Ingredients

• 1L (4 cups) iced water
• 3 mandarins, peeled, segmented
• 80ml (1/3 cup) blue gum honey
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 125ml (1/2 cup) water, extra
• 2 tsp vegetable oil

You will need 4 bamboo skewers for this recipe

Method

1. Step 1 - Place the iced water in a large bowl. Line a baking tray with non-stick baking paper.
2. Step 2 - Kids task: Thread the mandarin segments evenly onto the skewers.
3. Step 3 - Combine the honey, sugar, extra water and oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat.
4. Step 4 - Use metal tongs to coat the mandarin skewers in the toffee mixture, then place in the bowl of iced water to set. Stand skewers in a large cup and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 375g strawberries, hulled, halved
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 hot cross buns, sliced crossways into thirds
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat vanilla yoghurt, to serve

Method

1. Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230°C. Line a small roasting pan with baking paper. Add strawberries to pan. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Roast for 10 minutes until strawberries collapse and syrup forms.
2. Step 2 - Meanwhile, toast bun slices in toaster or under a grill. Spread 1 side of each slice with Nutella.
3. Step 3 - Place 2 bun slices on each serving plate. Spoon strawberries and syrup over bun. Top with a dollop of yoghurt and serve.

Ingredients

• 3 (600g) granny smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
• 3 (650g) william pears, peeled, cored, cut into wedges
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup maple-flavoured syrup
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Topping

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 1 tablespoon vanillin sugar (see note)
• 80g butter, chilled, chopped

 

Method

1. Step 1 - Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place apple, pear, cinnamon, syrup and cranberries in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until apple is just tender, stirring halfway during cooking. Carefully spoon mixture into a 6cm-deep, 6 cup-capacity ovenproof dish.
2. Step 2 - Make topping: Combine oats, flour and sugar in a bowl. Using fingertips, rub butter into oat mixture until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over fruit mixture. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.

Notes

Serve with ice-cream for an extra treat.

Look for vanillin sugar in the supermarket spices aisle, or make your own by placing a vanilla bean in a jar of caster sugar. Secure lid and stand for 1 month before using.

Ingredients

• 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 80ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
• 80ml (1/3 cup) honey
• 1 tbs Dijon mustard
• 1 (about 8kg) whole leg ham, on the bone
• Whole cloves, to stud

Method

1. Step 1 - Stir the sugar, maple syrup, honey and mustard in a bowl until the sugar dissolves.
2. Step 2 - Preheat oven to 170 degree celcius. Line a large baking dish with 2 layers of non-stick baking paper. Place an oven shelf in the lowest position. Remove all other shelves. Use a sharp knife to cut around the shank of the ham, about 10cm from the end. Run a knife under the rind around edge of ham. Gently lift the rind off in 1 piece by running your fingers between the rind and the fat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern, about 5mm deep. Stud the centres of the diamonds with cloves. Transfer to prepared dish.
3. Step 3 - Brush one-third of the glaze over the ham. Bake, brushing with glaze every 25 minutes, for 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 x 425g cans mangoes in syrup, drained reserving syrup
• 5 tsp gelatine powder
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 500ml (2 cups) mango nectar
• 375ml can evaporated milk
• Double cream, to serve
• Thinly sliced fresh mango (optional), to serve

Method

1. Process the canned mango in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
2. Place 185ml (3/4 cup) of the reserved syrup in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with the gelatine.Place the bowl in a small saucepan. Add enough boiling water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Whisk the mixture with a fork until the gelatine dissolves.
3. Place the sugar and 185ml (3/4 cup) of the mango nectar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
4. Add the gelatine mixture, mango nectar mixture, evaporated milk and remaining mango nectar to the mango puree. Whisk until smooth. Divide among eight 250ml (1-cup) capacity serving glasses. Place in fridge for 6 hours or until set.
5. Top with cream and fresh mango, if desired.

Ingredients

• 500g Lamb Mince
• 1 Brown Onion (diced finely)
• 1 Carrot (grated)
• 1 Egg
• 2tbs Finely Chopped Parsley
• 1/2tsp Oregano
• 1tsp Finely Grated Lemon Rind
• 1 Garlic Clove (crushed)
• 1 Loaf Turkish Bread
• 1 cup shredded Cos Lettuce Leavesv
• Sliced Beetroot (tinned)
• 1 Lemon (cut into wedges)

TZATZIKI

• ½ Cup Barambah Natural Yoghurt
• 1 Lebanese Cucumber (seeded & chopped finely)
• 1tbs Finely Chopped Mint

Method

1. Combine lamb, onion, carrot, egg, parsely, oregano, lemon rind and garlic in a medium bowl; shape mixture into 6 patties.
2. Cook patties on BBQ or Frypan until lightly brown.
3. While patties are cooking, combine ingredients for tzatziki in a small bowl.
4. Cut loaf of bread into 4 pieces, split each price in half and toast cut-side up.
5. Sandwich lettuce, patties, beetroot and tzatziki between bread pieces. Serve with lemon wedges.

Ingredients

• 2 packets of baby spinach, trimmed, leaves chopped
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 sheets shortcrust pastry, thawed
• 100g marinated feta (see note), drained, crumbled
• 16 pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tbs pine nuts
• 1 egg, beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 trays with baking paper. Trim spinach stalks, and wash and chop the leaves. Shake off excess water and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook,stirring, for 2-3 minutes until softened. Transfer to a bowl. Add spinach and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until the spinach has just wilted. Transfer to a sieve and press spinach against the sides to remove excess water. Cool.
3. Cut a 22cm circle from each pastry sheet and place on trays. Spread spinach in the centre of each pastry circle, leaving a 2.5cmborder. Sprinkle with the feta, then scatter over the onion mixture, olives and pine nuts. Fold the pastry border in over the filling, overlapping as you go to form a neat ring. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg, then bake for 10-12 minutes until the tarts are golden and cooked through. Serve warm, with green salad if desired.

Ingredients

• 4 lamb shanks
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 21 tbs olive oil
• 1 red onion, halved and cut into 8 wedges
• 5 whole cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp rosemary leaves
• 2 x 400g cans Italian tomatoes, crushed
• 300ml water
• 1/2 cup (125ml) red wine
• 400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Method

1. Season lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy based pan. Brown lamb shanks two at a time for 2 mins, transfer to aplate. Saute onion, garlic and carrot for 3-4 mins.
2. Return shanks to pan. Add rosemary, tomatoes, water and red wine. Cover and simmer over a medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Remove lid, simmer for a further 1-1 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender. Add beans, warm through and serve with mashed potato or polenta.

Ingredients

• 2 tbs vegetable oil
• 2 onions, cut into wedges
• 2 tbs curry powder
• 750g potatoes
• 500g pumpkin, peeled, chopped
• 200g Barambah natural yoghurt
• 1/2 cup (125ml) water
• 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 150g pkt baby spinach leaves

Method

1. Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add 2 onions, cut into wedges and 2 tbs curry powder. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until softens slightly.
2. Add 750g potatoes and 500g pumpkin, peeled, chopped. Cook, covered, 15 minutes. Stir through 200g natural yoghurt with 1/2 cup (125ml)water and 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained. Cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add 150g pkt baby spinach leaves, cook, covered, 2-3 minutes. Season. Scatter with extra curry leaves. Serve with extra yoghurt and pappadums.