Tandoori Chicken for the whole family

This is highly inauthentic I'm sure but I couldn't really find anything which felt right to me.  I certainly didn't want to include artificial colourings (as many restaurants and recipes do) to get the red colour which is why I've included red pepper and paprika into this recipe.

It might look like a lot of ingredients but it's not that difficult or long winded.  Also chicken legs are fantastically thifty cuts and so you can pick them up for not much cash at all.  I did feel a bit cautious about writing a recipe which has to be started the night before but actually if you think about it, it's a good idea for the busy mum, tot's in bed, a quick 10 minute job before you sit down and relax and tea is sorted for tomorrow.  Result!

Tandoori Chicken - makes 5 pieces.  This served two adults and a toddler with leftovers for at least one lunch.

Ingredients

1kg chicken legs
150g Greek yoghurt
2 tbsp Lemon juice
3 Cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp Grated ginger
1 tsp Cumin seeds
1 small dried red chilli (I used quite a hot one but you could vary the type and number by how hot you like it.)
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 cardamoms
A few grinds of black pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tbsp mild, sweet paprika
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp Mild flavourless oil, e.g. rapeseed oil

Method

Don't fear the number of spices!

Skin the chicken and put a few deep slashes into the meat.

Heat a frying pan on a hob and add the coriander, cumin and chilli and heat, stirring until fragrant (don't burn).  Take the little shells off the cardamom pods and crush the seeds in a pestle and mortar with the toasted seeds and chilli.  Mix the crushed spices with all of the other ingredients apart from the chicken and oil and blend them together.  Seeing as my food processor has now gone to silicon heaven, I used a stick blender and a jug which worked a treat.

Pour the marinade over the chicken, cover, refrigerate and marinade overnight.  When you're ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge and put into a clean tray shaking off any loose marinade.  Drizzle with the oil, heat up the oven to 200oC / 400F and cook for 30-40 mins.  Mine were done in 30 but my oven is pretty fierce and the legs were quite small.

I've not tried it but traditionally a tandoor (which is the oven in which these are normally cooked) is closer to a barbecue in lots of ways so it might be worth trying these on the grill too.  Alternatively, could be a bit messy but I have read that chimeneas can be used to act like a tandoor.  I love the fact that tandoors are now so in demand in middle England that chimenea's are being pressed into service. There's something so terribly British about taking a Mexican invention to cook Indian food in a British back garden (no doubt in relentless drizzle emphasising our stoic nature!)

Anyway, I digress.  My son loved this, as did his Dad.  Not really all that spicy but flavoursome and why not serve with some vegetable curry on the side or have some spicy pickles for the adults?


Great with mint raita, naan bread, rice.  Even great cold which is why I've put this into the lunch box category.

I took the meat off the leg for my son but I know lots of people give their kids chicken drumsticks from a very young age so it might be a way to adapt it for the youngsters in your brood.





If you like the look of this recipe, it might also be worth thinking about making my chicken tikka.  Even less effort!

I've linked this up to the fridge raiding Nigella event below because trust me, this is delicious cold!

The links to the two fabulous hosts are here and here.

I've also linked this up here and to this:

Beef Satay Stir Fry

I have to 'fess up here.  I made this just for my husband and I because I had some steak which needed eating up and it was a nursery day so Pumpkin had his tea there but I am 100% confident my son will like this and there's nothing in there he can't or won't eat.  It's a tasty meal without paying a small fortune for a stir fry sauce.

Beef Satay Stirfry - served 2 adults

Ingredients

Method
Half an onion cut into thin half moons
Half a carrot, cut into julienne strips
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
200g steak cut into very thin strips
1 pepper, cut into thin strips (I used half a green pepper and half red pepper)
1 tsp oil

Sauce

1 rounded tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce

To serve

Rice or noodles

Method

Blend the sauce ingredients together with 3 tbsp boiling water and blend to mix in the peanut butter.

Prepare any noodles or rice you would like to serve with it.  (I cooked some noodles for one minute less than suggested on the packet, drained them and stir fried with the beef but you could also serve on the side or use rice.)

Prep your vegetables and meat so everything is ready to go.

