Fruit-mince Pie Ice-cream

2L vanilla ice-cream
95g pure butter shortbread, roughly chopped
12 waffle cones, to serve
1 cup mixed dried fruit (Fruit medley)
75grams dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried diced figs
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1/2 tsp mixed spice
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbs apricot jam
1/4 cup brandy 

Place mixed fruit, cranberries, figs, almonds, spices, sugar, jam and brandy in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Stir until well combined. Cover and stand overnight, stirring occasionally. Place ice-cream in a large bowl. Stand for 10 minutes or until softened but not melted. Add fruit mince mixture and shortbread. Gently fold until just combined. Spoon into a 11 x 21cm (7cm deep) loaf pan and gently press to compact. Cover and freeze overnight or until firm. Remove from the freezer and stand for 3 minutes. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop ice-cream and place in cones. Serve immediately.

 

Via Woolworths

Vicki's Banana and Oatmeal Muffins

3-4 ripe bananas
3-4 cups rolled oats
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2tsp cinnamon
2tsp vanilla essence

Mash bananas. Mix in all other ingredients. Spoon into muffin tray. Cook in oven, 180C for 25mins.

Rainbow Cake

 

We had a left over round chocolate cake and M&Ms from Myles' Rocket cake so I planned with Myles to make this rainbow cake for Steve for his birthday. Myles loves rainbows and the rainbow colours and the rainbow order at the moment so he loved doing it and it was super easy. I just cut a round cake in half and iced it together standing up and decorated with the added marshmallow clouds and rainbow candles.

Rainbow Rocket Cake

Myles requested a rocket cake as he is into space and rockets at the moment and also likes rainbows, so wanted it to be rainbow. I think it worked really well. I used a round cake and loosely used this pattern to make the shape. The ice cream cones worked perfectly for the rocket boosters and tasted yum too and the sparklers added flare and suited the whole theme.

2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup sunflower oil
1/2 cup oat milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
150 g raspberries fresh or frozen
small handful oats for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases. Mix flour, baking powder, bi carb soda and sugar together in a large bowl. Put sunflower oil, milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice in a separate bowl or jug. Mix well. Pour into the flour and mix until just combined. Add mashed banana and mix. Gently stir in the 150g raspberries. Spoon the mixture into your muffin cases and sprinkle a few oats over the top of each muffin. Bake in the oven for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Via Sneakyveg 

 

Zucchini Muffins

1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (100g) packed brown sugar
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup (130g) shredded zucchini (lightly blotted)
1 and 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup (180g) sultanas or semi-sweet chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) 

In a medium bowl, whisk the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla, and zucchini together until combined. Set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sultanas/chocolate chips (or nuts) together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Pour into wet ingredients. Gently whisk until just combined; do not overmix. Batter will be semi-thick. Grease a 12-count muffin pan, spoon the batter evenly into each, filling 3/4 full. Bake at 180C for 20mins or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. (Mini muffins 11-13mins).

Options:
Make as a Zucchini bread in a loaf tin. Add streusel on top as in Sally's Baking Addiction or use her Easy Zucchini Muffins recipe.

Via Sally's Baking Addictions

Mug Cake

 

3 tbs plain flour
3 tbs sugar
1 tbs cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 pinch salt
3 tbs milk
1 tbs marg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Sift dry ingredients together in a mug. Add remaining ingredients and stir well to combine. Microwave for 50-70 seconds. (Less microwave time results in a more molten) texture. Serve with ice cream. 

Via Kidspot

Black Bean Brownie Muffins

60g butter (or coconut oil)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar (or maple syrup/honey)
1 tsp vanilla extract
400g can black beans (rinsed and drained)
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup whole wheat flour

Preheat the oven to 180C. Melt butter and chocolate chips in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave. Remove from microwave and stir together until blended together. Add the chocolate mixture to a food processor with the rest of the ingredients except the flour. Blend well. Pulse in the flour. Divide the batter among muffin cups. Flatten a bit with a spoon. Bake for 10-12 mins or until firm to the touch. Let cool fully in fridge before serving.

Makes 12 regular muffins or 24 mini muffin bites.

Via

Bolognese

1 Tbs oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
500g mince beef/pork
400g tin tomatoes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup water
1 beef stock cube, crumbled
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp mixed herbs (basil/oregano)
carrot, grated
zucchini, grated
Mushrooms

Garlic bread

Heat oil in saucepan, add onion and garlic, stir constantly over medium heat for 5mins or until soft. Add mince, stir constantly until well browned. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, stock, sugar, herbs and veges. Bring to the boil, reduce heat, cover, simmer for 30mins or until mince is tender and mixture has thickened slightly. Serve over hot pasta.

Easy to double.

 

Via Womens Weekly Basic Cookbook

Curried Mince Chicken

 

500g chicken mince
2 Tbs olive oil
1 onion, diced
½ tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
2 carrots, diced
½ capsicum, diced
½ cup green beans/snow peas, chopped
½ cup of zucchini, diced
1 cup broccoli
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
½ cup of frozen peas/corn
¼ cup of soy sauce
2 Tbs mild curry powder
2 cups of chicken stock 

Sub any fresh or frozen veges you have on hand.

In a frypan, add the oil, garlic, ginger and onions and cook until onion is soft. Add in hard vegetables (carrots, capsicum, beans, snow peas) and cook for 5 mins. Add in the chicken mince and curry powder and stir (using a wooden spoon break the chicken mince into small pieces) and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Add in the soy sauce and chicken stock. Now add in the broccoli, zucchini and mushrooms and simmer until vegetables are to your liking. Add frozen peas and simmer until the stock has absorbed. Serve with rice and top with dried shallots (optional). 

Use big pot.

via 

Very Hungry Caterpillar Cake

 

I originally was going to do a generic cupcake caterpillar cake but I couldn't pass up the chance to do a Very Hungry Caterpillar cake! It is a great theme and quite an easy and effective cake. I used a fluted bundt/ring tin to make the cake (the bumps from the fluted part probably weren't necessary but looked great even without icing!) I did a double packet cake mix, which was handy as could cut it thinner and use the excess for his head. I cut the ring into 3 and arranged it into shape. Then coloured 2 different greens and iced his body alternating the colours and mixing as I went. (And red for the head of course) I ended up using fondant for the extra bits, which allowed me to create whatever shape I needed and worked well. I was thinking of using snake lollies and pineapple lollies but the fondant was very free.