Chicken Sausages

INGREDIENTS
375g chicken breast cubed
1 medium onion finely diced
1T fresh parsley
1 chicken stock cube dissolved in 1T boiling water
1 large apple, peeled and grated
2T breadcrumbs
plain flour for coating
oil for frying  (I use olive)

METHOD
Put all ingredients (except flour and oil) into a food processor and blend until combined.  Form mixture into sausage shapes (small sausages for smaller kids, larger for bigger kids).  Coat in flour and saute in oil, turning until golden brown on each side.

TIP
The recipe states to season with salt and pepper before forming the sausage shapes, but with the kids I don't use salt and pepper (most of the time).  Providing the chicken meat was not previously frozen these can be frozen once dipped in flour.  They can also be frozen once cooked.   These are one of those great dishes to have a stock of in the freezer.  As you can see from the photo Anabel Karmel makes these great sausages into Sausage Snails for a fun dinner.  My kids just get the sausages.  Make them bite sized for birthday parties, or make them large for Dads, Greg loves these.

Make me gluten free Make sure your flour, stock and breadcrumbs are all of the gluten free variety and this is gluten free dish.  There are a limited amount of each of these items in the recipe so the flavour should remain close to that of the original recipe.

ELLA-ometre  I haven't made these since we left Macau, but Ella was a big fan.  I must make them again.
ZACH-ometre  Even fussy eater Zach will eat these

Source:  Anabel Karmels Feeding your Baby and Toddler

Crunchy Lemon Muffins

INGREDIENTS
2C self raising flour
3/4 C sugar
75g butter
1C milk
1 egg
grated rind of 1 lemon

1/4 C lemon juice
1/4C sugar

METHOD
Melt the butter and leave to cool.  Measure the flour and sugar into a bowl and toss to mix. Finely grate lemon rind into flour mixture.  Lightly beat egg and add to the milk, then add the cooled butter.  Beat well to combine.  Add the liquids to the dry ingredients, and combine only until the the dry ingredients have been lightly dampened.  Do not over mix.  Divide mixture between 12 medium muffin pans.  Bake at 200C for 12-15mins.

Meanwhile stir the lemon juice and sugar together, without dissolving the sugar and drizzle over the hot muffins as soon as they come out of the oven.

TIP   I take the hot muffins out of the muffin pan before drizzling with topping as it can get very hard to clean the muffin tin.  I usually stand on a wire rack over an easy to clean area of the bench and wipe down as soon as I have drizzled.

COMMENT  
I haven't met anybody who doesn't love these....

ELLA-ometre  LOVES
ZACH-ometre LOVES

Source:  Alison Holsts Marvellous Muffins

Chicken and Vegetable Pie

Sadly this photo does not do it justice!

INGREDIENTS
3 medium potatoes
1 onion, diced
4 mushrooms, cut into bite sized pieces
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 carrot, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
1/3 C peas
2 T flour
1 1/4 cup liquid chicken stock
1/2 C milk
1/4 tsp mixed herbs
2 chicken breasts sliced into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
2 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry
Egg wash (1 egg and dash of milk combined with a fork)

METHOD
Heat oven to 200C.  Peel and cook potatoes in salted water,  Once tender drain and mash with a little butter and milk.   Meanwhile, saute onion, garlic and carrot in oil, approx 3 mins.  Add mushrooms and cook until onions are clear.  Stir in flour for 2 mins.  Slowly add stock and bring to a boil.  Add milk, herbs, chicken and peas.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Cook about 10 mins or until mixture thickens.

In a greased oven dish, lay pastry across the bottom and using a fork make holes across the bottom of the pastry.  Place the pie mixture across the bottom of the pastry, top with mashed potato and final layer of pastry.  Cut a small hole in the center to allow steam to escape, prick more fork holes across the top and brush with egg wash  (or milk if you prefer).

Bake approx 50 mins until crisp and golden.

TIP
Again I puree chicken mixture for Zach, top with mashed potato and pastry in a mini pie dish.  I like to make double of the chicken mixture to keep in the freezer for quick meals.  Keep this pie healthy by omitting the pastry and just doing a 'potato top'.

