Bouncing balls birthday cake
Serves:
30
Ingredients
- 4 chocolate cake packet mixes (or equivalent cake recipe of choice to fill two 28cm x 23cm rectangular cake tin)
- 2 cups desiccated coconut
- green food colouring
- black licorice strips
- 3 bags of chocolate sports balls (availableåÊat the London Lolly Shop)
- craft wire
- 28cm x 23cm rectangular cake tin
Icing
- Meadow Lea or 200g unsalted butter, softened
- å_ cup full cream milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 8 cups sifted icing sugar
Chocolate Butter
- 300g dark chocolate, chopped
- 250g unsalted butter
Method
Preheat oven according to packet mix instructions. This cake needs to be baked in two batches. Prepare two of the packet cakes according to instructions and pour into lined tin. Bake according to instructions. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Repeat with remaining two packet cakes.
Level each cake with a knife. Place one cake on cake board and spread liberally with chocolate butter. Flip the second cake upside down and place on top of the first cake so that the cakeåÕs bottom is now the nice smooth top and place on top of the first cake.
Chocolate butter
Place chocolate and butter in a microwave proof bowl. Heat at medium power for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval. Repeat until melted.
Cool to room temperature and then it is ready to use.
Buttercream Icing
Cream butter for 1-2 minutes. Add the milk, vanilla and half of the icing sugar. Beat for approximately 3 minutes. Add the remaining icing sugar and beat for another 3 minutes. The icing is ready to use straight away.
Ice the entire cake with butter cream.
It is difficult to make the edges clean on a rectangular cake but this can be hidden with the licorice.
Decorations
Measure the height of your cake and cut the licorice to the same length as the height of your cake. The easiest way to do this is to lay your ruler on a cutting board and unroll the licorice next to it. Use a sharp knife to cut. Place the licorice on the sides of the cake leaving a space of approximately 2cm between each piece. Start at a corner.
To colour the coconut green, put the coconut into a bowl together with 4-5 drops of green food colouring. Wet your hands and shake until almost dry. Mix the coconut with your hands until the colour is evenly distributed.
Sprinkle the coconut over the top of the cake. Lightly press the coconut into the cake so that it sticks.
Cut the craft wire to various sizes and poke into the chocolate balls. The wire should be sharp enough to pierce through the chocolate. Poke each wired ball into the cake starting in the middle and working towards the outside. Bend the wire where desired.
Notes:
- If you decide not to use packet mix, ensure you use a dense cake recipe like a mud cake as this will support the weight of the chocolate without tearing the top of the cake.
- Ensure your craft wire is strong enough to hold the chocolate. I used guage 20 wire (but you could use slightly less).
- This recipe was created by Katherine Petric for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Lemon blossom slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 11/2cups plain flour
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1/3 cup cornflour
- 180g butter, diced small
- 1 can (395g) condensed milk
- half a cup lemon juice
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup castor sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut
Method
Preheat oven to 180C.
Line an rectangular cake tin (20cm by 31cm) with foil and spray with baking spray, set aside.
In a medium bowl add plain flour, icing sugar, cornflour and butter.
Crumble butter with dry ingredients to form a dough. When combined, press into the tray and bake for 15 minutes.
While the base is baking, make filling.
Add condensed milk, lemon juice and egg yolks together and mix. When it becomes thick and even in texture, pour over precooked base.
For the meringue topping, whisk egg whites until thick then gradually add castor sugar. Once egg whites are glossy and stiff turn off beaters and fold in coconut.
Spread evenly over filling and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Cool and cut into slices.
Store in fridge.
Notes
- Because this is so sweet (due to the condensed milk) a little bit goes a long way, a perfect slice for school fetes or birthday parties.
- I keep this in the fridge and it seems to taste better the day after I make it.
- Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
- For a crisper base and firmer texture, bake the base layer at 180 degrees for 15 minutes, then add the lemon layer and bake for 12 minutes, then finally add the meringue layer and bake for approximately 12 minutes or until slightly coloured on top.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Grape caterpillars
Serves:
Ingredients
- 300g green grapes
- short wooden skewers
- 1 x 50g tube writing fudge, white chocolate
- mini milk choc bits
Method
Step 1. Remove grapes from stalks, wash, dry well and slice in half.
Step 2. Thread grapes onto skewers, alternating the halves to re-form the grapes.
