Swiss cheese fondue
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 garlic clove
- 200ml dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or riesling)
- 200g gruyere cheese, grated
- 200g Emmental cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 2 tablespoons (30ml) kirsch
- cubes of crusty bread, to serve
Method
Peel the garlic clove, slice in half and rub the inside of a heavy-based pan with garlic, then discard garlic. Place pan over low heat, add wine and bring to the boil.
Add cheeses in small handfuls, stirring constantly. Keep stirring for 8-10 minutes until cheese has melted. Mix cornflour with kirsch, add to cheese mixture and stir until the mixture combines into a smooth creamy mixture.
Transfer to a fondue pot set over a lit flame or rest over another pan of just-boiled water.
Keep stirring at the table to prevent the fondue becoming lumpy or sticking to the pan. If the fondue becomes too thick, thin down with some warmed wine.
Serve with bread for dipping.
Notes:
- Much complaint from my husband regarding the smell of the Swiss cheeses. All doors and windows open on a balmy 10C day! It is a little pungent, but the taste is wonderful.
- These cheeses are expensive (and tasty cheese doesnt give you the flavour or stringy consistency), so I have given amounts for a small portion for you to start with. If it is a huge hit, double the quantities next time.
- Kirsch (clear cherry brandy) is about $30 for a bottle. Being a non-drinker, I decided against spending that much for 2 tablespoons! I used the only other clear liqueur we had (Cointreau), which worked beautifully.
- Try other accompaniments such as steamed potatoes, carrot and celery sticks, pickled vegetables, apple and pear wedges.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Blueberry buttermilk cake
Serves:
Serves 10
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (65g) butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (175g) caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup (180ml) buttermilk
- 1 1/3 cups (200g) self-raising flour
- 1 cup (140g) frozen blueberries
- 1 tsp extra sugar
Method
Heat oven to 210°C (190°C fan-forced). Line a round 20cm springform pan with baking paper and set aside.
Melt butter and allow to cool slightly.
Beat sugar, eggs and vanilla together until mixture is light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add melted butter and buttermilk and beat until combined. Add flour and gently mix through.
Stir half the blueberries through and pour mixture into prepared pan. Top with remaining blueberries and bake for 45 minutes or until centre is set and a cake skewer or toothpick comes out clean.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with extra sugar and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Find related cake recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I'm not much of a baker because I like to keep everything low fat. But after much research into low fat baking, I came up with this cake. It’s packed with blueberries which is wonderful and only uses a fraction of the butter of most cakes. Plus it's easy peasy lemon squeezy.
- Make sure you beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for at least 2 minutes until light, pale and fluffy.
- 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.
Black bean brownies
Serves:
Makes 16 fingers
Ingredients
- 1 x 440g tin of black beans, well rinsed and strained
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (75g) sugar-free cocoa
- 3/4 cup (125g) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (75g) wholemeal flour
For ganache:
- 100g good quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pouring cream
- 1 tbsp butter
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line a shallow slice pan.
Put rinsed beans and eggs into a powerful blender and pulse until smooth.
One at a time, add the coconut oil, vanilla extract, cocoa, sugar and flour and whiz between additions to prevent clogging up or uneven blending.
Use a spatula to scrape the mixture into the pan.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean, then turn out onto a cake rack to cool.
To make the ganache, put chocolate, cream and butter into a small saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously until combined and smooth.
Transfer the uncut brownie slab onto a cutting board and pour the ganache over evenly, smoothing with a knife. Wait 10 minutes, or until the ganache sets, before slicing into 16 even fingers.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- The black beans add a certain dense texture to the finished product, which is offset by the icing. If you can’t get a hold of black beans, kidney beans would work nicely, too.
- If you have a wheat intolerance, you could substitute the wholemeal flour for spelt or whichever flour you prefer. And if you don’t have any coconut oil to hand, butter will work in this recipe just as well.
- These Healthy chocolate brownies are made with agave nectar to make them naturally sweet, and pumpkin to keep them nice and moist.
