Honey soy chicken skewers
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast fillets
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
Method
If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes. Slice chicken into 2cm cubes. Combine remaining ingredients in a casserole dish, microwave on high for 10-20 seconds to melt honey.
Stir well to combine, add chicken and mix well. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Thread chicken onto skewers (about 6 pieces per skewer).
Heat grill to high heat and cook chicken for 3 minutes on each side (4 sides, can’t be too careful with chicken), basting half way through with some of the marinade.
Serve with rice and greens.
Notes:
- This dish was inspired by my little girl pointing at the grill and saying, “You haven’t cooked anything on sticks in there for ages”. So chicken on sticks it is.
- Couldn’t be simpler, marinade meat in advance, thread on the chicken and they are cooked before the rice is done.
- We had some baby spinach wilting in the fridge so I sautéed it in a pan with a little bit of sesame oil and sesame seeds. Takes only a minute, try it!
Serving Suggestions
Note
Spring minestrone
Serves:
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium brown onion, peeled and diced
- 200g pancetta, cut into 1cm-square cubes (or thereabouts)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cubed
- 1 medium turnip, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup pumpkin, cubed
- 2 tbsp thyme leaves
- 1/2 savoy cabbage, very finely sliced
- One parmesan rind
- 3 cups (750ml) vegetable stock
- 1 1/2 cups small maccheroni pasta
- Extra parmesan cheese, grated, to serve
Method
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and cook, stirring often, for five minutes.
Add the garlic, carrot, turnip and thyme and cook for a further five minutes, stirring often. Now add the cabbage, parmesan rind, 2 cups of water and the stock and bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add the maccheroni and cook for eight minutes or until al dente. Serve soup in bowls with crusty bread, extra parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Find related soup recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
Wholesome breakfast smoothie
The kids will love this wholesome breakfast smoothie – especially those who aren’t keen on a big brekkie. This liquid meal is packed to brim with nutritious ingredients and will keep them full and satisfied until recess.
Serves:
Makes 1 tall smoothie
Ingredients
- 4 dried apricots
- 2 dried dates, seeds removed
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp oats
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (250ml) almond milk
- 1 small banana
Method
Put apricots, dates and chia seeds into a bowl and cover in boiling water. Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until apricots and dates look plump.
Pulse oats in a blender, then add drained dried fruit and seed mixture.
Add vanilla, milk and banana to the blender and blend really well into a smoothie.
Serve in fun, colourful cups with party straws.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you’re making this smoothie for a fussy toddler you could use half almond milk and half full cream dairy milk to give it a creamier taste.
- If the chia seeds make the smoothie too bulky, just add some extra milk or water.
- Sometimes you need a little bit of extra help to entice the kids so you could add a little Milo
Healthy chocolate brownie
Serves:
Makes 9
Ingredients
- 350-400g pumpkin, skin on and roughly chopped
- 2/3 cup (100g) plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 1/3 cup Dutch cocoa
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup (55g) dark chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup (160ml) agave nectar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 20cm x 20cm baking pan with baking paper an set aside.
Place pumpkin into a steamer and steam for about 20 minutes until soft. Remove pumpkin from steamer and cool slightly. Scoop out pumpkin flesh and puree using a stick blender or food processor – you should have 1/2 cup of puree.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa together in a bowl. Place butter and chocolate into a small non-stick saucepan and melt gently on a low heat. Remove from heat.
Whisk eggs well and add agave nectar and vanilla. Add pumpkin puree and chocolate mixture. Stir to combine and fold through dry ingredients until just combined and pour into baking pan.
Bake for about 25 minutes – until cake skewer comes out with slightly moist crumbs. The outside should be firm and the inside shouldn’t be wobbly but still soft.
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes before transferring brownies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Find more healthier sweet treats
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Adding a little pumpkin puree to your baking gives mucho moisture and fabulous fibre without the pumpkin taste. It’s a baking tip that’s popular in America and one I was dying to try. Trust me, it works! So not only do you get a beautifully moist brownie, it’s packed with fibre, too.
