Cooking With Kids – Christmas Leftovers

26 December 2012 By Leave a Comment

In the post-Christmas wind-down, it’s an all-too familiar sight when we open the fridge to see mountains of leftover food! We thought we were feeding hundreds, but in reality, there weren’t that many (although there possibly seemed to be at the time!).

Now what do you do with the leftovers? Well, with the kids at home for the holidays, why not combine the two and get your children on kitchen duty with this simple but delicious recipe from Taste.com.au

Ham Zucchini and Carrot Fritter

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ham, Zucchini and Carrot Fritters

Ingredients
• 250g packet 90-second brown rice
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1 cup (165g) chopped leg ham
• 1 large carrot, peeled, grated
• 1 large zucchini, grated
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup grated extra-light tasty cheese
• olive oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat tzatziki dip
• 30g baby rocket or baby spinach
(Ideally you can add any leftovers you have in the fridge – exchange the ham for turkey, chicken or pork, add extra vegetables etc.)

Method 
1.  Cook rice following packet directions. Sift flour into a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly whisk eggs and milk in a jug. Add to flour, stirring until smooth. Add rice, ham, carrot, zucchini, green onions and cheese. Stir to combine.
2.  Spray a 22cm (base) non-stick frying pan with oil. Heat over medium heat. Pour rice mixture into pan. Smooth surface. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until mixture begins to set and edges start to brown. Remove from heat.
3.  Preheat grill on medium heat. Place fritter, still in pan, under grill. Cook for 5 minutes or until light golden and set in centre. Use a spatula to loosen edges. Stand fritter in pan for 3 to 4 minutes before sliding onto a board. Cut into wedges.
4.  Arrange fritter on plates. Top with tzatziki and rocket and season with pepper. Serve.

For those interested in the finer details, using the given recipe without substitutions, the nutritional panel looks like this:

Energy 1524kJ
Fat saturated 3.80g
Fat Total 10.50g
Carbohydrate sugars -
Carbohydrate Total 40.30g
Dietary Fibre 4.60g
Protein 24.60g
Cholesterol 121.00mg
Sodium 1058mg

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Investment Cooking

2 November 2011 By Leave a Comment

As my week days are really busy, I like to prepare myself on the weekend with some “investment” cooking.  This alleviates the pressure to prepare dishes when I get home on a regular basis.

Osso Bucco is one of my kid’s favourites - inspired by Gary Mehigan of MasterChef fame.  Osso bucco is a very cheap cut of meat, but the flavour is just amazing.  Traditionally this is cooked with veal osso bucco, however I find beef osso bucco shanks just as good.  The price for this can vary between $4.50 per kg up to $8.50 per kg.

Osso Bucco

Ingredients

  • 4-5 pieces of osso bucco, lightly dusted in seasoned (salt & pepper) flour
  • 1 bowl coarsely chopped onion
  • 1 bowl diced carrots
  • 1 bowl diced celery
  • 1 leek, coarsely chopped (my special ingredient)
  • Garlic – to taste
  • 500 ml beef, chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups of wine (red or white)
  • 1 large can chopped tomatoes
  • Salt to taste
  • Parsley and grated lemon rind

Method

Brown off in olive oil in a deep oven proof dish, remove from pan.

Sauté onions, carrots, celery, leek and garlic.

Add stock, wine and bring to boil, add chopped tomatoes.

Add browned and seasoned osso bucco.

Cover dish and place in a medium oven for approximately 2 hours.

Before serving grate some lemon zest and add chopped parsley.  Serve with either mash or pasta.  Yum!

This recipe serves approximately 6 and always tastes better on day two.

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Cooking With Children

30 October 2011 By Leave a Comment

Managing Director Vicky Solopotias shares her experience of cooking as a child.

“I come from a migrant Greek heritage.  I have had the good fortune of being brought up with organic home grown vegies, a front yard full of fruit trees and the fridge constantly being stocked with home made spanakopita, tzatziki, cabana, stuffed pumpkin flowers as well as spit roasted lamb Easter celebrations.

I didn’t appreciate this terribly much as a young child and yearned for vegemite sandwiches and lunch orders with party pies and sausage rolls.  My mother firmly stood her ground and would never allow me to buy processed foods, so my lunches were full of home baked bread with feta cheese and home grown tomatoes, grilled lamb and roasted vegetables…ughh how lucky was I!

I attempted my first pancake one Saturday morning, I wanted to cook breakfast for my Dad before he went off to work, I followed the recipe precisely…except for how much batter was to be used for each pancake.  I poured the whole lot in and made one massive pancake!!

Bless my Dad, he ate the entire serving and told me it was the best pancake he had ever had.

Food and cooking is still an integral party of my family and upbringing.  This culture has flowed onto my children’s upbringing and culture.”

Share your cooking experiences with us – do you have a favourite recipe you love to cook for or with your children?

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Spinach and Feta Pastries

26 October 2011 By Leave a Comment

This delicious recipe is featured in our Muffin and Cupcake Personalised Recipe Book, both of which make the perfect Christmas gift for any budding chef.  Enjoy!

Spinach and Feta Pastries

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch spinach or silver beet
  • 400g feta cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • Handful of bread crumbs
  • 1 packet of six sheet puff pastry

Method

Coarsely chop spinach or silverbeet and wash it in the sink until no residue appears at the bottom of the sink.  You may need to wash it 3-4 times.

Put in a salad spinner and spin out excess moisture, or squeeze with hand.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs and crumble in cheese, slowly add chopped spinach/silverbeet and bread crumbs and mix until all is combined to a nice consistency.

Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius.

Lay square sheet of pastry onto a greased baking tray, place mixture onto one side of the sheet.  Fold sheet over mixture and join edges like that of a pastie and repeat the process.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve fresh from the oven…..yummmmmm!

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