- A fast brownie is a good brownie! And that's exactly why you need to try these delish 3 ingredient Nutella brownies.
- The yummy biscuit base on these Anzac brownies give these little bites a lovely crunchy edge.
- Crank up your regular brownie offering and serve up a batch of these Double choc fudge brownies instead. They are every chocolate lover's dream come true.
- Give ordinary brownies a sweet little Easter twist, with these Caramello egg brownies. They're almost too cute to eat!
- These gluten-free Yummy chocolate brownies are perfect for those with food allergies.
- Here's an easy to way to make a really decadent treat. These Tim Tam brownies are better than you can possible imagine.
- Any time you get a mid-afternoon chocolate craving, just whip together this Microwave brownie for one! You can thank us later.
- Here's a novel way to sneak an extra serve of veggies into the kids' diet. These Zucchini brownies taste so much better than they sound!
- If you're a traditionalist, then you can't go wrong with this recipe for Easy chocolate brownies. Best served with a mug of hot tea or a glass of warm milk.
- This recipe was created by Katie Rainbird for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Katie at Katie180.
Tooty fruity balls
Serves:
10+
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 cup mixed fruit (can be glaced cherries, apricots, sultanas or a mix that you like)
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk,
- Half a plain sponge cake (crumbled)
- Optional grated chocolate
- Melting chocolate (for rolling or dipping)
- Tiny marshmallows (optional)
Method
Place all ingredients in the bowl (except for melting chocolate) and mix together.
Shape into balls and either roll in coconut, or dip in melted chocolate and then add marshmallows for a cool look, or you can roll in Nestle ‘Quik’ and sprinkles for variety and colour.
Great for parties and letting little hands get messy!.
Polar bear cupcakes
Serves:
12
Ingredients
- 125g butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup (180g) sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
- 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
- white icing
- white marshmallows
- black Jelly Belly jelly beans
- black writing icing
- brown M&M Minis
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 12 cup tray with patty cases.
Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence with electric beaters. Add eggs and beat well. Add milk and self-raising flour. Mix with wooden spoon to combine then beat with electric beaters until ingredients are incorporated (don’t overbeat, or cupcakes will be dry and firm). Spoon into patty cases.
Bake for around 12-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire racks.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, ice them with white icing. Use horizontally halved marshmallows as noses, with black jelly beans as snouts. Draw a mouth with black writing icing. Use brown mini M&Ms for eyes. Cut marshmallows in halves vertically and place cut-side down as ears.
Find related cupcake recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can use Betty Crocker vanilla frosting this recipe.
- If the kids are helping you with this recipe, you can get them to cut the marshmallow with scissors for you.
- This recipe is by Alana House.
Mini apple crumbles
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 425g tin pie apples
- ¾ cup self raising flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup oatmeal
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pkt slivered Almonds
- 80g butter
- 10 cloves
- 4 x ramekins (or similar size dish)
Method
Divide apples evenly between dishes
Place 2 cloves in each dish
Combine sifted flour and cinnamon in a bowl, rub in butter, add remaining dry ingredients and mix well
Sprinkle crumble mixture evenly over the four dishes
Bake in a moderate oven for 20-30 minutes
Serve with a dollop of cream or ice cream.
Notes
- As an alternative, raspberries or blueberries can be used instead of apples.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Oven roasted lamb racks with vegetables
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 red capsicum, diced
- 1 large eggplant, diced
- 2 large zucchinis, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 tub of mini Roma tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves
- lamb racks (allow around 3 cutlets per person)
- sea salt
- pesto
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).
Cut vegetables into chunks, toss with smashed garlic cloves, tomatoes and olive oil in a deep oven tray. Sprinkle with sea salt. Season lamb racks with olive oil and salt and add to the tray with the veggies.
Bake for 30 minutes (if interlacing the bones, they’ll need 10 minutes longer). Remove lamb racks to rest. Return veggies to oven for a further 10 minutes.
