CHEESY  HOT  DOG  STICKS

The perfect treat for kids parties
Makes 16
Ingredients
  • 2 cups self raising flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp sea salt flakes
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 + 1/4 cups grated cheddar cheese
  • 16 wooden ice cream (popsicle) sticks
  • 16 cheerios (cocktail franks)
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Tomato sauce or mild American mustard to serve
Method
  1. Preheat oven to  200 degrees.  Place the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre.  Add the buttermilk and mix with a butter knife until a dough forms.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth.
  2. Divide dough into 16 pieces and roll each out to a 10cm round.  Sprinkle each round with cheese.  Press an ice cream stick into the end of each cheerio and place in the centre of each round of dough.  Roll up the dough to enclose the cheerios then place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.
  3. Brush the pastry with egg and cook for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and puffed.
  4. Serve with tomato sauce or mustard.

Recipe credit:  Donna Hay Kids Magazine

Berry  Donut  Desserts

Dessert does not get any easier than this!
Preparation:  10 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
  • 125gm strawberries, quartered
  • 100 gm blueberries (or 50gm blueberries and 50gm raspberries)
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 cup thickened cream
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 large cinnamon donuts (or 8 small)
Method
  1. Combine berries and 3 tsp icing sugar in a bowl.  Set aside for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile, whip cream with vanilla and remaining icing sugar until thick.
  2. Split donuts in half through the centre. Pipe or spoon cream onto the bases then top with berries (reserving some cream and a few berries for the top). Cover with donut tops. Dust with icing sugar then spoon or pipe a little cream into the donut hole and finish with berries.  ​Serve and enjoy.

Recipe credit:  Woolworths Fresh Magazine

ITALIAN  MEATBALL  SUBS

Ingredients
  • 1 Baguette or French Stick (note 1 Frenchstick makes 4 serves)
  • 1 cup grated Mozzarella Cheese
Meatballs
  • 1kg beef mince
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
  • Plain flour

Tomato Sauce
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes
  • 2 tbs tomato paste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ cup beef stock
  • 1 tsp Italian herbs
Method
  1. Make meatballs by combining mince, breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan, garlic and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls (keep small so they fit into the breadstick). Toss in flour and set aside.
  2. Make sauce. Heat oil and gently sauté onion and garlic until soft. Stir in canned tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, beef stock and herbs. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Season to taste.
  3. Add meatballs to sauce and toss gently to coat the meatballs. Cover and cook on medium for approx 20 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.
  4. Cut the frenchstick in half lengthwise. Fill with Mozzarella cheese and top with meatballs. Sprinkle with more Mozzarella to finish. Cut the frenchstick into quarters and serve.

Hint
Serve leftover meatballs with spaghetti and garlic bread.

Cheesy  Rissoles

Classic, tasty comfort food
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
  • 1kg beef mince
  • 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
  • 1 tbsp tomato paste
  • Small block soft cheese (eg Swiss, Havarti, Jarslberg, feta), cut into small cubes
  • Plain flour
  • Oil for shallow frying
​Method
  1. Combine mince, breadcrumbs, eggs, parmesan, garlic, herbs and tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Roll small handfuls of mince mixture into balls.  Push a cheese cube into the centre and press mixture around the cheese, being careful to ensure that the cheese is completely enclosed.  Toss in flour and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat.  Add rissoles to pan and and brown on all sides.  Transfer to a baking tray and cook for approx 30 minutes until cooked through.
  3. Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans (or chips and salad).  Enjoy.

Cheatin'  Chilli  Beans

Cheap, cheerful, comforting and quick
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
  • 6 to 8 medium potatoes
  • 1 large (or 2 x 410gm) cans baked beans
  • 1 sachet taco seasoning, mild
  • Sour cream, grated cheese & corn chips to serve

Method:
  1. Boil potatoes in salted water until tender (if you are short on time, cut them in half first).
  2. Place baked beans and taco seasoning in a saucepan over medium-high heat.  Stir until heated through.
  3. Cut potatoes in half and arrange on serving plates.  Sprinkle with grated cheese then top with beans.  Add a little more grated cheese, followed by sour cream and corn chips.

