Allergen: Contains Eggs

Chicken and avocado tortilla wraps

Chicken and avocado tortilla wraps

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 shallots, finely sliced
  • 1 avocado, flesh diced
  • 4 tortillas
  • 1 cup tasty cheese, grated
  • 30g baby spinach

Method

In a bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, shallots and avocado and season well.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.

Lay a tortilla on a board in front of you and sprinkle a quarter of the cheese across the middle. Top with a quarter of the spinach and a quarter of the chicken mixture. Roll tightly then place seam-side down on the grill plate.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until lightly toasted. Turn and cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Repeat with remaining ingredients.

More Mexican recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Use a good quality whole egg mayonnaise.
  • Try adding a handful of chopped dill or parsley for a big flavour hit.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Beef and feta koftas

Beef and feta koftas

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 500g beef mince
  • 120g feta cheese, grated
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Method

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except oil. Season well. Form into small balls. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat oil in a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook meatballs for 4-6 minutes, turning often, until they are golden on all sides and cooked through.

Serve with warm flatbreads, salad and natural yoghurt.

Find related meatball recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can use tortillas, Lebanese bread or pita bread to wrap the kofta.
  • Make a simple yoghurt dressing by combining a cup of natural or Greek yoghurt with a tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.
  • This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Easy gnocchi

Easy gnocchi

Serves:

Ingredients

Gnocchi

  • 1kg desiree potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 250g plain flour + a little extra

Tomato sauce

  • 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 tins (400g) diced tomatoes
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • sprig of fresh herbs

Method

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and reduce heat to simmer. Add 1 tsp salt and cook until tender then drain.

Make tomato sauce by processing carrot, onion and garlic in the blender until finely diced.  Add 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan or large frypan and fry the diced mix for 5 minutes or so over a medium low heat.

Add tomato paste and mix well. Add tinned tomatoes. Stir well. Add 1/2 cup water and simmer for 20 minutes or so over a low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste and leave on a low simmer.

Mash boiled potatoes well with a masher until smooth.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Mix in egg and flour with a wooden spoon until a sticky dough forms. Put on a pot of salted water to boil.

Flour work surface and roll lumps of gnocchi dough into smooth sausage shapes (about 2cm thick). Cut sausage shapes into 2cm pieces and drop into boiling water, 10 or so at a time. They are cooked when they float.

Carefully lift cooked gnocchi out of water with a slotted spoon and add to simmering tomato sauce. Continue rolling, cooking and dropping gnocchi into sauce until dough is all used up. Season with lots of salt and pepper and garnish with fresh herbs.

More pasta recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I always, always use desiree or pontiac potatoes, they work every time. Some other varieties might result in a gluey finish, so take my advice and stick to the winning spuds!
  • Don't be tempted to put the cooked potatoes in the blender to get a smooth texture. It just doesn't work and you'll end up with a greyish, gluey mess!
  • 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.

Salmon and Leek Slice

Salmon and Leek Slice

Serves:

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 2 large leeks (300g), finely sliced
  • 210g can salmon, drained, bones removed
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tbsp horseradish cream
  • 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup (130g) wholemeal self-raising flour
  • pepper
  • 50g reduced fat tasty cheese

Method

Heat oven to 180°c and line a square 20cm baking tin with baking paper.

Place oil in a large non stick frying pan and heat on medium-low. Add leeks with a pinch of salt and cook until soft (about 10 minutes).

Cool slightly and mix with salmon, dill, horseradish cream, eggs, flour and cheese. Season with pepper and spoon mixture into the prepared baking tin.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until set. Cool slightly before removing from pan. Eat now while it’s hot or allow to cool, slice into squares.

Find related salmon recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This recipe freezes well so you can make this on the weekend, freeze and wrap separately for quick lunch making in the morning.
  • If you’re not a salmon fan, replace with tuna.
  • I use wholemeal flour to raise the fibre content but feel free to use all white flour or half and half.
  • I always use a 50% reduced fat tasty cheese for these recipes. You get that lovely cheesy flavour while cutting the fat and calories.
  • Nutritional values per serve: 579.6kj (138cals); 5g total fat (1.5g saturated fat); 2.2g fibre
     

Cheese sticks

Cheese sticks

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 4 sheets puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 30ml milk
  • 3 cups cheese, grated

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C.

