Ambrosia Salad

Ingredients:

1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 can pineapple chunks, drained
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup sour cream

Method:

Gently mix together all ingredients. The sour cream version can be immediately put into serving bowls as it will be firm enough when made. The yogurt version might be a little runny so you may want to refrigerate it for a couple of hours first.

Frances's Version from NZ


Ingredients:

300ml full cream
2 punnets strawberry yogurt
4 tbs castor sugar
little red food colouring - few drops
1 punnet strawberries
1/2 pkt pink/white marshmallows
bunch of red grapes

Method:
Whip cream with sugar and red food colouring - only enough to turn cream pink.
Fold in yoghurt, chopped strawberries, marshmallows and grapes.
Chill for at least an hour in fridge
This serves 4-6 people - can be doubled

Instant Jello Version


Ingredients:

-1 cup dairy style dressing-sour cream, yogurt etc.
-1 pkg. orange jello mix
-1 can mandarin oranges(drained) or 1 cup fresh orange chunks(drain excess juice)
-1 cup flaked coconut
-1 cup mini marshmallows
-Add any other fruit you like

Method:

Make jello according to directions and cool until partially set. Add dressing and mix with a hand blender or whisk.

Add remaining ingredients and gently mix. Cool in refrigerator until ready to serve.

This very large salad should be eaten within 2 days of being made as the jello will break down over time and pockets of water will form in the bottom of the bowl.

I made this one using regular plain yogurt for dressing, 1 can mandarine oranges and 2 bananas.

Watermelon Drink

Make a cool and refreshing summertime treat. Entertain friends or host a birthday party on the patio. Everyone loves watermelon and they all will love the taste of the watermelon drink. Put a scoop of chocolate or vanilla ice cream into the glas, add a cherry and a straw and enjoy the cool taste of a watermelon drink.

Instructions

Things You'll Need:
• 2 cups seedless watermelon chunks.
• 2 kiwis
• 2 cups vanilla yogurt
• 1 cup ice
• Sprigs of fresh mint for garnish
• Ice cream scooper

1. Buy a small seedless watermelon Cut it in half if you need less than a while melon. This is a perfect drink for a teenager birthday party. Pour the drink into a cocktail glass, and add a slice of fruit on the edge of the glass.
2. Scoop out the inside of the melon using an ice cream scooper and cut them into small chunks. Make a watermelon drink and then throw out the outer skin of the watermelon.

Measure out 2 cups and set aside.
3. Cut the kiwis in half. Use a potato peeler and peel away the kiwis'skin. Add the skin to the blender and a few other fruits like a banana, orange, apple or even a peach and cherries(without the pits).
4. Divide the ice cream or yogurt into each glass. Make sure you include a long straw, and a long handled spoon.
5. Add all of the ingredients into a blender and puree until completely smooth. Pour the watermelon drink into 2 stemmed glasses and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint or a cocktail umbrella. Enjoy this cool and refreshing drink.

Tips & Warnings

• Great for a teen party, when served in cocktail glasses with a red cherry added.
• Make a larger quantity, and pour into a punchbowl. Add a fresh cherries, small slices of melon to the punch to enhance the look. Place on the centre of the table, surrounded with punch glasses, and allow each guest to serve themselves.
• A sprig of mint would compliment the drink
• Use any flavour yogurt if vanilla is not to your taste.

Kel's Corn & Herb Fritters

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups SR flour – sifted
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, separated
¾ cup milk
1 cup ricotta
1 cup canned corn kernels, drained
Bunch of Herbs (Coriander, Chives or other herb chopped)
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
50g butter

Method:
Combine flour & salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre & add the yolks & milk. Whisk until mixture is smooth. Loosely fold in the ricotta, corn & Herbs. Season with salt & pepper. Whisk the eggwhites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, then gently fold into the hotcake batter. Melt a teaspoon of butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Drop in teaspoons of batter to form 6-8cm round hotcakes, making sure mixture is evenly distributed. Cook for 3-4mins or until lightly golden. Turn over & continue to cook for another 2-3mins. Cook hotcakes in batches. Keep warm under foil or in oven.

Serve:
Alongside avocado & bacon with chilli or tomato salsa & fried eggs.

Mars Bar slice

INGREDIENTS

4 x 60g Mars Bars, chopped
100g unsalted butter, chopped
3 cups Rice Bubbles
200g milk or dark chocolate, chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

METHOD

Lightly grease an 18 x 28cm slice pan. Line base and 2 long sides with baking paper, extending paper 2cm above pan edge.

In a medium saucepan, stir Mars Bars and butter together over a low heat for 4-5 minutes until melted (see tip).

Place Rice Bubbles in large bowl. Blend in chocolate mixture until combined. Press firmly into prepared pan. Chill until firm.

Melt chocolate with oil in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Spread evenly over slice. Chill until set. Using a hot knife, cut into small squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Top tip
Mixture may look separated when melting the Mars Bars and butter, but will come back together after stirring for about 5 minutes.