​Suggestions:
  • Stir in some canned corn or kidney beans
  • Top with a little salad for colour

Simple  Nachos

A quick and simple snack
Ingredients
  • 1 large packet corn chips
  • 1 jar mild salsa
  • ½​ cup ham or bacon, finely chopped
  • Grated cheese
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.  Spray oven-proof dishes with canola oil.  Fill dishes with corn chips.  Spoon salsa over the corn chips.  Sprinkle with chopped ham or bacon and cover with grated cheese.
  2. Place in oven until cheese is melted and salsa is heated through.
  3. Serve and enjoy.
​Hints and variations
  • Try using flavoured corn chips
  • Delicious served with guacamole and sour cream
  • Substitute ham or bacon for cooked beef mince
  • Toss in some corn for something extra

HONEY SOY CHICKEN WINGS

Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbs tomato sauce
  • 12 chicken wings
  • Finely sliced shallots to serve
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line roasting pan with baking paper.
  2. Combine honey, soy sauce and tomato sauce.
  3. Cut the wing tips from the chicken. Cut the wings in half at the 'elbow' joint.
  4. Add wings to sauce and stir to coat. Spread wings in roasting pan in a single layer. Cook for approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through. Garnish with finely sliced shallots.
​Tip
Save the wing tips for making chicken stock or soup.

BEER-BATTERED PLUTO PUPS

Picture
Ingredients
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 8 pork sausages
  • 1½​ cups self raising flour
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 375ml of your favourite beer
  • 1 cup plain flour (approx)
  • Oil for deep frying
  • Your favourite sauce, to serve
​Method
  1. Fry sausages in oil until cooked through. Drain on paper towel and set aside to cool slightly.  Note - if you are short on time, frankfurts can be used (they do not need to be heated first).
  2. Make beer batter by placing flour in a large bowl with a pinch of salt.  Make a well in the centre, add egg and beer.  Whisk until smooth.
  3. Coat sausages in plain flour then thread them onto bamboo skewers.  Dust again with plain flour.  Dip sausages into beer batter mixture and deep fry, 2 at a time, until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and serve with your favourite sauce.

cheesy Vegemite Scrolls

Picture
Ingredients
  • 2 sheets ready-made puff pastry, defrosted
  • Vegemite, to spread over pastry (according to taste)
  • 1 cup grated tasty cheese (approx)
  • 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tbsp water
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Line oven trays with baking paper.
  2. Spread pastry sheets with vegemite then sprinkle with grated cheese.
  3. Roll lengthwise.  Brush edge with egg wash to seal then slice into 1.5cm pieces.
  4. Place scrolls on baking trays (flat edge down), allowing room for spreading.  Brush with egg wash.
  5. Bake until golden brown.

Cheerio Puffs

Picture
An extremely easy snack - perfect for the footy or kids parties!
Ingredients
  • 500gm cheerios, separated
  • 2 sheets ready-made puff pastry, thawed
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • Tomato or BBQ sauce to serve
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Line trays with baking paper.
  2. Prick the cheerios once or twice with a fork (this is so they don't pop like the one in my photo).
  3. Cut the thawed pastry sheets into squares, large enough to wrap around a cheerio.  Brush the edges of the pastry with water and press to seal.
  4. The cheerios can be wrapped either by creating a triangle or by wrapping around the cheerio and scoring across to form a striped effect (see picture).
  5. Brush the puff pastry lightly with beaten egg.
  6. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden.  Allow to cool slightly and serve with tomato sauce.

Jam  Drops

Picture
Ingredients
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla essence
  • 230gm butter
  • 1½ cups self raising flour
  • ½ cup icing sugar
  • ½ cup jam
Method
  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line two trays with baking paper.
  2. Cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
  3. Fold in flour and icing sugar until well combined.
  4. Roll teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place on prepared trays, about 5cm apart.
  5. Make an indentation in the centre of each ball. Spoon half a teaspoon of jam into centre of each biscuit.
  6. Bake for about 15 minutes until golden.

Chocolate  Crackles

Picture
Ingredients
  • 250gm Copha
  • 4 cups Rice Bubbles
  • 1½ cups icing sugar
  • 3 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 cup coconut
Method
  1. Melt copha over low heat.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until combined.
  3. Spoon mixture evenly into 24 patty papers.  Refrigerate until set. Enjoy!