A busy week of half term fun for us!
Day 48 - Sunday 17 February
It felt like Spring was giving us a glimpse of what was to come...we spent the day in the garden collecting for & making a bonfire, building a new bird table and playing football!
Day 49 - Monday 18 February
The first day of half term holidays from school & nursery so we were in the mood to play - four bowls of different types of pasta and a wodge of homemade playdough was the invitation to make faces!
Day 50 - Tuesday 19 February
DH took the day off work to spend with us so we crammed in swimming, the cinema AND lunch...DS & DD had fun pretending to play on the racing car game in the cinema foyer.
Day 51 - Wednesday 20 February
I helped DS build the biggest marble run we could...
Day 52 - Thursday 21 February
DS tried out Tiny Tots Tennis at Surrey Sports Park...and loved it!
Day 53 - Friday 22 February
A trip to the theatre for us...
Day 54 - Saturday 23 February
Posting a package off to my nephew...and I loved this cute dinosaur wrapping paper!
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Without further ado, here are the Mama/Papatography2013 participants!
I've been eating this all week for lunch, and its delicious. Don't be put off by what looks like a huge list of spices...most of these will already be in your cupboard!
Ingredients
3 onions, peeled & diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled & crushed
50g butter
1 red chilli
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground ginger
225g potatoes, peeled & diced
100g desiccated coconut
850ml vegetable stock
1 cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 tin coconut milk
Method
Soak the desiccated coconut in 300ml warm water and set aside for 15 mins.
Heat the butter in a frying pan, and cook the onions and garlic for around 5 mins. Add the chilli, coriander, mustard and cumin seeds, tumeric, paprika and ginger and cook for 1 minute, stirring well to combine.
Transfer to the slow cooker adding in the potatoes, coconut plus its soaking water, vegetable stock, cauliflower florets and the coconut milk. Cover and cook on Low for 6-8 hours.
If you have a stick blender, use that to whizz round the soup whilst still in the slow cooker - if not, you can transfer the soup to a liquidiser and do it that way.
Week 7...a week filled with illness, pancakes and Valentines!
Day 41 - Sunday 10 February
Hot chocolate with cream :)
Day 42 - Monday 11 February
A day of doctors appointments and visits to the pharmacy so no time for photos!
Day 43 - Tuesday 12 February
With DS signed off school, we did some maths work at home with the help of the fruit bowl!
Day 44 - Wednesday 13 February
I made DS some pre-Valentine cheese scones for lunch.
Day 45 - Thursday 14 February
I made some Valentine Rice Krispie treats for DS to take into his class...he was so glad to be going back to school!
Day 46 - Friday 15 February
Coffee-shop-pit-stop for DD and I after dropping DS at school...
Day 47 - Saturday 16 February
With DS unwell at the beginning of the week, we didn't get to eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday so we had a pancake feast for breakfast on Saturday! This is DS watching in amazement as DH flips the pancakes :)
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Without further ado, here are the Mama/Papatography2013 participants!
This is a regular staple in our house, and I have been making this recipe pretty much unchanged for the past 4 years...I can guarantee my kids will always eat it!
Ingredients
500g fish fillets (I use salmon & cod but you can use whatever you like)
500ml whole milk
1 bay leaf
30g butter
1 onion, peeled & diced
3 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp mustard powder
100g frozen peas
75g frozen shrimps
40g cheddar cheese, grated
1kg potatoes, peeled & chopped
Method
Put the fish & the bay leaf in a shallow frying pan and pour over the milk. Bring to the boil then cook for 5 mins. Take out the fish fillets and put them into the ovenproof dish you are using, then flake them with a fork. Strain the milk through a sieve reserving the liquid in a jug, and discard the bay leaf.
Melt the butter in a pan and once melted, add the onion and saute for a few mins until soft. Stir in the flour to make a paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the strained milk a little at a time, continually stirring and letting the sauce thicken.
Stir in the mustard powder, peas, shrimps and cheese and cook through for 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the flaked fish in your dish.
Boil the potatoes until soft, drain and mash with a generous knob of butter (and a little milk if they seem dry). Spoon the mash over the fish mixture, ensuring it reaches right to the edge of the dish.
Bake at 180 degrees for 25 mins.
I often have leftovers from this, and it keeps fine for 2 days in the fridge and also freezes well (assuming the fish is fresh not frozen originally).
With my little guy so poorly at the moment, I wanted to make something that would not only cheer him up but that he might also be persuaded to eat! Plus it is Valentines Day this week so what better excuse to make heart shaped cheese scones :)
Ingredients
275g self-raising wholemeal flour
Pinch of salt
75g butter
200g natural yoghurt
50g strong cheese*, grated
2/3 spring onions, chopped finely
Method
Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl, and rub in the butter until it becomes like breadcrumbs. Stir in the yoghurt, grated cheese and spring onions.
Use your hands to bring the mixture together into a dough - add a little milk at this point if it is too dry (I needed to). Tip onto a flour surface and press down with your hands, no need to use a rolling pin as you want them quite thick.
Use a cutter to press out your shapes and place on a baking sheet. Brush with egg and bake at 180 for 15-20 minutes.
Serve cut in half while still warm and spread with butter.
*I used cheddar cheese but next time would probably use half cheddar and half Parmesan for a stronger flavour.
