The Crazy Kitchen

Rhubarb and Custard Crumble Pizza

2013-05-23T12:33:00.002+01:00

Who said pizzas have to be savoury. I shared my recipe for fruit crumble pizzas a while ago but thought it was time to share again now that I have a tonne of rhubarb to use up. What goes better with rhubarb than custard so I've incorporated some custard in there too, the ready made tinned stuff is fine, and what better way to serve it than with some rhubarb ripple ice cream.

It's a very simple, no yeast, pizza base which, if you have a very sweet tooth, you might want to add a little sugar to.

Rhubarb and Custard Crumble Pizza

250g rhubarb
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 can of ready made custard
25g butter
100g plain flour
50g Demerara sugar
1/2 tsp mixed spice
zest of 1 lemon

wash & trim the rhubarb & cut into 1cm pieces
Place in a microwaveable bowl, cover & microwave for 5 minutes, until soft
Drain any excess juice and stir in the tbsp of sugar & set aside
Make the pizza base by mixing the flour, oil and milk together until it forms a dough
Knead for 1 minute & roll out to approx 30cm in diameter
Make the crumble by rubbing the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs
Stir in the demerara sugar, mixed spice & lemon zest
Spread the rhubarb over the pizza base, cover with the custard & sprinkle over the crumble
Bake in a preheated 180 C oven for approx 20 minutes
Serve hot or cold

I have entered this recipe into the Swallows Charity Recipe for Life challenge on Bangers & Mash, which you can read more about here.

Red Candy Polaroid Photo Frames {Review}

2013-05-23T09:57:00.000+01:00

I get the odd offer to review items on my blog, some I take up, some I don't, but when Red Candy contacted me to see if I wanted to review anything from their website it was a no brainer. I mean, just look at this funky website...

I'm not really a 'red' person but they do have lots of non red items too. It was a tough decision choosing just one item but as I'm trying to display a lot more photos around the home I thought one of their multi photo frames would be nice, until I clapped eyes on these snap frames...

These frames allow you to display your prints in these cute little Polaroid style frames. Just slot your photo inside and stick them wherever you like. You can attach to a wall by means of the sticky dot on the back, or do what I did and attach the sticky dot to a fridge magnet, that way you can move them around on your fridge as often as you like.

There is also space on the frame to write a caption or date with a dry wipe marker (not included).

The frames are priced at £25 for a set of 9, which I think is a good price for something that little bit different, which is what Red Candy is all about.

I was sent the frames for the purpose of this review

Room for Improvement - Home Makeover on a Budget

2013-05-21T17:23:00.001+01:00

With 3 kids the rooms in this house are constantly in need of a makeover, there are always grubby fingermarks that need cleaning off the walls, or chips out of the paintwork that need touching up.

When MoneySupermarket challenged me to makeover a room on a budget of £50 it couldn't have come at a better time. I needed that kick up the bum to get my paintbrush out again, and this time it was on the landing (is the landing actually classed as a room? maybe not). I'd starting painting it sometime last year but never got around to adding that final coat of white or putting any pictures up. I had already bought a heart shaped mirror and a small multi photo frame in preparation, but that's a far as it got. I knew there wasn't much that needed doing, just that one coat of paint and maybe a touch up of the wooodwork.

Whilst out shopping for a few accessories and more photo frames I spied a bargain in Asda Home, a tin of Pearl Grey paint for just £5. Not one to make life easy for myself I bought it, meaning that I would now need to paint at least 2 coats of grey instead of just one white - and then what if I didn't like it?

I bit the bullet and painted anyway, avoiding the questions of "what colour is THAT?".

Thankfully it worked, and everyone loved the grey (phew), and once the woodwork and doors were cleaned up with the help of a few baby wipes and some cream cleaner I put the pictures, mirror and new lampshade up.

It's not easy to take photos of this space but hopefully the difference is noticeable.

