BOOZY CHOCOLATE AND RAISIN NO FUSS FUDGE

This is the perfect recipe for any chocolate lovers out there who want to make a little treat for
themselves but without having to do too much hard work. This boozy fudge can be whipped up easily by soaking some raisins in some Amaretto, melting some chocolate and mixing everything together with some condensed milk. Transfer everything to baking tin and then pop the mixture in the fridge for a few hours and let the magic just happen. That is basically it! Doesn't get much simpler than that does it?

SUPER SLOW COOKED VEGGIE SAUSAGES AND LENTILS

So it's now mid January, it's raining everyday and it's just too grim to step outside the house. What you need is a bit of comfort food to cheer you up and this is where my slow cooker veggie sausage and green lentil dish comes in. The best part about this recipe is that it takes minimal effort to prepare and then you simply have to let your slow cooker do all the work for you. As with all slow cooked meals though, that low and slow cooking just ramps up the flavor to create something truly scrumptious to get you through these winter months.

CHERRY BAKEWELL LOAF CAKE (WITH A KIRSCH KICK)

Anyone who knows me and has been reading my blog over the years will know there is one bake that holds a special place in my heart. The Bakewell! My tart has seen me through a couple of competitions and I love to try and incorporate that classic cherry almond flavor combination into other types of bakes. When I had a tub of glacé cherries in the fridge left over from baking my Christmas cakes I was instantly drawn back to the Bakewell and so began the birth of my Bakewell loaf cake with a grown up twist of a kirsch kick!

VEGGIE PEPPER "CHICKEN" CURRY

If you don't like spicy food then I suggest you turn away now! This veggie pepper Quorn chicken curry is a great dish for blowing away those January cobwebs with its intense chili kick and fiery pepperiness. Its definitely one that's not for the faint hearted! What's also great about this curry is that it's packed full of veggie goodness with a sauce made from fresh tomatoes and Greek yogurt so that it's also good for anyone who still wants to enjoy their curry night whilst being able to cut down on some of the calories. 

TERRIFIC TURKISH EGGS

Now this dish was a bit of a revelation. Its popped up a few times recently in magazines, books and the internet as a new idea for serving eggs at breakfast time. It might seem a bit strange to be called Turkish eggs when it uses Greek yogurt but I don't really care. All I care about is knowing that yogurt, eggs, garlic, herbs and chili oil can all work together to create a brilliant breakfast (or lunch!) time dish that I'll be honest, I was hesitant to try but can now confirm is delicious. Who'd of thought it eh?

5 DAY OVERNIGHT OATINESS

I've never been one to have breakfast. I know it's the most important meal of the day but I can't normally face eating anything at 6am when I'm getting up for work. That was until I tried overnight oats. These bad boys are so easy to prepare in advance and can be removed from the fridge in the morning and eaten straight from the jar meaning there is no extra dishes to wash. Bonus! My guide below will make enough overnight oats for 5 mornings. Prepare them on a Sunday evening and that's 5 midweek breakfasts ready to go in less than 10 minutes. 

BRILLIANT BUTTER BEAN AND VEGGIE SAUSAGE STEW

I think the best thing about the winter months is that you can crack out the soup and stew recipes and whip up a bowl of comfort in less than an hour. This veggie sausage stew is also very good for those trying to lose a few Christmas lbs. It's packed with an array of vegetables such onions, celery, sweetcorn and spinach as well as a tin of delicious butter beans and just simmers away on the hob whilst you crack with your evening so by the time you come to serve, the sausages will of soaked up the chili paprika sauce and become proper plump and moist.

PERFECT HONEY ROAST PARSNIP SOUP

Please don't be put off by the picture, I know that this doesn't look like the most exciting dish in the world. However sometimes it's those dishes that don't look the best that are actually some of the most tastiest. This parsnip soup came about from having purchased a big batch of parsnips on the cheap from the supermarket so naturally I had to think of ways to use them up. A nice healthy soup was my first thought and what better flavor to pair with parsnips than sticky sweet honey. My honey roast parsnip soup was born!

NEW YEAR COFFEE AND BISCOFF BUNDT

Happy New Year! Did we all have sore heads yesterday? I was actually alright if a little bit tired. We always have a big family do on New Year's Eve and I always like to take a cake to add to the buffet by way of a thank you to our hosts. This year I took this coffee and walnut bundt cake round which I decorated with a selection of cranberries, almond and coconut which sat upon a scrumptious biscoff flavored frosting. Imagine dunking one of those little biscuits you get in hotels into a cup of coffee and that's the flavor combination you have here!

GROWN UP STICKY TOFFEE BUNDT

This sticky toffee pudding recipe that I've adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe has become one that I like to crack out on special occasions (Christmas Day for example!). It's a proper showstopper. The gorgeous sticky toffee sponge bundt looks stunning with little golden brown caramel popcorn jewels scattered on top. The best part of the pudding however is that it is laced with a generous helping of amaretto whilst the caramel sauce is spiked with a good helping of Madeira to make it a bake that is most definitely just for the grown ups!