Recipes supplied by  Richard Rust, a fabulous, 5 star trained, gourmet chef. He has cooked for, amongst others, British royalty, Woolworths and written for Taste magazine. His company

MEZZE PLATTER

serves: 8
preparation time: 30 minutes

You will need:
8 slices of parma or similar ham
8 slices salami
50gm blue cheese, cut in wedges
50gm mozzarella, cut in chunks
50gm cheddar cut in wedges
8 slices of melon cut in half
Handful rocket, washed
Strawberries to garnish

Here’s how:

STRAWBERRY AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD

serves: 4
preparation time: 10 minutes

You will need:
handful mixed leaves eg rocket and watercress
250gm strawberries, green hull removed
125gm blue cheese
50gm walnuts, crushed
2tbsp honey
2tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Here’s how:

PAPAYA AND FETA SALAD

serves: 4
preparation time: 10minutes

You will need:
handful mixed leaves eg rocket and watercress
1 papaya, deseeded and cut into chunks
125gm feta cheese
50gm pumpkin seeds
1 pack spring onions, finely sliced
2tbsp olive oil
2tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Here’s how:

Recipes supplied by  Richard Rust, a fabulous, 5 star trained, gourmet chef. He has cooked for, amongst others, British royalty, Woolworths and written for Taste magazine. His company

Replace the carrot with butternut if you prefer, this soup is great for freezing so make a large batch and have some ready at a moment’s notice, if you prefer a spicier taste replace the cardamom with curry powder.

Serves: 4
Preparation Time : 10 min
Cooking Time : 45 min

Ingredients:

Small knob of butter
2 small onion, peeled and finely diced
300gm carrots or butternut, peeled and finely diced
pinch ground cardamom
2tsp cake flour
600ml water
4tbsp coconut milk
2tbsp lemon juice
4tsp vegetable stock
Pinch salt
pinch light brown sugar
Small pinch black pepper
1tsp maizena mixed with water

Method:

• In a pan melt the butter; add onion, and butternut. Cook until onions are soft without browning.
• Add cardamom and flour, cook for 2minutes
• Slowly add some water to make a thin roux, add remaining water, coconut milk, lemon juice and stock, bring to a boil.
• Add salt, sugar and pepper.
• Whisk in maizena and cook for 30minutes or until carrots are soft.
• Stick blend until completely smooth, bring back to boil and serve

Recipes supplied by  Richard Rust , a fabulous, 5 star trained, gourmet chef. He has cooked for, amongst others, British royalty, Woolworths and written for Taste magazine. His company

Wonderful soup for cold wintry days. For a vegetarian option replace the bacon with feta and the chicken stock with vegetable stock. You can also make this a low fat (almost fat free) by removing the bacon and replacing the butter with a drop of oil. This soup is also great for freezing and keeps for 4 days in the fridge.

Serves 4
Preparation Time:  10minutes + soaking overnight of peas
Cooking Time:  45minutes
Ingredients:

10gm butter
2 small onion, peeled and finely diced
4 tbsp Marrow, diced
4 tbsp leeks, finely sliced
4 tbsp spring onion, finely sliced
600ml water
100gm split peas, soaked overnight and rinsed
2 medium potato, peeled and diced
Small pinch fine black pepper
2 tsp chicken stock
2 tsp maizena mixed with 2tbsp water
200gm streaky bacon, chopped and cooked

Method:

supplied by Rosina Mello, mother of 2 gorgeous children, housekeeper and cook always in search of wonderful new recipes

Lentils are  full of protein and fiber making them a best bet for healthy eating. Here’s a soup that is ideal for those cold wintery days that serves as a meal for your family. You can leave out the sausages if you prefer it meatless but don’t leave out the balsamic vinegar which gives it a very special delicious flavour.

I cook this recipe in a pressure cooker which makes it quick and easy but if you don’t have one, use the alternative times provided.

Ingredients

1 large onion
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¾ cup brown lentils
4 cups chicken stock or both
445g can tomatoes, chopped, reserving liquid
1 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes or ground paprika
3 medium stalks celery, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, cored and diced
300g smoked garlic sausage or other any other sausage, cut into ¼ inch thick  slices
Salt and freshly grounded black pepper to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions

With each changing of the season I treat my friends to the Pagan history of the Southern Hemisphere festivals and that pumpkin soup is traditional for Samhain which we now know as Halloween. It is also the time when apples are harvested and that is why the combination is so special.

