Stuffed Mushrooms - BBQ Style

This family recipe for stuffed mushrooms is a favourite in our house and perfect for a summer lunch idea.

Recipe

8 Medium Sized Cup Mushrooms
200g Greek Feta
2 Rashers Middle Bacon
1/2 Cup Breadcrumbs
1 Medium Onion
1 Jar Salsa (medium or hot)

Peel and remove the stems from the mushrooms. Trim the ends from the mushroom stems and the fat and rind from the bacon, finely dice stems, onion and bacon. Dry fry diced mushroom stems, onion and bacon in a frying pan until onion is translucent. Add breadcrumbs and salsa to make a firm paste which is able to be rolled into a ball.

Pre heat BBQ. Lightly brush bases of mushroom cups with oil and place on a sheet of foil. Stuff mushroom cups with mix and crumble or place slices of feta over the top. Transfer foil and mushrooms to the BBQ plate and cover the mushrooms with a baking tray (being careful not to squash the filling down). Allow 10 to 15 minutes or until feta has melted down into the mix.

Prepare a simple salad of tomato, cucumber, olives and baby spinach leaves.

Serves 4

Note: This is a metric cup recipe

Spinach & Feta Pasties

This yummy recipe serves 3 hungry people.

Recipe

1 Lrg Bunch of Spinach (or silverbeet)
150g of Greek Feta
3 Sheets Filo Pastry - thawed
1 Egg Yolk or 15ml Full Cream Milk
*Optional Extra Ingredients - Onion, Bacon, Mushrooms

Preheat Oven to 220 degrees C.

Thoroughly wash then dry spinach. Roughly chop and blanch in salted boiling water. *Slice mushrooms and bacon 5cm wide, finely dice onion.

Drain spinach and allow to cool. Place spinach evenly in centre of pastry sheet (leaving enough pastry to fold over) *layer mushroom, bacon and onion over the top. Crumble a good measure of feta over the top.

Fold pastry sheet to fully enclose ingredients and crimp ends. Place on oven tray lined with baking paper. Brush lightly with milk or egg yolk and place in oven for approx 15 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Can be served as a hot or cold accompaniment to a fresh salad.

Note: This is a metric cup recipe

Baked Fetta

Another one for the adults, this family favourite is sure to make your family recipe collection.

Recipe

250g Block of Feta Cheese
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp Sweet Paprika
1 Tbs Oregano - chopped (fresh or dried)
20g Black Olives - seeded & sliced

Place Feta on foil large enough to enclose cheese. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients. Gather foil around feta, fold and crimp to seal.

Place on a baking tray and bake in a moderate oven for 20 - 30 minutes or until feta feels soft.

Serve warm with crusty bread.

Note: This is a metric cup recipe

Sashas Sultana Cereal

My 2 year old daughter concocted this one this morning during breakfast!! She loved it & I love that she loved it! It's sure to become one of our family favourites in our family recipe book.

Recipe

2 Wheat Biscuits (Wheatbix, Vita-Brits etc.)
1 Banana
1 Sml Handfull of Sultanas or mixed dried fruit
1/2 Cup Milk

Break up the wheat biscuits and add milk, you can heat the milk in before adding if you like a warm breakfast cereal. Slice the banana onto the cereal and add dried fruit and mix to combine. Enjoy!!

For adults try adding some chopped nuts, seeds, coconut. Use your imagination - think like a toddler!!

Note: This is a metric cup recipe

Mini Quiche

Yummm! Everyone in the family loves quiche, even if they wont admit it!!

Recipe

2 Sheets of Short Crust Pastry
12 Semi Sun Dried Tomatoes
2 Rashers Bacon - diced finely
1/4 Onion - diced finely
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
4 Basil Leaves - shredded
2 Tbs Olives - sliced
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup Milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Grease 12 cup muffin tray with cooking spray. Divide and cut pastry into 12 squares and line the greased muffin tin with them.

Mix eggs and milk.

Place a whole sun dried tomato in the base of the pastry cup. Divide bacon, onion, parmesan and basil evenly between the 12 cups. Divide and pour the egg mixture evenly over the fillings and place a few sliced olives on top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and mixture is set.

Serve with one of our family recipe salads.

Note: This is a metric cup recipe

Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup

With winter on its way, whats not to love about family friendly, warming soup and this chicken and sweetcorn recipe is sure to be a hit. Kids love this family recipe for soup, with sweetcorn and chicken both alltime favourites. Serve it up with a side salad or some steamed vegetables for a balanced meal that'll keep the whole family happy.

