The Marrow one of those vegetables people love or hate, or is it just the fact its not been prepared or the right recipe for you. Thats my theory anyway as I love marrows and courgettes too. Every year you will see a glut of them appearing in the markets and shops and they are certainly growing well in my garden this year (must be the freaky weather we are having?).

I love to try different stuffing with marrow and very often serve it up knowing that my dining guests have said they hate marrow and guess what by the time we have discussed everything and nothing over dinner they have eaten it and then ask me what it was they have just had as it was delicious! Good one to try, I’ve also done this with vegetarian meals and they have never know interesting hey. Must be why my kids have never been fussy eaters and eaten whats been put infront of them, or is that the fact they are not getting anything else?

Anyway back to the marrow here a stuffed marrow recipe with a difference that we love in our house.

You will need: 1 medium to large marrow (and yes Robert you are not borrowing one from my back garden I take a count each night!), 1 large onion, lettuce, 100g mushrooms, 25g butter, 6 tblsp chopped fresh parsley, 50g mature cheddar cheese grated, 225g cottage cheese sieved, mixed dried herbs and sea salt and black pepper to season.

Start by cutting a lengthways slice off your marrow and scoop out the seeds to hollow out the inside. Now sprinkle the flesh with sea salt and set aside to drain upside down on kitchen towelling.

Now chop your onion and shred about 8 good size lettuce leaves. Chop your mushrooms and cook in the butter for 3 minutes before mixing in all the ingredients together. Season with lots of black pepper and a spinkling of mixed dried herbs ( if you don’t like mixed herbs you could try adding some chilli flakes instead and using a smoked cheese to change the flavour profile, but thats what true cooking is all about!).

Wipe the inside of your marrow dry and fill it with the stuffing. Replace the top slice as a lid and wrap in foil before baking for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours (depending on your marrow size, are you laughing as much as I am writing this one!!), in your oven at gas 4/ 350 F/ 180 C.  You can serve with cous cous or rice of your choice.

If you enjoy stuffing things take a look at my previous blog fathers day roast, for not only a great roast but some delicious stuffed apples to accompany the pork. Check out this previous blog walking recipes for a great stuffed mushroom recipe. If your into your nibble and setting the scene then check out this previous blog for some great canapes.

Fruit and Cheese together can make a fantastic mix, one favourite that sort of came together with my love of feta cheese and my man’s love for pears, (I bet I hear you say!)

Well, this warm salad is quick, simply and delicious and once made you will be making this over and over again as I do! Ideal for a light lunch, supper or even a starter for your dinner party.

I use small, sweet and versatile Rocha pears which have a russeted skin, and you can enjoy this variety when firm and crunchy, or soft and juicy, either way they are delicious.

For my ‘warm Feta Cheese and Pear salad’, you are going to need: 6 slices of pancetta, 2 tblsp honey, 4 tblsp olive oil, 2 tblsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp chilli flakes, 4 pears ( I like rocha), 850g watercress, 120g greek feta.

Preheat a frying pan and dry fry the slices of pancetta until crispy and golden. Transfer onto kitchen paper and allow to cool. Once cool slightly crumble into pieces and set aside. To make your dressing, mix together the honey, olive oil, vinegar and chilli flakes in a bowl. Core your pears & cut into wedges, add these to the dressing bowl and toss in the dressing. Reserving the dressing, transfer the pears to a hot griddle pan and cook for around 5 minutes, turning them occassionally until they are golden. In a salad bowl, toss the pears together with the watercress and crumbled pancetta, scatter with cubed feta and drizzle the remaining dressing before serving immediately with warm homemade crusty bread.

Tip - You can use cheese of your choice this is nice with a herb cheese or shilton even, try to your own taste as that is what true cooking is all about. I have added garlic croutons to this recipe and on other occassions I have added herbs and nuts such as walnuts too, which were all delicious as well.  So you can vary this recipe, so have a play and let me know what you come up with?

Check out my blog easy recipe for a Italian supper in minutes for a great frying pan and my previous blog regarding griddles too. Find some quick picnic recipes in my previous blog royal ascot food frollicks and lots more ideas within my blogs too.

