Kid-friendly

These tasty baked arrabbiata muffins are packed full of flavour and texture. Filled with melted, oozy cheese, they will be loved by kids and adults alike. Enjoy them warm as a light lunch or dinner or pop them in your lunch box for work or school.

equipment 30cm x 45cm prepared cake board, strong wooden toothpick decorations 27 Maltesers, approximately 2 green snakes, halved lengthways 5 mint leaves 3 yellow ready-made icing flowers 3 foil-wrapped chocolate ladybirds If Easter eggs aren’t available, you can use Kinder Surprise eggs. We’ve made quite a long wall out of bought lamingtons; you could have […]

A lassi is a popular yoghurt based drink in the Indian subcontinent. You can vary the fruit according to the season and your preference and sweeten with honey if you prefer.

The beauty of this pavlova roll is that you can experiment will all sorts of fruit to fill the centre. We've used banana, kiwi and passionfruit here, but any soft fruit will do. The result is still amazing.

This recipe is packed full of brilliant flavours and textures for a fun way to get your family to eat more seafood. Serve with tartare sauce that perfectly complements the crunchy coating.

This is one way of getting some good raw vegies into the kids. The sweetness of the honey and the nutty crunch of toasted sesame seeds are delicious combined with the fresh vegies and slippery noodles. This is the salad in its simple form, but chicken or other meat can be added to make it a bigger meal for bigger kids.

The second best part of making my own snacks is that I know exactly what goes into them - the best part is how they taste. The muesli bars in this recipe can be changed to suit any needs. I put linseed and sesame seeds in them, mostly so I can convince myself that I should eat them. Nuts are lovely, although the boys’ school, as well as many others I am sure, has a peanut ban because of serious allergies. Good additions include slivered almonds, pine nuts, choc chips or chopped apricot pieces.

This is also a great family meal served with rice or bread. The tandoori paste is found in the Asian section of the supermarket. Serve the salad in an airtight container that fits inside the lunchbox with a freezer block. Put the dressing into a smaller container to be put on the salad (or dunked into) at lunchtime – if it's put on in the morning, it will become soggy. If your kids are little gourmets, throw a wedge of lemon in as well.

these delicate biscuits can be coloured to suit your theme; they look lovely in one colour, or layered using different colours, however, it is quicker and easier to ice the biscuits in the same colour. equipment 6.5cm (2½-inch) round cutter 5cm (2-inch) round cutter 3.5cm (1¼-inch) round cutter 6 paper piping bags (page 221) tweezers […]

As a variation to this fresh and icy treat, you could make pineapple and mint sorbet; substitute 1 small peeled and coarsely chopped pineapple for the rockmelon and 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped mint leaves for the basil.

Prepare the wraps the night before the picnic; wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Cut the rolls at the picnic. Note

You need half a large barbecued chicken to get the amount of shredded meat required for this recipe. Note

20cm (8-inch) round cardboard cake board10cm (4-inch) round cardboard cake board30cm (12-inch) round cake board10cm (4-inch) round cutter Use regular hundreds andthousands for a brighter,less pastel, cake. Note

Make a cake in shape of a football jersey, ­decorate it with the colours of your child’s favourite team to make him the hero of the day. Note

Kids will love these mildly spiced beef and potato pastry puffs. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt and chutney.

Vegemite and cheese pinwheels are perfect tasty treats for kid's lunchboxes.

Healthy and delicious banana ice-blocks

Your guests will be trumpeting praise when they see this cute elephant cake from The Australian Women's Weekly's famous 'Children's Birthday Cake Book' cookbook on the party spread.

We used butter beans but you can use any canned white beans you like. This recipe can be made a day ahead. Store pitta crisps in an airtight container. Note

This recipe is a great way to use up leftover sausages, sausages can be served hot or cold. Note

You will need a 2.5-litre (10-cup) rice cooker for this recipe. Dried gnocchi-shaped pasta is available from the pasta section in most supermarkets. Dried gnocchi is generally shaped like a hollowed shell with a ridged surface. Fresh gnocchi usually contains potatoes, while dried gnocchi contains semolina flour and no potato. Note

In just about 20 minutes you can have this healthy beef and greens stir-fry on the table. It's hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but feel free to serve with a steaming bowl of rice or noodles for an extra carb hit.