Mix milk and egg together and brush over one surface of each pastry sheet.

Sprinkle cheese equally over 2 pastry sheets and cover with the other 2 sheets, pressing flat.

Cut into 8 strips of equal size and place on baking tray.

Twist each strip and brush with egg wash.

Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Notes

  • This cheese stick recipe is a great one for the kids to help with.
  • It’s great to dip or in lunch boxes and travels well too.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Easy pear cobbler

Easy pear cobbler

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups sliced fresh pears – you could use tinned pear halves in natural juice too – just slice them!
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 50g butter or margarine
  • 3/4 cup plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

In a small casserole or oven dish, put the butter in and place in the oven.

Peel/slice your pears and set aside in bowl with half the sugar (half a cup).

Combine dry ingredients, and then add milk and egg with a whisk to make a batter.

When the butter has melted in your casserole dish, pour in the batter. DO NOT MIX.

On top of the batter mix, add the pears. Put in oven for one hour.

Notes

  • Serve with ice-cream or cream… mmmm. I reckon it would be great with toffee top too!
  • Let this Easy pear cobbler be your treat this weekend! If you don’t have or like pears, substitute for peaches or apples or even cherries. Yum.
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand‰s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Chicken and corn soup

Chicken and corn soup

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1L chicken stock (gluten-free)
  • 500g chicken breast fillet, thinly sliced
  • 2 x 420g cans creamed corn (gluten-free)
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Method

Pour the stock into a large heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil.

Add the chicken, reduce heat to a simmer and cook (well, poach, really) for 5 minutes.

Stir in creamed corn and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Now for the fun bit, stir the soup quickly to get a whirlpool happening and then drizzle in the egg.

Keep stirring to make sure the egg separates into lovely little stringy bits; adding the egg thickens the soup nicely too.

Notes:

  • Its a recipe with only four ingredients a few more of these and I could write a book!
  • I was mega-organised the day I made this soup (all done by lunchtime!) and was surprised that it reheated well for dinner that night and kept in the fridge for a few days for my lunch.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Banana cake with passionfruit cream

Banana cake with passionfruit cream

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 125g butter
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup banana, mashed
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
  • 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda

Icing

  • 100g cream cheese
  • 50g butter, softened
  • 3 cups icing sugar
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp passionfruit pulp, seedless
  • 2 bananas and passionfruit to decorate

Method

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease and flour 22cm cake pan.

Add lemon juice to milk in a mixing bowl.

Place butter, sugar, banana, vanilla and eggs into food processor for 2 mins. Add milk/lemon juice and pulse for a few seconds.

Add sifted flour and bi-carb and process until all combined.

Bake 60 mins.

To make the icing, beat cream cheese and butter together, gradually adding the sifted icing sugar. Beat in the passionfruit pulp and lemon juice at the end.

Spread over cooled cake. Brush sliced bananas with lemon juice and arrange around the edge of the cake. Using the back of a spoon make a well in the centre of the icing and spoon on passionfruit pulp.

Notes

  • This cake may be made ahead of time but it is best decorated around serving time.
  • This is a perfect afternoon tea cake and the passionfruit, cream cheese and bananas are a great combination.
  • This banana cake recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

 

Serving Suggestions

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Sweet potato frittata

Sweet potato frittata

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 450g potatoes, peeled, sliced into 5mm thick rounds
  • 450g sweet potato, sliced into 5mm thick rounds
  • Olive oil spray
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 leek, white part only, sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • ½ cup (125mL) cream or milk
  • 6 eggs, lightly whisked
  • Salt and ground black pepper (optional)
  • ¼ cup finely grated parmesan

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place sliced potatoes and sweet potatoes on prepared baking trays. Spray lightly with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes until tender.

Melt butter and oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan (25cm base measurement) over medium-high. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the leeks are soft and golden. Add garlic and cook for another minute.

Spread leek mixture evenly over base of frypan, arrange potato slices in a layer and top with a layer of sweet potato.

