christmas tree bakewell biscuits.

With glowing glacé cherries, the subtle hint of almond essence and the signature drizzle of white icing, these delicate Christmas biscuits encompass the best of a Bakewell tart. Great for festive buffets, homemade gift ideas or to keep in your biscuit tin throughout December, these cute Bakewell inspired biscuits are the third of my festive recipes from my Christmas collaboration with Central England Cooperative. And if you like the sound of these, you might fancy making my Cherry Bakewell Mince Pies.

chao chao, west bridgford, nottingham.

Found along the Melton Road in Nottingham's sought-after West Bridgford area, Chao Chao boasts an array of Southeast Asian dishes, now available to enjoy in their new restaurant. Previously a popular Oriental inspired takeaway. their self-proclaimed urban kitchen brings to life flavours from Thailand, Japan, Korea and Malaysia with the freshest possible ingredients.

sesame teriyaki flat iron steak.

 

Japanese cuisine is a favourite in our household. Whether it's recipes passed down through tradition or an inspired take on a classic. When Sous Chef asked if I'd like to review the Sushi Collection Santoku Knife I couldn't wait to add this sleek and sophisticated tool to my knife block. Made in Japan, the knife is fully forged from high carbon stainless steel, with a magnolia wood handle – the traditional wood to use for sushi knives

As the description suggests, it's a very versatile knife which can be used for much more than just sushi. Santoku knives are especially good for three main preparation techniques – chopping, slicing and mincing vegetables. I thought that I'd try it out for meat slicing with this sesame teriyaki flat iron steak - which is super simply and yet looks pretty impressive as part of a Japanese inspired banquet.

thai prawn massaman salad.

A fragrant and colourful salad perfect for these brighter evenings. A lighter option to your usual noodle dish, this Thai inspired salad brings together vibrant, crunchy veg with juicy king prawns. Enjoy as a light main dish, as a side or even as part of a BBQ banquet.

bounty macarons.

If you like Bounty bars and you like macarons, well, you've come to the right place. If you've read a few any other my other macaron posts you'll know I'm on a mission to create macarons for everyone's favourite chocolate bar. From Crunchie to Mint Aero, I'm here for you guys. All you have to do is adapt the centre with your favourite filling. I'll warn you now, Bounty spread is addictive.

number thirty eight, clifton, bristol.

Found in the quirky suburb of Clifton in Bristol, Number Thirty Eight is an independently run, luxury townhouse. With just ten bedrooms, the boutique hotel has been refurbished from an old Georgian merchant's house. Priding themselves on a "home away from home" atmosphere, the beautiful townhouse is in keeping with original features, whilst boasting a clean and contemporary finish.

nonna tonda pasta box review - plus a 50% off discount code.

 

 

Ever wanted to pretend you're a professional Italian chef in your own kitchen? Here's your chance. Freshly hand crafted pasta, mouthwatering accompaniments and new flavours each week - and for just £16.50 for six portions. Nonna Tonda are one of the newest meal box deliveries on the market - and they really are worth a try. 

Get 50% off your first two boxes

Nonna Tonda is headed by James, and his wife, Rebecca, so it really is a proper family business. They spent months travelling around Italy with their 6-month-old son in order to explore and learn the authentic way to make fresh pasta. Their creations come lovingly boxed up for your to cook up in minutes, ready to scatter with cheese and twizzle, slurp, gulp, scoff and devour. 

homemade strawberry and yoghurt ice pops.

 

It's ice cream season! Whether you call them ice pops, ice poles or just frozen yoghurt, turn your favourite flavours into iced delights in just a few simple steps. For these, I went for a strawberries and cream inspired froyo recipe with vanilla yoghurt, fresh chopped strawberries and a recent discovery Fabbri Strawberry Syrup, which was kindly gifted. 

A wild strawberry flavour, the syrup is really refreshing and juicy, tasting a lot more like real strawberry juice than other fruit sauces on the market, probably down to 15% of its ingredients being strawberries. As well as the obvious drizzle on desserts, I tried (with success) at freezing it to make these super delicious lollies. 

slow cooker peanut butter pulled pork.

A super simple slow cooker recipe embracing the rich flavours of peanut butter with tender pulled pork. Perfect alongside a superfood salad, with your favourite flatbreads or on top of nachos with all the guacamole, sour cream and salsa. It's a really easy recipe to slow cook during the day, ready to tuck into later on, as well as great for being made ahead for a delicious feast or comforting midweek meal. I served mine with flatbreads, tomato and beetroot salad, peanut sauce and mint yoghurt. But the rest, is up to you.

balsamic strawberries and cream with fresh basil: celebrating british berries and bbqs with m&s.

From juicy British strawberries to brilliant quality beef burgers, M&S have Summer all set up with their latest ranges. Vibrant desserts, perfect pastry combinations and inspiring side dishes mean you can host a glorious garden party in style. So come rain or shine, at least it'll be easy to rustle up an impressive menu.

To celebrate their bounty of berries, they've come up with some great recipe ideas to showcase the fine British fruit. I picked balsamic strawberries, basil and ice cream to round off some tasty barbecue treats. If you fancy making the most of the rest of the season, scroll on for the recipe...

individual lemon tarts.

If all good things come in small packages, then these lemon tarts are no exception. With a rich, buttery pastry and the zing from two lemons, this dessert recipe is the perfect mix of sharp citrus and sweet indulgence. Make ahead for a Spring or Summer dinner party, dusting with extra icing sugar to finish.

smoked salmon, ricotta and asparagus tart.

