This developed from a conversation in our Men’s Discussion Group about people who may not cook regularly or have never cooked and the impact that might have on their lives.

My intention is to help avoid ready-meals, using raw ingredients whenever possible, but utilising some pre-prepared items like pesto, puff-pastry, curry paste, etc., where it would be expeditious and help save time, rather than spending hours in the kitchen.

Three Thursday morning sessions from 10:00 – 12:00 have been booked (6th March, 3rd April and 8th May), where we ‘show, tell and taste’ our way through some easy, non-cordon bleu meals, I hope will be helpful.

Please find an outline of the cooking sessions below:

• Wokless stir fry, taking you through an approach that helps to provide a base, from which many variations may be produced, meat and vegetarian; also offers an opportunity to experiment at home.
• Versatility of mince (beef, chicken, lamb, quorn or turkey), showing recipes that may be used with different proteins. Using ingredients that transform the originally prepared ‘mince’, into something new.
• Vegetables, but maybe not as you’ve had them, looking at preparation, cooking and taste options. Whether you’re having a Meat, Fish or Vegetarian dish, producing variations of the accompanying vegetables, may help enhance your meals.

I’ll bring along printed guides, which may be augmented with your own notes from the experience.
There will be opportunities to taste dishes and you may wish to photograph what’s being cooked, at various stages.

Please feel free to ask as many questions as you wish, to help bring the handouts and/or my commentary, to life and above all, enjoy yourselves……….’keep cooking!’