Ingredients: 

• Pet or second grade apples, as many as you want to use

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

•  ½ teaspoon ground cloves

• Water

Recipe: 

Peel all apples, core them and chop in chunks and put in big pot.

Add a few cups of water (depending on size pot, basically put the apples in a few centimeters of water.

Boil the apples until soft, stir occasionally and mash them once soft enough

Add ginger, cinnamon and cloves and stir it all in.

“If you make a big batch, the slow cooker is great! And you can freeze some for later. Appelmoes is yummy with yogurt and great as a base with other cut fruits in a crumble. Or you make filos with some as a sweet treat.” Sacha 

“My mama made this delicious sweet treat and the house would smell of cinnamon and love. What I love most is that it doesn’t have added sugars, the spices add the extra flavor and the apples do the rest.” - Sacha, Pōneke / Wellington 

Ingredients 

• 1 packet of wine or malt biscuits crushed

• 1 packet of marshmallows or small chocolate balls like large jaffas

• ½ tin condensed milk

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cocoa (Myra usually uses more)

• 100 grams butter melted

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Shredded coconut

Method:

Melt but do not boil, condensed milk, brown sugar, cocoa, butter, and vanilla. Crush biscuits and add to melted ingredients.

Roll around a marshmallow or chocolate ball in the mixture, then roll in coconut, and freeze.

Tip from Myra: The trick is to have wet hands when rolling around the balls. I roll and place them in a dish that has coconut in it and when the dish is full I pick them up and roll them in the coconut.

“I have been making these for many years and my grandchildren and now great-grandchildren always ask me to make them.” Myra

This family and community favourite originally comes from the 1997 St. Joseph’s recipe book. 

Myra lives in Redwood, Ōtautahi /Christchurch which she says is very friendly - lots of different nationalities and children. She was on the local community board for three terms and has very fond memories of cooking hundreds and hundreds of sausages for a Children’s Day event in Groynes park.

“We also supported people who wanted to hold something in their neighbourhood and it was great fun going to all sorts of happenings” Myra

Ingredients 

• 3 cups flour

• 3 tablespoons sugar

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 can or bottle of beer or cider

•  Any seeds or herbs to flavour

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together. Bake in a loaf pan or terracotta pot at 180 degrees for 20min. Then eat!

This is a goodie!

Aimee who is based in Kaipara, Northland got this recipe from her neighbour Rachel about 15 years ago. 

“Rachel gave me this recipe and it was so easy I could whip one up and I add any seeds or spices depending on what I had in the cupboard or garden and that was handy being an hour out of town!” Aimee

Her favourite version is using steinlager beer and harakeke ( flaxseed)

Ingredients 

• 2 onions

• 500 to 1000g mince

• Spices

• Whatever else is in the cupboard!

Method:

Finely dice the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mince and brown it well.

Add any herbs and spices, pepper, and salt you like.

Add in any veggies and/or beans that you have in the cupboard or fridge.

Cover with water and simmer for 1 hour.

Serve with potatoes or rice or on toast.

Alison’s Mum taught her this recipe and it is her go-to for community dinners and potlucks! 

“In our village, we share meals once every two months. Each time I make it, it is a surprise as I never know what is in the cupboard until I have a good rummage.”  Alison

 This could be an easy and delicious recipe for your next community event or meal.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups flour

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon,1teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup sugar (or 2/3-3/4 cup melted honey)

• 1/2 cup margarine or butter

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup cooked mashed pumpkin (cook it ahead of time)

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Method

Sift flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar (if using).

Melt margarine or butter (and honey if using instead of sugar).

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, pumpkin, and margarine. Add this to the dry ingredients, then add in the chocolate, and stir to just combine. If needed, add some milk to get it to a good muffin consistency.

Spoon into well-greased muffin tins.

Bake at 180°C for 20mins or until muffins spring back when lightly pressed.

