Lunch-Box Cookies

These cookies are fast - you can make a batch first thing on a good day and eat a few straight from the oven on the way to school. They have no nuts and are relatively low in sugar. Tim said they are really sweet so I might even drop the brown sugar down to 1/4 cup next time I make them to see what happens! Feel free to omit the choc chips and replace with nuts if you want a healthier cookie too. The ginger flavour is quite prominent which I like, but can be reduced to 1/4tsp if you prefer.

3/4 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp sea salt

100g butter, softened

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup alternative natural sweetener such as Xylitol

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg

1Tbs tahini

1 cup rolled oats &/or rolled barley

1/4 cup choc chips

1/4 cup chopped raisins

Preheat oven to 190•C and line 2 baking trays.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and salt.

Cream the butter, sugar and sugar substitute with an electric mixer, then add the egg and vanilla and mix well. Add the sifted ingredients and stir until combined then mix in the oats, raisins and choc chips.

Roll spoonfuls of mixture and drop onto prepared baking trays and lightly flatten with a fork, the tahini will make them slightly sticky. Bake for 8-9 minutes and cool on wire racks.

Lentil Stew with Garlic Yoghurt

A delicious soupy stew to warm up your evening! This is really yummy served with boiled potatoes that go so well with the mint garnish and yoghurt topping, but also equally tasty with chewy sourdough toast.

2 Tbs olive oil

1 leek, white part only, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2tsp curry powder

1tsp ground cummin

1tsp garam masala

2 bay leaves

1 litre hot vegetable stock ('Beef style Massel' stock cubes work well in this recipe)

1 cup brown lentils

1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed

2 zucchini, cut in half lengthways and sliced

400g tin chopped tomatoes

200g broccoli, cut into small florets

1 carrot, small dice

1/2 cup peas

1 Tbs chopped mint

New potatoes or sourdough bread to serve

Spiced Yoghurt

1 cup thick plain yoghurt

1 Tbs chopped corriander

1 garlic clove

3 dashes Tobasco sauce

Heat the oil in a heavy based cassoulet pot. Add the leek and garlic and cook for 4-5 minutes or until soft and lightly golden. Add the curry powder, cumin and garam masala and cook for 1 minute until lightly fragrant.

Add the stock, bay leaves, lentils and sweet potato. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to low and simmer until the lentils are tender about 10-15 minutes.

Get your potatoes cooking; if they are small just peel them and pop into a bowl covered with gladwrap and microwave for 10 minutes. Check with a fork to see if they need any further cooking after this time.

Add the zucchini, tomatoes, carrot, broccoli and 2 cups hot water and continue cooking for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the peas in the last 2-3 minutes and season.

To make the garlic yoghurt use the side of a large knife to mash the garlic clove by repeatedly pressing and smearing it on your chopping board until it is a puree. Then combine all the ingredients for the yoghurt and mix well. Garnish your soup with a big dollop of the yoghurt and some freshly chopped mint. Delicious!

Pumpkin Soup for Windy Days

Thank heavens the time for soups is here! This pumpkin soup is SO easy and really delicious that even your kids will ask for seconds. The addition of red lentils makes it a nutritious meal in itself too.

You might also be interested to know that this soup is great for calming Vata. What the hell am I talking about? Well, according to the ancient Indian doctrine of Ayurveda there are three doshas which pertain to everything - Vata (cold, airy, mobile), Pitta (hot, liquid, sharp), Kapha (dense, stable, oily). Keeping these doshas balanced is the key to a happy mind and body.

Cold Autumn winds easily exacerbate Vata resulting in mental overactivity, insomnia, dry skin and hair, sore throats, stinging eyes, coughs and general fatigue. So to combat these unpleasant symptoms try calming Vata with meditation (great free guided meditations at http://meditation.org.au), massage the feet and hands at bedtime with warming oils (sesame, rose, sweet orange are all good) try to eat routinely and swap salads for nourishing soups, stews, warm cereals and hot bread and butter. Oh, and enjoy this delicious creamy pumpkin soup spiced with ginger!

