"BLOW YOUR SOCKS OFF" CHILI JAM

Having been getting my preserving groove on this week with my Deli Dilly Chili Pickles I'm proper on the no waste train. Faced with a bag of mini red chili's with no chance of using them before the use by date there was only one road to go down; make a batch of chili jam. It's so simple to do, prevents you wasting chili's and the end product is a chili jam that certainly does pack a punch. When I first tasted it, it really did blow my socks off! Be warned, this is not a jam for the faint hearted so spice averse folk stay well clear!

TASTY TATER TOTS

In my continuing quest to find exciting ways to jazz up dinner time potatoes I think I may of hit upon the finest potato based creation yet. Ladies and gentleman I bring you my totally tasty tater tots. Deep fried potato which has been seasoned with a hint of spice, these golden and crispy bad boys with there little fluffy insides will be a hit on any dinner table up and down the land. They require a tad more work than lobbing a jacket potato in the oven for your tea but effort is totally worth it once you take that first delicious bite!

TOTALLY TROPICAL OATY BARS

Oat and cereal bars have really taken off in the UK over recent years. Supermarket shelved are now packed with an array of different brands and varieties but they can sometimes be a bit pricey especially if you are trying to be good. This is where my Totally Tropical Oaty Bars come in. Packed full of pineapple flavored amazingness these bars are easy to rustle up in large family sized batches and even better, they are mega tasty. You will never want to fork out for shop bought versions ever again.

CLASSICS REVISITED: MY THAI!

One of my most earliest recipes and one of the most popular is my Thai green curry. Super simple and easy to whip up after a day in work I would just highly recommend you give it a whirl. But what if you have a bit of time to really make your green curry pop? How could you achieve that? Simples! Make your own Thai green curry paste of course! You can really taste the difference between a homemade paste and shop bought. Trust me, that extra effort you put is going to blow your mind!

COOL AND SPICY TOMATO SALSA

This is a delightfully simple recipe for rustling up a cold tomato salsa which is weirdly cooling yet has a yummy spicy aftertaste that just works! Its an old Mauritian favorite called "Satchini Pomme D'Amour" and is great for serving alongside a curry dish or for dipping in roti and tortilla chips. Whats more, it's super fresh and so quick to make that there will be no need for you ever buy a ready made tomato dip ever again. All you need are tomatoes, chili, onion, garlic, coriander, oil and a good old blender and in five minutes you can in salsa heaven!

NUTTY MUSHROOM TOPPED COURGETTE

Every time that a new vegetarian product comes out I do get most giddy with excitement. Yes, the products on sale in shops today are tonnes better than what they used to be around 10 years ago but it's always great to try something new. When Quorn brought out their "lardons" recently I thought they would be perfect mixed through a stuffing and so my nutty mushroom topped courgettes were born! Its great served on it's own or as a side dish and will go down a storm with all the veggies in your life!

RAPID ROTI

I love baking my own bread but even I have to admit that sometimes I really can't be bothered with that slog of making the dough then proofing then knocking it out and proofing again and so on and so on. When you are too busy in the kitchen but still want to enjoy fresh bread why not try these roti. Great with curry dishes, all you need to do is make the dough, let it rest whilst you prepare your mail meal and then roll out and fry the roti. It may be simple, but the taste of that deliciously charred flat bread is up there with the best of them!

PRETTY LITTLE CHOC CHIP SHORTBREAD

Even when I'm feeling a little bit under the weather I can't resist the temptation to get into the kitchen on a day off and whip up some little homemade baked goods. They need to be simple little treats when your feeling a bit blue and these chocolate chip shortbread's are ideal. It takes no time at all to whip up your dough, shape into little discs of deliciousness and bake and you can feel your home with the comforting smell of freshly baked biscuits in less than an hour! If that doesn't perk you up then I don't know what will.

WHOPPIN' WHOLEMEAL LOAF

Days off were made for baking bread. When you have the whole day to take your time working that dough and proofing it slowly and precisely you can end with a beautiful lully loaf coming out of your oven. This is exactly what I did yesterday to create this monster of a loaf using just wholemeal flour, yeast, sugar, salt and water. Then with a simple egg white wash and some steam in your oven  you can give your loaf a crispy crust to compliment its soft crumb centre. Total bread perfection!

ALCHEMIST NEW YORK STREET MANCHESTER (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Everyone loves a cocktail! Boy I know that I do and having stumbled across the Alchemist New York Street smack bang in the centre of Manchester online and seeing the fabulous concoctions they serve I knew I had to give them a go. With a menu of delicious sounding food also on offer would it be a case of too much style of substance. It was time to find out!