When I had my first office job, I would go for lunch to a local cafe and I just adored their foccacias. Hands down this one was my fave though, Poached Chicken. on a bed of avocado, topped with cheddar cheese. It would then be popped in the sandwhich pressand and grilled till it was almost flattened, the cheese was melted and gooey and it was too hot to touch! Of course, I would dive right in and burn my mouth each time! And each time I would swear I would wait next time... yet here we are, and I did exactly the same thing when we made the first batch of these in the kitchen! :-)

Perfect for a snack or have multiple for a meal!

Perfect for a snack or have multiple for a meal!

This little meal packs a punch. Featuring the Pumpkin that is coming into season now, baked ham, red onion and feta brings the nice balance of sweet, salty and bite! I enjoy these for lunch with a side salad, but they also make a great breakfast on the run, or a light dinner.

This little meal packs a punch. Featuring the Pumpkin that is coming into season now, baked ham, red onion and feta brings the nice balance of sweet, salty and bite! I enjoy these for lunch with a side salad, but they also make a great breakfast on the run, or a light dinner.

This is our answer to the Sausage roll - for vegetarians! It is always hard to find a really good, juicy, and tasty "sausage" roll option if you are not a fan of meat! We have worked and tweaked this recipe until we are happy with it and here it is - finally! Have as a snack on its own, with mash and veggies as a meal, or a salad for a lighter option. We think you are going to love it!

This is a Women's Weekly classic on regular rotation in our teams' kitchens. We make pesto from scratch with fresh basil, mix it with penne, chicken and bocconcini for extra cheesy goodness! The kids always lick their plates clean!

This is a Women's Weekly classic on regular rotation in our teams' kitchens. We make pesto from scratch with fresh basil, mix it with penne, chicken breast and mozzarella for extra cheesy goodness! The kids always lick their plates clean!

Tender lamb shank, slow-cooked in a light rosemary gravy until it falls apart. Served with buttery baby potatoes and a side of minted peas for a fresh finish. Comforting, hearty and full of flavour — without being too rich.

This one is for my sister Gez - who loves cake but always misses out because they are never gluten free!

Another fave from our friends at Yum Bakery! Rich, fudgy, and completely irresistible, chocolate brownies are the ultimate comfort treat! Each bite is a perfect harmony of chewy edges and gooey centers, delivering a chocolatey hug to your taste buds. Whether you pair them with ice cream or enjoy them solo, brownies are pure bliss in every square.

When I had my first job, it was next door to a Vietnamese bakery that sold little round take away containers full of custardy creamy set rice pudding topped with cinnamon. As soon as the weather started to turn cold, I used to look forward to getting one of these. popping it in the microwave until it was warmed through and then devouring it to warm up! This dish takes me right back there!

We take Chocolate Mousse and up it a little by making it a delicious frozen desert, called Semifreddo which in Italian means 'half-cold' or ‘half-frozen'. Because of the eggs in the recipe, it never really hardens up like ice would when you freeze it, so it stays as a silky creamy decadent dessert! Try it - we think you will love it too!

This is my all-time favourite dessert. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but when I am craving something sweet - it is this! Rich, dense date slice, then covered in our butterscotch sauce. Oh My! Serve with custard, whipped cream or my favourite - vanilla bean ice-cream!

When I lived in Italy I learned a few things, one was that this is not how Italians make Bolognese! The other was that food slowly and lovingly cooked tastes a million times better. This is our 24 hour slow cooked Bolognese Sauce. Great on pasta, zoodles, roast potatoes, and even in a toastie!

Smooth, gently spiced, and naturally sweet — this soup is made with garden-harvested ginger and sweet carrots, simmered until velvety and golden. Perfect for a light lunch, a cosy dinner starter, or a nourishing pick-me-up on a cold day.

When I lived in Italy I learned a few things, one was that this is not how Italians make Bolognese! The other was that food slowly and lovingly cooked tastes a million times better. Our 24-hour slow cooked Bolognese Sauce was already gluten free and dairy free, now you can get it served with our favourite Gluten Free and dairy free Spaghetti.

Slow cooked chicken thighs in an apricot nectar sauce. Served with Rice and a side of green beans.

Such a classic Indian dish, creamy, authentic 12 hour marinated chicken, grilled then simmered in the tomato sauce. Served with Basmati rice to complete the meal.

