef, onion, salt and pepper, the filling is full of savoury flavour. Bake it in a simple homemade shortcrust …Read more
Warm Grain Salad with Roasted Veg, Bacon & Cheese is a comforting one bowl meal with wonderful flavour and texture combinations. Perfect for the cooler months, the base of wholegrains is tossed with roasted sweet potato, onion and kale, crunchy toasted pecans and pumpkin seeds, …Read more
Crispy Dumpling Salad, inspired by the flavours of East Asia, features appetizingly browned gyoza dumplings atop a crunchy vegetable salad tossed with an invigorating dressing that’s savoury, tangy, and sweet all at once. So quick and easy using frozen dumplings, this delicious salad makes a …Read more
Bean and Pulse Soups can be tasty, nutritious and economical. Whether you’re looking for a hearty bowlful like minestrone, a simple delicate lentil soup, healthy wholegrains, or something special like creamy bean and pancetta, you’ll find lots to tempt you in this round-up of my …Read more
Apple Tart is always a crowd pleaser. Sweet-tart apples, cooked to soft perfection, caramelized with a cinnamon and sugar topping. But what about the base? In this version, you can forget making pastry, rolling and cutting out. That’s because a simple shortbread type dough is pressed …Read more
Sultana, Chocolate & Orange Muffins feature a deliciously light and fluffy sponge scented with orange, studded with plump dried fruit and chocolate chunks. A simple sweet treat, the muffins can be ready in just 40 minutes. Lovely served hot with custard for dessert too! Disclosure: …Read more
This special Turkish pide flatbread, known as Ramazan Pidesi, is beautifully soft, light, and has an open textured crumb. It also looks stunning. With a distinctive diamond pattern and shiny glaze speckled with black and white seeds, you might think this focaccia-like bread is difficult. …Read more
Vegetable & Wholegrains Soup is a deeply savoury, nutritious one pot meal that’s satisfying without being heavy. With rich umami flavour, vegetables, chickpeas, plus nutty grains, it’s perfect when you’re craving a tasty but healthy bowlful. Disclosure: this post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon …Read more
Homemade Digestive Biscuits, crunchy, crumbly, and with a satisfying wholemeal, oaty flavour, are miles ahead of packet versions. Making them yourself is so easy and you’ll avoid the palm oil and ultra-processed ingredients found in big brands. Perfect for dunking in a cuppa, you can …Read more
Cheese Sandwich Crackers are light, crispy and cheesy biscuits sandwiched together with an intensely cheesy filling. Perfect for snacking, they’re inspired by TUC brand cheese sandwich crackers but with no palm oil or ultra processed ingredients. Plus, instead of their measly 5 per cent dried …Read more
Smoky Tomato Chilli Chutney, spicy with a sweet edge, is utterly addictive. Great for using up homegrown tomatoes and/or chillies, its smokiness comes from a generous amount of Spanish paprika. Delicious and versatile, you’ll love it not just with cheese and crackers, but with kebabs, burgers and …Read more
Creamy White Bean Soup with Fresh Tomatoes & Basil is no ordinary bean and tomato soup. The creaminess of this plant-based soup comes from cannellini beans simmered in a garlicky fennel seed broth, then pureed. Taking that simple base to the next level is a …Read more
Raisin & Lemon Oatmeal Scones are a delightful variation on classic British sultana scones. With plumped raisins and fresh lemon zest, swapping in oatmeal for some of the wheat flour in these light and fluffy scones brings a hint of nutty flavour and makes them …Read more
Easy Seed Crackers are light, crispy and delicious. Grain-free, gluten-free, made with nothing but seeds including chia, water and your chosen seasonings, they’re the perfect crunchy accompaniment to spreads, dips, soups or cheese. Great for adding to lunch boxes or enjoyed as a healthy nibble. This …Read more
Jam making needn’t be difficult or involve lots of fancy equipment. In this beginner’s guide I’ll tell you everything you need to know as well as taking you through the process step-by-step. Understand the principles, follow my tips, and after trying a few of my …Read more
Blackberry Brandy is a satisfying, easy project made with seasonal, foraged fruit. The spirit is flavoured with blackberries and sweetened with sugar to make a delicious, liqueur-like drink. Swap the brandy for gin, vodka, whisky, or dark rum if you prefer. Made using fresh or frozen …Read more
Dog Friendly Eating & Drinking in Staffordshire is a personal guide to my favourite independent dog friendly pubs, restaurants and cafés. Besides enjoying the beautiful Staffordshire countryside with my cocker spaniel Larkin, eating and drinking is how I spend a lot of my leisure time. …Read more
Picnic food doesn’t have to be all about sandwiches. In this post I share more than eighty of my favourite recipes for a tasty, varied picnic. From fresh salads, savoury bakes, pies and dips, to sweet treats, you’ll find lots to tempt you outdoors whether …Read more
For any home baker, it’s a real boon to have plenty of Bread Roll and Baguette Recipes in your repertoire to accompany any type of meal. And in this post you’ll find almost a dozen, many made with my easy no-knead method. Recipes include healthy …Read more
English Muffins are traditional pan or griddle cooked bread rolls that have been around since at least the eighteenth century. In the same family as crumpets, bread muffins are easy to make at home with my no-knead method. Fermenting the dough overnight gives these delicious …Read more
Main course salads are a great way of eating. Packed with veggies, proteins, and flavourful ingredients, they’ll keep you satisfied for hours. So forget relegating salad to a side dish and take a look at my round-up of 25+ favourite main course salads. Tap …Read more
Potato Farls, sometimes called Irish potato cakes, tattie scones, or potato bread, are so easy to make. Containing just seasoned mashed potato, flour, plus optional butter, they’re surprisingly tasty. Fantastic with poached or fried eggs, baked beans and cheese, or in a big traditional breakfast. …Read more
Egg & Bacon Pie is a tasty traditional British cold pie. Perfect for picnics, lunch boxes and buffets, for my super-simple version, all you need for the filling are half a dozen eggs and some smoked bacon. Baked in crispy shortcrust pastry then cooled, this …Read more
Sicilian Sesame Biscuits, also known as biscotti regina or reginelle, are wonderfully aromatic and crunchy with the delightful flavour of vanilla and optional citrus plus a sesame seed coating that’s earthy and nutty. Surprisingly simple to make, they’re an incredibly moreish treat with coffee, hot …Read more