{Cook & Hack} Cookies for days

As a mum to four I am always on the lookout for easy ways to make lunchbox prep just that little bit easier. It not only means the kids are fed (WIN) but also that I maintain my sanity (Bigger WIN).

Today’s tip is for freezing cookies.

I often find myself going back to the same recipe and just altering it, depending what’s in the pantry. I have listed the recipe I use below, it is one of those recipes that has been changed over the years but seems to keep going through the years. Having said that, I imagine most cookie recipes would be adaptable to this method.

I will make this recipe, then plonk it onto baking paper ->

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Next roll into a long sausage and cut in half ->

roll

Roll the logs in baking paper, then surround with glad wrap ->

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Write on them (if you choose) then whack them in the freezer. I don’t know officially how long they last, but we are yet to find some that don’t unfreeze well.

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Simply pull them from the freezer about 30 minutes before you want to use them. The beauty of the freezer-roll-idea is that you can just cut little discs to put on the baking tray.

These little cookies made a great addition to the school lunchboxes.

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INGREDIENTS

250g butter (softened)

1/4 caster sugar

1/2 can condensed milk

2.5 cups of self-raising flour

METHOD

Preheat oven to 170º

Step 1: Beat together the sugar, condensed milk and butter.

Step 2: Slowly add (and stir) the flour.

Step 3: Mix in any additives you have in the pantry. (See hint below)

Step 4: Place teaspoon size balls onto a lined baking tray and slightly push down.

Step 5: Cook for approximately 10 minutes in preheated oven.

HINT: Our common additions are sultanas, sprinkles, chocolate drops.
We also sometimes plop a dollop of jam or nutella on top of the cookies before going in the oven.

Cookies cook VERY quickly.
They are ready once they start to change colour.

{The Nest Cooks} 12 minute pantry mystery dinner

I hate those days when you have no idea what to cook for dinner and are left scouring the pantry for ingredients that kinda/maybe/probably go together.

Here is our latest creation:

12 minute pantry mystery dinner

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Things you will need:

  • Chicken (about 500 grams)
  • 1 Onion – finely chopped
  • 1 capsicum (red or green) sliced
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbs vegie stock paste (from Thermomix) – optional
  • Basil/Oregano/Parsley – doesn’t really matter just something to add some flavour!
  • Pasta of choice (we mixed spaghetti and fettuccine because we didn’t have enough of either one!)
  • Olive oil

METHOD:

  1. Cook the onion in a pan until it becomes translucent
  2. Add garlic and your cubed chicken and cook until golden
  3. Add capsicum and canned tomatoes and stock paste and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper
  4. Meanwhile cook pasta according to packet instructions
  5. Serve pasta with chicken mix on top.

*You could add olives/sundried tomatoes/bacon or anything you have in the cupboard or fridge. This is essentially our ‘use the leftovers’ dish.

A bit plus of this dish is that the little birdies LOVE IT!

What’s your family’s go-to?

Enjoy!

{The Nest Cooks} Tomato, haloumi and olive tart

This is a cracker tart when your pantry is near empty but the tiny people are starving.

I found it also an excellent way to introduce haloumi to the kids and they love helping to make it.  tart

Stuff you need:

8 sheets filo pastry

Cooking Spray

1 tbs Almond Meal or breadcrumbs

Cherry tomatoes and roma tomato medley

Olives

1 egg, beaten

grated lemon rind

400g Ricotta

100g Haloumi grated

Oregano

 

Do this:

  1. Mix ricotta, haloumi, the lemon rind, egg and oregano in a bowl. Stir to combine.
  2. Lay out one layer of filo pastry, spray with cooking oil, place another layer on top. Continue to use 8 pieces to make a stack.
  3. Sprinkle almond meal (or breadcrumbs to be nutfree) over top of stack (this will help stop it going soggy)
  4. Pour cheese mixture onto stack leaving about 4cm on each side
  5. Turn over sides of stack to tuck in the cheese mixture
  6. Spread tomatoes and Olives on top as desired
  7. Sprinkle a little more oregano.
  8. Brush turned up sides with egg wash or spray with cooking spray
  9. Season well
  10. Wack it in the oven for about 25 minutes on about 210
  11. Serve with salad.

Enjoy!

{The Nest Cooks} Boredom Busters in the Kitchen for the kids

Keeping kids entertained in school holidays is about as easy as keeping uncooked rice in a colander.

The brilliant team at KidSpot had put together a great 12 Boredom Buster Recipes to help keep the kiddies in line. cake

There is fun stuff like DIY sherbet and making ice cream in a can!

Have fun x

{The Nest Cooks} Lazy pikelet days

These are is the first holidays in our little nest since the kid-bird started school so we are enjoying the slower starts to the mornings and the chance for lazy days.

Today we made pikelets we found on TASTEcocoYou can find the recipe here -> TASTE Pikelets

Hooly dooley was I a popular mama-bird in the nest today! They were simple and quick and the little birdies were able to smear them with whatever they wanted. The baby-bird had mashed banana, the toddler-bird blueberries and the kid-bird went honey.

Easy. Quick. Tasty.

Win Win!

STOCKISTS | Coco wears Bebe by Minihaha | Highchair IKEA |

{The Nest Cooks} Want some lunch inspo that isn’t a vegemite sanga?

BAM. Here are some rockin’ lunch ideas that aren’t a vegemite sanga -> 9 Easy Work Lunches That Aren’t Sandwiches

salad jar

Thanks Delicious.

Happy eating nesters x

{The School Run} Here mates have some freezable lunch box ideas

Everyone knows the early morning hassle of trying to combine a smooshed pear, a bruised apple and a half stale vegemite sandwich and calling it a lunch but what if you could simply go to the freezer and pull out some gems?

Well this fantastic collection of Freezable Lunch Box Ideas will help you look like a lunchbox queen!

freezable-quiche

What’s your favourite lunchbox snack?

Happy cooking nesters x

 

{The Nest Can Cook} Turn your almonds into milk mates

So all the cool kids are having almond milk these days, but fudge it can be quite exxy..

Here my friends you can make your own and it’s actually pretty easy.

You can find the recipe here -> How to Make Almond Milk

almond milk

Thanks J-Oliver.

You’re totes welcome x

{The Nest Cooks} Macadamia Chocolate Wafers

So I need a favour.

Well, actually just a friend.

Umm, nope will probably just cook these up and eat them alone. With a cup of tea. Hiding from the little people.

These look fabulous and indulgent and just yum.

The gorgeous Tenina Holder from Cooking With Tenina has created a little slice of heaven or otherwise formally known as Macadamia Chocolate Wafersmac wafers

There is chocolate and nuts and wafer.

O. My. Madonna.

Enjoy gorgeous Nesters x

 

{Life Hacks} 27 diagrams that make cooking so much easier!

Some people are great cooks. Some people are, well.. me.

I have found something that will make cooking just a smidge bit nicer for you!

27 Diagrams That Make Cooking So Much Easier is something you should bookmark NOW!cook

Happy cooking Nesters x