Enjoy … It really is that yummy!

Ingredients

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

My daughter recently turned 9 years old  and loves food, so the most obvious choice for a party was something we’d never tried before,  a pizza making party.  After checking out the extensive list of  companies which offer food related parties on Jozikids, we settled for A-Z Creative Entertainment and we were not disappointed.

An hour before the young guests arrived, Zelda arrived with her beautiful clay pizza oven plus tables, aprons, hats, boxes and fresh pizza dough!   By the time the friends arrived, everything was ready.

First, everyone stood in line to receive their chef’s hats and aprons.

Our garden was transformed into a sea of white hatted chefs rolling out dough.

Fresh tomato sauce and a variety of fillings were added.

My proud daughter was the first to pop her pizza in the oven

Each child received their own pizza box and the eating began

As if this wasn’t enough, and believe you me it was, Zelda had brought a long a Slush Puppy machine  to top it all off with.  Thank you Zelda for a fabulous,  memorable party.

CHICKEN SAUSAGE ROLLS

makes 12 large or 36 cocktail
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
500gm chicken sausages
2 eggs beaten with 2tbsp milk
Heat an oven to 160c

1. Lightly grease a baking sheet
2. Carefully roll out the pastry. Slice 4cm long strips
3. Remove sausage meat from the casings – get the kids to squeeze out!
4. Make long sausages approx 1cm thick and place in the middle of the pastry strips
5. Brush 1 edge of each strip with the egg mixture and fold over, press the edges together firmly
6. Repeat process until all meat and pastry is used
7. Cut each roll into desired size, brush tops with the egg mixture
8. Place sausage rolls on the sheet; leave a small space in between each one to allow for the pastry to rise
9. Bake for 40minutes or until well risen and golden brown, allow to cool slightly before removing onto a serving plate

QUICK FRENCH BREAD PIZZA

makes 8 large or 36 small
1 French Baguette
12 tbsp ready made pizza sauce or Napoletana sauce
200gm mild cheddar cheese, grated
6 slices ham, chopped
1 small tin diced pineapple, drained

1. Heat an oven to 160c
2. Slice French stick into quarters, slice horizontally place on a baking sheet, top with the sauce, cheese, ham and pineapple.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted, slice into smaller pieces if desired

PEANUT CHICKEN STICKS

makes 36
4 chicken breasts
8 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
4 tbsp warm water
½ tin coconut cream
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1. Soak 36 wooden skewers in warm water
2. Slice the chicken breast into 36 even sized strips
3. Mix remaining ingredients and add to chicken, marinate for 30minutes
4. Thread a chicken strip onto 1 skewer, repeat with remaining chicken

Either grill under a hot grill or braai until golden and cooked through
Heat remaining sauce and serve as a dipping sauce on the side

GOOEY POPCORN LOLLIES

makes 12
500gm marshmallows
250gm popping corn
1 tbsp oil

1.In a large pan, on a low heat gently melt the marshmallows stirring occasionally
2. In a separate pan heat the oil over a medium heat, add the popping corn and place a tight fitting lid over
3. Shake the popcorn pan when you can hear the corn popping shake the pan frequently, once the popping stops remove from the heat and place in a large bowl to prevent burning
4. Add the melted marshmallows to the popcorn and stir well, when cooling down shape into balls and place on a skewer, lay on greaseproof paper to set
5. If you find the mixture sticky when rolling lightly dust your hands with icing sugar

ICE CREAM CAKE

2lt ice cream or 2x 1lt different flavored ice cream
Small bar milk chocolate
Selection of assorted sweets eg jelly tots

1. Line a deep cake tin with plastic wrap and place in freezer
2. Allow ice cream to soften slightly and press into the lined tin, layer if using different flavours
3. Place tin back in freezer for at least 2hours
4. Gently melt chocolate in a microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, do not allow the water to touch the bowl
5. Remove the tin form the freezer and place upside down onto a serving plate, use the plastic wrap to ease out if needed, remove the plastic
6. Drizzle the chocolate over the cake for design effects and decorate with the sweets, place back in freezer until ready to serve