Heat the oil in a wok and add the carrot and onion.  Stir fry for a couple of minutes until softening.  Add in the garlic, ginger and then quickly follow with the beef and pepper.  Stir around for a few seconds and then add in the sauce.  Heat until everything is bubbling and the beef is just cooked.  If liked stir in the noodles (if using).  Serve.


What a roller coaster week this has been.  I've had to scrape myself off the floor emotionally more than once.  It's been tough times in the Mamacook household for everyone.  A big hug goes out to all of those friends and family who are supporting me through these tough times.  You know who you are and your love and support is all that's keeping me going some days.


I've linked this to Totally Tasty Tuesdays here.

I've linked this up here and to this:

Toddler Chilli - but great for adults too

I posted a baby chilli recipe some time back and if you do have a baby, that's probably the best one for you.  Mild without being flavourless but not really a kick.

My son went off the baby chilli recipe a while back and I couldn't figure out why.  It was only when I was talking to someone online about giving their toddler food with more flavour that it occurred to me that he might like something a bit spicier nowadays so here it is with more flavour and just cooked on the hob.  This would be fine to cook in a slow cooker but it was just being used for something else at the time!

Chilli for toddlers - makes approx 4-6 toddler portions

Ingredients

200g Beef mince
1 tsp oil
1 tin Red Kidney Beans, drained
1/2 tin Chopped tomatoes
1/2 red pepper chopped finely (you can use frozen peppers if liked)
1 small courgette (zucchini) finely diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp sweet paprika
Sprig of thyme
A couple of sprigs of oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
Pinch of cumin seeds
Bay leaf
1 dried chilli, seeds removed.  Use less or more if liked (strength of chillis vary)
Ground black pepper
Beef stock cube

Method

Fry the onion and courgette together until softening.  Add the beef, garlic and pepper.  Add the chilli, paprikas and cumin.  Then add in all of the other ingredients.  Stir and simmer for an hour or so or until the mince and vegetables are fully cooked and soft.  This can be cooked in a slow cooker.

Serve or alternatively this freezes really well.  My son loved picking out the beans and then tried the meat and ate it all.

Great served with rice, potato wedges, sweet potato wedges or boiled potatoes.  Alternatively why not try it as a quesadillas filling?  If you want to make something for a baby or younger toddler and you're not confident your child will like the spice, why not try the baby chilli recipe.


On a different topic, a few weeks back, I was planning my outfit for the Britmums Brilliance in Blogging awards where I was a finalist in the 'tasty' category.  I decided while I was in Melton Mowbray to get myself measured for some new underwear.  Nothing like feeling confident from the bottom up!  I went to an absolutely fantastic lingerie shop called JJs Lingerie.  Not only were they happy to measure me (what is it with some shops insisting you have to have an appointment?)  They also kept an eye on my toddler for me, reading a book to him to keep him entertained.  Why aren't all shops like this?  So many shops, small and big make you feel awful when you come in with a toddler or baby.  (By the way I have no connection to JJs, I just like to reward great service!)  So if you're in Leicestershire, give it a go.  There's also the excellent Deli Italia around the corner too for a great coffee and cake after purchasing your new bra.

I've linked this up here and I've linked this to Totally Tasty Tuesdays here and herbs on a Saturday here:

Red, White and Blue Pancakes for the Whole Family

Some eggs in the fridge, 15 mins or so on my hands, not feeling like toast or cereal...

So I made these.  They worked a treat on my normally reluctant blueberry eater.  He ate two with no problems and did pretty well eating the fruit (which I thought might all get picked out.)

Strawberry and Blueberry Pancakes for the whole family - easily served two adults and a toddler

Ingredients

175g, 6oz Self Raising Flour
2 eggs
200ml Milk
75g, 3oz Blueberries
75g, 3oz Strawberries, hulled and cut into small pieces
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
Butter for frying

Honey and butter to serve (optional)

Method

Crack the eggs into the milk with the vanilla then using an electric whisk, whisk the liquid into the flour.  Fold in the berries.

Rub some butter over the pan like this or brush melted butter into the frying pan using a heat resistant pastry brush.  Using a large spoon or ladle, spoon some batter making sure you include some fruit into the pan.  Turn over when bubbles start to appear on the surface (you will need to keep the heat on a moderate to moderate - low level to make sure this is when the underside is browned and not burned.  A bit of trial and error normally sorts it out.)