ELLA-ometre    Loves this dish and eats the chicken and vegetables in their big bite sized form
ZACH-ometre  Loves the pureed version

Source:  Based on the 'Family Chicken Pie' recipe in the Edmonds Cookbook

Banana Butterscotch Pudding

INGREDIENTS
1C flour
pinch of salt
1/2C caster sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1 banana mashed
1C milk
85g butter, melted
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping
3/4C soft brown sugar
3 T golden syrup

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C.  Sift the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder into a bowl.  Add the banana, milk, butter, egg and vanilla and whisk together well.  Pour into a greased 2 litre baking dish and put the dish on a baking tray.

To make the topping, put the brown sugar, golden syrup and 1C of boiling water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.  Pour carefully over the pudding, then bake for 30-40 mins or until cooked through.  Serve with vanilla ice-cream or cream.

TIP
I haven't met an adult who doesn't like this.  Yet to be tested on the kids.   If having people over for dinner the cake part can be made in advance and left to one side.  Then all you have to do is make the topping before you pop it into the oven.


Source:  Based on a recipe from Simply Bill, Bill Granger

Myaka's Mars Bar Slice

INGREDIENTS

70g butter (New Zealand Butter)

4x56g mars bars

3t sweetened condensed milk

2 1/4 C Rice Krispies

METHOD

Chop Mars Bar and put into a large pot over medium heat, add butter and condensed milk and whisk until smooth.  Remove from heat and using a flat spoon stir in the rice krispies.  You need to work fast as the mixture hardens fast.  Tip mixture into a loaf tin and flatten and refrigerate.

TIP

For an extra special look spoon into individual mini cupcake cases and decorate with melted dairy milk chocolate and a slice of mars bar, or get creative and sprinkle a few mini m&ms or your kids favourite sprinkles on top.

ELLA-ometer    10 points for Mars Bar slice, Ella loves this
ZACH-ometer    Zach doesn't like chocolate but he will eat this until the cows come home

Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS
1 C Pouring Cream

1 C Castor Sugar
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 1/2 C self raising flour
1 lemon zested

Lemon Curd
1/2 C lemon juice
100g cold unsalted butter, chopped
1/2 C caster sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
3 egg yolks

Meringue
 3 egg whites
1/2 C castor sugar

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180C.
To make cupcakes, use an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk cream, sugar and eggs for 1 minute or until well combined.  Reduce speed to low and then gradually add flour, whisking continuously, until batter is thick and smooth.  Stir in lemon zest.

Divide into 12 cupcake papercases, and bake for about 20 mins or until golden in colour and cooked through.

Meanwhile make the lemon curd.  Place lemon juice and butter in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium heat for about 2 mins until the butter has just melted and remove from heat. Using a balloon whisk, whisk in sugar, egg and egg yolk.  Return to the pan on medium heat and whisk continuously for 5 mins or until the mixture is thick and glossy (don't boil or it may curdle).  Transfer to a shallow tray to cool.

To make the meringue, use an electric mixer and whisk egg whites to stiff peaks, then gradually add sugar, whisking until thick and glossy.  Transfer meringue to a piping bag with a 1cm nozzle.

Now assemble the cupcakes.  Cut approx a 4cm hole in the middle of each cupcake, about 1.5cm deep.  Fill each hole with the lemon curd, then pipe the meringue in a swirl pattern about 3cm high over the filling, leaving a 5mm border around each cupcake.     Place cupcakes on oven trays.  Preheat the grill to high and position the shelf to allow approx 5cm space between the top of the meringues and element.  Cook the cupcakes one tray at a time until the tops of the meringues are golden and slightly crisp - approx 40 seconds..... the cook quick watch out.

Cool for 5 mins before serving.

TIP  Be very careful when making they lemon curd that the butter is not too hot, or the egg will cook when you add it to the mixture.  If a small amount of this does occur, remove from heat, strain through a sieve and return to heat.  If alot of egg cooks (you will see lots and lots of cooked egg white floating about), then you will need to start over.

ELLA-ometer   Loves the cupcakes without the meringue on top (only because she wont try the meringue
ZACH-ometer  Its all a bit rich for him, but he loves the cupcakes without the filling or meringue

Source:  Isabella - The Winner of Junior Masterchef Australia

Tuna Nuggets

INGREDIENTS
2 Medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1C cooked white rice (approx 1/3 C uncooked)
1/2 small onion finely diced
125g can creamed corn
250g tuna in brine, drained
1 egg lightly beaten
1T plain flour
1/2 C breadcrumbs
1/4 C breadcrumbs
$T canola oil

METHOD
Cook rice and allow to cool.
Cook the potato in a pan of boiling water until tended. Drain well and mash with a little milk and butter.  Allow to cool.
Put potato, rice, onion, creamed corn, tuna, flour and 1/2 C breadcrumbs into a bowl and mix to combine.
Shape the mixture into small nugget sized patties.  Roll each nugget into the remaining breadcrumbs and place on a tray.  Refrigerate for 15 mins or until firm.
Heat oil in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat.  Cook in batches until crisp and golden brown and heated through.  Drain on a paper towel.