Sprinkled with coconut, this chewy date slice is divine with a hot cup of tea.

These gently poached quinces and pears are soft and juicy and sweet. They are complimented wonderfully by the crispy almond crumble. If you like, you could serve them with whipped cream.

If you would like to make your own delicious pastry cases, see the recipe for pastry in blueberry apple crumbles. Note

These juicy, spiced chicken koftas make a great light lunch served with ripe tomato salad, tzatziki and fresh bread.

equipment 20cm x 30cm lamington pan 20cm x 50cm prepared cake board (see basic know-how number 2, pages 160-161) decorations 165g packet mini musks Piping takes a little practice. You might find it easier to do the piping, numbering and lettering before using a spatula to position the cakes on the board. Note

high GI Note

Break up a few tablespoons of the frozen yoghurt and raspberry swirl with a fork for your toddler. Note

This fun children's cake is great for the little ones that love playing with trains and automobiles. They'll love the taste and look of this tasty dessert!

When in season, use one large fresh mango weighing about 600g (1¼ pounds). Peel mango over a small bowl to catch as much juice as possible; cut off mango cheeks, then slice thinly. Squeeze as much juice as you can from around the seed into the same bowl, add enough cold water to make 1 […]

You can use canned pink or red salmon instead of the tuna. Note

Home made fish and chips is a good healthy alternative to eating greasy ones, and it tastes just as good if not better.

A huge hit at parties, fresh rice paper rolls also make an excellent lunch, or after-school snack.

These noodles with lamb and spinach can be thrown together in minutes and be on the table soon after you arrive home from work. Quick, healthy and delicious.

Whip up something healthy and filling for lunch with this spiced chicken sandwich with apricot and kumara.

Whip up these tasty fish fingers with fresh, whole ingredients and pop them on a little pile of crisp colourful coleslaw and dig in. The kids will love you for it and you'll tick off a good portion of your five-a-day and fish intake.

This cheesy bake is packed with veggies and perfect for the whole family.

Frittata tastes great hot, cold or at room temperature; it’s perfect at breakfast time or for lunch and is a hit with kids and adults alike. For a splash of colour and extra flavour, cut up some fresh parsley, basil or chives (or a combination of all three) to sprinkle on top. Note

If you have overnight guests or friends coming for breakfast, prepare the recipe ahead for a breakfast of muffins fresh from the oven! The muffin batter is partially made the day before and refrigerated overnight, needing only a few more minutes of preparation before baking and serving. Note

Little fried cheese pastries. Four different types of cheese and a sliver of salami. Yes, they taste as good as they sound. You're welcome.

6 serving plates, or a large serving tray Use a mixture of jam and cinnamon doughnuts, mini jam doughnuts and doughnut holes, if you like. Note

Cover macaroons with foil halfway through baking time if fruit on top starts to brown. You need about 50g (1½ ounces) of each glacé fruit. Note

Kids will love these bolognese pies topped with cheesy mashed potato.

The cave is made up of three cakes, so while it may look fiddly and complicated, it isn’t. The kids’ll think you used magic to make it. Cooked cakes can be frozen for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature for about six hours. Cake can be iced and decorated one day ahead (except […]

Serve up these delightful glazed doughnuts at your next kids' party. They are easier to make than you might think.

These sizzling patties are delicious with a dollop of cooling tzatziki and warm flatbread.

Everybody loves a bagel. For this recipe, we've selected avocado, ham and cheese, but don't stop there. Try smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers, or chicken and avocado for an equally delicious lunch.

A light touch is required to make these strawberry french macarons. Don't be tempted to use more strawberry puree than required or you will alter the texture of the batter. Trust us, the result is worth it.

We used small (15cm/6 inch diameter) packaged pizza bases for this recipe. A Mexican staple, frijoles refritos (refried beans) are sold canned in supermarkets. You will also find spicy tomato salsa in supermarkets. Note

Just 4 ingredients and a few minutes and you have a quick, easy and hearty soup. Serve with toast or buttered bread for a complete supper.

