White Christmas

Ingredients

1 cup powdered milk

1 cup rice bubbles

1 cup icing sugar

1/2 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup mixed dried fruit

250g Copha, melted and cooled off

2 teaspoons vanilla essence

Preparation method

1. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the melted Copha and vanilla and mix in.

2. Pour into a slice tin or baking tray lined with baking paper and press the mixture evenly into the tray.

3. Chill in the refrigerator till set and firm, about 2 hours.

4. Cut into squares to serve.

Mini Christmas puddings

Ingredients
100g white chocolate melts
12 Arnott's Royals chocolate biscuits
12 Jaffas
Spearmint leaves, cut into smaller leaves

Method
Place the white chocolate melts into a heatproof bowl. Microwave on Medium/50% power, stirring every minute until they are fully melted.

Spoon the melted chocolate into a sealable plastic bag and snip one corner of the bag to make a piping bag. Pipe enough white chocolate on top of the biscuits, allow to drip down the side to resemble custard flowing over the pudding.

Place a Jaffa on top and a small spearmint leaf each side of the Jaffa and secure in the melted chocolate.

Notes
Variation: You can use the same ideas with white chocolate Jaffas and mint leaves on top of homemade or purchased chocolate truffles.

Golly's Banana Tim Tam Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or marg
2 eggs
3/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (the more bananas the more moist it will be.
3/4 cup sugar.
1 1/4 cup s.r flour
tsp of Vanilla
3 - 4 Tim Tams (crushed)

Method:
Beat the butter to a soft cream. Add the sugar & continue beating until light and fluffy/ beat the eggs add gradually to the creamed mixture. Stir in the bananas and then add the sifted flour. Add crushed Tim Tams and fold into the mixture.

(I use a blender to mix everything except the flour. Once all blended, i pour into a bowl and add sifted flour and mix it all up really well and then fold the Crushed Tim Tams. It turns out the same both ways. Whatever you have, use!)

Place in a greased loaf tin and bake in a moderate oven for 35-40 mins. Easy Peesy

NB: Leave out the Tim Tams for a more traditional taste.

Mary's Fabulous Cheese & Ham Ball

Ingredients:
1 1/2 packs of philladelphia cream cheese
2 shallots (chopped)
1/2 capsicum (red preferably)
3 slices of ham (chopped)
2 tablespoons of Gherkin Relish
dash of Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup grated cheese.

Method:
Mix together & you can roll in Paprika if you like but I didn't have any this morning.

Anne Humphrey's Gherkin Dip

Ingredients:

Philadelphia cream cheese spreadable
Jar of gherkin spread
Add Cream or Milk to taste

Method:

Pop it all into the blender and serve with Crackers.

Rachael's Roasted Leek and Garlic Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
20 gms Butter
3 leeks - chopped
2 cloves garlic - chopped
1 celery stick - chopped
2 Zucchini - chopped
2 Bay Leaves
6 Cups Stock (I used chicken but I guess you could use vegetable)
1/3 cup cream
1/4 cup chopped Parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Method:

Pre heat oven 160 degrees.

Melt oil and butter in roasting pan.

I roast everything on baking paper - as there is less chance the veggies can brown.

Add leeks, garlic, celery, zucchini. Mix in melted oil and butter and place in oven to roast for 40-45 mins. Turn a couple of times. If it looks like the veggies may start to brown - cover with foil or baking paper.

While roasting vegies - bring stock to the boil - add bay leaves.

Once Veggies roasted remove and slightly cool. Heat the stock, add bay leaves and bring to boil. Once boiled - remove bay leaves and add vegies. Process until smooth. If you don’t have a hand held thingy add vegies to a food processor with a small amount of stock, and process - then add veggies to remaining stock.

Gently reheat, add cream.

Serve with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with crusty bread.

Frances's Fabulous Cheese Ball

Frances's Fabulous Cheese Ball

250gm mainland tasty cheese
2-3 tbsps chow chow or pickle
About 1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Grate cheese into a bowl. Add chow chow and blend with mayonnaise till pliable.
Roll in chopped parsely and chopped walnuts into a ball.
Put in fridge for at least 2 hours before serving with crackers.