Rice Bubble Bars

125g butter
1 cup (80g) marshmallows
4 cups (100g) rice bubbles
2/3 cup choc chips OR sultanas or a combination of both
50g dark chocolate buttons for topping

Line a square 25cm x 25cm cake tin with baking paper.



Melt butter and marshmallows together in a large bowl in microwave for 1 minute on HIGH. Using a balloon whisk, stir the melted butter mixture vigorously to blend the two together.


Add rice bubbles and stir well to completely combine. Add the choc chips and stir just long enough to incorporate them through the rice bubbles but not so that they start to melt.


Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and press down firmly with the back of a wooden spoon. Refrigerate for at least one hour – two is better – until completely set.

Melt the remaining dark chocolate in the microwave until completely smooth. Using a teaspoon, drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the rice bubble mixture and chill in fridge for a further 30 minutes before slicing into eight to ten evenly sized bars.

You can then wrap up each individual bar tightly in foil and freeze them, or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Pear Crumble Cupcakes

120g butter - or spread, or whatever it is you use ;)
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 eggs
1 2/3 Self Raising flour
1/2 cup buttermilk
400 can halved pears, drained and chopped
1/2 cups Weight Watchers Berry Flakes Breakfast Cereal.


1. Preheat oven to 18o C or 160C fan forced. Line a 12 hole (1/2 cup) capacity muffin tin with paper cases.


2. Using an electric mixer, beat 100g of the spread, 2/3 cup of the sugar and the essence in a large bowl for 5 mins or until light and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.


3. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the flour and butter milk into the egg mixture, 2 tbs at a time, alternating between the flour and buttermilk. Continue until all the flour and buttermilk has been added. Gently fold through the pears until just combined.


4. To make the crumble topping, combine the berry flakes with remaining spread, sugar and flour in a medium bowl.


5. Spoon cupcake mixture into the prepared muffin cases and sprinkle with crumble topping, lightly pressing crumble into cupcakes. Bake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.


6. Stand in tin for 5 mins before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Mushroom Lasagna

1 packet fresh lasagna sheets or instant lasagna sheets
500 g mince
1 large onion
1 small tin mushrooms
1 tin tomatoes
1 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tbsp butter
1 cup water
pinch salt and pepper


SAUCE
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup plain flour
2 cups milk


Cook chopped onion in melted butter. Add mince and stir til mince is browning. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, water, herbs and salt and pepper and cook for about 1 hour.


Melt butter, add flour and stir to a paste. Add milk, cook and stir til the sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste.


Grease large oven dish and put a think layer of hot mince. Cover with lasagna sheets. Put the rest of the mince and cover again with more lasagna sheets. Pout over the sauce and sprinkle liberally with grated cheese. Brown in a fairly hot oven - 200C for approximately 30 minutes.

Caramel-filled Chocolate Cakes

Melted butter, for greasing
plain flour, for dusting
200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped
200g butter, chopped
4 eggs, separated
200g sugar
1 cup SR flour
12 soft caramel lollies


1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush 12 standard muffin tins with butter and dust with flour.


2. Put chocolate and butter into a medium heavy-based pan and stir over low heat until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stand until lukewarm.


3. Beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy. Carefully stir into chocolate mixture. Fold in eggwhite. Sift over flour and fold in carefully.


4. Divide half the mixture between muffin holes, add a caramel to each and cover with remaining mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and stand on a wire rack to cool.

Ginger Nuts

2 cups Self Raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
125g butter
1 egg
1tbsp golden syrup


Sift together flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger into a bowl.


Rub in softened butter with fingers until it resembles bread crumbs.


Melt syrup and mix together with the egg.


Add to mixture and work with hands into a firm dough.


Roll into balls, about 1 inch (2.5cm) round and place about 2 inches apart (5cm) on a greased tray and place into a 160C conventional oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Coconut Fudge Squares

Coconut Fudge Squares

125 g butter spread, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 whole whole egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 1/2 tbs cocoa powder
1 cup self-raising white flour
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1 cup icing sugar
1 tbs milk

melt butter and mix in sugar. 

