Halloween Makes

Halloween Biscuits

115g Butter, softened
75g Caster Sugar
1 Free Range Egg Yolk (the white can be frozen)
2tsp Milk
200g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
500g pack Ready to Roll Icing
Raspberry Jam

(Food colouring if required)

Preheat oven to 180C and line 2 baking trays with paper.  Beat the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined.  Stir in the egg yolk and milk.  Add the flour and mix to make a dough.

Roll out onto a lightly floured surface to about 5mm thick.  Cut out biscuits using ghost shape cutters or any other spooky shapes you have.  Place on baking trays and bake for 12-15 mins until golden.  Cool on a wire rack.

(If required, mix a little food colouring into the icing).

Roll out the icing and cut out shapes to match your biscuits, cutting out eyes and mouths so the jam can ooze through (I used the end of a pastry brush).
Spread a layer of jam over the biscuits and carefully place the icing on top, pushing it down gently.

 Pumpkin Carving

 

Draw your design.  We decided on Scooby Doo this year.

Slice off the top and scoop out the flesh. (You could save the seeds and dry roast them.  Everything else can be composted).  

Mark out your design with a skewer (or, ideally, a special pumpkin carving tool).

Cut out the design and smooth the edges.  Brush the exposed flesh with lemon juice to preserve.

Place a small candle or tea light inside and pop the top back on.

We also made mini lanterns using persimmons.

These taste pretty good after they've been lit!

Don't forget to compost your pumpkin once you've finished with it.

It's National Chocolate Week!

So why not try some of these...

Garam Masala Chocolate Bark

150g bar good quality plain chocolate
(at least 70% cocoa)
1 1/2 tbsps Garam Masala
2 tbsps dessicated coconut
1 1/2 tbsps flaked almonds

Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and chill in the fridge.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of boiling water.
Lightly toast the Garam Masala in a frying pan then stir into the chocolate.  Lightly toast the coconut and almonds.
Spread the chocolate onto the greaseproof paper with the back of a spoon or a palette knife and sprinkle over the almonds and coconut.  Chill in the fridge until set.  Break into chunks.


Chilli Chocolate

200g good quality dark chocolate
(at least 70% cocoa)
1/2 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
100g chopped nuts (eg. pecans, hazelnuts, almonds etc.)
1 tbsp seeds (eg. sunflower or pumpkin)

100g mixed dried fruit (eg. cranberries, raisins)

Preheat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.  Toast the chilli, nuts and seeds in the oven for about 5 mins until everything is shiny and smells great.  Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of boiling water.
Mix half the chilli, nuts and seeds into the melted chocolate and spoon onto the lined baking tray.  Spread out using the back of a spoon or a palette knife.  Sprinkle over the remaining chilli, nuts and seeds.  Chill in the fridge until set.  Break into chunks.


Chocolate Pops

100g white chocolate
100g milk chocolate
Dried fruit (eg. cranberries, raisins etc.)
Dessicated coconut
Lolly sticks (I use Asda's own)

Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Melt the white chocolate and milk chocolate in separate bowls.
Put several spoonfuls of each on each tray and spread into a small circle.
Use teaspoons or piping bags to make different patterns of chocolate (milk on white, white on milk).  Sprinkle over some fruit and coconut.
Push a lolly stick into each and spread the chocolate to cover the end.
Chill in the fridge until set.


Sheena x  

Lunch Box Ideas

It's back to school time so I thought I'd give some suggestions for some cheap and healthy lunches that the kids will love.
Some will require preparation in advance, but there are also some last-minute fixes for less-organised mums and dads!

LUNCH

MUFFIN PIZZA (Quick Fix)

1 English Muffin
Tomato Puree
Cheddar Cheese or Mozzarella, grated

Topping ideas:  Tuna and Sweetcorn, Bacon and Courgette, Ham and Grape, Chicken and Olive.

Halve the muffin and spread the two halves with tomato puree.  Sprinkle with cheese and cover with a topping of your choice.  Sprinkle over a little more cheese and grill until lightly browned and all the cheese has melted.

BOREKS
To make 4

4 sheets Filo Pastry
100g Feta Cheese
50g melted Unsalted Butter
1 heaped tsp Raisins or Sultanas
20g Flat Leaf Parsley
Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven 200C.
Line a tray with baking paper.
Crumble the Feta into a bowl and stir in the Parsley and Raisins.  Season with Pepper.
Take 1 sheet of Filo Pastry and brush it with melted butter.  Fold in half lengthways.
Put 2-3 tsps of the Feta mixture on one end and fold the Filo into a triangle, brushing with butter before each fold.
Place on the tray and bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Leave to cool before wrapping.
Pop into lunchbox with some cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks.

BIG DIPPERS

Variety of Dippers
eg.  Carrot Sticks, Cucumber Sticks, Broccoli Florets, Cherry Tomatoes, Sliced Peppers, Celery Sticks, Breadsticks, Rice Cakes, Oatcakes, Rice Crackers, Cheese Straws, Tortilla/Pitta Chips (slice a tortilla or pitta and bake in oven until crisp)

Dip
eg.
Moroccan Houmous
1 Onion, finely sliced
1 x 400g tin Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 tsp Ground Cumin
1/2 tsp Ground Coriander
1 tsp Lemon Juice
Olive Oil

Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onion for 10 mins until soft and golden.  Add the garlic, cumin and coriander cook for another minute.  Put into a food processor with the chickpeas and 50ml water and blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary.