Cook on the second side until browned and cooked through.  The berries may stand a bit proud on that second side but they're no worse off for it.

Serve as they are (great for toddlers or babies) or if you're feeling indulgent with a tsp of honey (over 1 year olds only) and maybe a small knob of butter if you're feeling particularly naughty!

I've linked this to Totally Tasty Tuesdays here.


I've linked this in here and I've linked this up here.

Broccoli and Cheddar Mini Quiches for the Whole Family

This is a variation on the mini quiche recipe I posted back in May.  Driven mainly because I didn't have all of the ingredients in!  That said, it was interesting and successful to switch some of the ingredients, you'd be far more likely to have them all in the house without popping to the shops, the pastry is a little easier to handle and the end result was none the worse for it.

Broccoli and Cheddar Quiches - makes approx 14-16

Ingredients

Shortcrust pastry

120g, 6oz Plain flour
110g, 4oz Unsalted butter plus a tiny knob
A couple of tbsp water

Filling

Small broccoli spears
2 eggs
50ml milk
75ml full fat greek yoghurt
100g, 3.5oz Vintage (sharp) cheddar

Method

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.  Add in only enough water to make a dough and bring it together with your hands (don't handle too much, pastry likes to be cold.)

You should never need to grease a pan for pastry but I found if I take a tiny knob of butter and rub it into the fairy cake (cup cake) pan really lightly, it makes these come out much more easily.

Roll out the pastry and use a cutter to cut out circles.  Press gently into the tin and then put into the fridge until ready to cook.

Cook the mini florets of broccoli in boiling water for 3 minutes then run under cold water to cool them down and stop the cooking.

Preheat the oven to 180-200oC (350-400F).

Grate the cheese and mix with the egg, yoghurt and milk.  I used Davidstow Cornish Crackler for these and I think they do need a really strong cheddar.

Bake the pastry in the oven for 5 minutes.  Take the cases out and press them down if they've puffed up.  Put a couple of small florets of broccoli in each and then pour in some of the egg mixture.

Bake for a further 13-15 minutes or until cooked through and browning.  Use a blunt knife to ease them out of the pan.

Serve warm or cool on a wire rack then refrigerate and eat either the same day or the next day.  Great for picnics or lunchboxes!

I've linked this to Totally Tasty Tuesdays and Meatless Mondays!

Tomato and Goats Cheese Salad

I didn't even think about this being a recipe until my husband pointed out that the kind of things I make for his lunch aren't things he would have thought of doing.

My mum always used to take time and care over my packed lunch as a child while using up leftovers at the same time (so making sure it was thrifty).  I have to admit occasionally I was jealous of my friends with their wrapped chocolate biscuits and packets of crisps but then you always want what you don't have and I did appreciate the home made bread, home made cakes and the effort.  I also liked being the kid with the 'odd' things in her lunch like garlicky salami and pate (now it doesn't seem so strange but in Northamptonshire in the eighties, this was definitely wacky stuff!)

After having years of sandwiches made with home made bread (nice hot but a touch heavy when it's cold), I am now more keen on making alternative lunches with different dishes or salads and challenging what is lunch time food.

Lunch time, after all is a time when either you, your partner or your child have been busy all morning and it's time to relax, stop, rest and take a moment.  Making yourself a nice lunch is a way of taking care of yourself and brightening up your day.

So, this little side salad was served with some cold roasted chicken and some potato salad.  Probably ideally something green should have been included but it was just what I had in the fridge.

Tomato and Goats Cheese Salad - Serves 1 as a side salad

Ingredients

2 Ripe Tomatoes
Approx 1 oz, 25g Hard goats cheese
1 tsp White wine vinegar
1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil
Seasoning to taste if liked

Method

Slice the tomatoes and layer up in a plastic pot.  Top with the cheese, oil, vinegar and seasoning if using.  Pop a lid on top and refrigerate until lunchtime.

I've linked this up to Meatless Mondays

I've linked this to Totally Tasty Tuesdays!

Pancakes for the whole family

Not American pancakes but the more European option.  Great for rolling, filling and of course for pancake day.  Ok.  It's not pancake day but I was wondering what to make for breakfast, really didn't fancy cereal, no bread in the house for toast so what to make?

