Roast vegetables with halloumi and chickpeas

This is from the Hairy Bikers' 'One Pot Wonders' cookbook which i was given for Christmas from my partner - I'm not really sure why he gave me this, and he didn't really have an explanation for it, but there are a few things in here I'd like to try and amazingly this dish contains none of the vegetables my fussy vegetarian daughter, who is home for CHristmas, won't eat. I subbed out rocket for pea shoots and put extra red peppers and halloumi in to bulk it out for dinner. i had to cook it for a good 20 minutes longer than the book says - but it was delicious even though I liked it much more than the 2 vegetarians in my life did

Vin Santo ice cream

I have been wanting to make this for a long time and so Christmas feels like a fitting time. we had this with sticky toffee pudding and the remaining Vin Santo as dessert wine. bloody lovely!

Leek and Reblochon risotto

in NIgel Slater's Real Food he suggests taleggio, which is relatively hard to come by round here, but I did find the previously impossible to find Reblochon and used that instead. Pure comfort food this and elicited a 'it's a triumph' from the rarely expressive boyf.

Easy peri peri chicken

I had a dinner dilemma tonight in that the key ingredient I had been promised by the boyf as fully grown in the garden and just needed harvesting, did not materialise. Leeks were needed but what looked like spring onions were brought forth, so i needed to scavenge about to see what else i had in, which basically was chicken thighs. Jamie Oliver's 7 ways had this recipe as a whole chicken but i used 5 thighs instead and roasted for a shorter time. this was outstanding - the chicken alone would get that accolade, but the sauce made from the onions and harrissa was seriously addictive. A definite winner and will make again.