As Mother's Day is right around the corner, I thought I'd show you how to make Sugar Roses. Now, I am well aware that my sugar roses aren't the neatest; cake decoration is certainly NOT my forte. But I love the idea of someone making their mum a cake or batch of cupcakes (I recommend … Continue reading How to Make Sugar Roses
I love roasted butternut squash. I usually chop a full squash into chunks and roast it in oil, seasoning and garlic, then keep it in an air-tight container in my fridge. I can then add it to pasta dishes or use it top pizza with, or microwave it for a few mins so it's hot … Continue reading Butternut Squash and Bean Bake
Next, on my green wrapping journey, I experimented with tissue paper. A lot of tissue paper is recyclable or even compostable, and if you shop at independent retailers, quite often, your item are wrapped in tissue paper. So I wanted to try to reuse some. Of course, we all know tissue paper looks really cute … Continue reading Green Wrapping – Tissue Paper
Next up for Halloween - Meringues. Crisp on the outside, marshmallowy on the inside, light, sweet and impressive when served at a party. They're traditionally served with whipped cream and fresh fruit, but these cute little Meringue Ghosts are dipped in white chocolate and crushed pistachios. They're the perfect sweet treat to serve at a … Continue reading Meringue Ghosts
A few weeks ago, a friend of mine gave me a load of rhubarb. Her neighbour grows it in his garden, and they've had so much of it this year, they were giving it away to anyone who would take it. And well, I've never been one to turn down free produce! To tell you … Continue reading Rhubarb and Orange Crumble with a Pistachio Crumb
You'd never know these muffins were dairy free. The texture and rise is just like a normal muffin, and they taste delicious - zesty, sweet and full of blueberries. I've made them using coconut milk and oil, instead of butter, soured cream, milk or yoghurt, so they're completely dairy free. (They are, however, made using … Continue reading Dairy Free Blueberry and Lemon Muffins
OK, so I know what you're thinking, but jelly (or jello, for my friends on the other side of the pond) is definitely NOT just for kids; especially not this one! Made with fresh fruit, Pimms and prosecco, it's the perfect dessert to eat outside, in the sunshine, watching Wimbledon . Weather you're a tennis … Continue reading Wimbledon Jelly
You can't get through half-time at a football match without a pie and a pint. It's almost the law in Britain (or so my husband tells me). Like most of Britain, he's been glued to the Euro's. He's enjoyed the TV coverage, and loved seeing fans back in the stadiums, but watching it on TV … Continue reading Jackfruit Tikka Pies
I've suffered with a bad back for years. I have a weakness in the muscles around my spine, meaning that if I stand, sit or lay in one position for too long, or do anything physical such as gardening or sports, the muscles can spasm, leaving me in a lot of pain for days. I … Continue reading Lavender Rose Bath Salts
It's my birthday today! And if you're a regular follower of Pesky Recipes, you'll know that I love an excuse to have a cocktail, and what better excuse is there than a birthday? This recipe is really easy to make and tastes like summer in a glass. A twist on the classic cocktail Sex on … Continue reading Sex on Mango Beach
Coleslaw is a firm favourite in our house, and a staple dish at any BBQ, buffet or party. It goes with pretty much every savoury dish (even sausage and brown sauce sandwiches - try it!) and its so quick and easy to make yourself. Normally, coleslaw is made using white cabbage, but I've used red … Continue reading Pink Coleslaw
This recipe is adapted from a Golden Coconut Pyramids recipe in my very old Dairy Book of Home Cookery (see my About Page for more info). I was making meringues for a special Easter recipe I'm developing, and the Coconut Pyramids was right next to the meringues in the book and it caught my attention. … Continue reading Flourless Almond Biscuits
Raspberries and white chocolate make for a delicious match, we all know that. Whether in cakes, biscuits, traybakes or indeed, muffins, it's a classic flavour combination we all love. The days are getting longer now, here in the UK we've even had a few days of sunshine, which really lifts the mood. So I'm being … Continue reading Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins
Up until 2016, I was convinced I didn't like mushrooms. They were just slimy, horrible things that were snuck into almost all vegetarian meals without my permission. Then, my now husband and I went to Edinburgh for the weekend with some friends, where we ended up having dinner in a lovely Italian restaurant. Back then, … Continue reading Creamy Garlic Mushrooms
There's nothing more comforting on a cold, wet, winter's day than a steaming bowl of hot tomato soup. You can, of course, buy very good tinned soups, but if like me, you get a lot of joy, and take a lot of pride in cooking things from scratch, then you'll enjoy making your own. And … Continue reading Easy Homemade Tomato Soup
Did you know, like the Queen, I get two birthdays every year? - The anniversary of the day I was born, and the anniversary of the first ever post I made on Pesky Recipes. Well, It's my 2nd blog birthday tomorrow, so I thought we could celebrate with a yummy little cocktail recipe. This cocktail … Continue reading Elderflower and Pear Martini
I've made these shortbread biscuits every Christmas for about about 8 years, and every year people comment on how nice they are. I take a batch into work instead of Christmas cards, and package the rest up in cellophane to use as stocking fillers for friends and family. My sister-in-law actually requests them as part … Continue reading Orange Shortbread Biscuits
My husband loves onion. Red, white, raw, cooked, it doesn't matter, he'll have it with almost any meal. So when I told him I was going to make beer battered onion rings he hovered around in the kitchen, stealing them off the pile as I was making them. I had to wait until he was … Continue reading Beer Battered Onion Rings
