Kid Friendly: Pork or Chicken Fried Wontons

Last week I had the chance to teach the children how to make 'fried wontons' (with a simple pork and chicken filling) - from what ingredients to use, mixing and putting the mixture into wonton sheets and showing them the frying method.  This part an adult has to do - after all I was teaching children that are 3 years of age.  They enjoyed this experience and to me they have learned so much from recognizing and naming the ingredients, embracing my culture and having to taste their own food rather than picking these up from the Chinese restaurant or in frozen packets.

Now because I didn't want to overwhelm the children with too much ingredients I just used the minimal! Having the other ingredients does not really mean that the taste will be bland.  It was really good!

Kid Friendly: Pork or Chicken Fried Wontons
We made about 50 on these wontons with minimal meat inside.  If you make leftovers then freeze.  If you want to make just chicken then omit the pork and double chicken the amount and vice versa.

What will you need:

• Approx 150 grams of minced pork
• Approx 150 grams of minced chicken
• 1/2 tbs of minced garlic
• 1/2 tbs of minced ginger
• 1 - 1.5 tbs of soy sauce
• 1 tbs of rice wine vinegar
• pepper to taste
• wonton wrappers (i used the white you can also use the yellow egg wrappers)
• bit of cornflour and water to paste around the edges of the wontons to enclose the filling.
• vegetable oil for frying

Method:

• Have all the ingredients laid out and have the ginger, garlic in whole because this way the children and identify what is what and have them to smell and ask them what does this smell like.  Show them the cut up version which will be put into the mixture.

• Then divide portions up into their own mixing bowls and add all the ingredients together and have them to smell each first and get them to mix and describe how it feels and looks.  The mixture should be sticky and pasty looking.
• Next have the wonton wrappers already peeled for the children (do this beforehand) and show them how.  
• Lay the wonton wrappers on a flat surface and fill the middle of the sheet with a tiny filling of the mince mixture (just under half a teaspoon) and with water mixed with cornflour  brush the edges of the wrapper.  Enclose the filling by taking the bottom of the wrapper to the top of the wrapper and seal.

• I skipped pleating part cause it seems a bit too challenging for their little fingers.  The children showed me that they could dip the finger into the bowl and brush it around the edges and fold it up to enclose the filling.  You can really make any shape!

• With an adult, heat oil (about 1 inch in a wok) until hot.  Fry about 8 wontons at a time until brown and turn it a few times about for 2 to 3 minutes.  
• Drain on paper towel
• Serve with soy sauce and eat immediately!

I am sure you will love watching your children concentrate and focus on this easy cooking activity and that they learn that not everything comes out from frozen packets or take away from a Chinese restaurant.

Cooking with Kids: Marshmallow Rice Bubble Slice

kids love eating and licking the spoons!

Today this kids and I made Marshmallow Rice Bubble Slice.   I made rice bubble slice before but that one didn't have the marshmallow in it. I like this version better. It's softer and chewy than the one with copha in it.   The recipe I have used is from kidspot a popular Australian parent resource site.  I added some chocolate chips in it too to make it a bit more fun for the kids.   Well at the end they picked into the slice and went for the chips instead lol.  Oh well!  At least they had a good time learning how to cooperate and work together by mixing, patting and taking turns in the kitchen.


Marshmallow Rice Bubble Slice (adapted from kidspot.com.au)

Ingredients:

* 75g butter
* 1 ½ packages Black and Gold brand Marshmallow puffs (pink and white)
* 6 cups rice bubbles
* optional:  1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Method:

Butter a large lamington or slice pan and set aside. 

Heat a large, heavy-based saucepan to a medium heat and melt butter.

Add marshmallow puffs and allow them to melt completely until you have a smooth cream. Be sure to stir constantly so the bottom does not burn.

Add rice bubbles quickly and continue to vigorously stir.  Add in the chocolate chips.

Once all ingredients are combined, place the mixture into prepared pan and press down using the back of a clean spoon until even.

Allow to cool and cut into slices. Serve or store in an air-tight container for up to one week.

I didn't take a photo of it first and this was the very LAST piece.  It was pretty good despite that fact it didn't look that nice cause of the pink melted marshmallows!

