Cheese Dip

1  4 oz. packet cream cheese
1  8 oz. packet Coon matured cheese (grated)
A few chives or spring onions chopped finely
2  dessert spoons dry sherry

Method: Mix all the above ingredients thoroughly together and form into a round shape and roll in finely chopped nuts.

Source: contributed by Mrs. Tom McGovern, Warradale, S.A. in Cook-Along with the Autistic Children's Association of South Australia Inc. (Adelaide: Allied Publishing Co., n.d. [1971-1972]), p.13.

Hot Cheddar Meatballs with Barbecue Dip

Meatballs:- 500g minced steak, 125g grated mature cheese, 2 tspn worcestershire sauce, salt, cayenne pepper.

Combine all ingredients together and shape into small balls. Grill 10 mins or until meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot with toothpicks and dip into barbecue sauce.

Barbecue Dip:- 1 cup tomato soup, 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp mustard.

Combine all ingredients together in a saucepan, stir over low heat until hot but not boiling.

Source: contributed by V. South in Centenary Cook Book 1878-1978 by St. Paul's Lutheran Women, Yorketown (Yorketown, [1978]), p.8.

Cheese Ball

1 cup smoked almonds
1/3 cup Kraft mayonnaise (not home made)
2 shallots, finely chopped
250 gm cream cheese
1/2 cup bacon pieces, gently fried
1 Tbspn parsley, chopped

Method: Mix all together. Mould in to a cone shape and set in fridge. After 1 - 3 hours add smoked almonds to represent a pine cone.

Source: A Collection of Favourite Recipes - The Point Turton Progress Association ("All proceeds from the sale of this book will go toward improvements to the Point Turton Playground"). (n.p., 1995), p.12.

Crunchy Meat Balls in Cheese Sauce

1/2 lb. sausage mince
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
3/4 cup rice bubbles
1 small egg

Method: Combine all ingredients into balls, roll in flour and lightly brown in frypan. Lift out into pie dish and prepare the following cheese sauce. Melt 1 dessertspoon butter, stir in 1 tablespoon flour then cook for 2 minutes without browning, stirring well. Add salt to taste, then 3/4 cup milk and stir till sauce boils and thickens. Finally, add 2 ozs. grated cheese and 1/2 teaspoon mustard and stir well. Pour sauce over meat balls and bake in oven about 15-20 minutes.

Source: contributed by Mrs. D. J. Manton, Naracoorte S.C.C. in Cooking for Two. Compiled by Women's Auxiliary of the S.A. Council on the Ageing for Adelaide's Second Senior Citizens' Week, April, 1969 (Adelaide [Allied Publishing Company), 1969), p.24.

Watermelon Basket

Van Dyke the edges of the watermelon. Ball the watermelon, discarding any seeds and return fruit to the basket.

Source: The Parson Knows: Easy Dinner Party Recipes (The Parish of St. Stephen, Glenunga; n.d.), p.85.

Chicken and Beef Balls

1 pkt. chicken noodle soup, 1 cup soft bread crumbs, 1 small onion, 1 lb. minced steak, 1/2 lb. sausage meat, 1 egg.

Method: Add chicken noodle soup to 1/2 pt. boiling water and cook 5 minutes. Cool, place in basin, bread crumbs, onion (finely chopped), minced steak, sausage meat and egg. Add cooked soup mixture, and combine evenly. Shape into medium sized balls and roll in flour (little paprika optional). Cook and brown in hot shortening. Serve hot with spaghetti and tomato sauce.

Source: contributed by Mrs L. K. Stock in Urania Methodist Guild Cookery Book. Book II. (Kadina: Kadina & Wallaroo Times, 1965), p.17.

Boules Au Chocolat (to serve with coffee)

125g ground almonds
125g caster sugar
1-2 egg whites
1 tb melted chocolate
Chocolate sauce or chocolate topping
Raisins and crushed nuts

Method: Mix ground almonds and sugar well. Fork in enough egg white to bring mixture together and mix to a paste with the chocolate. Chill 10 minutes, then roll portions of mix into balls pressing a raisin in the middle of each one. Roll in crushed nuts and bake on greased tray for 10 minutes at 180C to just firm the boules and colour the nuts.

