The last week or so has been busy. My latest post is carrot cake traybake, which is one of my favourite cakes. It is topped with mascarpone cream and pistachios and is perfect for sharing with a crowd. Then I made focaccia which I decorated using tomatoes, olives and herbs to create a garden scene. I cut it into portions (it was a shame to cut into it!) and enjoyed some with a salad. I froze the rest ready to pair with some of our weekday dinners. I also prepared another batch of sauerkraut....

I always think that anything is better if it is homemade and hot cross buns are no exception. These hot cross buns have a soft bread dough with dried fruit and spices and are simple to make. My favourite way to enjoy them is toasted and buttered, but they are just as nice served cold or hot straight from the oven. They can be prepared in advance and frozen and are a real treat. Here are a few other ideas for treats to enjoy over the Easter weekend. Cherry cheesecake Cherry cheesecake has a...

It may not be summer holiday time yet but you can still enjoy a taste of the Mediterranean. Fortunately many ingredients used around the Med such as tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, aubergines and beans are available in other regions so we can make our own versions of popular Mediterranean dishes. Why not make a pot of ratatouille, minestrone or tomato and bean soup? And if you have a good supply of tomatoes you could make a batch of fresh tomato sauce to add to pasta dishes such as cannelloni...