After yearning for her childhood treat ten Carole Egbert sees a recipe for a chocolate, date cake in a newspaper column. “With minor adjustments, this is the cake I have baked for many parties. I always use a Bundt pan and slather the cooled cake with unsweetened, heavy cream that has been beaten to stiff peaks. Last week, I topped the cream with sliced strawberries and promised our guests that I would share the recipe. Here’s how I did it”

It was rainy, cold and grim and I was home alone. It was a perfect evening to cuddle up with a burger, a potato, salad and Alfred Hitchcock, a film not the man! The film could be Rear Window, Dial M for Murder or The Man who Knew Too Much and the burger could be red meat, poultry or fish. I decided on The Man Who Knew Too Much and fish.

A seasonal dessert with the tang of plums and a floral essence of elderflower.

Celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight by tucking into these Surprise Chocolate Brownies which have Fairtrade dates, bananas and cocoa in them.

It’s that time of year again when the lucky in love ponder how to spoil that special someone on February 14th. What better way to show someone you care than by whipping up a deliciously romantic home cooked meal? Light the candles, open a bottle of wine and follow these yummy healthy and balanced recipes from Clover (which has half the saturated fat of most butters*) to make a three course Valentines treat to remember.

When the Vermont power goes out midway through her baking, Carol Egbert can’t even see to paint let alone save her crumb cake. Four hours later and with the cake suffering a less than perfect oven experience, she finds it still tastes great for breakfast or dessert.

A recipe from Ponti’s Italian Kitchen – a tasty and hearty sauce for your pasta.

Cooking chicken soup can be an all day affair but by beginning with chicken broth and a rotisserie chicken from the market, I had a full flavored, body-and-soul warming soup ready in less than an hour. Here’s how I did it:

A warming and substantial dish using wedder lamb (mutton) that will leave you satisfied on a cold evening,

A hearty broth using wedder lamb (mutton) ideal for warming you up on those cold winter evenings. Ladle generous portions into deep bowls (garnish with chopped parsley) and enjoy!