Step 3. Trim points from skewers with scissors.
Step 4. Dot writing icing onto the back of the coated chocolate chips and place as eyes on each caterpillar.
Notes:
- To serve these for parties, you can lay them on a bed of lettuce.
- Make sure you trim off the sharp tips of the skewers. Especially if serving these to small children.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
- For children it is best to slice grapes in half to avoid choking.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Ballerina marshmallow pops
Serves:
Ingredients
- 12 marshmallows
- 12 mini patty pans
- 1/4 cup icing
- 3 tbsp pink sugar crystals
You will also need:
- 1 florist block
- wrapping paper (for the block)
- sticky tape
- 12 x 15cm skewers
Method
Step 1. Wrap the florist block with the wrapping paper.
Step 2. Place a marshmallow on a cutting board and put a mini patty pan on top (right side up). Then, using the skewer in a quick downward motion, stab them together.
Step 3.Pull the patty pan down the skewer and coat the marshmallow in icing.
Step 4. Roll the marshmallow in sugar crystals and then push the patty pan back up the skewer to meet the marshmallow.
Find related pop recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I used some ready-made icing I had left in the fridge for this project but you could also use sugar syrup or make your own icing.
- The pink sugar crystals were in a container of multiple sprinkles. You could also use jelly crystals if you can’t find these.
Blueberry overnight oats
Serves:
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup traditional oats
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup (125ml) no fat milk
- 2/3 cup (160ml) water
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2/3 cup (90g) fresh blueberries
- 2 tsp (10g) toasted almonds
Method
Place all ingredients into a bowl (except almonds) and mix well.
Divide into 2 bowls or jars (jars are fantastic for brekkies on the run), cover and place in the fridge overnight.
In the morning, top with almonds and eat, eat, eat. If you like more liquidy mixture, add a little more milk.
Find more breakfast recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I’ve used no fat milk in these lovely oats to keep the fat content down but feel free to use whatever milk you like: no fat, low fat, almond, rice, soy, etc.
- I also use water in my mixture because that’s how I make my porridge – with a combination of milk and water. But if you like it extra creamy just replace the water with milk.
- Feel free to add a dollop of yogurt, it’s lovely!
- Works with just about any fruit – strawberries, raspberries and even bananas (in fact mashed banana is wonderful to add more sweetness).
- I’ve used almonds but mix it up with the nuts – try some walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans.
- Nutritional values per serve: 1217.2kj (289.8cals); 6.8g total fat (0.8g saturated fat); 8.3g fibre
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Happy faces cupcakes
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125g) butter
- 3/4 cup (190g) white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp cocoa (optional)
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
Icing and decoration
- 2 cups (300g) icing sugar
- 3 tbsp water
- a few drops food colouring (optional)
- assorted lollies to make funny faces
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a cupcake tin with patty pans and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla, adding in the eggs one at a time.
(To make chocolate marble cupcakes, set aside a small amount of the mixture in a small bowl (about 1/3 cup), and mix through a a teaspoon or so of cocoa.)
Add half the milk, and half of the flour and mix with a spoon. Then mix through the remaining milk and flour
Use a soup spoon to drop equal amounts of the mixture into each patty pan. Add a dollop of the cocoa mixture to each patty pan and swirl through with a skewer to create a marble effect.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cakes bounce back when pressed in the centre, and cool on a wire rack.
To decorate the cupcakes wait until the cakes are at room temperature. Sift icing sugar into a bowl and add enough water to make a spreadable paste.
Add a few drops of your chosen food colouring and mix.
Spread the icing over the top of the cupcakes and then decorate with lollies to make funny and happy faces.
Put the cupcakes on a tray and place in fridge for 30 minutes to set.
Find related cupcake recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you don't fancy making large cupcakes, you can always use a greased mini muffin tin instead.
- Don't add too much food colouring to the icing mixture, because it will be hard to see the decorated faces if the icing is too dark.
- Use dried fruit and / or nuts to create your happy faces, if you dont want to use lollies.
- These cupcakes will store well for a few days in an airtight container.
- This recipe was created by Jodie Clarke for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Oreo bauble cookies
Serves:
Ingredients
- 24 Oreo biscuits
- 200 g white chocolate
- green food colouring (liquid)
- red food colouring (liquid)
- sprinkles
- silver cachous
Method
Line a large baking sheet with baking paper, and unwrap the Oreo biscuits. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave, or in a heatproof bowl over simmering water.
