Allergen: Contains Eggs

Gingerbread

Gingerbread

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 125g unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup treacle
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups plain flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 8 small lumps crystallised ginger, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Icing sugar, to dust

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.

Grease two loaf tins (about 10 x 20 cm) or a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking paper.

Cream butter and sugar with an electric beater until fluffy. Pour in treacle and beat until well combined.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.

Sift flour, bicarb soda and spices into butter mixture, add chopped ginger and beat to combine.

Pour in milk and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Pour mix into tins and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool in tins, then turn onto wire racks to cool completely.

When cold, dust with icing sugar.

Notes:

  • This is a spicy gingerbread, the kids may not like it (all the more for the adults!).
  • Lovely served spread with butter and a nice cup of tea.
  • On holiday we had toasted gingerbread for breakfast, served with sweet pineapple and creme fraiche – what a breakfast!
  • Make this gluten-free using gluten-free plain flour
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

 

Serving Suggestions

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Beef and rice croquettes with tomato onion gravy

Beef and rice croquettes with tomato onion gravy

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 1 and a half cups cooked rice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or finely chopped
  • half a onion, grated
  • half a carrot grated and/or peas or corn (optional)

Gravy

  • 2tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 420g tin diced tomatoes
  • Salt and pepper

Method

Preheat oven to 200C.

Spray baking tray with canola spray.

Mix all ingredients except the gravy ingredients in bowl and mould into croquet (i.e. sausage-like) forms with hands and place on baking tray.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake for a further 10 minutes.

Whilst croquettes are baking, prepare gravy.

Heat oil in deep fry pan, add onions and fry until soft. Add tomatoes and fill the can  with water, add to tomatoes and add salt and pepper. Simmer.

When croquettes are baked, add them to gravy and simmer for another 10 minutes, ensuring you turn the croquettes to get them covered by the gravy.

Serve with mash or scalloped tomatoes and greens.

Notes:

  • These beef and rice croquettes make perfect leftovers, hot or cold.
  • This is the perfect recipe for when you have beef mince but no inspiration!
  • I like to make this recipe when I have a heap of things to use up in the fridge.
  • If your kids like sausages, they will love these croquettes and even better, you can hide all manner of veggies in them.
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Caramel and pear self-saucing pudding

Caramel and pear self-saucing pudding

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 Beurre Bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup (150g) flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (100g) dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup (75g) butter, melted
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk

Topping:

  • 3/4 cup (165g) dark brown sugar
  • 1 cup (250ml) boiling water
  • 1/4 cup (50g) hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line the base of a 24cm cake tin with the pears. In one bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, brown sugar and ginger together and in another, whisk together the remaining ingredients.

Gently stir to combine and pour batter over the pears.

Sprinkle this with the brown sugar, carefully pour over the boiling water and scatter with hazelnuts.

Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, or until the top is firm to touch. Serve with custard or ice cream.

Find more delicious hot dessert recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • This pudding does absorb its sauce if let to sit (cooked) for too long so try and enjoy it fairly soon after baking.
  • The batter can be made well in advance, so you can prepare the recipe right up to the point of sprinkling with sugar, etc., and have it ready to pop in the oven as you sit down to dinner.
  • You can replace the Beurre Bosc pears with apples if you prefer.
  • You might also serve this with a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt – it offers a nice balance with all that sweetness.
  • 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.

Nutritious teething biscuits

Nutritious teething biscuits

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
  • 3 tbsp golden syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp rolled oats
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 tbsp bran
  • 1 tbsp powdered milk

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

Mix all wet ingredients together in a jug.

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine.

Dough will be firm. Roll out thinly on a floured surface. Cut into sticks and bake for 15 minutes.

Find related baby recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • The longer you cook these the harder they are.
  • You can swap the bran for wheatgerm.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Birds nests

Birds nests

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 pkts two-minute noodles, uncooked
  • 250g chocolate chips or block chocolate
  • jelly beans
  • chocolate eggs
  • marshmallows
  • peanut butter
  • baking paper
  • paper plates

Method

Line paper plates with baking paper.

