Contains Dairy Archives | Page 17 of 33

Yo-yo biscuits

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
half a cup icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup plain flour
half a cup cornflour

Filling

30g butter, softened
half a cup icing sugar, sifted
1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 raspberries

Method

Use an electric mixer or beaters to cream butter, icing sugar and vanilla essence.

Sift together the flour and cornflour, add to butter mixture and mix on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms.

Place a piece of plastic film on a work bench, tip dough onto plastic film, wrap up and roll into a sausage about 2cm diameter (no messy bench or hands!).

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 160C.

Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Remove dough from fridge and slice into about 30 rounds.

Lightly flour hands and roll each round into a small ball.

Place each ball onto the tray about 5cm apart.

Dip a fork in flour and press each ball to 1 cm thick.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until just starting to colour.

Cool on baking tray.

To prepare filling, beat the butter, icing sugar and enough lemon juice to make a thick paste.

To make raspberry filling, place half the filling in a separate bowl and stir through raspberries to make a beautiful pink colour.

To assemble biscuits, spread the base of a biscuit with filling and then join with another biscuit.

Repeat with remaining biscuits and filling.

Keeps in an airtight container for up to 5 days, but I bet they wont last that long.

Notes:

Yo-yos (melting moments) demand some respect they are like shortbread with bad attitude! My first batch this week literally melted after 5 minutes in the oven. Straight into the bin! I bumped up the flour content and introduced the refrigerate before rolling up step into the method and this worked a treat.
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Beetroot choc whoopie pies

Whoopie pies are small, flat sponge cakes sandwiched between cream – or in this case yoghurt. These sweet little cakes are just delicious, mostly healthy and look fantastic.

Ingredients

2 large fresh beetroot
1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/3 cup dates, roughly chopped
2 cups wholemeal flour
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup raw cocoa powder (or regular cocoa powder)
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup Greek yoghurt
1/2 cup raspberry jam

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced.

Wrap the beetroot in foil and roast for an hour or until soft.

Meanwhile, grease and line a 12 hole whoopie pie tin.

Peel and place the beetroot in the bowl of your food processor and blitz for a couple of minutes. Then place all remaining ingredients in the bowl of your food processor and blitz until you have a smooth batter.

Spoon this into prepared tins, about 3/4 full and bake for 10 minutes if using the whoopie pie tins or 25 mins if making one large cake.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. To serve, sandwich whoopie pies between a little natural yoghurt and jam.

Serving Suggestions

Note

I bought my whoopie pie tin at a homewares shop recently and so we have been making lots of whoopie (pies).
You could just as easily use a muffin tin for this recipe – in this case I would fill each muffin hole 3/4 full and then once cooled slice them in half with a serrated knife and fill with the yoghurt or jam.
Alternatively make one large cake – a 24cm springform cake tin would be ideal. In this case bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake is pulling away from the sides.
This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot.

Easy lamb and ricotta lasagne

Ingredients

1 large eggplant, sliced into 1cm thick rounds
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large brown onion, diced
800g lamb mince
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
1/2 cup (100g) tomato paste
2 tins (400g each) chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp oregano leaves
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
500g fresh ricotta
100g feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
8 x large Instant Lasagne sheets
1/2 cup (40g) parmesan cheese, finely grated

Method

Soak the eggplant in cold water and set aside. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy-based pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the mince and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring often to brown the meat as much as possible. Stir through the wine, then add the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes, herbs and cinnamon. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the eggplant. Remove from the water and pat dry. Cut into cubes. Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and toss the eggplant until golden on all sides. Set aside (on a layer of paper towel). For the ricotta sauce; combine cheeses in a bowl and whisk in the egg. Season to taste.

To assemble, start by spooning 1/2 of the meat mixture in the base of a large baking tray (mine is 35 x 25cm and 5cm deep). Top with half of the eggplant and a layer of the lasagne sheets. Add half of the cheese sauce, then a layer of lasagne sheets, the remaining meat, then eggplant. Place a final layer of lasagne sheets on top of the eggplant, spoon over remaining cheese sauce, scatter with the parmesan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden and bubbling.

