Birthday party food ideas

Looking for some inspiration for birthday party food ideas? Look no further as you’ll find the simplest, most tastiest recipes going around. Organising a party can be a full time gig and the last thing you want to be doing is slaving all day in the kitchen before the party even begins. Use these quick recipe ideas to get you in and out of the kitchen in a flash so you can spend time on the more important things.

Check out these great birthday party food ideas:

Mini pizza subs

(Makes 24)

24 mini bake at home bread rolls

1 ½ cup grated cheddar cheese

100 grams leg ham finely chopped

½ cup tomato pasta sauce

1/3 cup canned crushed pineapple drained

3 red onions finely sliced

25 grams mild salami chopped

30 grams black olives sliced

Preheat oven 180 degrees Celsius (Fan forced). Cut each roll in half lengthways. Place the rolls cut side up on an oven tray. Spread each of the rolls with sauce and a little sprinkle of cheese. Mix and match the rolls with different ingredients and top them with the remaining cheese. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until cheese melted.

Mini meatballs

(Makes approx 50)

1 kilo of beef mince

1 cup of breadcrumbs

½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

2 cloves of crushed garlic

2 onions thinly sliced

3 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

Place all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined. Use a tablespoon to shape mixture into balls, about the size of a walnut. Heat oil in a frying pan and cook meatballs in batches. Once cooked place on absorbent paper towel. When serving, place a toothpick in each of the meatballs

Mini sausage rolls

(Makes approx 24)

2 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry

200 grams of sausage mince

200 grams of beef mince

1 egg beaten

1 onion grated

1 slice of white bread (Crust removed)

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

½ teaspoon of dried mixed herbs

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius fan forced. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and saute onion until soft then place in a large mixing bowl. Quickly dip bread into a bowl of cold water then place with onion mixture. Combine mince, tomato paste, parsley and herbs with the onion mixture. Cut the pastry sheets into halfway lengths. Spoon the mixture along the center of each pastry sheet. Turn one long side of the pastry over the mixture and brush pastry flap with egg. Turn the other long side of pastry over to enclose the mixture. Cut the rolls into six pieces and place joint side down on two trays oven trays lined with baking paper. Make a cut on top of each roll and brush with egg. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve with a selection of sauces to choose from such as tomato, barbecue and sweet chilli.

Easy chicken and cheese strips

(Serves approx 12 people)

1 kilo of small chicken tenderloins

1 ½ cup of cornflakes crushed

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

½ cup of plain flour

¼ cup of milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced. Cut chicken lengthways and coat in flour, shaking off the excess. Mix egg and milk in a bowl, mix corn flakes and cheese in another bowl. Dip chicken in egg mixture then coat with cornflake mixture. On a greased oven tray, place chicken in a single layer and cook for approx 25 minutes or until cooked. Serve with a selection of sauces to choose from such as tomato, barbecue and sweet chilli.

Crispy Samosas

(Makes 32)

200 grams of pork mince

200 grams of veal mince

4 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry

2 carrots finely grated

3 garlic cloves crushed

1 cup of frozen peas thawed

4 tablespoons of tamarind sauce

4 teaspoons of curry powder

Oil for deep frying

Cut each pastry sheet into 4 squares, cut each square into 2 triangles. In a bowl, combine mince, garlic, carrot, peas, tamarind sauce and curry powder. Divide filling evenly between pastry triangles. Brush the edges of pastry with some water then fold pastry over to enclose filling, forming a small triangle. Press edges together with a fork to seal. Heat the oil in a deep pan and slowly lower batches of samosas into moderately hot oil. Cook for approx 4-5 minutes until pastries are crisp and cooked through. Carefully remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place of absorbent paper towel. Repeat with the remaining samosas. Serve with a selection of sauces such as tomato, sweet chilli and chutney.

Perfect potato wedges

(Serves approx 15 people)

2 kilos of desiree potatoes

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced. Halve potatoes then cut each half into 3 wedges. Boil wedges for 5 minutes then drain. Place the wedges on a lined trays with baking paper and spray with cooking oil. Cook for approximately 30 minutes or until browned. Turning the wedges occasionally. Lightly season with salt and cracked pepper. Serve with a selection of sour cream and sweet chilli.

Easy desserts recipes

Chocolate crackles

(Makes 24)

4 cups of rice bubbles

1 ½ cups of sifted icing sugar

1 cup of desiccated coconut

250 grams copha

3 tablespoons cocoa

Combine all the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Melt the copha over a low heat, allow to cool, then stir into the rice bubbles mixture. Using 2 teaspoons, divide the mixture between 24 paper cases then place in the fridge for about 2 hours or until firm.

Cherry blossoms

(Makes approx 30)

2 cups of rice bubbles

2 cups of desiccated coconut

½ cup of condensed milk

125 grams glace cherries roughly chopped

90 grams copha

Combine the rice bubbles, 1 cup of coconut, condensed milk and cherries in a large bowl. Melt the copha in a saucepan over a low heat, allow for it to slightly cool then stir into rice bubble mixture. Form them into small balls approx the size of a walnut and toss into the remaining coconut. Place in fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.

Chocolate fingers

(Makes approx 35-40 fingers)

250 grams of butter

2 cups of plain flour

¾ cup of sifted icing sugar

3 tablespoons of cocoa powder

½ teaspoon of baking powder

¼ teaspoon of vanilla essence

For decoration

90 grams of copha

1 cup of sifted icing sugar

1 drop of vanilla essence

150 grams of Glace cherries

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced. Beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa together and beat into the butter mixture along with the vanilla essence. Line baking trays with greased baking paper. Use a piping bag with a medium nozzle to pipe fingers approx 8cm allowing room for spreading. Place in oven for 8-10 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool

For decorations: Melt the copha in a double boiler over hot water. Slowly add in icing sugar and beat into copha mixture along with the vanilla essence. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool slightly. Dip the top of each biscuit and place a piece of glace Cherry in the centre of the icing.

Peanut sesame bites

(Makes approx 42 squares)

100 grams of copha

2 cups of rice bubbles

2 cups of rolled oats

¾ cup of roasted peanuts

½ cup of brown sugar

½ cup of sesame seeds

3 tablespoons of honey

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced. Melt the copha in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring in sugar and honey. Keep stirring until sugar has dissolved then gently simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. After mixture has slightly cooled, stir in the remaining ingredients. Line a 24cm X 30cm swiss roll tin with aluminum foil. Press the mixture into the prepared tin and place in oven for 12-15 minutes until firm and golden brown, allow to cool. Take out of oven tray and cut into 4cm squares.

Honey joys

(Makes 24)

5 cups of cornflakes

1/3 cup of caster sugar

75 grams of butter

1 tablespoon of butter

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius fan forced. Combine sugar, butter and honey into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until smooth. In a large bowl, place cornflakes and pour over honey mixture and stir until cornflakes are well coated. Place paper cases into two 12 hole muffin trays and divide the cornflake mixture amongst the cases. Place in oven for 8-9 minutes. Take out of oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.