TIP
Make a double portion and freeze before cooking.  I always have some of these in my freezer as they are so quick to cook, and stay firm if cooking from frozen.    Make extra big patties for adult sized portions - serve with salad.

ELLA-ometer   One of her favourite meals with chopped carrot,celery, cucumber, cheese sticks, and steam broccoli, and most of her friends love these too (even the ones that don't like Tuna, or potato).  Almost everyone always asks me for this recipe
ZACH-ometer  Considering he won't eat mashed potato, or rice usually, this usually works (I say usually because at the moment he won't eat anything except sandwiches and rice crackers)

Source:  Based on the Tuna Patties recipe in the Women's weekly toddler cookbook, details tbc.

Chilli and Lime Thai Broth

INGREDIENTS
3T Soy Sauce
2T Lime Juice
1T Sugar
2 stalks Fresh Coriander
2 cloves Garlic
2 pieces Birds Eye Chili  (for medium to spicy, for extra spice add 1 -2 more pieces)


METHOD
Chop the coriander, garlic, chili and set aside to make a dressing.  Place soy sauce, sugar and lime juice into a mixing bowl and mix, then add the coriander/garlic/chili and stir.  Set aside until ready to serve.
Originally served with steamed Sea Bass, but also works great on grilled chicken.  Its so delicious I'm sure you will find yourself thinking of things to serve it with (I've even put it on a jacket potato).


TIP
I usually make a double mix and keep leftovers in my fridge for up to a week. This sauce is perfect for the diet conscious.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.


Source: Based on the Pla Nung Manao recipe in the  Ginja Cook School Thailand

Cassies Sausage Casserole

Not actual photo

INGREDIENTS
500-750g Sausages
1 1/2 Medium Onions
2 fairly large green apples
2 T olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
2 cans (about 440g baked beans)
1 can (400g) chopped tomatoes
2 T brown sugar


METHOD FOR SLOW COOKER
Spray slow cooker with non-stick spray and turn on to low.  Arrange the sausages in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Slice the onions and peeled apples, add with oil and curry to a frypan over moderate heat and brown until nicely coloured.  Turn off heat and add the can of baked beans. Mix well, adding brown sugar. Tip over sausages (do not stir together with sausages).  Pour can of tomatoes on top of bean mixture.  Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.  Serve with rice or mashed potato.
METHOD FOR OVEN
As above but bake at 140 degrees Celsius for 6 hours in a covered casserole dish.  THESE DETAILS TBC.


TIP
You can try shaping sausage meat into patties for a variation on regular sausages, although I haven't tried this myself.  I always freeze leftovers into either kids or adult portion sizes for an easy dinner.

ELLA-ometer    This is Ella's (and her Dads) favourite dinner

ZACH-ometer    He loved this pureed as a baby, and as he got older would only eat the sausages, but I'm slowly getting him to eat the sauce and the rice as well - it varies from day to day

Source: Based on the 'Cassies Sausage Casserole' recipe in the Alison Holst 100 Ways with Slow Cookers Recipe Book

Chile con queso (Hot Cheese Dip)

INGREDIENTS

2tsp olive oil

1/2 small green capsicum, chopped finely

1/2 small onion chopped finely

2 T drained bottled jalapeno chillies chopped finely

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2x400gm can undrained chopped peeled tomatoes

250gm softened cream cheese

METHOD

Heat oil in a medium saucepan: cook capsicum, onion, jalapeno and garlic stirring until onion softens. Add tomato; cook stirring for 2 minutes.

Add cheese and whisk until smooth

Serve hot with corns chips

TIP

I prepare and cook the vegetable mix ahead of time to the 'cheese stage'. 5 mins before required I reheat, add the cheese until smooth and serve

Source: Based on the Chili Con Queso recipe in the Australia Womans Weekly 'Party Food' cookbook.