Pumpkin pasta with halloumi is the perfect combination between the smooth pumpkin sauce with the added vegetables, and then the salty hit of the halloumi on the top. Autumn comfort on a plate.
Baker & Foodie Content Creator
My name is Lee, welcome to my pages. I hope we can have fun together?
When I’m not developing recipes for others, writing guest blogs, writing my own blog, or even trying to learn how to paint, I’m usually spending time with the amazing Mr G (my husband) or with my lovely daughter or my lovely son (very proud mum).
What is this all about? Great question. This site is about real cooking and baking, real recipes and real mistakes.
No filters here, (although i’d love to find a filter that can take ten years worth of laugh lines away. Just me, whats happening, and whatever cameras or phone i have to hand .
There are many things that get under my bonnet and wiggle around, one of those is food waste. If i buy ingredients specifically for a recipe, and i only need a small amount of the ingredients, i want to be able to use the rest up and not have to throw them away. My mum used to say , “Waste not Want not” is that still a saying ?
For me, waste is not just about using up all the ingredients. What about leftover food? If i’m able , i hope to give ideas as to how to use up any leftovers too.
Be Brave
Cooking isn’t hard , neither is baking, its all about being brave and being ok with making mistakes
Pumpkin pasta with halloumi is the perfect combination between the smooth pumpkin sauce with the added vegetables, and then the salty hit of the halloumi on the top. Autumn comfort on a plate.
Apple Tart with Cinnamon Pastry & Raspberry Glaze - Fresh apples sliced, mixed with cinnamon sitting on top of a buttery cinnamon pastry isn’t as difficult as to make as some might think.
Granny Smith apples were the ones I chose for this tart, even though they’re not the ones I would choose to bite into as a snack, they’re perfect for this tart.
Apricot jam is traditionally used for the glaze, but like most things I put together, I try to pimp it up a little, and I this case, I’ve used a raspberry preserve to glaze it.
Minstrel Cookies - This cookie is so easy to make and with just a few ingredients, its ready to eat. With a minstrel inside and one out, and no eggs, it's a treat to eat.
Old Bay Roast Chicken with Carrots . Roasting a chicken doesn't need to be fancy, as long as it's full of flavour and dripping juice, its good enough for me. Old Bay Spice is a tin of pure heaven and perfect to use as a spice rub for chicken.
Batch Cook & Freeze Ahead Slow Cooked Beef, Guinness and Red Wine Pie - When I’m in the mood, I don’t let the time it takes to make this beautiful pie put me off, I look at it as a way of putting my love into a dish of food that may only take minutes to consume, but I know will be remembered for the time I’ve taken to make it.
There’s a ton of meat in this recipe, and there’s a reason for that.
Smoky Sausage, Squash & Celeriac Bake -Lack of time doesn’t have to mean lack of flavour.
Sausages are an economical ingredient and added to some great vegetables coated in a great sauce is the perfect package for a quick meal without having to spend an age preparing it or standing over it while it cooks.
The perfect Gingerbread biscuit - Craving a biscuit with taste and spices? These gingerbread biscuits are perfect. They aren’t crispy and they aren’t chewy, they are just blissfully both.
Miso Aubergine with Salted Peanut Topping - This is a vegan recipe and can be cooked under the grill or on a BBQ, either way it always turns out tasting great and looking amazing.
Blackberry & Plum Crumble - A fruit Crumble needs the perfect ratio between crumble topping and fruit filling and this one has just that. An easy blackberry and plum crumble to use fresh or frozen fruit. It's an easy recipe to follow and perfect for those winter days that are about to come along.
Pistachio Cheesecake with Ginger Biscuit Base, A crowd pleaser, a no bake cheesecake I bring out as often as I’m allowed and I’ve yet to have anyone dislike it, even if they’re not the biggest fan of pistachios.
Raspberry fluff recipe for Karbon Homes. Raspberry Fluff uses jelly and evaporated to make a light , tasty and fun dessert that all the family will love.
Great served in individual cups or in one large bowl for parties,
Roasted Tomatoes with Garlic & Thyme
Using multicolour on vine tomatoes not only look amazing, but the sweetness of the juices burst out, mix with the garlic flavour olive oil to produce a sauce perfect for giant hunks of crusty bread.
Tomato with Dukkah and Chilli Dressing. I love this side dish, it feels like the perfect combination of fresh and spicy. Dukkah is a middle eastern nut and spice blend and its perfect with so many things.
Slow Cooker Saucy Potatoes – For a Crowd - The perfect side dish for when people are due around. Soft and luscious, the potatoes cook down and make a comforting mess thats delicious with most things.
Cherry Tomato & Thyme Sweet Potato Bake.
This dish is wonderful hot but I prefer it after it’s cooled down to room temperature.
Roasted Radishes on Herbed Tahini Sauce, probably one of the easiest side dishes I ever make and certainly one of the prettiest. Just the addition of heat transforms the humble radish from a salad vegetable into something unusual.
Creamy Paprika Pasta - Just cooked pasta with an Irresistible creamy sauce flavoured with smoky paprika, cheesy and garlic sauce is delicious hot or at room temperature.
If you can cook pasta, your half way to making this side dish, it’s that easy!
Charred Cabbage with Red Pepper Sauce
Such an easy side dish to make. Have it with BBQs or just when friends and family drop over. The sauce is great with more than just the charred cabbage, over some green beans or use as a dip.
Herbed Giant Couscous - giant couscous is a nice twist for this herbed side dish.
The combination of the balsamic dressing and the fresh herbs makes this a summer side that is perfect for BBQ weather.
Baked Onions with Cheesy Breadcrumbs
Baked in the oven surrounded by stock and finished off under a hot grill, the cheesy breadcrumbs end up with a charred top surrounded with a creamy sauce.