Place each Oreo into the chocolate, one by one, covering it completely and then fish it out with a fork, and shake off as much excess as you can. Continue until all the Oreos are covered.
Divide the remaining chocolate between two bowls, and tint one green and the other red. Decorate the cookies to look like Christmas baubles – use the green to make a tree or wreath pattern, and decorate with sprinkles and cachous and the red for other accents.
Place in the fridge to set for at least an hour, and serve.
Find related sweet Christmas recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These are great to do with kids! Pull out all your decorations and go nuts.
- Feel free to use dark or milk chocolate in place of white.
- Small, disposable piping bags are best to use for piping chocolate and can be found in most supermarkets.
- This recipe was created by Sarah Coates for Kidspot.
Eggplant stack with goats cheese
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 eggplants
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large red capsicum
- 1 zucchini (optional)
- 4 tablespoons bought basil pesto
- 120g goats cheese, divided into 12 slices
- 1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Slice eggplants into 1cm thick slices, place in a colander in the sink, sprinkle liberally with salt and let stand for half an hour to draw out the bitter juices
Meanwhile, cut the capsicum into 3-4 large sides, slice the zucchini into strips 0.5cm thick
Brush with olive oil and place in a hot char grill pan (or under the grill)
Cook on both sides until the lovely black stripes appear and the zucchini is tender
Remove zucchini and keep cooking capsicum slices until the skin is black and puffy
Transfer capsicum to a plate and cover with plastic wrap (this helps to sweat the capsicum skin)
Rinse eggplant slices with cold water, pat dry and brush each side with olive oil and cook in the char grill pan or frypan until tender.
Prepare dressing by combining vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small jar, shake well
To assemble each stack, place one slice of eggplant on a plate, spread with half a tablespoon of pesto, then a slice of goats cheese, some capsicum, zucchini (if using) and then another slice of eggplant
Repeat the layering, finishing with a slice of eggplant
Scatter tomatoes over and drizzle dressing over the top
Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Cherry Mars Bar slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3 Mars Bar 2 packs (72g), chopped
- 90g butter
- 1 pkt (100g) glace cherries, halved
- 3 cups rice bubbles
- 200g milk chocolate, broken into squares
- 30g butter extra
Method
Grease and line a slice tray with baking paper.
In a pan over low heat melt Mars Bars and butter until smooth. Do not bring to boil.
Remove pan from heat and pour in rice pops and glace cherries and mix to combine.
Press mixture evenly into slice tray.
Melt chocolate squares in microwave checking and stirring at 30 seconds intervals.
Stir in extra butter and pour over slice mix.
Refrigerate until slice is set.
Notes
- This is a great recipe for the kids to make but be sure you make two as this disappears fast.
- To make a white Christmas style slice you can add half green and half red cherries and cover it in a white chocolate layer for that festive touch.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
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Sticky date pudding
Serves:
Ingredients
- 250g pitted dates, chopped
- 300mL water
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 75g unsalted butter
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- Thick cream, to serve
Sauce
- 200mL cream
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 60g unsalted butter
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a lamington tray (20cm x 30cm) and line with baking paper.
Place dates and water in saucepan and bring to boil.
Add bicarb (impressive fizzing), then butter, stir until butter melts.
Stir in flour, sugar and eggs.
Pour into prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Allow to cool in tray for 10 minutes, then turn onto wire rack.
To make sauce, mix cream, sugar and butter over low heat until butter has melted.
To serve, cut cake into squares, pour over sauce and add a good dollop of cream. Mmmm.
Notes:
- I like this recipe because you can make the cake and sauce in advance and reheat just before serving.
- I made a gluten-free version using gluten-free flour and baking powder.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
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Meringue Christmas trees
Serves:
Makes 50+
Ingredients
- 4 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 1 cup dark chocolate, melted
- 3-4 candy canes
Method
Step 1. Preheat oven to 120°C (100°C fan-forced). Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Mix in salt and cream of tartar. With the mixer running, very slowly add sugar a little at a time to form stiff peaks.
Step 2. Place meringue into a piping bag with a large star nozzle attached. Line two large oven trays with baking paper. Begin by piping a large dot approximately the size of a 20 cent coin. Then pipe a smaller dot on top, and a third smaller one to finish. Continue until you have used all the meringue. Bake for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Turn the oven off and leave the meringues to cool for at least 2 hours.
