A simple, nutritious and most delicious dinner dish with whole family appeal. 
The biggest advantage of being able to cook well is having the ability to prepare almost any dish you happen to feel like eating. Whether that is a simple, satisfying pasta like Carbonara, or a favourite slice of cake such as Coconut Victoria Sponge or something a little more special like Garlic Prawns. Well, I had a craving for a roast. A tender, tasty roast served with loads of freshly cooked garlicky vegetables, fluffy mash and red wine gravy. When I opened my freezer this morning I had one item left – a long, lean piece of beef fillet – which I took out to defrost. This was a perfect piece for roasting in a flash. Plus I have now managed to completely clear out my freezer, just in time for a trip to Chilcott’s Butchery tomorrow.
A roast dinner is real comfort food. The house smells incredible during the cooking process and the addition of Home Made Gravy makes everyone’s taste buds swoon with delight. Gravy is easy to make, so there is no need to reach for the pre-packed supermarket option. While the meat is resting to the side, put the roasting pan on the stove over a medium heat, add a couple of tablespoons of plain flour to the pan juices along with a cup of cold water. Use a hand whisk to smooth out any lumps and stir continuously until the mixture bubbles and thickens slightly. Add more water (I added another cup), until you have the required amount of sauce. Strain the mixture through a sieve to remove any little bits and serve up in a pouring jug.
Add a bit of interest to your usual mashed potato by including Sweet Potato. Wash, peel, chop and cook in the same pot as your regular potatoes. Add lashings of unsalted butter and warm milk when it is time to turn the cooked pieces into a smooth, creamy-orange side dish.
Roasted Fillet of Beef (based in a recipe by Stephanie Alexander)

1) To roast a 2-kilogram piece of beef fillet, preheat the oven to 220 degrees on a conventional setting or 200 degrees using fan forced.
2) Sear your beef in a hot pan with olive oil, a shake of mixed dried or fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, basil, marjoram), a good grind of sea salt and black pepper.
3) At this point you can add half a cup of red wine if you are planning on serving the beef with a gravy made from pan juices and wine.
4) Put the beef, uncovered, in the oven for 30 – 40 minutes.
5) When the time is up, remove from the oven and wrap in a double layer of aluminium foil and a clean tea towel. Leave on the bench close to the stove for 30 – 60 minutes. The heat from the middle of the beef will continue to cook the meat.
6) When ready to serve, unwrap, slice into thick, generous rounds and enjoy.
My Mother-in-Laws Garlic Veggies
My children adore their grandmother Dragica’s vegetables. They really look forward to her cooking them up and always ask for seconds.  If your little ones turn their noses up at eating veggies, then try this recipe. It turns ordinary vegetables into mouthfuls of truly tasty goodness.
1) Splash a couple of tablespoonful’s of extra virgin olive oil into a deep, wide fry pan or saucepan over a medium heat.
2) Add 3 small cloves of finely chopped or crushed garlic and fry only long enough for the aroma to reach your nostrils. Take care not to let the garlic burn and turn brown otherwise your entire dish will have an unpalatable bitter taste.
3) Add your selection of washed and sliced vegetables. My family enjoys sweet carrots, broccoli or broccolini, French green beans, cauliflower and sometimes Australian baby corn. Increase the heat and stir-fry the mixture for about 5 – 7 minutes until the colours deepen. Clamp on the lid, give the pan a good shake and then serve up immediately. Although you want the veggies to cook, they still should be slightly firm to the bite which improves their overall flavour and retains essential vitamins even during the cooking process.