Melt chocolate chips/brick chocolate in microwaveåÊand pour into bowl of uncooked, broken 2 minute noodles. Mix well to coat.

Place spoonfuls of noodle mixture onto platesåÊand mould into nest shapes. Make sure the chocolate has cooled but not so much that the mixture hardens.

Using peanut butter as glue, stick down jelly beans, marshmallow and eggs inside the nest cavity.

Serving Suggestions

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Lemon slice

Lemon slice

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 200g Marie or Arrowroot biscuits
  • 1 cup desiccated coconut
  • 3/4 cup condensed milk
  • 100g butter melted
  • rind of one lemon, finely grated

Icing

  • 2 cups icing sugar, sifted
  • juice of one lemon
  • 40g butter softened

Method

Line a 21cm x 16 cm slice tin with baking paper and set aside.

Place biscuits, coconut, condensed milk, butter and lemon rind in a food processor. Pulse until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Press the mixture into the slice tin.

To make the icing, using a mixer, beat the butter and add the lemon juice. Gradually add icing sugar. Spread over slice, sprinkle with coconut and refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into squares.

Related slice recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If you use the back of a metal spoon to press the base into the tin you will get a nice even surface.
  • You could swap the lemon for orange in this recipe if you prefer oranges.
  • This recipe was created by Kris Henderson for the Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

Silver beet and bacon tart recipe

Silver beet and bacon tart recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets frozen shortcrust pastry, thawed
  • 1 bunch silver beet
  • 20ml (1tbsp) olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely diced
  • 3 rashers bacon, finely sliced
  • 3/4 cup tasty cheese, grated
  • 5 eggs
  • 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream
  • 2 tbsp parmesan, grated

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C conventional or 180°C fan-forced.

Line a 28cm flan tin with pastry, sealing joins between the sheets and trimming to fit.

To blind-bake, place a sheet of foil over the pastry and fill with dry beans, lentils or baking weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove beans and foil, then return to oven for a further five to 10 minutes until lightly brown.

Reduce oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan-forced.

Wash silver beet well. Finely slice stalks and set aside. Roughly chop leaves. Place cup of water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add leaves and cover with a lid. Cook for two minutes until wilted. Drain and allow to cool. Squeeze water out of leaves then chop finely.

Heat oil in a frypan, then saute onions over very gentle heat for five minutes. Add garlic and silver beet stalks and cook for a further five minutes. Increase heat slightly, add bacon and cook for a further two minutes. Finally, add chopped leaves and stir to combine. Season well with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.

Distribute silver beet mixture into the blind-baked pastry case and top with tasty cheese. Beat eggs and cream together and pour over the silver beet. Sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until set and lightly brown. Serve with a large green salad.

Find more dinner recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You could replace silver beet with English spinach, but it won't require blanching. Just chop finely and add to the bacon and onion mixture.
  • For a vegetarian version, simply omit the bacon.
  • 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.

 

Easy lasagne recipe

Easy lasagne recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

Bolognese sauce

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large brown onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1kg beef mince
  • 125ml red wine
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 2 x 400g tins Italian diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp dried Italian herb mix
  • 12 (375g) fresh lasagne sheets
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Cheese sauce

  • 1.5L milk
  • 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
  • 6 parsely stalks
  • 8 whole black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 90 g butter
  • 1/2 cup plain flour
  • 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground white pepper

 

Method

In a frying pan, heat the olive oil over a medium heat and add the brown onion and garlic. Fry until translucent and then add the mince.

Use a wooden spoon to break up the mince and when the meat is browned, add the tomato paste and red wine. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the tomatoes and Italian herb mix. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the milk, onion, parsley stalks, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and remove from heat. Set aside for 15 minutes and then drain and discard solids.

Heat the oven to 190°C or 170C fan-forced. Set aside a 3L rectangular casserole dish.

In a saucepan, over a medium heat, melt the butter and then add the flour. Stir until the mixture begins to boil and then cook without browning for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer, stirring constantly for 4-5 minutes until the mixture thickens and then whisk in the parmesan cheese until well combined. Whisk in the nutmeg and salt and pepper and remove from heat.