Smooth Sardines (bear with me, it's delicious and a great way of sneaking Omega-3 into their diet, which if studies are to be believed may help with concentration)

1 x 125g tin of Sardines in oil or spring water
75ml Natural Yoghurt
1/2 tsp Dried Coriander
1 tsp Thai 5-Spice Mix
1 tbsp Lime Juice

Drain the sardines (if you have dogs or cats they love the drained juices!) and tip into a food processor or blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.  If you don't have a processor, mash the sardines well with a fork before mixing with everything else.

Peanut Butter (Quick Fix)

2 tbsp Peanut Butter, crunchy or smooth (I use 'Whole Earth' as it has no added sugar)
1 tbsp Cream Cheese or Cottage Cheese

FRUITY RICE

Cooked and chilled Rice (or couscous/quinoa)
Sliced Spring Onion
Sliced Celery
Halved Red and Green Grapes
Juice of 1 Orange

Mix together and put in lunch box with an ice pack to keep it cool.  Rice should not be reheated.

CHEESY CORN MUFFINS

Sweetcorn is unusual in that it
retains its antioxidants and actually
gains health benefits when cooked

To make 12

Olive Oil                                                          
200g can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed          
100g Frozen Sweetcorn                                  
250g Self-Raising Flour                                    
1 tsp Baking Powder                                        
1 tsp Curry Powder or Paste                              
bunch of Chives                                                
100g grated Cheddar Cheese                          
2 Eggs                                                              
100ml Milk                                                      

Preheat the oven to 200C.  Use a little oil to grease a muffin tray. Mash in a bowl to lightly break up.  Cook the sweetcorn for 3 mins in boiling water.  Drain and mix with the chickpeas.
Put the flour and baking powder in a large bowl with the chives.  Mix with the cheese, chickpeas and sweetcorn.  Beat the eggs with the milk and curry powder and add to the other ingredients.  Stir until combined.
Put into the tray and bake for 15 minutes.  Cool in tray.

SWEET THINGS

FRUITY YOGHURT (this contains a lot less sugar than bought fruit yoghurt)

Natural / Greek Yoghurt mixed with your choice of fruit purée

eg). Lemon Curd, Fresh or Frozen Fruit (Cherries/Raspberries/Blueberries/Blackberries/Rhubarb) cooked with a little sugar, water and cornflour in a saucepan until soft and juicy with a thick sauce.

RICE PUDDING WITH MERINGUE (Quick Fix, if using tinned rice pudding)

Tinned or home made rice pudding mixed with fresh strawberries/jam and a crumbled meringue nest.

GRAPES AND CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE (Quick Fix)

Red or Black Grapes, halved
Cream Cheese
Ground Cinnamon

BANANA FLAPJACK

2 Ripe Bananas
100g Porridge Oats
Handful Raisins/Sultanas
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Maple Syrup/Honey (optional)

Combine ingredients and shape into as many rounds as you can on a lightly greased baking tray.  Flatten them slightly, then bake in an oven preheated to 200C for 10-15 mins until golden and crisp on top but still chewy in the middle.  Cool on a wire rack.  Serve with a little jam if liked.

If Only I'd Known About...Part 2

Motherhood by  Stanisław Wyspiański

The second thing I wish I'd known is that breastfeeding does not necessarily come naturally.  You have to learn how to do it, and there are organisations who can help you.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I joined an online birth club - a group of women all due around the same time who could provide advice, support and  shared experiences.  One of the ladies I 'met' there has since started her own blog and campaign to dispel some of the myths surrounding breastfeeding and provide another online community for advice.

You can find her blog here.

If only I'd known about...Part 1

There are many things I know about now that I wish I had known before I got pregnant.

The first is a book called 'The Yummy Mummy Pregnancy Cookbook'. I got a copy of this recently from a library sale (a great way to pick up cheap books - I'm lucky in that my Mum works at a library so I get first choice!)
It provides helpful advice for pregnancy nutrition (including foods to get you through morning sickness), maintaining a healthy weight and recipes that I still use now.  I thoroughly recommend it.

Spicy Lime and Mayo Corn

 Great as a barbecue side, these also make a healthy snack.

We tucked into ours at work!

TO SERVE 6 AS A SNACK

3 Corn Cobs
1 Lime
Mayonnaise
Parmesan Cheese, grated
Cayenne Pepper
Olive Oil, if frying

Cut the cobs in half and boil in water for about 15 - 20 mins.
Remove from the pan and barbecue, grill, or griddle in a little oil until nicely charred or browned.
Drizzle with mayonnaise and sprinkle with finely grated lime zest.  Squeeze over some lime juice and finish with a pinch of cayenne pepper.  Enjoy!

Smiley Orange Jellies

These jellies are very cheap to make and fantastic for packing into a picnic - they sit very well in a tub and you don't need a spoon to eat them!


TO MAKE 20 JELLIES
Takes 30 mins using freezer

5 medium naval oranges           1 x 135g packet orange jelly

Carefully cut the oranges in half and gently squeeze  some of the juice, taking care not to ruin the skin.  Scrape the remaining flesh into a bowl (don't  throw it away - it will go very well in a chocolate pudding or smoothie and you can freeze it!)

Using the orange juice make up the jelly in the microwave using half the liquid recommended on the packet.  If you don't have a microwave you will have to heat the orange juice for it to dissolve the jelly.
Sit the orange skin halves in a muffin tin to keep them steady and pour the jelly in right to the top.

Pop them in the freezer for about 15 mins (or refrigerate for longer) until set.  Trim the orange halves so the skin is level with the jelly, then slice in half again with a sharp knife.  Done!