Zuccini Slice

This is another quick and easy recipe that my mum used to make whenever we were going on picnics or just to have hot or cold over the summer weekends. As it can be frozen, we could always find some in the freezer if we looked hard enough.

PREPARATION:
375 grams grated zuccini
1 carrot grated
1 large onion chopped
3 rashers of bacon chopped
1 cup grated cheese
1 cut SR flour
1/2 cup oil
5 eggs
salt and black pepper to taste

Mix all together in a large bowl and spread into a large ovenware dish. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes in a moderate oven.

Little Quiches

This is another of the Homemakers Feature recipes and it was prepared by my sister Mandy.
Whenever we have large parties, especially with teenagers we always serve these up. So easy to make and very tasty.

PREPARATION:
1 pkt puff pastry sheets
4 tablespoons butter
1 pkt bacon (approx 5 rashes)
1 cup tasty grated cheese
1 egg
1 cup breadcrumbs - fresh or dried
1 small chopped onion
1 cup milk
pinch cayenne pepper
1 desertspoon baking powder


Mix all together in a large bowl until well combined, then add the baking powder. Cut pastry out to fit in patty tins and then fill with the mixture. Cook in a hot oven approx 10 - 15 minutes. This will make approx 5 dozen. They can easily be frozen if you want to make in advance.

Turkey Frittatas

If you are wondering what to do with all that left over turkey then this is a great recipe for using some of it up. You are not limited to turkey as I have used the ham off the bone as well and they are also yummy.

PREPARATION:
4 eggs
1 cup cream (can use light)
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup cooked turkey, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped chives
sea salt and cracked pepper

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Place the eggs, cream, salt, pepper and cheese in a bowl and beat to combine. Stir through the turkey and chives and pour the mixture into small muffin tins and bake for 10 minutes or until puffed and golden. Makes approx 24.

Never Fail Sponge

If you follow this recipe exactly then you can be assured that this sponge will always turn out beautifully. Every cake stall that my mum and myself were involved in, we always made up heaps of these sponges and they always sold out before anything else.

PREPARATION:
3 eggs
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cornflour
1 tablespoon custard powder
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon bi carb soda

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 180C or 170C for fan forced oven.
Separate whites from yolks of eggs. Put whites in large mixing bowl and beat thoroughly until stiff. Add honey and then sugar gradually and beat well. Add yolks, one at a time and beat till thick and creamy. Sift dry ingredients together and add half to mixture by folding in gently with a knife. Add the remaining half and fold it in with a knife. Grease 2 sandwich cake tins with little butter and sprinkle some cornflour over and gently shake around tins. Pour in mixture and swirl the tins around a little to disperse mixture evenly. Do not spread over with a spoon or knife as this presses the air out. You want it to stay light when it it is cooked. Place in middle shelf of oven and bake for approx 20 minutes. Do not open the oven door while cooking as this will cause the sponges to drop.
Spread some strawberry or favourite jam over the top of both sponges and then top with whipped cream and some fruit such as strawberries or bananas on top to decorate.
These are able to freeze and will keep indefinitely in the freezer.

Cherry Chums

This is another Feature Recipe from my mums ladies fellowship group from church. It's very quick and easy to make and a great idea for childrens birthday parties or Christmas time.

PREPARATION:
4 cups rice bubbles
250 grams copha
1 cup icing sugar
1 level teaspoon cocoa
20 marshmallows
60 grams glace cherries

Melt copha. Chop cherries and marshmallows. Sift dry ingredients and pour copha over. Stir all together and then press into a slice tin and set in the refrigerator. Yummy!

Fruit Slice

My mother attended the ladies weekly church group named the Ladies Homemakers and each week a different member would bring along her favourite recipe to share and bring each member a copy of that recipe. This was called Feature Recipe. A lot of the recipes I will be sharing with you come from that group of lovely ladies. This one is quick and easy to make and tastes yummy.

PREPARATION:
2 cups SR flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup mixed fruit
125 grams butter
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder

Combine flour, sugar and butter. Mix until like breadcrumbs. Spread half the mixture into a lamington tin. Mix together the milk, egg and baking powder. Add to remaining mixture with the fruit. Pour on top of the base and bake at 350 to 375 degrees for approx 30 minutes. Ice with coffee icing.

Coffee Icing:
Make with instant coffee powder, disolved in a little hot water, icing sugar, vanilla essence and butter. Melt butter, add coffee and other ingredients and stir until thick and creamy.

Lois' Chocolate Cake

This is a family favourite that was given to my mum by Lois who was a dear friend of hers. The best thing about this recipe is that you just put it all in together to beat up. It is a really lovely moist chocolate cake that anyone can make because it is so easy to make and it never fails.

PREPARATION:

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup SR flour
1/4 cup cocoa
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
vanilla essence

Melt butter in saucepan. Sift flour and cocoa together into large mixing bowl. Add sugar, eggs, milk and melted butter. Beat on high for 3 minutes. Pour into a greased ring tin and cook 30 - 35 minutes at 350 degrees for gas oven and 370 for electric oven.
Turn onto a wire cooling rack and when cool, frost with chocolate icing.

Icing
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 level tablespoons of butter
little milk
little vanilla essence
1-2 cups icing sugar.
Melt butter in small saucepan. Add vanilla essence and half icing sugar and all of cocoa. Keep adding small amounts of milk and icing sugar until smooth and thick. Spread over cake and sprinkle some coconut or walnuts on top for decoration.