FG Note: After Christmas things can seem a little flat and then a couple of jewels appear, Seville and Blood Moro Oranges!  For many a keen cook the arrival of Sevilles means it's time to prepare marmalade for the year.  I usually refer to Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's River Cottage recipe which always seems to work well (believe me I had some marmalade disasters before I found this one!) but I was delighted to discover this easy Seville curd recipe too.  Delicious on a hunk of Holtwhites bread or smeared inside a Victoria Sponge.  Makes about three 240ml jars.

Ren Behan's recipe for spiced Christmas cookies - a seasonal treat to hang on the Christmas tree or gift 

Angela Clutton convinces us to give Egg nog a chance with her smooth and silky retro cocktail recipe

FG Note: Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall is on a mission to stop food wastage. His current campaign highlights the horrific wastage of "imperfect" parsnips by farms due to the supermarkets demand for size and shape perfection. We love the wonky parsnips and here is one of HFW's recipes to try. 

The Food Gatherer's Note: This recipe was pretty much taken from the vegan blog, The First Mess but with one or 2 changes including a thicker layer of celeriac mash than suggested, to balance the sweetness of the root veg (might be my British palate - I think in general the Americans traditionally have more sweetness in their savoury dishes than us Brits). I am also not a Vegan so added a generous grating of mature cheddar cheese on top, a melter like Starnachas or Gruyere would be nice... 

FG Note: Jamie Oliver's slow cooked beef in a Bloody Mary sauce is a heart warming meal perfect for a gathering of friends. 

FG Note:  Savoy cabbage is a wonderful, vibrant winter vegetable that sadly does not have the best reputation after a lifetime of school dinners, but it doesn’t have to be that way. This sautéed cabbage with chilli works brilliantly with a roast dinner or grilled meat or fish.

FG Note:  Christmas lunch is the one meal where tradition matters and my family have served up this Delia Smith parsnip recipe for the last 25 years!  

FG Note: I love this River Cottage recipe, it's a perfect supper dish with minimal effort and the combination of sweetness of the squash and honey contrasted, against the saltiness of the cheese and earthy nuts and thyme is a winner.  

FG Note: A hearty pie perfect for a gathering of big eaters... 

FG Note: American pancakes are usually served with maple syrup but gorgeous with honey and a handful of nuts and/ or blueberries. They should be fluffy in the centre but with the addition of sugar and butter they're denser and sweeter than our European crepes, so they're a bit naughtier, but none the less they're a fantastic brunch treat. I often use spelt flour for these too.

FG Note:  Roasting cauliflower brings out a much deeper, richer, nuttier and almost sweet side to the humble cauli. Combined with mushroom this soup has a lovely earthy flavour.   

The Food Gatherer's Note: If you aren't keen on kale, then I dare you to try these chips, it could just change your mind.  Even the kids will devour them, honest! You could experiment and try other spices, such as cumin and chili or keep it simple with sea salt. Emma :) 

FG Note:  This recipe uses the classic combination of duck and orange and we've used these glorious  blood moro oranges which are currently in season  (only for a short time so get them while you can!).  You could use asparagus in place of the beans but they wont be the British varieties at this time of year. Organic is always best to use when zesting, otherwise you will need to give the fruit a good scrub in warm water to remove the wax. 

FG Note:  Banish soggy cauliflower cheese memories forever!

FG Note: A fabulous comforting crowd pleasing supper.  If I am going from the book I like this recipe based on Angela Hartnett's  from "A Taste of Home" - although she uses pancetta rather than streaky bacon, either will work.