Well I hope everyone has a great weekend!   I have been so busy and haven't had to update or check anything!  Til next time :)

Cooking with Kids: Masterchef Scones

I got this recipe off the Australian Master Chef site which was a previous recipe from masterclass from last year's series.  The recipe is originally dates and lemon but I just added sultanas instead of those ingredients.  Every Friday I have little helpers that are more than eager to help me measure, pour, mix, knead and help me eat the finished product!

These were so good!!!

All you need is:

150ml-175ml milk
150ml cream
1 egg
3 cups self-raising flour
2 tbs caster sugar
1 cup chopped, dried dates
Finely grated rind 1 lemon
Cream & jam, to serve

My little master chefs hard at work!

Method:

Makes 12
1. Preheat oven 200°C fan forced. Line large flat oven tray with baking paper.

2. Whisk 150ml milk, cream and egg together until well combined. Combine flour, sugar, dates and lemon rind in a large bowl. Add milk mixture and stir gently to a soft dough, adding remaining milk if necessary. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together.

3. Press dough out to 2cm-thick. Cut scones from dough and place onto tray flat-side up. Press dough together gently and repeat using the remaining dough. Brush the tops with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and well risen. Serve hot with jam and cream.

For a video tutorial head to:http://www.masterchef.com.au/date-and-lemon-scones.htm

Cooking with Kids: Chocolate Patty Cakes

Hello! I am back after a month and something :).   Been quite busy with work and all and it has been so much fun I forget to blog.........but the thing is I have been making the same thing every single week and I guess there is no point to blog about the same thing?

I have been baking with little ones and she is one of them in the photo lol.  Look at her tongue licking the chocolate off her chin!    We were making chocolate patty cakes and these are one of their favourites!!

Look at these girls have skills already! And they are only 2 and half years old :).

 I only helped them with the baking and mixing of the batter.  They transferred all the batter by themselves!!!

I just took this recipe off taste.com.au!  It is called the QUICK MIX CHOCOLATE CAKE.  But I made it into little patty cakes.  And takes about 20 to 30 minutes in the oven.

Ingredients

• 270g (1 1/3 cups, firmly packed) brown sugar 
• melted butter to grease
• 185ml (3/4 cup) milk
• 125g butter, cubed
• 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 3 eggs, lightly whisked
• 
  

  Chocolate icing

• 195g (11/4 cups) pure icing sugar
• 1 tbs cocoa powder
• 10g (2 tsp) butter, at room temperature
• 1 tbs boiling water

Nom Nom Nom :)

Rice Bubble Slice

Rice Bubble Slice is my favourite childhood treat that can be made with variation.  You can add choc chips, mm's, coconut, honey and add butter or copha to hold the slice together.  Mmmm fatty goodness!

I got this recipe from Kellog's website.  You can make your own variations as mentioned.  You can make 24 little crackle cup cakes or into slices like I did.

RICE BUBBLE SLICE

To make you will need:

Ingredients

• 4 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Bubbles® (or any rice puff brand)
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tablespoons cocoa (optional)
• 1 cup desiccated coconut
• 250g copha^TM*

Method

1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Melt copha gently.
3. Cool slightly
4. Pour into dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Spoon into paper patty cases or line them into a square cake pan.
6. Chill until set or cut into slices.

Strawberry Jam Coconut Slice

Jam coconut slices are one of my favourite treats. I remember buying my first one at a local bakery and it tasted not overly too sweet and not too dry. It was perfect. I have been through a few jam coconut slice recipes and most of them are too sweet for my taste buds. I just cut down the sugar the second time making them. Most of the time the jam is already sweet so you don't need that much sugar in the first place.

I found a coconut slice recipe on taste.com.au and I cut down the sugar to about 1/2 a cup. I knew that 1 cup of caster sugar would be tooo sweet! This recipe is simple and quick and most of the family will enjoy it.....well maybe all of them!


