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.

pigs in blankets mac 'n' cheese.

Now we’ve opened the first door of our advert calendar, dropped a few hints about pressies and booked that wreath making class. Is it finally December? The season for all things jolly, decking the halls and jingling bells. With that comes some of the best food back in the supermarkets too. Sprouts? Love them. Chocolate log? Can’t get enough. Pigs in blankets? An absolute must.

But when you aren’t conjuring up your Christmas roast, how else can you enjoy some classic pigs in blankets. I’ve created a festive twist on an American classic with this Pigs In Blankets Mac 'n' Cheese recipe. What more could you want in your macaroni cheese than extra little morsels of sausages wrapped in bacon? Bliss. Plus, it’s a great way to use up leftover cheese board too. Not that there is ever any leftover cheese in our household…

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.

gluten free salted caramel brownies.

A classic brownie recipe that I swear by - the only difference with this one is there's a tasty salted caramel twist. This recipe also happens to be accidentally gluten free, as I prefer to use ground almonds over flour; though if you're a a fan of nutty flavours then these will be a winner. Gooey on the inside and a bit of crunch to the outside. Divine!

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.

the stable, birmingham.

Dorset born, Dorsey bred. At The Stable, they're proud of their pizza and savvy about their cider. Whether it's colourful, innovative pizza toppings or seeking out the latest cider blends, their casual dining atmosphere makes their locations a fun place for large parties, date days or birthday gatherings. 

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…