Source: contributed by Marjorie Smith in A Taste of Zonta Flavoured with Celebrities. Zonta Club of Adelaide Flinders Inc. District 23, Area 2 (n.p. [?Adelaide], 2003), p.72.

Apricot Dream Balls

200g dried fruit medley
100g dried apricots
1 tablespoon coconut milk
1/4 cup desiccated coconut

Method: Food-process fruit medley, apricots, and coconut milk until mixture comes together. Shape mixture into tablespoon-sized balls and roll in coconut. Chill until firm. We enjoy this snack when we visit the train museum at Port Adelaide!

Source: contributed by Lachlan, Sue & David in Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.206.

Date Balls

125g butter
1 cup brown sugar
500g dates
1 cup coconut
4 cups Rice Bubbles
Extra coconut for coating

Method: Boil butter, sugar and chopped dates for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and Rice Bubbles. When cool, roll into balls and coat in extra coconut. Store in refrigerator.

Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital Community Children's Centre (RAHCCC) Cookbook, 2nd edition (Adelaide, 2008), p.213.

Baked Tofu Balls

(Tofu is soybean curd, available from health food shops)

1 finely chopped onion
2-3 cloves garlic
1 block Tofu drained and mashed
2 eggs
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated parmesan or matured cheese
1/4 tspn. nutmeg
1/4 tspn. oregano
1/2 tspn. basil
2 tspns. soy sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a baking tray. Fry onion and garlic gently in small quantity of butter till soft. Beat eggs into Tofu until smooth. Mix in all other ingredients, stir well. Shape into 2" balls. Bake balls in oven 15 mins. each side until golden brown.

Source: contributed by Lyn Leader-Elliott in Angaston Kindergarten Jubilee Cookery Book 1955-1985. 1986 edition (Angaston, 1986), p.16.

Hedgehog Fingers No. 1

1/4 lb. butter, 1/4 lb. sugar, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 1/2 lb. plain biscuits (such as coffee or Marie), 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 3/4 cup sliced raisins or dates (or a mixture), 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

Method: Work butter, sugar, and cocoa together. Melt in a saucepan, and while still warm add crushed biscuits, beaten egg, fruit, and nuts. Mix well and press into a log tin or similar cake tin that has been lined with greaseproof paper. Level the top and put to set in cool place. When firm, cut into strips or fingers. May be iced if desired. The mixture may also be moulded into small balls while soft and rolled in coconut.

Source: contributed by Mrs. L. McInnes (Robe), Mrs. G. Foster (Lyndoch), Mrs. E. L. Withall (Jervois), and eight other members in The South Australian Country Women's Association Calendar of Cakes: A Cake a Day for 365 Days (Kent Town: S.A.C.WA.; 11th edition, 1973), 'Jan. 3'.

Tofu Nut Balls

1 cup cooked brown rice
500g tofu
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup ground almonds
Tabasco sauce, to taste

Method: Thoroughly mix rice, wheat germ and Tabasco in blender. Add tofu, but do not over process. Form into balls and refrigerate to firm. Bake on lightly-greased tray for 30 minutes, at 180°C. Turn during cooking. Serve with green salad.

Source: Rumbles Cookbook: low fat, low cholesterol, low salt and high fibre recipes edited by Judy Read (Adelaide: Royal Adelaide Hospital Health Promotion Unit, n.d. [1980s]), p.27.

Dinner Mints

4 tablespoons Butter
8 tablespoons Sugar
4 tablespoons fresh Milk
4 tablespoons Cocoa
13 tablespoons Bonlac Powdered Milk (or similar)
Peppermint Essence

Method: Heat butter, sugar and fresh milk until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add peppermint essence, cocoa and skim milk. Beat until smooth. Leave until cold. Roll in balls in chocolate sprinkles.

Source: contributed by Mrs. Alexander Gray in The Possum Cookery Book in Aid of Miss Minda - Telethon (Brighton: Minda Home Auxiliary, n.d. [1960s - post 1963]), p.75.