Well after my post about thrift the other day, I thought of making some pancakes.  Why not?  They are cheap, super quick, they contain no sugar or salt (you can add sweet things to them if you like) and are great finger foods.  The amount below will make about 4 large pancakes which might be enough for 1 adult and a baby or toddler but it depends what fillings you chose and how much you like pancakes!  As a child, my mum used to have two frying pans on the go whenever pancakes were made (but then I did grow up in a family of 5!)

Traditional Pancakes - Makes about 4 (easily doubled or tripled)

Ingredients

2oz, 55g Plain flour
Just over 5 fl oz, 150ml Milk
1 egg
A knob of butter

Fillings
Anything you like, sweet or savoury but I like:
Strawberries and a tsp of honey (over 1 year olds only) or a small dusting of icing sugar (powdered confectioners sugar)
Ripe stewed fruit (stewed without sugar)

Method

The best way I've found is to mix the flour, water and milk using an electric whisk.  This ensures any lumps of flour are fully dispersed.  Ideally stand the batter for an hour or so in the fridge after this but it doesn't matter too much if you use it immediately.  If you have allowed it to stand, you need to have the texture of single cream (pouring cream) so add a bit more milk if it's thickened.

Heat a non stick frying pan and then rub with butter, I wrap the butter in a piece of greaseproof paper to do this (watch your hands and do it quickly so you don't burn yourself).

If you prefer, brush with melted butter using a heatproof pastry brush.

Pour in some batter and swirl around the pan to coat the base of the pan.  You want it as thin as possible so don't add too much batter.  Cook for a couple of minutes until it readily releases.  Either flip the pancake using a spatula / fish slice or be fancy and toss it just using a flick of the wrist while holding the pan handle (I can't do this, I am not a champion tosser.)

Cook on the second side and serve.

Continue rubbing the pan with butter and cooking until all of the mix has been used.

This might sound quite decadent for breakfast but one pancake with strawberries and a teaspoon of honey is not going to do any more harm to a child than many of the cereals marketed at children containing loads of chocolate, sugar and other bumf.  What's even better is it contains one of your five a day!  Yum!

Well it cheered me up this morning to have something so vibrant and tasty.  Another hard week in the Mamacook house but we're keeping our chins up!

I've uploaded this to CrispPhotoWorks linky this week and to life as a lofthouse linky

I've linked this to Totally Tasty Tuesdays!  Also just because every time I see the picture of the strawberries, I want to eat this again, I've linked this up to the Sticky Fingers photo gallery here.

Thrifty Food Tips

Who isn't feeling the squeeze at the moment?  We certainly are.  I remember easily being able to keep our weekly food bill below £50 a week, which, even before my son was here and the associated nappies, did used to include a lot more wine than we have nowadays.  Now it's hard to keep it below £80 and takes some real thinking to keep it below £70.

If you think about it, food shopping accounts for a huge amount of household budgets.  Say most people are in this £70 a week bracket increasing from £50 a few years ago, that's over £1000 a year extra than people used to pay.  It's a lot of money.  Even managing to cut £5 from that bill is a significant amount.  If you could save over £250 a year on your electricity bill, you would.

So, here are some tips to help the money go further.  Not all of them are original, some I've picked up from other places.

A challenge I really like from Money Saving Expert is to try downshifting.  So if you usually buy finest or branded, why not try own brand?  If you normally buy own brand, why not try the value brand?  The idea is that in some things, you'll try it and think "nope, not as good as the other..." and that might be a big difference or just a small difference you could put up with, or, you might find that you detect no difference at all.  Money saved on my last shopping trip - £1.40 on breakfast cereals, 80p on cling film, £1 on ketchup, £1.50 on mayonnaise.

Bulk out foods.  Dishes like bolognaise, curries, chillis, meatballs, my sausage plait.  They don't have to be 80% meat.  Why not bulk out the mince or meat with small pieces of vegetables (courgettes and butternut squash are good for this) or pulses?  Not only does this make expensive meat go further but it's better for the environment (vegetables take fewer resources to produce) and will also help contribute to your five a day (without your family noticing).  Win, win, win!  Why not even try to have one meat free night a week?  Vegetables are cheaper than meat and there are some great vegetarian recipes to try like spinach and goats cheese bites.

