Anzac Biscuits

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup coconut
125g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
2 tbsp boiling water

Combine oats, sifted flour, sugar and coconut. Combine butter and golden syrup and stir over gentle heat until melted. Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter mixture. Stir butter mix into dry ingredients. Take teaspoonfuls of mix and place on a lightly greased tray and allow room for spreading. Cook in a slow oven (150 degrees) for about 20 mins. Loosen while warm and then cool on tray.

Maisie's Chicken Curry

4 cups cooked chicken squares
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 chopped red capsicum
1/4 cup plain flour
3-4 tsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
6 tsp chicken stock powder
2 1/2 cups waer
1 tbsp fruit chutney
1 jar light cream

Saute celery and onion in butter till cooked then add flour, curry powder, turmeric and paprika. cook for a minute or two, add chicken stock and water. Stir till sauce thickens, then add capsicum, cream and chutney.

Toblerone Cheesecake

1-cup plain chocolate biscuit crumbs
1/3 cup (8ozs) butter, melted
¼ cup ground almonds
250 block Regular Philadelphia Cream Cheese
½ cup castor sugar
200g Toblerone Milk or Dark Chocolate, melted
½ cup thickened cream

To serve/ Garnish
35g Toblerone, for shaving

Method:

Combine biscuit crumbs, butter & almonds, press into the base of a lightly greased 22cm springform pan. Chill.
Beat Philly Cream Cheese with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add sugar, melted Toblerone and cream, continue beating until well combined.
Pour onto prepared crumb base & refrigerate 2 – 3 hours until set or overnight.
Top with shaved Toblerone.

Spinach, ricotta and mushroom lasagne

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g can diced tomatoes
250g button mushrooms, sliced
2 bunches english spinach, trimmed, chopped coarsely
500g fresh ricotta
¾ cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
4 fresh lasagne sheets
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
salad to serve


1. Preheat oven to hot, 200°C. Lightly grease an 8-cup ovenproof baking dish.

2. In a large saucepan, heat half the oil on high. Sauté onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until tender. Stir in tomato. Remove from pan. Set aside.

3. Wipe out pan. Heat remaining oil in pan on high. Sauté mushrooms for 2-3 minutes, until tender. Add spinach. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until spinach just wilts. Season to taste.

4. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, milk and eggs. Season.

5. Spoon 1/3 tomato mixture into prepared dish. Cover with 2 lasagne sheets, cutting to fit. Spoon over 1/3 tomato mixture, ½ mushroom mixture and ½ ricotta mixture.

6. Repeat layers, finishing with ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with parmesan. Bake 35-40 minutes, until tender and golden. Serve with salad.

Fetta, Cheddar & Chive Muffins

Serves: Makes 12 muffins

2½ cups self-raising flour
½ tspn bicarb of soda
a good pinch of sea salt
50 gm freshly grated Parmesan
140 gm+ grated tasty cheese
75 gm fetta, crumbled or cubed
freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
100 gm+ unsalted butter
300 ml buttermilk
2 eggs
olive oil spray


Method:
Preheat oven to 190°C.

Sift flour, bicarb and salt into a large bowl.

Add the cheeses, ground pepper and chives. Gently mix with a wooden spoon and make a well in the centre.

Melt 100 gm butter and whisk together with buttermilk and eggs in another bowl. Then pour into the well and stir until just incorporated. (Batter should not be smooth, DON’T OVER MIX.)

Lightly oil a 12-hole muffin tin and evenly spoon in the batter. Sprinkle with a little extra tasty cheese and cook in the oven for 20-25 mins until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Rest for 5 mins before turning out.

Serve muffins warm with unsalted butter on the side.

Banana bread

• Melted low-fat dairy spread, to grease
• 265g (1 3/4 cups) self-raising flour
• 40g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 140g (2/3 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 125ml (1/2 cup) skim milk
• 2 eggs, lightly whisked
• 50g butter, melted, cooled
• 2 overripe medium bananas, mashed

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush an 11 x 21cm (base measurement) loaf pan with melted dairy spread to lightly grease. Line the base and 2 opposite sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang.
   
   
2. Sift the combined flours and cinnamon into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre. Place the milk, eggs, melted butter and banana in a medium bowl, and stir until well combined. Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
   
   
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside in the pan for 5 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into slices to serve.

Baklava fingers

• 3/4 cup sesame seeds
• 4 cups (400g) walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
• 8 sheets filo pastry
• 100g butter, melted
• 1 small lemon
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 whole cloves

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly grease a shallow baking tray.
   
   
2. Place sesame seeds in a small, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook, shaking pan gently, for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and toasted. Transfer to a bowl. Add walnuts and cinnamon. Mix well.
   
   
3. Brush 1 pastry sheet with butter. Fold in half crossways to form a rectangle.
   
   
4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup walnut mixture evenly over pastry. Starting from one long end, roll up into a log. Brush with butter. Place on baking tray. Repeat with remaining pastry, butter and walnut mixture. Bake baklava for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool on baking tray.
   
   
5. Make honey syrup: Peel 1 large strip rind from lemon. Remove the pith. Juice half the lemon. Place lemon rind, lemon juice, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, cloves and 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently for 10 minutes or until honey syrup thickens slightly.
   
   
6. Pour hot honey syrup over cold baklava. Stand for 30 minutes or until baklava has absorbed syrup. Cut each baklava diagonally into 3 pieces. Serve.