Are there a handful of familiar recipes you confidently make, knowing they’re reliable and everyone likes them? Veggie traybakes, chicken and meatballs are hardworking crowd-pleasers, so this month we’ve shared our very best versions and added twists to elevate them as a midweek treat, or to serve when you’re entertaining (p9). Our foolproof pancake recipe – in honour of Shrove Tuesday on 21 February – is the basis of our stunning cover star. No oven required to make this showstopper cake (p18).