Great picnics start here, I have had (and aim to have many more too!) some fabulous times over the years attending Royal Ascot week. Let me tell you if you have never been the atmosphere is electric. Its one of those calendar events many of us wait for. Some of us spend months planning our outfits espically if your attending on Ladies Day which can be a right eye opener let me tell you. Everyone gets into the spirit with all the guys in full morning dress and every lady with her best hat addorned, its a day when fashion has no boundaries and that includes the picnic.

This picnic has a silk tablecloth and table, candles, even full barbecues, waiters and enough bubbly to sink the titanic. But it dosen’t stop with the highlights of the days horse racing and meeting the celebraties and royal family in the flesh as afterwards the picnics start, the music turned up and the partying truely begins.

I remember one year when we had been having alot of rain and the buses park a distance from the race course, they placed straw down for all of us to walk on and provided shoe cleaners to clean our shoes when we arrived at the race track, how funny to see people tottering around in shoes worth more than a family holiday in mud, dolled up to the eye balls, not forgetting the hat. The things we do hey!!

Tell me about your trips to ascot and the food you enjoyed, we took everything. Bubbly, crab, salmon, trifles no luxury was spared.  Check out my previous picnic blogs like greatfood, great style and don’t forget the wine Take a look at the great picnic items available including blankets and hampers, I love this Spey De Luxe Hamper it has everything ready for you to go just grab this and your bubbly and food and your away. This spacious and quality hamper (shown right) for four. With plates, cutlery, condiment set and wine glasses and integral bottle compartment for three bottles. The ‘wash’ willow hamper has twin opening flaps cream tones for cutlery, plate and wine glass straps and clasp and hinges to add to the style presentation. Also included is a cream tablecloth and matching cream napkins for the perfect picnic!

Some great pinic ideas include:

Salmon - Mix Salmon (fresh or tinned) with cannellini beans, chopped tomato, diced shallot, chopped black or green olives, chopped parsley and basil. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Serve with bread or salad of your choice.

Trout - Combine a bunch of watercress or rocket with thinly sliced radishes and red onion; add flaked smoked trout. Dress at the last minute with olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper (which you pop in your picnic hamper!)

Local Lamb - One of my favourite is Local Lamb thinly sliced, then toss with cherry tomatoes, olive oil, mint, feta and chopped red onion, serve with a rustic bread and a beautiful  rich red wine (Yummy!)

Come on ladies whats your picnic going to have, tell me all about it!!

 Asparagus will soon be disappearing from our shelves (well the British Variety will anyway!) The asparagus season goes from April to mid June, but you can still enjoy this marvellous vegetable, if your quick.

When choosing your asparagus make sure you go for the firm asparagus with good colour, not wilted tops etc. You can simply cut off the woody ends and scrap this end with a knive, before you simply saute in a little butter and black pepper, delicious or why not try my Asparagus & Mushroom Fusilli, again simple to make and one of my sons favourites, so it has to be easy to prepare and cook!

You will need 300g Fusilli Pasta ( or use your homemade pasta as shown in my blog homemade pasta ), 25g Butter, 2 cm piece root ginger - grated, 125g mushrooms -sliced, 2 100g bunches of asparagus, 250ml tub half fat creme fraiche, 1 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley & salt and pepper to season.

First you will need to cook your pasta in a large pan of boiling slated water for about 10 minutes, (less time if fresh), while this is cooking melt your butter in a large pan and fry the ginger. mushrooms and asparagus (which you have prepared and cut on the diagonal into pieces) for about 5 minutes until cooked. Now add the creme fraiche, parsley and then seasoning to your taste. Drain your now cooked pasta

I found this great gadget for making draining pasta easy after I watched my mother in despair try to drain pasta using a saucpan lid only to feed the sink with some of this delicious homemade pasta as it slipped her clutches so to avoid this try using this great pasta spaghetti vegetable boiler colander drainer basket it  is made of  wireware, this stainless steel spaghetti, pasta vegetable basket is ideal for boiling and easily draining pasta or vegetables, for either domestic or commercial use.

Now mix into your sauce before serving immediately with either a salad or crusty homemade bread and a glass of cool white wine.

Also check out my other blog Tantalising spanish sunshine for another great alfresco asparagus recipe for you to enjoy in the sunshine with friends and family.