Planning to use the slow cooker twice this week! And going to try soup in it at the weekend maybe...
Monday - Sausage and Mash
Tuesday - Chicken, spinach and lentil Curry in slow cooker
Wednesday - Meatballs
Thursday - Ian away - Fish and chips for me and Harry
Friday - Beef Stew/pie in the slow cooker
Saturday - Undecided!!!
Sunday - Pot Roast in the slow cooker (beef) - if I am brave enough!
Monday, 10 December 2012
Monday, 26 November 2012
Pineapple and Raisin Muffins
I bought some pineappple since Harry LOVED it as a snack at the children's centre - guess what? He has now decided that he doesn't like it. Luckily I found a very tasty recipe to adapt in Annabel Karmel's Baby and Toddler Meal Planner. The lady who moved out of our house very kindly left this book for me when she moved out as she realised I had one toddler and a baby on the way. Archie is now nearly 6 months, but we are expecting to follow the Baby Led Weaning style of weaning, so the puree ideas aren't much use to us. I'm glad I had a look in the book though, as towards the end I found some great baking recipes.
Annabel Karmel's recipe uses carrot, but as we aren't big vegetable eaters (bad mummy - we usually stick to the frozen stuff), I didn't have any in and substituted coconut. I don't have a picture. Ian suggested I just put in a photo of different muffins, shame on him!
4oz Plain Flour
4oz Plain Wholemeal Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 Bicarb
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
6 fl oz Vegetable Oil
3oz Caster Sugar
2 eggs
4oz Coconut
8oz (225g) Canned Pineapple, drained
4 oz Raisins
Preheat Oven to 180degC
Sift together dry ingredients.
Beat wet ingredients in a separate bowl, smush up the pineapple if you have it in chunks.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients - remember not too much mixing, just enough to combine.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Yummy and lots of fruit in every bite!
Annabel Karmel's recipe uses carrot, but as we aren't big vegetable eaters (bad mummy - we usually stick to the frozen stuff), I didn't have any in and substituted coconut. I don't have a picture. Ian suggested I just put in a photo of different muffins, shame on him!
4oz Plain Flour
4oz Plain Wholemeal Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
3/4 Bicarb
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp Salt
6 fl oz Vegetable Oil
3oz Caster Sugar
2 eggs
4oz Coconut
8oz (225g) Canned Pineapple, drained
4 oz Raisins
Preheat Oven to 180degC
Sift together dry ingredients.
Beat wet ingredients in a separate bowl, smush up the pineapple if you have it in chunks.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients - remember not too much mixing, just enough to combine.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
Yummy and lots of fruit in every bite!
Friday, 23 November 2012
Reasons to be Cheerful #r2bc
A bit late AGAIN! I am a bad blogger!
My reasons to be cheerful this week...
1. On Saturday I ran my first ever 5k run - I was so proud to even get around the course, and very pleasantly surprised to get my time, which was emailed out to me a few hours after the event. The weather was glorious, mind, so I am not expecting to better my time this week, although I am still planning to get out and run tomorrow (brr).
2. Harry and Archie have been a lovely little pair this week. Highlights of the week for Harry included a visit to soft play the evening Daddy was staying away (they do dinner for 75p if you go in after 3pm - bargain!) and him learning how to use all the big stuff all by himself - this is a big deal for our little 'Captain Cautious' as he is known by Daddy! It made for a much nicer experience for Archie and I as Archie therefore didn't have to get lugged up miles of softplay, squished through rollers and I didn't have to precariously balance with a rather heavy bubba in my arms! Harry has also nearly reached another 'big boy' milestone - he has now had two naps in his big boy bed! He asked to go to bed in his new room tonight, but we don't yet have curtains, so it isn't cozy enough for bed time yet. Maybe next weekend will be the time! We got my gorgeous little pile of loveliness (a.k.a. Archie) weighed this week. He is a rather chunky 21lb 8 at 25 weeks. Considering his big brother was on the, um, massive side and weighed 21lb 10 at 33 weeks, no wonder Archie is so cuddly!
3. Christmas preparations are getting on in our household. Today Harry and I made and painted a cardboard Christmas tree, daddy is wrapping presents as I speak and Harry is, in his own words 'really excited about Christmas!' Shh, we may be putting up some decorations this weekend. Can you tell we REALLY love Christmas in our house?!
3.
My reasons to be cheerful this week...
1. On Saturday I ran my first ever 5k run - I was so proud to even get around the course, and very pleasantly surprised to get my time, which was emailed out to me a few hours after the event. The weather was glorious, mind, so I am not expecting to better my time this week, although I am still planning to get out and run tomorrow (brr).
