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Brush asparagus and salmon with a little oil before char-grilling on a char-grill preheated to medium. Asparagus will need about 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, and the salmon about 3-4 minutes each side or to taste. You can remove bones from salmon before or after cooking. Use a wide-bladed vegetable peeler to cut Lebanese cucumber into […]

It’s important that you combine the gelatine mixture and the avocado mixture when they are at a similar temperature to avoid lumps forming. Note

Make these an hour or two ahead of time and chill, covered until ready to bake. Replace banana with other fruit of choice, such as pear, apple or berries. Note

It is important that mince is cooked through completely to destroy any bacteria. Note

Remember to cut steak across the grain for maximum tenderness Note

If you prefer, spoon the filling into ramekins and top with pastry. For a glossy, golden finish, brush pie tops with milk or egg before baking. Note

125g strawberries is half a punnet Note

Cover cake with foil during cooking if top gets too dark. Note

Equal amounts of sugar and fruit must be used to achieve a good gel. Test if jam is ready by placing a teaspoon of it on a cold plate. Touch with your fingertip – if the top wrinkles, the jam is ready to jar. Note

There is little sugar in the dumplings as the sauce is very sweet. Note

Other canned fruit of choice may be used, such as peaches or cherries. Note

The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into its centre comes out clean and dry. Note

Prepare crispy prosciutto by cooking in a dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes, until crisp. Or arrange on an oven tray and bake in a moderate oven, 180°C for 5-10 minutes. Note

For cheese baguette, slice loaf and arrange on a grill tray. Sprinkle with cheese then grill until melted. A sliced leek could be added to this soup. For a richer soup, use cream instead of milk. Note

To prepare your own char-grilled eggplant, brush slices with oil and char-grill for 2-3 minutes each side until tender. To char-grill capsicum, cut into four, remove all the seeds, and char-grill skin side down until blackened and tender. Place pieces in a seated plastic bag for 5 minutes. You should then be able to easily […]

Individual ramekins can be used, if preferred. Note

Have cream cheese at room temperature to make it easy to blend and to help prevent lumps from forming. Note

makes 12 Note

These delectable little cakes have a long history of tempting taste buds.

We made our pesto with rocket, but you could use ready-made pesto from the chilled section of the supermarket.

Sweet peas and salty bacon complement each other perfectly in this simple midweek pasta dish.

Perfect puddings stand the test of time as our red ribbon winner proves.

Get stuck into the sweet stuff with a treat that is sure to please the kids.

Kids will love these fun spotty chocolate cakes, ideal for a party.

Use any regular eating chocolate in these recipes, rather than cooking chocolate. Note

Melt chocolate in the microwave – use the High (100%) setting and cook for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each burst. Note

For decorations, met a little white chocolate. Spread onto a tray lined with baking paper. Stand until just firm. Using small cutters of choice, cut out 12 shapes. Note

Substitute mini marshmallows for turkish delight and pistachios for peanuts, if preferred. You may need to paint a second layer of chocolate in the cases to achieve a thick coating. Note

To sterilise jars, put cleaned jars on a baking tray in a warm oven, 150°C, for 10 minutes. Remove, cool slightly. Note

Crumble prepared Anzac biscuits for this dessert, if preferred. Note

Don’t let file vanilla ice-cream become too runny before adding the chocolate and spooning it into the pan, as it will refreeze with a large amount of ice crystals. It should be thick but mixable. Note

Eggplants are especially delicious fried. These indulgent eggplant fingers with homemade aioli are sure to go down a treat and are an alternative to regular potato fries.

Biscuits will be soft when removed from oven, but become crisp on cooling. Note

You can add some button mushrooms to the mixture and more chilli if you like it spicy! Note

Use bread rolls, if preferred. This can also be prepared with crumbed chicken schnitzels, but it would be best to pan fry these in a little olive oil. Note

Seasoned flour is plain flour with added seasoning to taste. Make breadcrumbs by placing day-old bread in a food processor and processing until finely chopped. This may be frozen until required. Note

If liked, chop a kiwifruit and blend it into the cake mixture. This cake freezes well. Note

makes about 12 These pikelets freeze well – thaw and reheat in microwave on medium for 20 seconds for each pikelet. Note