To assemble, ladle 1 cup of meat sauce into the casserole dish and and then layer lasagne sheets to cover the base. Using one third of the remaining meat sauce, cover the lasagne sheets and then pour over one third of the cheese sauce, spreading evenly with the back of a spoon. Repeat this layering process until both meat and cheese sauces are used up. Finish with a layer of cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the mozzarella and bake for 40-45 minutes until brown on top and bubbling at the sides.

Leave to sit for 10 minutes after removing from oven before cutting and serving with a green salad.

 

More pasta recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I like to make a double batch of this recipe and freeze the second tray after baking.
  • You really need to whisk that cheese sauce well so you don’t get any lumps.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Blueberry muffins

Blueberry muffins

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups self raising flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • Juice of 1 lemon and zest
  • 1/2 cup castor sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 100g butter, melted
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup frozen blueberries

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin patty pans and set aside.

Sift flour and cinnamon in a bowl.

Combine lemon zest, juice, sugar, egg and melted butter together.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and gently fold to combine.

Spoon into patty pans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Notes

  • This recipe was simple to make and even my kids helped with this one.
  • You could easily replace the frozen berries with any type of frozen fruit you have on hand.
  • This Blueberry muffin recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Stained glass window sandwiches

Stained glass window sandwiches

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 12 slices of fresh bread
  • apricot, raspberry, blackberry or blueberry jam
  • peanut butter
  • butter or margarine
  • sprinkles
  • shape cutters (e.g. circles, stars, hearts, people)

Method

Shape cutters (e.g. circles, stars, hearts, people)

Remove crusts from bread.

Spread six slices of the bread with spreads of choice.

Use butter or margarine to make sure the sprinkles stick.

Cut shapes from the centre of remaining six slices of bread and place on top.

Match up cut out shapes to make little sandwiches.

Serve on a large tray for maximum impact!

Notes:

  • Couldn’t be simpler and look fantastic.
  • Also a great idea to make boring lunchbox sandwiches a bit more interesting!
  • My son was “huge bored” this week, priceless, but these sandwiches received a “WOW”.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Honey yoghurt cupcakes recipe

Honey yoghurt cupcakes recipe

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup raw caster sugar
  • 2 oranges, zested
  • 175g butter, softened
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
  • 250ml (1 cup) natural, Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 cup mixed blueberries and sliced strawberries

Method

Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with paper cases and preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced.

Rub sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until it is a fragrant, orange powder.

Cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.

Fold through flour and then, using an ice cream scoop (if you have one, if not a teaspoon will do) fill each case.

Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top.

Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile mix honey and yoghurt together.

Slice tops off each cupcake and spoon out a little from centre before filling holes with yoghurt and making faces with berries and/or little butterfly-style strawberry wings.

Find more muffin recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If the cupcake mixture curdles when you add the eggs, sprinkle over 1 tbsp of the flour and mix in to rectify.
  • The honey yoghurt mixture is lovely with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top.
  • This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder

Chicken balls

Chicken balls

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion
  • 600g chicken mince
  • half a cup cornflake crumbs (gluten-free)
  • half a cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Sweet chilli sauce, to serve

Method

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

Finely chop the onion  I used the bowl attachment of my stab-mixer.

Combine onion, chicken, cornflake crumbs, cheese and egg in a large bowl.

Mix until well combined and roll tablespoons of mixture into small balls.

Place balls on tray and bake for 30 minutes until golden and sizzling.

Notes:

  • These balls are great because they are oven-baked, not fried, can be made in advance and then cooked just before serving.
  • Serve with a salad for a main meal or on their own as an appetiser or entrÌ©e.
  • If your kids cope with Green Bits, add half a cup of chopped coriander or parsley leaves to the mixture.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with sweet chilli sauce (or plain tomato sauce).

Note

Halloween Witches Hats

This Halloween, go a little crazy and make fun snacks for the trick or treaters in your neighbourhood. These witches hats are easy to make and they’re full of surprises!

Fill them up with your favourite little sweets and watch their faces when they discover what’s inside!

