Honey joys

Honey joys

Serves:

24 honey joys

Ingredients

  • 120g butter
  • 1/4 cup (60g) caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 4 cups gluten-free cornflakes

Method

Preheat oven to 180å¡C (160å¡C fan-forced). Place 24 paper cases in cupcake or muffin trays.

Place butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil and then remove from heat. Place cornflakes in a large bowl, add honey mixture and stir (gently) to combine.

Spoon mixture into paper cases and bake for 10 minutes,åÊor until lightly golden. Gently lift cases out of trays and cool on wire racks. Once fully cooled, store in airtight containers for up to a week.

Note

  • Great for school fundraisers, parties, lunch boxes and after school treats.
  • Gluten-free cornflakes are in the health food section of the supermarket.
  • Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Pasta with tuna and tomatoes

Pasta with tuna and tomatoes

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 500g penne, rigatoni or similar
  • 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 425g tin tuna in olive oil
  • 1 lemon, zest
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
  • parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

Method

Cook pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and return to saucepan.

Toss with tomatoes, tuna (including its oil), lemon zest and parsley. Season well.

Serve with parmesan cheese.

More pasta recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Increase the vegetable component  by adding some grated carrot and zucchini.
  • Serve cold as a salad for the lunch box or a picnic.
  • 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.

Caramel coconut slice

Caramel coconut slice

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • ½ cup plain flour
  • ½ cup self-raising flour
  • ½ cup desiccated coconut
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • 100g unsalted butter, melted
  • 385g can sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 tbsp golden syrup
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 60g unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2/3 cups caster sugar
  • 2 cups desiccated coconut
  • 2 cups shredded coconut

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a rectangular slice pan.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flours, coconut, sugar and 100g melted butter. Press the mixture evenly across the slice pan.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the base is lightly golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, combine the condensed milk, golden syrup, brown sugar and 60g melted butter to make a caramel in a small bowl.

Combine the eggs, sugar and both types of coconut together in a small bowl.

Once the base has cooled, pour the caramel onto the base and spread it evenly.

Add the coconut topping over the caramel and spread out evenly.

Bake for 20-25 mins, or until the coconut topping is golden brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before slicing.

Notes:

  • This is a lovely slice that has a tasty combination of crunchy coconut and smooth caramel.
  • The recipe for the caramel in this recipe is delicious! I think it would make a yum dessert poured on ice-cream.
  • If you don’t have both desiccated and shredded coconut, you could just use one or the other.

FIND MORE

  • This recipe was created by Ella Walsh for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

Note

No-cook tomato and basil pasta sauce

No-cook tomato and basil pasta sauce

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1 kg ripe tomatoes
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive-oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/3 cup basil leaves, torn
  • Ground pepper
  • 1 large clove garlic, bruised (see instructions below)
  • 250g fresh mozzarella cheese, chopped or grated
  • 450g pasta shells

Method

Quarter the tomatoes, removing and discarding the cores and all the seeds.

Chop the quarters into smaller pieces and place into a large bowl along with oil, salt, basil and pepper.

To bruise the garlic clove, peel the clove and smash with the pestle from a mortar and pestle or something equally as heavy, but ensure the clove stays in one piece.

Add the garlic to the tomatoes and stir. Using a fork, press down on the tomatoes and basil until they are slightly crushed.

Add the mozzarella and leave to infuse while the pasta is cooking.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the packet directions.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain and toss the tomato sauce through, removing the garlic clove, and serve immediately.

 

 

Notes:

  • This is surprisingly delicious, especially if you use vine-ripened tomatoes. (And I’m really surprised because I don’t really love raw tomatoes!)
  • Removing the seeds from the tomatoes gets rid of that acidity that makes some people (like me) dislike them.
  • For a more adult version, try adding 2 teaspoons of dried chili flakes with the oil.
  • For the ultimate in simple and divine dining, buy fresh pasta such as papardelle (the really wide long noodles) for this recipe – it’s worth it!
  • This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Slow cooker lasagne

Slow cooker lasagne

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 medium brown onions, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1kg minced beef
  • 2 x 140g tubs tomato paste
  • 1 bottle (700g) passata (tomato cooking sauce)
  • 2 x 400g tins diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp Italian dried herbs
  • 700ml water
  • 1 tub (250g) low-fat cottage cheese
  • 250g grated parmesan cheese
  • 250g grated mozzarella cheese + 100g mozzarella for the top layer
  • 1 pkt (250g) large instant lasagne sheets

Method

In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the onions and garlic. Fry until the onions are translucent and then add the mince. Brown the mince and add the tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes. Add the passata, tomatoes, herbs and water, and stir to mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the three cheeses together.

