Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

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Occasion:
Birthday party.
Menu items
Sausage Rolls (see www.somethingfromnothing.com.au
‘Snacks’)
Chocolate cupcakes with cream filling, dusted with icing sugar.
Strawberries, marshmallows, caramel choc slice, pink drinks
Hot chocolates all round.
Decorations
2 decks of cards
Tea light candles in silver patty cake cases
Other pretty decorations of your choice
Tea pots, cups and saucers.
Dress ups.
Bunny ears, mad hats, Cheshire cat and Alice for the birthday girl……… all pulled out of your wardrobe, dress up bag, (or Op’ Shoppe)

No Chopping…I promise!!

Cheesy ‘Nacho’ burgers.    Makes 12 patties
Ingredients
1 kg beef mince
2 x 35g packets cheese sauce mix (dry)
1 x 35g packet taco mix
2 eggs

Method
Place all of the above ingredients in a large bowl and combine. With clean hands grab handfuls of mince and form them into a patty. Lightly grease a large fry pan and place on medium to high heat. Cook patties turning once until cooked through. Serve on hamburger buns with salad and a dollop of ‘light’ sour cream (optional).
Tip: when forming patties have hands slightly wet, this way mince doesn’t stick to your hands and it’s easier to form patties.

Left Overs!

This is a great idea for the inevitable left over mashed potato. Kids love this for a winter afternoon snack or a lazy weekend lunch!

Creamed Corn Potato Cakes       Makes 16 cakes

Ingredients
4 cups of mashed potato
2 eggs
200g tin creamed corn
½ cup Self Raising flour
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
½ cup Tasty cheese grated 
½ cup self raising flour
salt and pepper, for seasoning
Method
Combine all the above ingredients. Using an ice cream scoop, dollop potato mix into a lightly oiled, deep fry pan, placed on a medium heat. Cook for about 6 minutes. Then using a flat slide, carefully flip the cake and cook for the same time on the other side. Serve with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and grated Parmesan (optional). Or drizzle with some Sweet chilli sauce and serve with a side salad for a yum lunch!
You could also add chopped ham and/or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives.

“Master Chef”… in Miniature

Woowee…picture this, kindy to yr 2  (ages 5-7) for a 2 hour cooking working shop. You really don’t have sufficient adult supervision to do any actual cooking i.e. no hot pans!  So…what’s a girl to do?  Vietnamese spring rolls, (see www.somethingfromnothing.com.au for the recipe) for a start and then ‘cookie monster’ cupcakes.Then Kids coloured their own personalised cook book whilst I prepared hot chocolates, (with my cappuccino machine), and marshmallows to have with their cupcakes.  The kids had an absolute ball.  One hint was to make sure the children had plastic disposable gloves, especially whilst preparing/soaking their rice paper roll wrappers…very tactile, heaps of fun, 2 hours flew by in a snap!!  Catch ya’ later!!

Cookie monster cupcakes

Oven baked pork loin chops

Sorry guys can't help myself (but you'll thank me)...another winter warmer. Ideal comfort food for those freezing winter nights. Trendy in restaurants of late is slow baked pork belly (not that I would know!). Here's a great peasants alternative for the fam'.

For more yum recipes…www.somethingfromnothing.com.au

Oven Baked Pork Loin Chops          Serves 8
Ingredients
8 large Pork Loin chops
1/3 cup good Balsamic Vinegar
3 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
Method
Remove Pork chops from fridge and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile pre-heat your oven to hot (240c). Next, lightly grease two large baking trays. Using a small bowl combine balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard and marmalade. Toss Pork chops completely through this marinade. Place Pork chops onto your baking trays and drizzle any remaining marinade onto Pork chops. Place Pork chops in the oven and cook on hot for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 150 and cook Pork chops for a further 40 minutes, basting Pork chops with pan juices occasionally. Remove and serve, using remaining pan juices as a Jus’ (sauce). Serve with your choice of vegetables. I suggest creamy mash potatoes and vegies…yum!

Nic’s Corner

Morning Tea at Nic’s.  We love ya’  Nic…you certainly have the ‘nac’, with lace tablecloths and ‘big girl’ cups and saucers… bring it on.  This tart is the absolute perfect blend of  mild citrus combined with creaminess and a yum biscuit crunch taboot!Citrus Tart with Cinnamon Pastry  (Y-U-M!!)   serves 8-10

Ingredients
Pastry;
1 pack ‘Nice' biscuits
100g butter, melted
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Filling;
1 tin Condensed milk
1/2 cup lemon juice
3  egg yolks

Method;
Preheat oven to moderate, (180c).
Blend biscuits, then combine with butter & cinnamon.  Press into a tart/flan dish and chill in fridge for about 10 minutes.  Combine all ‘filling’ ingredients, then pour evenly over biscuit base.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Allow to cool…absolutely delish with a dollop of whipped cream!!

‘Double dipping’ exemption??

Recently at her 5th birthday party, my 5 year old, Jo jo, was warned by one of her 5 year old guests, “no double dipping”, to that remark my daughter regally turned to her guest and replied, “the birthday girl is allowed to double dip!!” hmmm certainly is food for thought?  I wonder if it would stick in the wider community?  For the moment I think it ranks up there with the ‘10 second rule’.

speaking of birthday parties.. here’s a yummy one for the kids that takes three minutes max to prepare (for those birthdays that have slipped your mind!).

check out my website: http://www.somethingfromnothing.com.au/ for this recipe. you’ll also find an ‘adult’ version of this cake, which is just delish!