Less than 30 minutes

These chewy almond macaroons are made in the traditional Italian style and are absolutely delicious served with hot espresso coffee.

This is a real crowd-pleaser of a dish, hot, garlicky prawns with fetta in a rich tomato sauce. Serve with a crisp green salad on the side, and lots of crusty bread for mopping up the sauce.

This fresh, protein-packed pasta with zucchini, tomato and ricotta is an easy, tasty mid-week dinner that makes it easy to stick to your meat-free quotient.

Spaghettini is just spaghetti cut finer, and it makes a wonderful base for this vibrant freshly made pesto sauce. The more strands of pesto-coated pasta there are in every mouthful, the better.

Garganelli are little pasta squares rolled into a tube, which can be ridged or smooth. We chose ridged garganelli for this tomato, olive and anchovy pasta as the little ridges help the sauce cling to each piece.

Essentially a simple spicy pilaf, green rice is a great side dish for any number of mains, but especially good with Asian-style crispy-skinned chicken and Cajun-spiced fish.

Quick and easy as it is, this pappardelle with chicken and creamy mushroom sauce makes a surprisingly luxurious dinner for a dish that's verging on a store-cupboard classic.

No time to make lasagne? Try this fantastic and easy asparagus, bacon and parmesan tortiglioni.

This is one of those throw-it-together-in-a-flash recipes that come in super handy mid-week, when you're flat-out but still want to eat well. Linguine with tuna, lemon and rocket is a classic pantry special.

These fresh, fragrant and flavoursome Asian lettuce cups are perfect for sharing.

Fish fillets with a couscous crust are light and super-crispy. Delicious served with a tangy caper mayonnaise.

Soaked in fragrant honey and tossed in sesame seeds, these honey almond pastry fingers are sticky and nutty and impossible to resist.

Rich eggplant and tender veal make this parmigiana recipe an enduring classic, fresh sage and bocconcini finish the dish beautifully. This is one of those dishes that quickly become a firm family favourite.

Brighten up a cold morning with this indulgent cinnamon toast with caramelised apples, the perfect dish for a celebratory brunch.

Sweet, golden and crumbly, these beautiful lemon zest polenta biscuits are brilliant enjoyed with a mug of coffee or tea for a morning or afternoon treat.

Serve these divine little blueberry hotcakes with walnuts and lashings of maple syrup for a decadent breakfast or brunch treat.

Tender and fragrant, these lamb racks with garlic, sage and red onion make a fabulous main dish for a dinner party. The rule of thumb is one rack per adult guest.

Red curry paste, coconut milk and coriander give this Thai-style pumpkin soup its unique flavour, while tender pieces of chicken thigh turn a bowl into a meal.

A super fast, easy and healthy pasta salad with garlic vinaigrette. The herbs add a lot of flavour to this recipe; purple basil, also known as opal basil, has an intense aroma and longer shelf-life than sweet basil.

Add a tropical touch to these caramelised pineapple slices by stirring some desiccated coconut through the icecream, and drizzling passionfruit pulp over the fruit.

Steaming this fabulous Thai-style steamed fish is best done in a bamboo steamer, but if you have a metal one just loosely wrap the whole parcel in baking paper.

A fool is a traditional English dessert made from cooked fruit mixed with whipped cream. You need about four trimmed stalks of rhubarb for this recipe.

A great source of both fibre and vitamins, plus calcium.

Quick, tasty and packed full of goodness, this tasty dish made with sardines and a fragrant caper dressing makes a perfect mid-week dinner dish.

An Italian version of egg drop soup that literally means "little shred", stracciatella is warming, comforting and totally yummy. Best served with crusty bread and a simple salad.

These classic red dyed eggs are traditionally enjoyed at Greek Orthodox Easter.

You can decorate these party patty cakes just like we have, or you can use your favourite lollies to make up your own designs. For a fun, if messy, party game place all the bits and pieces out on a long table, and let the kids decorate their own cupcake.

A simple pasta salad with bright Mediterranean flavours; a great light lunch or dinner option.

Baking the kumara and honey soy pork in the same dish helps ensure that the pork fillets stay juicy, and allows all the flavours of the dish to intermingle and intensify.

A spicy salsa perfect as a dip or sauce for platters, share plates or tapas. This tomato chilli salsa is great served as a dip with fresh vegetables, as a condiment with steak or on a burger.

A truly simple dessert that looks stunning and always feels like a treat, summer berry sundaes can be put together in no time at all.

Choc-chip cookies are always a crowd pleaser and these mega choc-chip cookies will be hugely popular. Generously sized, crisp around the edges and chewy in the middle. Perfect.

Rich and chocolate-y cake, all rolled up.

These tasty Japanese chicken yakitori skewers are delicious enjoyed on their own or as part of a big Asian dinner spread.

