Quick & Easy

Use a wooden spoon to make a whirlpool in the water before adding the egg, if you like; however, it’s best to poach just one egg at a time this way, as it gets a bit tricky whirl pooling the water once there’s more than one egg in it. Note

You could substitute the bacon and chorizo with ham and mild salami if you prefer. Note

Feed lots of hungry mouths with these tasty sandwiches. You can use any bread you like such as fresh sourdough, sliced ciabatta or crusty white rolls, as we have here. Note

Serve accompanied with asparagus or broccoli or a green leafy salad, if liked. You can use red salmon or canned tuna if you like. The recipe can be made to the end of step 4 several hours ahead. From cold, bake covered at 200°C for 30 minutes or until heated through then uncover and bake […]

Fresh lychees can be substituted for canned ones if you like. You can use pineapple and pineapple juice instead of lychees for a different flavour. This sauce also goes well with fried tofu, grilled chicken breasts or steamed greens. Note

Romesco is a traditional northern Spanish sauce, much like pesto in texture, made from a mixture of nuts and fire-roasted capsicum that often accompanies seafood or a local roasted Catalonian spring onion. Note

An exquisite and morish Mediterranean-style mushroom and polenta dish with roasted tomatoes.

This flavour-packed recipe is perfect for an on-the-go lunch or light dinner. The combination of ham and avocado in a wholegrain wrap also makes a nutritious after school snack for kids.

Unlike the cream-laden carbonara that many of us are familiar with, traditional carbonara is not made with any cream. We’ve slightly altered the traditional carbonara recipe by adding peas, if you prefer your pasta pea-free, simply omit them from the recipe Note

We rimmed the cocktail glass with pink sugar; simply add a drop of red food colouring to sugar and mix well. Note

A quick, simple and delicious Mexican-style pizza; great for busy midweek evenings.

Patties can be made a day before the party, keep them covered in the fridge. The sauce can be made a week before the party, keep covered in the fridge. Assemble the burgers up to 3 hours before the party. Note

A small, spicy sausage ­ eaten throughout North Africa and Spain ­ merguez is traditionally made with lamb meat and is easily identified by its chilli-red colour. Merguez can be found in many butchers, delicatessens and sausage specialty stores, but any spicy sausage can be used in this recipe. Note

Make sure the rose petals have not been treated with any chemical sprays. Note

This cocktail should be made with the best bourbon you can buy. Use a 300ml highball glass. Note

Although almonds were the key ingredient in traditional macaroons, coconut quickly became an equally popular adaptation. Can be made a week ahead store in airtight container freeze suitable microwave not suitable. Note

Use frozen spinach, which has been cooked and cooled, for this recipe. Note

Put this salad together the night before to take to work. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Add oil, vinegar and basil just before serving. You can use basil-infused oil olive, if you like. To save time, use 300g of well-drained char-grilled capsicum. Note

Brown rice vinegar, made from brown rice, has been called the eastern version of apple cider vinegar, although its mild flavour has a subtle sweetness and about half the sharpness. It is available from Asian grocery stores and some health-food stores Note

Crispy golden Moroccan pastry filled with spiced eggplant and ricotta and served with a colourful tomato salad.

Frittata can be cooked on top of the stove, in a medium lightly oiled slightly sided frying pan; cook on low heat, uncovered, until almost set, then brown frittata under a preheated grill. Frittata can be served hot or cold Note

Instead of topping the salad with sesame seeds and green onion, try using finely shredded toasted nori. Note

Corella pears have only a short season, if they’re not available use thinly sliced apple, red-skinned look best instead. Note

Warn your guests that the sugar on the pineapple will be extremely hot. Note

A light and healthy pasta salad packed full of salami, bocconcini, olives and cherry tomatoes.

A bright and colourful summer olive salad from Australian Women's Weekly.

A quick and healthy pilaf for a busy midweek dinner.

Strawberries are jam-packed with the good health-promoting vitamins A and C. Note

To fold the cream and egg whites into the chocolate mousse mixture, use a large flat rubber spatula. Note

Ghee is good to cook with as it doesn’t burn as quickly as butter. If you prefer, use 30g unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil for frying. Micro cress is a cress that has been harvested at seedling stage. It is available at speciality greengrocers and markets. Micro cress is highly perishable, so must […]

You could top the petit fours with fresh raspberries instead of the icing flowers. Petit fours are best made on the day of serving. Note

Substitute any of your favourite vegetables if you prefer them to the ones suggested in this recipe. A hot curry paste will boost the flavour, however, you can use any curry paste you like. Note

An exquisite pork dish with lovely colours and a delicious creamy kumara mash.

From the humble baked bean to the chickpea, legumes contain healthy components linked with protection against diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart problems.

A delicious French-style roast leg of lamb in a tomato stew with rosemary and white beans.

Use vegetables of your choice such as green beans, snow peas or buk choy. Use sliced chicken breast or thinly sliced beef rump steak as an alternative to the pork fillet. Use regular basil if thai basil is unavailable. Note

Roti is an Indian subcontinent flat bread that is the perfect complement to curries, stews and other saucy dishes.

If you’re planning a barbecue, you can marinate the prawns in the remaining ingredients overnight, then thread onto skewers and barbecue. Note

A quick, light and simple salad with an amazing combination of flavours and textures.

We used wahoo fish for this recipe, but you could use any white fish such as whiting, bream, sole, flounder, dory, perch, snapper or ling. Note

You can substitute chopped, drained canned peaches or apricots for the pineapple in this recipe. We used Just Right breakfast cereal in this recipe but you can use any flaked and dried fruit cereal, even a muesli or granola-like product. We used Malibu liqueur but you can use your favourite brand. Note

A delicious salad full of crispy roast kumara and crunchy and balanced with fresh pear and cranberries.

If shiso leaves are unavailable, substitute them with basil leaves. Note

Use a zester to get long thin strips of rind. Note

Scrumptious little pizza snacks with cherry bocconcini cheese and cabanossi.

Create these Greek-style meatballs to make the perfect sharing platter.

Use a vegetable peeler to slice the cucumber length-ways into thin ribbons. Use disposable gloves when handling beetroot top prevent staining your fingers. If taking to work, toast the bread at lunch time just before you’re ready to assemble. Note

The cake mix is enough to make 12 cakes so you can decorate the remaining 6 cakes into other animals of your own choosing. Note

Some clams might not open after cooking. These might need prompting with a knife or might not have cooked as quickly as the others ­you don’t have to discard them, just open with a knife and cook a little longer if you wish. Note

Baby green beans can be used instead of snake beans. Note

EQUIPMENT 25cm x 35cm (10-inch x 14-inch) rectangular cake board 5cm (2-inch) heart cutter 3cm (1¼-inch) heart cutter Use any shaped cutter for this cake, try snowflakes or stars. You can use letter cutters and write the name of the child on the cake. Use coloured sprinkles that suit the occasion of your party. If […]

Caldeirada is a Portuguese fish stew that varies from region to region, but usually contains a variety of fish along with potato, onion and tomato or capsicum.

Coleslaw is a great crunchy addition to sandwiches. It can have just about anything in it as long as shredded cabbage is the chief ingredient. Most coleslaws also have grated carrot and a mayonnaise or vinegar (or both) dressing. Note

Try layering various herb leaves, such as sage, inside the potato wafers. You can also use russet burbank or spunta potatoes for this recipe. Note