"This is a great way to use your own home-grown pumpkins, and make a great afternoon tea for hungry mouths - big and small!" - Tsana, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Ingredients

• 1-2 tablespoons butter

• 1-2 bacon rashers, chopped

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 tablespoon wholemeal flour

• 1 can tinned whole or chopped tomatoes or you can use fresh tomatoes

• 1 egg, beaten

• ¼ cup milk, heated

Method

Melt butter in a large saucepan, fry the bacon until well done or crisp. Remove the bacon and put it aside, keeping the drippings in the pan.

Add more butter and the chopped onion and sauté until the onion is softened and has lost the raw oniony smell. Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook a few minutes until cooked. Add the tomatoes and cook (mashing if whole) until the mixture is bubbling and thick.

Warm the milk (if warmed it shouldn’t curdle when added). Whisk in the egg to break it up in the mixture, then add the hot milk. Finally, stir in the bacon and serve. Can sprinkle with chopped parsley.

A recipe that has been handed down through the Burton family and never properly written down until now!

“It’s a recipe I’ve written up from my memory of how my mother made it and how I make it now. It was a recipe my mother made quite frequently and dear to my heart because of that.” Charlotte

Unique to the Burton family in Khandallah, Wellington, this treasured family recipe is ready for you to try and share with your whānau, friends or neighbours

It is also quick, easy, and cost-effective!

Charlotte’s Mother made it with home-bottled tomato purée that the family would bottle every year but tinned or fresh tomatoes work well.

Ingredients

• 375 grated zucchini (about three)

• Half can cream corn or half a can of tomatoes

• 2 cups grated cheese

• 5 eggs

• 1 cup self-raising flour

• ½ cup oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Any sort of flavouring - chutney, sauce, herbs

Method

Mix all ingredients together

Turn out into a greased baking dish

Bake at 180 degrees for 50 minutes (check it's cooked with knife test)

Let stand in oven

“I think this slice was created in Palmerston North in the 70's. The recipe mum sent me is actually called "Stephen and Robert's Loaf", but there has been significant tweaking done over the years to warrant this being henceforth attributed to my dear late mum Robyn. Wherever we went in the world she would be able to whip one of these beauties up, and there always seemed to be one (or half a one) in the fridge when I would pop over to mum's for dinner.” - Barnie, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Ingredients

• 4 cups self-raising flour

• 300ml cream

• 355ml can sprite (zero is okay)

Method

Mix cream and sprite in a large bowl then mix in flour.

Flatten to about 2-3cm high.

Cut shape. Hint - sprinkle a little flour on bench top when working with mixture

Put on a cold baking tray.

Bake at 200 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream and your choice of jam.

"I don't bake or eat scones often but this is one of my favorite easy and delicious go-to recipes!" - Maria, Ahuriri / Napier

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup potatoes, unseasoned, well-mashed and cooked (about 1 medium potato)*

• 3 cups powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar)

• 1 cup coconut, flaked or shredded

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate

• 3 teaspoons butter (use dark chocolate and margarine for vegan)

Method

Bake or microwave the potatoes until a fork pierces them easily then mash. While the mashed potatoes are still warm, beat in the powdered sugar and coconut; then add the vanilla extract. Press into a lightly-greased 8-inch square pan; set aside.

In a saucepan over a low heat, melt chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. When melted, pour over top of the potato mixture.

Refrigerate until set and then cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

"If you love bounty bars this is well worth trying!" - Barbara

Method

Heat oven to 160°C (150°C fan bake), with shelf just below centre. Line the base and sides of a pan about 18 x 28cm with baking paper.

Cut the cold butter into 8-12 cubes, and put into a food processor with brown sugar & flour. Process in bursts until the mixture is crumbly. Press into prepared pan. Bake for 10mins.

Measure dry ingredients for topping into the unwashed food processor and mix well. Add eggs, vanilla essence & fruit mince and process till well mixed. Pour over the cold, warm or hot base and bake for about 30mins until centre feels firm and has browned evenly. Cool before cutting.

Store in the fridge in a shallow container, one layer deep, with the lid slightly ajar.

Serve with cream or ice-cream, with coffee or for dessert!

