Recipe - Orchard Crumble

This is an Annabel Karmel toddler recipe that is absolutely scrumptuous. It's super easy to make & is delicious to serve for adults as well as kids. Give it a try:

• 2 large sweet apples (such as Pink Lady), peeled, cored & diced
• 2 large pears, peeled, cored & diced
• 85g plain flour
• 45g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature 
• 45g demerara sugar (I used brown sugar)
• 3/4tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4tsp salt 
• 4tsp granulated sugar (I used raw sugar)

Preheat the oven to 200 (180 fan-forced).
Put the fruit into a small saucepan & cook gently for about 15 minutes until soft.

Put the flour in a bowl & rub in the butter until it looks like crumbs; add the demerara sugar, cinnamon & salt.

Remove the fruit from the heat, stir in the granulated sugar. If you're making this for toddlers or small children, you can use less sugar, or leave it out, as the fruit is sweet & the crumble topping has a bit of sugar in it.

Divide the fruit mixture into 4 ramekins

& sprinkle them with the crumble topping.

Bake for 20-25mins.
Cool to warm before serving with a little vanilla custard, or just on their own.

They were so good, that I made an adult version for hubby & I by adding a bit more sugar & putting a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top. Some double cream would also be perfect on top. Yummmmm!

Christmas Recipe - Vanilla Shortbread

This delicious recipe is one I found on the packaging of some Bakers Secret cookie cutters I bought several years ago. I tried it for the first time a few days ago. It's so simple & the shortbread is mouth-watering. Try it, just in time for Christmas....

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 210g plain flour (sifted)
• pinch of salt

In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar & vanilla until light & fluffy. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour until smooth & well combined. Form a ball (I use my hands here) & refrigerate, covered, for a 1/2 hour.

Preheat oven to 150C


On lightly sugared surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, approximately 1cm thick. Use any biscuit cutters to cut out cookies. Place 2cm apart on non stick baking tray (I also use baking paper on the tray).

Bake for about 20mins, depending on your oven, or until light golden brown around the edges (I have an old oven with no fan, so it takes about a 1/2 hour for them to cook). Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

For an extra treat, sprinkle with vanilla flavoured sugar whilst still warm.

Makes approximately 18.


Enjoy!!

x Kathy x

Toddler Recipe - Beef Casserole

An easy, very basic recipe to cook for your toddler. I usually just make it up as I go, but this is my regular list of ingredients, as I usually have them in my pantry & fridge.
You can substitute the vegetables in this recipe for whatever you may have at the time: zucchini, sweet potato, parsnip, pumpkin, etc. If you're using zucchini or pumpkin, add them close to the end, as they cook very quickly. 
I used to cook this for my Little Miss when she was a young baby on solids, but I pureed or mashed it for her.

• beef (eye fillet or porterhouse) cut into very small pieces, suitable for a toddler
• 1 tbsp tomato paste or 1/4 cup tomato puree
• 1 carrot (chopped into very small pieces)
• 1 potato (chopped into very small pieces)
• a handful of frozen corn kernels
• a handful of frozen peas
• boiled water (as much as is needed)
• 1 tsp olive oil

Put beef & oil in saucepan & brown the beef. 
Add enough boiled water to cover the beef & start skimming the impurities off the top of the water with a spoon, continuing this until there are no more impurities on the top. Add the carrot & cook for a few minutes, then add the potato & cook for a further few minutes, then add the corn & peas. Finally, add the tomato paste or tomato puree & continue cooking. 
Keep topping up the water & simmering, so the water is just covering the casserole. 
Simmer for between 30-45mins. To check whether it's cooked, take a sample of each ingredient & taste. If the vegetables are soft & the meat is cooked, it's ready.