Ingredients

  • Mini ice-cream cones
  • Choc Fudge biscuits
  • Mini M&M’s
  • Skittles
  • Orange writing icing
  • Black writing icing

Method

Step 1. Grab your lollies, mini ice-cream cones and biscuits.

Step 2. Fill the cones with the Mini M&M’s and Skittles.

Step 3.  Use writing icing to draw a line around the entire top edge of the cone. Stick a Choc Fudge biscuit on top of the icing edge and flip over so the cone stands with the biscuit on the bottom.

Step 4. Using orange writing icing, draw a line around the entire edge where the cone meets the biscuit. Using black writing icing, draw a “buckle” on the front of the hat.

Notes:

  • You can use buttercream icing and a piping bag instead of writing icing to glue these together. The writing icing is much easier to handle though.
  • If you want these hats to be brown all over, you can stand them on some baking paper and pour melted chocolate over the top, leaving them to set before decorating with writing icing.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Find more Halloween recipes:

Serving Suggestions

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Nan’s zucchini loaf

Nan’s zucchini loaf

Serves:

 

Ingredients

Nut-free, lactose-free

  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 1/4 cups caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 cups plain flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
  • 3 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 2 cups grated zucchini (2 small zucchinis)

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Butter the base of a deep loaf pan or two small loaf pans. Beat the eggs using an electric mixer, add the oil and beat until combined. Beat in sugar one cup at a time and then add vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder, soda and cinnamon together into a bowl.

Add to egg mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in zucchini. Pour the mixture into prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes if using small pans or 50 minutes to 1 hour is using large pans, until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in pan for 15 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:

  • This is a beautifully moist loaf that tastes of vanilla and cinnamon, not zucchini! Nan tells me it will keep in the fridge for a month (not in our house)
  • I used a large loaf pan, but had some overflow. Better to use two loaf pans or a square cake tin.
  • If you don’t have vanilla extract, use 3 teaspoons vanilla essence.
  • Nan’s original instructions were, ‘Beat eggs, add oil, then all other ingredients. Cook’. I hope my extra instructions are helpful!

.

Serving Suggestions

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Scrambled eggs

Scrambled eggs

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 2 free range eggs
  • ¼ cup cream
  • pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon butter

 

Method

Whisk eggs, cream and salt until light and fluffy. Heat a non-stick saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter.

Pour in egg mixture and allow to cook for about 20 seconds until the edges are starting to set.

Use a wooden spoon to push the egg on the outside into the middle all the way around the pan.

Cook for another 20 seconds, repeat the ‘pushing’ motion.

The eggs will be almost set, remove from heat.

The eggs will continue to cook as you deal with toast and cutlery.

Serve eggs with hot buttered toast and a smile!

 

Notes:

  • Put your toast in to cook just before you pour the eggs into the frypan, should be cooked just about the same time as the eggs.
  • If your kids are old enough to deal with a stove and frypan unassisted, then point them at the eggs, go back to bed and wait for breakfast (hopefully still hot) to arrive.
  • If you have another adult available, put them in charge, alternatively you will just have to ‘relax’ nearby!
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Aunty Iri’s pavlova

Aunty Iri’s pavlova

Serves:

Ingredients

8 large egg whites 
2 cups caster sugar
1 dsp malt vinegar
1 dsp vanilla

Method

Tools: Stand mixer and whisk tool

Place all ingredients into your mixer bowl and beat it for 12–15 minutes until stiff. You will think it can’t possibly work but it does and place the mix onto a greased tray that you have previously splashed with a little cold water.

Bake 150°C for 1/2 hour and then 100°C for 1 hour. Let it cool in oven and remove. Do not open the oven door during the cooking.

Decorate with softly whipped cream and seasonal tropical fruit such as pineapple, papaya and passionfruit

 

Notes:

Aunty Iri uses a dessert spoon as her spoon of measure.