Find related lasagne recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

Moisture is the key – always make and use more sauce than you think you’ll need. You will need it! And if you think the lasagne is drying out at all during cooking, there’s no shame in adding a few sloshes of water around the edges. This is usually picked up by the rest of the cooking sauce and will prevent any hard pasta pieces.
This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Sophie on Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Spanish omelette baguettes

Ingredients

2 potatoes, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
20g butter
1 brown onion, sliced
4 eggs
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1/4 cup grated parmesan
80g spinach
4 baguettes

Method

Cut potatoes into 1.5cm cubes and boil for 10-12 minutes until tender. Drain and set aside.

Heat olive oil and butter in a medium frypan over gentle heat and cook onion for five minutes, being careful not to overly brown. Add potatoes and toss to combine.

In a bowl, beat eggs together with parsley and cheese. Season well.

Pour egg mixture over potatoes and onion in the frypan. Turn up heat to medium and cook for 3-4 minutes until eggs have set. You can finish it off under a grill if necessary to set the top (and if your frypan is ovensafe).

Turn omelette out onto a chopping board and cut into four wedges. Cut baguettes in half lengthwise and fill with a wedge of omelette and a handful of spinach.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Of course you can add whatever you like to the omelette – bacon would be delicious!
If making ahead for a lunch box, allow the omelette to cool before you fill the baguettes.
Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Risotto

Ingredients

1.25L chicken stock (gluten-free)
1 tablespoon oil
8 slices prosciutto
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 cups Arborio rice
125mL white wine
1 cup frozen or fresh peas
75g parmesan cheese, finely grated
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

Place stock in a large saucepan and heat until simmering. Heat oil in a heavy based frypan at medium heat.

Cook prosciutto until crisp, in two batches. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain.

Add onion to frypan and cook for two minutes, add garlic and cook for another two minutes.

Turn up the heat and add Arborio rice and stir constantly for two minutes until heated through. Pour in wine, there will be a bit of a sizzle, cook until wine has almost evaporated.

Add a soup ladle (about half a cup) of warm stock to the frypan, turn the heat down to a simmer and stir until stock absorbed, then add another ladle of stock.

Continue adding stock, stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. After 15 minutes, taste the rice, it should be soft.

If not, keep adding stock and stirring until rice is cooked. Add peas and cook for a couple of minutes until bright green.

Stir in the cheese and allow risotto to rest for two minutes. Check the consistency of the risotto, if it is a bit gluggy, add more stock (or boiled water if you are out of stock).

Crumble the prosciutto into pieces and add to the risotto.

Mix well and serve immediately with extra grated parmesan and a green salad.

Notes:

This recipe was inspired by my recent birthday-big-night-out meal. A beautiful pea and bocconcini risotto; I dont normally order risotto because I enjoy making them so much and homemade is almost always much nicer.
Maybe thats just me Save some of the crunch prosciutto for garnishing, it does loose some of its crunch when stirred through.
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Quick potato rosti with smoked salmon

Ingredients

2 potato (peeled)
1 tbs olive oil
4 slice smoked salmon
1/2 cup creme fraiche

Method

Grate potatoes.

Take handfuls of potato and squeeze it out over the sink to remove as much liquid as possible.

Heat oil in a large frypan over high heat. Season potato with salt and pepper and place half in pan, distributing it evenly to form a large disc. Press it down with the back of a spatula. Cook for two minutes, then turn down the heat to medium and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Place a plate upside down on top of the potato and carefully flip the frypan so that the rosti is upended onto the plate. Gently slide it back into the pan and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes, turning up the heat for the last minute or so to crisp up the base. Remove from pan and keep warm. Repeat with remaining potato. Serve with smoked salmon, creme fraiche and a squeeze of lemon.

Find related salmon recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

A combination of medium heat and high heat ensures the potato cooks through but also crisps up enough. As an alternative method, you could set the rosti over high heat for a couple of minutes each side, then finish cooking in the oven.
These quick potato rostis are a great alternative to toast if you are trying to avoid gluten. They are lovely with poached eggs, bacon and wilted spinach.
Try a combination of regular and sweet potato if you like.

Beef and onion pie

Ingredients

Meat sauce:

1/3 cup plain flour
1 teaspoon salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
900g chuck steak, diced (you can buy it diced from butchers)
1 and a half cups carrot, peeled and medium dice
half a cup celery, medium dice
5 shallots, peeled and cut into three
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 and a half cups red wine (I used a cleanskin shiraz)
half a cup Chicken Liquid stock
3 sprigs of rosemary

Pastry:

2 and a half cups plain flour
1 cup melted unsalted butter
2 teaspoons milk
Pinch salt

Method

Preheat oven to 190C.