This is how I spent my £50 :

Grey & white striped basket £10 Asda

Birdcage lamp shade £12.99 Dunelm

6 picture photo frame £7.99 Dunelm

9 picture photo frame £12.99 Zulily

Pearl Grey paint £5 Asda

Bathroom door hanger £1.79 Dunelm

Total Spend £50.76

I was provided with £50 towards to cost of the makeover

Moroccan Lamb and Rhubarb with Lemon & Coriander Cous Cous

2013-05-21T13:23:00.000+01:00

After failing to get my hands on any rhubarb via my allotment friends I resorted to the supermarket - £2 for 3 skinny sticks of rhubarb is outrageous! However, after my eldest went to his best friend's house for a sleepover at the weekend he returned with tales of rhubarb and apple crumbles (it's all about the food with him), "erm rhubarb you say? they have rhubarb growing in their garden?", "yep, loads of it". I considered donning a balaclava under the cover of darkness & scaling the fence (or 2) that divided our house from the best friend's to get my hands on the much sought after rhubarb, but instead opted for the safer option of sending my son around armed with a bagful of spiced lemon cookies as a trade.

Low and behold, the next day appeared a big bag of fresh & tasty rhubarb

Time to get on and rustle up the next for entry into the Swallow Charity Recipes For Life Challenge for May, which you can read more about here.

I have no idea if they even grow rhubarb in Morocco but I figured that the cinnamon and dried fruit made this dish Moroccan even if the rhubarb didn't. The rhubarb creates a really rich tangy sauce which I think would be great in a chilli too. There's not much to this recipe, just a case of throwing the ingredients in & leaving it to do it's thing.

Moroccan Lamb and Rhubarb - serves 3/4

3 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp cumin
1 tbsp plain flour
2 lamb leg steaks, diced
Tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp chilli flakes

180g rhubarb

1 tbsp sugar

400g Can of tomatoes

100ml water or stock

50g dried Apricots, chopped
50g juicy raisins

Lemon & Coriander Cous Cous

200g dried cous cous
grated zest of 1 lemon
Handful coriander, chopped
250ml boiling water

Mix the cinnamon, coriander and cumin with the flour
Toss the lamb into the flour & spices & coat well
Heat the oil in a heavy based lidded pan
Add the garlic & chilli & fry for 2 mins
Add lamb & flour and fry for 5 mins until browned on all sides
Add rhubarb & sugar & cook for 2 mins
Add tomatoes and water (or stock)
Stir, place lid on & simmer for 30 mins stirring occasionally
Stir in the apricots and raisins, place the lid on & cook for a further 15 minutes, until the lamb is tender
Add the cous cous to a bowl
Add the lemon zest & coriander
Pour over the boiling water and stir
Place a lid or plate over the bowl and leave for 5 minutes
Fluff up with a fork and serve

Garnish with sliced or ground almonds & fresh coriander (optional)

Tasty Holiday Foods {Guest Post}

2013-05-20T21:30:00.000+01:00

Tasty Holiday Foods
Food on holiday is always a touchy subject. Should you go all out and try the exotic local cuisine or stick to what you know? Well, of course, for the full flavour of your holiday you need to let your taste buds tingle. While adrenaline fuelled extreme sports might get you seeking holiday claims with Irwin Mitchell, these recipes are just the ticket to take you far away from the comfort of your kitchen!
Ceviche
Popular across South America, it is Peru that takes the glory for the origin of this delicious dish. Made with fresh raw fish, it is far more appetising than some pictures make it look, and perfect for a summer’s day. An advantage is to try it from a master or the country first but here’s how to do it at home:

Slice white fish or salmon as thinly as possible
Marinate in citrus juice and chilli.
Leave in the fridge for half an hour or an hour.
Plate up with corn, lettuce and sweet potato.
Add onions and season to taste – adding more chilli if you want an extra kick.

Spicy Thai Lobster Soup
A dish with a truly Asian blend, the flavour is wild thanks to the seasoning and adds an extra zip to your meal. Another delicious meal from Thai cuisine, the complexity of flavours gives it a winning touch:

Slice lobster meat from two lobster tails and set aside.
Stir one and a half tablespoons of Asian Blend into a large saucepan on medium heat for one minute.
Add four cups of chicken or fish broth with one tablespoon of lime rind and boil before stirring in 1/3 cup of uncooked long-grain rice. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Add a cup of coconut milk and six sliced mushrooms, stirring occasionally for five minutes.
Add two chopped green onions, chile and coriander with the lobster to cook for five minutes.
Take off the heat and add two table spoons of lime juice.

