Serves 4

400ml or 14 fl oz hot veg stock
200 ml or 7 fl oz hot water
200ml or 7 fl oz white wine
2 teaspoons butter
4 shallots finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g or 8oz arborio or other risotto rice
300g or 12oz frozen raw tiger prawns*, defrosted
handful chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons half-fat creme fraiche
dash of lemon juice
parmesan shavings to serve

Heat the butter in a pan over a medium heat, then add the shallots and cook for 4 mins until soft.

Add the rice, salt and black pepper to the pan and stir well to coat the rice.

Mix the stock and water together and add just enough to cover the rice. Continue to cook stirring frequently until is almost all absorbed. Continue adding the water and stock in this way. Then add the wine and stir until absorbed.

Stir in the prawns and half the parsley and heat through.

Add the creme fraiche and lemon juice - have a quick taste to check the seasoning.

Divide between 4 plates and sprinke with parmesan shavings and the remaining parsley.

*if using cooked prawns - add them in the last 3 mins of cooking

100g or 4oz canned green lentils, drained (you can use puy lentils simmered for 30 mins if you have the time or the inclination!)
4 spring onions finely sliced
1 red pepper diced
10 cherry tomatoes halved
200g or 8oz rocket
125g or 5oz goats cheese, crumbled

for the dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablepoons runny honey
1 clove garlic crushed

Place the lentils into a bowl and add the onion, pepper and tomatoes and mix well.

Divide the rocket between four plates and top with the lentil mixture. Drizzle the dressing over and sprinkle the goats cheese on top.

Serves 4

1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove crushed
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon each of ground cinnamon, coriander and ginger
500g or 1lb skinless chicken breast cut into strips
300 ml chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato puree
200g mi-cuit plums or ready to eat prunes, stoned and halved
handful chopped fresh coriander

Spray a large pan with oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 mins until softened, then add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the spices and cook out for one minute before adding the chicken and cook for 5 mins until browned.

Add the stock and puree and season. Cook for 15-20 mins, adding the plums/prunes for the last 5 mins.

Serve with couscous and sprinkle with fresh coriander - delicious!

Serves 6-8

2 red peppers deseeded and cut into chunks
2 yellow peppers deseeded and cut into chunks
2 courgettes sliced
1 red onion sliced
6 pieces of fresh salmon fillet
2 tablespoons red pesto
500g pack fresh puff pastry
1 egg beaten, mixed with a little milk

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (fan forced).

Lay all the vegetables in a large roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil and roast for 35 minutes.

Spray another baking tray with a little oil and then lay the salmon on the tray.

Spread the salmon with the red pesto and top with the roasted vegetables.

Roll out the puff pastry so that it will generously cover the salmon.

Make several slashes through the centre of the pastry and then lay it on top of the salmon, tucking in the edges.

Glaze the pastry with the egg and milk mixture.

Place in the oven and bake for 45 mins until golden brown.

Serves 4

For the meatballs:
450g or 1lb lean minced pork
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 tespoon ground chilli
2 tablespoons mango chutney
salt & pepper

For the sauce:
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1 tablespoon fresh coriander

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees (fan forced).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pork with the other ingredients.

Form the mixture into golf ball sized pieces, roll until smooth and then place into an overproof dish.

Combine the sauce ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour over the meatballs and place in the oven for 35-40 mins.

12oz currants or 300g currants
8oz or 200g sultanas
8oz or 200g raisins
8oz or 200g glace cherries chopped into quarters with scissors
2oz or 50g mixed candied peel
5oz or 125g ready to eat prunes snipped into pieces with scissors
3 tablespoons brandy
8oz or 200g plain flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
8oz or 200g butter
8oz or 200g dark soft brown sugar
4 large eggs
4oz or 100g macadamia nuts chopped
grated rind of 1 lemon
grated rind of 1 orange

For the icing:
Marzipan
Apricot jam
Ready made icing
Silver dragees (those little silver balls for decorating)

You will also need:

Brown paper
String
Cake ribbon
Cake board

The night before you make the cake, place all the dried fruit and peel in a large bowl and mix in the brandy. Cover the bowl and leave to soak for at least 12 hours.

The next day - preheat the oven to 130 degrees fan forced. Line a 20cm (8 in) round cake tin or a 18cm (7 in) square tin with baking paper and give it a spray with some oil.

Sift the flour and spices into a mixing bowl and in a separate large bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (this is important so don’t cut any corners!)

Beat the eggs and gradually add them to the creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition -if it starts to curdle, add a little bit of the flour.

When all the egg has been added, fold in the flour and spices (don’t beat!).

Stir in the soaked fruit and peel and add the nuts, lemon and orange rind.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.

Tie a band of brown paper around the outside of the cake and cover the top of the cake with a double square of baking paper (with a hole cut out int he centre the size of a 50 pence/cent piece).

Bake the cake in the lower shelf of the oven for 4 hours - resist opening the door until 4 hours have passed!

When the cake is cold, wrap well in baking paper and put in an airtight tin.

Every week, make some holes in the top of the cake with a skewer or needle and pour a few teaspoons of brandy in to soak into the cake.

A week before Christmas, buy some marzipan, a jar of apricot jam and some ready made icing.
The marzipan and icing packs will say how much you will need to cover a 18cm round or 17cm square cake.