- If you want to use sugar, use 1 cup white sugar.
- Brownies will keep for about 2-3 days in an airtight container and freeze well too.
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Apple and worm cupcakes
Serves:
Ingredients
Method
Step 1. Make up the vanilla cupcakes as per the recipe.
Step 2. Bake as directed.
Step 3. Make your buttercream icing and add a few drops of colouring at a time until you have a rosy, apple red colour. Spread buttercream icing on cooled cupcakes.
Step 4. Push a piece of broken pretzel into the cupcake to resemble a stalk. Push the plastic straw in to make a hole and poke one end of the Gummi Worm inside so it looks like it is emerging from the apple. Add a mint leaf either side of the pretzel to create leaves.
Find more cupcake recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If you want to make this these cupcakes but need a quick shortcut then you can use a packet mix of vanilla cupcakes with icing included and then tint the included icing.
- If red apples aren’t your favourite you can use green food colouring to make green apples.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot,New Zealand's best recipe finder.
Tomato glazed meatloaf
Serves:
Ingredients
- 500g sausage mince
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1 cup zucchini, grated
- 2 tbsp tomato sauce
- 2 tbsp Italian herbs
- 1 egg lightly beaten
Tomato glaze
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC. Line a tray with baking paper.
Mix all ingredients except for the glaze.
Form a loaf and bake for 30 mins. Drain excess fat.
Mix glaze ingredients together and spoon sauce mix over top and return to oven.
Cook further 10 minutes until top is glazed.
Stand for 10 mins. Slice and serve with creamy mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Notes
- I love to make a double batch of this as it is so nice cold on sandwiches the next day.
- It’s packed full of veges and the children won’t even know they are in there.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Ham and pesto crepes
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 x packet ready made frozen crepes or you can make your own
- 1 cup (around 190g) good quality pesto
- 10 slices ham
- 1/2 cup (40g) parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 tsp canola oil
Method
Spread the crepes with pesto, place a slice of ham on each and sprinkle with the cheese. Fold in half.
Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium-high heat and lightly pan-fry the filled/folded crepes for a minute or so on each side until golden. The idea is to just heat through the fillings.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You don’t really need to heat the crepes up, it just makes them that little bit more yummy!
- Spread crepes with honey-sweetened ricotta and stuff with fresh berries.
- Spread with creme cheese and fill with shredded barbecue chicken, grated carrot and some butter lettuce.
- Or go with the classic and spread with Nutella and top with thinly sliced banana or poached peaches or other fruit before folding.
- This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder:
Apple and raspberry bread
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup caster sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (80mL) oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 red apples, grated
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of a loaf pan (mine is 11cm x 21cm).
Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the sugars. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients with grated apple and mix until just combined. Gently stir in the raspberries, the mixture will be quite thick.
Spoon into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack and slice thickly. Serve spread with butter or raspberry jam.
Notes:
- After my whole family was very taken with toasted Banana bread, I decided to venture further into the cake-for-breakfast options – apple and raspberry bread is a delicious combination.
- Make the bread gluten-free using gluten-free plain flour and baking powder
Serving Suggestions
Note
Pancakes and Crepes
Serves:
8 pancakes or crepes
Ingredients
115g (4oz) plain flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
280ml (. pint) milk
a little oil, for frying
Method
Tools: Kenwood Kitchen Machine
Place the flour and salt in the Kenwood Bowl.
Add the egg and a quarter of the milk. Using the whisk at speed 1, mix until smooth.
Gradually whisk in the remaining milk to make a smooth batter.
Pour into a jug, cover and leave to stand for 30 minutes to allow the starch grains time to swell and soften and produce a lighter batter.
Heat the minimum of oil in a 20cm (8 inch) heavy based frying pan or pancake pan.
Pour in just enough batter to thinly coat the base of the pan. Swirl the batter around to coat the pan.