Butter Chicken
An exciting and vibrant country, the UK has a number of eateries related to India, but none take you there in quite the same way. Food culture in India has a long history, find out how to make the pride of Punjabi cuisine:

Create a marinade from 100ml of plain yoghurt, the juice of one lime, 15g of crushed garlic, a couple of centimetres of grated garlic, cumin, coriander, garam masala, paprika and salt.
Cover this over the chicken breasts and marinate in the fridge overnight.
Shake off any excess and grill each breast for four minutes until golden-brown.
Use lemon juice and butter to baste the breasts and roast in the oven (200C) for 12 minutes.
In this time make the sauce. Fry one onion in butter until softened before adding two crushed garlic cloves and grated ginger for an extra minute. Add tomato puree and chilli powder before cooking for a further two minutes.
Reduce heat, add 200ml of double cream and simmer before adding the breasts.
Season and serve with naan bread and/or basmati rice.

Going on holiday is a great excuse to try things you normally wouldn’t. But, if you are a dab hand in the kitchen then these can lower your risks without holding back on the taste. Alternatively if you should be receiving compensation after an ill-fated trip then make sure you have all your documents secured to help the process.

Rustle up a Fishy Feast with the Saucy Fish Co.

2013-05-20T17:00:00.002+01:00

It's not often that I post fishy meals on this blog as I'm not really that keen on fish or seafood but the husband loves it so I do try from time to time, as long as the fish is prepared for cooking of course.

The Saucy Fish Co takes the hassle out of preparing your favourite fishy feasts and the new products in their range include ready cooked salmon fillets, along with a sachet of dressing.

The fillets can be eaten straight from the pack, or warmed up. I chose to use them straight from the pack and flaked them over pasta and salad for some really quick and tasty meals. First up I used the roasted sweet chilli fillets which come with a chilli chutney dressing, which I stirred through the spaghetti, along with a little red pesto. I tossed the flaked salmon and some rocket into the spaghetti and it fed 3 people nicely.

For an Al Fresco lunch on Sunday I made a salad with the steamed salmon and lime & coriander dressing,

and more pasta, this time with the smoked salmon fillets and maple dressing.

My favourite was the steamed salmon fillets with the lime & coriander dressing, so fresh tasting.

With salmon this good, not to mention the convenience of it being ready prepared, and with a dressing, I expected them to be quite pricey but was really pleased to see them priced at £3.50 per pack (rrp £4). Considering they would feed 2 adults, and if you're very frugal a couple of kids too, I think they are excellent value and will definitely be looking out for them in the Supermarket.

Further info & stockist details :

Roasted Sweet Chilli Salmon with Tomato and Chilli Chutney

These tender sweet chilli-infused salmon fillets are complemented perfectly by the delicious tangy tomato and chilli chutney in this exciting new offering from Saucy Fish. With a fiery kick from the tasty chutney, this dish delivers the ultimate in flavour sensation for a speedy, healthy and delicious fish supper. Why not pair with fresh egg noodles and crisp stir fry veg for an Asian-inspired dish which will really tantalise those taste buds? And at only 266 calories per serving, you can indulge without the guilt!

RRP £4 – available from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda

Smoked Salmon with Sticky Maple Dressing

Introducing the very first smoked salmon product to The Saucy Fish Co. range, this delicious addition is sure to be a hit with those who prefer the woody flavours of cured fish. The sweet and earthy tones of the sticky maple dressing complements the smoked fish fillets perfectly, and tastes great when served up with sautéed potatoes, buttery green beans and a drizzle of the Maple Dressing for a fish dish with the wow factor.

RRP £4, available from Asda and Ocado

Roasted Lemon and Herb Salmon with Sicilian Lemon and Dill Mayonnaise

All of the delicious flavours of Mediterranean cuisine are infused into these succulent Ready to Enjoy salmon fillets, for a true taste of summer on your plate. The zingy lemon and soft hues of fresh herbs make for a mouth-watering combination which is perfect when paired with sundried tomato couscous, roasted Mediterranean vegetables, buttery new potatoes – all topped off with lashings of the zesty Lemon and Dill Mayonnaise.