Step 3. Dip the cooked meringue trees in the melted chocolate and place on a tray lined with baking paper. Allow chocolate to set.
Step 4. Crush candy canes in a food processor or mortar and pestle to form a fine powder. Sprinkle over meringues.
Find related sweet Christmas recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Begin this recipe well ahead of time – the meringues cook for a long time at a very low temperature, and they need to be left in the oven to cool.
- This recipe makes plenty of little trees, so take your time getting your piping technique right.
- Instead of crushed candy canes, you could use some red coloured sugar, found in the baking aisle of most supermarkets. Grind it into a fine powder in a mortar and pestle.
- You can make these Christmas ginger joy biscuits and thread them onto string to make an edible decoration.
- We covered these little chocolate explosion Truffles in cocoa.
- You can make these Snowman doughnut sticks with store-bought doughnuts and they are so much fun.
- These Christmas crackles are also a fun cooking activity for kids. You can make them in mini cupcake sizes.
- If you like Rocky road then these Christmas rocky road bites are delicious. Just don't forget they contain nuts so you may need to label them.
- This Fruit Christmas tree is a healthy alternative to all the indulgence of Christmas. It could be a beautiful, edible centrepiece for your table.
- You can make these Christmas chocolate spoons with the kids and enjoy some family time as you decorate them together.
- If you like a round shortbread disc then this Christmas shortbread can be cut into "Petticoat tails".
- These Orange and cranberry truffles are perfect for the festive season with their zesty orange flavour.
- These Christmas pudding pops are a delicious bite and perfect for cocktail parties.
- This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Roast pumpkin, tomato and feta pasta
Serves:
4
Ingredients
- 500 g pumpkin
- 500 g Roma tomatoes
- 4 clove garlic (unpeeled)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 100 g feta
- 400 g pasta
- parmesan (*to serve)
Method
Preheat oven to 160C (140 fan-forced). Peel and chop pumpkin, and quarter tomatoes. Place in a baking pan with unpeeled garlic cloves and olive oil. Toss to combine, seasoning well. Bake for 1-1.5 hours until soft and caramelised.
Place pumpkin and tomatoes in a blender or food processor with feta. Pop the garlic cloves out of their peels and add them as well. Blitz until smooth.
Cook pasta in a pot of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving about half a cup of the cooking liquid. Reheat sauce in a pot, adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid to loosen it.
Add cooked pasta to the pan and toss well to coat. Serve with shaved parmesan and a side salad.
More pasta recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can make the sauce ahead of time and reheat just prior to serving.
- If you’re super organised, you could cook the pumpkin and tomato while you’re baking a Sunday roast, for instance. Then it’ll be ready to go for an easy midweek meal.
- Freeze leftover sauce in portions for another time.
- Any type of ripe tomato will do.
- I used penne pasta, but you can use your favourite pasta shape, or even fresh pasta.
- This recipe was created by Greer Worsley for Kidspot.
Potato pancakes
Serves:
Makes 8
Ingredients
- 500 g desiree potato (peeled, grated)
- 500 g sweet potato (peeled, grated)
- 1/2 cup plain flour
- 2 unit eggs (lightly beaten)
- 4 unit spring onion (washed, sliced)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch pepper
- oil (for frying)
- sour cream (*to serve)
- beetroot (*to serve, chopped)
- salad leaves (*to serve)
Method
Combine all the ingredients except the oil in a mixing bowl. Heat 2-3mm of oil in a non-stick frying pan on high.
Place a spoonful of potato mixture into the hot oil and gently flatten. For a perfect shape use a deep egg ring. Allow a crust to form on the bottom before attempting to move or turn them. It should take around 5 minutes, each side, on a medium-high heat.
Remove potato patties from the pan and drain well on paper towel. Repeat until all the mixture is used. Serve with sour cream, beetroot and salad leaves.
Find related potato recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Any variation of side salads will work here (we love beetroot) and cottage cheese is a healthy, tasty substitute for sour cream.
- Kids have plenty of jobs for this recipe, like peeling and grating potatoes, cracking and beating eggs, washing spring onions, measuring the flour and mixing the ingredients together. Maybe leave the hot oil to the adults.
