Seafood Week - A Recipe Idea and Giveaway

Fish is not only low in fat and a great source of protein, it contains Omega 3 which benefits the heart, so incorporating fillets or shellfish into your family meals each week is a wise choice. As 7th-14th October sees the return of Seafood Week why not pop a fish dish onto your meal planner? 

Spanish Omelette Recipe

As our little ones prepare for the return of school and the leaves start to turn golden brown, dining alfresco will soon be replaced with stews, soups and hearty autumn meals. Lunches of sandwiches will be swapped to something a little warmer and this is the perfect time to whisk up omelettes aplenty - you can team them with salad on the days where the sunshine makes an appearance or with thick warm bread smeared with butter when it's a little cooler.

They are incredibly quick and simple to make too which is always a bonus as busy parents.

Ingredients

Family Friendly Dining at Harvester

We eat out quite frequently as a family and I'm always on the look out for exciting new menus with lots of variety and healthy options for the children - I like to ensure they consume their five a day, or at least get somewhere near it, even when away from home.

We have dined at Harvester restaurants a number of times over the years and we were pleased to be invited along to put the new kid's meals to the test. If it meant a night away from the oven and dishwasher then that's excuse enough for me but I was also eager to see the new look of the Grange Park branch after a refurbishment.

We were welcomed and seated by Claire who was really friendly and pleasant to chat with. She talked us through the menus, took our order and directed us to the drink dispenser where we could help ourselves to unlimited soft drinks and to the salad bar which again is unlimited. 

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.

Gummy Sweets Ice Lollies {Creative Summer #1}

It's the start of the summer holidays and I'm already dreaming of afternoons spent relaxing in the back garden on a comfy lounger, browsing magazines and sipping something with a paper umbrella while the Mini Mes make the most of the paddling pool.

These ice lollies are incredibly simple to put together and are a great way to remain cool in the heat. The little sweeties within are a tasty treat while adding texture and the lemonade is so refreshing - they're seriously low calorie too!

Let the kids get creative in the kitchen.

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.

Rhubarb and Custard Tray Bake

The last few days of glorious sunshine certainly makes me think that summer is on the way and with that in mind I've been in the kitchen whisking up a few treats that are ideal for both lunch boxes and family picnics. 

This delicious tray bake is easy to make and features a traditional flavour combo - rhubarb and custard!

Ingredients

280g Rhubarb

220g caster sugar

250g butter

3 large eggs

200g self-raising flour 

400g vanilla custard

Malteser and Mars Bar Fudge

Fudge is great for making as a gift or just as a family treat and this delicious chocolate version filled with Maltesers and Mars is bound to satisfy any sweet tooth. There is no baking involved and only 4 ingredients so it's seriously simple too!

Slow Cooked Beef with Gnocchi #LivePeasant

As a busy working mum I definitely opt for quick and easy dinners when I can, without compromising on taste of course, so I get more time to put my feet up and catch up with the Mini Mes after school. Red Tractor have a new #LivePeasant initiative which encourages home cooks, like myself, to embrace simple and rustic meals for the family. It's a great way to boost your lamb and beef intake with minimal effort so I was eager to be involved and put a recipe or two to the test.

Stews and casseroles are a favourite of ours and universally one of the most traditional methods of cooking, so I decided to give the Slow Cooked Beef with Gnocchi a go first. It's something that is ideal for a pro or a novice in the kitchen to try and as it is cooked over a few hours it allows the flavours to really develop for a truly delicious meal. One-pot cooking is just so convenient!

Apple Tarte Tatin

Apple and cinnamon are a match made in heaven and this relatively simple dessert will soon become a family favourite - it goes perfectly teamed with a scoop of soft vanilla ice cream now that spring has arrived!

Ingredients

(serves 4)

50g butter

50g golden caster sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

2 large Bramley apples

250g puff pastry

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'

Haslet Recipe

Variety is the spice of life and this comes down to sandwich fillings too, apparently. The Mr loves a nice mixture for his lunch so I decided to make haslet as an alternative to the chicken, egg, tuna mayo etc that he would normally have between two slices of bread. It was a real success and the Mini Mes have enjoyed eating this too!