Slice lamb into cutlets, serve with roasted veggies. Drizzle with pesto.
Find related roast recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you fancy some roast potatoes, cheat and have a two-pan dinner. Simply cut potatoes into roasting pieces and microwave them for 5 minutes with a splash of water. Pat dry and toss with a tablespoon of oil. Arrange on baking paper on a tray. Roast with the lamb racks.
- Also, try experimenting with a different pesto – the other night I served lamb racks with coriander and rocket pesto and some hummus.
- This recipe was created by Alana House for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Baked porridge
Serves:
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1/2 cup walnuts, ground
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
- 2 bananas, finely sliced
- yoghurt or double cream, to serve
Method
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and grease a 20cm square cake pan generously with butter or coconut oil.
In a medium bowl, mix together oats, walnuts, baking powder, allspice and salt.
In another medium bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla, maple syrup and cooled melted butter.
Layer the banana slices across the bottom of the baking dish then cover with the oat mixture.
Slowly drizzle the milk mixture across the top of the oats and tap the tin (or give a gentle shake) to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Slice and serve immediately with a dollop of thick yoghurt or double cream.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Substitute walnuts for whatever nuts you prefer.
- Use a blender or food processor to grind nuts into a coarse meal.
- This dish will keep well in the fridge for up to three days but the bananas will take on a somewhat unappealing grey hue … just cover with more yoghurt or cream!
- Feel free to switch bananas for berries or even apples.
- This Baked cinnamon apple porridge is another mouth-watering way to eat everybody's favourite breakfast.
- Need to eat breakfast on the run? That's easy with Blueberry overnight oats. Just throw it together the night before and all you need to do in the morning is grab a spoon and eat!
- Fussy tots will suddenly change their tune, when presented with a plate of cute-as-a-button Teddy bear toast.
- Got something to celebrate? Then start the day in style! These Ricotta pancakes with honeycomb butter are a great way to kick off a special day.
- Tell someone how you really feel with Love heart French toast. Who wouldn't want to wake up to this?
- Making your own Almond croissants is not as difficult as it sounds. Once you try them, you'll want to make them every weekend!
- Get back to brekkie basics with this Simple pancake recipe. A wake-up treat that nobody could ever refuse.
- Looking for a delish gourmet breakfast? These Prosciutto and egg pies fit the bill perfectly.
- This recipe was created by Katie Rainbird for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Katie at Katie180.
Too-easy lemon slice
Serves:
Makes 48 squares
Ingredients
Egg-free, nut-free (check your biscuits)
- 2 x 200g packets shortbread biscuits (I used Paradise Butterscotch Shortbread)
- 2 cups desiccated coconut
- 400g can skim condensed milk
- 125g butter, melted
- Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped
- Icing
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 30g butter, softened
- 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
Method
Grease a 20cm x 30cm slice tin with butter.
Use a food processor to crush the biscuits, this takes 2-3 batches (if you donÛªt have a food processor, put the biscuits in a strong plastic bag and roll/smash/crunch with a rolling pin).
Place crushed biscuits, coconut, lemon rind and condensed milk in a large bowl.
Melt butter and add to other ingredients, mix well. Firmly press mixture into tray.
To make icing, sift icing sugar into bowl and stir in butter. Add lemon juice one tablespoon at a time until icing is a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Spread slice with icing, sprinkle with coconut, refrigerate until firm and then slice into squares or triangles. Store in the fridge.
Notes:
You can make this recipe in stages. I usually make the base, refrigerate overnight and then ice the next morning ÛÓ also easier to ice when the base is cold ÛÓ then slice when you get a chance.
Chickpea salad
Serves:
Ingredients
- 400g can chick peas, drained
- half a red capsicum, chopped
- 1 Lebanese cucumber, chopped
- 1 punnet grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- half a cup kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 60g salad leaves
- half a cup basil leaves
- half a cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 100g feta, cubed
- 2 tablespoons balsamic dressing
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl.
Whisk balsamic dressing, olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Pour about half the dressing over the salad and toss well.
