5 Summer Ready To Roll Icing Cupcake Ideas

Summer is nearly here, and although the sunny weather hasn’t managed more than a sporadic showing it’s time to start getting ready for picnics and days at the beach. What better cakes to make for lazy summer days than cupcakes. Small, portable and oh-so tasty, cupcakes are great for including in picnic hampers and packed lunch boxes.

Here are 5 ideas for summer themed ready to roll icing cupcakes.

1. Bee Topper. What says summer more than the gentle buzzing of bees skipping from flower to flower. So why not create your own cute bumblebee topper. All you’ll need is some yellow, black and white ready to roll icing. Simply roll a flattened ball of yellow icing for the body and fix a few

Mini Makes - Pineapple Turnover Cake

The Mr quite often purchases tins of fruit to take to work along with his salads, and this can result in an overflowing supply of mango, peaches, pears and pineapples in the cupboards. I decided to use up a few by whisking up a basic turnover cake this morning which not only provides a little more room on the shelves but also a delicious, and slightly retro, dessert.

Adding fruit to puddings makes it healthy, right? That's what I like to tell myself anyway!

Pineapple Turnover Cake Recipe

You will need

Mini Makes #8 - Chocolate and Granola Muffins

I had two bags of granola hiding away in the cupboard fast approaching their expiry dates, and a packet of chocolate, so I decided to use them up while baking over the bank holiday weekend. The Mini Mes were happy to get involved while it was raining outside so we ended up with an activity to keep us occupied and some treats to eat at the end - win win!

You will need
(Makes approx 12)

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Save Money With HomeGroceries (PLUS Your Chance To Win)

The weekly shop can set you back quite a few pennies, especially if you have a large family, but with HomeGroceries you can buy branded food and drink at wholesale prices without the need to buy in bulk. You don't even need to leave your home, as you can get it all delivered to your door, saving you both time and fuel so it might be worth getting your membership today.

This family run business stocks all of your essentials from cereal and sauces to soft drinks and chocolate (that's a necessity, right?) and they have a variety of cleaning products and health and beauty goods available too. You can shop 24/7, whenever is convenient for you, and the website is very easy to navigate. It's also handy that you can pay with PayPal.

Mini Makes #2 - Muffin Breakfast Cups

With Mother's Day in mind, this simple idea transforms a standard breakfast into something a little more special and compact; it would make a nice meal to serve to mum on the 15th.

It's also great for those families that are often short on time in the morning as you can make these in advance and reheat as and when required. You can also adapt the recipe to suit your own taste by adding mushrooms, sausage or even beans. Whatever you fancy!

Rainbow Heart Cookies

Rainbow Heart Cookies

The Mini Mes and I often whisk up a storm in the kitchen, have great fun with crafts or make a mountain of mess being creative in other ways. 'Mini Makes' is a new weekly series where we will be sharing some of the activities we have been doing to give you ideas for rainy days or to inspire you to get making and baking too.

If you are a blogger feel free to link up your own posts too at the bottom - I will pop by each week to comment on them and hopefully you can visit a few others to spread some love. After all, parenting is far easier when mums and dads work together and praise each other!

Rainbow Heart Cookies

A Family Feast with Bella Italia

We eat out quite regularly as a family but I'd never thought about going to Bella Italia until an invitation to do so popped up in my email account. There isn't one that locally to us and I certainly wasn't aware that they had such an amazing children's menu as they do - you can have a smaller portion of an adults meal which is ideal for Minxy and Jamster as they generally eat the same as we do.

We were invited to the Milton Keynes restaurant on Savoy Crescent where nearby parking after 6pm is free. We were the only people there when we arrived so we could take our pick from the tables but by the time we left, an hour and half later, staff were turning people away as it was fully booked! This was proof that the food and  service were really good, especially for a Monday. It's definitely wise to book in advance like we did.

Mother's Day Goodies from Guylian (and your chance to WIN)

Mother's Day (15th March) is the perfect time to make mum feel special and show a little appreciation for everything she does. Whether you will be providing breakfast in bed, a day out, a few homemade gifts or something a little more extravagant, chocolates are always bound to please. 

I don't know many women (or men for that matter) that don't have a sweet tooth!

These products from Guylian are a great way to say thank you.

NEW! Guylian Caramel Sea Horses 

Guylian’s new Caramel Sea Horses are filled with a soft and delicate caramel filling with a Belgian milk chocolate shell.  Created in-house using artisanal techniques and open kettles, Guylian’s caramel filled Sea Horses are a sensationally smooth addition to the Sea Horse family. 

NEW! Guylian Milk Truffle Sea Horses

Guylian’s new milk chocolate Sea Horses are filled with a smooth milk truffle filling. The creamy texture melts in your mouth and contrasts perfectly with the crisp Belgian milk chocolate shell. 

