Chocolate Chip & Rolo Blondies

If you're looking for a chewy and gooey treat that is incredibly simple to make then your search stops here. These slices ooze with chocolate and caramel when cut and they are bound to satisfy any sweet tooth. They are great served warm with ice cream, wrapped in ribbon as a gift or devoured at home by the family as a delicious dessert.

Chocolate and Marshmallow Mini Egg Fudge - Easter Bakes

If Easter isn't a good enough excuse to indulge with tasty chocolate treats and enjoy some time in the kitchen, I really don't know when is! These delicious chunks are so easy to make and could be a nice gift solution as an alternative to a more traditional egg (that's if you want to share).

Ingredients

Two Tone Star Biscuits

It was a bit of a wet and wild bank holiday weekend with plenty of thunder storms across the country, so we decided to stay snug indoors and have some baking fun as a family. While I was busy making moist Madeira cake with Jambo, Moomin made a collection of treats by herself including American style muffins and these delicious two tone stars.

They are really simple to create yet the finish is rather pretty. They also fit in nicely with the return of The Great British Bake Off and the first theme - biscuits!

Two Tone Star Biscuits

Ingredients
(makes 16)

Nutella Cookie Cups {Creative Summer 11}

Thick smooth chocolate and warm chewy cookies - is there a more satisfying combo for your sweet tooth? What's even better is these delicious puds are incredibly easy to make and they can go from mixture to mouth in around 20 minutes flat.

Jam Tarts {Creative Summer 9}

These are quite a classic afternoon treat and one we hadn't made in some time so we decided to change that by making a batch at the weekend. The pastry on these is crisp on the outside with a nice crumbly centre and they are deeply filled with sticky raspberry jam - you could even make your own if you have been out picking berries this summer.

Cooking with the Kids this Summer

When sports day is over, the end of term reports are handed out and the school gates close for the final time this academic year, you may be left wondering how you can keep the kids entertained for the 6 weeks of summer. Cooking is a valuable life skill, and not to mention great fun too, so it may be worth investing in some bakeware and getting creative in the kitchen.

This low cost set is ideal for your little beginners so there is no better time to begin mixing up some treats for family and friends.

This British made starter set has a Whitford non-stick coating which is an affordable alternative to enamel or Teflon versions - it's ideal for the occasional cook or children in particular.

Creative Summer Project - Daily Activities for the Holiday

With the summer holiday on the horizon and our purses already in panic mode I thought it would be a nice idea to put together some posts to keep the kids entertained - for free or very little cost! 

My 'Creative Summer Project' will run daily with a new idea being shared between 23rd July and 5th September to provide inspiration and keep little ones occupied. As a parent I know that it can take time to search for fun things to do, and then find the materials to do them, so I've already created, tried and tested 44 (yes, I may be insane) recipes and crafts with the Mini Mes to prevent boredom from striking. 

These use store cupboard essentials and items from around the home, or recycling boxes, so you won't need to spend much at all, if anything, to be give them a go. 

When - daily from 23rd July - 5th September 2016

Where - www.TheMiniMesAndMe.com

What - a variety of crafts, recipes and activity ideas to keep your little ones occupied all holiday

Why - to inspire parents and give them some fun suggestions to try throughout the 6 week break

You can sign up to our newsletter to receive a reminder when the Creative Summer Project begins or follow us via social media using the icons below.

Sheep Cupcakes - Easter Baking Ideas

There are lots of tasty treats around at Easter and if you find yourself drowning in a sea of chocolate you may want to use up a few items in your baking. You could always make some cupcakes as an alternative present to an egg, as an end of term thank you to teachers or for any seasonal celebrations.

These light chocolate sponges are topped with a sweet butter cream icing and mini marshmallows. The sheep tie in well with spring and the arrival of lambs but these would make a nice treat for a 7th anniversary where the traditional gift is wool (and copper)! 

This is certainly a fun recipe to make with the kids during the holiday.

Ingredients

(Makes 12)

Meal Planning Monday

Is it just me or is this year whizzing by? I'm in shock a little that we have reached February already when it feels like just yesterday we were counting down to Christmas! I am however looking forward to the arrival of spring, enjoying more time outdoors as a family, going on holidays and eating fresh salads al fresco. Hopefully Valentine's Day and half term will bring some excitement too. Bring on that sunshine.

