Quick & Easy

Soak 18 bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent scorching during cooking, or cover the ends with foil. Note

This fragrant and delicious chicken, noodle and makrut lime stir-fry is a quick and easy mid-week dinner.

A small pizza with big flavour: Onion, anchovy and olive pizzetta.

600g canned borlotti or cannellini beans can be substituted for the shelled borlotti beans; rinse and drain beans before adding for last 10 minutes of cooking. Recipe can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated, covered; reheat or bring to room temperature before serving. Note

If you have an electric pressure cooker you won’t need to reduce the heat to stabilise pressure, your cooker will automatically stabilise itself. Always check with the manufacturer’s instructions before using. The steak and kidney filling is suitable to freeze. Note

Fresh, tasty and very moreish, chicken rice paper rolls make a great starter or share plate for a party.

Not suitable to microwave. Note

Chocolatey coffee hazelnut muffins, with hazelnut frosting and a crunchy nut topping, pack a whole lot of flavour into every bite.

Lunch just became a lot simpler with this quick and easy recipe. It is great for using leftover cooked meats.

Celebrate eight with this gorgeous yellow birthday cake decorated with edible orange flowers.

Refrigerate after opening; jam will keep refrigerated for several months. Note

Chinese-style poached chicken with spring onion and coriander from Australian Women's Weekly.

This vegetarian pasta dish is simple and perfect for the whole family.

This tasty Asian style dish can be on the table within half an hour of arriving home in the evening. It's a perfectly balanced meal and full of flavour.

Beef and mushroom make a delicious pair in this herby, slow-cooked stew.

Bright and colourful hummus with big flavours.

Snow peas can be replaced with sugar snap peas, if you like. Hokkien (or stir-fry) noodles are sold in cryovac packages in the refrigerated section of supermarkets. Note

Pasta salad is best made on the morning it will be consumed. Note

A simple and delicious roast chicken with rosemary and garlic from Australian Women's Weekly.

Richly spiced and sweetly dressed, this Indochine chicken salad makes a great dish to serve up to friends for a weekend lunch.

Get warm and cosy with this wholesome soup, perfect served with crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

These muesli bars are the perfect after-school snack for kids on the go. They are packed full of the protein of peanut butter and energy-boosting honey.

Tomatoes can be roasted a day ahead. Cover, refrigerate. Use ciabatta that was left over from day 2. Note

date and orange; fruit and spice (top tier) basic; choc chip and walnut (bottom tier) Note

Here's a slightly more interesting take on your average roast chicken. If you're unable to find small chickens, larger ones cut into pieces will do. Adjust the spices to taste.

For a more intense brandy flavour, stir up to two tablespoons of brandy into the jam mixture before pouring into the jars. Note

Soufflés must be made just before serving. Note

You can't go past a moist chocolate cake topped with chocolate fudge icing.

You can use apples or firm pears instead of the nashi, if preferred. Refrigerate the pork for 3 hours or overnight for a more intense flavour. Note

Veal schnitzels, or escalopes, are large but very thin slices of lean veal. They are tender and quick-cooking, and are often coated with breadcrumbs and pan-fried in butter to give wiener schnitzel. Note

Each takeaway barbecued chicken we used in this chapter weighed about 900g; when skinned and boned, this results in 3 cups (480g) of shredded meat, or 2½ cups (425g) of coarsely chopped meat. Note

Served with grilled pita bread, this beautiful slow-cooked lamb stew is just what you need on a cold day.

Granny Smith apples are best for this recipe. Note

This pie is suitable to freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Note

Fragrant roast lamb on a bed of scented potatoes makes a fabulous dinner or weekend roast lunch, the juices of the lamb help soften and flavour the potatoes.

These cheesy polenta cakes go beautifully with a zesty, refreshing avocado salsa.

Bucatini is a long, hollow pasta; it looks a bit like thick spaghetti, but has a tube running down the centre. It goes well with chunkier-style sauces. Note

Crispy on the outside but still soft on the inside, these Chinese noodle pancakes make a great bed for a classic chicken stir-fry.

Tender lamb shanks with sun-dried tomato for special occasions.

Originally popular in the south of France, this fabulously flavoursome French appetizer is taking world cuisine by storm.

Substitute the banana with thinly sliced strawberries. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of pure maple syrup, if desired. Note

Fresh salmon is delightful and best served simply, such as in this lovely dish with steamed beans, peas and minted buttermilk dressing.