Whisk the cream or milk and eggs together, then season with salt and pepper (if using). Pour egg mixture evenly over the vegetables and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until egg mixture is almost set.

Preheat grill on medium. Sprinkle frittata with parmesan and cook under grill for 5 minutes or until the top is golden and the frittata is set. Set aside for 5 minutes.

To serve immediately, cut into wedges and serve with a green salad and crusty bread.

To serve later (for lunchboxes or reheats), loosen edges with a knife, invert a plate over the frittata and turn upside down so the frittata is leek-side up on the plate. Allow to cool then slice into lunchbox-friendly sized wedges.

Notes:

  • My son (who will not eat recognisable egg, not even scrambled) was helping me whisk the eggs and only realised halfway through his frittata that he was eating egg. After a “well I never” reaction, he happily finished the rest!
  • If your kids are wary of leeks, turn the frittata over to the potato side or substitute the leeks with onion.
  • For lunchboxes, wrap in plastic film and place next to a frozen drink or one of those nifty round freezer thingos that come with lunchboxes.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Christmas Crackles

Christmas crackles

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 200g Mars bars, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of pouring (thin) cream
  • 2 teaspoons cocoa powder, sifted
  • 3 cups Rice Bubbles
  • 20 glace cherries or small chocolate Santas

Method

Place 20 paper cases into cupcake tins.

Melt the Mars bars, cream and cocoa in a glass bowl over simmering water. The bowl should not touch water. Stir the mixture until smooth.

Put the Rice Bubbles in a separate large bowl, pour in the chocolate mixture and stir until well mixed.

Spoon the mixture into paper cases and top each one with a cherry or chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.

Serving Suggestions

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Baked oatmeal cups

Baked oatmeal cups

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 370g apple sauce
  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 6 pkts stevia
  • 5 cups rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup linseed meal (flax)
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3 tsps baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups milk
  • Optional toppings: chopped dried apricots and coconut, raisins, mini chocolate chips

Method

In a bowl, combine egg, vanilla, apple sauce, banana and stevia.

In a second bowl combine rolled oats, linseed meal, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.

Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture and fold in milk. Leave to stand for 30 minutes so the mixture can absorb the milk.

Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Line 2 x 12 cup muffin tins with cupcake liners.

Spoon 1/4 cup measures into each cupcake liner. Add toppings if you have chosen and bake for 25 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can use 1/2 cup of honey in place of the stevia to sweeten these cups.
  • I like the toppings mixed into the mixture so they are evenly distributed.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Veggies with noodles

Make this simple midweek meal of veggies with noodles when you want something quick and healthy on the table quick.

Kids love noodles so combine them with child-friendly veggies such as carrots and broccoli for a nutritious dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 4 rashers of bacon, chopped
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup of peas
  • 1/2 cup of corn
  • 1/3 cup of green beans, sliced
  • 1 litre chicken stock
  • 2 packets of noodles
  • Seasoning of your choice (ie, the seasoning packet that came with the noodles, or a teaspoon of garlic powder or curry powder)

Method

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and bacon and saute for a few minutes, until cooked.

Add broccoli, carrot slices, peas, corn, and green beans into the pan.

Add chicken stock, simmer the veggies and bacon in stock until cooked then add noodles and seasoning and cook further until noodles are soft.

Cookie Monster cupcakes

How cute are these cupcakes?! Using Cookie Monster as inspiration, this cupcake recipe is easy to whip together and is great for weekend baking with the kids or as a fun party food at their next birthday party.

Cookie Monster cupcakes

Serves:

Notes:

  • You can use your favourite cupcake recipe for these.  Just go with what your kids love best!
  • There is quite a bit of food colouring in these cupcakes for the blue icing. If this concerns you, you can use a natural food colouring.
  • If you don’t  have time to use a piping bag for the icing you can swirl a very thick coating on the cupcake and use the flat blade of a knife to create the Cookie Monsters fur.
  • It is really important that you whip the butter in this recipe until it is very pale and almost white,  as the icing will take on a green hue from the yellow in the butter. If your icing takes on a green light, you can add some lilac to cancel out the colour.
  • If you can’t get black writing icing, you can stick on brown mini M&M’s for the pupils.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Find related cupcake recipes

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Speedy pasta bascaiola

Speedy pasta bascaiola

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1tb olive oil
  • 2 rashers bacon sliced/diced
  • 1 onion, finely diced ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 10-12 medium mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 3/4 cup cream (you could use evaporated milk, but it will need thickening with 1/2 tsp cornflour)
  • ¼ cup finely grated parmesan
  • Pasta of choice (ravioli, fettucine, spiralli etc.) – about 5 cups cooked.

