This beautiful sweet loaf is packed full of fruit and nuts, and is best enjoyed served warm or toasted with a spread of butter.

Sink your teeth into this delicious American classic - packed with oozy cheese and cripsy bacon; it's a hard to resist.

Delight your guests with an irresistible assortment of antipasto goodies waiting to be gobbled up over a glass of wine.

A classic staple on many restaurant menus, the combination of tender shredded chicken, crispy bacon, flaky parmesan and crunchy croutons drizzled with a creamy Caesar dressing is unbeatable.

Jazz up your lunchtime sandwich by using a French-style baguette instead of regular bread and adding semi-dried tomatoes and rocket.

A quick and easy light meal or snack for little people ... who might also be persuaded to help in the kitchen for this one!

Perfect for an after school snack or a tasty lunchbox treat - these cheese and vegemite embrace classic Aussie flavours in a delicious baked bread.

A breakfast fit for a five-star cafe - a lavish spread of creamy ricotta and goats cheese is smothered on delicious thick crust ciabatta, topped with thyme asparagus and a perfectly poached egg.

Sweet, dense and nutty, this glorious banana and pecan loaf is beautiful sliced and served as a mid-morning snack or enjoyed warm with a slather of butter as a rich desert loaf.

When the fridge is bare and you need a fast, filling meal you're likely to opt for pantry staples. This pot-luck recipe gives a whole new meaning to that old stand-by beans on toast!

Banana and pecans are a match made in baking heaven. Trade in your old banana bread recipe for this sweet damper - served with maple butter, it's irresistible.

There are few things more comforting than the smell of freshly baked banana bread wafting around your kitchen. Served sliced straight out of the oven, top with creamy walnut butter for a divine morning tea.

You can use any leftover cooked meat you like for this New York-style triple-deck sandwich. Chicken is a good substitute for turkey.

Indulge in a gloriously sweet morning tea with homemade apricot compote served atop creamy marscapone and fluffy, buttery brioche bread.

A classic Aussie favourite - experience a gourmet twist on the humble steak sandwich with fresh ciabatta bread, balsamic caramelised onions, baby rocket and dijon mayonnaise.

Throw together this tasty dinner wraps in no time at all. Fragrant, Indian-spiced chicken is beautiful wrapped with fresh veggies and creamy hommus, all assembled on a warm roti, ready to be gobbled up by hungry guests.

Treat your family or friends to these savoury tortillas, blending cheese, spice and vegetables.

This humble sweet bread pudding is incredibly satisfying, easy to make and tastes heavenly served warm with a drizzle of fresh cream.

Bruschetta is an antipasto, or starter, from Italy that like so many other Italian delights has been adopted by the rest of the world! This spinach and mushroom version is simple but yummy.

Relive your grandma's classic with the addition of Italian pannettone. Zesty and sweet, this creamy dessert is simple but sure to please.

Make your Easter celebrations complete by rolling out these fresh hot cross finished with a sweet glaze.

Melted, oozy cheese and tasty leg-ham is sandwiched between thick slices of fluffy, buttery brioche and baked to perfection to create the ultimate French breakfast or brunch.

These delicious savoury breakfast cups involve minimal effort but are worthy of any weekend brunch. Delicate proscuitto is wrapped around a perfectly cooked runny egg, sitting atop sweet, fluffy brioche and baked to perfection.

This tasty savoury pull-apart bread is perfect served on the side of a warm soup or light salad. Stuffed full of creamy feta and hearty sun-dried tomato pesto, this delicious pastry is plaited to look as visually appealing as it is flavoursome.

This gluten-free seeded bread is beautiful served sliced with a drizzle of sweet honey as a quick and nutritious breakfast. Packed full of healthy fats, fibre and protein, it is a loaf that can be enjoyed any time of day, sweet or savoury.

This is a fun twist on the traditional bread and butter pudding.

These handmade tortillas are very simple to make and the results are far more satisfying and, of course, fresher than the bought ones. You don’t need a press – a rolling pin works just fine.