Spoon a few tablespoons of the meat sauce over the base of your slow cooker. Layer lasagne sheets over the sauce and then crumble one quarter of the cheese mix over the sheets. Repeat layering – sauce, lasagne sheets, cheese – and end with a layer of meat sauce.

Cook in the slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours. Twenty minutes before cooking is complete, sprinkle over additional mozzarella cheese and replace lid. Serve with salad and garlic bread.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You may need to break the lasagne sheets up to fit them into your slow cooker. I have a rectangular cooker with rounded edges so I just broke off some corners.
  • I like to also sprinkle nutmeg on the cheese mixture for a hint of bechamel flavour.
  • Don’t worry if you think the sauce seems really thin – the lasagne sheets soak up a lot of sauce.
  • If you don’t have time (or patience!) to wait for this slow cooked lasagne, whip up this speedy lasagne in a hurry in a frying pan instead. It has all the same delicious flavours without needing to be baked or slow cooked.
  • For a lasagne made the traditional way, check out this classic lasagne recipe.
  • Give everyone’s favourite dinner a twist by making chicken lasagne instead of beef. It’s easy, kids love it and you can also sneak some vegetables into the sauce.
  • If you are cooking for vegetarians, or just taking part in Meat Free Mondays, this vegetarian lasagne is simply delicious and fans of roasted pumpkin garlic and ricotta lasagne say it’s even nicer than the traditional meat one!
  • Did you know you can cook lasagne in your dishwasher?! We didn’t believe it either so we tested this recipe. Turns out it’s actually very nice! Here’s how you can do it too.
  • If you want a lighter cheese sauce, this recipe for lamb and ricotta lasagne is a deviation from the traditional Italian lasagne and uses ricotta rather than bechamel sauce.
  • Cute! These individual-sized lasagnes are perfect for kids.
  • Use up leftover sausages by making sausage and spinach lasagne 
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot.

Lamb and corn couscous

Lamb and corn couscous

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (125ml) water
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup couscous
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1/2 cup creamed corn
  • 1 small lamb chop or small slice of roast lamb

Method

In a small saucepan, bring the water, oil and salt to boil. Pour in the couscous and stir. Remove from heat and cover – leave for around 3 minutes or until all water has been absorbed.

Swirl in butter and return to low heat, stirring until mixed and no longer lumpy.

Remove from heat and stir in creamed corn.

Using a fine grater, grate the piece of lamb and sprinkle over the top of the couscous. Serve immediately.

Find related baby recipes 

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If you’d prefer to use fresh corn, cook a single corn on the cob in boiling water for 10 minutes or until cooked. Cut kernels from the cob and either puree with a dash of milk, or for a lumpier version crush corn with a fork.
  • You can replace the corn with mashed pumpkin for another flavour, if you prefer.
  • Looking for more ways to feed the entire family with just ONE meal? This Easy beef casserole will do the trick!
  • For dessert, every member of the family from big to small, will devour this Baked custard with gusto.
  • These Homemade teething rusks are great for babies who are cutting new teeth, and are so much nicer than what you can buy in the shops.
  • Does your little one suffer from constipation? Some Stewed prunes could be just what the doctor ordered.
  • This Fruity chicken and rice recipe is great for babies who are ready to try some lumpier food.
  • Yummy served either hot or cold, these French toast soldiers make a great take-anywhere-snack.
  • Forget the shop-bought stuff packed with additives, this Homemade yoghurt is just as delish, and much better for them.
  • This Beetroot and chickpea dip is totally nutritious and the bright colour makes it irresistible to the tiny folk.
  • Start their day with a bang! Serve up a bowl of Banana, yoghurt and honey porridge and watch that little face light up.
  • Spoil your baby with this lip-smacking Weet-Bix custard. So delish you'd better make a little bit extra!
  • This recipe was created by Belinda Graham from The Happy Home. You can see her on Facebook, find her on Twitter and see her lovely boards on Pinterest.

