This is a brilliantly filling, thick and creamy soup perfect for serving up during the winter months with a thick slice of white, crusty bread. Sprinkle with parsley to serve.

Ingredients List:
4 slices streaky bacon
2 sticks celery
2 onions
2 carrots
1 tbsp. butter
1 400g tin creamed corn
1 400g tin sweetcorn, drained
1 litre chicken stock
6 small potatoes
500ml milk
2 tbsp. flour

Directions:
1) Finely chop the celery, carrots and onions. Cube the potatoes and chop the bacon.

2) Fry the bacon in a pan until it starts to release some oil, then add the onions, celery and carrots. Cook for around five minutes until starting to brown, then add the creamed corn, sweetcorn, butter, chicken stock and potatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

3) Gradually mix the flour with the milk until smooth, then add to the pot. Simmer for half an hour, then serve.

Source: Sweetcorn Recipes.

This is a lovely alternative to the usual Christmas dinner if you’re only cooking for a few people. A turkey crown is an economical way of cooking turkey for Christmas for just a few people, and the sweet garlic gravy is a welcome addition.

Ingredient List:
1 turkey breast crown on the bone, 2.25kg
1 whole head garlic
350ml chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Preparation Method:
1) Heat the oven to 180C. Place the joint skin side up in a roasting tin, then brush oil all over the breasts of the joint and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2) Cover with foil, then put in the oven and roast for 45 minutes.

3) Place the garlic head in the roasting tin, basting it with any juices, then roast uncovered for another 1 and a half hours.

4) Put the turkey on a platter to rest, covered with foil, then scoop the fat off the pan juices and put them into a blender along with the garlic cloves and stock. Blitz until smooth, then heat until just simmering. Serve over the turkey.

Source: Turkey Recipes.

These cute little donut balls are perfect for preparing in advance – simple prepare the batter and roll into balls before putting into the fridge overnight and all you need to do the next day is fry them when you’re ready to serve them. Add a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream for a comforting pudding.

Ingredient List:
- 275g plain flour
- 80g caster sugar
- 60ml rapeseed oil
- 175ml milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp. ground mixed spice
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 200g granulated sugar + 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
- Sieve together the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.

- Mix in the sugar, mixed spice and cinnamon.

- Beat together the egg, milk and rapeseed oil. Make a well in the centre of the flour, then pour in this mixture.

- Mix the ingredients together until a smooth batter forms.

- Drop heaped teaspoonfuls of the mixture into hot oil. Fry on all sides until a deep golden brown colour.

- Mix together remaining sugar and cinnamon and roll donut balls in the mixture so that they are fully covered in sugar.

Source: Donut Recipes.

This impressive roast beef recipe is sure to wow your dinner guests as you bring it to the table, as you have to crack the salt shell to reach the deliciously tender meat inside. Beef is coated in English mustard and liberally covered in rock salt before being cooked for an hour in a hot oven. Try serving with a thick horseradish cream.

Ingredients:
2kg beef rolled rib joint
200g English mustard
1.25kg rock salt

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 230C and line a roasting tin with foil.

Put a thick layer of rock salt on the foil in the roasting tin. Liberally coat the beef with the mustard and press the bottom of the joint onto the salt to embed it into the joint.

Cover the beef joint with the rest of the rock salt, pressing it in to the joint. Some will fall off, but that’s okay.

Bake uncovered for 60 minutes and let the beef stand for 15 minutes.

Crack the salt shell off the beef with the back of a knife and remove it fully before slicing into portions.

Source: Beef Recipe.

You can’t really get more traditional than this mutton kheema curry and it is absolutely delicious. The mutton lends a deep, rich flavour to the curry, although you could use minced lamb if you don’t like the idea of mutton or if you can’t find it. Remember to remove the cinnamon stick and cardadmom pods before serving.

Ingredients:
500g mutton mince
200g tinned chopped tomatoes
1 small chopped onion
2 tbsp. plain yoghurt
1 tbsp. each of minced ginger, minced garlic and vegetable oil
2 cloves, 2 cardamom pods and 1 broken cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. each of garam masala and chilli powder
1/4 tsp. each of caraway seeds and ground turmeric
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
1) Place half of the ginger, garlic and chilli powder into a bowl. Add the mutton mince, mix well and leave to marinate for half an hour.

2) In a deep frying pan, heat the oil to a medium temperature before adding the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cloves and caraway seeds. Leave to fry for thirty seconds before adding the onion, turmeric and the remaining ginger, garlic and chilli powder.

3) Add the mutton and cook until browned on all sides, around ten minutes.

4) Add the tinned chopped tomatoes, garam masala and salt, then simmer for at least twenty minutes.

5) Stir in the yoghurt before serving.

Source: Indian Curry Recipe.

These simple biscuits are perfect for kids parties – they’re sweet and very moreish. If you like marzipan, you’ll love these biscuits. Why not ice them with some brightly coloured royal icing or get the kids to join in and ice them with you?