Add more dressing if needed.
Notes:
- I like to drain the chick peas, rinse in cold water and drain again it gets all the starchy coating off them.
- I didnt have any feta in the fridge, so used some goats cheese, which tasted wonderful, but didnt hold up very well with the tossing.
- Fried squares of haloumi cheese are also fabulous in this dish.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Muesli bar slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apricots, diced
- 1 cup sultanas
- 1 cup craisins (optonal)
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup sunflower kernels
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds(optional)
- 1/4 cup plain flour
- 60g butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
Method
In a large bowl mix together the oats, sunflower kernels,flour,apricots and sultanas.
Melt the butter or margarine, honey and brown sugar in the microwave for 1 minute and add to dry ingredients. Stir in the egg and milk until well combined.
Press into a greased and lined lamington tin and bake for 15 minutes at 180 degrees C.
Cut into slice when cooled. Enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
Note
Best chocolate cake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 125g butter
- 200g brown sugar
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup milk
- 250g flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon warm water
Chocolate Mixture
- 150g bittersweet chocolate (try Whitakers Ghana Dark)
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- few drops vanilla
- 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC and grease a 24cm cake tin.
Make the chocolate mixture first.
Gently melt the chocolate with sugar, milk and vanilla in a saucepan.
Add egg yolk and cook over gentle heat until mixture thickens slightly. Allow to cool.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
Beat egg yolks lightly (reserve whites) and mix yolks with milk, then add to butter mixture alternately with flour.
Add to the cooled chocolate mixture and combine well.
Dissolve baking soda in warm water and stir into mixture.
Whisk egg whites until creamy, then fold into mixture.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until cake tests clean.
Cool cake completely before cutting. This cake does not require icing.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Apple pie
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- half a teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup Kremelta (vegetable shortening), grated
- 5 tablespoons iced water
- 1kg granny smith apples, peeled and cored
- half a cup sugar
- half a teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 50g butter, small cube, chilled
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
Pastry:
Sift flour and salt in to a large bowl.
Add grated copha and begin to cut with two knives until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Make a small well in the middle and add iced water a little at a time.
Using your hands begin to form a dough. It will feel like it will never come together but hang in there it will happen!
Once you have a ball, break in half and shape into two discs, cover with glad wrap and pop in the fridge for 1 hour.
Apple mixture:
Cut apples in half then cut each half into 4-5 slices.
Place apple slices in a medium bowl and cover with sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine then leave.
Preheat oven to 220C and spray a 23cm pie dish with cooking spray.
Remove pastry from fridge, place between two pieces of glad wrap and begin rolling out your base. Once pastry is rolled to the correct size of your pie dish, remove plastic and place in dish, pressing down to fit snuggly.
Add apple mixture then place cubed butter around the tops of the apple.
Roll out your second pastry disc quite thin. Brush the edge of the pastry in the pie dish with eggwash (an egg mixed with a dash of milk) then place the pastry lid on top of apples and press the two pieces of pastry into each other.
Pinch the outside of pastry to make a pattern, brush with eggwash and pop in the oven for 40 minutes.
Remove once browned, leave to cool for at least ten minutes before serving.
Notes
- The filling is very sweet and delicious, therefore you do not need any sugar in the pastry crust.
- If you are not confident about making your own pastry, you can buy ready-made short crust pastry and just make the apple filling.
- Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Breakfast pie
Serves:
Ingredients
- 30g butter, melted
- 6 sheets filo pastry
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 rindless bacon rashers, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 x 400g tin crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 6 tsp thickened cream
- 6 organic or free-range fresh eggs
- a few chives, finely chopped
Method
Lightly brush a 6-cup (large capacity) muffin tin with melted butter.
Take a sheet of filo pastry and brush with melted butter. Fold the pastry into thirds so you have a rectangle, then fold again so it becomes a square. Place the square of filo into one of the muffin holes, then repeat 5 more times to fill the tray.