Fluffy, fragrant and full of spices, this beautiful yellow coconut rice goes beautifully alongside traditional Indian curries.

Toasted lemon and garlic breadcrumbs add a topping of crunchy deliciousness to this fresh, minted spring greens and goat's cheese pasta.

This Asian-styled wok-seared mushroom omelette is also stuffed with capsicum, chilli, sprouts, coriander and green onions. A lovely light lunch.

The perfect simple supper full of fragrance and flavour from South-East Asia. This recipe is actually very easy, but with its fresh yet complex flavours you'll feel you're eating at a Thai restaurant.

It's the toffee sauce that makes these little sticky date puddings super delicious, and extra indulgent, rich with the dark flavours of caramelised sugar.

This simple platter of chilled soba noodles with dipping sauce, spring onions, nori and wasabi is a complete taste sensation.

This recipe can be made a day ahead.

Quick, simple and nutritious, this chilli beef stir-fry is the perfect mid-week dinner on those days when you feel like something spicy.

Slices of creamy camembert on pumpernickel topped with pear compote make sophisticated canapes for a cocktail party.

It can be easy to dismiss making a curry as just too much trouble when you're tired, but this quick fish curry does exactly what it says on the tin! A great, quick and easy mid-week dinner that'll fire you up.

There's no need to sacrifice taste for speed with this quick and easy ravioli with spinach, sage and pine nuts. Creamy, toothsome and infused with the delicate flavour of sage, it's a mid-week dinner winner.

Packed full of flavour and protein, this tasty chicken and mushroom rice dish is beautiful drizzled with an Asian soy dressing and served straight out of the pot.

Make a delicious pie base and crust with this parmesan cheese spiked short crust pastry recipe. You can leave the cheese out if you prefer, and even replace it with sugar for a sweet dish.

This is the easiest way to make rice without a rice cooker. And, it's one of the basic recipes all households should know!

Garam masala added at the last moment is a great way to make sure your curry is fragrant and beautifully spiced. This red lentil, mushroom and spinach curry makes a fabulous vegetarian dinner served with steamed rice and naan bread.

The combination of crisp, salty pancetta and tendy, flaky fish fillets creates a delicious seafood dish the whole family will love. Drizzle with a dash of your homemade caper herb butter for a real flavour hit.

Totally falling under the category of comfort food, this gnocchi with creamy sauce is a rib-sticker.

This Thai fish parcels recipe makes sure all the flavour cooks into the fish. If you can't buy kaffir lime leaves, substitute the young leaves from any other citrus tree. Serve the fish parcels with lime cheeks or a salad made from fresh pomelo or grapefruit segments.

Shredded makrut lime leaves and fresh lime juice add a real zing to this chicken, chilli and kaffir lime stir-fry.

This is a super easy and scrummy dessert, plus you can whip up a batch of pear galettes on a whim. Best served with a dollop of top notch double or clotted cream.

Orange and poppy seeds is a classic combination for friands, you can liven it up by using mandarin instead.

Enjoy a bite of heaven with these light and fluffy homemade coffee friands. They are gorgeous enjoyed with your mid-morning or afternoon coffee as a relaxing treat with friends.

These delicious Chinese-style chicken stir-fry cups are perfect for sharing on platters.

A quick version of the popular starter in many Indian restaurants, we use ready-made tikka paste.

The classic French combination of tender veal cutlets and creamy, fragrant anchovy garlic butter is perfect for a special dinner with friends.

These mini choc chip friands can be made a day ahead if you're baking to entertain, and go down a treat with a cup of good coffee. They also freeze well, just don't ice them beforehand.

You'll want to use the ripest tomatoes you can find to help give this fresh and yummy tuna, chilli and tomato spaghetti a real boost in the flavour department.

Crisp and flaky French pastries, palmiers are so-named because they are folded and shaped to resemble the leafy arc formed by palm tree branches. Honey, pistachio and rosewater add a touch of the Middle East to these quintessentially French pastries.

Splash out for a summer party or celebration and serve up these delicious barbecued lobster tails with chilli butter.

A kind of variation on sang choy bow, these little parcels of spicy chicken salad in witlof leaves make a great starter or platter of finger food for a party.

Rare roast beef makes a wonderful salad, especially paired with peppery rocket and red onions. A mustard and buttermilk dressing adds a delightful piquant finish to this salad.

This fresh and fragrant Thai chilli lime chicken salad is crisp, fresh and full of flavour.

Za'atar is a Middle-Eastern blend of roasted dried spices; you can make your own as shown below or you can purchase it ready-made from Middle-Eastern food stores. It adds fabulous spice to this kebabs and hummus recipe.

If you fancy trying something a bit out of the ordinary, this Tahitian fish salad is simple to make and absolutely bursting with flavour. It makes a colourful and delicious lunch.