Breakfast relish balls

Mince any cold meat (mutton, beef or ham)

2 oz breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp lemon peel

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

parsley and/or chives or dill.

pinch nutmeg or other spices of your choice

Method: Combine meat, lemon peel and spices and then shape into balls and dip into beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs and fry in hot fat/oil. Garnish with herbs and lemon slices.

Source: Elizabeth Woolcock's Cottage Recipes - compiled and edited by Ani Peters (?Adelaide, S.A, 2016), p.13

[Note: this souvenir recipe book, bought in October 2021 at the Moonta Mines Museum, has little relevance to the short, brutalized life of Elizabeth Woolcock (the only woman hanged in South Australia).]

Fish Balls - Norway

1/2 lb. Schnapper or Butterfish

Pepper and salt

1/2 teacupful cream

Grated nutmeg

Method: Bone fish and pound in mortar until fine. Boil the fish head and bones and keep extract; season with pepper and grated nutmeg; add a small piece of butter about the size of a walnut. Boil cream and let it cool, then pour it among fish and flavouring. Make the balls and cook in extract or boiling fat. Serve with white sauce coloured pink.

Source: A Cooks' Tour of Recipes. Published for the Adelaide University S.R.C. [Students' Representative Council]. (Adelaide: Commercial Publications of South Australia, 1955), p.30

Cheese Balls

2 ozs. cheese (grated)

1 oz. flour
1 egg
Salt, pepper, cayenne
Frying fat

Method: Mix the cheese, flour, and yolk of egg, and cayenne to taste.

Whip the white of egg to a stiff froth, and stir it lightly into the other ingredients. Have ready a deep pan of hot fat, drop the mixture in in teaspoonfuls, and fry a golden brown. Drain well, and serve piping hot. These are delicious.

Source: A Cooks' Tour of Recipes. Published for the Adelaide University S.R.C. [Students' Representative Council]. (Adelaide: Commercial Publications of South Australia, 1955), p.27.

Sausage Balls with Apple Rings - England

1 lb. sausage-meat

A little flour

1 lb. cooking apples

A little milk

Fat for frying

Fried bread

Method: Form the sausage-meat into balls and lightly roll in flour. Wipe the apples and core them. Cut into rings about 1/4 in. thick, the same number of rings as sausage balls. Dip in milk and then in flour, and fry with the sausage balls. Serve on fried bread, with each sausage ball sitting on an apple ring.

Source: A Cooks' Tour of Recipes. Published for the Adelaide University S.R.C. [Students' Representative Council]. (Adelaide: Commercial Publications of South Australia, 1955), p.22.

Piccalilli Cheese Balls

4 ozs. Creamed Cheese at room temperature

4 ozs. sharp Cheddar Cheese, grated

1/4 cup chopped Gherkins

1 dessertspoon chopped Pimento or Red Pepper

1 dessertspoon finely chopped Onion

1 pinch Garlic Salt

1/3 cup crushed Potato Crisps

Method: Combined all ingredients except potato crisps. Mix well and chill. Shape into balls and roll in potato crisps. Serve on toothpicks. Makes 1&1/2 dozen.

Source: Recipes for Slices and Snacks: Heartbeat Inc. Assistance Group, Adelaide Central Branch (Adelaide: n.d. [early 1980s?]), p.79.

Yum Yums

1/2 lb. Marie biscuits

1 small cup coconut

1 tbspn. cocoa

1 tin condensed milk

1 tbspn. rum or sherry

Method: Crush biscuits and mix with other ingredients. Roll into small balls and cover with coconut. Put aside to harden.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.153.

Salmon and Potato Balls

1 x 8 oz. tin salmon (flaked)

1&1/2 cups mashed potatoes

2 heaped tbspns. grated cheese

2 eggs

1 small onion (grated)

salt and pepper

lemon juice

breadcrumbs

Method: Beat 1 egg well and lightly beat into potato with [salmon,] cheese, onion and seasoning. Roll into balls on floured board. Dip in beaten egg and roll in breadcrumbs. Deep fry until golden brown. Serve on cocktail sticks. Approximately 48 balls.

Source: Mantle of Safety Cookbook 2 (The Port Augusta Women's Air Branch Auxillary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia, c1987), p.10.