Method

Put water on to boil to cook your pasta, if you have none leftover.

In a deep frypan, heat oil and add bacon, onion, garlic and pepper. Sauté until soft.

Add wine, then mushrooms, continue to fry until soft.

Add cream/evaporated milk mixed with cornflour, wait to thicken, and then turn the heat down or off.

Add pasta and parmesan, sprinkle with parsley and combine well. Serve!

Serving Suggestions

Note

 

  • This is the perfect dinner for a case of Monday-itis!
  • This recipe is actually my mum’s – I may have fiddled with it a little bit – but this is how I remember it and my kids love it too.
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Salmon and vegetable cakes

Salmon and vegetable cakes

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1kg brushed potatoes, boiled until tender and mashed well
  • 1 x 400g tin pink salmon, bones and skin removed, salmon flaked
  • 1 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas and corn mix, defrosted
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 4 cup dried breadcrumbs
  • vegetable oil for frying

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the mashed potato, salmon and onion until well combined.

Add the peas and corn and combine gently until well-mixed.

Set up a crumbing station with three plates: one for the flour, one for the combined egg and milk, and the third for the breadcrumbs.

Form patties of the salmon and potato mixture and thoroughly coat in the flour, dip in the egg wash, then coat in the breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and gently fry the patties until golden on eat side. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in an oven until cooking is complete.

Notes:

  • You can add whatever vegetables are handy.
  • I like to make the potato mix while the potatoes are warm and then let it cool completely. If you crumb a warm mixture they burst open during frying as the steam escapes.
  • If you have time, you can chill these after crumbing for an hour so you have a very ‘sturdy’ crumb.
  • I like to have enough oil in the pan so it reaches halfway up the sides of the patties when the pan is full. These salmon cakes will not soak up oil if the oil temperature is hot enough.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Find more dinner recipes

 

Serving Suggestions

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Mini bacon and egg pies

Pies are easy to make when you use pre-prepared pastry sheets like this recipe. Full of bacon and eggs, these mini pies make a perfect hot or cold snack.

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 large rasher bacon, rind removed and diced
  • 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped (optional)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 210°C. Spray four individual tart cases with cooking spray.
  2. Use an upside down saucer and cut out four rounds of puff pastry. Place pastry rounds in tart cases.
  3. Crack one egg into each pastry base. Sprinkle the diced bacon evenly among the four tart cases.
  4. Give each case a sprinkle of salt and pepper, add parsley if using then pinch the yolk with your fingers to break.
  5. Place the pies into the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
  6. Remove from cases and serve hot or cold

Notes

  • If you don’t have mini tart bases then a large muffin tray will work just as well.
  • Instead of using pastry, you may prefer to try using sliced bread. Grab four slices and roll them out thin with a rolling pin, place them in the moulds and follow as above.
  • Once cooked, I cool them and wrap them in cling film individually and freeze them. When I need them, I pop them straight into the kids’ lunch boxes and they are defrosted by lunch time.
  • Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Red Devil Cupcakes aka Heart of Darkness Cupcakes

Red Devil Cupcakes aka Heart of Darkness Cupcakes

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 2 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tbs cocoa powder
  • 1 1/3 cup caster sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tsp red food colouring (liquid)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Frosting and filling

  • 200 g butter (softened)
  • 4 cup icing sugar (sifted)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs milk
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
  • 12 maraschino cherries (*optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C, and line a muffin tin with 12 red paper cases.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, bicarb, salt, and cocoa together, and then stir through the sugar. In a separate measuring jug, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food colouring, vanilla and vinegar.Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until everything is combined – do not overmix.