In a medium bowl mix together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge the diced steak in the flour mixture and shake off any excess.

Heat large frying pan until very hot. Add half the oil and brown meat (you will need to do two batches for best results).

Once the meat is all browned, heat frying pan on medium heat, add remaining oil and saute carrot, celery, shallots and garlic.

Add tomato paste and saute for a further 1-2 minutes, mixing with a wooden spoon.

Add wine and stock then bring to the boil, throw in rosemary sprigs.

Place browned meat in a roasting tray and pour over the vegetables and stock.

Cover with foil and place in the oven for an hour and a half, After this time, turn off the oven and leave the pan in the cooling oven for a further 30 minutes. Remove and cool.

Preheat oven to 190C and spray 23cm pie dish with cooking spray.

For the dough:

Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl.

With a fork, mix together butter and flour to form dough – just before it all comes together, add the milk.

Use your hand to bring the dough together into a ball.

Sprinkle a little flour onto a clean surface. Split the dough in half and press both halves into a disc shape.

Place one disc on the floured surface, dust a rolling pin with flour and begin to roll out pastry. Place it into the pie dish and push it gently into place. Neaten up the sides and add cold meat mixture.

Roll out the remaining disc of dough and place on top of the pie dish.

Cut off any excess dough then brush the top of the pastry with an egg wash (egg mixed with a little milk); using a fork, press the edges of the pie down to secure then place in the fridge for 15 minutes so the dough can firm up.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and rest for ten minutes before serving.

Notes

I made the mixture a day ahead so I could put it in the pie crust cold as I find the pie works best when everything is the same temperature – putting the mixture in the fridge to cool will have the same effect.
This pastry needs to be rolled straight away because of the butter content.
If making pastry is not your thing, then pop down to you local supermarket and buy some ready-to-go shortcrust pastry because the beef mixture is worth it!
You can freeze leftovers.
Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Pumpkin, spinach and feta rolls recipe

Ingredients

500g pumpkin
40ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
250g frozen spinach
200g Greek-style feta, crumbled
3 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten
1tbsp sesame seeds

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Peel pumpkin and remove seeds, then cut into 1.5cm cubes. Toss in 20ml (1 tbsp) olive oil. Spread in a single layer in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

Heat remaining oil in a fry pan. Saute onion and garlic over low heat for five minutes. Add frozen spinach and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until completely thawed and well combined. Stir through the baked pumpkin and crumbled feta. Season well with salt and pepper.

Increase oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).

Cut each pastry sheet in half to create six strips. Place 1/6 of the pumpkin mixture along the length of each strip. Brush one long edge with beaten egg. Starting with the unbrushed side, roll and seal. Repeat with all the pastry. Transfer the rolls, seam-side down, to a tray lined with baking paper. Slash each into quarters. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until puffed and golden.

Related vegetarian recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

Serve with sweet chilli sauce for adults, and good old tomato sauce for the kids.
Grated cheddar cheese is fine as an alternative to feta.
Recipe by Greer Worsley, a working mum whose desire to make and bake things has grown in inverse proportion to the amount of spare time she has since her three gorgeous girls came along. Her blog is typically red.

Fruity Salsa Tortillas

These dessert tortillas are made from sugared and spiced tortilla cones stuffed with fruit and served with ice cream. An unusual fruity idea that will be a hit with the kids.

Ingredients – serves 4

2 plain tortillas
1 egg white, lightly beaten
Caster sugar, to sprinkle
2 teaspoons extra cinnamon, ground
250 grams strawberries, hulled and chopped
2 fresh mangoes, flesh chopped
2 kiwi fruits, peeled and chopped
(Alternatively use fruit of your choosing)
Pulp of passionfruit
Ice cream to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180C (350F).

Heat tortillas in microwave on HIGH for 30-60 seconds or until warm and flexible, then brush one side of each with egg white and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Cut in half.

Fold each half into a cone shape, sprinkled-side folded inwards.

Stand in a muffin pan, wide-side down, and bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes or until brown. Leave to cool in pan.

Meanwhile, combine strawberries, mangoes, kiwifruit and half the passionfruit pulp in a bowl to make a fruit salsa. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon.

Combine remaining passionfruit pulp with a little water and extra 2 teaspoons of sugar. (If using passionfruit in syrup, use straight from the can and do not add water and sugar.)

Spoon salsa into cones and lay on a plate. Pour passionfruit mixture over the top and serve with ice cream.

