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. With a whole host of UK restaurants dotted about, boasting great reviews on Square Meal, it's really worth stopping by one for a slice.

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…

homemade peppermint candy cane gin.

I do love a flavoured gin. So when I had some leftover candy canes from Christmas, I thought I'd experiment with some homemade gin myself. This festive favourite is super easy to make, just choose your favourite plain gin, add candy canes and allow it to infuse. This homemade peppermint candy cane gin recipe really is that simple.

parmesan and sesame bites.

A little Christmas gift idea or perhaps as a festive snack for the family, these Parmesan and sesame bites are super easy to make and with only a few simple ingredients too. As part of a Christmas series with Parmigiano Reggiano, I'm embracing one of my favourite cheeses with three festive recipes. 

Parmigiano Reggiano is a hard, Italian cheese which has a PDO credentials. King of Cheeses, it's one of the world’s oldest and richest cheeses - still produced today as it was nine centuries ago. For hundreds of years, this very special product has only be allowed to be made in particular areas of Italy, with selected dairies and producers. The rules of cheese-making this way mean that it's always a high quality product which has a true ancient origin. The result is fantastic, I'm sure cheese lovers will agree.

chocolate and chestnut brownies.

An autumnal inspired brownie recipe that’s perfect to enjoy curled up with a cup of tea. These indulgent chocolate brownies combine the rich flavours of dark chocolate, sweetness of milk chocolate pieces and nutty hints of chestnut. 

I’ve used the Co-op Irresistible 70% Dark Chocolate for this recipe, which has both floral and spicy notes. Plus they’re individually wrapped in beautiful gold paper, so you can enjoy them as an occasional, but decadent, treat. The Irresistible Milk Chocolate lived up to its name too. Made with carefully selected Peruvian cocoa, it has a smooth and creamy taste which makes it perfect to scatter into a brownie mix as a sweet contrast against the intense dark chocolate. 

the best places to eat and drink in leicester: my foodie favourites.

Leicester, how I love you. Living in the Midlands means I get a good pick of the bunch from the likes of Birmingham to Nottingham. An hour up to Sheffield, two hours to Leeds and a speedy train to London make it super handy for trying out the culinary treats that England has to offer. 

But in recent years, there's less reason to venture away from the LE postcode for foodie destinations. Independent burger joints, metre-long pizza offerings and local gins mean that the indie food and drink scene has become more mouthwatering by the month. There are a few old haunts that I've been visiting for over a decade now, as well as a few new foodie favourites to join the (ever growing) list. So where do I think are the best restaurants and bars in Leicester at the moment?

twisted burger co. at the harley, sheffield.

The Harley in Sheffield boasts an eclectic mix of gig and event listings, drink offerings, a tea emporium and even hotel rooms. Since 2011 though, they've added another string to their bow in the form of The Twisted Burger Company, an independent burger brand that can be found in a handful of Northern locations, as well as at foodie festivals. I went along to the Glossop Road venue, during a short stay in Sheffield.

marseille: my little foodie city guide.

Marseille; a beautiful mix of traditional ports, sandy beaches, rich history and colourful city life. I took my first solo trip to Marseille for five nights of exploring, reading, eating and basking in the glorious French sun. 

I've never been outside of the UK alone before, and thought a city like Marseille would be the perfect start. Not too far away from home, with varied landscapes and things to do, all within easy reach of their trains and Metro system. You may know by now about my love of macarons and seafood, with my A level French helping a little way towards not feeling totally alone. Here's a little foodie city guide of Marseille, with a few solo travel trip and tricks along the way. 

roast broccoli, tomato and feta salad.

A warm, vegetarian salad made up of crispy roast broccoli, charred tomatoes, red pesto Quorn pieces and crumbled feta. Packed with goodness, this filling dish works as a midweek main, side dish or lunch box favourite. I roasted ahead the broccoli, tomatoes and Quorn with a drizzle of good quality oil, cracked black pepper and sea salt, and then tossed together the other ingredients right before eating. Super quick, super easy.

raspberry and pistachio baked doughnuts with a white chocolate drizzle.

Fluffy and delicious doughnuts with one of my favourite flavour combinations – pistachio, raspberry and white chocolate. I’ll let you into a secret though, these aren’t really doughnuts of the deep fried kind. Essentially, they are a simple sponge mix in my trusty doughnut baking pan. So easy to make – with satisfyingly pretty results. If you saw my pumpkin spiced doughnut recipe, you’ll know I just love to decorate these little delicacies. So I had to make a summer version right away...

creme egg macarons.

Just in time for Easter... Creme Egg macarons! Made with two tone yellow and chocolate macaron shells, I've well and truly jumped on the Cadbury Creme Egg baking recipe train with these tempting treats. They're then filled with a classic Creme Egg buttercream to make an Easter inspired delight.

chocolate & honeycomb crunchie hearts.

February... the month of love! Whether you're planning a classic Valentine's Day or a cute night in with your Galentines, these chocolates make the ideal sweet treat for the occasion. They're super simple to make or give as gifts. Oh and if you like Crunchie bars, you'd probably be in. Crunchies are totally an acceptable Valentine date.

my top five recipes for fruity american pancakes.

Other than the trendy avocado and poached eggs on toast pairing, you can't beat a stack of freshly flipped pancakes for a lazy breakfast or weekend brunch. In particular, I've mastered a basic 5 ingredient American pancake recipe which makes the perfect fluffy base for a whole host of toppings. What's more, I've found using non-stick hot plate and a tiny spritz of sunflower spray gets great results that are all warm at once. You can also get lots of frozen fruit, or of course freeze the fresh leftovers to use at a later date!

So, why wait until February to enjoy your favourite combination? As part of this month's collaboration with Central England Cooperative, here are a few healthy pancake recipes with delicious combinations that go towards your five a day.

rose buttercream plant pot cupcakes.

With February as the month of luuurve, I thought I'd try my had at some Valentine's inspired recipes. I recently bought this rose shape nozzle which I just couldn't wait to try out. So simple to use with lots of different flower shaped nozzles too! I don't know about you, but I'd sooner have 12 flower pot cupcakes than a dozen roses? 

tofu korma.

A fragrant and warming vegan curry recipe which is super simple too. This dish takes inspiration from the classic korma and adds tofu, baby corn and green beans for a healthy veggie alternative. It’s a mild but comforting sauce which can be adjusted to taste and packed with lots of wholesome vegetables. Serve with piping hot basmati rice and your favourite Indian bread. It’s perfect for make-ahead meal too and can be easily frozen for simple midweek meals.