Divide the mixture evenly between the paper cases, and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until springing back when lightly pressed and a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the butter (either in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or with electric beaters in a large mixing bowl) until it is light in colour, and very creamy. Add half the icing sugar, and beat until incorporated. Add the remaining sugar and beat again, until incorporated. Continue beating on a high speed and add the vanilla, and then 2-3 tbsp of milk, until a thick, creamy frosting texture is reached.

Cut a circular crater into the middle of each cupcake, forming a hole large enough to hold about a teaspoon of jam. Discard the cake that you pull out. Fill each cupcake with 1-2 tsp of jam.

Place the frosting into a large piping bag, fitted with a wide, round nozzle. Pipe a circle of frosting round the edge of each cupcake, then a big blob, directly down onto the top of each cake. Top each with a maraschino cherry, if desired, and serve.

Find more related Halloween recipes:

Serving Suggestions

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Vegetable pasties

Vegetable pasties

Serves:

Ingredients

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

Method

Preheat oven to 240C.

Line an oven tray with baking paper.

Cook sweet potato in a medium saucepan of boiling water for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Transfer to a heatproof bowl.

Use a fork to mash until smooth. Set aside to cool in bowl.

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

Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

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

Use a 12cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 12 discs from pastry sheets.

Spoon vegetable mixture evenly among pastry discs.

Brush edges of pastry lightly with remaining egg.

Fold pastries in half to enclose filling. Use fingertips to gently press together to seal.

Place on the lined tray and lightly brush with remaining egg. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Once completely cooled, wrap in baking paper, and store in the fridge ready for the lunchbox.

 

Hidden vegetable meatloaf

Hidden vegetable meatloaf

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1kg lean minced beef
  • 2 brown onions, peeled and diced
  • 2 carrots, grated
  • 3 cups frozen vegetables mix, defrosted and finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 tsp powdered beef stock
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • 2 cups dried breadcrumbs
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp white pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a loaf pan with baking paper.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. The ingredients need to be mixed well – I prefer using clean hands or clean gloves to do this.

Pat the mixture into a loaf shape and place in the loaf tin. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine all the glaze ingredients.

Remove the loaf from the oven and tip out any excess oil. Pour the glaze over the loaf and return it to the oven for a further 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Notes

  • My children hate to see the slightest hint of green veggie in their food. I use the food processor to chop the mixed vegetables up finely so they can’t see them.
  • If you don’t have a loaf tin just use a baking tray.
  • I use good quality mince for this recipe, but not too lean.

Find related mince recipes

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

Serving Suggestions

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Pink lemonade bars

Pink lemonade bars

Serves:

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1/4 cup caster sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
  • 1/4 tsp salt

Filling

  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 2-3 tsp lemon zest
  • 1 1/4 cups caster sugar
  • 1  cup strawberries, tops removed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup self-raising flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar

Method

Preheat oven 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Line a 16cm x 26cm slice tin with baking paper and set aside.

Step 1: Using a food processor, process the sugar, butter, flour and salt in a bowl together for one minute. Press into the base of the slice tin firmly and bake for 17-20 minutes.

Step 2: Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Using a food processor or blender, puree the lemon juice, lemon zest, caster sugar, strawberries, eggs, self-raising flour and salt.

Step 3: Pour this mixture over the hot crust when removed from the oven.

Step 4: Return to oven and bake a further 25 minutes. Leave to cool and slice into bars. Makes 24. Sprinkle with icing sugar just before serving.

 

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • The pink portion of these has a soft custard-like texture. When removed from the oven this will have a slightly browned crust on top.
  • These need to be stored in the refrigerator.
  • When cutting into bars, you will need to clean the knife in between slices.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Related slice recipes:

Baked cinnamon doughnuts with Nutella filling

Baked cinnamon doughnuts with Nutella filling

Serves:

Makes 12

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (150g) plain flour
  • 1/3 cup (80g) caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
  • 40g butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella)

Cinnamon sugar coating:

  • 1/3 cup (80g) caster sugar
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 40g butter, melted

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease a 12-hole patty tin with melted butter.

Sift together the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the egg, milk and melted butter and whisk until well combined. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together.