- >This recipe was created by Adam Clements for Kidspot.
Italian meatloaf
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g pork mince
- 500g veal mince
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 2 tbsp dried Italian herb mix
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup tomato paste
- 2 cups dried breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper
- 1 jar pasta sauce
Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Line a large loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.
Place all ingredients except for the pasta sauce into a large bowl and, using cleans hands, mix together thoroughly.
Form a rough loaf shape and push into the tin. Bake for 55-60 mins.
Warm pasta sauce and pour over meatloaf before serving.
Notes:
- This tastes great served with Italian-style beans and potatoes.
- I discovered this recipe when I made the mix for meatballs and ended going out for dinner one night. I just popped it in the oven the next day. You can also cook this in the slow cooker for 4-6 hours on high.
- I like to place some thick straps of foil underneath to lift the loaf out. If you can’t get pork and veal mince, chicken or beef mince will do fine.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Find related mince recipes
Serving Suggestions
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Mini baked bean muffins
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced
- 2 rashers bacon, finely chopped
- ¼ small red capsicum, finely diced
- 1¼ cups self raising flour, sifted
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 45g butter, melted
- 220g can baked beans
- ½ cup grated tasty cheese
Method
Heat oil in a small non-stick pan, add the spring onion, bacon and capsicum and cook for 2 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Remove from heat, drain on absorbent paper.
Sift flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the milk, egg and butter while mixing gently. Fold in the bacon mixture, baked beans and cheese until just combined.
Spoon batter into a lightly greased mini muffin pan and bake in a preheated oven of 180°C for 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a cake rack.
Notes:
- Savoury muffins are a great lunch box option – healthy and nutritious, they will fill hungry tummies without filling up on sugar as well.
- This recipe was created by HEINZ BEANZ – fuel for families.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Fruit and honey muesli bars
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup rice bubbles
- 12 cup dried fruit
- 12 cup honey
- 125g butter
- 4 Weet-Bix crushed
- 1 cup coconut
- 34 cup brown sugar
- 12 cup peanut butter
Method
Grease a 19X29cm lamington pan.
Combine oats, rice bubbles, Weet-Bix, coconut and fruit into a large bowl.
Combine sugar, honey, peanut butter in a saucepan, stir constantly over heat without boiling, or until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved.
Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring constantly or until thickens.
Stir honey mixture into dry ingredients, press evenly into prepared tin, cut into squares while warm and refrigerate.
Will keep for one week in an air tight container.
Serving Suggestions
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Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Coriander Pesto Toasts
Serves:
Ingredients
Gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free (omit nuts)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (I like asia@home brand)
- 1 kg sweet potato, peeled and chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
- 1 potato, peeled and chopped
- 1L chicken stock (gluten-free)
- 1 cup (250mL) light evaporated milk
- ½ teaspoon coconut essence
- ½ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped
- ½ cup fresh coriander leaves
- 4 slices bread
- Coriander pesto
Method
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onions for 2 minutes, add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add curry paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring. Add vegetables, stir to coat in curry paste, then add stock. Cover, bring to boil then turn heat down and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and puree with stab mixer or in a blender. Stir through evaporated milk and coconut essence.
Toast bread and spread with coriander pesto.
Serve soup topped with peanuts and coriander leaves, with a serving of the toast.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I like to use evaporated milk and coconut essence instead of coconut milk/cream, but feel free to use the real thing!
- For the kids, I made ‘orange soup’ in a separate saucepan at the same time.
- Use about a quarter of the onion, vegetables and stock (omit curry paste); after pureeing, stir in 125ml (1/2 cup) of the evaporated milk.
- Omit coriander or substitute with flat-leaf parsley if you prefer.
- This soup freezes and reheats well. I used a tablespoon of coriander pesto as a garnish on top of the soup when we had reheats.
Strange strawberry salad
Serves:
Ingredients
- 200g haloumi
- 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
- 250g punnet strawberries, trimmed and halved
- 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 handfuls spinach and rocket salad mix
- ½ cup shaved parmesan
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat a non-stick frypan. Slice the haloumi cheese horizontally so you have two large rectangles, then cut each rectangle into a triangle. Pan fry the haloumi until brown on both sides. Steam the asparagus.
For the dressing, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Whisk well to combine.
