SUMMERY SLOW COOKED ITALIAN RED LENTILS

Whilst the warm weather hangs around making summer in the UK last for just that little bit longer, here is a gorgeous dish that you can pop into your slow cooker and leave to work it's magic whilst you enjoy the remaining sun. This red lentil dish is an Italian favorite that uses a tin of tomatoes and chili, garlic, a variety of herbs, red wine vinegar, a pinch sugar and a good blast of seasoning to great a vibrant side that is a little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, bringing those summer vibes right into your kitchen.

4C AND 1G BISCUIT BITES

So, what's in a name? Well, let me explain what these 4C and 1G biscuit bites are all about. The 4C's are coconut, cinnamon, caramel (used in the biscuity filling) and chocolate (used to coat the bites). The G is ginger which you also add into the biscuit filling to give it a warming spiced lift. Makes perfect sense now doesn't it? Well, I could of called them my dark chocolate coated caramel, coconut, cinnamon, ginger spiced biscuit bites but that's a bit of mouthful really isn't it? One thing I do know is, whatever you call them they are moreish and delicious!

QUALITY QUINOA COATED QUORN FILLETS

The inspiration for fabulous food ideas coming from My Kitchen Rules Australia this year continues with these delicious quinoa coated Quorn fillets. Now don't be put off by the quinoa, I always thought that I didn't like this stuff either but having given it a second chance I was blown away. By cooking and then toasting the quinoa you get a delicious crunchy toasted nutty type texture and flavor to the crust of these Quorn fillets once they are shallow fried. It's such a great alternative to just frying the fillets in breadcrumbs.

"BACK TO SCHOOL" BICCIES

Now that the kids of gone back to school I think they deserve a little treat. It can be very daunting heading back to the world of education so these sweetie topped biccies are the sweet treat that is going to put a smile on any kids face. Also, I think some parents might think they deserve a little treat having putting up with their little cherubs for five weeks (admit it, you gave out a sign of relief didn't you!). This simple biscuit recipe will give you 12 yummy biccies that you can top with whatever choccies you wish!

CRUST LIVERPOOL (MATTYB RECOMMENDS)

Pizza can often get a bit of bad reputation in the foodie world, whether that's because they have now become associated with dodgy takeaways you'd only dream of going too at 3am in the morning after a night out on the ale or because of the uninspired versions that get churned out at chain restaurants up and down the country. It can be really hard to find the real McCoy but Crust Liverpool hopes to change that perception by "pushing boundaries" with the Italian classic. Quite a bold statement I thought so when I feeling peckish one lunchtime and was passing by it seemed like a good idea to try to see if the goods matched up to the claims!

TAKE PART IN THE LEGENDARY CAKE AND BAKE SHOW COMPETITION!

The Cake & Bake Show in Association with Argos is the UK’s only dedicated baking show and arrives at ExCeL London on 7-9 October and EventCity Manchester on 10-13 November. Online entries are flooding in for one of the key highlights, the prestigious Official Show Cake and Bake Competition, where keen bakers from around the UK compete for a much-coveted winning rosette awarded for Best in Show, then Gold, Silver and Bronze within each category, along with a host of fabulous baking related prizes from Bosch and Kenwood, supplied by Argos. 

THE CAKE AND BAKE SHOW 2016

The Cake & Bake Show, in association with Argos, brings the nation’s best loved bakers, chefs, TV personalities, cake experts and enthusiasts together under one roof in a celebration of all things baking. Arriving at ExCeL, London from 7-9 October and EventCity, Manchester from 10-13 November, the UK’s only dedicated baking show promises a delicious array of culinary activity, inspiration and entertainment. Five of the biggest celebrity names in the baking world will be headlining the show this year and visitors will be able to see them on live on stage, sharing their skills and expertise;

LEFTOVER SLOW COOKED TUSCAN BUTTER BEAN SOUP

So you've made a big batch of my Slow Cooked Tuscan Style Butter Beans for your BBQ and even though they were super delicious you still had a load left over at the end of the evening. No one wants to throw away perfectly good food now do they so why not transform your leftover's into a delicious soup which you can either eat straight away or freeze and enjoy as a quick supper at a later day. All you need is a few vegetables and some garlic to act as the base of your soup, some fresh herbs to give the flavors a kick up the bum and a good vegetable stock.

RAVISHING RED VELVET CAKE

You might look at this red velvet cake and think it doesn't particularly look like the bright red creations you might see up and down the land in cake shops and bakeries. This is because I think that they look quite gaudy and artificial. My take on the red velvet cake gives a more dark red appearance that is more in line with the chocolate flavor of the sponge. The vanilla cream cheese frosting that holds the two sponges together and adorns the top keeps things moist and scrummy making for a delightfully delicious afternoon treat.

TUSCAN STYLE SLOW COOKED BUTTER BEANS

I'm having a bit of a love affair with butter beans at the moment. Ever since I used them in my Thai Veggie patties and for my Tasty Thai Crab Cakes I've realized what an underrated gem they are. This recipe inspired by a Tuscan style of cooking uses just a few ingredients to make the beans the star of the show. By slow cooking the butter beans, they become really beautifully soft, creamy and infused with the flavors of garlic, sage and rosemary which they are simmered with. A fantastically simple recipe perfect for a lazy weekend.