Serving Suggestions

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Friday takeaway hamburgers

Friday takeaway hamburgers

Serves:

 

Ingredients

Rissoles/Patties:

  • 1 large onion, finely diced
  • 1 medium carrot, grated
  • 1 medium zucchini grated
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or finely diced
  • 500g lean beef mince
  • 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1 tbsp BBQ sauce
  • 1 egg
  • Small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • lashings of pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

 

Hamburger

  • 6 soft bread rolls, toasted
  • butter
  • 4 large leaves lettuce, cut into ribbons
  • 2 large tomatoes, sliced
  • fresh sliced cheddar cheese

 

Onions

  • Red or brown onions
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

 

Method

Preheat oven to 150C.

 

In a frying pan, heat a tbsp olive oil, and fry onion, carrot and zucchini.

Cook until soft to eliminate the moistness of the zucchini, add garlic and stir through. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine mince, breadcrumbs, sauces, egg, pepper and parsley, combine well and then add the carrot/onion/zucchini mix.

Roll into patties, and fry in batches in a frying pan with the remainder of the olive oil. Transfer patties when cooked to baking tray and warm in oven whilst continuing to cook the rest of the patties.

Set up your ‘making station’ with butter, sauces, pickles, cheese, tomato and lettuce.

Chop onions and when last patties have gone into the oven, start toasting the hamburger buns.

Put the onions on the frying pan, with olive oil. When softened, add balsamic vinegar and toss regularly. When caramellised, turn off heat.

If you like bacon or egg or pineapple with your hamburger, fry them now.

Assemble hamburgers, and serve.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I’ve been lucky that I’ve never really had to hide vegetables into my kids’ food but this being a hamburger, I like to inject some extra healthiness into them, whilst making it taste absolutely delicious.
  • The hamburger patties are also good if you have some leftover, on their own cold or even with some tomato onion gravy as rissoles.
  • If you have little ones who don’t like veggies, this hamburger recipe could be your ticket to get some into them.
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.

Banana choc-chip cookies

Banana choc-chip cookies

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 50g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200g) brown sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 cups (300g) plain flour
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (190g) chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat to combine.

In a bowl, mix the mashed bananas and baking soda, set aside for two minutes.

Mix the banana mixture into the butter mixture with a wooden spoon. Mix together the flour and cinnamon and stir into the butter and banana mixture with a wooden spoon until just combined.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop dollops of the mixture on a tray. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Place on wire racks to cool.

Find more delicious biscuit and cookie recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can freeze bananas when ripe and defrost to use for this recipe.
  • You can make a different version of these by using dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips.
  • This recipe was created by Alana House for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

Easy scones

Easy scones

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups self raising flour
  • 2 heaped tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 – 1 & 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 tbsp icing sugar
  • 50g butter, melted

Method

Preheat oven to 210C.

Sift flour, baking powder and icing sugar together.

Stir in egg, milk and butter.

Turn out onto a floured board and leave to rest for 20 mins.

Roll to 2cm thickness.

Cut out circles with a glass, dipping it in flour between cuts.

Place scones close together on baking paper covered baking sheet and rest for a further 10 mins.

Bake for 10 mins.

Notes

  • These easy scones rise beautifully with no kneading required.
  • Add milk slowly and make sure mixture isn’t too sticky.
  • The resting time enables them to puff up nicely.
  • They tasted delicious served with jam and cream.
  • They are also a great lunch box item.
  • This Easy scone recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Serving Suggestions

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Salted caramel and ganache tarts

Salted caramel and ganache tarts

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup (60ml) cream (pouring or thickened)
  • 200g dark cooking chocolate, broken into cubes
  • 12 ready-made tarlet cases
  • 12 tbsp slow cooker salted caramel (this is equal to one tin)
  • 12 strawberries (for garnish)

 

Method

Step 1. Place cream in a glass bowl and microwave on high for 20-30 seconds. When hot, add dark chocolate pieces.

Step 2. Using a metal spoon, mix chocolate and cream well until all chocolate is melted and you have a smooth mixture. You may need to return to microwave for 5-10 second bursts until you have smooth glossy ganache.

Step 3. Spoon tablespoon-sized amounts of salted caramel into the tartlet cases and smooth over with the back of a spoon.

