A KNUTSFORD mum’s home-cooked recipes are proving to be a big hit for the town’s stressed-out residents.

Kara Dexter, of Garden Road, has set up ‘Kara’s Kitchen’ from her home kitchen with the aim of feeding families in the town who just don’t have the time.

She spent 18 years as a nurse before helping husband Mark with the accounts at his recruitment business.

But she now spends up to nine hours a day providing home-cooked meals, such as lasagne, cottage pie, steak pie, chilli-con-carne and pasta bakes among others, for hungry Knutsfordians.

“I’ve always liked to cook and I have always been called a good cook by the kids and by doing dinner parties,” she said.

“With being busy at work we got into the cycle of eating takeaways and ready meals.

“Our daughter Katie became unwell last year and was off school so I got into the habit of cooking each day.

“A friend asked if she could have two meals a week off me, and after having a think I decided to go for it.

“I set up the Facebook page and I did 46 meals in the first week and 74 the week after.”

Kara, who buys her meat from Woods Butchers and vegetables from Alan on the market, said word of mouth had proven to be the best form of communication since she began the operation at the beginning of May.

“It seems to have really captured the imagination of people, especially around the playground at Egerton,” she added.

“What has surprised me is people outside of Knutsford, those in Peover for example, are coming in to collect them from me. Mark, my husband, is absolutely delighted because he has a home-cooked meal every night and my kids are really proud of me.

“I’ve even sold our own meals some nights so we’ve ended up with beans on toast!

“I’m getting more organised and getting slicker. I’ve got some new equipment and that has made life easier and I’m getting better at buying the right quantity of food. Tuesday pie night has proved to be popular and people get really excited about it.

“It’s a real mix of people who have put orders in, from people who don’t have the time, to stay at home mums who would rather spend time with their kids, to others who need a meal at short notice.”

Prices start at £8.

For more information call Kara on 07740 650272 or visit facebook.com/karaskitchenknutsford.