What about lentils?  Apart from being great at bulking out foods, they are great in their own right either as a base for soups like in my lentil and bacon soup or lentil and chorizo soup, with sausages or in curries.  Fantastically cheap but also great to have in the cupboard for those times when the month lasts longer than the money.

Which gets onto my next point, especially with this lousy summer, soup can be a meal.  People forget this and soup can be a filling and cheap meal and a great way of using up things which wouldn't be used otherwise like bones from a roast.  Why not try my stick to your ribs chicken soup?

Use your freezer!  As long as your fridge is at the right temperature (and by 'right' I mean somewhere between 2 and 5 degrees) and the food is still fresh and not been previously frozen there is no reason not to freeze foods on their last day of life, even if the packaging tells you to freeze it as soon as you get home.  Trust me, I'm a food scientist.  Also rather than buying ready meals, why not make once, eat twice?  I.e. make a big batch of bolognaise and put half in the freezer?  Perhaps making lasagne with the leftovers?

Use your leftovers.  It's astonishing how much food waste there is in this country and lunchtimes are a great time to use up what you have left from the evening meal.  Take a moment.  If you buy a sandwich, drink, cake and maybe a coffee every day, I'm sure you are spending £5.  Add that up over a working week, that's £25.  Over a year even with four weeks holiday, that's over £1000.  So why not use that bit of pasta you have left over for a salad?  Why not keep that extra sausage and lentils to have later?  Reheat that bit of pasta bake?

Make the most of a joint.  Use bones for stock, leftovers can go in sandwiches or become a meal in themselves like my cottage pie made from pot roast beef.  Irrespective of whether you buy free range, organic or bog standard, if you use every part of it all, that is more respectful of meat as far as I'm concerned than buying an organic, free range whole chicken and only eating the breast meat.

Label in the fridge and freezer.  I've said this before but it is probably the one thing which has really cut my food waste.  Loads of items have a "once opened use within..." statement on them.  Some of these I do have to admit I ignore because I have worked in the industry and know the risks but most, especially with a young child I do adhere to.  This means when I come back to a pack of pate, I'd often wonder, "how long has this been open?" or "when did I make that pot of bolognaise?"  So when you make a big batch of something, write on the plastic pot in permanent pen what it is and when it was made.  Write on the pot of cream when it was opened before you put it back in the fridge.  Result!  Permanent pen also washes off most plastic tubs if you use a scourer and if it doesn't come off, it normally fades enough to write over (labels can fall off, especially in the freezer.)

My last idea is to check your cupboards.  I had a sudden big bill for a new wheel a few months back and despite feeling like the cupboards were bare, when I looked in the cupboard and freezer, I found I easily had enough for three meals.  Don't assume that there are no options for food just because you're low on the things you normally have in your fridge.  As part of this, at least loosely plan out the week of food before you do your shop.  You're then more likely to shop sensibly and get what you need and not forget a vital ingredient.

Stuffed Peppers for Babies and Toddlers

Well it was bound to happen some day!  A recipe I made which I tasted and thought tasted great and my son has a straight rejection; I mean he doesn't even give it a go.  He is a bit off his food today, even rejecting pudding so I'm not going to be too hard on myself.

So in some ways perhaps I shouldn't be posting this but I am certain there is a good idea in here somewhere and, if I post it, I will think about it more, perhaps take suggestions from you good people and come up with an idea my son is a tad more accepting of.

Stuffed Peppers - makes 6 mini stuffed peppers

Ingredients

3 mini peppers (or you could use normal size peppers / capsicums)
1 slice, around 25g / 1oz bread made into crumbs
1 tsp of fresh mixed herbs, I used parsley, oregano and thyme
60g, 2oz vintage or extra mature (sharp) cheddar
50g, just short of 2oz courgette (zucchini), grated
1 tsp mild, sweet paprika
1 egg
1 tsp Olive oil

Method

Put the oven on to 170-180oC (350F).

Chop the herbs and grate the cheese.  Mix the herbs, cheese, paprika, breadcrumbs, courgette and egg.