RRP £4, available from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda

Steamed Salmon with Lime and Coriander Dressing

This new addition to the Saucy range delivers the ultimate in fresh-tasting Asian-inspired flavours with the zesty Lime and Coriander dressing. For a dish to really impress, why not serve with steamed jasmine rice and a fresh crisp summer salad – with a generous drizzle of the zingy dressing?

RRP £4, available from Morrisons and Asda

I was sent 4 packs of salmon fillets with dressing for the purpose of this review.

Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream with Mini Spiced Lemon Cookies

2013-05-19T07:42:00.000+01:00

It's past the middle of the month already and due to holiday and illness I haven't yet posted a recipe for the Swallows Charity Recipes for Life challenge on Bangers & Mash. This means I have some serious catching up to do as for the last couple of months I've shared 3 recipes per month. The 3 ingredients for May are Rhubarb, Lemon & spice and after initially thinking it would be tricky to do anything other than a crumble I now have a huge list of ideas, just not enough hours in the day to make them all.

First up (I couldn't let the side down by only making one dish this month could I) is a dessert as it would be impossible to have rhubarb as one of the ingredients and not make at least one dessert. Although it's ice cream it doesn't need an ice cream maker and is very easy to make, as are the cookies.

Rhubarb Ripple Ice Cream
175g rhubarb, washed, trimmed & cut into 2cm pieces
125g caster sugar
Vanilla pod
600ml double cream

397g condensed milk

2tsp ginger
juice & zest of 1 lemon

Cover the rhubarb with the sugar & leave for couple of hours
Add the rhubarb, sugar & vanilla pod to a saucepan and bring gently to the boil
Cover and simmer for 10 minutes until the rhubarb has softened and the syrup has thickened
Cool fully
Once the rhubarb jam has cooled whisk the condensed milk, cream and ginger together until it forms soft peaks
Beat in half of the jam
Add to a freezable lidded container and stir through the remaining jam, leaving ripples through the ice cream mixture
Freeze for at least 4 hours

Mini Spiced Lemon Cookies
115g Butter, softened
230g Caster sugar
35g Golden syrup
1 Egg
230g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1 tsp Mixed spice
grated zest of 1 lemon

Beat the butter and sugar together
Mix in the golden syrup & egg
Stir the flour, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice & lemon zest together and add to the butter/sugar mixture
Roll mixture into small balls (approx 1-2cm in diameter) and place on a greased baking sheet, spaced well apart
Bake in a preheated 170 C oven for approx 10minutes, until golden brown
Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack

Serve a scoop or two of ice cream with 3 or 4 of the mini cookies.

I don't wish to blow my own trumpet but the combination of the ice cream and cookies was bloody gorgeous. I usually reserve adding mixed spice to cookies for Christmas but combined with the lemon they make a delicious summer biscuit, and as they're only teeny tiny you don't need to feel too guilty having a couple.

To find out more about Recipes for Life pop over to Bangers & Mash

Dr Oetker Cake Decorations....not just for cakes

2013-05-18T21:00:00.000+01:00

Dr Oetker (pronounced Urtker) , founded in 1893, has a massive range of home baking products including baking powders, chocolates, icings, cake decorations and mixes.

I was sent a variety of cake decorations to use out in my baking, so, as you do, decided to make some fancy ice creams with them.

These are decorated with Soft Shimmer Pearls, Wafer Daisies and and Chocolate Hearts , so pretty.

I have been sent a selection of Dr Oetker products to use in my baking

Getting that hour back

2013-05-17T20:53:00.000+01:00

Dreams recently ran a competition asking the nation what they would do if they could win that hour back that we lost when the clocks changed at the end of March. There were answers such as 'stop playing Candy Crush', 'have a meal with a partner', 'get pampered' and 'spend extra time with a recently lost loved one'.

As a special treat I went here to spend my hour that Dreams kindly gave me back...

myself and a friend did a little bit of indulging, perfect for a Friday afternoon.....

The service was excellent, as was the food - do you see the size of those scones and we had 2 each! We of course asked for a doggy bag (is that the done thing in such establishments?) and the lovely friendly waitress popped a couple of cupcakes in the top of the bag too.

Time ran away with us and we didn't just enjoy our hour but instead spent a lovely blissful 2 1/2 hours relaxing and chatting whilst the husband held the fort at home with another sick child.

