Better Homes and Gardens Recipes: What Colin and Clarissa Are Cooking This Week..
Friday night in Australia often means one thing: settling in with Better Homes and Gardens on Seven. For many viewers, the cooking segments are the highlight. That’s because the latest Better Homes and Gardens recipes feel genuinely doable. They aren’t restaurant showpieces that need a brigade of chefs. Instead, they are meals you could realistically make on a Tuesday night.
This week, chefs Colin Fassnidge and Clarissa Feildel bring two very different dishes to the table. On top of that, the new season has already delivered a strong run of spring-friendly recipes. Here’s a closer look at what’s cooking, plus some practical tips to help you recreate each dish at home.
Meet the Chefs Behind the Better Homes and Gardens Recipes
Colin Fassnidge brings a cheeky Irish energy to the show. He is known for hearty, flavour-first cooking that never takes itself too seriously. Clarissa Feildel, on the other hand, draws on her Nyonya, Chinese and Sri Lankan heritage. As a result, her dishes often blend bold Asian flavours with comforting family-style cooking.
Together, they make a well-balanced team. While Colin often leans towards slow-cooked meats and classic comfort food, Clarissa tends to share family favourites and fresh, vibrant plates. In short, there’s something for nearly every kind of home cook.
This Week’s Better Homes and Gardens Recipes
Clarissa’s Tsukune Meatballs
Clarissa is heading to Japan this week with tsukune, a much-loved skewered meatball. Her version combines chicken and pork mince with white miso, soy sauce and sesame. After that, the skewers are brushed with a sticky glaze made from soy, mirin, sake and brown sugar.
A useful tip here is to wet your hands before shaping the mince. This stops the mixture from sticking. Also, chilling the shaped meatballs for 15–20 minutes helps them hold firm on the skewers.
Colin’s Slow-Cooked Beef Cheek Tacos
Meanwhile, Colin is serving up tacos filled with spicy, slow-cooked beef cheek. Beef cheek is a budget-friendly cut that turns meltingly tender with time. Better still, the tacos come with a punchy dipping sauce, grated cheese, coriander and chilli.
Because beef cheek needs long, gentle cooking, it’s worth making the filling a day ahead. Not only does the flavour deepen overnight, but the fat is also easier to skim once chilled.
New Season Recipes Worth Trying
Beyond this week’s episode, the current season has featured a lively mix of dishes. Many of them suit the warmer spring weather, while others are perfect for a cosy weekend.
Here are some standouts from recent episodes:
- Colin’s vegetable frittata – packed with sweet potato, mushrooms, chickpeas, red onion and goat’s cheese.
- Beetroot miso broth – a nourishing bowl with poached chicken, tofu, egg and turmeric.
- Clarissa’s sweet potato cake – a lighter dessert sweetened with maple syrup.
- Spring green couscous – ready in about 30 minutes and great for using up leftover herbs.
- Middle Eastern spiced lamb cigars – spiced lamb wrapped in silverbeet and cooked on the barbecue.
- Crumbed pork cutlets – coated in sesame and panko, then served with a ginger-honey dressing.
- Swedish sandwich cake – layered rye bread with salmon, egg and cucumber fillings.
- Potato rösti with fried eggs – simple enough for older kids to help make.
- Crème caramel cheesecake – a rich, crowd-pleasing dessert with caramel sauce.
Quick Guide to Recent Better Homes and Gardens Recipes
The table below makes it easier to pick a recipe based on your mood, time and occasion.
| Recipe | Chef | Best For | Effort Level | Key Flavours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tsukune meatballs | Clarissa | Weeknight dinner, entertaining | Moderate | Miso, soy, mirin, sesame |
| Beef cheek tacos | Colin | Weekend cooking, groups | Slow but easy | Spicy, rich, smoky |
| Vegetable frittata | Colin | Meat-free meals, lunchboxes | Easy | Sweet potato, goat’s cheese |
| Spring green couscous | Colin | Fast dinners | Easy (about 30 mins) | Basil, mint, sorrel |
| Crumbed pork cutlets | Clarissa | Quick family meals | Easy (under 30 mins) | Sesame, ginger, honey |
| Swedish sandwich cake | Clarissa | Parties, brunch | Moderate | Smoked salmon, egg, dill |
| Crème caramel cheesecake | Colin | Celebrations | Moderate | Caramel, berries |
Tips for Cooking TV Recipes at Home
TV cooking can look effortless, but in reality, a lot happens off camera. Therefore, a little planning goes a long way. First, read the whole recipe before you start. Next, measure and chop everything in advance, just as the chefs do on set.
It also helps to swap ingredients sensibly. For example, if sorrel is hard to find, rocket or spinach with a squeeze of lemon gives a similar tang. Likewise, you can use chicken thigh in place of beef cheek for a faster taco filling. Finally, don’t stress about perfect presentation. Most of these dishes are designed to be shared, so a little mess is part of the charm.
How to Watch and Find the Recipes
Better Homes and Gardens airs every Friday at 7pm on Channel Seven. If you miss an episode, you can stream past shows on 7plus. In addition, the full recipes from each episode are published on the official Better Homes and Gardens Australia website, so you can cook along whenever suits you.
FAQs
When is Better Homes and Gardens on TV?
The show airs on Friday nights at 7pm on Channel Seven in Australia. Past episodes are available to stream on 7plus.
Who are the chefs on Better Homes and Gardens?
The current chefs are Colin Fassnidge and Clarissa Feildel, along with occasional guest cooks.
What is Clarissa cooking this week?
Clarissa is making tsukune, Japanese-style chicken and pork meatballs cooked on skewers with a sweet soy glaze.
Are Better Homes and Gardens recipes easy for beginners?
Most are designed for home cooks. Dishes like the vegetable frittata, crumbed pork cutlets and spring green couscous are especially beginner-friendly.