Cook over a moderately high heat for about 1 minute, until light golden.
Turn or toss the pancake, cook for 30 seconds, or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining batter to make 8 pancakes, stacking them on top of each other with greaseproof paper in between. Keep the pancakes warm in the oven whilst cooking the remainder if serving immediately.
Serving Suggestions
Serve sprinkled with sugar and lemon juice.
Note
Veal piccata
Ingredients
- 6 veal leg steaks
- 6 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 125g butter
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 6 thin lemon slices
Method
Place veal steaks between 2 pieces of cling wrap and beat until very thin.
Dust veal in plain flour.
In a frying pan heat the olive oil and fry the veal steaks until cooked on both sides. They will take around 2 mins due to being so thin. Set aside in a warm place.
Heat the same frying pan and add the wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to the boil and add the lemon juice and butter and whisk together.
Return to the boil and pour over veal steaks on serving plates. Top each steak with lemon slices. Serve with steamed vegetables.
Notes
-
- This is a classic sauce that you may have seen served in Italian restaurants as Veal Limone.
- The sauce lends itself perfectly to the delicate flavour of the veal. It is very complimentary to steamed vegetables and great with asparagus .
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Upside-down banana bread
Serves:
10
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
- 2-3 bananas, sliced into 1cm rounds
- 1 1/2 cup (225g) wholemeal flour
- 3/4 (180g) cup white sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable oil
- 1/3 cup (80ml) buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the caramel glaze:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp cream
Method
Step 1. Preheat oven to 180å¡C (160å¡C fan-forced). Line a loaf pan with baking paper and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat the butter and sugar together until melted and pour into loaf pan.
Step 2. Place sliced bananas, cut side down, into the pan on top of the caramel mixture.
Step 3. In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and add wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is entirely wet and then pour into baking pan.
Step 4. Bake loaf for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer placed into the centre comes out clean. Leave in the pan to cool for 20 minutes before turning out onto a serving plate. Place all ingredients for the caramel glaze into a small saucepan. Heat over a medium heat, stirring continuously until all of the ingredients are melted and combined. Pour over the cake gently.
Notes:
- This upside-down banana bread is the most decadent version of banana bread that I have ever seen. It has all of that caramel glaze from the last step soaked into the actual bread. The end result is sticky and delicious and oh so good with ice cream.
- I made the glaze right after I made the first layer. The glaze is fine to stand until the bread is baked and cooled.
- It is best to use over-ripe bananas for the cup of mashed banana. A cup takes about two large bananas mashed.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Slow cooker chicken casserole
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 kg chicken thighs or breast, cut into large chunks
- 1kg brushed potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 x 420g tins Cream of chicken condensed soup
- 1 tbsp chicken stock powder
- 2 cup water
- 500g frozen chunky mix vegetable
- 1 cup parsley, chopped
Method
In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the chicken pieces until golden on each side. You may have to do this in batches.
Place the chicken in the slow cooker with the potatoes, condensed soup, stock powder, water and vegetable mix. Combine well.
Cover and cook for 3 hours on HIGH or 6 hours on LOW.
Stir through parsley just before serving.
Notes:
- If I am putting this on early in the morning, I sear the chicken pieces in a frying pan the night before and pop them into the fridge. That way the next day I can just throw all the ingredients into the slow cooker and set and forget without making too much mess.
- The chunky vegetable mix I used had beans, cauliflower and broccoli in it but you could use fresh vegetable or anything that is left over in your crisper.
- Bacon is a nice addition in this recipe. Fry it with the last batch of chicken, so its flavours are released into the dish.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Find more slow cooker recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
Sausages with braised chickpeas
Serves:
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 500g pork sausages
- 1 medium brown onion, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 x tin (400g) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 bunch silverbeet, stems removed, sliced
- 1/2 cup chargrilled red capsicum, sliced
Method
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a nonstick frypan over medium heat. Cook sausages for 10-12 minutes, turning often, until cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or casserole with a lid, heat remaining oil. Cook onion and garlic over gentle heat for 4 minutes, stirring often.
