Sun Dried Tomato Pesto

8 oz sun dried tomato in oil and a good splosh of the tomato oil

2 cloves garlic

30 or so basil leaves

1 or 2 chili pepper/s (optional and to taste)

Method

Pop the lot in the blender and wiz

'bloomin' marvelous sauce keeps for ages in a jar in the fridge and very versatile.. it's excellent with pasta, just dilute with a little of the pasta cooking water and add some parmesan cheese.. I spread it as a base on homemade pizza, use on crostini with a slice of cheese and lightly toasted or just spread on bread.. go for it

Lemon Ginger Syrup

This is a wonderful remedy for winter blues it warms the cockles of your heart! It is also an effective defence against the symptoms of colds and chills.

Take a tablespoonful (or more to taste) of the syrup in a tumbler full of hot water and add a slice of lemon and enjoy.

You will need

Sterilised bottles for storage

Ingredients

113 grams/4oz whole ginger

1 litre/2pints water

2 lemons

A tablespoon of citric acid (available from chemists or Asian stores) 

A Quantity of sugar

Method

1.      Bruise the ginger and place in a saucepan with the water and the thinly pared rind of the lemon

2.     Bring to the boil and simmer with a lid on for ¾ of an hour

3.     Strain and measure and for every pint of liquid add 450 gm (1 lb) of sugar and the juice of a lemon

4.    Return the lot to the pan and re-boil for ten minutes

5.     Bottle, label and seal for storage.