Serving Suggestions

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Mini cherry coconut muffins

Ingredients

2 cups self raising flour
125g cold butter
1 cup pitted cherries
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup coconut milk (I actually used 1 sachet ayam coconut milk powder + 220ml cold water)
2 tbsp milk
1 egg

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C.

In a food processor, blitz the flour and the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs (about 30-60 seconds).

Pour the mixture into a large mixing bowl, add all other ingredients and then stir through with a spoon until combined.

Spoon into cupcake papers and fill them up about 3/4 to the top.

Place in oven on middle rack for 20 minutes or until cooked.

Related muffin recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

These freeze well in resealable bags.
If you want to make these muffins a little more adult, drizzle with dark chocolate!
I’m always on the look-out for lunch box fillers and these are just perfect.
This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

Caramelized apple and cheese-stuffed chicken breasts

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 heaped tablespoons sugar, raw preferably
6 chicken breast (free-range preferably), trimmed of all excess fat
250g Colby or tasty cheese, cut into 1.5x10cm sticks
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup full-cream milk
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (vegetable or canola will do)

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

In a frying pan, over low to medium heat, melt butter. Add apples and sugar and saute for approx. 8 minutes until they soften and start to caramelise. Remove apples and set aside to cool completely.

Using a sharp paring knife, remove the chicken tender from the breast. Create a 2cm hole down the very middle of each breast, being careful not to puncture the sides of the breast (or your stuffing with come out).

Stuff each breast with some apple, a cheese stick and then some more apple.

Put the breadcrumbs in one bowl and pour the milk into another bowl. Dip each breast all around into the milk, then the breadcrumbs and place onto a plate.

Bring the frying pan back to a medium heat, add the tablespoon oil, and fry each breast until lightly golden on each side, but not completely cooked through.

Place the breasts onto a baking sheet and into the hot oven for 12 minutes.

Remove and serve immediately with a green salad, veggies or mash.

Notes:

If you want this to be even more delicious, marinate the chicken breasts overnight covered in milk and covered in cling film. Then pat dry when you are ready to stuff and cook.
You can add some toasted walnuts into the stuffing, and change the cheese to goats cheese for an adult version – yum!
I love cooking with grapeseed oil as an alternative to vegetable oil as it is better for you. It cooks everything golden without burning. You can find this at any large supermarket.
My mum loves making this recipe with avocado and cheese combination. She also taught me to dip the chicken in milk instead of eggs – since I buy free-range organic eggs (which are expensive), I prefer to save my eggs for a meal!
If you think 6 chicken breasts is too much for your family, calculate your chicken needs by allocating one breast for each adult and half a breast for kids.
You can save the chicken tenders for a quick stirfry meal on another night.

This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Bircher muesli

Ingredients

500g natural muesli
2 green apples, peeled and grated
2 pears, peeled and grated
1 cup (125g) sultanas
1 cup (125g) raisins
1/2 cup (50g) flaked almonds
1/2 cup (50g) walnuts
1 cup (100g) macadamias
1L milk
300ml cream, whipped

Method

Combine all of the ingredients.

Refrigerate overnight.

Serve topped with your favourite fresh fruit.

Notes

This is the most decadent breakfast dish.
It has dairy, grains, nuts, dried fruit and fresh fruit.
Muesli was introduced around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital, where a diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables was an essential part of therapy.

Find More

This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Mulberry pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour
1 tablespoon castor sugar
125 grams Mulberry fromage frais
1 egg
1/2 cup low fat milk
30 grams polyunsaturated margarine, melted
125 grams extra Mulberry fromage frais

Method

Sift the flour into a bowl, stir in the sugar.

Whisk the fromage frais, egg and milk together, add to the flour with the margarine, stir until smooth.

Heat a lightly greased non-stick frying pan to medium-low.

Spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into the pan, cook for 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.

Repeat with the remaining mixture (you can cook more than 1 at a time).

Serve warm or cold topped with the extra fromage frais.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Calzone

Ingredients

1 quantity – 2 ingredient pizza dough
8 slices hot Spanish salami, sliced into strips
1 cup (100g) mushrooms, sliced
1 cup (30g) baby rocket
1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp salt flakes

Method

Preheat oven to 210°C or 190°C fan-forced. Place a pizza stone in the oven to heat or oil a pizza tray and set aside.

Divide the pizza dough into two pieces.

