#11 - Pizza

Pizza has to be the ultimate comfort food, and is perfect for a quiet Friday night in. I like to use Delia's recipe for pizza base as it comes out consistently well.

Make sure and use a dusting of polenta on the work-surface when rolling out the pizza base. It makes a huge difference to the base and makes for a lovely end result. Also, cooking the pizza on a pizza stone or pizza tray which helps the air circulate makes for a lovely crust.

For a quick tomato base for the pizza, soften a finely chopped onion, then add some garlic, oregano and a tin of tomatoes. Simmer until the sauce has thickened and spread on the pizza. This can be made in advance and will keep for a couple of days in a tupperware in the fridge.

Everyone has their own favourite pizza toppings so chop and add whatever takes your fancy to the top of the pizza. Tear some mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella is the best if you can get it) for the top, then cook in the oven at around 180° for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

It doesn't take long and tastes a lot better than anything from the supermarket!

#2 - Tagliatelle with Chestnuts, Sage and Crispy Parma Ham

This is a recipe which I tore from a Waitrose magazine a while ago although I've managed to find it online as well. I love chestnuts, but rarely have them other than at Christmas, so this recipe was perfect. It is absolutely delicious and the flavours are wonderful. It's a perfect dish for a cold winter's evening.

The parma ham can easily be omitted to make this dish vegetarian.

#1 - American-Style Pancakes

The first recipe of the year and the first recipe of this challenge is a traditional one in our house - American-style pancakes served with crispy bacon and maple syrup. It's a good New Year's Day breakfast, easy to make, tasty and perfect for soaking up any wine from the night before.

I use a Jamie Oliver Recipe for "Pancakes USA Stylie" from his Happy Days with the Naked Chef book. It's really easy to make, but the result tastes brilliant.

To cook, heat a frying pan over a medium heat and rub with a little oil (small pans are best for this as the result is a small pancake - or you can use a cooking ring to keep the batter in place in a bigger pan). Put some batter in the pan then leave until the top is covered in little bubbles. This means the pancake is cooked and ready to turn. Turn, then leave for another couple of minutes until the other side has turned golden.

We love these served with crispy grilled bacon, maple syrup and butter, but they would be equally gorgeous without the bacon or left to cool then served with a bit of butter and a large mug of tea. For a simple dessert, try them with some chopped banana and chocolate sauce or with some blueberries, or other mixed fruit, and some creme fraiche. The options are almost limitless!