Add chickpeas and silver beet and stir for a further minute. Add capsicum along with 1/2 cup water, cover with lid and allow to simmer for 10 minutes.
Serve braised chickpeas and vegetables with sausages.
Find related sausage recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can chargrill capsicum yourself by barbecuing it or roasting it at high heat. Once the skin has blackened, pop it in a plastic bag for 10 minutes. Then the skin should rub off easily and you can remove the seeds and slice the flesh.
- If you prefer, buy it pre-prepared from the deli or in jars in the antipasto section of the supermarket.
- This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Nutella pizza
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 quantity of pizza dough, see Notes below
- 5 tbsp of Nutella
- 1 punnet of strawberries
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
Method
Pre-heat oven to 220°C.
Brush a pizza tray with olive oil.
Make one quantity of pizza dough. Roll out to fit a tray and prick surface all over with a fork.
Brush with olive oil or butter and bake for approx. 10 mins or until golden.
While warm spread with Nutella generously and top with fresh strawberries.
Sprinkle sifted icing sugar of the top and slice while warm.
Notes
- The base doesnt need sweetening because the Nutella is very sweet and you can roll the dough to whatever thickness you prefer.
- Find our pizza dough recipe here.
- Make sure you hide a piece for yourself because this disappears FAST!
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
One bowl blueberry and coconut muffins
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup plain flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup coconut flakes
- 1 tbs demerara sugar (for dusting)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced), and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases. Place the flour, sugar, oats, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla in a small jug, and add to the bowl of dry ingredients.
Stir together until the mixture is almost combined, then add the blueberries and coconut and stir again, just until they are distributed – do not over-mix.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cases, and sprinkle with Demerara sugar, if desired.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly. Remove from the tin and let cool on a wire rack.
Find more muffin recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These keep well for about 2 days, but wrapped well and individually they'll keep in the freezer for up to a month.
- Swap up to half the flour in this recipe for wholemeal flour, if desired.
- Replace the blueberries with frozen raspberries, chunks of raw pear, or any dried fruit of your choice to change up the flavours.
Hot milk cake
Serves:
Serves 12
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (210ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (120g) butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups (340g) plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease and line a large square cake tin.
Place milk and butter in a small saucepan and heat until just boiling and butter has melted. Set aside.
Beat eggs for 5 minutes until fluffy. With beaters running, gradually add sugar and continue beating until pale. Add vanilla, flour and baking powder and mix well. Pour in hot milk mixture and mix until smooth.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Serve with cream or custard and fresh fruit.
Find related cake recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You could use a large rectangular baking dish to make a slab cake with this recipe. Note that it will take less time to cook as it won't be as thick.
- This recipe creates a firm cake, so it would be a good choice if you need to shape and carve a themed birthday cake.
- Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Homemade gnocchi
Serves:
Ingredients
- 900g starchy potatoes, peeled
- 2 egg yolks
- 11/2 cups of tipo 00 flour, approximately
- 2 pinches salt
- Good lashing of pepper
Method
Wash potatoes then pat them dry. Steam the potatoes until soft.
Mash the potato finely then turn out onto floured surface.
Add 1 egg yolk and 3/4 cup of flour. Combine using your hands.
Add remaining egg and enough of the remaining flour that you create a smooth, silky dough.
Cut the dough into 6 even-ish pieces.
Roll each piece of dough on a floured surface into a long snake and then slice into gnocchi size portions (roughly 1 inch).
Give each cut piece a little roll and then press with the back of fork. Put onto floured plate, ensuring none of the gnocchi touch each other.
Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.
Drop half the prepared gnocchi in piece by piece. When they rise to the top, remove each piece from the boiling water with a slotted spoon. Drain and drop into your simmering sauce.
Repeat with the second half of the gnocchi.