Combine the strawberries, tomatoes, asparagus and salad leaves in a large salad bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the dressing and toss the rest through the salad. Divide the salad between 4 serving dishes, top with a piece of haloumi and sprinkle with parmesan, pine nuts and remaining dressing.
Notes:
- Strawberries and balsamic vinegar are often combined as a dessert; here they add a lovely sweet contrast to the salad and haloumi. And it might just get your strawberry eaters trying salad!
- Have the strawberries at room temperature, so you get the full sweet flavour.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Healthy Nutella bites
Serves:
15
Ingredients
- 2 cups hazelnut meal
- 12 medjool dates, seeds removed
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1-2 tbsp milk (almond milk, oat or regular cow's milk)
Method
Step 1. Place all ingredients into a food processor.
Step 2. Process until well combined.
Step 3. Roll into tablespoon-sized balls.
Step 4. Refrigerate until firm.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can use whole hazelnuts in this recipe. You will just have to process the mixture for longer.
- If you want to add a coating to these you can use desiccated coconut, cocoa powder or even 100's and 1000's.
- If you don't have these ingredients you can always try these Date balls for a sweet treat.
- If you are looking for an extra nutritional boost in your day you may want to pack some of these Healthy chocolate power balls in your lunch box.
- If you like nutty flavours them these Peanut butter protein balls will you a great boost of energy.
- These Peppermint cherry Christmas balls are a fun sweet treat and a great gift to make and give at Christmas.
- You can get the kids cooking at home with this easy Homemade bliss balls recipe.
- If you are looking for a treat at Christmas then both these Snow balls and Almond snowballs will look great on your Christmas table.
- If you like crunch in your snack then these Crispy Mars Bar balls have fantastic texture and that delicious Mars Bar flavour.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Lucy’s meatloaf
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 zucchinni, grated
- 100g (approx. 2 cups) mushrooms, sliced
- 300g beef mince
- 200g pork mince
- 1/3 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 egg
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, finely grated
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- salt and pepper to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Bring a frying pan to low-medium heat, and add the butter. Gently sauté the garlic and onion for 2 minutes, until translucent.
Add the remaining vegetables and continue to sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
In a large mixing bowl, using your hands to mix together the cooled vegetables and the remaining ingredients until all mixed together thoroughly. Place the mixture into an ungreased loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.
After 45 minutes, remove loaf from oven, carefully drain out the juices and turn onto a baking sheet.
Place back into the oven and cook for a further ten minutes until the outside is turning golden.
Serve sliced meatloaf over mashed potatoes.
Notes:
- This is based on my mum’s recipe and is really fluffy and delicious.
- You don’t have to use the combination of beef and pork mince – if you prefer, all beef mince works just as well (I prefer it this way as the pork is a bit too sausage-y for my taste!).
- You don’t need to use a loaf pan for this; you could place the meat mixture onto a baking sheet or into a glass baking dish and form it into a loaf shape using your hands.
This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Sausages with spiralli
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g beef sausages (plain or flavoured)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 spanish onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 piece broccoli (about 200g), cut into florets
- 1 red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional)
- 250g spiralli pasta
- 100g tomato pesto
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- freshly grated parmesan cheese, to serve
Method
Heat a large non-stick frypan and cook sausages over medium heat.
Remove to a plate.
Heat oil in pan and cook onion until soft, add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add broccoli and chilli (if using) to pan and cook for about 5 minutes until bright green and just tender.
Slice sausages, add to pan and heat through.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of water following packet directions or until al dente.
Drain pasta, stir in tomato pesto, then sausage mixture.
Serve with parmesan.
Notes:
- This is a great quick and tasty pasta recipe.
- Ticks the meat, veg and carb boxes!
- I use gluten-free sausages and pasta to make this meal gluten-free.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Sweet potato and sage tart
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 x packet shortcrust pastry
- 2 brown onions, sliced thinly
- 1 tbsp (20g) butter
- 1 large sweet potato (about 300g)
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup (250ml) cream
- 1/4 cup sage leaves
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
Roll out the pastry and line a 24cm fluted, loose-bottomed tart tin.
Trim the edges then blind bake for 15 minutes.
Gently sweat down the onions and butter in a saucepan over low heat. Cook the onions for about 20 minutes or until collapsed and caramelised. Meanwhile, peel and slice the sweet potato into thin discs. Whisk the eggs, cream and salt and pepper together.
