Author Archives: Felicity Banks

I forgot this one: Choc Chip Cookies Ingredients 125g butter, cubed 3/4c brown sugar 1/4c caster sugar 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 c self raising flour 1 c plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1 c choc chips Method 1. Melt butter. 2. Add the sugars to the butter and mix well. 3.Continue reading “Oops cookies”

I went through a sushi phase long ago so I was pretty confident going into this. I was also pretty confident the kids would be determined not to give this beautiful-looking food a chance. So… how did it go? Ingredients Rice Seaweed sheet Cucumber Japanese mayonnaise Soy sauce [I added a small tin of tunaContinue reading “Sushi”

I’d never heard of Chicken 65 (a popular South Indian dish) but a quick google shows I’ve been missing out. Ingredients 500 gm chicken 1 tsp lemon juice/plain yogurt 1 tsp corn flour 1 tsp chickpea flour/plain flour 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste 1 egg 1 tsp chilli powder 1/2 tsp mixed spice powder PinchContinue reading “Chicken 65”

Louisette was deliriously excited about these. I’m mildly intolerant of bananas, especially the smell of bananas. When I gathered the courage to breach the banana, I realised that the recipe didn’t include proportions. I googled, and adjusted this recipe. Ingredients 130g butter (melted) 70g caster sugar 1 egg 1 banana, mashed 1/2 tsp baking powderContinue reading “Going Bananas”

This was never going to go well. . . Ingredients 1 kg skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I used half a kilo chopped chicken thigh and adapted from there) 2 tsp salt (I left it out) 1/2 c cooking oil 1 and a half c chopped onion (I used half a fennel bulb) 1 TContinue reading “Chicken Curry”

I thought this was a dip until I googled it, at which point I went, “Ah, a dessert! That explains all that sugar.” Ingredients 2c grated carrots 1c milk 3/4c palm sugar/brown sugar 3 T ghee (clarified butter) Pinch of cardamon powder 10 cashews (optional; I used much more than 10) 1 T raisins (I leftContinue reading “Carrot Halwa”

Sugar, pastry, butter, and nuts? What could possibly go wrong? Ingredients 1/2 kilo Antonnious Filo Pastry (we used some other brand) 2 c crushed almonds (we used a combination of cashews and walnuts) 1 and a half c butter 1 T cinnamon Syrup 3 c sugar 1 c hone* 2 c water Cinnamon stick 1Continue reading “Baklava”

Butter chicken is the biz. Everyone knows that. Making it without using a packet was a strange and wondrous experience.   Ingredients 2 T peanut oil 3 shallots, peeled and finely chopped (I used a fennel bulb instead) 1/2 white onion, peeled and chopped (I used a fennel bulb instead) 40g butter Juice of 1/2Continue reading “Utter Butter Chicken”

You may know me as a novelist, but for most of my life my true claim to fame was as the maker of pancakes. Technically, I actually make crepes (with lemon and sugar*), usually so thin that they’re slightly see-through. My recipe is: 1 egg + 500ML milk (I use lactose free) + anywhere betweenContinue reading “Pancakes #1”

If it wasn’t for procrastination, I’d never get anything done. Today the kids are both with grandparents, so it’s definitely time to focus on my Top-Secret Well-Paid Writing Thingy. (I’m not allowed to tell people what it is, but it’s super awesome). I prepared by getting all the current “Murder in the Mail” stuff sorted:Continue reading “Muesli Bars”

And so we come to the “actual meals” part of my daughter’s class recipe book. First, we have Sweet Chilli Chicken Skewers.   6 chicken tenderloins, sliced in half lengthwise 12 bamboo skewers, soaked 2 T sweet chilli sauce Zest and juice of 1 lemon 1 T grated ginger (I got mine from a jar)Continue reading “Are ya chicken?”

Regular readers will know I’m a sucker for punishment. Allow me to rephrase. It really helps my depression to have a win in life, and taking on something a little bit special/difficult/unusual really works for me (while also making all my near relatives—except my Mum, who also loves a good project, and my Dad, whoContinue reading “Excuse my French”

TJ insists that I’m wrong to call these “Anzac Biscuits”. Well, what would I know?   Ingredients:   1 c rolled oats 1 c plain flour 2/3 c brown sugar 2/3 c desiccated coconut 130g butter 2 T golden syrup 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda Method: Mix oats, flour, sugar, and coconut in a bowl. CombineContinue reading “Isaac Biscuits”

The Year 1 teacher who organised Louisette’s new recipe book wanted FAMILY recipes (with a strong hint of ‘multicultural, please’) and this one is a ripper. My children are dead-set against anything to do with tomatoes (except of course, for tomato sauce, which bears little resemblance to the fruit*) so I knew that this wasContinue reading “Grandma’s Spaghetti”

My daughter had heard of moose, but not mousse. . . so when her dad and I discussed making chocolate mousse she asked, “Will it come alive when it’s finished?” (Being scientifically-minded, she knows perfectly well that mammals have live young. . . but she also knows there are a lot of weird and wonderfulContinue reading “Moose?”

My daughter is getting three weeks of holidays between Terms 2 and 3. She’s a pretty great kid, but that still fills me with blinding terror. A few weeks ago, her Year 1 teacher asked the kids for family recipes. Those recipes were typed, bound, and printed (with illustrations by the kids). There are aboutContinue reading “Holiday Recipes”