Notes:
- I serve my gnocchi with Napolitana sauce (1 finely diced onion, sliced garlic, 1 tb olive oil, basil, oregano, 2 x 420g tins crushed tomatoes, slosh of red wine, 11/2 cups of water and a tablespoon of tomato paste) and finely grated parmesan cheese on top.
- I used russet potatoes for this recipe.
- Make sure that you weigh the potatoes after peeling to ensure you have the correct amount of potato for the recipe.
- You could use plain flour if you do not have the tipo 00 flour, but plain flour does not have the same strong glutinous properties and the gnocchi may become soggy during cooking.
- This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Related pasta recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
Healthy Thai fishcakes
Serves:
Serves 4, Makes 24 cakes
Ingredients
For the fishcakes:
- 600g firm white fish, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 spring onions, chopped
- 2 tsp lime zest (about 1 lime’s worth)
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tsp red curry paste
- 1 egg
- 3 tbsp wholemeal flour
- salt
- oil spray
For the salad and dressing:
- 2 cups cooked rice vermicelli (about 75g dry or 1½ little nests)
- 1 red capsicum, finely sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander
- 1/4 cup mint
- 1 cup chopped spinach
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
Healthy Thai fishcakes
Place fish, garlic, spring onions, lemon zest, red curry paste and egg into a food processor and pulse until combined. Don’t over pulse as the mixture will become pasty; you just want the fish to be finely chopped still with some texture.
Stir through flour and season with a little salt.
Heat a non stick frying pan to medium high, spray lightly with oil and place ¼ cups of fish mixture into the pan.
Cook fishcakes in batches for 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
While cakes are cooking, toss together cooked rice vermicelli, capsicum, coriander, mint and spinach.
Combine the sesame oil, soy sauce, lime juice and sugar in a jar, give a good shake and pour over the noodle salad.
Divide salad among plates or bowls and top with fish cakes.
Find related thai recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- Any type of firm white fish will do. If you’re unsure about what to choose, just ask for a firm white fish that’s good for fishcakes.
- Different fish will give you different textures. Softer fish such as basa will give you a smooth, soft texture whereas a firmer fish such as snapper will give you a meatier firmer texture. I prefer the snapper but it’s personal preference.
- This recipe would also work well with salmon.
- My girls don’t like things too spicy so I go light on the curry paste. If you’ve got spicy eaters in your house, up the curry paste.
- I use brown rice vermicelli because it’s higher in protein and fibre, but you can certainly use white.
- Rice vermicelli often comes dried in little nest parcels (about 4 per packet). 75g equals about 1½ nests. I usually cook 2, keeping some noodles for another day.
- Nutritional values per serve: 1355kj (323.6cals); 7.4g total fat (1.4g saturated fat); 2.4g fibre
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Pirate ship birthday cake
Ingredients
- 4 x 340g packet cakes (any flavour will do)
- 4 eggs
- 4 x cup of milk
- Butter for greasing cake pan
- 1 cup jam
Frosting
- Meadow Lea or 250g softened butter
- 4 cups soft icing mixture
- 1 cup of cocoa
- half a cup milk
Decoration
- Licorice straps
- Chocolate wafer biscuits
- Smarties
- Skewers and paper cut into squares for sails
- Writing icing in red
- Pirates from the toy box and pirate themed candles
Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 35 x 25cm baking tray – this is a tray you use to roast vegetable in NOT a cake tin.
Prepare cake batter as per packet directions preparing two at a time. Pour each cake mix into the prepared tin so that you end up with all four batters in the one tin. Bake at 180C for 40 -45 mins or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool cake and level the top with a sharp serrated knife. Cut into appropriate building blocks to create the shape of your pirate ship, using skewers and icing (see below) to anchor them together. Brush all cut cake sides with warm jam to seal.
Icing
Using an electric beater, cream butter until light, pale and fluffy. Slowly add sifted icing sugar and cocoa. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. Cover the entire cake with a generous coating of frosting.