Recipe

1 Lrg Chicken Breast Fillet - finely chopped
1 Tsp Salt
1/4 Tsp White Pepper
2 Cups (500g) Sweetcorn Kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)
3 Cups Chicken Stock
1 Spring Onion - chopped
8 Baby Spinach Leaves - rinsed
2 1/2 Tbs Cornflour
2 Tsp Light Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Thickened Cream
4 Coriander Sprigs

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the corn in a food processor and use the pulse control to chop it coarsely. Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add the chicken and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the corn, spring onion and spinach leaves and simmer briefly. Combine the cornflour and 2 tablespoons of cold water; stir into the soup until it thickens. Stir in soy sauce and cream, heat briefly.

Ladle the soup into bowls; garnish with coriander.

Note: this is a metric cup recipe

Crunchy Avocado Salad

Add some good oils to your diet with this delicious salad recipe. Lovely on the side for a weekend meal or thinking about family gatherings? This came from the family recipe book of a work colleague and is always served at our get togethers.

Recipe

200g Mixed Green Salad Leaves
3 Shallots - finely sliced
3 Tbs Fresh Coriander - chopped
2 Red Capsicums
1 Lrg Avocado
1 Tbs Lime Juice
3-4 Tbs Pine Nuts - toasted

Dressing
Juice of 1 Lime
1/4 Tsp Paprika
1/4 Tsp Ground Cumin
1 1/4 Tsp Sugar (or sugar substitute)
4 Tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Clove Garlic - crushed

Combine the salad leaves with shallots and coriander. Toss together then transfer the salad to a large serving dish. Slice capsicum thinly and add to salad leaves. Cut avocado in half. Carefully peel off skin. Dice the flesh and toss in lime juice to prevent discolouring. Add to the other salad ingredients.

Whisk together the lime juice, paprika, ground cumin, sugar, garlic and olive oil.

Pour the dressing over the salad vegetables and toss lightly.

Sprinkle the salad with toasted pine nuts.

Note: this is a metric cup recipe

Bean Salad with Strawberries and Feta

Looking for a salad with something different to serve up to friends this summer?? This salad recipe, featuring green beans and strawberries is a sure fire hit with the adults.

Recipe

500g Green Beans
400g Strawberries
400g Crumbled Feta
Mint Leaves
25ml Olive Oil
2 Tbs Raspberry or Red Wine Vinegar
1 Tbs Dijon Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Briefly blanch and salt the green beans. Whisk together oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Slice the Strawberries and then toss together with the beans and mint leaves. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Garnish with crumbled feta.

Serve chilled as a deliciously light and refreshing side dish.

Note: this is a metric cup recipe

Mango Mousse

Impress your friends and relatives with this family recipe. Cool and smooth, it's sure to be a hit.

Recipe

1 Tbs Gelatine dissolved in a 1/4 cup of boiling water
2 Very Ripe Mangoes
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
90g Castor Sugar
1 Tsp Ground Ginger
300ml Carton Cream - whipped

Puree gelatine, mangoes, lemon juice, sugar and ginger.
Transfer into a bowl and gently fold whipped cream into the pureed mango mixture.
Place in fridge to chill.

Serve when completely chilled on its own or great with fresh fruit or ice cream.

Note: this is a metric cup recipe

Cheesy Pigs Tails

Thinking about family food on a budget? Young kids always love this family recipe for cheese sauce and its a good way to get them eating their vegetables and calcium.

Recipe

1 Tbs Butter
2 Tbs Plain Flour
2 Cups Milk
1.5 Cups Grated Tasty Cheese
1 Cup Finely Diced Mixed Vegetables
2 Cups Cooked Spirali Pasta

Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat, add flour and mix over low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add a small amount of milk and mix until absorbed, keep adding small quantities of milk whilst stirring until all the milk has been added. Continue to stir, over low heat, until sauce starts to thicken. Add 1 cup of the cheese to the sauce and stir to combine. Mix cheese sauce, vegetables and pasta together and spoon into casserole dish or similar, sprinkle with remaining cheese and place in oven for 15 - 20 min or until golden on top.

For a tasty change stir a large tin of tuna chunks into pasta and sauce before sprinkling with cheese and baking.

Note: this is a metric cup recipe