Ingredients

Meal Planning Monday

The weather hasn't been great with both snow and rain this week so I thought it was better to be prepared, and save myself from venturing out into the cold, by ordering online. Especially as my Morrisons shop last week was so successful. I had a rummage through the freezer beforehand and as we have overflowing drawers quite a lot in already I thought it would be a good idea to use that rather than spending a small fortune on food when it wasn't necessary. 

The Mr would be proud of my frugal ways!

Here is the menu this week:

• We bought quite a lot of party food over the Christmas period for when family and friends visited and the plait is something that was popped in the freezer for another day. I must admit it looks rather delicious but I will be sticking with my New You Plan again this week (only 3 weeks to go!).

Meal Planning Monday

For a change I decided to order a food shop online this week and save the Mr the trip to our local supermarket. I can't recall using Morrisons' delivery service previously but I was really impressed. The receipt lists the expiry dates of the products in order and we didn't have any substitutes at all. 

It's very likely I will shop with them next week too.

Here is the menu this week:

• As it has been snowing I thought a big family feast was in order. I've got a large joint to cook which I will team with Yorkshire puddings, cauliflower cheese, roast potatoes and lots of seasonal vegetables. I;m making a pudding too, the recipe for which I will share soon.

WIN a CLIF Bar Hamper

Available in six delicious flavours - Chocolate Chip, Crunchy Peanut Butter, Oatmeal
Raisin Walnut, Blueberry Crisp, Chocolate Almond Fudge and White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, CLIF Bars are a fantastic source of protein and fibre for an energy boost on the go.

The bars are packed with vitamins and carbohydrates and ingredients like rolled oats and organic dates to provide you with the fuel you require for your activities, whether that's a run along the beach, gym session or a woodland walk with the kids.

They can of course just be consumed as a tasty snack as a healthier alternative too!

CLIF Bar is available from Boots, Tesco, Holland & Barrett and all good independent health food
retailers.  For further information, visit http://www.clifbar.co.uk

Crispy Roast Potatoes

Crispy potatoes are an essential part of your roast dinner and these are simply delicious. They are often requested to accompany other meals too, as an alternative to chips or mash, and there are lots of flavour combinations you can try. Garlic with rosemary or thyme always seem popular here.

Ingredients

1.25kg potatoes. We use Maris Piper
1 heaped tbsp. plain flour
4 tbsp. Olive oil (approx)
1 clove of garlic, crushed/pureed (optional)
1 tsp. dried Rosemary or Thyme (optional)

Meal Planning Monday

Now that the festivities have come to an end and we return to some form of routine, the buffet dinners and sweet treats are being replaced with properly planned dinners. Much to everyone's disappointment!

Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday's dish is a family favourite. It's a standard macaroni cheese with mustard, Cajun spices, paprika and a few other bits thrown in too, along with chicken pieces for protein. I usually make a very large dish so a few portions are frozen for another time or popped in the fridge and reheated at work by the Mr for his lunch.

Chocolate and Pear Pudding

Served straight from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this chocolate and pear pudding is a delicious winter dessert and fast becoming a family favourite. It's relatively easy to make and equally as tasty reheated the following day ... that's if there is any left over!

Ingredients

4 pears sliced (you can used tinned instead if you wish)
175g butter, melted
300g caster sugar
3 eggs
75g plain flour
45g cocoa
100g dark chocolate

Piñata Tombstone Treats - Halloween Party Food

We've been making a lot of spooky goodies during the past few days in preparation for our second favourite event of the year, Halloween, and these Tombstone Pinata Biscuits are the latest recipe for our party food collection. The three layers of cookie are glued together with sticky icing and filled with sour apple flavoured sweets to provide a tasty little surprise! 

Ingredients

225g butter

150g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 medium egg