In no order whatsoever...

RISOTTO

it should have been leek and chestnut risotto, but on the way home I misremembered the recipe it as mushroom and chestnut risotto so asked my OH to go and buy some mushrooms as I knew we had leeks and chestnuts. I arrived home and looked at the recipe book (Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'River Cottage Veg Every Day' - a current favourite) to find that there were no mushrooms in the recipe, then looked in the cupboard, to find that what I had thought was a tin of whole chestnuts was a tin of chestnut purée. But we did have leeks! So mushroom and leek risotto it was. I love risotto for that versatility! And as for it tying you to the stove while you add stock and stir, add stock and stir... I did some personal business on the laptop, put the dishes away, and fed the cats without the pan bubbling dry. And it was still as it should be: creamy, not too gloopy, with the rice al dente. And I've got the leftovers for lunch today.

GALAXY ICED COFFEE SINGLE SHOT MOCHA LATTE

I like iced coffee but often find it too sweet when bought rather than made by me. This one, however, had a strong hit of coffee, as well as its chocolatey sweetness. The chocolate didn't taste distinctively of Galaxy to me, but I enjoyed it.

METCALFE'S SKINNY TOPCORN SWEET CINNAMON SPICE POPCORN

Popcorn has appeared in my 'five best' blog before. What can I say, I'm keen on those kernels. At 117 calories for a 25g bag (which is satisfyingly big), this is sweet - though not caramel-coated - with a fragrant dusting of cinnamon. I'd say it would make a low-calorie alternative to Christmas spiced biscuits - although I plan to be enjoying those too, nearer the time.

CHILLI SIN CARNE

That's chilli without meat (instead of chilli con carne: chilli with meat). I realised on Guy Fawkes night that I hadn't made chilli for a very long time. So I set to: onion, garlic, a chopped chilli, green pepper, tomatoes, pinto beans and smoked paprika. Substantial, warming stuff - perfect for a fireworks display - although we only waved a couple of sparklers around in the garden. We're off to a fireworks display this Saturday. That chilli heat and garlic pungency were good for the tail end of my cold too. If your Bonfire Night celebrations are this weekend, check out our Guy Fawkes recipes.

GALETTES

Sometimes your usual breakfast just doesn't appeal. So this morning I warmed a couple of frozen buckwheat pancakes from France, spread them with peanut butter and folded them up. If you're crossing the Channel these are worth bringing back: look for 'galettes de sarrasin' or 'galettes de blé noir'. They originate in Brittany and they're not sweet crêpes so you can serve them with sweet or savoury toppings. Another marvellously versatile standby!

The five best things I ate last time

What have you enjoyed eating or drinking this week?