Family favourites

WHEN I thought of this title I realised that all the more senior readers will think I'm going to talk about a radio programme! If you recall, it was on our wireless as we were cooking the Sunday lunch. It was aimed at families whose friends or relatives were away from home serving their country. It was a two-way event that linked up with Germany and sometimes the Far East. I was lucky enough to get a couple of requests for relatives in Singapore. The presenters were Jean Metcalfe and Cliff Michelmore who spoke to each other on air and eventually met and got married.

All that's a very long time ago and over the years things have changed and so has the food that families now sit down and share. I often think that farmers and their families have remained more conservative and traditional in their eating habits than perhaps the young professionals who both go out to work, and when home don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. Children's tastes have changed and when they come to spend time with grandparents, meals can be a nightmare, as they seem only to want Spaghetti Bolognese!

Here are some dishes that sound very fancy but are really delicious and if served with the children's favourite vegetables will make this month's half term's cooking a pleasure.