Back-to-school recipe special: bacon and egg tarts; strawberry choc-chip muffins

Feeling guilt-stricken about returning to work, I did a whole heap of home-baking for the kids’ lunchboxes last week. Well, it turns out they were only for the eldest’s lunchbox, as the youngest pronounced them “not my favourite”. And being a wimp, I acquiesced and made her a cabanossi sandwich (using leftovers from Australia Day).  Sadly, her school buddies made fun of her cabanossi sandwich, so she went hungry that day.

But the eldest was in love with the pies. I had a bite (only a bite, as I’m anti-carbs – for at least few days before I cave) and they were pretty damn nice. So were the muffins (yup, had a bite of one of them too – well, I can’t really blog something without trying it, can I?).

Recipe: Bacon & egg tarts

150g bacon, finely chopped

1 onion, minced

olive oil

6-8 eggs – depending on size – lightly beaten

1/4 cup grated cheese

3 sheets of puff pastry, thawed

METHOD: Fry the onion and bacon in the olive oil until soft. Allow to cool. Preheat a 4-pie-maker (or an oven to 180C). Mix bacon mixture with eggs and cheese. Cut 4 circles out of each puff pastry sheet (six if baking in oven). Press into pie maker or muffin trays. Fill with bacon and egg mixture. Cook until puffed and firm.

Recipe: Strawberry choc-chip muffins

2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup wheatgerm

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 punnet strawberries, hulled and diced

3 tablespoons mini choc bits

METHOD: Preheat oven to 180c. Mix all ingredients together. Spoon into a 12-cup muffin tray, lined with muffin papers. Bake until golden, around 20 minutes.