Happy Easter!

Hello lovelies!

I thought I'd do a quick blog with some Easter treats for y'all :)

My daughter and I set to work this morning, making a batch of Easter cookies.  For all those who have followed me before, we used my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe but exchanged the choc chips with mini Easter eggs.  Such fun!

Still on a chocolate high, I decided to try my hand at some Easter cupcakes.  I kinda threw ingredients together, but it seems to have worked!

I also have some lovely dinner ideas for these cooler days we've been experiencing.  One is a dish that my American friends are huge fans of.  Biscuits and gravy.  Don't worry kiwis, it's not as bad as it sounds!  It's actually really tasty, and I even had my children licking their plates and requesting that I make it again the next night.
The other is a crazy mince and cheese pie, inspired by my friend who was making cauliflower cheese for tea.  I already had mince out, so decided to try and combine them in a pie.

Easter cookies

75g butter, softened
1/2C sugar, 1/2C brown sugar
1 egg
1/2C mini Easter eggs
1/2tsp baking soda
1 1/4C flour

Beat butter and sugars together.  Add egg and beat again.
Mix in the Easter eggs.  I used mini candy coated ones, you could use any variation.
Sprinkle flour and baking soda over top and combine.
Roll into teaspoon sized balls and flatten with a fork.
Bake at 180C for around 10-15 minutes

Easter cupcakes

75g butter, softened
1/2C sugar
1 tsp each of vanilla essence and raspberry essence (optional extra)
2 bananas
1 1/2C flour
1tsp baking powder
1/4C milk
choc eggs for decoration

Preheat oven to 180C and line cupcake tin with cases
Beat butter and sugar with essences of your choice.  I recommend using vanilla as a base.  You don't have to add the other essence, I just thought it would be quite tasty.
Break up bananas and add (you can mash, but I prefer to have chunks).  Mix
Sift flour and baking powder and fold in.
Add milk to soften.
Spoon into cases.  I got 14 out of this.

Gently press a choc egg into the top of each cupcake.
Bake for approx 20 minutes.

Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuit mix:
2C flour
1Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
6Tbsp butter, cold
1C buttermilk

Combine dry ingredients.  Cut butter in to resemble breadcrumbs.  Add buttermilk and combine.  I got in there with my hands and gave it a gently knead too.
Roll out to about an inch thick and using a round cutter, cut out biscuits.
Place on baking tray and brush with milk.
Pop in the oven at 180C for around 10-15 minutes (basically like scones)

Gravy:
350g sausage meat (from proper sausages, not that pink stuff)
1/4C flour
2C milk
salt and pepper.
optional extra - grated cheese

Heat frying pan and add a little olive oil.
Break up sausage meat into small chunks and fry until cooked through.
Sprinkle half the flour over and give it a stir.  Add the other half.
Slowly pour the milk in, stirring continuously.
Season with salt and pepper and allow to heat through until it has thickened.
If you want, you can add a little grated cheese to this too.

Slice biscuits in half and scoop gravy over top.  I had two biscuits and was full after that.  They are very filling!
I believe the Americans eat this for breakfast, but I think it works for any time of day.

Crazy Mince and Cheese Pie

Now this was kind of a spur of the moment meal with a bit of "whatever is in the pantry" type of meal.  I found one lone sheet of puff pastry, so decided to use that as the base for my pie.
I heated a pan with olive oil and fried off some diced onion and mince.
Add some vegetables to this (I used carrots and peas) along with one or two tins of tomatoes.
I had about a cup or so of leftover pasta spirals, so I added those too.
Bring it to the boil and let it simmer a little.
Meanwhile, make up a cheese sauce
3Tbsp butter
2-3Tbsp flour
salt and pepper
1 1/2C milk
1/4C grated cheese

Scoop mince mix into dish lined with pastry.  I chose to use up the last of the hash browns in our freezer by lining the top with them.  You could, however use *pastry if you like.
Pour cheese sauce over.  Sprinkle with extra grated cheese.
*If using pastry, pour sauce over mince first.
Pop in oven at 180C for around 45 minutes

There you go, that should keep you going for the long weekend!  Enjoy your Easter treats!