We used a 10cm spring form pan without the base, or you can make your own using a double layer of foil. Note

You could also use fresh or frozen mango in this recipe. This cake can be served with thick cream or ice-cream. Note

Remember, the ham is already cooked you are simply adding flavour by glazing it. serve warm or cold. Note

Test cake is cooked by touching the top lightly with your fingertip. It will spring back if ready. Or, insert a skewer into the centre of the cake; if it comes out clean and dry, the cake is cooked. Note

You could also bake these close together on a baking tray. Make them ahead of time and freeze. Note

Make sure you add berries to mixture straight from the freezer. There is no need to defrost them. Note

If preferred, use white chocolate and other nuts of your choice – or you can crumble in a few cookies or a favourite chocolate bar. Note

When making syrup, ensure sugar has dissolved before it comes to the boil, then simmer, without stirring, to prevent crystallisation. Note

Chocolate can also be melted in the microwave oven. Use medium power in 30-second bursts, stirring the chocolate until melted. Place serving dishes on an oven tray to make them more stable in the fridge. Note

For a real sweet treat, these crisp little tarts are filled with raspberry jam and a sweet, creamy lemon centre and iced with chocolate and pink icing � they are extremely yummy and moreish.

If fresh passionfruit are unavailable or expensive, use canned. Note

Traditional pavlova with a thin crispy meringue exterior with a soft and chewy marshmallow-like centre and filled with seasonal fruits � in this case fresh bananas, strawberries and kiwifruit.

These soft and spicy ginger treats deserve to be rediscovered.

With texture, vibrant flavours from salty to sweet and a powerhouse of goodness from the lentils, this is a great recipe.

We all love these classic cookies, but this lemon curd-inspired filling makes them utterly irresistible. Photography by: bauersyndication.com.au

Pumpkin and feta works so well together. If you need to make a trip to the store for the dill, substitute it with whatever you have in your garden – thyme or sage works best.

Creamy dressing, waxy potato and perfectly tender pieces of prawns combine to make a very satisfying starter or light lunch.

There are few combinations as brilliant as sweet and tangy fruit sitting atop sugary meringue with fresh cream. This traditional pavlova recipe is great for Australia Day, Christmas or any family celebration!

Pepitas are flat green seeds from pumpkins (with white hull removed). They are an excellent source of iron and zinc. They can be found in the health-food section of your supermarket. Note

Cut a wedge from the cake to make it look just like a pizza ready to serve! Attach candles to board using a little icing, or insert into cake. Note

The cooking time will depend on the size and ripeness of the pear. Any type of pear in season may be used in this recipe. Chill remaining syrup and top it with soda water for a refreshing drink, or drizzle it over fruit salad. Note

To “butterfly” the prawns, cut along the back of the prawn, but not all the way through, and flatten like a book. Remove vein, rinse and pat dry. Eggs age more in a day at room temperature than a week in the fridge. Note

It is important to rest meat before carving, to allow juices to settle. Note

Cook pasta in a large pan of boiling, salted- water for 10-12 minutes, until just tender. Note

Cooking time will depend on the size of the lamb shanks. The meat should almost be falling off the bone when they are ready. Use good-quality wine – if you can’t drink it, you shouldn’t cook with it either. Note

To help prevent ravioli from sticking together, it’s important not to overcrowd the saucepan when cooking – a splash of oil in the water will also help. Note

Do not make batter until you are ready to cook the puddings. Put them into a hot oven. Puddings will deflate to make a perfect case for the salsa. Note

Add a squeeze of lemon juice to avocado mixture if desired. Transport wrap by wrapping tightly in foil. This prevents it from drying out and unrolling. Also great when cut into small round slices for finger food. Note

Use a citrus zester to make fine, thin shreds of zest (the coloured outer skin of citrus fruit). Just pull the zester towards you across the skin. This can then be used in recipes or as a garnish. Note

For lemon mayonnaise, combine 1/2 cup whole-egg mayonnaise with 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest and a little lemon juice. Season to taste. You could coat the cakes in dried breadcrumbs in place of flour if preferred. Note

To bake blind, line pastry case with baking paper and fill with uncooked rice or dried beans. Bake 10 minutes, remove filling and bake a further 5 minutes. Note