1/2 Butternut or Jap pumpkin, peeled and diced

1 brown onion, chopped

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced against the grain

1/2 cup red lentils

1 litre boiling water

2 vegetable stock cubes

400ml coconut cream

Put everything into a pot except the coconut cream and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the pumpkin and lentils are completely soft. Blitz with a blender stick then add the coconut cream.

Fresh Fettucini with Pesto

If you are feeling energetic you can make the pasta from scratch, its a fun activity to do with your family but you do need a pasta machine. Its worth making extra so you can dry some to have another day.

Same goes with the pesto - if you have a lot of rocket and basil in the garden make a big batch. It keeps well in the fridge as long as you put gladwrap touching the surface - the top will discolour but its perfectly okay. Adding your fresh pesto will liven up any soup, couscous, pasta, frittata, sandwich or veggie burger.

Basic Pasta Dough

Combine 400g flour with 2 tsp salt in a food processor. With the motor running add 4 eggs and process until the dough clings together and feels springy. If necessary you can add a little olive oil too.

Knead the dough for a few minutes on a clean, dry workbench. Then wrap in gladwrap to rest (preferably) for an hour. Put through the pasta machine on the widest setting and run it through about 3-4 times making the setting thinner and finally changing to the spaghetti or fettucini setting. Flour the pasta and hang it over a broom stick to dry.

Fresh Pesto Recipe

1 bunch basil

1 bunch rocket

2 cloves garlic, crushed

30g parmesan

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

pepper

Rinse the basil and rocket and dry well in a tea towel. Remove all tough stalks and stems. Place the leaves in a food processor along with the pine nuts, parmesan and pepper, then process adding the oil in a thin stream. Scrape down the sides of the processor with a spatula and stir then process briefly again.

Fresh Pasta Dinner

Toast some slivered almonds. Fry thinly sliced mushrooms and zucchini in olive oil with some crushed garlic in a large fry pan. Cook your fresh pasta in boiling salted water - it will only take a few minutes, taste to check when its cooked. Add a few big spoons of pesto to your pan and a big lug of olive oil. Drain the pasta and add to the fry pan then carefully distribute the pesto through the pasta using tongs. Garnish your fresh pasta dish with the almonds, fresh basil leaves, parmesan, cracked pepper and sea salt.

Autumn Pear & Hazelnut Crumble

This crumble recipe is taken from the book 'Vegan Cooking' by Amanda Quinn & Diipali Lilburne and it just goes to show you can make a really scrumptious crumble without loading it with butter. Vitasoy makes a great vanilla ice cream, but I still haven't found a vegan replacement for that damn good refrigerated custard...

4 large pears, cored, peeled and diced into large chunks

1/3 cup dates, chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup water

1 cup oats

1/2 cup wholemeal flour

1/2 cup almond or hazelnut meal

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup hazelnuts, crushed

1/3 cup Nuttelex

Preheat oven to 200•C

Place pears in a saucepan with the dates, water and cinnamon. Bring to the boil then reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes. Pour into a deep baking dish.

In a bowl mix together the oats, flour, almond meal, sugar and hazelnuts. Melt Nuttelex and add to the oats mixture and mix well. Pour crumble mixture over pears and press down. Bake in the oven 25-30 minutes.

Rustic Mushroom Pies!

If you are craving a hearty winter dinner without the obligatory meat these little pies should do the trick! My kids really like them too served with creamy mashed potato and (of course!) tomato sauce.

They are a little fiddly to make but worth the effort.

Makes 6-8 small pies.

3-4 sheets of frozen puff pastry

1 brown onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 small bag mushrooms - swiss brown or buttons

1 cup vegetable stock

1 small carrot, diced

1Tbs fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or thyme)

ground pepper

1Tbs balsamic vinegar

2Tbs soy sauce

1Tbs (heaped) plain flour

Take the pastry out to defrost while you cook the mushroom filling.

Preheat the oven to 180•C.

