0:00:02 > 0:00:05I'm Lorraine Pascale. I'm always hearing from people
0:00:05 > 0:00:07who tell me they would love
0:00:07 > 0:00:11to be better cooks, but they don't know where to start.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12So, I want to help.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15I've never cut up a chilli, at all, in my life, before.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18- Have you made a dressing for a salad before?- No.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22I didn't start cooking until my thirties,
0:00:22 > 0:00:24so I wanted to prove that, with some easy tips...
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Lots of flavour, that's what it's all about.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28..and a few simple recipes...
0:00:28 > 0:00:29Mmm.
0:00:29 > 0:00:34..even if you haven't cooked before, it's never too late to learn.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36- That's really good! - You sound surprised!
0:00:38 > 0:00:41I'm going to teach six unconfident cooks
0:00:41 > 0:00:44how to pull off a special meal for family and friends.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- Hello! Whoo!- Hello!
0:00:49 > 0:00:53- Lorraine's not cooking tonight. I am.- No!
0:00:53 > 0:00:56I'll be creating dishes that anyone can cook,
0:00:56 > 0:01:01from simple family suppers, to unbelievably-easy party pieces.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03All it takes is a bit of enthusiasm.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05- Mmm, that is yummy.- Mmm.
0:01:05 > 0:01:09- And some confidence.- Well done, Mummy.- Thank you, darling!
0:01:09 > 0:01:12See, we're cooking. This is cooking.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22I'm heading off to meet Sonia Harwood, a busy mum of three,
0:01:22 > 0:01:26who is also a foster carer. Despite having a house full,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Sonia has never cooked a home-made meal from scratch.
0:01:32 > 0:01:35My speciality is frozen food and that's all my family
0:01:35 > 0:01:38would live on, if it wasn't for my other half, who can cook.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42So, for the sake of my children, please can you help?
0:01:47 > 0:01:50You want to learn how to cook.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53- Is that right?- I do, yes. I want to build my confidence up.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57I just get into a kitchen and freeze, to be honest.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Mum normally cooks stuff like noodles or chicken nuggets
0:02:01 > 0:02:03or fish fingers. Normally, frozen stuff.
0:02:03 > 0:02:07And why now? Why have you decided that now is the time?
0:02:07 > 0:02:10My dad died last year and he was a very good cook.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13My dad spent a lot of his childhood over in Italy.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17He always put the garlic and the rosemary and the olive oil.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20It was all the Italian influences, from when he was a kid.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23When I think back, as a child, I can remember sitting down
0:02:23 > 0:02:25- and having these tasty meals.- Yes.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28And I would like my children to be able to look back and think
0:02:28 > 0:02:31- of something other than chicken nuggets.- Who cooks at the moment?
0:02:31 > 0:02:32My other half, Dave.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35If I do ever try and do something, he is looking over my shoulder
0:02:35 > 0:02:39- and making helpful comments, which... - Helpful?- Kind of. Yeah, yeah!
0:02:39 > 0:02:43I think Sonia needs a bit of guidance with cooking,
0:02:43 > 0:02:45even for basic meals. She has no idea where to start.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48I'm quite looking forward to being able to say,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51"What's that like, David?" "Is that better children, than Dad?"
0:02:51 > 0:02:54- Cos they are always - "Who's the best cook?" "Daddy."- Oh!
0:02:54 > 0:02:57- It'd be quite nice to get Mummy, as an answer.- Let's do it.- Yeah!
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I've got one day to teach Sonia how to make an Italian-inspired
0:03:03 > 0:03:05three-course meal.
0:03:09 > 0:03:10But first, I need to see
0:03:10 > 0:03:12if Sonia is really as bad as she thinks she is.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16So I've asked her to cook something for me.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17She's opted for an omelette.
0:03:20 > 0:03:21Erm, help!
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- This isn't like a horrid test or anything.- Right.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28I'm just really keen to see how I can help you.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- OK.- There's onion.- There's an onion. You have to excuse me. I'm not...
