More Family Recipes

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

By Sarah Niven

Peppermint Hot Chocolate is one of my favourite treats during the holidays.  Made with real semi-sweet chocolate chips and a dash of peppermint, this makes the perfect treat for Christmas morning.  Mum usually makes a go-to-batch on the night we drive to look at Christmas lights.

Peppermint Hot Chocolate (Serves 4)

2 cups of milk

2 cups of heavy cream

1 to 1 1/2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract

Whipped cream

Crushed candy cane

Directions:

1. Measure chocolate chips into a large heatproof bowl.
2.   Heat milk and cream over medium heat until hot, but not boiling.
3.   Stir occasionally while heating.
4.   Once hot, pour mixture into bowl over chocolate chip.
5.   Add vanilla and peppermint extract.
6.   Whisk until chocolate chips are completely melted.
7.   Serve with whipped cream and crushed candy cane sprinkled on top.

Recipe Note:  For richest chocolate flavor use 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips. I prefer the recipe made with just one cup of chocolate chips.

Backstory:

It was Christmas day, my favourite time of the year.  I woke up early and looked outside not the Christmas day I was hoping for I thought.  I was hoping that it was going to be sunny not freezing cold!  “Oh well”, I muttered as I went to get breakfast.  Suddenly I had an idea.  I got the hot chocolate container and started making a hot chocolate but I stopped in the middle of it.  I saw the bottle that had the pepper extract in it  and decided to put it away as well as the hot cocoa container.  I couldn’t hold it all and the pepper extract spilled right into mum’s cup.  It was only a drop but I grabbed it before it became more than one.  After everything was cleaned up one at a time, I put all the ingredients away then I added cream and ( I don't know why) crushed up candy canes and took it to mum. “It’s really good!” mum says and passes it on to daddy “ tastes like peppermint!” he said and asked for one.  I hopped happily to a kitchen and got everything for my peppermint hot chocolate.

Lemon Sour Cream Cake

By Bradley Vincent

Lemon is Dad’s favourite flavour and it is very east to make this cake so we make it all the time.

Ingredients

125g softened butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ cup of sour cream

Icing sugar

Directions

1. Place butter, lemon rind, sugar and eggs together in food processor.
2. Mix until thoroughly combined.  Sift flour and baking powder and add to first mixture and sour cream.
3. Blend until well combined.
4. Pour into a lined 20cm round cake tin.
5. Back at 160 degrees for 45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
6. Leave in tin for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
7. When cold dust with icing sugar

Bacon and Cheese Quiche

By Harlan Roudon

Ingredients:

1 cup of milk

1 Refrigerated pie crust, softened

4 eggs beaten

¼ teaspoon of sugar

¼ teaspoon of pepper

8 slices of bac

¼ Shredded cheese

Chopped onion

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350*F. Place pie crust in 9-inch plate as directed on box for One-Crust filled pie.
2. In a medium bowl, mix half and half, egg, sugar and pepper; set aside. Layer bacon, Cheeses and onion in crust-lined plate. Pour egg mixture over top.
3. Bake 40 to 50 minutes or when you put a knife through the centre in comes out clean. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
4. Cut into wedges

Backstory:

My Nana and Mum could not find the recipe so this is a brief recipe. She used to bake it for my Mum and Uncles/Aunties.  My Mum now bakes it for my brother and I. My Nana used to love baking quiche and when she came home late or something she could just bake quiche. We mostly have this dish on a cold winter day to keep our family warm.  It will be held down by generations and generations.

Nachos

By Aaron Daysh

Ingredients:

500 g Lean Lamb or Beef mince

420 g can Wattie's Chili Beans Mild

400 g can Wattie's Mexican Style Tomatoes

Nacho Cheese Corn Chips

1 handful Grated Cheese

½ cup Lite Sour Cream (optional)

1 Tbsp Chopped Chives or Spring Onions (optional)

Method:

1. In a non-stick pan, heat a dash of oil and brown mince in batches.
2. Return mince to the pan, add Wattie’s Chili Beans Mild and Wattie’s Mexican Style Tomatoes to the mince. 
3. Simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Place corn chips into individual bowls, spoon over nacho mince. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Place under a hot grill to melt.
5. Top with sour cream and chopped chives if you wish. Serve with a salsa or fresh green salad.

Backstory:

When I was younger, on a cold day in winter it was so yummy to come home and have nachos for dinner.  I recommend you try this recipe as it is a good one!