If you ever find yourself in the heart of Staffordshire with an hour or two on your hands I would definitely recommend checking out Weston Hall, it's a gorgeous location.

Thank you Dreams!

Cinnamon and Raisin Bread

2013-05-15T22:26:00.000+01:00

After watching a few episodes of Paul Hollywood's 'Bread' series I vowed I would get to grips with making bread by hand. I was then asked if I would like to put a Panasonic breadmaker through its paces so the handmade bread quickly went out of the window...I mean, why have a dog & bark yourself.

Feeling a little under the weather and in need of comfort food I wanted to get a loaf made straight away. Thankfully I had already stocked up on bread flour and yeast in preparation and decided upon a fruited bread, adapting a milk bread recipe from my Complete Book of Bread & Bread Machines, which has some great recipes in.

After a quick glance through the instruction booklet for the Panasonic machine it seemed straightforward enough, I just had to remember to add the dry ingredients to the pan first, unlike the machine I'd used previously. This one also has a yeast dispenser, to add the yeast only when it's needed, as well as a nut dispenser which adds nuts and dried fruit to the dough later in the process, to avoid being chewed up by the machine.

I was surprised that the loaf was going to take 4 hours to bake, rather than the 3 hours in my previous machine. I suppose breadmakers are a little like slow cookers, they are a great convenience but you do need a little forward planning & organisation.

I was a little confused when I started up the machine as it didn't appear to do anything, but after checking the booklet again it would seem that for the majority of the cycles there is a rest period of around 30 minutes before the kneading begins, I believe this is to regulate the ingredients.

Anyway, after the 4 hours (perfect timing just as we walked in from the school run) I was presented with this little beauty...

I say 'little' but it was actually huge - a whopping 8 inches in height! There are options to make smaller loaves, the quantities just have to be adjusted accordingly.

Cinnamon and Raisin Bread

675g Strong White bread flour
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp granulated sugar (I used Truvia baking blend instead)
2 tbsp melted butter
280ml milk
130ml water
3 tsp ground cinnamon
7g dried yeast
100g juicy raisins

Add the dry ingredients apart from the yeast and raisins to the loaf pan
Add the wet ingredients to the loaf pan
Insert the pan into the breadmaker
Add the yeast to the yeast dispenser & the raisins to the nut dispenser
Close the lid and start the machine - I used the raisin bread setting (03), with a medium crust and size XL
Once baked remove immediately from the pan

The raisins in the bread stayed completely whole & were well distributed. I think I will add additional cinnamon next time as it could've done with a little more flavour. Still very enjoyable sliced and buttered, or toasted, or as a banana or jam sandwich, or even toasted with caramelised bananas over and served with ice cream...

I have been sent the breadmaker to trial for a period of time

Chickens, Morris Dancers and Golden Syrup Cookies

2013-05-14T09:30:00.000+01:00

I've just returned from a great weekend with some of my amazing friends. There was lots of laughter and talking until the early hours, along with possibly too much eating and drinking.

Magaluf may be a bit tacky in places but it's not all burgers and chips and we found a nice little beach bar that served us morning, noon & night with salmon & scrambled egg, spicy chicken salads, fishfinger wraps with jalapeno tartare sauce (very nice) and even accommodated me with my requests of toast with sliced apple and a banana toastie with cinnamon.

We also took a short taxi ride to the very exclusive marina of Puerto Portals where the rich & famous hang out. We never spotted any but did enjoy some very nice food and drink overlooking the Marina.

Of course we ate some junk food as well and it became a bit of a ritual calling in at the chicken shop on the way back to the hotel, if only to take a break from the hill known as 'cardiac hill'.

Daytimes were spent lazing on the beach, laughing about the previous evening and catching up on gossip from home.

We all took supplies of food for eating on the balcony and beach, from apricots to tinned sardines (just don't ask!) and cheesy balls to homemade cookies, we had a good selection of snacks.

Oh and there was the costumes....one night we all dressed as chickens /flamingoes and the next as Morris Dancers. Well you can imagine the reaction to seeing 14 yellow chickens and 5 pink flamingoes walking down the street!

oh and if you're wondering how my husband & kids coped without me, they managed just fine - they went through sickness, a swimming gala, trip to a market (where they got lots of bargains) and a birthday party....who needs Mum hey!