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Because I don't use the kitchen that much, either,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37I don't know where everything is. I'm probably going to end up...
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I don't even know where to cut the... If I take that end off.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44'Like lots of people new to cooking, Sonia seems to think
0:03:44 > 0:03:47'even the basics are a bit overwhelming.'
0:03:47 > 0:03:51- Garlic.- Garlic in. - Which is what your dad used to do.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54- Put garlic in first.- Going along with...- You're going well.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I'm going with flavours that I remember.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Are you supposed to flip omelettes?
0:03:59 > 0:04:03- I want you to do what you think is the right thing.- Oh, I don't know.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06I'm going to try and just cook the other side. Oh, God.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08They look like a pancake day.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16I think the omelette's light, I think it's fluffy.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18I think it's got a lot of texture in it.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21- I think it's a really good omelette. - Oh, good. OK!
0:04:21 > 0:04:24'I think Sonia is a classic newbie and expects cooking
0:04:24 > 0:04:27'to be more complicated than it really is.'
0:04:27 > 0:04:31So what we just need is to get Sonia cooking and practising and getting
0:04:31 > 0:04:34that confidence up and I think she's going to be a pretty good cook.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38I've come up with an Italian-inspired menu
0:04:38 > 0:04:42that's perfect for any busy parent looking for some quick and adaptable
0:04:42 > 0:04:44meal ideas.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48A simple kid-friendly starter that's a great alternative to frozen meals.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51A main course
0:04:51 > 0:04:56that proves beautiful-looking food really isn't that hard to make.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01And a show-stopping, indulgent baked cheesecake that even
0:05:01 > 0:05:02a novice cook can master.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07For the starter, I've chosen courgette fritters,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10to prove how easy it is to make great fast food
0:05:10 > 0:05:11from scratch.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22Flour, egg and cheesy breadcrumbs make an easy, healthy batter.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28And it really is as simple as that.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37I know you like fish fingers and the kids like fish fingers,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40so these are like that. They're breaded and they're baked.
0:05:40 > 0:05:41- A little more healthy.- OK.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44- How many children do you have? - I've got three.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47I also foster, as well, so...
0:05:47 > 0:05:51And how many do you have at the moment, in addition to yours?
0:05:51 > 0:05:53I've got two extras at the moment.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57So, we've got five children in the house, which is interesting.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01I remember, when I was in foster homes,
0:06:01 > 0:06:06- the bit I liked the most was the eating.- Yes!
0:06:08 > 0:06:10Because you always got quite fabulous food -
0:06:10 > 0:06:13- big meals and things like that.- Yes.
0:06:13 > 0:06:15We'd all be round the table and that's the one time
0:06:15 > 0:06:17we'd all sit together and I think it would be really good
0:06:17 > 0:06:21- to leave some of the children with memories.- Yeah, definitely, I agree.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25This whole thing about dipping. We've got the seasoned flour,
0:06:25 > 0:06:29the egg and the breadcrumbs. You could do it with chicken,
0:06:29 > 0:06:33- make chicken goujons.- Yeah.- Fish fingers.- So, make your own, yeah.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Yeah. Get a nice piece of fish, chop it up
0:06:36 > 0:06:39into sticks and dip it and then bake it.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54I always have one wet hand and one dry hand.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57I always do that with that one and this with that
0:06:57 > 0:06:58and then this with that again.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Otherwise, you get, like, claggy fingers.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05'This is such a fun recipe to involve the kids in.'
0:07:06 > 0:07:09'Having a production line is a great way to speed up the process, too.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:13So, they can be all here on their little stools, helping you.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Can you picture the mess now? - I can picture the mess!