Roll each piece into dinner plate-sized pizza bases.

On one base, place half the salami, mushrooms, rocket and cheese onto one-half of the base.

Fold the base over on itself to create a crescent shape and pinch the edges together to join it into a tightly sealed pocket.

Repeat with the second base and then brush each with the egg and sprinkle the tops with the salt flakes.

Place in the hot oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and the dough is cooked through.

Notes:

You need to take care if you are eating these straight from the oven. The fillings will be extremely hot.
You can eat calzone cold too. I like to slice these into wedges and take them on picnics. They are transportable pizza without the mess.
Fill these pizza pockets with your family’s favourite pizza toppings and you will be the most popular Mum ever!
This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Related pizza recipes

Serving Suggestions

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Boscaiola sauce for pasta

Ingredients

1tbsp olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
175g bacon rashers,chopped
200g swiss brown mushrooms, slice
300ml thickened cream
1/3 parsly leaves, chopped

Method

Heat oil in a large frying pan on medium heat. Add bacon and onion and stir and cook till onion is soft.

Add the mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in parsley and cream.

Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 min.

Serve over pasta.

Serving Suggestions

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Creamy bolognaise pastabake

Ingredients

4 cups of bolognaise sauce
375g smooth light ricotta cheese
500g pasta spirals
2 cups ready-grated mozarella cheese

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180å¡C.

Cook pasta in boiling salted water as per packet instructions.

Return hot pasta to the pot. Add the bolognaise sauce and ricotta cheese and mix until all ingredients are combined.

Pour into a baking dish and top with mozarella cheese.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Serve with a nice green salad.

Note

Use this link above to find my bolognaise sauce recipe.
This pastabake recipe is designed so you can make a large batch of the bolognaise sauce and use it as a bedrock for a few different dishes.
It cuts cooking time and helps you get a meal on the table fast. I am yet to find a child that doesn’t eventually like this recipe. They all come around…eventually.
This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Snacktime pasties

Ingredients

1 small orange sweet potato, peeled, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, peeled, finely chopped
1 desiree potato, peeled, finely chopped
½ cup frozen peas
125g can corn, rinsed, drained
½ cup coarsely grated cheddar
2 eggs, lightly whisked
3 sheets ready-rolled frozen shortcrust pastry, just thawed
2 tsp sesame seeds

Method

Preheat oven to 240°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.

Cook sweet potato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Use a fork to mash until smooth. Set aside to cool in bowl.

Cook carrot and potato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Add carrot mixture, peas, corn, cheese and 1 egg to sweet potato and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Use a 12cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 12 discs from pastry sheets. Spoon vegetable mixture evenly among pastry discs. Brush edges of pastry lightly with remaining egg.

Fold pastries in half to enclose filling. Use fingertips to gently press together to seal. Place on the lined tray and lightly brush with remaining egg.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Once completely cooled, wrap in baking paper, and store in the fridge ready for the lunchbox.

Serving Suggestions

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Double chocolate biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup brown sugar
125g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plain flour
1 cup self-raising flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
half a cup white chocolate, roughly chopped
half a cup good quality dark chocolate, roughly chopped
Preheat oven to 190C.
Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Method

Place sugar in a large bowl, melt butter and pour over sugar.

Stir well, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.

Roll tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place 3-4cm apart on trays, press down slightly.

Bake 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from oven, cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:

These are sensational! Using good quality dark chocolate is the key.
This is a great basic biscuit recipe; substitute chocolate with apricots, almonds, sultanas or whatever takes your fancy.
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Venison chilli

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 brown onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp dried chilli
1 kg venison mince
1 red capsicum, de-seeded and diced
2 x tins (400g) chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup red or black eye beans, cooked or tinned

For the topping

1/2 cup instant polenta
1/2 cup self-raising flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 150å¡C or 130å¡C fan-forced.

Heat the oil in a very large casserole dish (with a lid), add the onion and garlic, then cook over a low-medium heat, stirring, until the onion has softened.

Add the cumin, coriander, cardoman and dried chilli. Cook, stirring, for a couple more minutes. Increase the heat and add the mince, stirring to break it up and brown the meat. Season well, add the capsicum and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and water and bring to the boil.

Sprinkle over the cocoa powder and stir through the beans. Cover with a lid and place the casserole in the oven for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile make the polenta topping mix by mixing all ingredients together in a large bowl with a fork.

