Simple Fried Rice1. Cook 4 cups of white rice. Just place the rice in boiling water and cook it for the amount of time listed on the instructions. Some types of white rice can take just 10 or so minutes to boil, while others can take 30 minutes or more. You can also microwave instant rice in the microwave, but it may not be as tasty.

2. Prepare the vegetables. First, wash 2 cups of carrots, 1 medium onion, 1 clove of garlic, one ginger root, and 1 cup of bean sprouts. Then, dice the carrots and onions, and mince just 1 teaspoon of fresh ginger. Set these ingredients aside.

3. Pour 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil into a large pan. The pan should be very deep, almost like a wok. Place it over medium heat.

4. Cook the vegetables in the pan for 3 minutes. Place the carrots, onion, garlic, bean sprouts, and ginger into the pan. Throw in 1 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of black pepper. The vegetables should sweat a bit, but they shouldn't turn brown.

5. Throw 1/2 lb. of cooked chicken into the pan. You can use chicken that you've cooked for another meal the day before, or buy or make cooked chicken especially for the fried rice. Just dice the chicken into thin strips and place it in the pan.

6. Put up to 2 tablespoon of sesame oil into the frying pan. You can gradually add the oil when it becomes necessary -- you don't have to throw it in at once.

7. Add three eggs to the pan. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them together. Then, pour the eggs into the pan.

8. Toss the cooked rice into the pan. Fry the rice and the other ingredients together for 2-3 minutes, just enough time to heat up the rice and mix the ingredients. Keep stirring as you fry the rice. Add 3 tablespoon of soy sauce to the mixture and fry the ingredients together for another 30 seconds. Then, remove the pan from the heat.

9. Place the rice in a dish and garnish it with a few sprigs of green onion. Enjoy this dish as a main course.

PRETTY PINK CUPCAKES RECIPE

INGREDIENTS 125g butter, softened

125g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

125g self-raising flour

2 tbsp milk

For the topping

4 tbsp smooth strawberry jam

1 quantity of Swiss meringue buttercream

Pink food colouring

Pink nonpareils (sprinkles)

Large piping bag fitted with a star piping tube

Method1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC/gas mark 5. Beat together

the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, flour and milk to the bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth.

2. Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake in the centre of the oven until the cakes have risen and are just firm to the touch in the centre, about 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

3. For the topping beat the raspberry jam into the buttercream. Add a little pink food colouring to give the buttercream a deeper pink colour. Fill the piping bag with the mixture and pipe a swirl onto each cupcake. Scatter over the nonpareils.

BRAZIL NUT AND CLEMENTINE CUPCAKES RECIPE

INGREDIENTS175g unsalted butter, softened

175g caster sugar

3 large eggs, beaten

1-2 clementines, depending on size

175g self-raising flour

75g Brazil nuts, finely chopped Clementine glacé icing

3-4 tbsp clementine juice

275g icing sugar, sieved

To decorate

Edible white glitter

Christmas novelties made from coloured marzipan or sugarpaste icing and coloured writing icing.

Method

1. To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Line muffin trays with 15 paper cases.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar together until soft and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Peel the clementines, pulling off any loose strands of pith, and chop them into small pieces. Dust with a little of the flour until coated.

3. Stir the remaining flour and clementine pieces into the creamed mixture until evenly combined.

4. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases and bake for 15-20 minutes or until springy to the touch. Cool in the trays for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. To make the icing, stir enough clementine juice into the

icing sugar to make a smooth, spreadable icing. Spread over the cupcakes, sprinkle with edible white glitter to resemble snow and add Christmas novelties such as Santas, snowmen, Rudolf the red-nose reindeer or Christmas trees.

Cook's tip: To make the Christmas figures, roll out coloured marzipan or sugarpaste icing thinly on a surface dusted with icing sugar and cut out shapes using a small sharp knife. Assemble the figures by dampening the underside of the shapes with a little water and pressing them in place. Finish with coloured writing icing.