Best ever chocolate brownies

Best ever chocolate brownies

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plain flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (good quality)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup dark chocolate
  • 1/4 cup espresso coffee (liquid) (strong)
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 3/4 cup caster sugar
  • 2 egg (large)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs low-fat sour cream

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line a 20cm square pan with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.

Place chocolate, espresso and butter into bowl, then place bowl over small saucepan 1/3 filled with water and bring to gentle simmer. Melt and set aside to cool slightly.

While chocolate is melting whisk eggs, vanilla and sour cream together. Mix egg and chocolate mixtures together with sugar and fold through dry ingredients until just combined (if you over mix it, the brownies will be crumbly).

Pour into pan and bake for 14-16 mins until just set. It may look uncooked to your practiced baking eye, but it will continue to cook in the pan while cooling. Cool brownies completely in the pan and store in an airtight container.

Find more chocolate recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • These brownies are great for freezing – just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
  • Brownies usually use a lot of butter, chocolate and eggs, but you don’t need a lot to get a lovely fudgy consistency. The key is to use quality cocoa and chocolate – this gives you all the flavour without the fat.
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Zucchini linguine with pesto

Zucchini linguine with pesto

Ingredients

  • 4 zucchini
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp butter
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup basil pesto
  • parmesan cheese

Method

Cut ends from zucchini and use a peeler to cut long strips. Place on a chopping board in stacks and slice into strands.

Place zucchini linguine in a colander and add salt, tossing to combine. Allow any liquid to drain away.

Heat butter and oil in a frypan over medium heat. Add zucchini and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.

Remove from heat and add pesto, tossing to coat. Serve with parmesan.

Note

  • There are fancy tools available such as spiralisers that turn vegetables into strands. You could also use a mandoline if you have one. The method described here doesn‰t require any specialty equipment.
  • Don‰t limit yourself to pesto. You could also serve the zucchini linguine with bolognaise or your favourite tomato-based pasta sauce.
  • This recipe was created by Greer Worsley for Kidspot.

Upside-down apple cake

Upside-down apple cake

Ingredients

  • 1 x 400g tin pie apples
  • 2 eggs
  • å_ cup white sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 70g butter
  • 60ml (å_ cup) low fat milk
  • å_ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Method

Heat oven to 180å¡C or 160å¡C fan-forced. Line a square baking tin (20cm x 20cm) with baking paper. Pour apples over the base of the baking tin and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick. This should take around 5 minutes and is important in getting that lovely light, airy texture.

Melt butter with milk and leave to cool slightly before adding to egg mixture. Beat lightly to incorporate.

Sift in cinnamon, flour and baking powder and gently fold to incorporate. Pour over apples and bake for 30-35 minutes. Have a look at the 30-minute mark and see how you go. The cake should be golden brown with a soft texture, but not wobbly.

Allow to cool in the tin.

Notes:

  • You can serve this cake warm or cold. It also freezes well for up to three months.
  • 798kj (190cals); 6.9g total fat (4g saturated fat)
  • This recipe was written by Jay Rogers for Kidspot,åÊNew Zealand’såÊbest recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

Blueberry buckle cake recipe

Blueberry buckle cake recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • half a tsp salt
  • half a cup milk
  • 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Crumble topping

  • 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • half a cup plain flour
  • half a  tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened

Method

Preheat oven to 190C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.

Cream together the sugar, butter and egg.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir into the sugar mixture, alternating with milk.

Stir in blueberries and pour into the prepared tin.

To make topping, combine all the ingredients and rub together until the mixture resembles soft breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle the crumble topping over the cake batter.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

Serve hot with cream.