Fry the onion in a little olive oil, add the garlic and rosemary. Add the mushrooms and carrots then the balsamic and soy sauce and stock. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the carrots are almost done. Mix the flour with a little water to form a paste then add to the mixture and stir until the gravy thickens. Season with pepper and remove from the heat.

To prepare the pastry cases grease some muffin tin trays then use a large cup or small bowl to cut out circles. Press in the bottom half, add the mushroom filling then add the lid. Fold and pinch your way around - they're supposed to look rustic hence the name! Then pop them in the hot oven for about 30 minutes to brown the pastry while you microwave some spuds to turn into delicious mashed potato. Yum!

Eggplant & Tofu StirFry

This is a really yummy stir fry - crunchy veggies, chewy deep fried tofu, caramelised eggplant! Serve with steamed rice and satay sauce. Herbies Spices does a really excellent and delicious satay spice powder that you just make up on the stove with a little peanut butter, brown sugar and sesame oil.

1 packet hard tofu, patted dry & cubed

1 small eggplant, cubed

canola or peanut oil for deep frying

1 red capsicum, in chunks

1 large red chilli, sliced (optional!)

snow peas, topped and tailed

button mushrooms

2 spring onions, sliced into 1" pieces

2 garlic cloves, chopped

fresh basil leaves

Mix together: 2 Tbs soy sauce + 1 Tbs fish sauce + 2 Tbs oyster sauce + 1 tsp brown sugar

Mix together: 1 tsp cornflour + 1/4 cup boiling water with half a stock cube dissolved

Firstly deep fry the tofu in small batches in hot oil in a wok, draining on paper towel. Then deep fry the eggplant too. Carefully pour the hot oil out of the wok - to a small saucepan is good where it can cool down. Then start your stir fry. Fry the spring onions for a minute, then add the mushrooms and garlic, then lastly the chilli, capsicum and snow peas. Add the soy sauce mixture for a minute then the cornflour stock and stir until the liquid thickens. Serve straight away with the basil sprinkled over.

Christmas Cake

This is a really delicious baked Christmas Cake that will last for ages. There is no mixed peel in it as I hate it, but I've added macadamias which go slightly crunchy and delicious where they touch the tin. Unfortunately this means it doesn't cut particularly well, but that's just another excuse to clean up the crumbs! I prefer to split this recipe into two large cake tins - they cook better and one makes a nice gift, unlike the positively enormous boiled pudding my family used to make for Christmas Day - read below!

250g sultanas

1.25kgs mixed dried fruit - including raisins, currants, glace cherries, dates and figs and more sultanas if needs be.

1 cup brandy or sherry

230g butter

230g dark brown sugar

5 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 lemon - juice and rind

1 Tbs golden syrup

60g macadamias

230g plain flour

60g SR flour

1tsp mixed spice

Raw almonds and dried cranberries to decorate

Soak fruit overnight in brandy.

Grease and line base and sides of two large round cake tins and preheat oven to 160•C.

Cream the butter and sugar well then add the eggs and beat after each addition. Add the lemon juice and rind, golden syrup, vanilla and mix well. Add the marinated fruit and macadamias and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir (see below for instructions on stirring!). Pour into your cake tins and decorate.

Then bake in a low oven for 1 hour in the middle shelf. Put a tray of water on the lowest oven shelf - this is to keep the cake from drying out too much. Test the cake by inserting a skewer in the middle if it comes out clean the cake is cooked, but most likely it will need further cooking so turn the oven down to 140• and set your timer for thirty minutes to check again, then fifteen minutes if you need extra time. This way if you have two differently sized cakes you will make sure they are cooked beautifully. Allow the cakes to cool in the tin before turning out and then store them in an airtight container to keep moist.

The tradition in my family is for every member of the household to have a turn at stirring the cake for good luck - this includes all the children, and reluctant male members of the house too! I also distinctly recall that my grandmother was very particular that the pudding must only be stirred in one direction, and each year there would be a debate as to whether that was clockwise or anti-clockwise - hilarious!