Jam Coconut Slice Recipe
adapted from taste.com.au

Ingredients

• 2 cups plain flour
• *** 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 125g butter, chilled, cubed
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup strawberry jam (ANY JAM)
  
• 2 cups desiccated coconut

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 3cm deep, 24cm x 29.5cm (base) lamington pan. Process flour, 1/2 cup sugar and butter to resemble breadcrumbs. 
2. Add 1 egg and vanilla. 
3. Process to form a dough. 
4. Press dough into base of prepared pan. 
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until light golden. 
6. Spread jam over warm base. (you will find it easier to spread when the jam is warmed in the microwave for a couple of seconds)
7. Whisk remaining eggs and remaining 1/2 cup sugar together. 
8. Stir in coconut. 
9. Spread over jam. 
10. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. 
11. Cool completely in pan. 
12. Cut into pieces. Serve
    

Australian Sausage Roll

It was Australia Day yesterday and I spent it making lamingtons cakes and sausage rolls with my little friends from Beijing China. They are only going to be here for another few more days and I am teaching and showing them what is Aussie food. Well they certainly enjoyed making and eating the sausage rolls so much! This is because they made it all by themselves. It is great just watching them making these little rolls and how well presented the rolls looked! I am so impressed that I only pretty much taught them how to make it only two times and they picked it up quickly.


When they were processing these rolls they appeared more confident, wasn't shy trying to speak English to me and they looked so focused! The bigger boy was really focused on his rolls. You can tell which baking tray was his lol. He did also pricked holes into the pastry with the fork! lol.

Australian Sausage Roll (With Asian Twist) makes 20 rolls

• 400g of pork mince (might be a bit of left overs)
  
• 2 cups of bread crumbs
• 1 egg and 1 extra
  
• 3 green shallots chopped
• 1 onion diced
  
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 sheets of store bought puff pastry
• sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Firstly separate puff pastry and thaw. Put in fridge so it won't go soft.

1. Pre heat oven at about 180 degrees and line baking tray with baking paper
2. In a big mixing bowl add the pork mince, bread crumbs, 1 egg, chopped shallots, diced onion, minced garlic and salt and pepper. Mix with clean hands and until the mixture becomes all mushy and smooth. You can do this in a processor to make it more sausage like meat if you have one.
3. Cut each pastry square into squares (4 per sheets)
4. Put the pork mixture into the middle of the pastry and make sure its leveled and consistent. Brush with some egg wash (from extra egg - whisk lightly in bowl) and fold pastry over and seal. Lift up and turn over onto the opposite direction and place onto the tray. And brush with egg wash on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Repeat until you have about 20 rolls.
5. When you are done prick some holes into rolls with fork and bake for 30 minutes or until golden. (Mine took 40 minutes to bake - i just wanted the meat to cook thorougly for the kids)
6. Serve with salad and dip with tomato sauce. One of my kids dipped it with soy sauce lol.
   

The kids scoffed it down like there was no tomorrow. I told them you don't eat it with fork...just eat with your hands and dunk it in with sauce. And that is what they did. The bigger kid.....oh my goodness........always eating so quickly I am scared that he might of choked. HE LOVED IT. THEY BOTH LOVED IT. Too bad Aussie food is so unhealthy but I just wanted to show them this is Aussie food!

hold your horses mate! lol

They are going to enjoy making spaghetti bolognese tonight :)

Lamington Cakes on Australia Day

Today is Australia Day - the day when we get an excuse to have a day off, chuck seafood on the barbie and to eat as much sausage rolls, meat pies, red meat and wash it down with foster or four x beer. Chant Aussie Aussie Aussie oi oi oi and sometimes make a fool of ourselves in front of family and friends! ... Very Bogan LOL. I don't really understand why we do that? I know I don't. It is a time to come together to reflect what is good about being Australian, what is great, how lucky we live in this land, and be proud of what we have achieved. A lot of people today will celebrate becoming an Australian Citizen. I am pretty thankful that I am Australian. I am very lucky to be here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

I am not a true blue Aussie when it comes to Australian food because it is so unhealthy lol and I sometimes don't really know what is Australian food since the country is so diverse in culture and nationalities. There are so many Chinese, Indian, English, Thai, Italian and Greek restaurants here but you hardly see an Australian restaurant. I do know there are about 2 Australian restaurants in Bali - I wonder what they serve there? A fancy meat pie? lol.

