I adore watermelons and this is a great time of year for them. I love the fact they are so versatile, they can be made into a refreshing juice, perhaps with some strawberries for extra sweetness. Add some cubes of feta, some mint and drizzle with a balsamic glaze (make your own glaze or buy ready made - Waitrose stock it) for a quick starter, or scoop some balls of different colour melons and sprinkle with mint sugar for a speedy dessert. But now, with the interest firmly in making less waste, how about pickling the rind? It is very quick, very easy and keeps well in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It is good in a salsa or can liven up a salad and is brilliantly zingy in this quick can

Golden yellow sweet corn epitomises the final part of summer to me, so when I saw some corn on the cob in my local Waitrose this week, not wrapped in plastic, but still wrapped in their green husks, I quickly bought some. This is what I came up with. It has already been tested out on friends and met with approval. I hope you like it too. Ingredients - makes approximately 20 1 corn on the cob Bacon jam or chilli jam. Home made or shop bought (Waitrose sell Eat 17 Bacon Jam or Stokes Chilli Jam for a veggie option) Fresh thyme Method Cook corn on cob in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Cool. Using a sharp knife, cut the corn cob in half. Then cut the kernels off in long strips, keepin

The dessert size of this delicious cheesecake is straight from a Nigella recipe. I first tasted it when Kerry made it for us. It was so yummy I decided to try to make a miniature version and it works really well. I added the caramelised hazelnuts on top to give it a bit of wow factor. They are easier to make than you might think, but some chopped nuts or grated chocolate would be a good alternative, although not so dramatic. Ingredients 100g Nutella (at room temperature) 125g cream cheese (I used Philadelphia) 15g icing sugar 90g digestive biscuits (gluten free alternatives available from Waitrose and other supermarkets) 25g butter 1 tbsp chopped hazelnuts 1 tsp Nutella For the hazelnut

If you haven't tasted mushroom bacon yet, you have to try out this recipe. The slices of mushroom are coated in a spicy mix which includes Smoked Sea Salt to add, strangely enough, smokiness (available from Souschef). They are then slowly dried in the oven and transformed into almost bacon. Perfect for vegetarians, vegans and just about everyone. We have all really loved these little strips of yumminess, I hope you do too. Ingredients 100g portobello mushrooms 1 tbs maple syrup (check label for vegan suitability) 1 tbs soft brown sugar (check label for vegan suitability) 0.75 tsp smoked salt 0.5 tsp ground cumin 0.25 tsp hot smoked paprika Black pepper 2 tbs olive oil (possibly a little

We spent ages and ages trying to make a good picture, but sadly these yummy pastries are never going to win a beauty contest. So you will have to trust me when I report that the taste of these little triangles is totally delicious and furthermore, the smell of them baking is divine. The recipe was given to me by Claire, who knew they would be a great addition to my make ahead canapé collection, especially as they freeze perfectly as well. Please give them a try, you won’t be disappointed. Ingredients - makes about 36 50g cold butter, cut into small dice 40g mature Cheddar cheese, grated 40g feta, crumbled 100g plain flour 50ml creme fraiche (half fat is fine) ½ teaspoon nigella seeds 2 sp