Cut the peppers in half and fill with the mixture.  Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cooked and golden.

I'm thinking some inclusion of fish, maybe smoked fish or crab might be good.  I'll have a think.  There's a meal in here somewhere and irrespective of my son's response, it was pretty good as it is.

So people close to me will know there's a lot going on right now.  Things are difficult but it's so cool to have something in my life, this blog and my friends and family which give me so much joy.  Whenever you face adversity in life it can be difficult to see a good side to it but a good side, if there is one even in really dark times, is that I've had so much support from my friends and family.  It's a huge deal and it means so much.  So thank you kind readers, friends and family.

I've linked this up to CrispPhotoWorks food photography linky.

Spinach and goats cheese bites for babies and toddlers

Ok, another variation on a recipe... but this one is really scrumptious, definitely my best "vegetable bite" recipe.  It's great because spinach can be a tough sell to most kids but most importantly, it tastes pretty darn good.

Spinach and Goats cheese bites - makes approx 10

Ingredients

Two blocks of frozen chopped leaf spinach (this weighed 45g or about 1.5oz)
1 slice of bread, chopped into small cubes
50g, 2oz soft, creamy goats cheese, crumbled
25g, 1oz extra mature or vintage cheddar (sharp cheddar)
2 eggs
A few grindings of freshly grated nutmeg

Method

Defrost the blocks of spinach and mix with the bread (I used a sunflower and chia seed bread but you can use any bread you like).  Crumble in the goats cheese and grate or crumble in the cheddar.  Add the eggs and nutmeg and mix.

Oil a mini muffin tin with olive oil and fill each hole with the mix.  Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Preheat the oven to 200oC / 400F and cook for 15-18 minutes (16 minutes in my fan oven) or until well browned and cooked through.

Serve with vegetables.  I have no idea if these are good cold, probably but they were too tasty warm and they all got eaten!

If you like this, you might like broccoli nuggets or courgette and feta bites.

For those who know me very well, you may be aware life is pretty tough in the Mamacook household right now, I'm going through a difficult time with lots of things and my whole life feels up in the air.  So, much in the style of Amelie, I am cultivating a love of simple pleasures.

Home grown!  Not bad

Today picking my first ever home grown strawberries (which had escaped the slug onslaught) and giving them to my son as pudding was very much a simple joy.  There is something which feels so wonderful about eating a fruit or vegetable moments after picking it.

I've linked up to Britmums #eggmainsinminutes linky sponsored by British Lion Eggs, check it out on eggrecipes.

Baked prawns for babies, toddlers and adults

My son loves prawns.  This is a very simple recipe which could easily form part of a tapas spread.  I adapted it from a recipe on Good Food Magazine's website, taking some of the ingredients out and including more herbs.  The result is a simple mixture of hot baked prawns which is popular with adults and kids alike.  I remember having something very similar in a tapas bar in Madrid before I became Mrs Mamacook.  The terracotta dishes were put onto a griddle and cooked over hot coals.  It's not quite replicating the gorgeous garlicky smokiness of those prawns but it's not bad.  I do love that attitude in Spain though.  This particular tapas bar only served four different things; prawns with garlic, deep fried prawns, grilled prawns and grilled langoustine (alongside wine of course).  There is something to be admired at finding what you're good at in life and sticking to it.

I buy prawns frozen and defrost them.  A lot of seafood is previously frozen even if it's sold as chilled, particularly if it's something from far afield.  Also having been kept frozen means it's been kept at a temperature bacteria can't grow at.  Another bonus when feeding kids.  It's worth stocking up when they are on offer as raw prawns can be pretty pricey.

Baked Prawns for Babies, Toddlers and Adults  Serves 2 adults and 1 toddler

Ingredients

250g Raw, peeled prawns
1 fat clove of garlic, finely sliced (or two if they're a bit small)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A sprig of thyme
Some parsley, about 1 tbsp when chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Butterfly the prawns by using a sharp knife and cutting down the curved back.  You might be able to see a dark small tube.  If it is dark take it out (it's the prawn's intestine and if it's dark, it's full of something rather unpleasant!)