Divide two-thirds of the mixture among the prepared patty tin, and gently spoon a little chocolate hazelnut spread on top of each hole. Cover with remaining mixture.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. For the cinnamon sugar coating, mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together and let the donuts cool a little in the pan before turning out, brushing with the melted butter. Toss with the cinnamon sugar and serve!

Find related Nutella recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If you love Nutella, then you may like our Homemade Nutella recipe.
  • This recipe was inspired by one of baking guru Anneka Manning's similar offerings. I've since tweaked it a little and cooked it countless times – thank you, Anneka!
  • 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.

Rocky road brownie

Rocky road brownie

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 200g good quality dark chocolate, chopped coarsely
  • 250g butter, chopped
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • one teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • one cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 4 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows
  • 100g dark chocolate, extra
  • half a cup milk
  • half a cup slivered almonds (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm square deep slice or cake tin and line with baking paper, extending paper 5cm over sides.

Stir butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat until smooth. Cool for 10 minutes. Sift flour, baking powder and cocoa into a large bowl, stir in sugar and then chocolate mixture. Stir in eggs and beat mixture until thick and glossy.

Spread mixture into tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. The trick with brownies is to not over cook them, so the skewer should not come out clean! The edges of the brownies will be firm and springy to touch and the middle will be gooey.

As soon as you take the brownie out of the oven, sprinkle mini marshmallows and almonds over top. Melt extra chocolate with milk in microwave for 2 minutes on medium, stir until smooth. Drizzle chocolate mixture over marshmallows and nuts.

Allow to cool in the tin, then use the overhanging baking paper to carefully lift out onto a large chopping board. Cut into 16-20 squares.

Notes:

  • An exciting twist to the ordinary Brownie! You could use a packet Brownie mix, but I strongly encourage you to make your own brownie very little extra effort for hugely better taste.
  • Another great idea for a Christmas gift (see also Choc-cherry fudge) or to just have in the house to add to the Christmas cheer. Substitute the nuts with glace cherries to make this recipe nut-free.
  • Make these gluten-free using gluten-free plain flour.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Leftover spaghetti pizza

Leftover spaghetti pizza

Serves:

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cooked spaghetti
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup (80g) grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) milk
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil

Method

Step 1. Grab leftover spaghetti from the fridge.

Step 2. Gather parmesan cheese and eggs.

Step 3. Place eggs in a bowl with parmesan, milk and season well with salt and pepper.

Step 4. Whisk this mixture until well combined and then add cooked spaghetti. Toss strands in the mixture until well coated and leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Step 5. Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Pour spaghetti into the pan and use a spatula to lift the mixture away from the edges as it cooks. Leave it until it is almost cooked through and then place a plate on top and flip it over onto the plate.

Step 6. Add a little more olive oil to the pan and slide the spaghetti pizza back into the pan to cook on the other side. Slice into wedges and serve with salad.

Leftover spaghetti pizza

Find related spaghetti recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • It’s important that you use a non-stick pan for this recipe. My pizza got stuck a little on the first flip and I had to give it a little more time on the first side again to brown evenly.
  • Garlic salt is a great addition to this recipe if you have some in the pantry. Just use it in place of regular salt.
  • I love me a bake and this is where this  Leftover sausage bake recipe comes in handy. Perfect for when my chipolata portion control has failed yet again.
  • I always, always cook 2 cups of rice in my rice cooker because I know any leftovers will get used up. This Chorizo fried rice recipe is a family favourite, especially if I cook the sausage from scratch and let it render its paprika oil. The oil turns the rice orange and voilà, welcome to the dinner table nuclear rice.
  • Monday morning always sees cold, boiled pots in my fridge as I over-estimate the number of roasties I need on a Sunday. No matter. This Potato, bacon and egg pie recipe uses them up and makes a great start to the week.
  • Just as I cook too mamy spuds, I also over do the pumpkin quota. But then it’s repurposeed into this yummy Pumpkin muffins recipe that make a fab lunch box filler.
  • I also use up pumpkin with this comforting Pumpkin risotto recipe. Crumbling crispy bacon on top makes it a kid-pleaser in our house too.
  • Lunch boxes get a litle bit fancy with the addition of this Leftover lamb flatbreads recipe from the weekend roast. I chop the meat quite finely or my kids complain about having to chew too much. Poor er, lambs.
  • Another roast that gets a leftovers makeover is a chook with this Chicken pasta bake recipe. So simple and yet guaranteed to always be wolfed down by my brood.
  • Show my three a roast veggie and they can take it or leave it. Add eggs and call it a frittata, like with this Roast vegetable frittata recipe and the score is Mum – 1, Kids – 0.
  • Likewise there’s more leftover recipe magic with this Roast vegetable lasagne recipe. Same basis but with the addition of a creamy sauce and layers of lasagne. Yum!
  • I’m not great at judging portions when it comes to pasta either so there’s always cold, cooked pasta in the fridge which is fortunate really because this Pantry tuna bake recipe is a winner and satisfies my need for a weekly bake no end.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Mandarin mousse recipe