A traditional British snack-food, Scotch eggs are often enjoyed cold with pickles and salad as a more complete meal or as a delicious and energy-packed lunch box snack.

Packed full of juicy sultanas and pears, this light, sweet fruit loaf is beautiful served sliced with a spread of butter or ricotta for a tasty morning tea or breakfast.

Perfect for a cool winter's evening, this creamy, nutritious broad bean soup is wonderfully warming and best enjoyed with homemade cheesy parmesan twists.

Bursting with flavour, these smoky barbecue jaffles really stack up well. Better still, they're budget friendly and on the table in just 15 minutes.

These delicious chicken, corn and pineapple melts make a delicious after-school snack. Easy to prepare, packed full of goodness and the promise of scrumptious melted cheese makes this dish a winner!

Sink your knife into these toasted turkish pide breads, oozing with homemade tender meatballs, melted cheese and a glorious Italian tomato sauce, this is the ultimate lunch for a hungry group of friends or family!

Jazz up a cheeseboard, dip, share plate or lunchbox with homemade crispbread. Experiment using different fresh herbs.

Light, golden and fluffy, this cheesy gluten-free loaf is made with polenta and packed full of flavour from fresh basil and freshly baked capsicum.

Fancy French toast! This recipe, with camembert, vanilla, figs and berries, is just right for a special breakfast.

Sweet, fluffy golden brioche is beautiful served toasted and topped with a dollop of rich, creamy mascarpone and warm, juicy berries.

Pull-apart cheesy scrolls are a hearty afternoon snack straight from the oven, or an ideal lunchbox addition.

Topped with roasted mushrooms, shaved parmesan and and a fragrant garlic drizzle, this tasty bruschetta is quick to prepare and makes a delicous gourmet savoury breakfast or early lunch.

Toppings could include pickled peppers, gherkins, Swiss cheese or herby butter.

This Anglo-Indian chicken and rice soup is hearty enough as a meal on its own.

A great alternative to a standard sandwich, these yummy smoked salmon rolls need no cooking and can be made ahead, wrapped and stored, ready for busy folk on the go.

These delicious tandoori wraps are made with authentic roti bread. With just 2 chicken breasts as the main ingredient, it's a budget meal with a difference!

Who says bread can't be the star of the meal? This hearty flat bread is filled with herbs, nuts and tomatoes that give it extra flavour and make it perfect to share with friends.

This gorgeously dense sweet loaf is packed full of fresh fruit and crunchy pecans and is wonderful served warm with a spread of butter.

We take humble bacon and egg rolls to a new level by adding baked beans and serving them in crunchy bread baskets.

A nice change from the usual lunch time sandwich using lavash bread. You can make these tasty and nutritious wraps ahead and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

This zucchini and walnut loaf is beautiful served warm or toasted with a generous spread of butter. The addition of zucchini gives a wonderful texture to the bread, and you can be assured you're serving your family their dose of vegetables, disguised in a sweet, nutty slice.

Soft warm apple lies atop this gloriously moist spiced loaf, waiting to be spread with a dash of butter and a dollop of cream.

Recreate this glorious bakery specialty with the soft, sweet, doughy apple scrolls, perfectly drizzled with a light glaze.

Experience a different take on the humble cheese toasty, with this classic Welsh bread dish that combines apple cider, fresh fruit and melted, oozy cheese.

Somewhere between a slice, a bread and a cake, this divine dessert pecan bread pairs crunchy, nutty pecans with soft, syrupy apples.

Perfect for picnic baskets or parties, these asparagus prosciutto rolls will leave everyone wanting more. Crack open the bubbly and enjoy!

Blue cheese and pear are a match made in heaven - pop them on some crispy bread and you have a speedy and elegant starter!

Served with two simple dips, this homemade damper is a perfect accompaniment ... or make the damper as a stand-alone part of any family meal.

These big, meaty mushrooms topped with fetta make a delicious and protein-packed meal. Serve as a starter for a dinner party, finger food ... or treat yourself to a quick nutritious lunch.

