Baked chicken with cider and smoky bacon

Once in a while i am struck all over again by just how blue the sky appears on wind-played autumn mornings, blue enough to bruise a heart. Sanober Khan The weather has turned in my part of the world, and autumn has rushed in with crisp mornings, clear azure skies and the promise of cool…

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Tiramisu

Sam Baldwin: What is “tiramisu”? Jay: You’ll find out. Sam Baldwin: Well, what is it? Jay: You’ll see! Sam Baldwin: Some woman is gonna want me to do it to her and I’m not gonna know what it is!Jay: You’ll love it! Sleepless in Seattle Far from being the traditional Italian dessert you assume it…

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Rainbow salad with haloumi

If you are looking for a salad packed with goodness, and full of delicious and colourful ingredients (and there is a saying that the more colourful your meal, the healthier it is) then this is a salad for you. Topped with crispy-on-the-outside, oozy-on-the-inside haloumi it stands on its own as a vegetarian lunch, or a…

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Triple choc cookies (desperate times call for desperate measures)

In my part of the world flour has become a scarce commodity, and to scratch my baking itch I decided to make a recipe that used buckwheat flour, all that was available for me to buy this week. I found a few recipes and eventually made an amalgam of my own, using as as a…

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Beetroot hummus

Middle age is mostly getting excited about different flavours of hummus. Unknown over 45 year old. Middle age is my demographic – and caramelised onion, chilli and sweet potato are some of my favourite ways to zhush up hummus. Hummus as originally conceived – chick peas, garlic, tahini, salt, lemon and olive oil is a…

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Luscious lemon bars

When did the lemons learn the same creed as the sun? Pablo Neruda The concept of this recipe, which is a staple in America, but not well known at all in my part of the world, is genius. Two of the most delicious things in the world – shortbread and lemon curd – brought together…

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Raspberry and cream cheese muffins

I used to think raspberry and cream cheese were best combined in a summery cheesecake, but in these muffins, served for brunch on a grey, wintry morning they were perfect companions. I have a number of muffin recipes that I love to bake – blueberry and lemon and pine nut are firm favourites, but this…

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Pumpkin soup with crunchy walnuts and pepitas

To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup. Laurie Colwin In my part of the world pumpkin soup is synonymous with winter. Everyone has a favourite recipe and there are almost endless variations that enhance the rich, buttery flavour of pumpkin. My preferred pumpkin variety to use…

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Roasted pumpkin with fennel and thyme

Pumpkin is probably my most favourite vegetable, for its natural nutty sweetness and capacity to absorb flavour. I love it in soups, curries, as part of a traditional baked dinner slathered with gravy, and roasted with spices and garlic and herbs as in this recipe. In my part of the world there are a number…

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Charred eggplant with capers

“Gleaming skin; a plump elongated shape: the eggplant is a vegetable you’d want to caress with your eyes and fingers, even if you didn’t know its luscious flavor.” ~ Roger Verge I cannot praise the delights of beautifully cooked eggplant more highly. The flesh is creamy and soft, and slightly smoky in flavour. And in…

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