Mandarin mousse recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 12 tbsp sugar
  • 2 packets gelatine
  • 500ml (2 cups) whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 4 tbsp Grand Marnier
  • 10 mandarins, peeled, segmented, skin and seeds removed, flesh chopped
  • 2 tbsp orange zest
  • 50g dark chocolate, grated

Method

Stir egg whites and 8 tbsp sugar together in a heat-proof bowl. Place over simmering water (making sure the bowl is not touching the water) until sugar dissolves. This takes about 1 minute.

Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Rinse beaters.

Stir the egg yolks in a heat-proof bowl with a fork until blended.

In a small saucepan over a low heat, stir together 4 tbsp sugar and 125ml (1/2 cup) water. Bring to boil.

Remove from heat and stir in gelatine. Whisk until dissolved. Pour gelatine mixture over egg yolks and beat with an electric mixer until mixture is cool. Rinse beaters.

In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add the orange juice and Grand Marnier and beat until just combined.

Fold in the egg-white mixture and then the egg-yolk mixture.

Add the mandarin pieces and the zest and fold gently.

Divide the mixture among 12 individual glasses or serve in a large bowl.

Sprinkle with the grated chocolate just before serving.

Find more delicious dessert recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Replace the Grand Marnier with 2 tbsp extra orange juice if kids are eating this.
  • If you can’t be bothered to peel and segment the fruit, just use two tins of drained, canned mandarins instead.
  • Give this mousse an extra kick by using dark chocolate flavoured with chilli to grate over the top before serving.
  • This recipe was created by Alana House for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Grown Up Gingerbread

Grown Up Gingerbread

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 125g softened unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup golden syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 450g plain flour
  • 1 tsp bicarb soda
  • 2 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 4 tbsp fresh orange juice

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 4cm deep 30cm x 22 cm tin and line it with baking paper.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in golden syrup, then beat in eggs, one at a time. Sift flour with bicarb soda and spice and set aside. Combine buttermilk and orange juice.

Beat flour and buttermilk alternately into creamed mixture, a third at a time, finishing with the flour. Pour into prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes or until cake tests clean.

Cool on a wire rack before turning out.

Serving Suggestions

Note

ABCD Muffins

ABCD Muffins

Serves:

Makes 24

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cup self-raising flour
  • 1/2 cup caster sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 banana (mashed)
  • 150 g butter (cooled, melted)
  • 1 apple (grated)
  • 1/2 cup pitted dates (chopped)

Method

Preheat your oven to 200C (180 fan-forced) and line 2 x 12-hole muffin trays with paper cases (24 in total). Sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl before adding the caster sugar.

Add the eggs, milk, vanilla essence, cinnamon, mashed banana and cooled butter to the bowl, and use either a handheld or stand mixer on a low speed to mix the ingredients until they have almost combined.

Add the grated apple and chopped dates to the bowl and gently stir through until just combined.

Fill the paper cases until they are approximately 2/3 full and bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden and cooked through. Carefully remove from the oven and allow them to cool in trays for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Find more muffin recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • These ABCD muffins are freezer-friendly so they're great for filling lunch boxes throughout the week!
  • Make sure the butter has cooled after you've melted it.
  • When combining the apples and dates into the mix, the mixture may appear lumpy – don't worry!
  • This recipe was created by Lauren Matheson for Kidspot.