Gourmet sandwiches worthy of any picnic, these are two very different fillings which both work extremely well stuffed in a fluffy baguette. Italian flavours are channeled with fresh salami and antipasto veggies, while an zesty chilli lime sauce and shredded chicken creates a Vietnamese style lunch.

Light and fluffy, this flavoursome rosemary and lamb foccacia is wonderful served sliced warm, sprinkled with fresh herbs and drizzled with olive oil.

There are few things more enjoyable than a steak sandwich. This version has the lot ... meat, onion, egg, cheese and crunchy salad. The ciabatta bread gives the meal a touch of class but a dollop of sauce and a bowl of hot chips ensures it remains true to its roots.

Whether you’re making for family or dinner guests, warm, home-baked bread is an easy pleaser!

Prepare this dish ahead to give the spicy marinade time to infuse the chicken with flavour. Served in pita pockets, it's a interesting twist to this Indian favourite.

With vibrant colours, this delicious capsicum and onion focaccia with caramelised onions, crumbled feta and basil makes a tasty lunch to serve for loved ones during the weekend

To make a meatloaf, double meatball ingredients and press mixture into a 10 x 20cm loaf pan. Bake in a moderate oven, 180°C, 1 hour. Cool and serve sliced with salad or in sandwiches. Note

Nutty, dense and wonderfully moist, this divine banana and maple bread is beautiful toasted or fresh with a dollop of butter.

Perfect for the whole family - these hot cross buns are a real Easter treat.

When you have lived together as long as Grandad and I have, one develops little strategies for dealing with the inevitable irritations that crop up. My mother used to iron away her stress, the thud of the iron serving as an early warning to us kids of disharmony in the ranks. Ironing was certainly preferable to swigging the cooking sherry like some of the mothers I knew. And as my father was a prickly character, it meant we were assured a constant supply of freshly ironed clothes. Grandad is a man of few words so tiffs are rare – he is more likely to glower meaningfully and stomp off to the shed; whereas I bake bread.Kneading – the physical action of making lumpy dough turn smooth and silken – is pure therapy and the smell as it bakes should be available on prescription. Finally, there’s the joy of slicing that first warm, crusty slice. And all is right with the world once more. But I don’t only bake bread when I’m cross; I make it because it pleases me so much. Hand-made bread is utterly different to store-bought in both texture and flavour and is particularly good toasted and topped with thick slices of Grandad’s heirloom tomatoes.

Even novice cooks should feel confident making Richard’s easy no-knead bread.

A prepared relish can also be used. Note

Alexa Johnston transforms basic dough into buns and herb bread

It is not necessary to use butter. Note

For a tasty variation, top with tomato paste, 1/2 cup grated mozzarella, 1/2 sliced cabanossi stick, 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes and 6 halved, pitted olives. Cook as above. Makes 2 Note

Makes 16 Note

Proving is essential for yeast to grow and give bread its characteristic texture. Note

If preferred, form dough into a round “cottage loaf” shape and place on a greased baking tray. Makes 1 loaf Note

Create a delicious morning tea treat with this simple banana and date loaf. The best part is that it's free of gluten - so everyone can enjoy this moreish recipe!

Add some spice to your classic burger with these lamb mince patties, filled with chilli-paste, garlic, and topped off with some Greek-style yoghurt.

This damper freezes very well. Just wrap in foil, thaw at room temperature and reheat at 180°C for 5-10 minutes. Note

Vegemite may be replaced with tomato sauce or 1/2 cup finely chopped cooked bacon. Note

Choose from swiss brown, enoki, shiitake, shimeji, white fungus, oyster, flat or button mushrooms. Note

It’s worth using the best dark chocolate you can buy. Choose one that contains at least 70% cocoa solids for a great result. Note

Makes 24 Note

Pack your family this hearty picnic lunch by Sophie Gray, slip, slop, slap and head for the great outdoors

Alexa Johnston bakes spicy, lemony sweet buns

The summer hols never last long enough. Soon it’s back to school or work. Sophie Gray sends you on your way with a smile and this tasty lunch option