Put the prawns into a baking dish with the oil, thyme and garlic and a good couple of grinds of black pepper.  At this point the prawns can be put into the fridge so they are ready to cook when you're ready so you could prepare them in the morning.

When you are ready to cook them, preheat the oven to 220oC and cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through.  The preheating is important because it's such a short cooking time.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.  For adults a bit of salt on them is definitely a good thing.

With crusty bread, this goes down a treat.  My son, a keen prawn and garlic lover was always going to be a fan but what was a surprise was the boquerones en vinagre (marinated anchovies) which he was also stealing off my plate.  Hmm, got to love toddler tapas!

Madrid; I really must go back there someday

I've linked up here.


Although the photo was just taken with a simple compact digital camera, I've still linked it up to crispphotoworks!

Halloumi salad for toddlers and adults

I cannot, in all honestly proclaim this as a success.  Not the halloumi, oh no, the halloumi was wolfed down, it was the salad bit he was less keen on.

Still, how many of us can claim we'd tried something that adventurous as a toddler?  I certainly liked the whole dish and I'd be tempted to give him halloumi again, perhaps just served in a different way, maybe following my suggestion further down, maybe off the barbecue with grilled prawns and coleslaw on the side?  A nice change from the usual sausages and burgers.

If only we had the weather for a barbecue...

Halloumi Salad - serves one adult and one toddler

Ingredients

Approx 100g (3.5 oz) Halloumi, sliced
A large handful of baby spinach leaves, washed
2-3 large ripe tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic or white wine vinegar (optional)

Method

Brush a non stick pan with a little olive oil and heat.

Put the salad leaves on some plates along with some sliced tomatoes.  Fry the halloumi in the pan until browned on each side.

Put on top of the salad and dress with olive oil and vinegar if liked (I only used a tiny drizzle of olive oil on my son's portion.)  Only serve about a third of the cheese to your toddler as it is pretty salty as cheeses go.  The great thing about this is it is the matter of moments to make.  We whipped this up after Mums and Tots and were eating within minutes.  My son is not the most patient of customers!

If you want to include more carbs for kids, you could always include some cooled boiled new potatoes (I'd definitely do this if I'd had some ready) or follow this up with some fresh fruit and a slice of apple and carrot cake.

I've linked this up to Meatless Mondays!



And I've also linked up here!

Only 10 minutes to cook for your toddler?

I know what it's like being a mum.  At best you have 10 minutes of time to spend on cooking for your child.  You've got back through the door from Mums and Tots or you lost track of time while playing with playdoh.  I do understand this is why so many mums want to turn to prepared foods.

So, here are my top ideas for an emergency "need to cook some food RIGHT NOW" for your toddler moments without resorting to a smiley face or a cheese string!  Think about it, this has to be quicker than most preprepared foods.

1.  Something from the freezer.  No, this isn't copping out.  If you have taken time, perhaps at a weekend to make a big batch of keema curry, bolognaise, tomato sauce or meatballs, this is the time you reap in the rewards.

2.  Scrambled eggs.  Are eggs the ultimate fast food?  One of the few food sources of vitamin D too.

3.  Mushroom pasta.  One of my son's favourite dishes even now (he'd live on mushrooms or prawns if I let him.)

4.  Quesadillas.  The way to use all kinds of bits and bobs and sneak vegetables into your child's diet.  Just include cheese and from then on the world is your oyster.

5.  Poached egg on toast.  Cook this by putting boiling water into a saucepan then lowering the heat right down until it's below simmering point.  Crack in a fresh as possible egg and time for 4 minutes, scoop out, drain and serve on toast.  (Runny eggs for over 1 year olds only.)

6.  Courgette pasta, great for that glut of courgettes at this time of year and a great way to put some vegetables into your child's diet if they're a little reluctant.

7.  Stir fried noodles.  Noodles are great because even the dried ones take less than 5 minutes to cook; stir fry them with other lovely ingredients and bob is, in fact, your uncle!

8.  Sandwiches.  The emergency fall back for me.  My son loves pate.  Not ideal from a salt point of view but just be careful with the rest of the diet for the day.

9.  Pitta, vegetables and dip.  Hummus is a great choice, interesting flavour, monounsaturated olive oil, sesame, pulses and garlic and some kids just love to dip.