Sour cream banana muffins

Sour cream banana muffins

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour, sifted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 12 pecans

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C. Place patty pans in a 12 cup muffin tray.

Mix flour sugar and baking soda together.

Beat egg and add bananas, sour cream, butter and vanilla. Mix with a wooden spoon.

Pour flour into wet ingredients and stir until just combined.

Pour 1/2 cup measures into each patty pan place a pecan on each cup.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Notes

    • This banana muffin is light and moist and is a perfect anytime snack.
    • I like that this recipes does not use vegetable oil to make it moist.
    • I used little squares of baking paper to bake these muffins so they looked “cafe style”.

Related muffin recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

Exotic Fish Finger Rolls

Balance out the not-so-healthy foods with healthy accompaniments. This recipe combines fish fingers with a wholemeal roll, fresh salad vegetables, and a zingy yoghurt dressing.

Ingredients

  • 4 fish fingers
  • 2 tbsp skim plain yoghurt
  • 1 tsp capers, rinsed and chopped
  • 20g sour cucumber pickle or gherkins, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp fresh chives, finely sliced
  • 2 large wholemeal bread roll, halved horizontally
  • 4 lettuce leaves, washed and trimmed
  • 1/4 Lebanese cucumber, halved, deseeded and sliced

Method

Preheat grill to medium-high. Arrange fish fingers on grill rack and cook for approximately 10 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile to make tartare sauce; combine yoghurt, capers, gherkins and chives or parsley. Split rolls and spread some sauce over cut surfaces.

Top each roll with salad leaves, cucumber and two fish fingers. Spoon any remaining tartare sauce on top. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve.

Related fish recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This is a great dinner when for those weeks when you’re on a tight budget.
  • This tartare sauce is great with all types of fish – I also think it goes well with barbecued meats like lamb koftas too.
  • This recipe was created by Weight Watchers.
 

Soccer field birthday cake

Soccer field birthday cake

Ingredients

  • 4 x 340g pkt vanilla cakes
  • 4 x eggs
  • 4 x cup of milk
  • Butter for greasing cake pan

Icing

  • Meadow Lea or 250g softened butter
  • 4 cups soft icing mixture
  • 1 cup of cocoa
  • half a cup milk

Decoration

  • 1 cup desiccated coconut
  • 2 tsp green food colouring
  • 1 can of soft frosting in white.
  • Drinking straws

Method

Preheat oven to 180C (or 160C for fan forced).

Grease baking pan and line with baking paper (this is the one I roast lamb and vegies in).

Prepare cake batter as per packet directions preparing two at a time and pour all together into baking tin.

Bake at 180C for 40 -45 mins.

Check with a skewer at the 35 min mark. If the skewer comes out clean remove from oven.

Cool cake and level the top with a sharp serrated knife.

Turn upside down on cake board or foil lined tray.

Icing

Using an electric beater cream butter until light, pale and fluffy. Slowly adding sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach desired the consistency. Cover cooled cake with a generous coating of icing.

Decoration

Pour food colouring into coconut and stir until all the coconut has been coloured. Slide baking paper around the edges of the cake and gently shake a generous amount of coconut over the top. Remove paper with excess coconut and discard. Outline the shape of the soccer field with a tube of prepared icing, marking halfway and goal posts. Fashion some goal posts from straws and clear sticky tape.

Notes:

  • You could, of course, turn this into a netball, rugby or football field.
  • This is the perfect birthday cake for a mum who has all the desire for a whiz-bang cake without much of the skill!
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

 

Wholemeal banana bread

Wholemeal banana bread

This wholemeal banana bread recipe is so rich and yummy, the kids won’t even notice it’s made with wholemeal flour.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (125g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
  • 2 cups (300g) wholemeal self-raising flour

Method

Preheat oven to 200å¡C (180å¡C fan-forced). Line a loaf pan with baking paper and set aside.
In a bowl, mix the butter, mashed bananas, vanilla essence, eggs and brown sugar. Fold in flour until just combined.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then cool further on a wire rack.

Note

  • You can slice this and freeze individual portions for school lunches.
  • Add a few handfuls of crumbled walnuts for extra flavour.
  • This recipe was created by Alana House.

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