Meri’s Treats (she makes with grandchildren)

GINGER CHOCOLATES
200g ‘naked ginger’ or glace ginger
1-2 rows cooking chocolate
1c dates

Put into blender and mince fine. Roll into balls. Melt choc over hot water. Dip balls in chocolate.

APRICOT CHOCOLATES (can do half quantity)
3c dried apricots – Turkish semi-dried
1-1.5c almonds?
1 pkt cream cheese 250g
2 heaped Tab honey

Blend together – leave it crunchy. Roll into balls and dip into chocolate.

FRUIT BALLS
8 crushed weetbix
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
2Tab +  cocoa
3/4c coconut
1c sultanas
juice of 1 orange
1/2c chopped walnuts (opt)

Mix together. Place in fridge 30 mins. Roll into balls, toss into coconut.
(if in a hurry, skip fridge bit).

SPICY SAMOSAS IN FILO

Watch a video before trying to fold these yourself. You can also make them from a square sheet of rice paper.

makes 18

2 medium potatoes
1c each of shelled peas, and diced pumpkin (size of peas)
about 3T vegetable oil
1/2 medium brown onion, chopped
1 cl garlic, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
1 capsicum, finely diced
2t curry powder
1 t turmeric – ground probably
1/2c Italian-style tomato sauce
1t each of cumin and chili paste
2T finely sliced fresh coriander (opt)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
6 sheets filo pastry

Boil potatoes in their skins until just cooked. Refresh in cold water. Peel & cut into sm cubes.
Cook peas in boiling water until tender – drain and cool. Steam or mw pumpkin until just soft.

In medium saucepan heat 1/3 of oil and gently fry onion, garlic, ginger & capsicum til soft.
Stir in curry & turmeric and cook a further minute. Add tom.sauce, bring to simmer.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and gently mix with vegies, spices and coriander. Season, cool.

Brush 2 baking sheets lightly with oil. Place filo sheets on bench, cut in three lengthwise to obtain 18 long rectangular strips. Brush  one file strip with oil then place a Tab cold mixture at base of strip, about 2 cm inside the edge.

Now fold the bottom RH corner over, to meet the LH side of the strip, to form a small triangle at the base. Continue folding the triangle over upon itself, bottom corner toward opposite side, until you reach the top. Make the rest of the samosas in the same way.

Place samosas on the baking sheets, brush the top of each with oil. Cook in a preheated oven 180 degrees C for 15-20 mins until hot and golden. Or fry them in an oiled pan. Serve with mango chutney.