18-36 Months: Eating with the Family – Time Together (part 2) – Chicken Sausage Rolls & White Chocolate Crispie Squares

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Chicken Sausage Rolls

Elevate your family picnic to new heights by serving these delicious chicken rolls instead of the usual sandwiches. Take along a small pot of ketchup for dipping the sausage rolls.




25 minutes

25 minutes


NOTE

16 (or 32 cocktail size)

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 1 small red onion, minced

  • 2 small carrots, peeled and grated

  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed

  • 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

  • 2 slices of bread, crust removed

  • 8oz ground chicken (about 1 cup)

  • 2 tbsp ketchup

  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 refrigerator prepared pie crusts, 8oz each

  • Beaten egg

  1. Heat the oil in a
    small frying pan, add the onion and carrots, and cook until soft, about 3
    minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the thyme
    and set aside. Put the bread in a food processor and process to crumbs.
    Add the onion mixture, chicken, ketchup, and Parmesan and season with
    salt and pepper. Pulse to combine (you can also mix by hand in a bowl).

  2. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    Cut each pie crust in half and trim each half to a 5 x 7in rectangle.
    Divide the chicken mixture into four portions and roll each portion into
    a sausage 7 inches long. Put one in the center of each piece of pie
    crust and brush the edges of the crust with beaten egg. Wrap the pie
    crust around the chicken sausage, overlapping the ends. Press gently to
    seal, then turn over. Cut each roll into four and place on a baking
    sheet. Brush with egg and cut two small slits in the top of each.

  3. Bake until golden
    brown, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Keep in the
    refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze; when needed, thaw at room
    temperature. The rolls can be reheated in a very low oven for 8–10
    minutes.

White Chocolate Crispie Squares

These are so simple and easy, but I haven’t found anyone yet who doesn’t love this variation on an old favorite. They are great for parties too. They don’t take long to prepare and you can have a lot of fun making them with your child.




About 10 minutes


NOTE

9 large or 16 small squares

  • 4oz white chocolate

  • 7 tbsp unsalted butter

  • 3 tbsp light corn syrup

  • Pinch of salt

  • 31/3 cups puffed rice cereal

  • 6 tbsp rolled oats

  • 1/3 cup chopped exotic dried fruits or chopped dried apricots

  1. Break the chocolate
    into pieces and put in a large saucepan with the butter, golden syrup,
    and salt. Melt over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the
    puffed rice cereal and oats. Fold in the dried fruits. If adding
    mini-marshmallows (see variations), let the mixture cool down before folding these in.

  2. Line an 8in square shallow baking pan with wax paper, cutting the paper large enough to extend above the sides of the pan.

  3. Spoon the mixture into
    the pan and press down lightly with a potato masher or spatula to level
    the surface. Cover and refrigerate to set. Cut into squares before
    serving. Store in the refrigerator.

NOTE

Replace the
exotic dried fruit or dried apricots with raisins, or omit the fruit and
use 2/3 cup mini-marshmallows instead. For adults, I like to add 1/4
cup chopped pecans.