Roll out the marzipan onto a surface dusted with sifted icing sugar until it is the right size to cover the cake.

Spread the surface of the cake with apricot jam - no pieces of apricot though - it needs to be smooth!

Place the rolled marzipan on top and smooth it over and trim the edges.

Cover the cake with the baking paper and place back into the airtight container to dry out for a few days before you do the icing.

When you are ready, roll out the icing onto a surface dusted with sifted icing sugar until it is the right size to cover the cake.

Place the cake onto a silver cake board.

Place the icing on top of the cake and trim the edges.

Obviously, you can decorate the cake however you like! I like to cut out star shapes with the leftover icing and overlap on top of the cake. I then put a silver dragee in the centre of each star. I then finish it off with a white, silver and blue patterned cake ribbon around the edge.

And that’s it! It is a bit of a labour of love but sooooo worth it!

Serves 6

1 x 411g tin apricot halves in fruit juice, drained
10g or 1/2 oz flaked almonds
3 medium eggs
40g or 1 1/2 oz caster sugar
50g or 2oz plain flour
pinch salt
425ml or 15 fl oz skimmed milk
10g or 1/2 oz dried skimmed milk powder
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
icing sugar for dusting

You will need a 20cm (8 in) square baking dish with a depth of 5cm (2 in), lightly greased.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees (fan forced).

Drain the apricot halves and pat them dry with kitchen paper, then arrnge them in the dish.

Using an electric hand whisk, whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale, frothy and doubled in volume - this should take about 2 mins.

Sift the flour and a pinch of salt over this mixture and continue to whisk until smooth.

Then add the milk, milk powder and almond extract and whisk together for another minute or so.

Pour the batter over the apricots and scatter with the almonds.

Place in the oven and bake for 30-35 mins - when done the batter should be golden brown, puffed up and firm to the touch.

Allow the pudding to cool for about 20 mins before serving as it tastes best when eaten warm not hot.

Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve with low fat creme fraiche, fromage frais or vanilla ice cream.

6oz or 150g sifted self raising flour
6oz or 150g castor sugar
4oz or 100g butter softened
2 medium eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons milk

For the icing:
4oz or 100g icing sugar
juice of one lemon

You will need a 2lb loaf tin lined with baking paper and greased. No need to pre-heat the oven (see below).

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, rind and milk and fold in the flour.
Put the cake in a cold oven and then turn to 150 degrees (fan forced) for 1 hour.
Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 mins and then turn out onto a cooling rack.
Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together.
Make holes all over the top of the cake with a skewer and pour the icing over whilst the cake is still warm.

Moist, tangy and delicious!

2 oz (50 g) cocoa powder
7 fl oz (200 ml) Guinness
4 oz (110 g) very soft butter
10 oz (275 g) dark soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
6 oz (175 g) plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

For the icing:

4 oz (110 g) icing sugar, sifted
2 oz (50 g) very soft butter
2 tablespoons Guinness
4 oz (110 g) dark chocolate (50-55% cocoa solids)
1 oz (25 g) walnut pieces, finely chopped

To decorate:

8 walnut halves
cocoa powder, for dusting

Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350°F (180°C).

You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) sponge tins, 1½ inches (4 cm) deep, lightly greased, and the bases lined with baking parchment, lightly greased.

First of all, cream the butter and sugar together, beating thoroughly for 3 or 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.

Now gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition.

Next, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into another bowl.

Then weigh the cocoa and put it in a separate bowl, gradually stirring the Guinness into it.

Now carefully and lightly fold into the egg mixture small quantities of the sifted flour alternately with the cocoa-Guinness liquid.

Then, when both have been added, divide the cake mixture equally between the 2 tins and level it out.

Bake the sponges in the centre of the oven for 30-35 minutes. The cakes should be flat on top and feel springy and will have shrunk slightly from the side of the tin.

Leave them to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool further, very carefully stripping off the base papers (it’s quite sticky!)

To make the icing, beat the icing sugar and butter together until blended, then gradually add the stout, making sure it is thoroughly mixed in after each addition.

Now melt the chocolate in a bowl set over hot water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Then, when it’s melted, remove the bowl from the water, and carefully fold the chocolate into the icing mixture.

Now remove a third of the icing to a separate bowl and stir in the chopped walnuts.

After all the icing has cooled to a spreadable consistency, sandwich the cake with the walnut icing.

Then spread the remaining two-thirds of the icing on top of the cake, using a palette knife.

Next, dust the walnut halves with cocoa powder and arrange on top of the cake.

NOW - Try not to scoff it all in one sitting ;0)

Serves 4

225g or 8oz basmati rice
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 onion finely chopped
2 rashers bacon chopped (I use scissors - much easier)
175g or 6oz mushrooms sliced
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
200g can tuna in brine/springwater drained
1/2 teaspoon or paprika or chilli
salt and pepper
handful chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Cook the rice as directed.
Meanwhile spray a large saute pan with oil and fry the onion, garlic and bacon for 5 mins (with a lid on if possible).
Add the mushrooms and cook for another 5 mins.
Stir in the tuna, tomatoes, chilli/paprika and salt & pepper and let it simmer for 5 mins.
Add the drained rice to the tomato mixture adding the parsley if using.
Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Delicious, cheap and easy!