It's my birthday today! Hooray! So I'm celebrating with a really simple cocktail recipe that will make you think of lemon groves and Italian sunshine - just what we all need after the year we've had so far. So dig out the Limoncello from the back of the cupboard, put your sunglasses on and say … Continue reading Lemon Kisses
Being a florist, I'm well aware of how many weddings and events have had to be cancelled or postponed this year due to covid-19. I know how upset brides and grooms are, not knowing when their big day, which they've been meticulously planning for years, will actually be able to go ahead. Well I'm here … Continue reading Homemade Biodegradable Confetti
One of my closest friends makes wedding cakes for a living and she told me about this trick. I've used it to add finishing touches to numerous cakes and biscuits over the years and as we're rapidly running out of things to do during lockdown, I thought I'd share it with you. It's a great … Continue reading Decorating With Edible Lustre
I first made these tartlets to use up some left over ingredients - half a jar of this, a handful of that, things that were just sat in the fridge waiting to go off. But they were so tasty, I ended up buying all the ingredients again and making more. This recipe makes 6 tartlets, … Continue reading Goat’s Cheese Tartlets
Easter is a big celebration for my husband's family. We all gather at his parent's house for a feast and an Easter Egg hunt. If the weather is good, they have a buffet of sandwiches, salads and quiche or a barbecue outside. If it's cold or wet, it's a traditional roast dinner with all the … Continue reading Simnel Scones
It's St. Patrick's Day on the 17th March - the Patron Saint of Ireland, and how better to celebrate than with a recipe involving Guinness? (You do have to put it in the recipe, you can't just drink it while you're cooking. Sorry!) I have been to Ireland many times and sampled all sorts of … Continue reading Veggie Steak and Ale Pie
It's St. David's Day on the 1st March - the Patron Saint of Wales; and as I live on the Welsh boarder I thought I'd join in the celebrations with a Welsh recipe. St David, famously, was a strict vegetarian and only drank water - a lifestyle many of us are trying to adopt now; … Continue reading Very Welsh Rarebit
Up North they have Cauliflower Cheese with their roast dinners, gravy and all. And hey, I'm not judging, I have gravy on pizza! But I think it would be a shame to smother this gorgeous, rich, cheesy, creamy version in gravy. This is a luxurious Cauliflower cheese, made with double cream and mature cheddar cheese. … Continue reading Cauliflower Cheese
I have spent years developing this recipe. Every winter I give it another go, changing the recipe each time, and each time it was a bit . . . meh. I knew it would work eventually, sausages, leeks, onions, gravy, what can go wrong? Turns out, when you're using vegetarian sausages, it's harder than you … Continue reading Veggie Sausage Casserole
Pesky Recipes is one year old! I can hardly believe it! I've had so much fun developing my recipes, photographing and blogging about them, and the feedback I've received from friends, family and complete strangers has been overwhelming. I have felt so welcomed by the blogging community and I'm still thrilled to bits whenever someone … Continue reading Blog Birthday Berry Mojito
Making a Bechamel sauce from scratch does take time, and the idea of making a roux is pretty scary if you've never made one before, but it is actually pretty easy to do. Infusing the milk takes the longest, but you can wonder off and do something else while that's happening and it tastes so … Continue reading Bechamel Sauce
Last week I showed you how to plan a hamper and how to keep the costs down (see that post here), this week I'm going to show you how to put together and wrap your hampers! First of all, the box: I find a box with flaps to be the easiest to use, you can … Continue reading How To – Hamper Wrapping
Infusing alcohol is really simple to do and makes a lovely homemade gift. I've infused gin and rum to give away as Christmas presents this year, but pretty much any alcohol or oil can be infused this way. Infused alcohols make lovely hamper items, and over the next few weeks, in the run up to … Continue reading Infusing Alcohol
I make Pumpkin soup every October, I love it. It's really easy to make, tasty, comforting and this recipe makes a big batch which I freeze in portions and work my way through throughout the month. There is a great pumpkin soup recipe in my Vegetarian Cookery book (see my About page for more info) … Continue reading Pumpkin and Red Pepper Soup
This simple recipe makes a yummy, tangy, sweet curd that is great in cakes, biscuits and pastries. There's no need for a thermometer or any special equipment or ingredients and unlike jam making, the mixture shouldn't boil, so there's no molten sugar spitting at you. It also makes a lovely homemade gift. Pour into a … Continue reading Easy Lime Curd
I first created this recipe with cannelloni in mind, and it works really well, just increase the cooking time by 10 mins and cover with foil for the first 20 mins to stop the top from burning. But I would get so bored filling what felt like millions of pasta tubes that I decided to … Continue reading Spinach And Ricotta Pancakes
I first had broccoli in coleslaw at a friend's wedding a few years ago, and I'll be honest, I was dubious. Growing up in the North West of England in the 90's, broccoli was something that was boiled until it was mushy and then smothered in gravy. However, the catering staff had gone out of … Continue reading Kale And Broccoli Coleslaw
I really hate food waste, I have a compost bin for all my fruit and veg peelings and a freezer full of bits that I somehow manage to turn into "Bitsa Meals" (a meal consisting of bits-a this and bits-a that). So when I discovered half a packet of oaty biscuits in the cupboard that … Continue reading Cherry And Almond Tiffin
Pesky Recipes 