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I like to serve these with a dipping sauce.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31A classic marinara is the perfect match.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- So, it's like your dad's sauce.- OK.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37With the onions, the garlic, the rosemary, the tomatoes.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42- Right, OK.- So I want you to have Sonia's tomato sauce, OK?- Yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46So we start off with the onion. The best way to do this is
0:07:46 > 0:07:48- to cut it that way first.- OK.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52And this is the root, so it holds it all together, and then just
0:07:52 > 0:07:57take the knife and just cut, so about half a centimetre apart
0:07:57 > 0:08:02and up to about there on the onion, so it stays together,
0:08:02 > 0:08:07- and we then turn it this way. - OK.- Right.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09This is much easier. Oh, this is really good!
0:08:09 > 0:08:13Why has nobody even shown me this before?!
0:08:14 > 0:08:17'One trick to making a good sauce is to chop all the ingredients
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'roughly the same size and cook slowly over a gentle heat.'
0:08:27 > 0:08:30So, you can make a big pot of this, with loads of onion,
0:08:30 > 0:08:32loads of tomatoes, and maybe freeze it
0:08:32 > 0:08:35and then use it throughout the week for different dishes.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36- Oh, that's good, yeah.- Yeah.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39'It makes a great pasta sauce that you can change up with things
0:08:39 > 0:08:42'like capers or olives and you can add it to meat
0:08:42 > 0:08:44'to make shepherd's pie.'
0:08:44 > 0:08:48If it dries out a bit, we can add some stock - some wine or water.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51- You did put salt and pepper in, but I want you to taste now.- OK.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54That's the only way you can ever see if there's a right amount.
0:08:58 > 0:09:03- Maybe a little bit more salt? - And that's it, that's the answer.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'A little pinch of salt can make a world of difference.'
0:09:13 > 0:09:15BEEPING
0:09:17 > 0:09:20They're looking a bit... Are they... Do you think...
0:09:20 > 0:09:22- What do you think?- I don't know!
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Would you be happy if you were served those in a restaurant?
0:09:26 > 0:09:28I'd be very surprised, especially if I knew I'd cooked them!
0:09:28 > 0:09:30OK, let's do it.
0:09:35 > 0:09:36Oh, it's really nice.
0:09:36 > 0:09:41I'm surprised at how easy it is. It doesn't look something
0:09:41 > 0:09:45- that I'd usually do or that...- Yeah. - ..the kids would be faced with.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50How does it feel to have achieved your first real meal?
0:09:50 > 0:09:52I'm pretty chuffed, actually!
0:09:56 > 0:10:00'I think Sonia is beginning to see that using fresh ingredients
0:10:00 > 0:10:02'doesn't always have to be a faff.'
0:10:04 > 0:10:08You look at that and think it's going to be really complicated,
0:10:08 > 0:10:10even though, deep down, you know it probably isn't,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13it's just that fear that stops you making that first step to doing it.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Now I've done it, I look forward to another go!
0:10:16 > 0:10:21A busy family lifestyle shouldn't mean you can't make tasty food.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Keeping your cupboard stocked with a few key ingredients
0:10:24 > 0:10:28is the secret to turning out speedy recipes like this one.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41Using the tortilla as the dough, you can start building the pizza.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Pecorino is a hard, salty cheese, similar to Parmesan.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Sweet roasted peppers go really well with cheese,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59but you can swap these for any topping you fancy.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21That's it. Home-made pizza on the table in under ten minutes.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Tasty family food.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34For the main course, I've chosen a gorgeous seafood linguine.
0:11:34 > 0:11:39It's quick, full of fresh Italian flavours and it's pasta,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41so I hope it's a hit with the kids!
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Using onions, garlic and chilli will introduce Sonia to the classic
0:11:47 > 0:11:50building blocks of this pasta sauce.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Learning how to cook linguine will take the mystery out of getting
0:11:58 > 0:12:01the perfect pasta.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05Adding prawns is a nice way to make a pasta dish feel special.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09This will show Sonia that cooking with seafood can be easy.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Look at that. Got that green of the parsley,
0:12:16 > 0:12:21the coral pink of those prawns
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and the smell is outrageous.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Really, really beautiful seafood smell.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30This is a dish that I hope Sonia will be proud of.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40So, first the shallots. These are just like mini onions.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44- Are they a similar flavour or are they...- Shallots are sweeter.- Right.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46And they cook much more quickly.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Do most people in the family eat prawns?
