Check out your kitchen kit!

My “I can't do without” pieces of kitchen kit range from - the smallest - a timer – inexpensive and comes into its own when you're doing your circus juggling act. There is nothing more infuriating than spoiling the supper because you've forgotten what's in the oven whilst supervising homework, sorting laundry or splitting the atom. The largest piece of kit is my slow cooker, so from one extreme to another!

If you don't own a slow cooker, may I respectfully suggest that you treat yourself, although treat is the wrong word – a slow cooker is an absolute must on every level. An electric slow cooker saves on your fuel bills – much cheaper than using a traditional oven – economical, saving time, money and waste. I could drone on, and on.

If there is anyone out there saying “but they are huge, I'm only cooking for one” - wrong on two counts – I cook for one meat eater using a medium/large slow cooker – I never slow cook for just one meal – I cook and freeze. The theory is that you get into the habit of deliberately cooking more than you'll use. You then create your own home cooked ready meals to freeze, so, if you suffer from what I call “revolving door syndrome” – you know what I mean - everyone coming and going at different times - you're able to pull your own ready meals out of the freezer.

I would accept that the larger versions take up space and not everyone has a large kitchen – you can buy tiny slow cookers, ideal for one person. If you've never used one, you'll never look back. The smallest capacity is 1 litre for one person, 1.5 would be sufficient for 1-2 people. They are inexpensive but shop around, the cheaper supermarkets have great deals so keep your eyes peeled!

Check out reviews – personally I'd go for a larger capacity than you think you'll need – you'll regret not buying a slightly larger version - give it some thought before you invest.

Just imagine coming home to a welcoming casserole on a chilly Autumn night.

My final “I can't do without” piece of kit is my frying pan.

Many moons ago I invested in a frying pan (available with or without lid) that is suitable for use from hob to oven. It did not cost a fortune and has been worth its weight in gold. There are loads to choose from but, as a rough guide, approximately 28cms in diameter costs £15ish – if you shop at the right places.

For the best value check out IKEA – they tick all my boxes :

suitable for gas hobs

induction

glass ceramic

cast iron

they are also oven safe

I've had mine for at least four years now and the best recommendation I can give is that when it finally wears out I'd replace it immediately.

There's a really good range of smaller frying pans too, again suitable as above – definitely worth a look!

Now for some Autumn comfort and joy ...

Chilli con pollo – photos and a tip!

Shopping is always a voyage of discovery – in this case I owe a thank you to my Editor Lucas for the following recommendation!

Mildly Spiced Taco Mixed Beans in

a tomato sauce courtesy of Aldi 55p for 395g

Here's the chilli con pollo – Sally loved it

my work here is done!

Finally, a small tip. If you're trying to tempt a person to eat don't overface and serve a thumping great bowl of chilli, whilst generous, it doesn't work, can be overwhelming and have an adverse effect. There'll always be more if their taste buds are tickled. Less is definitely more!

Next up – what to cook in hot weather

My guilty pleasure!

Speaking of hollandaise sauce and it being, if you will, the warm version of mayonnaise reminds me of exactly that. My route to a fast home-made mayonnaise is circuitous but one that I hope you'll find interesting.

I'm not a fan of cookery shows generally but I've watched MasterChef Australia since it began in 2009. It knocks other series of “MasterChef” into a cocked hat. Although based on the original British format it is without doubt an annual breath of fresh air for those who are interested in all things food related.

Each year it re-invents itself whilst keeping the original concept. It has a Mystery Box, an Invention Test, Off-Site and Team Challenges and then the Immunity Challenge followed by a Pressure Test and an Elimination as the competition progresses. As each week goes by you get to know each home cook, their strengths and weaknesses and then watch as they tackle all the challenges and discover talents they didn't know they possessed. They have guest chefs and a MasterClass at the end of each week.

The main judges since the beginning are chefs Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris and food critic Matt Preston.

The competition begins in Australia in April and then shown in the UK in August.

One of my favourite pieces has been watching Matt Preston during the MasterClass segment – each of the judges cooks in some way, usually picking up elements or dishes that the contestants have struggled with in the previous week. Matt is different since, as a food critic, you wouldn't necessarily expect that he'd be able to cook – just eat! His speciality is easy and straight forward, with a short cut or two along the way.

Stand by for one of his best!