Minty Cannellini Bean Dip

This is a super easy, super quick alternative to houmous with no tahini, so great if you have a nut allergy or just want to try something a bit different. The only thing which takes time is the roasting of the garlic, which can be done in advance and you can freeze the garlic until needed. The cannellini beans give a really smooth dip and you could vary the flavours as you want. As with houmous this dip is great in sandwiches.

Salted Caramel and Pecan Cheesecake

This was both my first attempt at making caramel and the first time I made cheesecake. I was not that confident about either, but the whole thing turned out very well; I made it for a barbeque for friends and it got a universal stamp of approval! The cheesecake is a 'no bake' version, slightly adapted from a Nigella recipe, and was very easy to make. I found this salted caramel recipe on a really nice baking blog I often frequent. The salted caramel can be made in advance, stored in the fridge, and warmed up when needed by placing your jar of caramel in a bowl of hot water. 

The recipe is quite detailed and as such might look quite complicated, but trust me, it's easier than it looks!