Woolies has 10kg of rice for $10 this week!

Just saw a big pile of white rice in 10kg bags at Woolworths this afternoon for only $10. It was between the fruit section and the meat section - but ask at the information counter if you cant see it. Its probably only going to last a day or so but may be worth it if you go through a lot of rice in your household!

Easy, healthy cross cultural dinner to try!

One of the cross cultural meals that I like to do is rice rolls.

I cut up lots of veges : capsicum, lettuce, mint, beans, cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers - salady type stuff, add some cheese strips (not Asian at all but good for the kids and Europeans) If you have Asian students, they will love the traditional rice or glass noodles in this as well. (You soak them in boiling water, drain, chop with scissors and pop into a bowl) I also mush some tuna or egg into mayonnaise, grab a big handful of peeled prawn or some shredded chicken, add a few pineapple chunks and a diced chilli or two and you're done.

I put all this in separate bowls on the table and let every one build as many as they like how ever they like.

Note the jug of cordial on the table - they like red the best!

You can get the rice paper for under $2 for 20 sheets in the Asian section at Woolworths (near the coconut milk and noodles in the Asian section) When you are ready to eat, you dip one of the sheets into a bowl of hot water and place the paper on a dinner plate. Its sticky so you have to lay it where you want it the first time! You can add the sauce to the inside or after you have rolled it - use the sauce as a dipping sauce. Kids will go the tomato, mayo and sweet chili is great and there are a few Asian dipping sauces you can use as well that you will find in the same place as the rice rolls at Woolworths.

There are instructions on the packet on how to fill them (not to much or your end up with "road kill rice rolls" as they disintegrate as you try to eat them) and how to wrap them. Its not hard to do and is still edible regardless of how well or how badly you make it.

Hmmm... Now that's not the most appetising thing you've ever seen in your life, I grant you but, they taste good, are quick, fun, healthy and each person can make them as Asian-y or as Australian as they like. Ham, cheese pineapple and mayo is a good combination!

Now that you have read this far,I am wondering if any of the host families that are out there reading this could email me a few pictures and meal suggestions to put up on this blog?

I'm also looking for pictures of what you eat, the students rooms, and anything student related so that we can all see the different ways to successfully host our students. Pictures are often much better than words!

If you have anything that I could share with others on this blog - can you email them to me at efbrisbanehostnetwork (at) gmail (dot) com - Thank you!

Happy Hosting! - Kara