Here is the menu for the week ahead

• The Mini Mes have chicken burgers quite frequently at their dad's house so I decided these would be good to try at home too. I've not had one in a very long time so I'm rather looking forward to a 'fakeaway'

Mars Bar Cheesecake

We were really happy to see the return of The Great British Bake Off just a few weeks ago and we've been inspired to make a few recipes of our own based upon the theme from each episode. We've made a moist Madeira Cake and a variety of breads but dessert week is always my favourite. I have a very sweet tooth and this cheesecake we made is filled and topped with chocolate sauce, caramel and chunks of Mars. Gooey and delicious!
 

 

Ingredients

 

For the base

350g biscuits (we used chocolate digestives)

130g butter

 

For the chocolate sauce

2 heaped tbsp cream

60g chocolate

 

Mini Makes - Rainbow Cheesecakes

 

 

I often like to surprise the Mini Mes with small treats upon their return from their dad's house or school. Although I love to make things with them I find it quite relaxing to have the kitchen to myself to be a little creative on a Sunday afternoon and that's exactly when I made these quick individually sized vanilla cheesecakes.

 

There isn't any baking required so they are a great dessert if you don't have much time on your hands. You can take a few minutes to make them and then leave them to chill until required.

 

 

Rainbow Cheesecake

 

 

Ingredients

 

90g digestive biscuits

30g butter

180g soft cheese

45 icing sugar

90ml double cream

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

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)

Mini Makes #7 - Basic Biscuits Recipe

I regulalry head to the fridge and cupboards to gather ingredients, with something delicious to satisfy my sweet tooth in mind, before discovering I don't have everything required. It's usually eggs that I'm lacking which get used up quickly for breakfasts, salads and sandwiches so over the years I've created quite a few treats without them.

These eggless biscuits I make quite often as it's a quick and easy recipe and you can add fruit, nuts or chocolate (or just about anything you like) to give them flavour, coat them in icing or sandwich filling between a pair. It's something the Mini Mes make unaided too and they go well in lunch boxes.

You will need
(Makes approx 15)

Cooking With Kids #SatCap

Today Jamster turns 9 - Happy birthday dude! I've been cooking a big cake to celebrate but usually the weekends involve lots of baking and my little production line is very handy to have at home...

.... even if they are a bit crazy and cheeky at times!

Summer Fruits and Almond Tray Bake

We baked a traditional Victoria sponge cake at the weekend and I had an idea to make a little more cake mixture and pop it into a tray to slice then serve as cubes. After a quick rummage in the cupboards I decided to use some leftover nuts for a crunchy topping and some berries from the freezer for a boost in flavour.

This was the result...

Reindeer Ginger Biscuits

I've managed to save so much time this year preparing for Christmas by shopping online securely with PayPal, that I've had a lot more spare time to enjoy other things. I've been able to snuggle up and watch movies, do some Christmas crafting and yesterday I shared my delicious triple chocolate brownie Christmas tree recipe. Today I've been baking some more seasonal treats too!

Chocolate Filled Christmas Pudding Cake

When it come to festive desserts I don't like Christmas Cake, mince pies or even custard so it can be a bit of a struggle to satisfy my sweet tooth at the dinner table!

I therefore decided to create a cake based upon a Christmas Pudding but with a completely different taste. This is a chocolate sponge filled with chocolate frosting and topped with icing - a lovely alternative to the classic.

Family Fun with Food *WIN*

Cooking is a great way for kids to get creative while having fun and learning valuable life skills.

With it being National Chocolate Week last week we were very excited to receive a Make and Melt kit from Choc on Choc, which gave us the opportunity to build a white and milk chocolate edible house! I'm not sure who was more pleased, the Mini Mes or my very sweet tooth!

The kit contained:

• White chocolate buttons 
• Milk chocolate butons
• Paper chefs hat
• Moulds for the house and trees
• Garden scene
• Instructions

Chocolate Orange Custard Tart

With the Great British Bake Off back on our screens I've been drooling over the delightful creations each Wednesday and I've once again been inspired to bake something of my own.

With custard tarts featuring last week I thought I'd make one, but with such a sweet tooth I felt I needed to throw some chocolate in too!

With a crisp pastry and smooth, rich centre this is truly indulgent.

It goes perfectly served with fresh berries and or whipped cream.