Although the weather can't make it's mind up, Spring is finally in full swing. And that means one of my favourite ingredients is in season... asparagus. Perfect with seafood and fish, the colourful asparagus adds an extra something to this smoked salmon and ricotta puff pastry tart. It's super quick and easy to make too; you can have it for a light lunch, make ahead for picnics or for dinner with a side salad. Tulips optional.

diy wedding macaron favours.

Whether you're planning a wedding or an invite has dropped through your letterbox, there's no doubt macarons make the perfect homemade present or DIY favour idea. I made these pretty pink and gold macarons for a friends' wedding gift this Spring! So, I thought I'd share the recipe for those looking for little bit of wed-spo (is that a word now?) or maybe even a treat for the hen do.

seasonal tipples (without the guilt).

Guest Post by Ellie Campbell

I am writing this very special post right at the start of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend (by the way, make sure you read this recipe for Easter mini egg and Malteaster bunny brownies on the one in a million chance you get too much chocolate). As it is the first holiday weekend of the year, there is no doubt those of us with an extra day or two off are going to make the most of it.

While I dread to think how busy it will get in supermarkets, I don’t begrudge anyone who was taking part in lent or watching the Kcals post-Xmas having a few indulgences this weekend. You might be thinking of loading up the trolley with your favourite tipples or not passing by the chance to get one of those giant boxes of beer that are slashed in price for weekends like this.

say hello to tiger prawn and chorizo spaghetti with fresh vine tomatoes.

HelloFresh has taken the UK by storm with their fresh, flexible and friendly approach to food. Encouraging seasoned cooks to challenge their tastebuds and newbie foodies to try cooking at home, the ingredients are pre-portioned with recipes cards to make midweek meals and weekend treats as easy as they can be. You simply customise your weekly menu and choose your delivery time to cook your favourite seasonal food from scratch.

When HelloFresh got in touch to try out one of their recipes (believe me, it was a tricky decision) I went for one of my favourite flavour combinations. Smoky chorizo and seafood! Tiger Prawn and Chorizo Spaghetti with Fresh Vine Tomatoes, to be precise.

There's a little story behind this one too. This was inspired by Head Chef Patrick's trips to a little Spanish eatery in Borough Market, where he became best friends with the head chef and started to work in the kitchen at weekends. Like me, his favourite recipes included the beautiful Iberican combination of seafood and chorizo. Who can blame him? In just 25 minutes, here's how you can make it too.

five dishes I’d love to try... if I was a millionaire.

 

Have you ever dreamed of what you’d buy if you came into big money? Personally, my mind instantly goes to all the crazy expensive food I could try, along with the luxurious service that comes with it. Forget new car or moving house - think of all the incredible food you could afford and not even bother looking at the bill. From flourishes of gold leaf to rare caviar, here are a few of my millionaire must-eats. All I need to do now is buy a lottery ticket…

3 sandwich recipes to inspire your lunch and brunch.

 

Classic ham, timeless tuna mayonnaise, beans on toast. All excellent and easy choices, but are you looking for something different come lunch time? I was challenged to create three inspiring sandwich recipes using the delicious Hovis Best of Both, found at Morrisons. A tasty mix of specially white and wholemeal flour, the softy and springy bread is a great source of fibre and Vitamin D, whilst lending itself to both sweet and savoury sandwich recipes. From a posh and chunky fish finger sandwich to a layered up pastrami combination, not forgetting Biscoff French toast, here are a few ideas for some lunchtime variation.

easter egg macarons.

Happy (almost) Easter! I have made these Easter egg inspired macarons for my friend's birthday. it falls on Easter Sunday so we have decided to do a homemade Easter afternoon tea (I'm sure there will be Instagram pics to follow...) Any excuse to make macarons really! These are good for gluten free gifts as well as people who aren't fans of chocolate. Have a lovely Bank Holiday everyone!

roasted basa in black bean & garlic sauce with udon noodles.

Create an array of authentic Chinese favourites in a flash with the latest stir-fry sauces from Lee Kum Kee. If, like me, you’re strapped for time in the evenings, these simple stir ins are just the ticket for an easy to use packet sauce that packs a punch. 

The classic stir-fry has long been a quick mid-week favourite and this new LKK range can be paired perfectly with a variety of ingredients including: fish, prawns, chicken, beef and vegetables – giving you a mouthwatering meal in minutes. 

Lee Kum Kee has over 130 years’ experience in sauce making and from Kung Pao to Honey & Soy, these sauces are ideal for some Eastern inspiration, at just 85p a packet - think how much you could save on takeaways! Ready to make a fuss-free Chinese banquet? Me too

I’ve created one for the seafood lovers - as well as those with very little time. The frozen basa fillets are easy to throw in the oven with the delicious sauce. You can then add your favourite size noodles - from thick udon to skinny vermicelli - to go alongside some colourful veg. 

eggs en cocotte with salmon and leeks.

I do love a good breakfast. Eggs Florentine, avocado on toast and smoked salmon and scrambled eggs are up there on my priorities. It turns out I'm not alone. British Lion Eggs conducted a little study and found Brits are willing to spend 30% longer preparing breakfast at the weekend than they are during the week. The survey also revealed that the Full English is the nation’s favourite breakfast, with a whopping 42% of people saying they always order it. Also making the top three are classic Eggs Benedict and creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.

A relaxing weekend brunch is a favourite activity of mine and I'm always looking for new breakfast based ideas to add to my morning routine. Lazy baked eggs, one pan huevos rancheros and simple frittatas to name a few. If someone makes it for me, even better. These eggs en cocotte are a French twist on the classic baked eggs, featuring delicious salmon, softened leeks, fresh dill and indulgent double cream. Duvet optional.