Did you know that this is an Aussie Classic! Its a great freezer friendly meal, which can be eaten hot or cold. It is versatile and can be served for breakfast, morning tea or even a light lunch or dinner. I keep slices of this in the freezer and pop them in the microwave for a quick and healthy start to the day.

Did you know that this is an Aussie Classic! Its a great freezer friendly meal, which can be eaten hot or cold. It is versatile and can be served for breakfast, morning tea or even a light lunch or dinner. I keep slices of this in the freezer and pop them in the microwave for a quick and healthy start to the day.

This is a British classic known as bangers and mash. :-) Thick pork sausages, and onion gravy. Served with mash, peas.

This is one of our top comfort foods and now we can bake more easily in the larger commercial oven each week, I am very excited to be able to offer more like this classic! The Open Sauce Kitchen Chicken and Leek pie features lovely free-range chicken thighs, poached in our homemade chicken broth, then combined with buttery leek, thyme, creamy gravy and a dash of seeded mustard to give it some zing. These 6-inch pies are filling on their own, but you can make more of a meal of it when you have it with the classic sides of mash and peas.

This is one of our top comfort foods and now we can bake more easily in the larger commercial oven each week, I am very excited to be able to offer more like this classic! The Open Sauce Kitchen Chicken and Leek pie features lovely free-range chicken thighs, poached in our homemade chicken broth, then combined with buttery leek, thyme, creamy gravy and a dash of seeded mustard to give it some zing. These 6-inch pies are filling on their own, but you can make more of a meal of it when you have it with the classic sides of mash and peas.

As I type this it occurs to me how many recipes we have that use mushrooms. As a child I was a devout mushroom hater. It was only later in life that I have slowly (very slowly!) added them into meals that I eat regularly. One way is in a creamy sauce like in a stroganoff, or like this in a rich gravy. This is simple, comfort in a bowl.

Looks somewhat like Bolognese but tastes more like the Mince taco filling we all love here in Aus. It's a dish you can use to choose your own adventure with. You could serve this in a bowl on its own; with toppings like sour cream, grated cheese, chilli or jalepenos, coriander guacamole etc; with warm tortillas on the side to dip into it; over rice (plus all the toppings); on hot dogs to amplify them as a Chilli Dog; or as I particularly like it - over a baked potato with cheese melted over the top and then a huge dollop of sour cream. Heck you could almost do them all! :-) Yum! When I make this, I always do a huge batch as it freezes well making it a regular freezer standby. Great for when you need a tasty versatile dinner in a jiffy - so order a few extra serves to keep as a backup!

This was always my favourite thing to order when we would visit the local Chinese restaurant growing up - warming, but still fresh from the sweet corn. There was always something about this meal that made it feel more than the sum of its actually quite simple parts. We have added poached chicken breast to make it an even more filling meal!

Comfort Food Central! This English classic has a deeply savoury beef mince filling smothered in gravy topped with creamy mashed potato, baked until golden. One of the best cosy foods to make with ground beef!

We eat this on its own, it is a meal in itself - loaded with veggies and with a savoury sauce, then sprinkled with green onions for bite. A wholesome meal or serve with a stir-fry and use this as the base!

This is a classic pairing for a reason. Simply delicious! Toast in an air frier or oven the get the Havarti Cheese melted for a lovely lunch or light dinner.

A mix of classic winter vegetables to help you get your daily vegetable quota in - which is easy when they are covered in that lovely gravy! I like to have a side of crusty bread for this one to make sure to get every last bit of the gravy! We use a gluten free and vegetarian friendly beef stock so you still get that comforting feel of a warming winter stew - without the meat! Just how I like it! Even better, it's gluten free and made FODMAP friendly with Garlic infused olive oil and no onions!

Melinda’s Beef Sausage Rolls are a flavour-packed gluten free treat, made with QLD-sourced beef wrapped in a crispy, golden pastry that’s free from gluten, dairy, soy, corn, eggs, and nuts. These delicious rolls are a popular choice in tuckshops and canteens, where they are a best-seller loved by kids and adults alike.