Decorations
Thread paper onto sails and position. Edge all of the deck in wafer biscuits and use licorice to outline the deck. Highlight the deck with writing icing. Add Smarties to back and sides. Position your pirates!
Notes:
- The most important part of creating this cake is getting the right shape and then coating it generously with the frosting. To get a good finish, do a ‘crumb coat’ of icing first – this is where you apply a thin layer of icing over the cake to bind all the cake crumbs to the icing. Then when the icing has set, apply another more generous layer of icing – this will be your final coating and will be crumb-free.
- Another great icing tip is to have a glass of warm water nearby when you ice your cake. Dip your knife into the water as you work – this will ensure the icing is applied to the cake smoothly and you can easily work on getting a lovely finish.
- If you don’t happen to have pirates in your toybox, visit your local $2 shop!
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Pork and quinoa balls with sweet chilli sauce
Serves:
Serves 5
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup black quinoa
- 1 cup (250ml) stock
- 500g lean pork mince
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- vegetable oil spray
- 3/4 cup (180ml) sweet chilli sauce
Method
Place quinoa and stock into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Turn the heat down as low as it will go, cover and cook quinoa for 20-25 minutes or until cooked and the liquid has been absorbed. Cool quinoa completely.
Heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and line an oven tray with baking paper.
Mix half the cooled quinoa with pork, garlic, ginger, spring onions and egg.
Roll about one tablespoon of mixture in your hands to form a meatball and place on the oven tray. Continue with the rest of the mixture.
Place the tray in the oven and bake for 20 minutes until meatballs are golden and cooked through. Serve either hot or cold with sweet chilli sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You only need half the amount of cooked quinoa for this recipe but I find that if I try to cook quinoa in quantities smaller than ½ cup I run into trouble and can’t get it right – either too dry or too wet. Keep the rest for a salad or a healthy omelette or anywhere you would use rice.
- I’ve used black quinoa for this recipe but you can certainly use white or red. Cooking times may vary with different colours. White tends to cook quicker than black I’ve found so just keep an eye on it.
- If you’re packing these for lunch make sure you put a freezer block alongside them to keep them cool.
- Why not pack these in a lunchbox with some cherry tomatoes and vegetable sticks for a lovely healthy lunch.
- If you are looking for fresh flavours then this Quinoa tabouleh uses quinoa in place of burgul.
- You can also use quinoa for texture like we have in this Crunchy quinoa salad.
- You can use quinoa as a crumb coating like we have in these Quinoa calamari rings.
- You can even sneak quinoa into a burger like we have in this Quinoa cheeseburger with barbecue onions .
- You can make some Quinoa popcorn chicken instead of going out for fast food.
- You can use quinoa in our Salad in a jar to make your salad more satisfying.
- You can even sneak quinoa into a smothie like we have in this Strawberry quinoa smoothie.
- Quinoa can be used as porridge like in this Quinoa and apple porridge.
- Nutritional value per serve: 1075kj (256cals); 7g total fat (2.5g saturated fat); 0.8g fibre
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Jay at The Moodie Foodie and on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Sausage wheel with easy chutney
Serves:
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 3 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (80g) brown sugar
- 8 thin sausages
- 1 clove garlic, finely sliced
- 3 bay leaves
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).
Place onion, tomatoes, vinegar and sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes or until sticky and jammy.
Meanwhile, untwist joins between sausages and gently push fillings together to form one long sausage. Beginning at one end, manoeuvre sausage into a spiral shape. Push a couple of bamboo skewers through to keep it all in place. Place spiral onto a non-stick baking tray. Push garlic slices and bay leaves in between the gaps of the coil.
Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Serve in the centre of the table on a large platter or board with chutney, fresh bread and a salad.
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Note
- Make sure the sausages haven't been cut or separated when you buy them. Better still, ask your butcher to create an extra long sausage without tying off the links.
- You could use tinned tomatoes to make the chutney in the cooler months.
