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!

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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Homemade marzipan title card.

My Homemade Marzipan recipe is super easy and tastes miles better than store-bought. This eggless, no-bake recipe comes together in minutes with just three ingredients. Perfect for Christmas time, fruit cakes, cookies, marzipan candy and more.

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Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti Title Card.

Crisp, nutty and deeply chocolatey, my Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti are so simple to make and absolutely irresistible! This classic Italian cookie (known as Cantucci in the motherland) is ideal for Christmas baking and makes a perfect edible gift.

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German Cinnamon Star Cookies zimtsterne.

The ultimate German Christmas cookie, Zimtsterne or Cinnamon Star Cookies are deliciously chewy morsels, topped with a crisp layer of snowy white meringue.

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Fried Apple Rings Title Card.

Sweet, juicy and fragrant with a cinnamon sugar coating, Fried Apple Rings or Apfelkücherl are one of my favourite German Christmas market treats. You don’t have to stand around in the snow to enjoy them though, with my simple batter they are super easy to prepare at home.

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Perfectly tender, rosy roast beef is easier than you think! Slow Roast Beef where the beef is seared before roasting at a very low temperature produces juicy, delicious beef every time.

Perfectly tender, rosy roast beef is easier than you think! Slow Roast Beef produces juicy, delicious beef every time.

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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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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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Cinnamon Star Bread Title Card showing star bread from two angles. Text overly 'Sweet Cinnamon Star Bread'.

One of my favourite Christmas bakes is Cinnamon Star Bread. With the delicious flavour of cinnamon rolls, this sweet bread recipe makes a beautiful loaf to feed a crowd. It is also actually much simpler than it looks, relying on clever cutting and twisting of the layers of dough to achieve the beautiful design.

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Title card for Spitzbuben, showing cut out unbaked spitzbuben cookies on a tray and completed spitzbuben.

Spitzbuben are one of the most beautiful traditional German Christmas cookies. Also known as Linzer Augen or Linzer Cookies, the delicious combination of buttery short pastry and tangy redcurrant jelly is a Christmas classic.

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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.


Christmas Pavlova Slice

Christmas Pavlova Slice

My Christmas Pavlova slice is a delicious combination of ight and airy meringue, piled high with juicy berries. The perfect Christmas dessert!
Creamy Salmon Pasta Recipe Title Card.

Creamy Salmon Pasta Sauce

Salmon, white wine, cream and dill combine to make a restaurant-quality Creamy Salmon Pasta sauce. Made with pan-seared salmon, a touch of garlic and lemon bumps up the flavours in this easy weeknight dinner.
Easy Creamy Mushroom Soup Title Card.

Easy Creamy Mushroom Soup

As far as I am concerned, the best thing about the weather turning colder is all of the delicious comfort food we get to eat! Among my favourite recipes for cool-weather food is my Easy Mushroom Soup recipe. Made with…

German Käse-Sahne Torte on a cake stand.

Käse-Sahne Torte (German Cream Cake)

Käse Sahne Torte, or German Cream and Cheese Cake, is one of Germany’s best-kept secrets! Not to be confused with a Käsekuchen (cheesecake), a Käse-Sahne Torte is made from two layers of vanilla sponge, filled with a dreamy, creamy, lighter-than-air filling of Quark and cream with a hint of citrus. It is a true tea-time delight!
Herby Tomato Salsa Chicken Title Card.

Herby Tomato Salsa Chicken

Herby Tomato Salsa Chicken is made from juicy chicken breasts marinated in lemon and fresh herbs, topped with a spicy fresh tomato salsa. Served with a big helping of potato and sweet corn mash, this chicken dinner is definitely a winner!
Hearty Classic Chicken Stew

Classic Chicken Stew

Rich, filling, and supremely comforting, my Classic Chicken Stew is the perfect winter warmer. This recipe feeds four people easily and any leftovers are delicious the next day.
Marillenknödel Apricot Dumplings Title Card.

Marillenknödel – Austrian Apricot Dumplings

Marillenknödel or Austrian Apricot dumplings are a summer delight. Made from a simple dumpling dough filled with fresh apricots and a little sugar, these sweet treats always disappear fast. I like serving them with plenty of freshly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Delicious!
Wurstsalat or Sausage salad title card.

Wurstsalat (German Sausage Salad)

A German Sausage Salad (in this case, pepped up as a Swiss Sausage Salad with plenty of delicious cheese) is the ideal light meal for hot summer days with an ice-cold German beer. Serve it with good-quality rye bread, or make it part of a beer garden feast!

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.

Pork Medallions and Peppers
Greek Lamb Shank in parchment paper with potatoes, olives, tomatoes and onions. Title card.
Pork Dim Sum Dumplings Title Card.
Garlic Herb Crusted Chicken
Easy Thai Beef Salad Recipe Card.
Beef Shank Osso Buco

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