10.  Mussel and broccoli pasta, I've put this last as I realise it might be a bit scary but it's so quick and I humbly like to think it's restaurant quality food for your toddler.

So next time you're reaching for a pack, why not give one of these a go?

Coleslaw for the whole family

I was inspired by my son's nursery to make coleslaw.  Although he's had potato salad before, it was just something which hadn't occurred to me to make until I saw it on the menu but it's great at this time of year (and in this weather) as it's a hardy salad as comfortable alongside hot food as cold stuff and let's face it, who knows what's happening from day to day?

Coleslaw - serves 2 adults and a child as a side dish comfortably

Ingredients

140g, 5oz White cabbage
70g, 2.5oz Carrot
2 small apples
3 tbsp mayonnaise (commercial mayonnaise if feeding to babies as this is pasteurised)
1 tbsp yoghurt
1 tsp olive oil

Method

Shred the cabbage, i.e. take odd the outer leaves and then cut off one of the sides then slice fine slices using a sharp knife.  As I was serving this to my toddler, I then also cut into short lengths, approx 2cm long (a little less than an inch) to make it less likely he'd get weirded out by it.

Wash or peel the carrot and grate on a coarse grater.  Core the apples but don't peel and cut into small slices then across the slice a couple of times.

Mix all of the ingredients together with the prepared fruit and vegetables.  Chill until ready to serve.

If you want to mix things up, use red cabbage, fennel, kohlrabi or even peeled and grated broccoli stalk (tastes quite cabbagy).  You could also add in other ingredients like raisins if you like although personally I think the apple gives enough sweetness.

My son gave this a go and ate half of the portion I gave him.  Not bad considering he also only ate half of the sausage and none of the sourdough on his plate (he loves sausages and sourdough.)  Some days you just aren't all that hungry!  Good thing was there was some left for later for Mum and Dad and maybe even a spoonful for my lunch tomorrow if I get in quickly...

I've also put in a new label with this post of "lunch box food" as I'm sure loads of people with older kids would find this useful.  Obviously include an ice pack in the box, coleslaw needs to be kept cold.

Here's a lovely wintery coleslaw made with red cabbage, it looks fantastically colourful I think:

I've linked this up to Scottish Mum's Funky Foodies and to Crisp Photo Works food photography linky!

Courgette and Feta Bites for babies and toddlers

This is a variation on the Broccoli nuggets recipe I posted in April which has become my most read recipe.  I can understand why, it can be difficult to get kids to like vegetables and anything in a small, easily holdable form is a winner with toddlers.  (Although one person admitted they had them as a beer snack!)

This is also a great recipe for baby led weaners as although cheese and bread are salty, with only 1/12th of a slice of bread and less than 6g of cheese per 'bite' it's far better than giving a sandwich.

This is a variation I encourage you to try, especially if your courgette plants survived the onslaught of local slugs (mine, unfortunately did not) and you're currently trying to find new and interesting ways to use them in cooking.  I don't know if you're like me but I love growing courgettes but I seem to be the only person in my family who likes to eat them!

Courgette (zucchini) and feta bites - makes 12

Ingredients

1 slice of bread, cut into small cubes
140g courgette (zucchini), grated
70g feta cheese, crumbled finely
2 eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 200oC, 400F.  Oil a silicone mini muffin tin with olive oil (or use a small cupcake tin).  Fill each hole with a dsp of the mixture.

Bake for 16 minutes or until firm and well browned.

Serve with vegetables of your choice.

It's great to expose kids to different cheeses from a young age.  I've always hated hearing grown adults say "I don't like cheese" or "I don't like fish" and was determined my son would not grow up this way. There are so many cheeses out there that there is bound to be at least one you like.  Fortunately my son is already a cheese fiend and recently at a local artisan cheese fair, around his second birthday was happily enjoying Stilton.  On Saturday he was stealing my mussels when we were out for lunch together.  I think the gift of enjoying food is such a great one to give a child.

If you have some feta cheese left, why not make some spanakopita?  Or why not try Spinach and Feta mini muffins?

If you do have a glut of courgettes, try making this courgette pasta recipe where the courgette really is the star.  Or make some courgette chips?  Absolutely delicious!

I've linked this up here and to Meatless Mondays!