"JUST LIKE THE CHIPPY" SWEETCORN SOUP

If I go to any Chinese restaurant or down to the chippy and I'm looking for a soup as a starter there is only one option; chicken and sweetcorn soup. It such a unique soup to the cuisine and one that I had never tried to recreate at home. That was until this week when I gave this meat free version a whirl and I was so surprised at how quick and simple it was to create this classic dish. What's even better is that its tastes so much fresher than the potentially MSG laden versions you can find in more dodgy food outlets.

LITTLE LEMON BISCUITS FROM THE LAND OF LULLINESS

I hadn't made biscuits in a long time and this Saturday I really felt in the mood to make some little nibbles to enjoy with a nice cuppa whilst watching comforting weekend movies on the TV. If you look back at some of my old recipes you'll notice that lemon is possibly my favorite flavor when it comes to sweet treats and so when it came to deciding what biscuits to make it really wasn't too difficult decide. These little lemon biscuits covered in a zingy citrus icing are so buttery and crumbly that it's like they are giving you a warm hug.

MARVELLOUS MIDDLE EASTERN FILO ROLLS

My Kitchen Rules Australia is really giving me some food inspiration. First with the beetroot hummus I made a few weeks ago and last week I veggiefied another recipe to make these middle eastern spiced Quorn mince filo rolls. I finally got to use my pot of baharat spices that I've had for ages as well so it was win win all round. These crispy sesame seed sprinkled filo rolls are also stuffed with salty feta, soft sultanas, fresh spinach leaves and crunchy sunflower seeds . They were quite the yummy and I can see why they were marked so highly on the show!

THE RETURN OF THE COCO-OATY BARS

Many months ago I made these delicious oaty bars as an alternative to my Fab And Fabulous Flapjacks. I decided to revisit them this weekend as, after all my tray bake tales recently I was feeling a bit caked out. Last time I made them with strawberry jam however, this time round I had a jar of lime and mint curd from Scarlett and Mustard and it complimented the coconut mixed in with the butter, flour, oats, sugar so well that I had to revamp the recipe and share it with you all. These bad boys have gone up another level and you are going to love them!

MATTY'S TRAYBAKE TALES PART 6: APPLE, ALMOND AND CINNAMON MASH UP

My next tray bake tale takes inspiration from the bakewell tart by using flaked almonds and almond extract to create a delicious moist sponge that has a little surprise hidden inside. A layer of cinnamon coated apples is baked inside the cake that adds an extra dimension to the more traditional plain tray bake sponge. This hybrid of an apple pie and the bakewell tart is another baked treat that you can add to your repertoire of tray bakes that you will keep coming back to time and time again. Served warm with a dollop of ice cream, well that's perfection!

CLASSICS REVISITED: CAULIFLOWER CHEESE

I haven't revisited a classic recipe for a while but a few weeks ago I made this gorgeous cauliflower cheese from scratch and I just had to share the recipe with you. My previous cauliflower cheese recipe was an easy peasy version for those of you who are maybe in a rush or not confident to make it from scratch. This one shows you how to make a delicious sauce using butter, flour, milk, Dijon mustard and cheddar cheese. It's surprisingly easy actually and is even better when you add in some bashed up bread sticks, herbs and onions to the mix.

MATTY'S TRAYBAKE TALES PART 5: COFFEE AND WALNUT

It's time for Part 5 of my selection of classic tray bakes and this one is definitely one of the nations favorites. It's the coffee and walnut tray bake! A combination that has been wowing people for years, you really can't beat this iconic pairing of flavors. I have added my own little twist though by decorating the top of my tray bake with some crushed chocolate coated coffee beans as opposed to the more traditional walnut halves. They add an amazing chocolaty crunch to the cake making it the perfect afternoon pick me up

THE RETURN OF THE TUMMY WARMING TOMATO SOUP

OK I'll admit it, sometimes a tin of Heinz cream of tomato soup is all you need to sort yourself out if you're a bit chilly or got a touch of man flu. It's lazy but it's so so good! If you have time however you can make this delicious homemade version using tomatoes, celery, onions roasted in garlic, honey and herbs and blitzed into a sensationally smooth souptastic treat. I can't promise you it's better than its tinned brother but it will clear away those cobwebs in no time. With this revamped recipe, I can promise you that for sure!

SIMPLY CHAPATI

It was curry night in our house again last weekend and with a slow cooked veggie "butter chicken" on the go I had a bit of time on my hands to have a go at making some bread to serve alongside it. I'd tried making naan bread before so I thought I'd give another Indian bread a whirl, chapatis! They are so simple to make especially as there is no yeast involved which can be so hard to work sometimes. All you need is some flour, salt, oil, water, a super hot griddle pan and just over an hour of your time and you'll have 8 fabulous flat breads for the dinner table.

CHEESY CARROT AND TURNIP

Here is a spruced up side for you to really give your Sunday roast a lift this weekend. We have all had our mashed carrot and swede but it can be ever so dull to have week after week. So, spin it on it's head by chucking some delicious Chedder cheese, grated nutmeg, butter and milk into the mix along with your softened carrot and turnip, mash it all together and then bake. Sounds simple but it really does make a difference. Why not give it a go and really surprise yourself and your guests with a fabulous twist on a Great British classic!