You can find out more about Guylian or purchase your treats on the website:

 www.guylianshop.co.uk

Perfect Pancakes (Plus Your Chance To WIN)

Shrove Tuesday is less than a week away and that means it's time for pancakes! Whether you are whisking up your own or planning to purchase some, it's a great opportunity to have the whole family sat at the table to enjoy a breakfast feast. You can even have some savoury ones in lunch boxes, ham and cheese are my favourite, or save them as a dessert for after dinner too.

Pancakes are great any day of the year however, and Abra-Ca-Debora provide three delicious types of pancakes to save you time in the kitchen. Each variety can be heated in the oven or a microwave for your convenience and they taste freshly cooked every time. They are moist and packed with flavour as if they had just come straight from the pan - to be honest, they are actually far better than any I've made myself!

Abra-Ca-Debora have kindly provided some goodies so you can enjoy pancakes at home this Spring.

The UK’s Only Flavoured Pistachios (plus your chance to WIN)

With the cold, winter months upon us and duvet days being very tempting, it's a great time to snuggle up on the sofa to watch the snow fall outside with some delicious treats. The Mr in particular is a big fan of nuts (especially when it involves cake too) so he was very pleased to hear about these great varieties from Wonderful Brands.

The pistachios come in 4 flavours; Sweet Chili, Roasted Salted, Salt & Pepper and Roasted Unsalted. They are crunchy in texture and at only 3 calories each they are lighter than you would imagine. 

Spanish Beef Recipe - Family Food

With calorie counting well underway and being a few pounds lighter already, I've been trying to think of some meals that are both filling and healthier for us to enjoy. After all, there is no use eating a salad if you will be hungry and reaching for the biscuits five minutes later is there!

This meal can be slow cooked so it's ready for when you return home from work/college/the gym etc. With couscous and vegetables taking just a few minutes to heat through, I've found these make a great accompaniment. This should prevent you from wanting to raid the fridge like Pac-Man afterwards!
It's quite similar to my sausage casserole recipe which is a family favourite.

Ingredients 

(Serves 2 generously (we often share this between the four of us) Approx 500 calories per portion)

Valentine's Day Menu: Easy Peasy Carbonara

Although France is generally seen as the country of love, I adore Italian food. Some of my fondest memories with the Mr took place at our favourite restaurants; Papa Cino's, Prezzo and Pizza Express.

This quick and easy carbonara is a great idea for a Valentine's Day meal and although it won't guarantee romance this February, or a Lady and the Tramp meatball sharing moment, it is definitely a delicious pasta dish to dive into.

Ingredients 

(Serves 2. Approx 520 calories per portion)

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Silent Sunday

Chocolate Brownie Christmas Trees

With so much festive food in the stores ready for Christmas it's a pretty good time to indulge; you can always think about the calories in the New Year!

The Mini Mes have their end of term parties this week before they break up for the holiday so we have been making some treats of our own too. I'd normally pop to the shop and purchase some fruit, crisps and a few other nibbles for all of the children at school quickly but thanks to shopping online with PayPal this year I seem to be really organised. I have a lot more spare time to do some baking, something that I really enjoy and the Mini Mes do too, snuggle up to watch some Christmas movies and do some Christmas crafts. 

A Family Feast with Frankie & Benny's

Frankie & Benny's is a place where we have enjoyed dining at several times over the past few years. It has a large menu with dishes to suit most tastes and a lovely relaxed atmosphere; it's somewhere you can take young children and enjoy a family meal comfortably with reasonable prices.

We were pleased to be invited back recently to try the updated menu and I quickly set a time and date for our booking, as I was eager for a night away from the kitchen (and dishwasher) and some delicious food.

Berndes One Pot Wonder - Red Wine Beef Stew Recipe (WIN)

You may have already heard but Tesco are running another great sticker promotion (between 29th September – 25th January 2015) where you can save up to 70% on exclusive Berndes cookware products. It's a great way to replace your old pots and pans for the New Year and save money in the process, just by doing your usual grocery shopping! 

For every £20 you spend online OR in-store you can collect a sticker and once you’ve collected five you can use these to get your discount on professional kitchenware items. Tesco sent us an Oval Cast Iron Casserole to put to the test and with it being winter I decided to make one of our favourite family dishes. It is a great quality product, heavyweight and it minimises washing up as I can pop everything in the one pot!

Christmas Gift Giveaway - Day 29

My #ChristmasGiftGiveaway is back - 30 days 30+ prizes!
A BIG thank you to my followers for their support this year.

WIN a Collection of Bonne Maman Treats

Christmas Gift Giveaway - Day 24

My Christmas Gift Giveaway is back! 30 days, 30+ fantastic prizes.

A thank you from me to my followers for their support this year.

WIN an American Chocolate Sweet Box