Notes

  • I stumbled on this old-fashioned American cake when I was looking for a recipe other than Blueberry muffins to use blueberries.
  • I was intrigued by the name ‰after all, what is a buckle cake? After a little googling, I discovered that it is a single layer cake that has a heavy batter on the bottom covered in fruit and then a streusel topping. As the cake cooks, the heavier batter begins to buckle and push the topping upwards. Apparently.
  • I had a bit of trouble deciding whether the cake was cooked or not the cooked blueberries liquidise and make the cake appear uncooked. After stabbing my cake in various places with a skewer I decided it was actually cooked at the 45 minute mark, and it was perfectly cooked when I cut into it.
  • Blueberries are considered a super-food and I don‰t think you can have enough recipes that include them. This cake is perfect to have with a cup of tea at morning tea.
  • This recipe was created by Ella Walsh for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Related blueberry recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

Honey and tea ice cream

Honey and tea ice cream

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup loose leaf tea
  • 9 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup honey
  • 1 x ice cream maker (or see notes below if you don't have one)

Method

Combine the cream and milk in a heavy-based medium saucepan.

Bring to a gentle simmer over a medium heat, then add the tea and remove from the heat. Cover and steep for 15 minutes.

Place the egg yolks, sugar and honey in a large bowl and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes or until the mixture is thick and creamy.

Gradually whisk the milk mixture into the egg mixture to blend.

Return the custard to the same saucepan.

Cook the custard over a medium to low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes, or until the custard coats the back of the spoon. Do not allow the custard to boil or it will curdle.

Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve and into a large bowl.

Set the bowl of ice cream base over another large bowl of ice water and stir the mixture until it is cold.

Pour the chilled mixture into ice cream maker and process according to instructions or until almost set, remove ice cream from machine to a storage container and freeze ice cream covered until serving.
 

Notes

  • If you don't have an ice cream maker at home you can still make this delicious ice cream. An ice cream maker breaks up the icey crystals to make the ice cream smoother as it freezes. You do the same thing by removing it from the freezer every half and hour for 2 hours and giving it a vigourous stir. After 2 hours it is usually close to frozen and ready to eat.
  • Make sure that you do chill your mixture before putting it into the freezer. Otherwise it will raise the temperature of the freezer and it's contents.
  • This recipe is ideal when you have a dinner party and want to make something a little bit special.
  • This recipe was created by Coles Australia.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Tim Tam brownies

Tim Tam brownies

Serves:

10

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (120g) self-raising flour, sifted
  • 1 1/4 cups (285g) white sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180g) butter
  • 1 pkt (200g) Tim Tams

Method

Step 1. Gather all ingredients together. Line a slice tray (15cm x 30cm) with baking paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

Step 2. Place flour, sugar and cocoa in a bowl and mix together. Add eggs, vanilla and butter and whisk until combined. Place 4-5 tablespoons of brownie mixture into the tray and spread to cover the base.

Step 3. Place 2 rows of 5 Tams on top of the brownie mixture. Pour remaining mixture into the tin and smooth over to cover the Tim Tams.

Step 4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly baked through. Cool and cut into squares or fingers and serve.

Tim Tam brownies

 

Find related brownie recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can use any of your favourite chocolate biscuits to hide in this brownie mixture. I do like the idea of a Mint Slice hiding in there.
  • Baking time on these brownies will vary on how you like your brownies. If you want them soft and gooey then 25 minutes is perfect. If you want them firmer I would bake them for 35 minutes.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

Cheddar star biscuits

Cheddar star biscuits

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 cup plain flour
  • one  cup wholemeal flour
  • half a teaspoon salt
  • one cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 100g butter, diced and chilled
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon iced water

Method

In a food processor add flours, salt and cheese. Blend until combined (about 10 seconds).

Add butter; pulse until it has a breadcrumb texture.

With the motor running, pour in water and egg yolks – it will look like small grains.

Stop the motor, turn mixture into a medium bowl and kneed together with your hands.

Once in a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in glad wrap and pop into the fridge for 20 minutes to firm up.

Preheat oven to 180C. Roll out dough on a floured board until 2 cm thick. Grab the kids and their favourite cutters and start cutting shapes.

Place on a baking tray with baking paper and cook for 15 minutes.

Cook on wire rack.

Notes

  • When working the pastry, try not to kneed it for too long; as soon as it is well combined, let it cool down in the fridge.
  • These biscuits store well in an airtight container for about a week.
  • You can top them with ham, roast chicken, vegemite and butter or just eat them as is.
  • These are also great for adult parties as a crouton for smoked salmon and cream cheese.
  • Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealand best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Easy banana cake

Easy banana cake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 125g butter and dash of vanilla essence
  • ¾ cup castor sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas – use 4 if you like it really banana-y
  • 200g light sour cream
  • 2 cups self raising flour
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Method

Cream butter, vanilla and sugar.Add eggs and mix.

Mash bananas and mix in sour cream. Add to rest of mixture.

Add all dry ingredients to banana mixture. Mix slowly.

Bake at 180ºC for 45 minutes.

Related baking recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This makes a deliciously moist cake. It is fine on it’s own without icing and a perfect cake for afternoon tea.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Haloumi with chorizo and tomatoes

This haloumi is pan-fried and topped with a combination of spicy chorizo sausage and cherry tomatoes. This is a perfect weekend brunch and a great light meal for supper.

Haloumi with chorizo and tomatoes

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 chorizo sausages, sliced
  • 1 cup ripe, sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 400g haloumi, sliced
  • 1 handful basil leaves

Method

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the chorizo and tomatoes. Cook until coloured, stirring often.

Remove the tomatoes from the pan with a slotted spoon, taking care to leave the oil in the pan. Set aside in a warm place.

Reheat the pan and fry the haloumi for a few minutes on each side until golden.

Remove the haloumi to a plate and top with chorizo, tomatoes and fresh basil leaves.

You could serve this with warm bread rolls or pile this mixture on top of some linguine. It would also be great sitting on a bed of baby spinach or new season rocket.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Find more breakfast recipes:

This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Sophie on Local is LovelyFacebookTwitter or Pinterest.

Slow cooker meatballs

Slow cooker meatballs

Serves:

These delicious meatballs are big and juicy and come in their own beautiful tomatoey sauce. They sit perfectly on spaghetti and taste great with a sprinkle of fresh parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 500g beef mince
  • 250g Italian sausage, skin removed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • Salt and pepper

Sauce

  • 1 tin diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 1/2 green capsicum diced
  • 1 cup beef stock
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp Italian herb mix
  • 1 tsp sugar

Method

Meatballs

Preheat oven to 180 C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

In a large bowl mix the eggs and milk and add the rest of the ingredients for the meatballs.

Mix thoroughly and form 2 cm ball and place on baking tray.

Cook for 15 mins in the oven. Place in slow cooker.

Sauce

Pour all of the sauce ingredients into the slow cooker, stir and cover.

Cook on low for 4-5 hours.

Serve over spaghetti with extra parmesan cheese.

Notes

    • Buy a double quantity of meat and make an extra batch of meatballs to freeze for later That way you have a head-start next time you want to make this recipe.
    • One quantity of this make 36 meatballs which should easily feed a family of 6 if you serve it on spaghetti.
    • Get the kids to help you roll the meatballs. They are more likely to eat food they have had a hand in preparing.

Related meatball recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

Tex-Mex bean burgers

Tex-Mex bean burgers

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 tins borlotti beans, rinsed
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs, plus ¼ cup more for rolling
  • 2 tablespoons whole-egg mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup coriander, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons more for frying
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 hamburger buns
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • 2 small tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 avocado, mashed
  • Butter for toasted buns
  • Tasty cheese slices
  • 1½ cups salad greens

Method

Place the beans, ½ cup breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, coriander, 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper into a food processor and process gently until combined but still chunky.

Remove mixture and gently roll into 6 balls and then press into patties. Dredge each patty in the remaining breadcrumbs and set aside.

Bring a frying pan or barbecue grill to a medium heat , then add 3 tablespoons oil. Carefully add each patty and cook on each side for about 2 minutes until golden. Add a slice of cheese to the cooked side of the patty. Remove the patty from the heat when the cheese has melted.

In the meantime, slice and toast the buns under the grill. Spread the bottom half of the bun with avocado, add salad greens, and butter the top half.

Place the bean patty on top of the greens, top with tomato, a dollop of sour cream and the other half of hamburger bun.

Serve immediately.

 

Serving Suggestions

Note

Notes:

  • I love my sandwiches and burgers to be crunchy, so feel free to stick a few good-quality corn chips inside the burger before you serve.
  • Make each patty an appropriate size for whoever will be eating it – this recipe will make six adult portions so you could get 10 smaller patties out of the mixture for kids.
  • This is so delicious! This recipe easily wins over anyone who is normally suspicious of veggie burgers.
  • This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Béarnaise sauce

B̩arnaise sauce

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp black peppercorns
  • ½ cup (125ml) white wine vinegar
  • 2 eschallots, peeled and finely diced
  • ¼ cup loosely packed tarragon, leaves and stems, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup loosely packed chervil, leaves and stems, finely chopped
  • 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 125g butter, at room temperature, cubed

Method

Crush the peppercorns in a mortar and pestle until they form a coarse powder. Place this, with the white wine vinegar, eschallots and herbs, into a small saucepan over a high heat. Bring mixture to the boil and let bubble (uncovered) for 5 minutes or until reduced by half. 

Strain this liquid into a bowl, extracting as much moisture as possible. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water), add egg yolks and whisk for a couple of minutes or until mixture starts to thicken. 

Add the butter, one cube at a time, whisking constantly. Don’t add another cube until the previous one is incorporated into the sauce. Once all of the butter has been added, remove bowl from heat and season to taste. Keep sauce warm and covered.

Notes:

  • Béarnaise sauce is am emulsified sauce. It is really important that you follow the direction for the ingredients to be at room temperature as it can really make a difference to the success of the sauce.
  • If you aren’t going to serve your sauce immediately, you can lay cling film over the surface of this sauce so it doesn’t develop a 'skin' on top.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zeaalnd’s best recipe finder.  You can follow Sophie on Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.

 

Serving Suggestions

Note

French raspberry butter cake

French raspberry butter cake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 250g butter, room temperature
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 4 eggs
  • 250g self raising flour
  • 1 cup raspberries

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Butter a 20cm springform cake tin and set aside.

Cream butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla paste and then the eggs 1 at a time, beating well between each addition.

Fold through the flour and finally the raspberries. Pour the mixture into the tin.

Bake for about 35 minutes. It will be ready when the sides of the cake are just beginning to pull away from the cake tin and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Let the cake cool on a wire rack.

Notes:

  • You can skip the fruit in this cake and make it as a beautiful plain vanilla cake. This served with warm chocolate sauce and ice cream is my husband’s ideal dessert. Otherwise swap the raspberries for apples, pears, plums or any other fruit.
  • Instead of vanilla, you could add a teaspoon of finely grated orange rind, some mixed spice or a tablespoon or two of cocoa.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

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Roasted tomato pesto

Roasted tomato pesto

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup olive oil + an extra drizzle
  • 1kg ripe tomatoes
  • 1 red capsicum, deseeded and cut into rustic chunks
  • 1 head garlic
  • 3/4 cup cashews
  • 50g parmesan cheese

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan-forced . Pour a little oil on a large oven tray (or you can use two oven trays!) and spread it about. Add the tomatoes, capsicum and the whole head of garlic. Toss to coat in oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes or until starting to caramelise. Allow to cool.

In a food processor, process the cashews, parmesan and an extra drizzle of olive oil until processed, but still quite lumpy. Squeeze the garlic from the roasted head and add that to the food processor.

Also add the tomatoes and capsicum, a pinch of sea salt and some ground black pepper. Pulse until combined and of pesto consistency.

Find more pesto recipes

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Note

  • Eat on toast, sandwiches, spooned onto cold roast meats, under cheese on toast, over pasta and in soup! YUM!
  • You can use fresh tomatoes for this recipe, or you can drain tinned tomatoes and use those instead.  That’s a total win, because it means you can make this season in and out.
  • This recipe was created by Pip Lincolne for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Pip at Meet me at Mike’s or on Pinterest and Twitter.

Simple French onion potato bake

Simple French onion potato bake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 kg potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 4 brown onions, peeled and sliced into rings
  • 1 pkt French onion soup mix
  • 600ml pouring cream

Method

In a large baking dish layer onions, potatoes and soup mix in that order until all ingredients are used ending with potatoes as the last layer.

Pour cream evenly across the dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 50mins at 180C.

Notes

  • This recipe can also be made in the microwave oven. Just place the ingredients in a dish and cover. Microwave for 45-50 mins.
  • Its also nice served with a nice salad for lunch
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

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Savoury scones

Savoury scones

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 240g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 small stock cubes of your choice
  • 30g butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup milk, approximately
  • Flour, extra to roll and dust

Method

Turn oven to 160’C. Lightly grease an oven tray.

Sift together flour and salt in a large bowl.

Crumble stock cube into mixture and stir through well.

Rub butter into the flour mix, by rubbing between fingertips until it becomes a breadcrumb-like consistency.

Stir in milk slowly until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough. This may take less or more milk depending upon the brand of flour you use.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead and roll out to a 3cm thickness.

Cut out scones with a small glass or round cutter and place on baking tray with about 1/2 cm between each scone. Brush with milk if desired.

Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown on top.

Serve warm with butter and/or cheese

Notes:

  • If you are using powdered stock, 2 teaspoons is ample.
  • This is family-friendly recipe so get your kids to help you.
  • Keep the scones in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 1 month.

 

Related scones articles:

This is Moira Gillard’s recipe – adapted by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

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Veggie fritters

Great if you want to use up veggies in the fridge, these wholesome fritters are wonderful with a rasher of crispy bacon and a poached egg. Use whatever combo takes your fancy for a light lunch or breakfast side.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 cup grated cheese
  • 1/4 cup chopped veggies (grated carrot, zucchini, potato, silverbeet chopped finely, corn, peas – pretty much whatever is in fridge)
  • butter or oil for cooking

Veggie fritters

Beat together flour and egg with two tablespoons of milk, unitl it is a reasonably thick, smooth batter (add a little more add milk if necessary).

Add cheese and veggies to mixture, combine well.

Heat oil or butter in mid-heat frypan. Drop tablespoon-lots of fritter mix into pan.

Flip over fritters when bubbles appear on top and bottom is golden.

Note:

  • Use a mix of butter and oil to fry the fritters in as it has a higher smoke point

Baked penne with fennel meatballs

Baked penne with fennel meatballs

Serves:

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 cup (100g) wholemeal breadcrumbs
  • 600g minced beef
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup (40g) parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 2 tbsp sage, chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 red onions, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
  • 500g penne
  • 1/4 cup basil leaves
  • 1 cup (80g) parmesan, freshly shaved

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C or 180°C fan.

To make the meatballs; combine all ingredients in a bowl and season to taste. Wet your hands and roll the meat mixture into small balls (about half the size of a golf ball works for me). Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, in batches.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium and cook onions until soft and translucent. Tip in the canned tomatoes, lower heat and cook for 15 mins. Season to taste.

Cook penne according to packet instructions. Drain, keeping 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and tip back into the saucepan. Carefully stir through the meatballs, cheeses and basil. Add the reserved pasta cooking liquid to thin the dish out and then tip into a large (8-cup capacity) baking dish.

Sprinkle with the parmesan and cook for 20 mins or until bubbly and golden.

Notes

  •  If you don’t think your kids will like the fennel then either leave it out or swap for extra herbs.
  • If you’d like this dish to be extra ‘cheesy’, then dot some bocconcini cheese on the top before baking.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen

 

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Pasta bits with cherry tomatoes and pesto

Pasta bits with cherry tomatoes and pesto

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 375g packet fresh lasagne sheets
  • 4 tablespoons prepared pesto
  • 250g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • freshly grated parmesan, to serve

Method

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Rip lasagne sheets into large bite size pieces (this bit is very fun). Place lasagne bits in pot, return to the boil and cook for 2-3 minutes until al dente. Drain into a colander, return pasta to the pot and stir through pesto and tomatoes. Serve garnished with parmesan.