The combination of both white and dark chocolate mud cake and ganache make these decadent mini-cakes a truly wonderful indulgence. Or you could go large with our white chocolate and raspberry mud cake.

Bhaji is a classic Indian snack similar to a fritter; it has several variants and is sometimes known as pakora. Onion based bhaji is very popular, but we've used zucchini and carrot here. Served with mango chutney, they're divine.

Don't be put off by the amount of garlic in this recipe. It infuses the chicken with a wonderful, yet not overpowering flavour. You can always discard it after cooking, if you don't want the full garlic experience!

You may find it easier to bake just two crisps on a tray at a time. Re-use the baking-paper lining. Store crisps in an airtight container for up to a week. Note

This pie is suitable to freeze. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. You can replace the carrots, celery, mushrooms and peas with a 400g packet of fresh diced vegetable soup mixture – this is found in the vegetable or refrigerated sections of most larger supermarkets, as well as many greengrocers. Note

The apples can be cooked ahead of time and left in the pan, covered, in the fridge. The tarte tatin can be finished and transported in the pan if you’re picnicking – simply reheat on the barbecue or fire before turning out and serving warm.

Delight both the kids and adults with this decadent dessert. The hot fudge sauce is so easy, delicious and versatile you'll never be tempted to buy the supermarket version again.

With a cloud-like, marshmallowy centre, this pavlova is the stuff dreams are made of. Serve with lashings of whipped cream, and fresh berries.

TODDLER TIP Give your toddler one mashed or chopped fish burger with a little of the carrot and lettuce. Note

This well-loved classic will always be a winner with the kids.

What a refreshing way to hydrate and contribute to your five-a-day target. You can experiment with all sorts of fruit, and mint goes with just about anything.

Quick and fun toffee chocolate spoons from Australian Women's Weekly.

A classic modern pie with beef and caramelised onion from Australian Women's Weekly.

A few key ingredients and just 10 minutes preparation and you and your guests can be enjoying these mixed berries with mascarpone; easy, simple, yet oh so good. Use your favourite mixture of berries for this recipe.

Make this exciting and fun cake for your child's birthday party.

If you can’t find rocky road confectionery, use a tub of chocolate rocky road ice-cream instead. Note

Recipe is best prepared as required. Note

After microwaving food for children, it is very important to thoroughly stir it to distribute the heat evenly. Then, you should ALWAYS test the temperature against your skin (dip in a clean finger, or place a small quantity of food on your lower lip). ­It should feel warm, not hot. Note

These mini lemon meringue tartlets are everything you'd want in a tasty, sweet morsel. Crispy pastry, sweet yet tart creamy centre and gently toasted meringue on top.

Variations nutritional count per serving 4.4g total fat (2.8g saturated fat); 957kJ (229 cal); 38.9g carbohydrate; 4.4g protein; 1.1g fibre You need an apple weighing about 275g (9 ounces) for this recipe. We used a granny smith apple. Note

You can make glacé icing without butter (or oil) but, a tiny amount of butter will add gloss to the icing and make it easy to cut neatly ­without butter, glacé icing tends to shatter when you cut it. Note

A savoury and satisfying vegetarian classic from India, with a deliciously minty rasam.

Do not be intimidated by the soufflé! Think of it as a flavoured base into which beaten egg whites are folded. The heat of the oven expands the air in the egg white and contracts when cooled. So serve it immediately, hot from the oven.

suitable from 6 months We used red apples in the apple and blueberry purée as green apples are often too tart for infants. Golden delicious apples can be used (for both apple recipes), as they are quite sweet. Note

Give your regular damper a herbal lift with this cheesy rosemary version. Serve it as a snack, or alongside your favourite hearty soup.

Kids will love this mildly spiced rice dish loaded with vegies and chicken.

Add some extra colour to the marshmallow by tinting half of it lightly with your choice of food colouring ­the range is limitless and can be added to suit the colour theme of your party. Note