0:12:49 > 0:12:53I think only the younger two have never tried them.
0:12:53 > 0:12:54But they taste like chicken.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- That's what my mum used to say to me. - Taste like chicken!- Yes.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59That gets kids eating. "Just like chicken."
0:12:59 > 0:13:04- Right, chillies.- I've never cut up a chilli at all in my life before.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- No?- No.- Just cut the top off. And a little bit of the bottom.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11- Do you get the seeds out? - Yeah, get the seeds out.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- That's where most of the heat is - the seeds and the veins.- Oh.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16So you want to get those out.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21'Using fresh chilli is simple way to add a fiery kick and colour
0:13:21 > 0:13:25'to many dishes. It gives a completely different taste
0:13:25 > 0:13:27'than dried chilli.'
0:13:28 > 0:13:31This is one of my favourite, favourite ingredients, Marsala.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33- Have you used it before? - No, I haven't.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- I know my dad used it.- Did he?- Yeah.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39- Oh, it's lovely.- Yeah. I love it.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45'Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily, kind of similar to sherry.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47'It's a key ingredient in some Italian dishes,
0:13:47 > 0:13:51'giving a deliciously-rich flavour, once the alcohol content
0:13:51 > 0:13:52'has burnt off.'
0:13:56 > 0:14:00And if we could have the prawns, please. Throw them in.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03- Have you cooked with prawns before? - Nope.- Not including scampi?
0:14:03 > 0:14:06No, I haven't. I haven't even done that, actually to be honest. Just chuck 'em in, yeah?
0:14:06 > 0:14:09- Yeah.- And they go pink as they cook, do they?- Yeah.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12So you put the pasta in, I'll put the tomatoes in
0:14:12 > 0:14:15and then just heat the tomatoes through a bit.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17We'll add some basil and we're done.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Hopefully this dish has shown Sonia that posh nosh is actually
0:14:22 > 0:14:23easier to cook than she thinks.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29OK, so let's try it.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- And what do you think of the look? - It looks great.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34it doesn't look like anything I would have even attempted.
0:14:34 > 0:14:36If I'd have seen a recipe with a picture of that,
0:14:36 > 0:14:40I'd have probably turned the page and thought, "Oh, no, it's a bit scary."
0:14:40 > 0:14:41- No more.- No.- Let's have a taste.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48- Mm, that's nice.- Mm. Yeah and the chillies, it's, you can taste it
0:14:48 > 0:14:52but it's not going to put the children off. It's not in your face,
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- it's really nice.- So do you think you'd make this on your own?
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Definitely, now.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00- Yeah?- Yeah. I'm quite keen.- You got the confidence to do it on your own?
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Yeah, I'm thinking, I'm trying to think, you know, I could do that cos you,
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I suppose you could put things other than prawns in there, couldn't you?
0:15:06 > 0:15:08Oh, you can add things, yeah.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11This dish is also great with chicken, vegetables or clams,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14but for novice cooks, it's good to start simple.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It's really nice to hear you saying
0:15:17 > 0:15:21and thinking that you could make this yourself and add other
0:15:21 > 0:15:25things to it, cos you're developing into this very competent cook.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28It's like I don't know why I'm scared, to be honest, it's daft.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31- Do you think that's gone a bit, the fear?- Definitely, yeah.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Now Sonia is realising that cooking isn't as tricky as she thought,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40I want to bring some fun into the equation.
0:15:40 > 0:15:45So I'm taking you to a traditional pizza place cos
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I want you to make traditional Italian pizza and put all the flavours on yourself
0:15:48 > 0:15:52- and to get really imaginative and to have a really good time and have fun with it.- OK.- OK.- Yep.