Angela's Date and Lemon Scones

Ingredients
150ml-175ml milk
150ml cream
1 egg
3 cups self-raising flour
2 tbs caster sugar
1 cup chopped, dried dates
Finely grated rind 1 lemon
Cream & jam, to serve

Method
Makes 12

1. Preheat oven 200°C fan forced. Line large flat oven tray with baking paper.


2. Whisk 150ml milk, cream and egg together until well combined. Combine flour, sugar, dates and lemon rind in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and stir gently to a soft dough, adding remaining milk if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together.


3. Press dough out to 2cm-thick. Cut scones from dough and place onto tray flat-side up. Press dough together gently and repeat using the remaining dough. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and well risen. Serve hot with jam and cream.

Basic Scones

Ingredients
plain flour, for dusting
3 cups self-raising flour
80g butter, cubed
1 to 1 1/4 cups milk
jam and whipped cream, to serve

Method
Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly dust a flat baking tray with plain flour. Sift self-raising flour into a large bowl.

Using your fingertips, rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Make a well in the centre. Add 1 cup of milk. Mix with a flat-bladed knife until mixture forms a soft dough, adding more milk if required. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth (don't knead dough too much or scones will be tough).

Pat dough into a 2cm-thick round. Using a 5cm (diameter) round cutter, cut out 12 rounds. Press dough together and cut out remaining 4 rounds. Place scones onto prepared baking tray, 1cm apart. Sprinkle tops with a little plain flour. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and well risen. Transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm with jam and cream

Shirley's Pikelets

Ingredients
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
1 tbs caster sugar
3/4 cup (185ml) milk
1 egg
Melted butter, to brush, plus extra knobs to serve

Method
Sift flour and sugar together into a bowl with a pinch of salt.

Whisk milk and egg together, then add to dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.

Heat a non-stick frypan over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter. Drop level tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and cook for half a minute or until bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn over and cook other side for 1 minute until golden.

Allow to cool and serve with butter, cream and jam.

Notes
Makes about 25 (small).

Australian Damper

Matilda @ North Ipswich bread and milk $15
7-11 @ Brassall bread and milk again for $15
Lucky 7 Convienience @ Leichhardt bread $10
Un-named Butcher @ Chinchilla bacon 3kg $45
SERIOUSLY....WTF ARE PEOPLE THINKING

Lets get back to our roots. This bread made by bush settlers may be baked on the open fire or in a regular oven. As is typical of hand-me-down recipes, there are as many versions as there are bush babies. One recipe says to use beer instead of milk, then wrap the dough around a stick and cook over an open fire.

ingredients:
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk

Method:Mix the flour, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Cut in the butter until fine crumbs form. Add milk to make a soft dough. Knead lightly on floured board until smooth. Shape into round loaf, brush with milk, and bake at 375 degrees F. for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped.

Salmon sushi rolls

Makes: 16 small rolls

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 cup sushi rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
4 nori sheets (dried, roasted seaweed)
1/2 avocado, sliced lengthways
Small (100g) can red salmon, drained, flaked
1/2 cucumber, cut into thin strips
1 small carrot, grated
soy sauce, to serve

Method
Place rice and 1 1/2 cups cold water in a saucepan over high heat. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid absorbed. Remove from heat. Stand for 5 minutes.

Place rice and vinegar in a bowl. Stir to combine. Allow to cool completely, stirring regularly to prevent rice becoming gluggy.

Place 1 nori sheet, shiny-side down, on a sushi mat. Using moist hands, spread one-quarter of the rice mixture over the nori sheet, leaving a 3cm-wide border around the edges. Place one-quarter of the avocado along the edge facing you. Top with onequarter each of the salmon, cucumber and carrot. Using the sushi mat, roll up firmly to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining nori, rice mixture, salmon and vegetables.

Slice each roll into 4 pieces. Wrap in plastic wrap.

Notes
You'll need a sushi mat for this recipe. You can find bamboo sushi mats in the Asian section of the supermarket or at Asian grocery stores.

Chicken Parmy Casserole

Ingredients:
1 Packet of ALDI’s Marinated Chicken Nibbles
2 cups of Grated cheese
1 cup of Cherry tomatoes (or small packet/tub)
1 – 2 cups of chopped mushrooms (add as little or as much as you like)
1 - 2 cups of chopped Cabbage
1/2 cup of Chives or shallots
3/4 cup of White Wine
Small tub of cream
Salt and Pepper

Method:
Place chicken nibbles into casserole dish. Cover with a cup of grated cheese. Cover with half the tomatoes. Cover with mushrooms, and also use the rest of the tomatoes. Top with Cabbage and the rest of the cheese. Pour over the top the cream and the white wine. Pepper and salt on the top and finally top with chives or shallots. Pop on the lid and into the oven (180 for about 2 hours). After 1 hour, take out of the oven and stir it around turning the chicken. At this stage you will be able to tell home much longer it will need. Try to get the chicken to nearly fall off the bone. Serve with rice.

(Save some chives or shallots to sprinkle a few on top before serving. If you don't have a Casserole dish, you can always use a deep baking tray and cover in Alfoil.)

Satay Sauce (Using the left over sauce from the Casserole Dish)


NB: The left over sauce from the chicken can be saved and easily turned into the best Satay sauce by re-heating and adding a dessert spoon of peanut butter. You may need to thinken it up alittle bit using a small amount of flour.