Ingredients List:
500g block marzipan
100g icing sugar
20g plain flour
1 egg white
1 tsp. rose water or rose essence

Directions:
1) Knead together the marzipan, sugar, flour, egg white and rose water until smooth.

2) Roll out to 1cm thick and cut into shapes.

3) Line a baking tray with parchment and place the biscuits onto the tray. Put into the fridge and let them set overnight.

4) When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 160C and cook the biscuits for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Source: Biscuits Recipe.

This delectable nut roast combines the smoky flavours of red lentils with red pepper, leeks, mushrooms and garlic, along with some sweet cashew nuts. Serve this nut roast with a simple tomato sauce for optimum flavour.

Ingredient List:
450ml vegetable stock
200g split red lentils
100g cashew nuts
100g wholemeal breadcrumbs
100g mushrooms
100g cheddar cheese
1 onion
1 red pepper
1 leek
1 garlic clove
1 egg
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
Small handful freshly chopped parsley

Directions:
1) Finely chop the onion, mushrooms, leek, garlic clove, and red pepper.

2) Rinse the lentils under cold water then simmer in the vegetable stock for 15-20 minutes until soft and pulpy.

3) Whilst the lentils are cooking, toast the nuts in a dry frying pan until golden, then whiz in a food processor until finely chopped.

4) Preheat the oven to 190C and grease and line a loaf tin.

5) Heat the oil in a frying pan and then fry the onion for five minutes, add the leeks, red pepper, mushrooms and garlic and fry for another 5-10 minutes. Add the lemon juice.

6) Stir the lentils and the nuts into the frying pan, add the breadcrumbs, the cheese and the egg, season well and then stir in the parsley.

7) Once fully combined, place the mixture into the loaf tin and level the top. Bake the nut roast for 30 minutes covered with foil and then remove the foil for another 30 minutes of cooking.

Source: Nut Roast Recipes.

This bread pud is a wintery treat that’s perfect for using up any pumpkin leftovers. You could also use carrots in place of the pumpkin for a twist on carrot cake.

Ingredient List:
350ml full fat milk
120g white bread, torn into pieces
60g dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp. brown sugar
130g caster sugar
185g pumpkin, pureed
1 egg + 3 egg yolks
Dash of vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 tsp. ground allspice

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a small baking dish.

2) Whisk together the eggs until smooth and fluffy, then gradually whisk in the milk along with the caster sugar, vanilla extract, salt, ground allspice and pumpkin. Whisk until completely smooth.

3) Pour the mixture over the bread and allow it to sit for five minutes. Put the mixture into the baking dish and then sprinkle the chocolate and brown sugar over the top.

4) Cook the pudding for 40 minutes, until golden brown and fluffy and serve with runny cream.

See also: Bread Pudding Recipes.

Goat’s cheese does have a really distinctive flavour and it isn’t for everyone, so if you’re not a fan of it, swap it for a soft cheese such as mozzarella or ricotta. You can also use your choice of herbs – this recipe calls for basil and oregano, but you could use parsley, thyme, fennel, chives – it’s up to you. Also, feel free to use dried herbs if you don’t have fresh.

Ingredient List:
900g minced lamb
100g breadcrumbs
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
1 egg
Good pinch salt and pepper
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
120g goat’s cheese
2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:
1) Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic clove.

2) Heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion until translucent and softened.

3) Mix together the onion, lamb, breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, salt and pepper until completely combined. Divide it into six balls and put into the fridge.

4) In a small bowl, mix together the goat’s cheese, remaining olive oil, basil and oregano. Chill for five minutes.

5) Take the lamb and the goat’s cheese from the fridge.

6) Flatten the balls and make an indentation on the top of each of them.

7) Put a tsp. of the goat’s cheese mixture into that indentation and then work the lamb over the goat’s cheese until you have a meatball shape. Flatten into a burger.

Cook the burgers either on a BBQ or in a frying pan for 5-7 minutes on each side, until the lamb is no longer pink.

Source: Lamb Recipe.

This is an incredibly simple cheesecake combining the wonderful flavours of toffee and apple. This recipe uses a shop-bought toffee sauce, called dulce de leche, but feel free to make your own using brown sugar and butter.

Ingredients List:
600g preserved apples
15 digestive biscuits
85g butter
450g cream cheese
100g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
80g chopped pecans
4 tbsp. dulce de leche

Directions:
1) Melt the butter in a saucepan until foaming. Bash the digestive biscuits with a rolling pin or crush them in a food processor. Combine the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter and press into a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Press firmly so that the base is compact then put the tin into the fridge.

2) Once the base is hard, spoon 450g of the preserved apples over the base.

3) Preheat the oven to 180C.

4) Beat the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well until smooth. Pour this mixture over the apples in the tin.

5) Bake the cheesecake for 35 minutes or so or until set in the middle. Allow to cool.

6) Mix together the remaining apples and the dulce de leche in a saucepan with half of the chopped pecans. Heat for a minute or so then pour over the top of the cheesecake. Sprinkle with the remaining pecans and then put back into the fridge to chill.

Source: Apple Recipe.