Whilst Australia gathers to remember past and present service men & women in a different way than we are used to, we know the ANZAC spirit is as alive as ever. In lieu of gathering with friends and family to pay your respects, why not bake the famous and delicious The Country Women’s Association of Victoria Inc. – CWA ANZAC biscuits at home! Use the hashtag #cwaofvicanzac on Facebook to share your creations.

Head to the CWA website to read about the contribution of members during World War II.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS
– 1 cup rolled oats
– 1 cup desiccated coconut
– 1 cup plain flour
– 1 cup white sugar
– 1/2 tsp salt (optional)
– 125g butter
– 1 tbsp golden syrup
– 1 tsp bicarb soda
– 2 tbsp boiling water

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180C, line two baking trays with baking paper.

2. Place the oats, coconut, sifted flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. Mix well.

3. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add golden syrup, bicarbonate of soda and the boiling water to the saucepan. Stir well.

4. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Mix well.
Boil together the butter, water and golden syrup, then add the bicarb soda.

5. Place spoonfuls of mixture onto the lined trays and bake for 10-12 minutes.

6. Remove from oven and loosen biscuits on tray with a knife or spatula. Allow to cool on tray and enjoy!

Isolation is the perfect time to try new recipes at home with your family in the kitchen. This simple fries recipe uses nutrition packed sweet potato and is a hit with children who participate in our popular ‘Cooking 4 Kids’ program at Taylors Hill Youth & Community Centre!

INGREDIENTS

• Approx. 2 medium-large or 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano (optional)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180C
2. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fry-shaped pieces about ¼ inch wide and ¼ inch thick and spread them onto a baking tray.
3. Sprinkle the sweet potato with the cornstarch salt and oregano if using. Toss until the fries are lightly coated in powder. Drizzle the olive oil over the fries and toss until the fries are lightly and evenly coated in oil.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes, then flip the fries and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden and crispy.
5. Serve with your favourite sauce and enjoy!

Our community facilities may be closed right now, but our gardens keep growing! Community Activation & Learning Officer Jeanine recently harvested olives from the trees at Botanica Springs Children’s & Community Centre.

After consulting with Botanica’s Maltese Seniors Group, Jeanine successfully preserved the olives using a process advised to her by Jimmy from the Senior’s group who meet weekly at Botanica! Follow the steps below to preserve your own olives at home.

• Soak the olives in a bucket of water three days, changing the water each day.
• Remove the olives from the bucket and drain before cutting each olive on each side until you hit the pip, this will help the olives absorb salt faster. This step is optional.
• To make the brine, fill a bucket half way with water. Then, place an egg in the water and let it sink to the bottom. Start adding household table salt and stir. The egg will rise as salt is added but don’t let the egg rise to the top of the water, it should be between half way and 3/4 to the top. This depends if olives are green or black.
• Add the olives to the bucket and remove the egg.
• Pour the olives into sterilised glass jars, making sure they are packed tight before pouring the brine over the top.
• Add 2 drops of any oil to the glass jars.
• Leave the jars of olives for a few months or until the olives are soft and ready to eat. Take the lid off of the jar to test them.
• Once the olives are ready, you can then transfer them to new glass jars, adding your own flavour twists. Try olive oil, garlic, mint, chilli or whatever takes your fancy.

Do you have a recipe you’ve learn’t throughout isolation that you’d like to share with us? Email us at mld@melton.vic.gov.au to share!

On Wednesday 27 November 2019, a group of community members and students from Brookside College joined Melton City Council at Stevenson House in Caroline Springs to put together a community edible garden.

The group, guided by local expert home gardener and author of ‘Edible Gardens: A Practical Guide’, Craig Castree, put together six ‘Wicking Beds’ which are self-contained garden beds made from recycled wood. The group filled the beds with rock and dirt and learnt how to put the piping in to ensure the correct placement to create a reservoir that supplies water to the plants from the bottom up.

The beds were then filled with mulch and a number of edible plants which include: tomatoes, eggplant, chilli’s, spring onions, lettuce, basil and a number of colourful flowering plants to attract pollination. The first harvest is expected to be ready early in the new year.

This amazing project that was built for the community by the community, was funded by the Australian Multicultural Community Services ‘Move it Aus Better Aging Grant.’

If you’d like to learn more about how to get involved with projects and programs at Stevenson House, contact Catrice on 0455 326 903 or catricel@melton.vic.gov.au