Tiny teddy racing cars

Drive it like you stole it! 

These were my first introduction to the world of kids party food (thanks Caitlin) and I couldn’t believe that something so creative could be so simple.  I especially love that the expressions on the Tiny Teddy’s faces seem to match their race car driving perfectly.

Like this one…

He must have gotten into a fender-bender on the track.  Or maybe he’s still peeved about what happened earlier…

Sorry little buddy.

Tiny teddy racing cars

Ingredients
Fun size chocolates (Mars bars or Milky Ways)
Smarties
Musk Life Savers
Tiny Teddies
Small quantity of chocolate icing (or a chocolate icing pen)

Method
Lay out all of your ingredients.  Cut your musk lollies in half & chop the legs off the Tiny Teddies (apologising to each one of course).

If you are using homemade icing you can make your own piping bag by putting it in a Ziplock bag and snipping the corner edge.  Pipe a dollop of icing onto each Smartie.

Glue the Smarties onto the side of each chocolate bar.  Put a little dollop of icing on the ends of the musk lollies and stick your steering wheels on the front of the cars.  Lastly put a little icing on the cut ends of the Tiny Teddies and put the drivers behind the steering wheels.  You might need to push the teddies down into the chocolate bar, but don’t push too hard or you’ll end up with smashed cars.  Refrigerate to set the icing.

Slow cooker honey soy chicken

I’m totally in love with my slow cooker.  I know that for some people it’s just one of those appliances that takes up valuable space in the kitchen and gathers dust.  But not mine.  At least once per week – summer or winter – my slow cooker is the main attraction in my kitchen. 

Now I’m not particularly adventurous when it comes to recipes for the slow cooker.  I have a handful of family favourites that are on high rotation in my meal planning.  So I’ve been on the lookout for new flavours and stumbled across this Honey Soy Chicken.

It’s really simple to prepare and is best cooked if you’re going to be out of the house all day – the smell of it cooking will drive you crazy!  I found it was a very intense flavour though so a little bit goes a long way and it is best served with rice and simple greens.

Slow cooker honey soy chicken

Recipe source: Adapted from this recipe (first seen on Pinterest)

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 4-6 hours

Ingredients
3 large or 4 medium skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup plain flour
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup tomato sauce
1 brown onion
1 tsp. crushed garlic
Dried chilli flakes (optional)
2 tsp. cornflour
Sesame seeds to garnish

Method
Turn slow cooker onto high setting.  Put flour, salt & pepper in a sandwich bag and coat chicken breasts.  Transfer chicken to slow cooker, discard flour.  Slice onion and add to slow cooker.

In a small bowl mix together honey, soy sauce, tomato sauce, garlic and chilli flakes.  Mix thoroughly and pour over chicken.

Cook on high for 4-6 hours or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sauce has darkened.  Once cooked, remove chicken from slow cooker and shred into large pieces and return to slow cooker.  Stir thoroughly to coat chicken in sauce.  Alternatively you can skip this step and serve chicken breasts whole.

If you feel like the sauce needs thickening, dissolve cornflour in small amount of water and add to slow cooker.  Allow to simmer for approximately 10 minutes.

Serve with steamed rice and sprinkle chicken with sesame seeds.