Step 4.  Spoon warm ganache over the caramel and tap bases gently on the bench to smooth over the tops. Slice strawberries into fan shapes and place on top.

Salted caramel and ganache tarts

Find more delicious dessert recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • We chose to top these with ganache but if you a hard chocolate top, you can just use melted chocolate on top of the caramel and refigerate until set.
  • We chose tartlet cases but you could make a large tart case using these ingredients or even use bite-sized mini-tarts for this recipe.
  • If you love pancakes, you could make these Banana pancakes with caramel sauce for brekky.
  • Frozen yogurt is delicious and refreshing and this Caramel banana frozen yoghurt is better than store-bought ice cream.
  • If you want a warming winter dessert then Caramel and pear self-saucing pudding will have them licking their bowl.
  • Slices are the perfect afternoon tea treat and this Chocolate caramel slice will disappear fast.
  • You can make this Caramel sauce to go over ice cream and if you have slightly more sophisticated taste then this Salted caramel sauce is lovely over ice cream too.
  • If you want to make Caramel filling on the stove top it only takes 2 hours v’s 8 hours for slow cooker salted caramel.
  • These Caramels are the perfect homemade confectionery to give as gifts.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Banana muffins

Banana muffins

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups self raising flour
  • half a cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (80mL) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed banana (2 large)
  • 12 pecan halves (optional)

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 12 hole muffin pan or line with paper cases. Sift flour into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat briefly to combine.

In a glass measuring jug, pour in milk (up to 1 cup), oil (up to 1 1/3 cups) and add eggs, whisk to combine. Pour milk mix and bananas into dry ingredients, beat with until just combined.

Spoon into muffin pans and top with a pecan half (if using) and bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool slightly, then place on rack to cool completely.

Notes:

  • This is a great basic recipe for banana muffins. Add half a cup choc chips, macadamias or pecans to the mixture for variation.
  • Make these for a special Valentine Day weekend breakfast or as lunchbox fillers for the coming week.

Serving Suggestions

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Easter bunny butt cake

Easter bunny butt cake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix
  • 1 cup (250ml) water
  • 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs (59g)
  • 1 tin (453g) Betty Crocker creamy deluxe vanilla frosting
  •  pink food colouring
  • 1 large marshmallow
  • 250g shredded coconut
  • 1 pkt (93g) fruit Roll-ups, strawberry flavour
  • green food colouring
  • 1 baby carrot
  • 1 Oreo biscuit, crushed

You will also need:

  • pink cardboard
  • 1 skewer or large toothpick

Method

Step 1. Preheat oven to 200°C conventional (180°C fan-forced). Grease and flour a 20cm round ovenproof bowl (for the bunny butt) and line 3 cups of a muffin tin with cupcake liners (these will be your bunny tail and paws).

In a mixing bowl, using a mixer, combine the cake mix, water, oil and eggs and beat for 2-3 minutes until you have a smooth consistency.

Fill 3 cupcake cups 2/3 full. Pour remaining mixture into the glass bowl.

Step 2. Place both in the oven, removing the cupcakes from the oven after the first 20 minutes and then cook the bowl for a further 40 minutes (a total of 60 minutes for the bowl). Test the cake with a skewer and if it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Cool the cakes for 5 minutes and remove from the bowl to cool further.

Step 3. Remove 2 tablespoons of frosting from the container and set aside to frost the bunny tail.

In a bowl, mix the remaining frosting with pink food colouring until thoroughly combined.

Place the bunny butt on a serving tray. Smooth a spoon of  frosting under it so it sticks to the tray. Place the 2 cupcake paws into place and cut the marshmallow in half and place them on top of the paws to make heels.

Use a knife to smooth a thin coat of frosting over the whole cake. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. This is called a “crumb coat”.

Step 4. Give the whole cake a second coat of frosting. Sprinkle liberally with  2 cups of coconut. Frost the bunny tail with the reserved white icing and roll in coconut. Use a toothpick or skewer to secure into place on the bunny butt.

Step 5. Using a roll-up, cut 2 large oval paw pads and 6 smaller round ones with scissors. Use leftover frosting to adhere to the bunny paws.