Now back to those cookies. This is a recipe that I adapted slightly from one given to me by one of the Mums at school after she made some for Preschool afternoon tea a couple of weeks ago. I doubled the batch and took half with me and left the other half at home to keep the kids fed whilst I was away.

Golden Syrup Cookies - makes approx 20-24

115g Butter, softened
230g Caster sugar
35g Golden syrup
1 Egg
230g Self Raising Flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

Beat the butter and sugar together
Mix in the golden syrup & egg
Stir the flour and bicarbonate of soda together and add to the butter/sugar mixture
Roll mixture into small balls (approx tbsp) and place on a greased baking sheet, spaced well apart
Bake in a preheated 170 C oven for approx 10-12 minutes, until golden brown
Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack
Store in an airtight container

How to make the perfect cup of coffee

2013-05-13T23:00:00.000+01:00

Guest Post written by Sarah Phillips on behalf of Tassimo

The idea of a 'perfect cup of coffee' is difficult because it can mean so many things to different people.

You might be one of those who likes coffee to come in very small china cups, be thick and dark and almost like treacle. You could be someone who thinks of coffee as something in a tall Styrofoam container with lots of frothy milk and different hints of flavour combinations.

Whatever style of coffee you go for, it can be difficult to learn how to make it at home, which is why there are so many coffee shops on our high streets today.

Buying a coffee when you are out used to mean taking pot luck as to whether it would even be drinkable or not. The French and Italians have always had the knack of being able to make a perfect cup of coffee seemingly everywhere you could want one, but the K has taken a long time to catch up.

Although it's now relatively easy to get a decent cup of coffee anywhere in the country, it isn't likely to come cheap. The cost of paying for a coffee each day can soon mount up over a month.

So the news that you can now make the perfect cup in the comfort of your own home is to be welcomed. No matter whether you prefer a Latte, Cappuccino or Americano, the Tassimo coffee machine can give you exactly what you want, when you want it.

Not only does a Tassimo look great in any kitchen, but thanks to manufacturer Bosch’s innovative 'flow heater technology' there’s virtually no heat-up time, so you don't have to wait, you can brew your drink right away.

The process also means that it only heats water only on demand, and then switches off immediately after each brewing cycle, so it's a green machine that has extremely low consumption levels.

You simply choose a 'pod' (the machine also makes a great cup of tea or hot chocolate), pop it into the machine and off you go. The XL size water tank also means that no matter how many people you are entertaining, no one has to wait long for their perfect cup.

There's a full range of coffee tastes and styles available in the pods, and there's even a special 'cleaning pod' tucked away in the back of the machine for a simple and straight forward cleaning regime.

The really clever bit is the 'Intelligent barcode technology' which reads the information on each pod and then goes into action with just the right amount of water, length of time and temperature to brew your cup of choice in precisely the right way.

Bank Holidays and Girls Holidays

2013-05-07T19:45:00.001+01:00

If I'm being totally honest I wasn't really looking forward to the bank holiday weekend. The thought of a weekend at Pontins in Southport did not fill me with excitement. I can honestly say now though that it doesn't matter if your accommodation resembles a prison camp with leaky showers and mouldy windows, as it's all about the company that you're with.

We went to Pontins for a football tour, Sam and 14 of his 11 and 12 year old team-mates, along with some of their parents, some of whom I had only met briefly and some that I hadn't met at all. First of all they had a team presentation where Sam picked up the Parent's Player of the Year award.

The boys then went on to do us all proud, over the 2 days of the tournament, winning all of their 8 games and then going on to win in the final after a very tense penalty shoot out. The boys were all so well behaved and proved themselves to be such great sportsmen when they not only picked up a trophy almost as big as some of the players, but also walked away with the Fair Play award.

We all had such a great time, with lots of laughs amongst the children and parents.

Hanna and Jack also had a great time, getting together with friends and making new ones. Jack is in his element playing with the boys from the football team, it's like he has 15 big brothers not just 1.