Tips; for themed parties by small plastic toys to decorate, to pipe a name or message use ready made icing and cut out letters or pipe onto a silicone mat or greaseproof and place on the cake

supplied by Russell Davidoff, dad to 3 kids all under the age of 6, former accountant turned passionate importer of  Freshly Frozen Herbs

Did you know that there are great health advantages of herbs?
Garlic is famous for being a natural antibiotic as well as a powerful immunity booster.
Ginger is a strong anti-nausea agents, very helpful for morning sickness.
Basil aids in the promotion of breast milk for nursing moms.

Here are some simple recipes to help you make the most of them.

ORANGE AND GINGER PORK CHOPS (serves 6)

6 lean pork chops
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 frozen ginger cubes
6 orange slices
3/4 cup sour cream

1. Brown the chops on both sides.
2. Add the orange juice.
3. Reduce the heat, cover and cook on a low heat for about 30 minutes.
4. Uncover, and add ginger cubes and salt, and place an orange slice on each pork chop.
5. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until chops are tender.
6. Remove chops from heat and place into an ovenproof dish.
7. Place 1 tablespoon of sour cream onto each chop. Place under the broiler for about one minute, and then serve immediately.

ROAST LAMB WITH YOGHURT (serves 4-6)

Leg of lamb (1.3- 1.5 kg, boneless)
4 frozen garlic cubes
300g natural yoghurt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 frozen coriander cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper

1. In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, mint, garlic and coriander cubes, olive oil and salt and pepper.
2. Place the leg of lamb in a roasting tin and pour over the yoghurt mixture.
3. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
4. Roast the lamb at 180 degrees for 20 minutes per 450g, plus an additional 20 minutes.

Did you know that there are great health advantages of herbs?
Garlic is famous for being a natural antibiotic as well as a powerful immunity booster.
Ginger is a strong anti-nausea agents, very helpful for morning sickness.
Basil aids in the promotion of breast milk for nursing moms.
Here are some simple healthy recipes to help you make the most of them.

Chicken Salad with Basil ( serves 4)

1 cup cooked chicken breast, cut into small chunks
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup red grapes, halved
1 cup mayonnaise
5  Dorot frozen basil cubes
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together (except the pecans) and refrigerate.
Just before serving, add the pecans and then mix well and serve.

Ginger and Garlic Dip

4  Dorot frozen ginger cubes
2 or 3 Dorot frozen garlic cubes
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon soya sauce

Mix all the ingredients together well, and then refrigerate.
Serve with crisps or coarsely cut vegetables

by

My daughter will eat anything you put in front of her with no arguments. She adores vegetables, happily munches away on broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas and carrots. My friends,(who sneakily try to blend vegetables and hide them in bolognaise sauces and stews), sit dumbstruck as she polishes off a big plate of salad at our weekend braais.

She is happiest when she’s running round the garden, treating us to a game drive, pointing out the animals in her imaginary zoo. At nearly three, she understands the importance of sunscreen and wearing hats, and why she has to stay out of the fenced pool area unless she’s with mom and dad. She is delighted when I carry her candy-pink plastic table and chairs outside, and layout the recycled purity bottle lids and fill them with paint so she can get her fingers and paint brushes busy on our recycled office paper.

None of these things have been particularly conscious steps we’ve taken in her upbringing, they just evolved naturally. I suppose we draw on our own personal memories of growing up as a guide for how we should be raising our children.

I was saddened to hear that as a nation we received a C- on the Healthy Active Kids Report Card for 2010.

The study showed that:

While the study focused on children of school going age, and discussed the steps being taken at government and private sector level to improve on the situation, it failed to address the most important time in a child’s life, those important formative years where impressions and habits are formed. As parents we should all be asking ourselves how we can make sure our children receive an A+ on their healthy kids’ report cards instead of a C-.

Perhaps if we all start working on this earlier, during those early formative years, it will help to improve the nation’s overall rating too.

Copyright © Lindsay Grubb 2011 – All rights reserved