Line the base of the tart with the onions, pour over the egg and cream mixture, top with the sweet potato discs, scatter with sage leaves and season well.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the pastry and top is lovely and golden.
Related vegetarian recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Blind baking is when you bake the pastry before you add the filling.
- You will need to weigh it down with dried lentils or rice so that the pastry does not rise up. You can discard these after baking.
- This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, Australia’s best recipe finder: You can follow Sophie on Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Rich chocolate cake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 90g butter
- 185g packaged cream cheese
- 2/3 cup castor sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup plain flour
- 3/4 cup self-raising flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- 3/4 cup milk
Method
Lightly grease a 22cm springform cake.
Cream butter, cream cheese and sugars in a small bowl with mixture until light and fluffy.
Stir in walnuts, then half the sifted flours and cocoa with the milk, then stir in remaining flours and milk.
Spread into prepared pan. Bake in moderate oven (180C for about 40-50 minutes, or until cooked. Stand for 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool.
Dust with sifted icing icing sugar before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Hot dog and eggwiches
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 hot dog, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- half a teaspoon salt
- dash of pepper
- 2 buttered hot dog buns
Method
A creative hot breakfast that the kids will adore!
In a pan, lightly brown hot dogs in butter.
In small bowl, beat eggs and milk together with salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over hot dogs in pan. As mixture begins to set at bottom and sides, gently pull edges to center to allow liquid part to cook.
Cook until eggs are set, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Place on buns and serve.
Find more:
Serving Suggestions
Note
Easy fish pie
Serves:
4
Ingredients
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 1/4 cups (560mls) whole milk
- 500g fresh salmon fillets (pin-boned)
White sauce
- 1 tbsp (20g) butter
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 1/3 cup (40g) cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 cup (120g) peas, cooked
Topping
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (180C fan-forced) and lightly grease a 22 x 22cm ovenproof ceramic dish.
To cook the fish, place onions, bay leaf, peppercorns and milk in a large saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the fish fillets, cover and let simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain, reserving 2 cups of milk for the white sauce.
To make the sauce, melt butter in a small pan and once bubbling, stir through the flour until texture is coarse and sandy. Remove from heat and add a splash of the reserved milk, whisking until smooth. Return to the heat and gradually add the remaining milk, whisking constantly until you have a smooth, white sauce. Stir through the cheese and season to taste.
Place fish and peas on the base of your baking dish, pour over the sauce and gently mix through. Cut the pastry into one large circle and drape across the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork, brush with egg and bake for 35 minutes and serve.
Find more savoury pie recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You could swap some or all of the salmon for smoked fish, prawns and/or mussels and if you prefer, top with mashed potato instead of pastry.
- Make in advance and either freeze or store in the fridge until needed. It’s perfect to reheat for those cool weeknights when we have sport after school and arrive home late, starving and needing a warm meal in a matter of minutes.
- 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.
Wholemeal apple crumble loaves
These wholemeal apple crumble loaves are a great afternoon treat and the kids can help in nearly every step of the method below. Perfect for winter lunch boxes.
Ingredients
- 3 medium-sized apples
- 1/2 cup (125g) butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (115g) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup (150g) wholemeal self-raising flour
- 1 cup (150g) spelt flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (125g) sour cream
Crumble topping
- 80g butter, cold and cubed
- 1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Method
Heat oven to 180å¡C (160å¡C fan-forced) and grease a 12-hole mini loaf tin or 1-cup capacity muffin tin.
Peel, core and roughly chop the apples and squeeze over the lemon juice to stop them turning brown.
Place the butter, sugars and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and cream until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
Fold in the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, apples and sour cream and divide between the loaf or muffin tins, filling them about three-quarters full.
For the crumble topping, mix all ingredients together in a bowl and work them together with your fingertips until you have a rough crumble.
Divide the crumble mixture across the top of each loaf or muffin and bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through.
Note
- You could add half a cup of chopped toasted walnuts or hazelnuts with the apples.
- Make one large cake instead; a lined 24cm springform tin would be perfect here.
- You could also swap the apple with berries or peeled and chopped pears.
- This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot,åÊNew Zealand’s best recipe finder: You can follow Sophie onåÊLocal is Lovely,åÊFacebook,åÊTwitteråÊoråÊPinterest.
