CAKE MIX PIKELETS

1 x 470 gram packet greens cake mix, any flavour*
1 egg
1 cup milk (250 ml)

discard icing mix.

whisk the cake mix, egg and milk together until smooth.

heat a non stick frypan or griddle on medium heat. when hot, lightly spray with cooking spray.

place tablespoons of mix on to pan or skillet and cook until bubbling on top and golden on bottom. flip pikelet over and cook until golden.

lightly spray pan with cooking spray with each new batch. adjust heat as needed.

place cooked pikelets onto a wire rack and continue cooking. makes approx. 28 pikelets.

serve warm or cold.

I made orange cake mix and served with butter and lemon curd. also good served as a dessert with a favourite topping and whipped cream.

* for any other brand of cake mix...it's 2 cups of mix.

BELGIAN BUNS

made in bread machine or by hand

DOUGH
3 1/4 cups plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver
1 tablespoon dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons caster sugar
115 grams butter, soft (4 oz)
200 mls warm milk ( 7 fl oz)
1 egg, beaten

FILLING
6 tablespoons lemon curd
115 grams sultanas (4 oz)

line a large baking tray with baking paper.

FOR BREAD MACHINE... place all dough ingredients into machine in order specified by manufacturer. set on dough setting. if dough has not doubled in size when machine finishes, just leave in machine until it has.

BY HAND...place all dough ingredients into a bowl and stir until they all come together in a ball. tip on to floured board and knead for 10 minutes. follow rest of recipe.

transfer the dough to a lightly floured board and roll out into a rectangle 40 x 25 cm. ( 16 x 10 inches). spread the dough with the lemon curd then sprinkle with the sultanas.

starting on the long side, roll up like a swiss roll. cut into 12 slices.

place slices onto tray, leaving room to rise. cover with a teatowel and let rise for another 45 minutes.

heat oven to 190 c.

cook for 20 - 25 minutes until golden.

cool completely.

ice.

ICING

300 grams icing sugar (10 oz)
lemon juice

mix the icing sugar with enough lemon juice to make a spreadable paste. about 4 tablespoons.

spread over buns.

NOTE: these buns should be decorated with glace cherries but my family wont eat them so I used strawberries.

CHOCOLATE, BANANA AND CARAMEL TRIFLE......with baileys

1 x 9 inch square chocolate cake, sliced (homemade or store)
1 cup baileys or to taste
4 bananas, sliced
1 1/2 cans caramel top and fill
800 mls thickened cream, whipped with icing sugar to taste

I used a round bowl 23 x 10.5 cm (9 x 4 inches) approx.

place some cake slices around the bottom of the bowl.

drizzle with some baileys. cover with 1/3 of the top and fill then place on 1/3 of the sliced bananas. cover with 1/3 of the cream.

continue layers finishing with the cream.

decorate as desired. I used caramel toasted coconut chips that I found in woolworths. I then sprinkled with a litle chocolate powder.

I made and used a chocolate mayonnaise cake....

CHOCOLATE MAYONNAISE CAKE

2 cups self raising flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoons bicarb soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
1 cup whole egg mayonnaise
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup water.

preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f.) line bottom and grease and
flour sides of 23 cm (9 inch) square cake tin.

place all ingredients into a bowl and using an electric
mixer, beat until well combined.

pour into tin and cook for 45 - 50 minutes or until a skewer
comes out clean.

cool in tin for 10 minutes then remove to wire rack to cool
completely.

SWEET AND SALTY LEMON COOKIES

226 grams butter, soft (1 cup)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
finely grated rind 2 large lemons
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups self raising flour

extra salt

preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f.) line baking trays with baking paper.

using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. add egg and beat
until well combined.

stir in lemon rind, juice and vanilla then stir in flour and salt.

let sit for five minutes to incorporate flavour.

roll dough into walnut sized balls and place on trays. slightly flatten with
a fork then lightly sprinkle with some salt.

cook for 10 - 12 minutes. cool on tray for 5 minutes then remove to
wire rack to cool completely.

drizzle with icing.

ICING

2 cups icing sugar
1 teaspoon butter
lemon juice

mix the icing sugar and butter with enough lemon juice to make
a slightly runny paste.

drizzle over cookies.

GINGERNUT AND LEMON SLICE...no bake

500 grams gingernut biscuits, crushed
1 1/2 cups desiccated coconut
90 grams uncrystallised ginger pieces, chopped small
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 can condensed milk
120 grams butter, melted

line a swiss roll tin with baking paper

in a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together until well combined.

press evenly across the tin.

ice.

ICING

4 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons ground ginger
5 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice approx.

mix the icing sugar, butter and ginger together with
enough lemon juice to make a spreadable paste.

spread icing evenly across biscuit base.

refrigerate till set, about 3 hours.

NOTE: ginger flavour goes through it the longer it sits.

EASY SPICY PUMPKIN, BACON AND SPINACH RAVIOLI

2 packets heinz spicy pumpkin soup of the day
12 rashers shortcut bacon, diced
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
200 mls thickened cream
120 grams baby spinach leaves
salt and pepper to taste

2 packets leggo's roasted pumpkin and feta ravioli

cook the ravioli according to packet directions.

in a large, deep frypan, saute the bacon and garlic
until bacon is just changing colour.

stir in the soup and cream and bring just to the boil.

stir in the spinach until wilted.

add salt and pepper to taste.

serve over ravioli. sprinkle with grated parmesan
cheese.

CRACK APPLES


FILLING

1 kilo apples, peeled weight, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup cornflour



TOPPING

1 x 650 gram loaf white bread
250 grams butter, melted
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons cinnamon

125 grams cream cheese, soft
1/2 cup icing sugar


preheat oven to 180 c.  lightly grease 9 x 13 baking dish.


in a bowl, mix the apples, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and cornflour together.

spread evenly across the bottom of the baking dish. put aside.

mix the cinnamon and sugar together. put aside.

mix the cream cheese and icing sugar together. put aside.

cut the crusts of all the slices of bread (except the ends). evenly spread 1/2 the slices with the cream
cheese mix and top each with the other half. cut each sandwich into three strips.

dip each piece into the butter then into the cinnamon sugar. lay each across the top of the apples in no particular order.

cover with foil and cook for approx. 25 - 30 minutes or until apples are just soft.

remove foil and cook until top is just crunchy.

serve with custard or whipped cream