Brush away any excess coconut around the bunny. Place the remaining cup of coconut in a resealable bag with green food colouring and massage until coloured evenly. Sprinkle green coconut around the bunny to make “grass”.

Step 6. Using the cardboard and scissors, cut 2 long bunny ears and fold over a flap on the bottom of each. Slide these under the head of the bunny and adjust to stand up. Place the carrot beside the ears and sprinkle with a little crushed Oreo.

Easter bunny butt cake

Find related Easter recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • If you are in a hurry, you can skip the crumb coat but your finished product will look slightly messy.
  • You may have to trim the top of your cake to make the “butt” sit flat.
  • I have seen this recipe use a “dirt” base for the bunny instead of “grass”. For this you can use crushed Oreo’s instead of green coconut.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Strawberry banana milkshake

Strawberry banana milkshake

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
  • 4 large fresh strawberries (or 1/2 cup frozen strawberries)
  • 1 large banana, chopped

Method

A refreshing and simple treat on a warm day!

Blend together for one minute.

Serve in tall milkshake glasses. Garnish with strawberries if desired.

 

Find more:

Serving Suggestions

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Banana and walnut bread

Banana and walnut bread

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain flour
  • 3/4 tsp bi-carbonate soda
  • 3/4 cup castor sugar
  • 1 1/3 cups walnuts, chopped
  • 85g melted butter
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups banana, mashed

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a loaf pan with baking paper and set aside.

In a bowl ,mix sifted flour, bi-carbonate soda and sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs, add sour cream and mix in vanilla, banana and butter.

Pour the wet mix into the dry mix bowl and add walnuts. Mix gently until just combined and pour into loaf pan.

Bake for 45 mins.

Related banana recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I have made this recipe over and over and it never gets old. My son is not a fan of walnuts so I often bake a loaf without.
  • I find that this recipe freezes very well. I bake, slice and freeze this, so the kids can have it for school lunches.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Pita pockets with pork and parmesan meatballs

Pita pockets with pork and parmesan meatballs

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 500g pork mince
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup grated carrot
  • 2 tsp sage, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup grated parmesan
  • 1 tbsp oil

To serve:

  • 4 pita pockets
  • 50g baby spinach
  • 1/2 carrot, grated
  • 1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
  • small bunch coriander, leaves picked

Method

In a large bowl combine mince, egg, carrot, sage, and parmesan. Season well. Using damp hands, form into small balls.

Heat oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Fry meatballs for 4-5 minutes, turning often to ensure they brown on all sides. Test one to ensure it is cooked through. Set aside.

Cut pita pockets in half and tease each open to form a pocket. Fill with spinach, carrot, tomatoes, coriander and 4-5 meatballs each.

Find related meatball recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • These meatballs are just as delicious cold as they are straight out of the pan.
  • You can switch the pork mince for lamb mince if you prefer.
  • For extra tastiness, you could drizzle the filled pita pockets with some natural yoghurt.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Mini hot dogs

Mini hot dogs

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 6 bake-at-home mini rolls
  • 6 skinless cocktail frankfurters
  • half a cup grated cheese
  • tomato sauce, to serve

Method

  • Preheat oven to 220C.
  • Place frankfurters in a saucepan of water, simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile place rolls on a tray and bake in the oven for 5 minutes until starting to turn golden brown.
  • Split rolls in half, fill with some cheese and push in a frankfurter.
  • Repeat with remaining rolls and dogs.
  • Serve on a large plate with tomato sauce.

Notes:

  • I think cocktail frankfurters in general are foul and disgusting, but the kids seem to like them
  • This makes a nice change from serving them in a bowl in the centre of the table (in a pool of cold water!)
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

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Quick muffins

Quick muffins

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups self raising flour
  • 1 cup caster sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon custard powder
  • 3/4 cup milk

Method

Mix all together.