Add egg and beat well.

Mix in vanilla and cocoa. 

Add sifted flour alternativley with coconut. 

Spread into a lamington tin and bake 180 for 20 mins. 

Ice while hot with chocolate icing and when set, cut into squares.

This is sooo delish! When I make it, it rarely lasts long!

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tbs butter

250g  ski lemon meringue yoghurt

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 egg

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp lemon rind

2 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 170C. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper cups.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon. Stir in the yoghurt, blueberries, egg, lemon juice and zest.
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stin just to combine, but do not overmix - the batter is supposed to be lumpy.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 13-16mins. Turn the muffins out onto a rack to cool.
Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to a month.

To be a bit sneaky and make them healthy for the kiddies....
1/2 cup yellow squash puree can be added to step 2.

Peanut Butter Cookies

200 g butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
200g packet scorched peanuts, roughly chopped


Preheat oven to 160C (140 fan forced) and line 2  large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Using electric beaters, beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until light and creamy. Beat in peanut butter.
Sift flours over butter mixture and use a non-serrated knife to mix to to a dough. Add scorched peanuts and mix through with the knife.
Roll heaped tablespoons of dough into balls and place onto prepared trays. Flatten to about 1.5cm. Bake for mins, until lightly golden underneath - they will still be soft.
Leave on trays for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

Little Choc-Caramel Pies

12 Pampas Frozen Sweet Pastry Tart Shells 
395 g can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp golden syrup
40 g butter
75 g dark cooking chocolate, melted
12 pecans


Preheat oven to 180C (or 160C fan forced). Place tart shells (in their tins) onto a baking tray and cook for 10 mins or until lightly golden. Cool completely.


Combine condensed milk, golden syrup and butter in a small saucepan. Stir over very low heat for about 10 mins, until lightly golden in colour and thickened.
Spoon caramel into tart shells and leave to set. Take care not to touch the caramel at any time, as it will be very hot.
Place chocolate into a small bowl. Place a pecan into the chocolate and use a small fork to turn and coat. Using the for, lift the pecan out of the chocolate and tap gently on the side of the bowl to drain off excess chocolate. Place on top of tart. Repeat with remaining pecans and leave to set.

Hot Crossed Muffins

2 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
2/3 brown sugar
1 cup milk
2 eggs
125g butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup currants
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/2 walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup white chocolate melts, melted


Preheat oven to 180C and 160C fan forced. Line 12 large muffin pans with paper cases. Sift flour, spice and brown sugar into a large mixing bow and make a well in the centre.
Whisk mil, eggs, butter and vanilla together in a jug. Pour into dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to gently combine. Add dried fruit and nuts and gently fold through.
Divide mixture evenly between muffin pans. bake for 20 mins, until risen and golden and firm to a gentle touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Place melted chocolate in a snap locked bag and snip off one corner. Pipe a cross over each muffin and leave to set.

Tomato and basil lasange

50 g butter, chopped
1/3 cup plain flour
2 cup milk
400 g can chopped tomatoes, drained and juice reserved
2 tbsp basil pesto
4 fresh lasagne sheets
1 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
1 cup grated parmesan


Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan forced). Grease a 23cm square baking dish.
Melt butter in a small saucepan on medium heat. Add flour and stir until mixture comes away from sides of pan. Gradually add combined milk and reserved tomato juice, stirring for 5 mins until sauce thickens. Season to taste and simmer for 2 mins.
Spread 1-2 tsp pesto over each lasange sheet. Spoon a quarter of the sauce  over base of prepared dish. Top with a lasange sheet. Add another quarter of sauce  and top with half of mozzarella, half of drained tomatoes, 1/4 cup parmesan and another lasange sheet. Repeat layers once more finishing with sauce and parmesan.
Bake for 35-40 mins, until golden and cooked through.