by Megan McConnell

You need:

250 grams (9 ounces) Copha (which is vegetable shortening)

4 cups rice bubbles (crispies rice)

1 cup sifted icing sugar

3 tablespoons coca (cocoa)

Melt the copha in a saucepan over a low heat, or in a microwave oven. Mix the rice bubbles, icing sugar, coca and melted copha until well combined. Spoon mixture into cupcake paper holders and then set for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator. This makes about 24 choccy crackles.

For other things - try fairy bread (bread and butter with hundreds and thousands (coloured candy sprinkles) on it.

Cheerios and tomato sauce. (not the brekky cereal). These are like little hot dog sausages - I think you guys may call them weiners. Boil them for about 15 minutes, then drain - serve in a plate with tomato sauce to dip them in. Of course - the biggie is sausage rolls and party pies.

You could also go into the exotic world of "worms" - which is sao biscuits with butter and vegemite (a warning here: if you are going to use vegemite - only a light scraping should be used - don't lather it on! Enough to colour and cover the bread/cracker is more than enough).

Damper and Golden Syrup is also good - especially if you intend to have a campfire - the kids can make and cook it themselves.

To make damper you need:

3 cups self raising flour 1 teaspoon salt 90 grams (3.17 ounces)melted butter 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup milk Sift flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Combine butter, water and milk and add to the flour. Stir with a knife until just combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, and knead for 20 seconds or until smooth. Now: if you are cooking over a campfire - the kids can then do this: give them each a bit of the dough, and let them roll it into a "worm". Wrap this around a clean stick (so that the stick is up the middle and there is a whole through the middle - but not out of the top) and cook it over the campfire for about 10 minutes (don;t worry if the outside burns). Pour golden syrup (or maple syrup) into the whole and eat! If you want to cook it before hand - shape the damper into a cob loaf shape, and cook in a moderate (abot 180 celcius) for 15 minutes. the Damper is done when it is golden, and sounds hollow when tapped.

The last one I will give you is for Anzac Biscuits. The name of these biscuits commemorates the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who fought at Gallipoli in WW! (they were - and are still - called Anzac's - in fact any combined Australian/New Zealand force (whether military or not) is called Anzac)

You will need:

1 cup plain flour

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup dessicated coconut

3/4 cup caster sugar

125 grams (4.5 ounces)butter

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

2 tablespoons boiling water

Preheat oven to 150 celcius(300 degrees). Brush 2 oven trays with melted butter or oil. Pleace four, oats, coconut and sugar in a large mixing bowl and stir until combined. Combine the butter and syrup in a small pan and stir over a high heat until melted. Mix bic. soda with boiling water and add to butter and syrup. Add to dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Shape a level teaspoon of the mixture into balls and flatten slightly - place on the trays about 6 cm apart. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until crisp and goldn. Remove from oven and stand for 2 minutes. Loosen biscuits and cool on a wire rack.

About the Author

Megan was born in Queensland, Australia, and has lived most of her life in Brisbane, Australia. She is a medieval re-enactor with the Society for Creative Anachronism, and is known there as the Lady Madilayn de Mer. You can visit Megan at her website, Embroidery at Bella Online.