Add whatever you like to your muffin mix, choc bits, sultanas, bananas, raspberries

Bake in a moderate oven until done.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Chicken and rice mini pot pies

Chicken and rice mini pot pies

Serves:

12

Ingredients

  • canola oil or spray
  • 3/4 cup (200g) wholemeal flour
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 cup (250ml) low-fat milk
  • 400g minced chicken
  • 125g finely chopped spinach
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1 tbsp fruit chutney

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced). Spray or brush a 12 cup muffin tin thoroughly with oil.

Place the flour in a mixing bowl and make a well for the egg white.

Then gradually add in the milk while whisking to make a nice batter with bubbles. (If the batter is too thick just add some water until you get the right consistency.)

In a bowl place the minced chicken, spinach, rice, chutney, season and mix thoroughly.

Using your hands mould the mixture into 12 small balls and place in the muffin tin.

Bake the mince balls for 10 minutes then remove from the oven and pour the batter over each ball so that it fills just below the rim.

Bake for another 20-25 minutes until the batter rises and turns a lovely golden brown. Serve with fresh vegetables.

Find more delicious pie recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • To speed this recipe up you can use rice from a ready-made pouch and frozen chopped spinach.
  • To keep these low fat you can use chicken breast mince.
  • I sneak spinach into mine but feel free to add celery, grated carrot or whatever veggies are in the fridge or garden. 
  • This recipe was created by Karla Gilbert. You can read her blog at Ironmum Karla, catch up with her on Twitter, find her on Facebook or peek at her pins on Pinterest.

Bacon cheeseburger pizza balls

Bacon cheeseburger pizza balls

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 250g beef mince
  • 1/2 small brown onion, diced
  • 6 rashers middle bacon, diced and cooked
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 bottle (400g) ready-made pizza sauce (I used garlic, onions and herbs flavour)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 2 quantities of 2 ingredient pizza dough with 2 tbsp olive oil added + flour for rolling
  • 2 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese

Method

Step 1. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat and cook beef mince and onion until the onion is translucent and mince is cooked. Remove to a bowl. Wipe out frying pan and cook diced bacon until crispy and drain on paper towel. Place cheese in a bowl. Prepare beaten egg.

Step 2. Preheat oven to 230°C (210°C fan-forced). Line a small pizza tray with baking paper and set aside. Pull off a golf ball-sized piece of dough, coat in flour and roll out to a 10cm round. Place in the palm of your hand and add 1 tsp pizza sauce, 1 tsp mince, 1 tsp bacon and 1 tbsp of cheese.

Step 3.  Gather all edges of dough together and place upside down into the dish. Continue until the dish is full.

Step 4. Brush tops of all dough balls with egg and sprinkle lightly with parmesan cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until dough is cooked through and tops are golden.

Bacon cheeseburger pizza balls

Related pizza recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I have added extra oil to the pizza dough so it is pliable and soft. It needs to be stretchy so it can be pulled around the filling.
  • Ready-made pizza sauce comes in a squeezable bottle for ease of use. You don’t need to put it into a bowl unless you want to.
  • The oven needs to be very hot for these pizza balls so the pizza has a nice crust and cooks through.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Snakes In blankets

Snakes In blankets

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 8 sausages
  • 8 slices bread, crusts removed
  • 8 toothpicks

Method

Heat a non-stick frypan over medium heat. Cook sausages until done, about 10 minutes (always seems so much longer).

Turn a slice of bread so it is in a diamond shape, put the sausage at the base of the diamond and roll up.

Secure with toothpick. Serve with your favourite sauce.

Notes:

  • More of an idea than a recipe! Another of my attempts to get my children to eat something resembling meat.
  • I buy some great lamb, honey and rosemary sausages from our butcher – no gristle and slightly sweet – my kids (almost) love them!
  • Our sausages were way too big for the bread, so I cut them in half.
  • You may need more bread if everyone wants them presented like this.
  • If your kids are into gore – try splitting the cooked sausage, stuffing with grated carrot, cheese or diced tomato before you roll up – snake guts!
  • For the adults, sauté some onion rings in olive oil and serve with a salad. We had leftover Tomato pie with our sausages.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

Serving Suggestions

Note

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Please contact us with new ideas and suggestions on how to make this a reality for you and your family.

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