In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add bacon and onion and cook until bacon is crispy and the onion transparent, stirring frequently to avoid mixture catching on the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, sugar, vinegar and basil and gently simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 mins. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon mixture into filo molds. Pour 1 tsp of cream over the top of the tomato mixture into each pie. (You can be more generous if you desire). Carefully crack an egg into the top of each pie.
Place in the oven for 20 mins or until egg is just set.
Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and chives.
Notes
- When working with filo pastry you need to keep the sheets moist until you are ready to use them. You can lay a moist tea towel over any unused sheets to stop them drying out.
- This recipe was created by Charlie Louie for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Find more breakfast recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
Rice cooker chicken and bacon risotto
Serves:
4
Ingredients
- 30g butter
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 medium brown onion, diced
- 4 rashers middle bacon, diced
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 2 tbsp chicken flavoured stock powder
- 3 cups (750ml) boiling water
- 1 small double chicken breast (500g), diced
- 1 cup (100g) parmesan cheese, grated
- parsley (garnish)
Method
Step 1. Gather all ingredients.
Step 2. Set the rice cooker to cook position and place butter, garlic, onion and bacon into the bowl. Fry until the onion is translucent.
Step 3. Add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes ensuring that the grains are coated in the butter. Add the stock powder, boiling water and chicken. Stir to combine, making sure the cook button is still down.
Step 4. Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes or until the rice is cooked but still has a firm bite. If it is a little dry just add a few tablespoons of water and stir. Stir in parmesan cheese, garnish with parsley and serve.
Find related risotto recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- I used a very basic rice cooker for this recipe and I had to push the button twice to cook to the end.
- Risotto should have a nice creamy finish, which is why we add a little water and parmesan at the end.
- Whenever you cook chicken with bacon, the bacon keeps the chicken pink in colour, even when it is cooked.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Homemade chicken nuggets
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breast fillets (about 600g)
- half a cup plain flour
- 2 eggs
- 4 slices day old bread
- 1/3 cup cornflake crumbs
- 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- half a cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
Method
Tear bread into pieces and whiz in a food processor to get fine bread crumbs.
Slice chicken breasts into bite size pieces. Put the flour on a large square of baking paper.
Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Mix breadcrumbs, cornflake crumbs and parmesan cheese in a bowl. Coat the chicken pieces in flour, dust off, dip in egg wash and then coat in crumb mix. You may need to press the crumbs on. Place the coated chicken pieces onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 180C and bake the chicken for 10 minutes or until cooked through. To make the dipping sauce, combine mayonnaise and sweet chilli sauce in a small bowl.
Serve nuggets with dipping sauce.
Notes:
- This is a great entree or appetiser and prepare in advance and then just bake before serving. Serve with a potato salad and/or green salad for a main meal.
- I love sweet chilli mayo, but my kids are more than happy to stick with good old tomato sauce.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Chicken casserole with pom poms
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 x 415g tin cream of mushroom soup
- 1 x 415g tin cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream
- 1 tbsp chicken stock powder
- 500g cooked chicken, chopped
- 1 x 500g bag frozen Asian-style vegetables
- 1 x 450g frozen pom poms
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. In a 27cm x 19cm ovenproof dish, combine the mushroom soup, chicken soup, cream and stock powder.
Add the chicken and vegetables and combine.
Place pom poms carefully over the top and bake for 45-50 minutes.
Notes:
- This dish was inspired by the Duggar family Tater Tot casserole but I have varied a few things so New Zealand families can find the ingredients here. I also added 500g of vegetables so it is a meal in a dish.
- You can use a rotisserie chicken in this recipe. One whole barbecued chicken de-boned is equal to 500g of cooked chicken.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Find related casserole recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
Strawberry pops
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 pkt skewers
- 1-2 punnet strawberries, hulled, washed and dried
- 1 pkt marshmallows
- 375g choc bits, melted
- 60-100g sprinkles
Method
Pick up a skewer/toothpick; slide on a strawberry followed by a marshmallow, making sure the marshmallow covers the tip.
