Black & white rice salad with cumin-roasted butternut squash

This vibrant Persian side salad is studded with dried fruit, nuts and seeds and finished with crumbled feta – ideal to take along to a Christmas buffet

Sugar charms

Add sparkle to your Christmas tree with these festive edible decorations made from melted sweets

Quick-to-mix mincemeat

Why settle for a shop-bought jar of this traditional, festive fruit filling when you can make your own in minutes?

Roast squash & kale salad with orange dressing

Oven-roasted butternut squash pairs beautifully with pomegranate seeds and crumbled feta in this nutritious lunch or dinner

Watermelon & orange blossom lemonade

This refreshing mix of fresh fruit and delicate orange blossom water makes a sophisticated soft drink to serve at a dinner party

Butternut squash pilaf

This rice-based recipe makes a delicious vegetarian dinner option or flavour-packed side dish, with butternut squash, tagine spices and crispy onions

Bramley & blackberry pie

Make the most of scrumptious seasonal fruit in this apple and blackberry pie, topped with our ultimate sweet shortcrust pastry

Fig, raspberry & cardamom pie

An unusual fruit filling, complemented by Middle-Eastern flavours of rosewater and cardamom, makes for an impressive dinner party dessert

Basic muffin recipe

Good Food reader Charlotte Hilsdon shares her simple, chocolate chip muffin recipe, to which you can add fruit, chocolate or nuts

Dukkah-spiced BBQ chicken wings

Chicken wings make a perfect platter of finger food to share at a barbecue or party – this nutty spice mix gives a crispy golden coating

Bread & butter pudding

Transform a stale loaf into this comforting, traditional British dessert, layered up with a rich vanilla custard, dried fruit and lemon zest

Peach puff pastry tart with almonds

Top puff-pastry with sliced peaches to make this rustic, simple Spanish-style fruit tart – an easy yet attractive dinner party dessert