Delicious, easy recipes by Jay Wadams

Welcome to
Days of Jay

I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer.

Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.

My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.

Welcome to
Days of Jay

I'm Jay, cookbook author and food photographer. Days of Jay is my website, where I share easy, delicious recipes for home cooking.

My recipes are packed with photos and useful tips and tricks to help you as you cook. They are all inspired by healthy, seasonal ingredients and my travels across the globe, especially in Germany, Italy, Cyprus, and Australasia.

I am so excited to have you here, so let’s dive in and get cooking!


It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!


Well, the countdown is until the year’s end, and Christmas is just around the corner. Check out some of my most popular Christmas and festive recipes below!

A plate of Vanillekipferl or Vanilla crescent cookies surrounded by Christmas decorations, walnuts, clementines and a candle.

Possibly the tastiest of all German Christmas cookies, Vanillekipferl are, crumbly, buttery crescent-shaped cookies, scented with heavenly vanilla. Yum!

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German Braised Red Cabbage title card.

No festive table in Germany would be without a big pot of braised red cabbage, flavoured with apple, cloves and juniper berries. Depending on where in the country you are, this could be called Rotkohl or Blaukraut and it is the perfect accompaniment to roast goose.

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Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham title card.

Sweet and sticky with a touch of spice, my Apricot Glazed Christmas Ham recipe is sure to please the Christmas crowds. Made with a delicious apricot glaze, this ham is the tastiest, most stress-free Christmas main around.

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Delicate, crumbly pastry filled with aromatic spiced fruit, Christmas Fruit Mince Pies are one of the most delicious treats of the season. One is never enough!

Delicate, crumbly pastry filled with aromatic spiced fruit, Christmas Fruit Mince Pies are one of the most delicious treats of the season. One is never enough!

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My Mulled Wine Cheesecake is full of Christmas’s rich spices and flavours. A deep-red, almost black mulled wine jelly on top of a creamy citrussy filling with a deliciously spicy base. This fabulous no-bake cheesecake is Christmas heaven!

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Candied Orange Peels title card.

Candied Orange Peel makes a great gift (especially when coated in lashings of dark chocolate). It’s easy to make at home and a great way to turn orange peel (which would usually be tossed out) into a tasty candy.

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Tender, moist turkey breast filled with traditional stuffing and roasted to perfection. This delicious roast only cooks in under 2 hours, making it perfect for smaller celebrations.

Tender, moist turkey breast filled with traditional stuffing and roasted to perfection. This delicious roast is ready in under two hours, making it perfect for smaller celebrations.

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With beautifully bright colours Cranberry Orange Cured Salmon is a wonderful dish to serve as a starter at your festive table. It’s so simple to make and home and delicious with a creamy horseradish sauce.

With beautifully bright colours Cranberry Cranberry Orange Cured Salmon is a wonderful dish to serve as a starter at your festive table. It’s so simple to make at home and so delicious with a creamy horseradish sauce.

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Quarkbällchen German Donut Holes title card.

Super light and fluffy on the inside and crisp and sugary on the outside, my German-style Donut holes or Quarkbällchen recipe is so easy it’s like kitchen magic. Made without yeast, they are ready in minutes. Perfect for parties or sharing with friends (or just eating all to yourself!)

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Classic British Christmas Cake recipe title card.

Even though I grew up on the other side of the world in New Zealand, it wouldn’t be Christmas Day without a Classic British Christmas Cake. This dense and sweet cake, packed with dried fruit, spices and plenty of brandy is an absolute must for the festive season and is something I look forward to…

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The Latest Recipes From My Kitchen

Discover my latest and greatest recipes below, or use the search function to find exactly what you’re looking for.


Homemade Chicken Banh Mi Vietnamese roll

Vietnamese Chicken Roll – Bánh Mì

From the laneways of Vietnam to Sydney’s inner west, there are few foods more satisfying than a Vietnamese Chicken Bánh Mì. They’re a true flavour explosion, packed with juicy, tender chicken, pickled vegetables, pâté, fresh herbs and lots of spice.
Whipped Feta and Honey

Whipped Feta and Honey

Smooth, salty and seriously tasty, Whipped Feta and Honey is the perfect dip to serve on a summer grazing platter with loads of grilled Mediterranean vegetables.
Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad

Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad

Bright, colourful and perfectly delicious Tomato Burrata Caprese Salad (Insalata Caprese) is the ultimate Italian summer salad with fresh green basil, creamy white burrata and juicy red tomatoes representing the colours of the Italian flag.

Apricots Poached in Rosé Wine

Gently cooked in rosé wine, scented with vanilla, served with a big scoop of ice cream and some buttery homemade shortbread cookies, my Rosé Vanilla Poached Apricots are truly heavenly.
No cook refrigerator pickles Made with a simple brine, and a combination of cucumber, shallots and red pepper

No Cook Refrigerator Pickles

Sweet, crunchy and with a hint of spice, No Cook Refrigerator Pickles are brilliant in sandwiches, with cold meats or just for snacking on. My simple recipe is so quick and easy to put together and is easily adjusted to suit your tastes.
Tender sweet pastry, silky creme patisserie, all topped with ripe and juicy nectarines? Oh yes, my easy Nectarine Tart is the perfect summer dessert for showing off beautiful ripe fruit.

Nectarine Tart

Tender sweet pastry, silky creme patisserie, all topped with ripe and juicy nectarines? Oh yes, my easy Nectarine Tart is the perfect summer dessert for showing off beautiful ripe fruit.
Spicy Chicken Burgers serves with homemade coleslaw and fresh corn

Spicy Chicken Burgers

There’s nothing like a homemade burger, and my Spicy Chicken Burgers recipe is always a winner. With golden crumbed chicken thigh fillets, spicy Sriracha mayonnaise and fresh coleslaw, these bad boys beat store-bought burgers every time.
Real Bavarian Roast Pork

Bavarian Roast Pork – Krustenbraten

The ultimate Bavarian Sunday roast: Krustenbraten with Dunkelbiersoße. My classic recipe for crispy, juicy Bavarian roast pork with a lip-smackingly good dark beer sauce is always a winner and perfect for cooler weather.

Recipes By Meal Type


light-bites
Main Event
Sweet Things
cocktail hour

Marillenknödel – Austrian Apricot Dumplings
Wurstsalat (German Sausage Salad)
Easy Cherry Tomato Tart
Zwetschgendatschi (Bavarian Plum Tart)
Homemade Chocolate Popsicles

Looking for Dinner Inspiration?


Below are some of my most popular dinner recipes. Quick and easy with simple ingredients and big flavours.

Herby Tomato Salsa Chicken Title Card.
Perfect Roast Goose title card.
Chilli Lime Fish Tacos
Portobello Mushroom Burgers with salad and pickled red onions on a plate.
Mediterranean meatball skewers with mixed vegetables on a white plate
Ricotta Gnocchi with Lemon and Sage title card.

My FAvourite German Cake Recipes

While people often associate Germany with pretzels and beer, it’s really all about coffee and cake!

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Easy German Cake Recipes