The brainchild of a hungry Sam! She confessed she always eats the entire Cob Loaf when she makes one at home — so she set out to find a way to make them just as satisfying, but a little less over-indulgent. We prep them for you, and you finish them off in your oven or air fryer. They’re gooey, golden, and seriously satisfying. Perfect as a warm snack — or add a salad and call it dinner.

The brainchild of a hungry Sam! She confessed she always eats the entire Cob Loaf when she makes one at home — so she set out to find a way to make them just as satisfying, but a little less over-indulgent. We prep them for you, and you finish them off in your oven or air fryer. They’re gooey, golden, and seriously satisfying. Perfect as a warm snack — or add a salad and call it dinner.

Classic! With our favourite sliced Central highlands ham and Jarlsberg Cheese, this is delicious fresh, warmed through in the microwave, or oven to make it crispy - or even in the sandwich press!

I have been saving the ham bones from Christmas, waiting ever so patiently for the weather to start to chill so I could make this one that brings back memories of Autumn growing up - and of my poor mum cleaning pea and ham soup off the ceiling after her pressure cooker "released" it all out the top!!! It took me up until last year to finally get a pressure cooker after watching my mum do that so many times. I now understand why she persisted and am very relieved with how the technology has improved and happy to report that I have not had to clean any soups off any ceilings since using it! :-)

This one is Sam's favourite soup so we had to add it! Leeks are such a gentle member of the allium family and let's be honest, what is more comforting that mixing it with potato, cream and chives! Reminds me of baked potatoes at the school fete!

This one is another Open Sauce Kitchen Community Favourite! Juicy rissoles made with 100% Aussie beef sourced from trusted Australian farmers who prioritize quality and sustainability and loads of hidden veggies providing quality taste and tenderness. The rissoles are served in gravy, on a bed of creamy mash with a side of peas. Simple food, always a family favourite. Yum!

We slow roast the end of season tomatoes with a dash of salt, pepper and smoked paprika (for added smokiness), then blitz it together with a little thickened cream. It feels like it's creamier than it is when it is actually a really healthy meal! I of course ruin that by adding a side of grilled cheese sandwiches - but it really makes it like the homestyle tomato soup we had growing up and I suggest you do it too!

As the weather starts to chill, this soup is always the first one I make. Slow roasted pumpkin, onion and garlic, served with a dash of sour cream and crusty bread! So warming and comforting!

Simmered until tender, loaded with veggies and an all-round comforting and healthy meal.

Teriyaki Chicken as we had it in Japan is amazing, light, not too sweet and not too sticky, and served on a bed of sushi rice! It was great - but this is not it! This is a dish that pays homage to the Teriyaki chicken and rice I used to love getting in the food court under Sydney Westfields/Myers at a place called Hokka Hokka. it was not traditional. It was sticky! It was sweet! The rice came with peas, corn and carrot mixed through - which actually was need with that sweet sauce! And of course, I always asked for extra sauce!!

The last time we made this we got rave reviews “omg! The curry was amazing”, and “The kids licked the plates clean!”. This vibrant curry is made all the more authentic with the addition of lemongrass, makrut lime leaves and eggplants from our garden. Cheaper than takeout, freshly made with local farm produce, let us cook your dinner! This is a single serve with rice, frozen so you can pop it in the freezer and then enjoy it whenever suits you!

I am not sure what it is about this weather cooling down but I am craving comforting gravy smothered foods! And this is one that I used to love making when I first moved out of home. Granted - I had no idea what I was doing then then! I had no idea how to cook meat or temper a sauce. But somehow it still turned out great and was one I would save for when we had guests over. I am not sure why it has taken me so long to think of popping it on the menu?? Served with Roast baby Chat potatoes and steamed seasonal veg.

After spending a few weeks in Italy, it was on the taxi ride back to the airport that I met Marco, a local who ran cooking classes and was fascinated about fat molecule chains and how trans fats travelled through the body. He shared with me this recipe and I make it regularly now.

From our friends at Yum Bakery! Bright, zesty, and oh-so-sunny, lemon curd tart is the ultimate dessert pick-me-up! With its golden, tangy filling nestled in a buttery crust, it's like a slice of pure happiness. Perfect for everything from tea-time treats to celebratory feasts, it’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat. What’s not to love?

Comforting and immunity boosting! Slow cooked chicken stock then loaded with veggies and tender chicken. This one is good for the soul and your health!