My grandmother's pudding was a boiled one though, so I guess it needed a bit of luck... The mixture would be mounded onto an enormous piece of wet floured calico which would then take three or four people to help pull up the sides and secure with string, then the pudding would be lowered into a gigantic pot of boiling water where it would bubble away for hours and hours filling every corner of our huge terrace house with the delicious smell of Christmas. This was all in late October and once the pudding was boiled it would be hung in a corner of the kitchen on a broom handle where it would annoy my father every time he tried to open a cupboard door. I can still hear him shouting "How long is this pudding going to stay here Jean! mutter mutter slam...!" 

On Christmas Day the pudding would once again be submerged into boiling water to heat through for dessert, served with brandy butter and custard. Everyone was so fat and full by this stage but you daren't say you were too full to eat any!

Noodle Soup

This is like a cross between a stir fry and a soup. It makes a delicious quick and easy lunch or dinner in wintery weather.

1Tbs sesame oil

1Tbs peanut oil

1Tbs soy sauce

1/2 vegetable stock cube

2 sachets instant miso

1 spring onion, sliced

1 cm ginger, peeled and grated

1 ball dried wheat noodles, or udon noodles

1 bunch bok choi, thin parts sliced

1 or 2 swiss brown mushrooms, sliced

Cook your noodles according to the packet directions in 2 cups of water with the vegetable stock cube. Add the oils to a hot wok, then stir fry your vegetables, reserving the thin dark green leaves which will cook faster and can be added for the last minute with the soy sauce. When the noodles are done turn off the heat and add the miso sachets. Divide the noodles into bowls and top with the soup and stir fried vegetables. 

Choc-Chip Biscuits

Tom had a little friend over the other day and the two of them had great fun taking turns measuring, mixing and cracking the egg, then taking little spoonfuls of dough and rolling it. They made small balls and a couple of big balls and a few sausage shaped experiments which all worked really well as the big biscuits stayed deliciously chewy inside while the smaller ones were crisp! 

When they were cooked we took them down to the garden on a tray with some milk and cups and a few nice apples for a lovely Autumn picnic. 

1 egg, beaten

75g melted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup dark choc chip melts (These are better than the ones that hold their shape in my opinion!)

whole pecans to decorate

Preheat your oven to 180•c

In a big bowl mix together the sugar, beaten egg and melted butter. Then sift in the flour and baking powder and mix together with the choc chips. Then take small spoonfuls of mixture and, roll into balls and place well spaced on baking paper lined trays. 

Pop them in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes. You can start the first batch while the second tray is still being rolled then swap the position of the trays in the oven if it needs browning up a bit more by putting it up higher for the last few minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool, and when completely cooled store them in an airtight container. 

Katrina's Weet-Bix Slice

This is a terrific recipe that got shared in the playgroup kitchen by Katrina, one of the Mums who was sick of us repeatedly asking her for the recipe every time she made it. Not only does it use up all the broken bits at the bottom of the WeetBix packet, but its fun to make with little kids as its all about measuring and mixing.

And this is a little poem I learnt at my first cooking class when I was about six years old which I now share with my children:

First the oven,

Then the tin,

Wash your hands

And then begin!

1.5 cups crushed Weet-Bix

1 cup SR flour

1 cup sultanas

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup raw or brown sugar*

1 cup milk, or soymilk

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 180•C. Mix all ingredients. Spread into a greased square cake tin and bake 30-45 mins, depending on thickness.

*The last time I made this I dropped it down to 1/2 cup of sugar but it really wasn't sweet enough. I waited til it was cool though and drizzled some lemon icing over it and it made a very nice change.

4th Birthday Ice Cream Cake

There are several reasons this cake is terrific: 

1. It requires no cooking or icing.

2. It can be made well in advance of the party, giving you the appearance of being organised. 

3. Kids LOVE it! 

This recipe makes one enormous cake, enough to satisfy the whole preschool class who will come back for seconds and even thirds if you let them, so you'll need a really big 25cm springform tin. 