"This was on a calendar at my mum's place, many years ago - it is my go-to Christmas (and any time) easy fruit mince recipe! - Tsana, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Ingredients

• 2-3 bunches of large taro leaves, or large spinach leaves

• 1 can of corned beef, chicken or lamb

• 1 ripe tomato (but not soft), diced

• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, include some of the greens

• 1 can Polynesian style coconut milk (I prefer light coconut milk)

• 1 mayonnaise (optional) and foil

Method

• Take two or three sheets of foil and seam them together tightly to make one big huge, tight sheet of foil. Wash and pat dry either the taro or spinach leaves. Place on foil in a fan-type circle with leaves getting closer and closer until the middle is covered with leaves too. Some stems will go over the leaves as you do this, but they are supposed to!

• Open and flake the corned beef, chicken or lamb around the middle of the leaves, about the size of a dinner plate. On top of the meat, spread the tomatoes and onions. Bring up two opposing sides of the foil and seal tightly (by folding) and then seal the opposite ends tightly as well.

• Bring up the edges of the foil somewhat, and pour the can of coconut milk into the middle. Place on a foil lined baking tray or pan (for easier clean up), and bake in oven at 150 - 180 degrees until cooked.

"This was historically cooked on a fire of course, but now it is cooked in the oven. It is cooked for several hours to blend the flavours. Serve with baked sweet potatoes, kumara or some baked Tapioca root, ufi root or taro root. The taste is rich and delicious!" - Ruby, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Ingredients

• 2 stalks celery finely diced

• 2 carrots finely diced

• 1 onion finely diced

• 4-6 cloves garlic finely diced

• 4 cups fish stock

• ½ cup fish sauce

• ¾ cup plain flour

• 2 medium-sized kumara or 4 potatoes cooked and mashed

• 2 cups plain milk

• 1 cup liquid cream

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 500 grams prawns – chopped

• 500g clams (or mussels) – chopped

  Optional: fish as an extra if needed – (3 seafood items maximum)

Method

In a saucepan on the stove, add butter, celery, carrot, onion, garlic and slowly cook stirring often on a low heat for approx. 30 minutes. Add in fish stock, fish sauce and continue slow cooking for approx. 40 minutes stirring often. Turn off and let stand so items will continue to cook in the liquid.

One hour before serving:

Mix the flour, milk, and cream together and add to the previous mixture. Add the mashed sweet potato. Combine all these ingredients. Heat all the items up again on the stove in the same saucepan on a slow heat stirring often.

30–40 minutes before serving:

Add the seafood stir into the thickened liquid mixture stirring often. Add more milk if needed however the mixture should be thick .Serve with warm garlic bread or sourdough bread

Megan from Torbay, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland has shared her very popular seafood chowder recipe. She has shared this recipe with many friends locally and abroad and it is very popular in her household - there’s never any leftover!

“I created this recipe from 3 in total – as I didn’t have some ingredients from one and I did the other and so on. I also was given the tip to use Kumara instead of Potato – which gives it the sweetness/thickness.” Megan, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland

Ingredients

For the bilo-bilo:

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour plus extra flour for dusting

• ½ cup water

Sauce/pudding

• 2 cups coconut milk, divided (Trish uses two 400 ml cans)

• 1 cup water, ½ cup sugar

• 1 ½ cups sweet potatoes (I used kumara)

• 1 cup saba banana, sliced

• ½ cup jackfruit (langka) (Trish uses a whole can from Countdown)

• 1 cup cooked sago (large tapioca pearls)

• 2-3 tablespoons ube halaya (optional)

Method

• Make the bilo-bilo: In a medium bowl, mix the rice flour with water until it forms into soft dough. Dust hands with flour and form into small balls.

• In a sauce pot, bring water and 1 cup coconut milk to a boil. Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

• Add the sweet potatoes and let it cook until softened.

• Add the saba, sago, langka, and the rest of the coconut milk. Allow to simmer until it thickens.

• Stir in the ube and mix until well-combined.

“A popular Filipino afternoon merienda made of sticky rice balls (bilo-bilo) cooked in coconut milk with sago (tapioca balls), jackfruit, sweet potatoes (kamote), saba bananas, and ube halaya.” - Trish, Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland