Thanks for stopping by. It’s great to have you here.

 

My name is Linda Duncan. I live in the picturesque tourist town of Taupo which is situated in the heart of the North Island in New Zealand. I have been married to my husband Wayne for over 30 years and together we have raised three wonderful children and have worked together running our accounting business.

 

I have always had a love for cooking, but quite frankly, in amongst the busyness of running a business and raising a family, cooking fast became a chore; one of those unnecessary evils that constantly occupied my headspace. Occasionally I would flick through my cookbooks looking for inspiration, but I didn’t have the time or the energy for complicated recipes or tracking down unusual ingredients that I would never use again. So I would put the books back on the shelf and go back to the handful of recipes in my repertoire.

 

Then one day I had a light bulb moment. What if I wrote a book that was 100% dedicated to the easiest recipes in the world? A book that anyone could pick up and start cooking regardless of their age or experience. I set about hunting down super easy recipes, I started simplifying not so easy recipes, testing them, tweaking them, adding and subtracting ingredients, ensuring each recipe remained tasty, easy to follow and requiring only everyday ingredients. Let me assure you, my husband who couldn’t even boil an egg can make every recipe in this book.

 

The trick is knowing how to throw a few basic store cupboard ingredients together to create a taste sensation. For instance, combining sweet chilli sauce, mint sauce, honey and garlic and pouring over lamb chops before cooking will take a family meal from boring to restaurant quality. Or stirring melted caramel chocolate through whipped cream will make a stunning dinner party dessert. Or what about baking recipes that require you to throw everything into a bowl at once and mix? How about making a loaf of bread that requires absolutely no kneading? Just mix the ingredients, tip into a loaf tin and allow to rise before cooking. Believe me, anyone can be a cook using these recipes.

 

My aim is to encourage people into the kitchen and, with the help of my cookbooks, cooking will become less of a chore and more of a pleasure. Above all, I hope these books brings your family and friends together. Remember, nothing brings people together like eating together.

 

Happy cooking!

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Linda