I can name some iconic Australian foods which are: Vegemite which you spread a little bit on buttered bread (toast tastes better), meat pies, sausage rolls, Anzac biscuits, Bunderburg Rum, damper, cheezels (chips), burger rings (chips), sangas (sandwiches), chiko roll (this pastry filled roll (looks like huge springroll) - sometimes I don't know what is inside those things!) and last and not least the lamington cake which are traditional small sponge cakes covered in chocolate and then covered in coconut.


My little friends from overseas (China) helped me make some lamington cakes the other day and they were so excited. Too bad the recipe wasn't a very good one. It was too sweet for their tiny taste buds. Well at least they know how the Aussie lamington is made. It was so cute to see how they were so focused and concentrated so hard in processing these cakes.

I got this recipe from this site here (Aussie Slang) which came up first from a google search :P. Next time I will half the sugar! I probably make tiramisu with those lamingtons now.

LAMINGTON CAKES

by Aussie Slang http://www.aussieslang.com/features/australian-lamingtons-recipe.asp

sponge cake

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter
* 3/4 cup castor sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 eggs
* 2 cups self rising flour
* 1/2 cup milk

Method

* Grease and Line a Lamington Tin (11 x 8 x 1.5 inches)
* Cream the Butter, Castor Sugar and Vanilla until light and fluffy.
* Add the eggs one at a time beating together as you go.
* Fold in the Flour and Milk, alternating as you go.
* Pour the batter into the prepared tin, spread evenly, and bake in a Moderate Oven (375f/190c) for 30-40 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
* Allow to stand for a few minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.
* Leave to cool then store in the Fridge overnight.

Choc Icing

Ingredients

* 1 slab sponge cake (one day old)
* 4 cups icing sugar
* 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 cup milk
* 2 - 3 cups desiccated coconut

To make the icing

* Cool the cake for at least half an hour in the Fridge or Freezer, then cut into squares or fingers
* Combine the Sugar and Cocoa in a large bowl
* Heat the milk and butter in a saucepan until the butter is melted.
* Add to the sugar/cocoa mixture and mix to a fluid yet not runny consistency

To put it all together

* Make a production line of Sponge Fingers, Chocolate Icing mixture in a bowl, coconut in a shallow container or plate, and a cooling rack with paper underneath.
* Using a fork dip the sponge fingers into the icing, roll it in the coconut covering it well, and then place on to the rack to dry.
* Once they have dried, place in an airtight container and leave to "mature" for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, before eating.

Processing - sponge cake dipped into chocolate icing and then sprinkled with coconut! Too easy.
Honestly, I should of just bought already made lamingtons from the store hihi

Easy Jam Drops

I made these jam drops way last year but never decided to post it because it was a fail lol. I pretty much went overboard with filling the jam in the dents I made. Or maybe I didn't dent it enough and flattened the dough balls out properly. At the end it was eaten anyway. It was pretty good. It wasn't crunchy but really soft to the bite.

Jam drops were always my childhood favourites. I used to get Jam Tarts which were close as jam drops in Woolworths. They only carry these in the black and white brand but hey it tasted as good and the price was pretty cheap.

Ha! I went overboard with the jam!

I got the "Jam Drop" recipe from Best Recipes Australia. The majority of the comments sounded like it was a pretty good recipe and that's why I chose this one. I didn't have cinnamon available in the pantry so I opted it out. Still tasted good.

Exploded!

Someone was satisfied lol


----------------

--- On a different note I have been fixing up the website again since some of my readers said that my previous layout wasn't fitting into the screen. I forget that everyone has different computer monitors. I now changed it back to the orignal fluid width so it will fit in everyone's screens. So I hope it fits.

Custard Fruit Jelly Cup Dessert

This is my fruit jelly custard cup. Pretty colourful hey :). It is so yummy, smooth, refreshing and sweet. I made about 6 of these with only one sachet of jelly crystals, some canned fruit salad and custard. It is so easy to make and trust me it is a hit! You will be wanting some more but somehow there is no more left cause you forgotten that you have eaten it all in one go lol.