0:16:02 > 0:16:08Sonia is going to be cooking alongside renowned pizza chef Giuseppe Mascoli.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12What would you say is the most important thing about Italian cooking
0:16:12 > 0:16:15- as regards flavour and things? - It's the ingredients.- Yeah.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18- Only have the ingredients.- So the ingredients have to be the best,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21- there's nowhere to hide.- Absolutely, there's nowhere to hide.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- You start with tomato.- Is that, it's just fresh tomatoes.- Yeah.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29- Just, these are like...- Pureed.- Just tomatoes then squeezed. Squeezed
0:16:29 > 0:16:32by hand, and that's it and there's nothing else in it.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36I want Sonia to realise that it's OK to make mistakes.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Cooking is about experimenting with ingredients
0:16:40 > 0:16:42and seeing what works with what.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45I've gone for some mushrooms on it, I like mushrooms
0:16:45 > 0:16:49and the red onions cos I think they bring a nice sort of flavour to it.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52- Good.- Yeah.- You're thinking through
0:16:52 > 0:16:54- what you're putting on. - Sort of, yes!
0:16:54 > 0:16:57She's got it, she's got it down.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00She's got it down pat, Giuseppe.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02You can sit back and have a cup of tea.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09- We should go now.- Yes.- And just leave Sonia making pizzas all day.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Goodbye, Sonia!
0:17:11 > 0:17:13I'm thoroughly enjoying this.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Is it helping, the more you cook things?
0:17:15 > 0:17:19Yeah, definitely. The more, the more that I'm sort of doing it, it feels more natural.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Yeah.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26That is brilliant, Sonia.
0:17:26 > 0:17:31- Hm, it's lovely. - Is there anything that you'd have done differently to that pizza?
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Make another one and do it all again?
0:17:34 > 0:17:36I could never imagine myself doing that,
0:17:36 > 0:17:41but it was great seeing how Giuseppe did it and just sort of seeing
0:17:41 > 0:17:43how it all comes from the ingredients and if I mess it up,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47I mess it up, I can start again, it really doesn't matter. It was, it was great.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Today's experience is just what Sonia needed.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53I think she's finally starting to relax around food
0:17:53 > 0:17:57and sees the kitchen as a fun family place to be.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Sonia said that one of the reasons she wanted to learn how to cook
0:18:12 > 0:18:15was so she could create special memories for her family.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18So I wanted to come up with a dessert that her children
0:18:18 > 0:18:21would really remember when she put it down on that table.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28My ricotta cheesecake is baked, giving it a lovely velvety
0:18:28 > 0:18:29and creamy texture.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38There are just two stages to this cheesecake. First stage is the base,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41this starts with melting butter over a medium heat.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45This cheesecake has a ginger nut biscuit base.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48And then blitz.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53If you don't have a fancy food processor like this one,
0:18:53 > 0:18:55just put the biscuits into a large sandwich bag,
0:18:55 > 0:18:58grab a rolling pin and bash like mad!
0:19:02 > 0:19:06Press the mixture in nice and tight before sitting it in the fridge for 20 minutes.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12Stage two, the creamy filling.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15In goes 150ml of double cream,
0:19:15 > 0:19:17and 450g of cream cheese.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23Now I did, to try and be really healthy,
0:19:23 > 0:19:28experiment with low fat cream cheese and it didn't work,
0:19:28 > 0:19:31so I'm afraid for this, you've got to go full whack, full fat.
0:19:33 > 0:19:38I'm sticking to the Italian theme and using 200g of rich ricotta.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45And there's two and a half tablespoons of corn flour.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Now I put corn flour in, cos it really stabilises the cheesecake
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and thickens it slightly, too.
0:19:59 > 0:20:04Give it a little bang to make sure that the filling has gone
0:20:04 > 0:20:06right nicely down on to the base.
0:20:06 > 0:20:07Cheesecake ready.
