Kasey and Karena: Anzac weekend meals and treats (+recipes)

Poppy seed chicken bake. Photo / Doug Sherring

The aunties rule the roost in the Anzac Day kitchen.

Yesterday was a particularly special Anzac anniversary, but Anzac Day has a special place in our family's hearts every year. We're away on our month-long book tour this year, but normally the day plays out this way: during the dawn service at the Maketu War Memorial Monument, we're in the wharekai getting breakfast ready. By getting breakfast ready, we mean buttering toast and chopping onions. Winning MasterChef last year means nothing when it comes to being in the kitchen with our aunties.

You have to do your time before you are allowed anywhere near the porridge or eggs, and that's how we like it.

While prepping, we can hear the Last Post being played from across the estuary. It sends shivers up our spines and there is always an eerie feeling in the air after the trumpet tune fades and we all remember. We had grandparents and great-grandparents on both sides of our family who went away in the 28th Maori Battalion and as nurses.

The best part of Anzac mornings is when the returned servicemen and women walk in through the door wearing their medals and poppies, with their cheeks rosy from the early morning air.

Although it is a day of remembering all of those lost, it is also a day for acknowledging their sacrifices and for the servicemen and women to catch up with one another over a hot breakfast. The big silver jugs of hot toddies start circulating, conversation and laughter fills the room and we feel privileged to be part of their day.

Of course, today is the day after Anzac Day, but here are some Anzac long weekend recipes to share with all of you so we still feel like we are contributing.

Being in charge of cooking the lambs' fry is one of the most prestigious jobs you can have in the marae kitchen. We have a few more years before we get anywhere near them down at the pa, so we want to share our fancy way of making them at home. The crispy pancetta and salty capers are delicious with lambs' fry, deglazing the pan with the brandy and adding a generous amount of tarragon makes this dish very decadent. It's one of our dad Kerry's favourite Anzac indulgences.

The next dish is our idea for a quick and easy Anzac weekend dinner. We thought using poppy seeds in the crumb gives this chicken bake a yummy nutty flavour and is a fun way of keeping this dish in theme.

You can make it in individual ramekins as we have done or in a big family-size dish.

Anzac biscuits are among our favourites, to be enjoyed year-round. We have fond memories of our grandmother taking them out of the oven to cool on her shiny, silver cooling racks. We love them when they are still warm from the oven and a little chewy.

We are very excited about making these icecream sandwiches when we get back from our book tour.

Try out Kasey and Karena's delicious recipes at bite.co.nz - links below

• Poppy seed chicken bake
• Lambs' fry with Taragon and capers
• Anzac biscuit and rum and raisin icecream sandwiches