2. Harry and Archie have been a lovely little pair this week. Highlights of the week for Harry included a visit to soft play the evening Daddy was staying away (they do dinner for 75p if you go in after 3pm - bargain!) and him learning how to use all the big stuff all by himself - this is a big deal for our little 'Captain Cautious' as he is known by Daddy! It made for a much nicer experience for Archie and I as Archie therefore didn't have to get lugged up miles of softplay, squished through rollers and I didn't have to precariously balance with a rather heavy bubba in my arms! Harry has also nearly reached another 'big boy' milestone - he has now had two naps in his big boy bed! He asked to go to bed in his new room tonight, but we don't yet have curtains, so it isn't cozy enough for bed time yet. Maybe next weekend will be the time! We got my gorgeous little pile of loveliness (a.k.a. Archie) weighed this week. He is a rather chunky 21lb 8 at 25 weeks. Considering his big brother was on the, um, massive side and weighed 21lb 10 at 33 weeks, no wonder Archie is so cuddly!
3. Christmas preparations are getting on in our household. Today Harry and I made and painted a cardboard Christmas tree, daddy is wrapping presents as I speak and Harry is, in his own words 'really excited about Christmas!' Shh, we may be putting up some decorations this weekend. Can you tell we REALLY love Christmas in our house?!
3.
Bobchat - Moneys
H - Look my moneys. One silver, one brown... Oh look! Same lady!
M - Yes, darling, that's the queen.
M - Yes, darling, that's the queen.
Bobcat - Where's Archie?
Nearly every car journey, about 20 minutes in.
H - Where's Archie gone?!
M - Has he gone to sleep?
H - Yes, Archie sleep.
Maybe he really thinks we 'go' somewhere when we go to sleep!
H - Where's Archie gone?!
M - Has he gone to sleep?
H - Yes, Archie sleep.
Maybe he really thinks we 'go' somewhere when we go to sleep!
Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Learning Through Play - the holiday edition
I just found this post hanging around in my draft folder, and thought I would share it with you all anyway! I think I was waiting for a picture, but haven't got around to it!
It is amazing how much toddlers can learn just from playing and experiencing the world around them. This doesn't have to be a planned, scheduled activity -although we do try to fit in a few of those each week. Most of the time we just go with whatever we are doing and I fit in whatever we are working towards.
Harry is just learning to count, so that it something we spend a lot of time on at the moment. Most frequently, of course, we count the vehicles we see as that is Harry's favourite thing! At the moment we re also working on Harry's sensory play as he has always been extremely reluctant to get wet or dirty. It has been a little disappointing on holiday to be met with firm rebuttals whenever we suggest a dip in the pool or sea (although he does like sandcastles, so that is progress!)
Yesterday we bought a cheap paddling pool and I filled it and left it in the sun to warm up during nap time. I was hoping to entice Harry in, but no such luck. However, I did manage to get him to splash his hands and by fetching a plastic mug and a bucket we had a great time learning about weight and volume, as well as practising our counting! We learned that 11 cups is lots and lots of water - nearly filling the bucket- and that Harry can carry 6 cups of water in the bucket, even though it was much heavier that 2!
We had a lot of fun, and it really did remind me that 2 year olds really do learn so much every single day!
It is amazing how much toddlers can learn just from playing and experiencing the world around them. This doesn't have to be a planned, scheduled activity -although we do try to fit in a few of those each week. Most of the time we just go with whatever we are doing and I fit in whatever we are working towards.
Harry is just learning to count, so that it something we spend a lot of time on at the moment. Most frequently, of course, we count the vehicles we see as that is Harry's favourite thing! At the moment we re also working on Harry's sensory play as he has always been extremely reluctant to get wet or dirty. It has been a little disappointing on holiday to be met with firm rebuttals whenever we suggest a dip in the pool or sea (although he does like sandcastles, so that is progress!)
Yesterday we bought a cheap paddling pool and I filled it and left it in the sun to warm up during nap time. I was hoping to entice Harry in, but no such luck. However, I did manage to get him to splash his hands and by fetching a plastic mug and a bucket we had a great time learning about weight and volume, as well as practising our counting! We learned that 11 cups is lots and lots of water - nearly filling the bucket- and that Harry can carry 6 cups of water in the bucket, even though it was much heavier that 2!
We had a lot of fun, and it really did remind me that 2 year olds really do learn so much every single day!
Monday, 19 November 2012
#MealPlanningMonday
It's that time of the week! We are trying out some new recipes this week, and I am also cracking out the slow cooker for the first time this winter. Let's hope it all works out OK!
Monday Spaghetti Bolognese
Tuesday Beef and Guinness Pie a la Jamie Oliver
Wednesday Harry has a dinner date at soft play with one of his girly friends! I will have something from the freezer as Daddy is away
Thursday Sticky Chicken a la Jamie Oliver (15 minutes? I'll leave 30 ;-) )
Friday Sausage and Mash
Saturday Chicken Tray Bake (Jamie again)
Sunday Roast - maybe a pot roast in the slow cooker if I am brave enough. Any tips?
Monday Spaghetti Bolognese
Tuesday Beef and Guinness Pie a la Jamie Oliver
Wednesday Harry has a dinner date at soft play with one of his girly friends! I will have something from the freezer as Daddy is away
Thursday Sticky Chicken a la Jamie Oliver (15 minutes? I'll leave 30 ;-) )
Friday Sausage and Mash
Saturday Chicken Tray Bake (Jamie again)
Sunday Roast - maybe a pot roast in the slow cooker if I am brave enough. Any tips?
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