0:20:07 > 0:20:12Now this goes into the oven at a very low heat, about 150 degrees,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14for 40 to 45 minutes
0:20:14 > 0:20:18and when it's ready it should just have a little wobble in the centre.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Then you turn off the oven and let it cool completely.
0:20:22 > 0:20:25That way, it doesn't crack and the reason baked cheesecakes
0:20:25 > 0:20:29crack, is because when they cool down too quickly, they just split.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33So, let's hope that that turns out well.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47Look at that, smooth top, golden brown, perfect.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51I like to add berries and figs to my baked cheesecake but again, with
0:20:51 > 0:20:54this recipe, you can personalise it with your favourite topping.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00And I just hope Sonia's kids are going to be
0:21:00 > 0:21:04so proud that their mum, who has never baked anything for them
0:21:04 > 0:21:09in their lives, has pulled off this fabulous cheesecake.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28Sonia's big day has arrived.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31When I first met her she couldn't even chop a chilli
0:21:31 > 0:21:33and panicked over cooking an omelette.
0:21:33 > 0:21:38But she has been practicing really hard and for the last few weeks,
0:21:38 > 0:21:42she has been using her mum and friends as guinea pigs.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Sonia's children are yet to experience her newfound cooking skills.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49In a few hours' time the family will be joining us and
0:21:49 > 0:21:53she will be serving her very first three course meal made from scratch.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02I am excited that Sonia learning to cook a meal, actually cooking a meal for me. Nice surprise.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05I'm going to be Sonia's sous chef and she'll be taking the lead.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10I hope Sonia feels that this meal would have made her late father proud,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13and of course, her children, too.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Yeah, it's really exciting that she's going to cook with Lorraine.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Because, like, normally it's Dad, I mean,
0:22:19 > 0:22:21and normally we don't really help Dad out,
0:22:21 > 0:22:25so it'll be nice, cos I think Mum would let us join in more.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29- How are you feeling about it all? - Nervous, very nervous, yeah.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- But are you excited at all?- I am, yeah, I'm looking forward to it.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Do your family know what you're cooking?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37David knows about the cheesecake.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41He tasted it afterwards and was very impressed, I must say,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- and there was a little bit left over in the fridge..- Yeah.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47..which my elder daughter found and said, "Can I have some of this cheesecake?"
0:22:47 > 0:22:51and so we basically said that David had cooked it and she basically tasted it, said how lovely
0:22:51 > 0:22:54it was, looked at me and said, "Why can't you do things like this, Mummy?"
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- Ah!- So we just didn't tell her I'd made it.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00So I think she'll be quite chuffed when she realises what she had.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03So do you think that you'll reach your goal of creating
0:23:03 > 0:23:06the memories that you had with your dad?
0:23:06 > 0:23:11- I think so, definitely, yeah. I think once that, you know, I'm able to show them that I can do it.- Yeah.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15I think knowing my children, they'll probably put pressure on me to do it again.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20Sonia wants the kitchen to become a place for all the family,
0:23:20 > 0:23:23so for the first course the kids are going to get involved too.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- Hello. Are you all right?- Yeah.- Is it nice to see Mummy in the kitchen?
0:23:26 > 0:23:28ALL: Yeah.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Well, we thought it'd be a really good idea if you could help us today.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- What do you think?- Yeah.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40It's a little bit big, isn't it? OK. Whizz you round.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43That's it. And now we're going to make some very special chips.
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Pop it in the flour, right in.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50Cover it all up, pick up the flour and then when you've done that, like that,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53you pass it to Taylie, Taylie's going to roll it around in the egg.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Sonia didn't even have the confidence to cook herself
0:23:57 > 0:24:00and now she's showing her children basic cooking skills.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01What a transformation.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04So who do you think's the better cook?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06- Daddy.- Daddy at the minute.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08- At the minute.- Thank you, Macy.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13Exactly, Macy, that was a good thing to say, because Mummy's been practising lots and lots and lots.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Would you like Mummy to cook some more meals for you?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18- Yeah.- Yeah, it would be nice, wouldn't it?