To serve 6 or one :) you will need

Ingredients

• 1 packet (usually 85g) of strawberry / raspberry / port wine jelly crystals
• small can of fruit salad (drained) or you can chop up your own fresh fruit
  
• 600ml carton of custard

Optional: you can put strawberries / walnuts / toasted coconut on top to serve. Whatever suits your fancy.


Method

1. Firstly make the jelly according to the packet instructions and then set aside to cool.
   
2. Then divide the fruit among 6 small glasses and then pour the jelly over the fruit
   
3. Put the glasses in the fridge for about 4 hours or until it is set.
4. Then pour the custard over the top of the jelly. Refrigerate for another 3 hours.
5. Then to serve put nuts or strawberries over the top and enjoy :)

(update: 8th Nov 09)

This is what I made the other day. Layering madness! I still used ONE 85g packet of jelly. It was very yummy and sweetlicious :)

Rum Balls

Rum balls!! Yummy!! So yummy and chocolaty! I made these about last week and my partner couldn't get enough of them. It's so quick and easy to make! You can have it with the rum or without the rum. It's entirely up to you.

I initially got this recipe from exclusivelyfood.com.au so props to them for sharing a wonderful recipe.

Rum Balls!

This recipe will make about 20 balls.

You will need:

• 250g of sweet biscuits or cake crumbs (2 1/2 cups)
• 3tbs of cocoa powder
• 1/2 to 1 cup of dessicated coconut
• 395g can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tablespoon of rum (I used Bundaberg Rum. You can ad more if you like)
• an extra 1/2 to 1 cup of dessicated coconut for rolling/coating
  

Optional: You can also add in sultanas, apricot pieces, marshmallow pieces, chocolate buttons or even peanuts for this recipe. I say be creative!


Instructions

1. Place biscuits in food processor until crushed. (if you have the biscuit crumbs go to step 2). I like my crumbs to be rough so when you bite into the ball it has that nice crunchy texture to it. So leave some rough biscuits. You can crush these with a mortor and pestal but that takes ages.
2. Transfer the crushed biscuits into a mixing bowl and mix in the cocoa. Add the condensed milk, coconut and rum and coconut into the mixture and incorporate until it's well combined. If it's too soft add more coconut into the mixture. This depends on what condensed milk you are using. Some may be thick or a bit thinner.
3. Place the mixture into the fridge (about 1 hour) or freezer (half hour) until firm This makes the rolling process easier because the mixture won't be too soft or sticky to roll.
4. In another bowl or plate sprinkle the coconut into the bowl and start rolling heaped teaspoons of the mixture into balls and then roll into the coconut.
5. Store balls in fridge in an airtight container.
   

Apricot Balls

Yummy! Apricot balls! I used to buy a packet of apricot balls wrapped in baking paper in primary school for 50 cents back in 1990 lol! Now days you can find apricot balls already made in packets at the supermarket but they are shaped in cubes! They sell for about $4 at Woolworths last time I saw them.

Here is the most easiest apricot recipe but I added in granulated peanuts to give it that oomph lol. I just buy the home brand packet for about $1 at Woolworths. It does the same thing as the dearer packets. You can ad any kind of nuts you want to just chop them up in pieces.


Apricot Balls with Peanuts
Makes about 35 small balls or 20 medium balls. Roll however size you like.

You will need:

• 200 grams of dried apricot
• 3/4 of cup of condensed milk.
  
• 1 cup of granulated peanuts
  
• 1/2 cup of desiccated coconut
  
• extra 1 cup of desiccated coconut for rolling
  

Method

1. Chop up the apricot until fine or 'minced'
   
2. Add the nuts and coconut
   
3. Mix them both together with condensed milk. If you feel that it's not the right consistency for you sprinkle some coconut over the mixture again.
   
4. Place the mixture into the fridge for an hour or half an hour in the freezer until firm. I find it easier when its firm so I can roll the mixture better. It will hold a better shape and not too sticky.
5. Take the mixture out of the fridge/freezer and then put the extra coconut onto a dish or a mixing bowl. Roll the mixture into balls (whichever size you like) and roll it around in the coconut. Then store in fridge until set.
6. Enjoy!