Once the 45 minutes is up you can remove the dish from the oven and, if you like, transfer the chilli to a baking dish or leave it in the casserole. Increase the ovenÛªs heat to 180å¡C or 160å¡C fan-forced. Dampen your hands a little and roll the polenta mixture into small balls, about the size of a golf ball.

Place these on top of the meat mixture, about 2cm apart, and return the dish to the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the topping is golden and crunchy.

Note

You can also use beef mince or pork and veal mince for this recipe.
If you have room in your dish, you can add in other vegetables you have on hand.
This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Sophie on Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Lazy lamingtons

Ingredients

1 bought Victoria sponge cake (in two halves)
1/3 cup raspberry jam
2 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 cups desiccated or shredded coconut

Method

Cut each half of the sponge cake in half horizontally. Spread jam on two of the halves and top with the remaining halves. Cut each sponge into 8 pieces.

Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add enough warm water to form a runny icing. Spread the coconut onto a large sheet of baking paper.

Dip each cake portion in the icing to coat each side. This is a very messy business, call in the kids and keep your hands nice and clean!

Roll each piece of cake in the coconut and place on a wire rack for 30 minutes to dry. Store in airtight containers.

Notes:

If you can’t find a Victoria sponge (two circles), a slab sponge would be fine to make rectangles or squares.
It is much easier to coat the lamingtons if the icing is quite runny. If you like a thicker icing you will have to spread the icing on with a knife, which is a bit more time consuming… and messy.
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Spring vegetable soup

Ingredients

Gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 leek, sliced
1 large zucchini, halved lengthways, sliced
2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head of broccoli)
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 cm lengths
1L chicken or vegetable stock (gluten-free)
Crispy bacon pieces and parmesan to garnish (optional)

Method

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, cook for 3 minutes until starting to soften. Add stock and bring to the boil. Add zucchini, broccoli and asparagus, reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve garnished with bacon and parmesan (if using).

Notes:

I preferred the soup without the bacon and parmesan—so you can taste the beautiful fresh spring vegetables. However, you do what you have to in order to get the kids to eat it!
We had plenty of soup leftover, I stirred through some evaporated light milk (you could use cream) to make a creamy version.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Chewy choc-banana cookies

Makes 12

Ingredients

110 g unsalted butter (softened)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 banana (mashed)
1 cup spelt flour (sifted)
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup dark chocolate (chopped)

Method

Preheat your oven to 175C (155C fan-forced) and line 2 large baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Beat together the butter, honey and vanilla until pale and creamy. Stir in the banana.

Add the sifted flour, oats and coconut, and stir until well combined. Add the chocolate and mix well.

Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls, place on baking trays and flatten.

Place in oven and bake for approximately 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.

Leave on trays to cool.

Find more biscuit and cookie recipes.

Serving Suggestions

Note

The banana replaces egg as a binder, giving the cookies a nice chewiness.
We recommend using approximately 4-5 squares of 70 percent cocoa dark chocolate.
These cookies will keep the kids satisfied until dinner time!
This recipe was created by Brenda Janschek for Kidspot.

Cheesey scones

Ingredients

2 cups self-raising flour
half a teaspoon salt
50g butter, plus one teaspoon more for greasing pan
1/3 cup cheddar cheese, finely grated
one cup whole milk, plus 1 tablespoon more for brushing

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. Lightly grease a baking sheet using the one teaspoon butter, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, and salt together. Place butter in the mixture and using your fingertips rub the butter together with the flour until you have a mixture resembling course breadcrumbs. Mix in the milk and almost all the cheese, reserving about 1 tablespoon.

Once it is loosely combined, turned out the mixture onto a clean kitchen bench and knead together until the mixture takes a dough form and avoid over-working the dough as this will make for heavy scones.

Knead for about 1 minute gently and form a 20cm diameter round about 2 cm thick. Cut 5-6cm circles out using either a knife or a round cookie cutter.

Place the cut circles touching side by side on the baking sheet and bake for ten minutes.

Remove from oven and then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Put back in the oven for another 2-3 minutes until they are nicely golden. Serve immediately.

Notes:

When you are rubbing the butter with the flour, be sure to work quickly as the warmth of your hands will begin to melt the butter.
Add half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper for a more adult version.
These are delicious straight from the oven while they are hot. If you can not serve them out of the oven, reheat them under the grill and smear with more lashings of butter.
These are great when you cut them in half and stuff with ham and tomato then reheat under the grill.
These are fun to make with kids – let them cut the circles out for you.