Dip one half of the strawberry/marshmallow combo in melted chocolate and then dip it into the sprinkles.
Place on a plate and wait for choc to set (5-10 minutes depending on weather)
Eat!
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Kids of all ages LOVE to make these.
- I went to the local day care centre and got the preschoolers to make these and there was lots of excitement. I even heard the comment ‘I want one with a strawberry too’!
- You can swap strawberries for other fruit, and you may want to swap sprinkles for coconut, nuts or even currants.
- Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Kid friendly chefs salad
Serves:
Ingredients
-
- 6 cherry tomato (halved)
- 1/3 capsicum
- 6 slice 97% fat-free ham (deli)
- 50 g cheddar cheese
Method
Prepare vegetables – peel and cut carrot into long sticks; cut cucumber into strips, remove inner seeds if you like; slice tomatoes into halves, slice capsicum.
Prepare proteins – roll up ham slices or cut into long strips. Cut cheese into long strips.
Arrange all ingredients on a plate in groups of individual foods so the child can choose what they like.
Serve with soft wholemeal bread and a glass of milk. Let your child eat with their fingers.
Find more recipes for your kids will love:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Cheese and ham are the cornerstone of a Chef’s salad but after that it’s really what you’ve got hanging around in the fridge. Any combo of vegetables and cold meats or chicken works well. Sometimes I like to add green grapes or a few blueberries for a sweet note.
- If your child is fussy about eating their food separately, arrange the long strips in a nice pattern, grouping the single foods together so “nothing touches each other”.
- This recipe was created by Catherine Saxelby for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Quick fishcakes with oven baked chips
Serves:
Ingredients
For the fishcakes
- 2 potatoes, peeled
- 1 fillet fresh salmon or trout (pin-boned)
- 1 lemon, sliced, plus 1 more zested and juiced
- 50g butter
- 1 tbsp lemon thyme leaves
- 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- a little milk
- a little sunflower oil
For the chips
- 2 more potatoes, unpeeled
- 1 tsp olive oil
Method
For the fishcakes:
Preheat the oven to 220°C conventional (200°C fan-forced).
Cut the peeled potatoes into chunks, place in a saucepan, cover with cold water and cook until tender.
Meanwhile, place the salmon on a piece of foil, top with a few slices of lemon and a teaspoon of the butter and wrap tightly.
Cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until just pink.
Once the potatoes are soft, drain and mash with remaining butter and a splash of milk. Set aside. Once the salmon is cooked, flake into the cooled mashed potatoes and combine remaining ingredients (thyme, parsley, lemon zest and juice) and season to taste.
Form the mixture into about 6 small patties.
Press these into the breadcrumbs and set aside.
For the chips:
Slice the remaining 2 potatoes into chip shapes (I don’t bother to peel them) and place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper.
Gently toss with the olive oil and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
While the chips are cooking, heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan and cook the fishcakes over medium heat for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden and cooked through.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Add colour and zing with sticks of cucumber and carrot and an extra squeeze of lemon or lime.
- If you want some extra vegetables in this recipe, grab a handful of frozen vegetables and add them to the potato mixture.
- 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.
Cheesecake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 250g plain sweet biscuits, crushed 125g butter, melted
- 3 tsp gelatine
- 2 tbsp boiling water
- 250g cream cheese
- 250g cream, whipped
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp grated lemon rind
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
Method
Lightly grease a 20cm/ 9in spring form cheesecake pan with melted butter (or perhaps a little oil). Line the base with baking paper.
Combine the crushed biscuits with the melted butter. Press biscuit mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the spring form cheesecake pan. Refrigerate the cheesecake base while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatine in the boiling water.
In a separate (larger) bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and rind until the mixture is smooth (less than 5 minutes if you’re using an electric mixer).
Add dissolved gelatine to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.
With a large metal spoon, gently fold the whipped cream into the other ingredients.
Pour entire mixture into the cheesecake base and refrigerate until set (approx 6 hours, but overnight is preferable).