Notes:

  • This is a super quick dish. By all means make it more time consuming (but also more tasty) by making your own pasta and pesto!
  • I had been to the farmers market the day I made this pasta, so we had it with amazing Italian and fennel sausages AND locally grown cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes were so tasty and sweet if you have inferior tomatoes, roast them in a bit of olive oil at 180C until starting to collapse, this really intensifies their flavour.

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Best baked beans ever

Best baked beans ever

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups dried lima beans, soaked overnight
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 red onions, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, plus one garlic clove extra for bread
  • 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 loaf sourdough bread
  • Parmesan and parsley to serve

Method

Drain the beans of their soaking water, place in a saucepan, cover with fresh cold water and cook for about 35 minutes, or until the beans are tender and cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook the onions in a saucepan with the olive oil over a medium heat. Once soft and translucent (about five minutes), add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir through the tomatoes and cook for about five minutes before pouring in the drained, cooked beans.

Toast the sourdough in nice thick slices (I use the grill for this). As soon as the slices are golden on each side, remove from heat and rub with a garlic clove then drizzle with a little olive oil. To serve, place a piece of bread in the centre of each plate and spoon over the beans.

Notes:

  • Dried beans are a staple in our house; delicious, healthy and cheap – they tick all my boxes. I usually make up (that is, soak overnight, drain then cook in boiling water until tender) a batch of beans once a week and then freeze them in snap-lock bags. They can be added to most dishes still frozen.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

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Meatloaf cupcakes

Meatloaf cupcakes

Serves:

Ingredients

Frosting:

  • 1kg potatoes (the varieties recommended for creamy mash)
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 25-50g butter
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) cream or milk
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp dill, chopped
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes

Meatloaf:

  • 1kg minced beef (or 500g Pork and 500g beef)
  • Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1 red capsicum
  • 1 onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 2 eggs, lightly beated
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • handful of parsley
  • generous pinch of rosemary

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced)

Steam or boil peeled potatoes.

Mash and whisk potatoes with all the other frosting ingredients except the dill and paprika (while warm) to make cheesy creamy mash potatoes. Put aside to cool.

Place all meatloaf ingredients into a bowl and combine well using clean hands.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Place a large handful of mixture into each liner.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Stick a skewer into it to make sure it's cooked through. Remove from muffin tray and leave to cool for about 10 mins.

Spoon potato mixture into a piping bag.  Pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle dill and paprika over the top of the frosting to look like sprinkles and then top with a cherry tomato.

Find related mince recipes

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Note

  • Cook the potatoes first because you want to give them time to cool before piping onto the cupcakes. 
  • Unlike normal cupcakes these don't rise in the baking so make the top nice and round to get a muffin top and press it into the muffin tray to get the base shape.
  • You can use rolled oats or breadcrumbs in your mixture but I found oats give a better texture. 
  • If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a zip-lock sandwich bag and snip the end off.
  • Other modifications can be to swirl tomato sauce or caramel balsamic over the top like chocolate sauce.
  • This recipe was created by Alexandra Morey.

Mini burgers

Mini burgers

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • half a cup breadcrumbs
  • 8 slices cheese
  • 250g cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup baby spinach leaves
  • 5 slices bread

Method

Combine mince, water, tomato paste and breadcrumbs and mix well. Form 2 tablespoons of mixture into mini burgers, you will make about 20. Heat a non-stick frypan to medium heat and cook burgers in two batches. Cook for 3-4 minutes each side and turn only once.

Use scone cutters to cut 4 circles out of each slice of bread. Top each round of bread with a spinach leaf or two, a small piece of cheese, a burger and a slice of tomato. Serve with tomato sauce.

Notes:

  • I usually make half a batch of mini burgers and the rest are adult sized to reduce the rolling and fiddling around with mini bits of food!
  • I had some leftover bacon and onion in the fridge, so added these to the grown up burgers.
  • And for fun if it is Valentines Day time of the year, I used my heart shape cutter for the bread. It never ceases to amaze me how a simple change of shape suddenly makes food appealing to my kids!

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