2 litres Streets Blue Ribbon vanilla ice cream

200g butter, softened

1.5 cups pure icing sugar

4 eggs at room temperature

400g dark chocolate melts

0.5 cup thickened cream

250g packet tiramisu sponge finger biscuits

2 x 175g packets hundreds & thousands

Soften the ice cream by leaving at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. Then using a hand beater, cream the icing sugar and butter until pale. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Combine chocolate melts and cream in a microwave bowl and zap on high, uncovered for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon until melted and smooth. Add to butter mixture and and beat until smooth.

Line the base of a large 25cm springform tin then cover the base with 1 packet of the hundreds & thousands. Pour in half the chocolate mixture, taking care not to disturb the hundreds & thousands. Cut the biscuits in half lengthways to make two thinner biscuits and arrange in a single layer over the cake, trimming them to fit. Next put the icecream in squashing down gently. Then repeat the biscuits, the chocolate butter mixture and cover with the other packet of hundreds & thousands. 

Cover tightly with glad wrap and foil and freeze overnight.

Plum Teacake

This is a twist on a favourite recipe of mine that uses tinned pie apples. Its so easy to keep a big tin of fruit in the pantry, the left overs of which are lovely to eat on breakfast cereal or with ice cream. The colour and fragrance of this teacake is delicious and lends itself very well to girlie tea parties.

180g butter, softened

0.5 cup brown sugar

3 eggs, beaten

zest of 1 lemon

1 cup SR flour

0.5 cup wholemeal flour

0.5 tsp ground cinnamon

0.5 cup milk

1 large can tinned plums

0.25 tsp allspice

1 Tbs brown sugar, extra

0.25 cup flaked almonds

Preheat oven to 180•C. Grease a spingform cake tin and line the base with paper.

Cream the butter and sugar well until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each is added. Mix in the lemon zest. Using a metal spoon, fold in the sifted flours and cinnamon alternately with the milk. Stir until just combined and almost smooth. 

Spoon half the mixture into the tin and top with the tinned plums, halving each and removing the seed, until the mixture is covered with a single layer of plum halves. Spread the rest of the cake mixture over the plums. Then combine the slice almonds, extra brown sugar and allspice in a small bowl and sprinkle over the cake.

Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean - check carefully that the centre of the cake is cooked as it may need an extra 8-10 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake inside until you're ready to serve it as its lovely warm and particularly indulgent when served with cream.

Craig Bennett's Luscious Tropical Cheescake

This is one of those phenomenal desserts that will instantly hush a riotous dinner party as the guests are transported to taste bud heaven. It is not heavy like cheesecakes I have eaten in the past. In fact it is so light that before you know it you are holding out your plate for seconds...

Serves 12 or more.

2 packets White Wings Bakeo biscuit crumb crust mix*

3 x 250g packages cream cheese (1 packet 30% less fat)

250g low fat smooth ricotta

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 large can crushed pineapple in juice

2Tbs gelatine

1.5 cups thickened cream

1 cup fresh passionfruit

Drain the pineapple reserving half a cup of juice. Heat the juice in the microwave and add the gelatine stirring well until it dissolves. Put aside to cool. Then make up the biscuit crumb crust mix as directed and press into a very large springform cake tin and chill in the fridge until firm. 

In a large bowl mix together the cream cheese, ricotta and condensed milk until smooth. Fold the pineapple and gelatine juice into the cheese mixture with a wooden spoon. Whip the thickened cream until thick then together with the passionfruit fold gently into the cheese mixture. Pour all into chilled biscuit crust and leave for an hour or two to firm up. 

*Look for this in the cakes section of the supermarket. If you can't get it finely process 250g digestive biscuits and mix with 80g melted butter.

Broccoli & Tofu Salad

Chewy, tasty and wholesome - finally I know what to do with tofu, thanks to my friend Sally. It is really a great pick-me-up when I'm feeling low on energy and (amazingly) Charlotte loves the tofu and rice too.