0:24:18 > 0:24:21That's it. Done quite well!
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Yeah, you should do more cooking together.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26It is, I think it's, this is what they're going to remember,
0:24:26 > 0:24:28isn't it, doing this?
0:24:28 > 0:24:30I don't know why I haven't done it before, it's just oh...
0:24:32 > 0:24:33First time with me.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45- There are courgette chips in there? - Yeah and you helped, didn't you?- Yeah.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Time to see whether those courgette fritters taste as good as they look.
0:24:54 > 0:25:00There you are, Macy, Taylie, there you go.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02I think it's going to taste nice.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05You think it's going to taste nice? I think so too.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11- Ooh, yummy.- Did you just say yummy to a courgette?
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- Well done. And you helped do that. - It's very nice.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16- They are nice, aren't they?- Very nice.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20I think my biggest shock is seeing Cameron eat it, to be honest.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24With the sauce that was with the courgette dip, when Lorraine said you could use it for other things,
0:25:24 > 0:25:29because they all liked the sauce, I'm already starting to think of other things that I can do.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32The starter has been a success and now on to the main.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37This is Sonia's real test to make a flavoursome dish packed full of fresh ingredients from scratch,
0:25:37 > 0:25:40without going anywhere near a freezer.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47Shall we go and see what Mum's doing? Come on then.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53This is for the main course, this bit here.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Oh, it smells nice. What's that in there?
0:25:56 > 0:26:00That is my cheesecake. It hasn't got its topping on it yet.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04I know how important it is for Sonia to get this right
0:26:04 > 0:26:06so lets hope her family love the result.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09There you go. OK?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14- It's really nice.- Do you like it? - I really like it, yeah.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16It's got a little bit, a tiny little bit of chilli in it.
0:26:18 > 0:26:19Pasta with the basil.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23- It's lovely.- You like it?- It's very nice.- It is nice, isn't it?- Very nice.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26You like chicken, don't you? That taste a lot like chicken, Cameron?
0:26:26 > 0:26:28What do you think?
0:26:28 > 0:26:30- Yummy.- Yummy!
0:26:33 > 0:26:37And finally, Sonia's amazing dessert.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40She has never even baked a birthday cake before and now
0:26:40 > 0:26:44she has pulled off this fantastic cheesecake.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Wow. Sonia!
0:26:50 > 0:26:51I made that.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- That is amazing.- Yes, it looks quite nice, doesn't it?
0:26:54 > 0:26:58Imagine, if your dad could see what you've just made.
0:27:03 > 0:27:08He'd be proud, wouldn't he? You've done so well. Done really well.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- Yeah.- Come on, let's serve this up.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Woo!
0:27:20 > 0:27:24There you go. Look at that. Aren't you proud of Mummy?
0:27:24 > 0:27:31- Yeah. Really proud.- So Mummy's cooked an amazing three course meal, first time ever.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36Thank you so, so much for your help. I'm really looking forward to getting involved in doing
0:27:36 > 0:27:39something like this for them on a more regular basis. It'll be brilliant. Thank you so much.
0:27:45 > 0:27:46Yummy!
0:27:48 > 0:27:53I think it went really well. It was actually really rewarding cos they were all quiet,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56enjoying the food and her family are just so proud of her
0:27:56 > 0:27:58and I really am as well.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04I never thought, right at the beginning, when I started this, that I would actually be able to achieve
0:28:04 > 0:28:07doing a three course meal and I did it and I'm pretty chuffed, actually.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11So I'm really, really grateful to Lorraine, for giving me the confidence to have a go.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13It's given me a new interest in food
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and it's really ignited a passion sort of, for it.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18It's really, really pushed me to go for it.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24Since filming, Sonia's confidence in the kitchen has continued to grow,
0:28:24 > 0:28:27and she now shares more of the cooking with her partner, David.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31She's mastered lasagne and also discovered a love for baking.