Serving Suggestions
Note
Pan fried fish with roasted capsicum sauce
Serves:
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 red capsicums
- 1 brown onion, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, sliced
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 30g butter
- 500g boneless white fish fillets
Method
Heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Place capsicums in a tray and roast for 20-30 minutes until the skin has blackened and blistered. When blackened all over, place into a plastic bag and tie to seal. Leave for 10 minutes to sweat and then you should be able to easily rub the skin off. Remove core and seeds and slice flesh. Set aside.
In a deep frypan, heat oil over gentle heat and cook onion for 6 minutes or until transluscent. Add garlic and fennel seeds and cook for a further minute. Add tomatoes, salt and sugar and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, adding a little water if it gets too dry. Finally, stir through sliced roast capsicum and keep warm.
Heat oil and melt butter in a large frypan and cook fish for 2-3 minutes each side until just cooked through.
Serve with roasted capsicum sauce and some steamed green beans on the side.
Find more fish recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Alternatively, place capsicums directly over the flame of a gas stovetop to char. Turn slowly with the aid of tongs until they're blackened and charred before popping into plastic bags to sweat as described above.
- You can buy roasted capsicum from the deli or in jars at the supermarket if you don't want to make it yourself.
- Any type of firm skinless fish will work in this recipe, e.g. flathead, bream.
- Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Easy coconut loaf
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups self raising flour
Method
Mix all ingredients together and pour into loaf tin.
Cook at 180C for approx 35-40 mins or until skewer comes out clean when you prick the loaf.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Lemon and marjoram roast chicken
Serves:
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 lemon, rind finely grated, juiced
- 2 tbsp fresh marjoram, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 whole chicken, butterflied
- 1 cup natural yoghurt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- tortillas, baby spinach and oven-roasted tomatoes, to serve
Method
Combine lemon rind, juice, marjoram and oil. Place chicken in a non-metallic dish and pour over the marinade, rubbing it well into the skin. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Heat a grill pan over high heat. Remove chicken from marinade, season it well and cook skin side down for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Turn and cook for a further 2 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes until juices run clear.
Meanwhile, combine yoghurt and oil in a small bowl.
Remove chicken from oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Cut it into 4 pieces and serve with spinach, oven-roasted tomatoes and warmed tortillas, with the yoghurt dressing on the side.
Find more chicken recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Ask your butcher to butterfly the chicken or, to do it yourself, cut down both sides of the backbone (sturdy kitchen scissors work well) and remove it, then turn the chicken over and press down on the breastbone to flatten the chicken.
- Starting the cooking process on a chargrill pan or barbecue lends a delicious smoky flavour that will carry through to the finished dish.
- To check if the chicken is cooked, pierce the thigh near the bone with a sharp knife. If the juices are pink or red, it needs more cooking time.
- Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Easy chocolate chip muffins
Serves:
Makes 12
Ingredients
- 2 cup self-raising flour
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 60 g butter
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 3/4 cup choc chips
Method
Preheat oven to 200_C (180_C fan-forced).
Grease a 12 hole muffin pan with cooking spray or butter and line with patty cases.
Sift the flour into a large bowl and then add the sugar. Stir it all together to combine.
Melt butter in the microwave (about 30 seconds or less should do it).
Combine the egg and milk together – beat with a fork.
Add the melted butter, milk and egg mixture plus a teaspoon of vanilla essence to the dry ingredients in the large bowl.
Now add the chocolate chips and gently mix with a spoon until it is just combined.
Spoon mixture evenly into the muffin tin, about one tablespoon per muffin case.
Bake for 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack (or better yet, eat them hot, straight out of the oven, Yum!)
Find more after school snacks
Serving Suggestions
Note
- This is the perfect basic muffin recipe that be adjusted by adding different ingredients.
- Substitute blueberries or sultanas for the choc chips if you want a healthier option.
- For the lightest, fluffiest muffins, be careful not to over-mix these. Just stir it all together until combined.
- This recipe was created by Penny Flanagan for Kidspot.