1 packet hard tofu, cut into 1.5 cm cubes

1 cup brown rice

1 head of broccoli cut into small florets

.25kg green beans

1 avocado

3 Tbs tamari*

2 Tbs sesame oil

3 Tbs dry roasted peanuts

2 Tbs sesame seeds

1 Tbs pickled ginger finely chopped, or grated fresh ginger or fresh chopped coriander

Put the cup of brown rice in a saucepan with 6 cups of cold water. Bring to the boil then simmer gently and set your timer for 20 minutes (the rice will need to cook for 28 in total). Put an inch of water into a second pot with a steamer top and put on high heat then prepare your vegetables and tofu. Toast the peanuts and sesame seeds, tossing often in the pan. When the timer goes put the broccoli florets and green beans into the steamer and add the tofu to the brown rice pot. After 8 minutes drain the rice and tofu into a sieve and put into a large bowl with the steamed broccoli. Season with the sesame oil and tamari and toss well. Add the nuts and seeds and pickled ginger and toss again. Leave to cool a little before adding thick slices of avocado.

*Tamari is similar to soy sauce but with a milder flavour. If you don't have it you can substitute with soy sauce to your taste.

Snake Bean & Grape Curry

I am always on the lookout for new tasty vegetarian recipes - here's one that is delicious, created to celebrate the visit in our garden by a red-bellied black snake, hence the use of snake beans! It is mild and creamy with a bit of crunch from the almonds. You need a couple of "odd" things, but once bought they keep well in the pantry.

1 bunch snake beans, cut into 1" pieces

1 leek, halved, washed well and sliced

200g button mushrooms, chopped coarsly

0.5 cup Textured Soy Protein - coarse pieces*, soaked

2Tbs curry powder (I use Keen's Traditional)

1 vegetable stock cube

1Tbs cornflour, mixed with a little water

2Tbs slivered almonds

1Tbs mustard seeds

1Tbs mango chutney*

1 sachet coconut milk powder*, mixed with 1 cup water

1 bunch green grapes

First put on your rice. If you don't have a rice cooker follow this easy absorption method. 

Put 1 cup of rice and 1 & 3/4 cups of cold water into a smallish-medium saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. There is no need to rinse the rice. Bring to the boil stirring occasionally, then give a good stir, turn the heat down to the very lowest setting and put the lid on. Set your timer for 12 minutes, then when the time is up turn off the heat and allow to sit for another 10 minutes or until your curry is cooked.  Do not take off the lid until you are ready to serve!

Meanwhile prepare your vegetables and soak your TSP (see below) then heat 1-2Tbs oil in a saucepan. Fry the leek for a few minutes then add the curry powder and stir for a minute until aromatic. Add the TSP and soaking liquid, mushrooms, snake beans, stock cube and a little water if necessary. Don't add too much extra water - the vegetables should not be quite covered. Bring to a gentle simmer, put on the lid and cook/steam for about 8 minutes stirring every now and then. 

Meanwhile put your almonds and mustard seeds into a dry pan over a low heat and toast, tossing them often. The mustard seeds will pop when they're ready.

Add the cornflour water mixture to the curry and stir, as it simmers it will now thicken nicely. Then add your mango chutney, toasted almonds and seeds, coconut milk and grapes. Stir gently, turn off the heat and allow to sit for a minute to warm the grapes through. Dish out your rice, top with curry and serve with extra mango chutney and Vietnamese mint or coriander if you have some in the garden!

*Made from soy beans, TSP is available from health food shops. It adds a 'meaty' texture to the dish and makes this veggie curry more filling because you are combining a pulse with rice which makes a protein. To use it you pour over enough boiling water just to cover and let it rehydrate for 5 mins or so. 

Rather than buying tinned coconut milk or cream I've started buying powder which comes in sachets - less wastage and very easy to use. 

Mango chutney is a MUST have in your fridge. I buy Sharwoods and it is absolutely delicious with any curry, adding a tangy sweetness.

Homemade Dips

Dips are so easy and versatile to make that you'll wonder why you ever bought the tiny overpriced supermarket tubs. 