- This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder, by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Apple muffins
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 cups self raising flour (for Gluten-free see notes below)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup caster sugar
- 1/3 cup (80mL) olive or vegetable oil
- 1 cup low fat natural yoghurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 red apple, grated
- ½ cup pecans, chopped (or walnuts or almonds)
- ½ cup dates, chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C and place paper cases in muffin tray (12 large or 18 cupcake size).
Sift flour and cinnamon into large mixing bowl, add caster sugar.
In a glass jug, measure out oil (to 1/3 cup), add yoghurt (to 11/3 cup) and eggs, whisk to combine.
Pour liquid into dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Stir in apple, pecans and dates.
Spoon mixture into paper cases.
Bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the muffin comes out clean.
Notes:
- If you need to hide the fruit, peel the apple before grating and puree the dates with some hot water to make a paste.
- The pecans add a lovely crunch to these muffins, but omit if you are a nut-free household.
- This is a great way to use up that challenging-tasting natural yoghurt that you bought in a healthy phase, but is now languishing at the back of the fridge!
- Make gluten-free by using gluten-free plain flour (e.g. Orgran) and 3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder. A smidgeon (about 1/8 teaspoon) of xanthan gum (from health food shops and some supermarkets) gives the ‘gluten-like’ consistency.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
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Spiced currant buns
Serves:
Makes about 12 buns
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups (500g) plain flour
- 2 tsp instant yeast
- 4 tbsp caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1/2 cup currants, soaked for at least 30 minutes in orange juice
- 400ml milk
- 1 tbsp butter
For the glaze
- 1/4 cup (75ml) orange juice
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp mixed spice
Method
Combine the flour with yeast, sugar, salt, spice and currants. Heat the milk and stir though the butter until it melts. Add the wet ingredients to dry and bring together until you have a wet dough.
Using the dough hook of an electric mixer or by hand, knead until you have a smooth dough.
Leave the dough to rest in a large, oiled bowl (covered with a damp tea towel) for about an hour or until doubled in size.
Now is when you can get the kids really involved … Have them pull small pieces of dough off and roll into nuggets about the size of a golf ball. Place these about 2cm apart on a baking tray. Cover and leave for another 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced) and bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden.
Heat the glaze ingredients together in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and let bubble away for a couple of minutes.
Brush the rolls gently with this wash while still warm and sprinkle with the poppy seeds. Serve with butter jam.
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Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can swap the currants with chocolate chips or leave them out entirely, if you prefer.
- For a more chocolate-y twist, add a few tablespoons of cocoa to the mixture (add just a touch less flour in this case).
- 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.
Halloween severed fingers
Serves:
Ingredients
- 100g almond flakes
- 2 tbsp red food colouring
- 125g butter, softened
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
- ½ cup icing sugar, sifted
- 5 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 2/3 cups plain flour
Method
Step 1. Place 24 fingernail-shaped almond flakes into a small bowl and pour over the food colouring. Leave to soak while you make the biscuit dough.
Step 2. To make the biscuit dough, using a mixer, cream the butter and eggs until combined. Beat in the icing sugar, caster sugar, vanilla and salt and mix until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes).
Step 3. Still using the mixer, add the flour and mix until just combined. Form the dough into 2 disks and cover in cling film. Refrigerate for 20 mins.
Step 4.Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan-forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Remove dough from refrigerator and roll 12 finger shapes from each disk. Use a sharp knife to cut knuckle ridges into the dough and pinch together for knuckles.
Step 5. Place an almond fingernail on each fingertip. Bake for 12 minutes.
Step 6. Remove from oven and dip each finger end into the food colouring.
Notes:
- These biscuits are firm on the outside and soft on the inside.
- You can serve these up in a little black pot to resemble a witch’s cauldron or just put them all in a large, clear airtight jar so it looks like you have a big jar of chopped fingers.
- I used tweezers to get the almond flakes out of the food colouring and just applied some pressure to the centre after laying them on top. They became very firmly attached during baking.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’ best recipe finder.
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