Preparing food Serving up a nutritious family meal on time can be difficult when you have a newborn. Including meal preparation as part of my routine in the lead-up to the birth of each baby made this task easier. Cooking in bulk Most pregnancy books tell you to cook some meals in advance and have … Read more

Dollop on top of custards and serve. Mocha pots de crème Active time 30 minutes Total time 1 hour 5 minutes plus cooling and chilling Makes 8 servings ·         110g good-quality dark chocolate, finely chopped ·         3 large egg yolks ·         2 large eggs ·         ¼ cup packed dark-brown sugar or treacle sugar pinch salt … Read more

Let’s try our Pear and blueberry tatin recipe Pear and blueberry tatin Serves 6 Preparation 30 min plus chilling Cooking 45 min For the pastry o   125g (4oz) plain flour o   60g (2 ½ oz) chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes o   1 tbsp ice cold water For the filling o   3 pears, ideally Williams … Read more

Cut bread pudding into squares. Serve with ice cream or drizzle with Nestlé Caramel Treat Spiced Chocolate Bread Pudding Active 30 minutes Total time 1 hour 30 minutes plus cooling Makes 16 servings ·         1 loaf (340g) egg bread, such as kitke ·         3 cups full-cream milk ·         11/4 cups sugar ·         1/2 tsp ground … Read more

Top each with hardened chocolate heart, smooth-side up, and decorate with additional chocolate, if desired. Hazelnut hearts Active time 1 hour 5 minutes Total time 1 hour 20 minutes plus chilling Makes 24 hearts ·         ¾ cup hazelnuts ·         1 cup cake four, plus additional for rolling dough ·         ¼ cup cocoa powder ·         ½ … Read more

Dijon mustard is a hero in the kitchen and on the dining table. We tested six brands off supermarket shelves; these came out tops. Taste test ·         First place Hillcrest Berry Orchards Dijon Mustard ($21.99) was voted the best. Our tasters loved its strong, balanced flavour and smooth texture. It has a good price tag … Read more

Preparing the hospital bag With each pregnancy I’ve streamlined the task of packing my hospital bag. For the last two pregnancies I created a list of items I’d need to pack into my hospital bag at the last minute. There were a number of things I wanted to pack that I was still using regularly … Read more

Defining your discipline style Parenting is a confidence game. My husband and I needed more knowledge so we could increase our confidence and be prepared to try new strategies with our toddler. Not everything we tried worked in guiding his behaviour. Some strategies might have worked in the short term, but they didn’t sit comfortably … Read more

Teaching independence skills Independence skills are the daily life and self-care tasks children acquire that allow them to do things for themselves. The acquisition of these skills is not just helpful to parents — as there’s one less task for them to do — but they’re also critical to building children’s self-esteem. Our kids need … Read more

Most parents with young kids have an everyday bag: it’s the one thing we can’t leave the house without. As babies become toddlers I’ve had to add things to the bag that will keep the toddler (and the older children) entertained should we get held up, or if we’re at an adult-focused event. Besides the … Read more

Before they wed, Bernadette Sugrim’s husband confided a sickening truth: he had killed a man… and never been caught. But when he killed again, she knew she had to turn him in or pay with her life. Bernadette recalls the terror of living with a murderer, and how she found the courage to break her … Read more

Midlife crisis has mistakenly been used to encompass everything from character flaws to psychological afflictions to social dilemmas Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle. Heard that joke? Funny, until you look down and can’t see your toes! Middle age is when your age starts to show around your middle … Read more

Maqluba is an Arabic dish from the Levant and means ‘upside down’. So it’s the tatin of the savoury world in Palestine. Maqluba Serves 4 Preparation 30 min plus soaking Cooking approx 1hr 30 min ·         175g (6oz) brown basmati rice ·         1 tsp ground turmeric ·         2 large aubergines ·         5 – 6 tbsp … Read more

‘We all love this dish and it smells wonderful when it’s cooking,’ says Sonya. ‘It’s simple to make and very tasty as well as being nutritious.’ Moroccan chicken Serves 4 Preparation 30 min (plus marinating) Cooking 1hr 20 min ·         1 lemon ·         2cm piece fresh root ginger, grated ·         1 tsp ground cinnamon ·         … Read more

Fabulous fresh flavours and mouthwatering desserts make eating alfresco a delight for early summer guests Potato gnocchi with asparagus, olives and tomatoes Serves 6 Preparation 25 min Cooking 50 – 55 min For the gnocchi ·         150g (9oz) butternut squash ·         550g (1 ¼ lb) King Edward potatoes, peeled ·         Sea salt ·         175g (6oz) … Read more

Melt the redcurrant jelly with a tiny splash of water in a pan and stir until smooth. Brush the redcurrant glaze over the berries until they glisten. Summer berry genoise Serves 8 Preparation 30 min plus standing and cooling Cooking 25 min For the cream ·         250g (9oz) mascarpone ·         150g (5oz) good quality fromage … Read more

You’re busy, they’re easy. It’s unbelievable what canned or packet foods (bought off supermarket shelves) can do to tantalise your tastebuds. Aromatic Tomato Pilaf Rice Preparation & cooking time: 45 minutes. Serves: 5 INGREDIENTS ·         1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste ·         1 large onion, chopped ·         8 whole cardamoms ·         1 teaspoon cumin powder ·         1 … Read more

Spicy Tuna Burgers with Lemon Mayonnaise Preparation & cooking time: 30 minutes. Serves: 5 INGREDIENTS Tuna patty ·         2 cans tuna chunks in olive oil ·         1 big red  onion, diced finely ·         2 cloves garlic ·         1 cup breadcrumbs ·         2 eggs ·         A few basil leaves ·         1 tablespoon ground black pepper ·         … Read more

Sweet corn Pancake with Strawberry Sauce Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Yields: 6 pancakes INGREDIENTS Pancakes ·         1 cup all-purpose flour ·         2 eggs ·         ½ cup milk ·         ½ cup creamy sweetcorn ·         ¼ teaspoon salt ·         2 tablespoon butter, melted Strawberry sauce ·         ½ cup sugar ·         ½ cup water … Read more

How to buy well, without getting a headache from the price tag A confession: I work in the wine industry, and I’m sick of drinking shit wine. So are my friends. And, I bet, so are you. Not many people can afford to blow $47 on a bottle (even after payday), and spending a fiver … Read more