This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand

Serving Suggestions

Note

Lamb in pita pockets

Ingredients

Nut-free, egg-free

600g lamb mince 2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon rosemary, finely chopped
200g thick Greek yoghurt
1/4 cup freshly chopped mint
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (optional)
4 handfuls mixed lettuce
4 pita pockets

Method

Combine mince, water, garlic and rosemary. Form into 8 burgers. Heat a non-stick frypan to medium heat and cook 4 burgers at a time. Allow 6-7 minutes each side and turn only once.

While the burgers are cooking, stir mint into yoghurt. Cut pita pockets in half; stuff each half with some lettuce and red onion (if using). Place a cooked burger in each pocket and top with mint yoghurt.

Serving Suggestions

Note

These tasty burgers are a great economical way to get into spring lamb.
Also perfect for picnics: the burgers can be cooked on site (or cooked just before hand and kept warm) and the pita pockets filled as you go. No cutlery required!
Make these gluten-free by serving without the pita bread or on toasted gluten-free bread.

Reindeer marshmallow pops

Ingredients

20 lollipop sticks
20 marshmallows
2m Christmas ribbon
1 pkt mini-pretzels
200g milk chocolate, melted
Oasis florist block
20 red mini M&M’s
40 cachous (edible silver balls)

Method

Step 1. Place pop sticks into marshmallows.

Step 2. Cut small slits to enable you to push the pretzel “antlers” in later.

Step 3. Cut ribbon and tie a 10cm length around each pop stick.

Step 4. Cut pretzels in half by using a fast downward motion with a sharp knife.

Step 5. Dip each marshmallow in the melted chocolate until evenly coated. Tap excess chocolate off the marshmallow and anchor the stick into the Oasis block.

Step 6. Push pretzel “antlers” into the marshmallow and press on a red M&M for the nose and two cachous for eyes.

Related Christmas recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

You can use generic brand milk chocolate for this recipe – and dark chocolate if you prefer.
To melt the chocolate you can use a double boiler or a microwave. Microwave for 60 seconds and then stir until the chocolate is entirely melted.
If it is warm weather, you may like to allow the chocolate to set and then use a dab of chocolate to apply the decorations.
This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Muesli biscuits

Ingredients

half a cup brown sugar
half a cup caster sugar
125g butter, softened
1 egg
1 and half cups plain flour * see notes below for gluten free
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 cup rolled oats
half a cup raisins
half a cup currants
half a cup sultanas
half a cup coconut
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Method

Preheat oven to 160C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.

Cream butter and sugars in an electric mixer until smooth, add egg and beat to combine. Add flour, bicarb, rolled oats, fruit, coconut and cinnamon and mix until combined.

Roll 2 tablespoons of mixture into balls and press onto prepared trays to flatten the tops. Space about 3cm apart. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Cool on trays for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes:

These smell (and taste) wonderful just after coming out of the oven. A great healthy-ish biscuit alternative for lunchboxes.
Vary the fruit and coconut to suit your tastes, just make sure you use 1 cup total.
Make these gluten-free with gluten-free flour and replace rolled oats with gluten-free rice bubbles or cornflakes.
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Apple dessert

Ingredients

1 large tin of stewed apples/tin fruit of choice/fresh stewed fruit.
whipped cream
2-3 cups cornflakes
margarine or butter
honey

Method

Place fruit in bottom of dessert bowl & top with cream.

Sprinkle with cornflakes.

In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine with honey then pour evenly over cornflake mixture.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Mini croissants

Ingredients

1 container mini croissants
100g poached/roasted chicken, sliced
¼ avocado, sliced
100g shaved ham
2 slices cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon nutella spread

Method

Slice eight croissants in half.

Dress each croissant with your selected toppings ranging from:

-Chicken, avocado

-Ham and cheese

-Feta cheese, cucumber and cherry tomato

-Nutella

Replace tops of croissants and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Note

You can buy a container of 10 mini croissants at the supermarket in the bread section. I freeze them and pull them out when needed.
When I packed Max a ham and cheese croissant and a nutella one for his lunch he thought that was incredibly cool. It took two minutes and it wasn’t his regular roll.
These look and taste good enough for kids and adult parties, just warm slightly and put your favourite topping in.
These croissants are a great budget buy if you’re entertaining a group of people for breakfast, brunch or lunch.
Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.