Hummus

1 tin chick peas, drained

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 lemon, juiced plus zest

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbs tahini

1 tsp paprika

1 Tbs olive oil 

salt & pepper

Toast the cumin seeds in a fry pan for a minute til they are fragrant, then wizz them in a little coffee grinder to a fine powder. Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend. You can add a couple of oven roasted tomatoes or chargrilled capsicums too for variety. Garnish with parsley and serve with carrot sticks and lavosh crackers. 

Babaghanoush & Feta Dip

1 large eggplant

1 clove garlic, crushed

1/2 tub herb marinated feta with 1-2 Tbs oil

mint, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

Put all ingredients in a food processor and blend. I find adding the feta gives the dip a better texture and is a nice way to use the flavoured oil.

Leandra's Gingerbread

Christmas to me is about homemade gifts, a tradition I'm sharing with my children. This year my good friend Leandra, who is a fabulous cook, shared her wonderful gingerbread recipe with me. Tom and I wrapped our gingerbread reindeer and men in cellophane tied with red ribbon for Tim's family who were coming to stay and even a week later they were still a delicious present!

125g unsalted butter at room temperature

0.5 cup brown sugar

0.5 cup golden syrup

1 egg yolk

2.5 cups plain flour

1 Tbs ground ginger

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp bicarb soda

Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Then add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat well. Sift in the flour, bicarb and spices and mix. Then knead on a floured surface until smooth, wrap in gladwrap and rest in the fridge for 30mins. Preheat your oven to 180•C. 

Roll out the mixture between two sheets of baking paper and use biscuit cutters to stamp out shapes and decorate with currants. (The mixture softens really quickly so you may find you need to pop it in the freezer for a few minutes to harden it again.) Bake for 10-12 mins and cool completely on wire racks.

Summer Pavlova

This pavlova recipe is the perfect cake for a party - fresh mango & whipped cream is heavenly. But most importantly, it can be stretched to feed 20 or more with ease!

8 egg whites

500g caster sugar - look out for 'natural' sugar, not bleached.

4tsp lemon juice

2Tbs corn flour

500ml thin cream, whipped with vanilla essence 

& a little icing sugar

3-4 large mangoes, skinned and sliced

10 passionfruit

NB. The bowl & beaters you use to whisk the egg whites must be completely clean and perfectly dry otherwise the egg whites won't work. Also, if you make the pavlova on a humid day it may weep a bit but that's okay, just don't make it too early in the day and you'll get away with it. In winter you could make it a day ahead if you like and cover it with beautiful winter fruit instead.

Preheat oven to 150•C. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, then whisk in the caster sugar a little at a time allowing it to dissolve between each addition. It will become very thick and glossy then add the lemon juice and sifted corn flour last. Spread evenly over two large baking trays lined with baking paper and greased lightly. The mixture should be about 3 cms thick. Bake on the lowest shelf for half an hour, turn off the heat and allow it to cool in the oven, or even sit there out of site until you're ready to assemble it.

Get a guest at the party to whip the cream. Someone else to cut up the passionfruit. If you're really organised you'll already have prepared the mangoes earlier in the day and all that needs to be done is a big assemblage. Its messy but that's one of the delights of fresh homemade pavlova!

Roast Tomato & Goats Cheese Fettucini

A delicious easy, creamy pasta dish - the goats cheese literally melts into the hot pasta. The squishy, succulent tomatoes can be roasted anytime the oven's on and stored for a couple of days in the fridge until you're ready to use them.

Serves 3

8 large roma tomatoes

120g goats cheese

handful of basil leaves

fettucini

pine nuts and sliced almonds, toasted

shaved parmesan

Slice the tomatoes length ways and arrange closely on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh thyme or sage if you like too, then pop in the bottom of an oven about 170-180• and leave to roast for an hour or so. The lower the oven the longer you can roast them and the more intense the flavour will become. 

Then cook your fettucini in a big pot of boiling salted water - reserve a little of the water when you strain it. Heat the tomatoes gently in a large fry pan if you've made them the day before, break up the goats cheese and toss in the pasta and basil adding some liquid if you need to. Garnish with shaved parmesan, nuts and cracked pepper.