Put the kettle on and enjoy a sweet, golden passionfruit butter biscuit with your cup of coffee as a relaxing morning tea.

Steaming this Thai-style chicken draws the flavour of the seasoning right into the flesh of the fillet. If the silver beet leaves are small, use two per chicken breast. If kaffir lime leaves are unavailable, use 2 teaspoons of finely grated lime rind.

One of the most popular Japanese grilled meat dishes, teriyaki is so easy to prepare at home. Here, we accompany it with fresh baby corn, broccoli and trimmed sugar snap peas. Serve with a bowl of steamed rice.

An Asian twist on chicken burgers, with sweet pickled cucumber and spicy wasabi mayonnaise. Great for mid-week dinner or weekend lunch.

Enjoy this sweet, tangy and deeply citrusy blood orange jelly straight out of the pot as a light summer dessert.

A zesty and fragrant Thai chicken dish with steamed bok choy from Australian Women's Weekly. A great mid-week dinner option that also makes a tasty weekend lunch.

When the occasion calls for a light, tasty dinner you can't go past a plate of salmon steaks with a crisp fennel and apple salad. If you need something slightly more substantial, serve with good bread or a baked potato.

A combination chow mein with chicken, pork, prawn and fried noodles from Australian Women's Weekly.

A quick and easy stir-fry that gets a lift from the addition of teriyaki sauce.

Bean thread noodles, also known as wun sen, glass or cellophane noodles, are made from mung beans. These delicate, fine noodles must be softened in boiling water before use.

Creamy, mild and warming, this Chinese-style chicken and corn soup is a great pick-me-up dish for a cold day.

Quick, tasty and filling, this cauliflower chilli spaghetti is perfect for a mid-week family dinner.

Sweet, rich and fudgey, these chocolate and macadamia squares are beautiful enjoyed with a mug of coffee for an indulgent afternoon tea or dessert.

Delicious Thai chicken with a peanut crust and a light cucumber and herb salad. This makes an excellent light dinner on a hot day, or a main for lunch with friends.

An exotic spice-rub makes this beef fillet extra tender and mouthwateringly delicious. Served on a bed of chickpea and preserved lemon salad, the whole meal is just a taste sensation.

This is a super way to serve asparagus as finger food. It also makes a lovely starter, especially with some ripe figs on the side. If you want to take it up a notch, you can put a small slice of fontina cheese under the prosciutto, and quickly pan fry to melt the cheese before serving.

These traditional Parisian delicacies are named after a palm tree because, when baked, they resemble palm fronds. Palmiers were probably invented as a way to make use of puff pastry scraps; quick and easy, they're great for afternoon tea.

The thing about rock cakes is that they should look like little rocks, not taste or bite like one. Our simple rock cake recipe makes for little golden nuggets with a scone-like interior studded with sultanas.

For a taste of China, make your own sang choy bow, a traditional lettuce-wrapped stir-fry. You can serve it as a starter to share, or as a light meal on its own.

You can dip just about any fruit that takes your fancy into chocolate fondue, bananas would be a good addition, as would marshmallows.

Capsicum, carrot and peanuts add crunch and snap to these tasty herbed chicken rice paper rolls with a ginger soy dipping sauce.

Borlotti beans are also known as cannellini beans, but they're actually a paler, plumper variety of the humble kidney bean. This tomato and borlotti bean soup makes a nourishing lunch or dinner.

Simple, quick and savoury, this zucchini cream soup makes a great lunch or starter. The smoothest consistency for this soup can be achieved by using a blender, stab mixer or mouli.

There's nothing like a bowl of proper, hearty soup on a cold day and this tomato and chorizo soup has all the warming power you're looking for.

Spicy, fragrant and wonderfully creamy, this beautiful red duck and lychee curry is perfect for a warming family dinner on a cooler evening.

Crispy, spicy-sweet and delicious noodle stir fry with beef and bok choy from Australian Women's Weekly.

There's something seductive about the melting cheese in this Veal Cordon Bleu that makes it timeless and one of our all-time favourites.

Redfish, usually sold skinned as fillets, is ideal for these fish cakes because of its delicate flavour. You can, however, use practically any mild-flavoured, skinless fish fillet.

This surprisingly simple, inexpensive recipe has subtle seductive flavours which are far more memorable than the list of ingredients might suggest. You can use fresh lasagne sheets cut into wide ribbons if you don't have any pappardelle.

Light, fresh and tasty, these beautiful ocean trout sashimi rolls are the perfect finger food to pass around at your next party.

This fragrant Malay chicken curry is spice, but the coconut cream takes the edge off the bite. If you can't source kaffir lime leaves, use 2 tablespoons of grated lime zest instead.

You can use feta or any soft, crumbly cheese instead of the goat cheese, and toasted pecan halves make a nice change from walnuts. This roasted capsicum pasta salad makes a great lunch-box meal too.