Packed with vegetables and spices, these colourful pakoras make excellent finger food.

A hearty and delicious winter soup with oxtail and chickpeas from the Australian Women's Weekly.

These apple-shaped biscuits taste great just as they are, unfilled. But, for something special, the custard cream filling gives these biscuits the wow factor.

The glamour set know where the best lattes are, and always get a seat at the best restaurants. This party food is sure to be on their “what’s hot” list, and will have them wanting more. Note

Topped with melted bocconcini and crispy pancetta, these juicy burgers won't disappoint.

Be sure to sterilise jars before using to store preserves. It is important for health reasons and to ensure a long shelf life for your zesty, delicious marmalade.

Honey and soy and a sprinkle of sesame seeds give these roasted vegetables a delicious flavour and texture.

Use fresh pineapple, if preferred. Note

The perfect tapas tart of caramelised onion, fig and prosciutto from Australian Women's Weekly.

Serve this classic family dish with steamed carrots and homemade gravy.

This recipe is our version of the classic Mexican "chiles rellenos", stuffed Anaheim peppers.

Raita is a fresh yogurt salad that goes extremely well with spicy Indian dishes.

Finely grate the rind from the lemon for the butter cream before juicing it for the pies. Don’t overcook the whoopee pies, they should feel a little soft while they’re hot. They will become firm on cooling. Note

Fresh and crunchy gado gado is an Indonesian speciality. You can add shredded cooked chicken and quartered hardboiled eggs to this salad if you like.

Loaded with roasted kumara and pan-fried mushrooms, this healthy pilaf is great for a mid-week dinner and also makes for a tasty packed lunch.

There's no better start to the day than our home made baked beans on thickly sliced sourdough.

Show your patriotism this Australia day (or, any other day) with these delicious marinated lamb cutlets. Serve them with either vegetables or a salad and enjoy.

Pop this in the lunchbox for a mid afternoon pick-me-up.

If you’re taking this salad to work, hold the lemon juice until you’re ready to eat. Otherwise, eat the salad while the beef is still warm. Note

These tasty chicken pockets are filled with melting cheese, chopped sage and pancetta.

Three-cabbage coleslaw with shredded chicken from Australian Women's Weekly.

The German term for "sprinkle", a streusel is great to have with tea or coffee mid-morning on a chilly weekend, and this one's rhubarb and apple filling gives it a wonderfully homely flavour.

A simple, savoury classic with pots of flavour, pasta al quattro formaggio can be made using penne, or other short cut pasta, in place of the gnocchi.

Deliciously bright and colourful lentil, gorgonzola and witlof salad.

Heat ungreased gem irons in hot oven for 5 minutes just before use; grease with cooking oil spray. Note

serving per person for each of the five food groups 2 serves fruit; ½ serve grain foods Note

Deliciously pungent and flavour-packed ginger-shallot chicken dish.

French-trimmed lamb cutlets marry beautifully with this salad, simply grill the lamb until cooked as desired, squeeze with lemon juice and serve alongside the salad. Note

Healthy turkey and sweet cranberry wrap from Australian Women's Weekly.

Try this cheat's version of a Kiwi favourite.

A rich and delicious veal campagnola, topped with melted cheese and served on a tomato base, the perfect dish to bring the taste of Italy to your table.

Tortiglioni, a straight tubular pasta with grooves on the exterior, works well when baked with a chunky sauce, such as this one. You can substitute it with rigatoni or ziti, if you like, but anything less substantial will get lost amid the hearty sausage and vegetables.

This refreshing tea will rejuvenate the senses and boost the immune system.

These divine little pots of sweet couscous with oranges and rosewater, yoghurt and pistachio nuts make a fragrant, fruity and light dessert.

These smoky beef and baked bean pies are fantastic served with mashed peas.

From breakfast through to dessert this dish is a great sweet snack for any time of the day. Depending on the occasion you can serve it with greek yoghurt, cream, or ice-cream.

You can also use pink-eye or sebago potatoes for this recipe. Note

Aloo means potato and gobi, cauliflower, to an Indian cook, but this easy-to-make dry curry means delicious in anyone's vocabulary.

Broad beans and mint are a match made in culinary heaven. With the addition of prosciutto and a red wine vinegar dressing, this is the ideal spring side.