We enjoyed time on the beach, despite the cold northern winds

and lots of football playing

but now the time has come for my girls weekend away so I'm packing up and shipping out for 4 nights in Majorca. As usual I've left a few essentials for the family - a pan of bolognaise, a fully stocked fridge, cake and homemade cookies in the cookie jar.

Catch you on the other side.....

Walkers Hoops & Crosses {Review}

2013-05-07T11:50:00.000+01:00

Kids are experts at spotting ads for new products so a couple of weeks ago when Hanna spotted an ad outside Asda for new Walkers Hoops and Crosses she of course asked if we could try them. I gave my standard answer of "we'll see".

As we came towards the end of our shop I thought I'd got away without buying the snacks, when right in front of us was a huge display of the multiplack crisps - marvellous! My daughter certainly knows how to say the right things "they've only got 85 calories in each pack Mum, and they're made from wholegrains". Well to be honest I wasn't really thinking about the wholegrains at that point, quickly calculating that I could have a whole multipack of these on a fast day "oh ok then, I suppose" I said, tossing a pack of each of the three flavours (Roast Beef, Prawn Cocktail and Salt & Vinegar) into the trolley.

I only managed to try the Salt & Vinegar as the other flavours where snapped up quickly - one swimming gala and a week of the kids making their own lunchboxes and they were gone, so when I was asked a few days later if I wanted to try out these new crisps I decided to keep the information to myself - what the eye doesn't see and all that.

I received some of the Roast Beef flavour in the post and, although I'm not a fan of meaty crisps, they were really good and I scoffed them whilst the kids were all at school. Apparently all the flavours are suitable for vegetarians (not sure how that works to be honest, something involving soya protein), and don't contain any artificial colours or preservatives either, plus the 18g pack size is a good size for lunchboxes too.

My kids would like to thank Walkers for the cuddly monkey but thought it strange that there weren't any Hoops & Crosses with it!

I have received the products pictured as well as compensation for writing this review

5 Tips for Shopping with Children [guest post]

2013-05-06T22:02:00.000+01:00

You might share a love for shopping with many, many other mothers out there. But what if your toddler makes the whole experience harrowing rather than fun? While you can always indulge in some online shopping using discount codes such as the Bebe coupon to get the best deals, you will still have to go out to the shops from time to time. This is the time when you need to really know how to handle your child so that your shopping doesn’t get affected. In the following article we look into a few tips that you should keep in mind when shopping with kith kids...

#1: Remember Kids Have Limits

One of the things that many forget is that like adults, children have needs. And when you’re out shopping with them, you need to be aware of their needs. They can get hungry, tired, overexcited, etc. Or they may simply need a nice, warm hug from you. Know their limits.

#2: Team Up with a Mum Friend

It’s a fact that you’ll have more fun taking your toddler shopping with you if you make the whole experience social. Yes, what you can do is buddy up with another mum friend of yours so that you both can share the joys, the challenges or the adventure of shopping with kids. Besides that, you won’t have a problem trying out that outfit as your shop-mate keeps an eye on your young one.

#3: Bring Along that Pushchair

If you are looking to spend a few hours shopping with kids, then it makes sense to use a full size pushchair. No we’re not talking about the “umbrella stroller” but the real thing. A big and sturdy pushchair not only helps you with your child but also proves to be a good place to keep your purchases. Having such a comfy, roomy ride will definitely help your toddler keep calm and steady.

#4: Break Up the Shopping Trip

A challenge that many mothers tend to face is to have their toddlers wait while they do the shopping. The solution to this problem is take some breaks between shopping/browsing, in which you can have a snack in the cafe or the food court or take your child and let him/her have fun at the indoor playground. Plus all this activity may get your toddler tired, so it’ll be easier for you to get him to snooze whilst you carry on shopping.

#5: Make Time for Some Fun Time

Most of the shopping centres out there have a nice play area where the children can have real fun and calm down, especially if they’re uncomfortable and crying. But what if there is no such area? In such a scenario go and visit a book shop when you think it’s time for a “break”. This should make your child feel better as he or she gets to spend time with Curious George or The Hungry Caterpillar. Some child clothing or toy stores may also have “playground type” amenities so stopping here can make things easier for you and fun for your child.

So, while searching for the best discount deal at NerdWallet's coupon directory is the easy part, the hard part is actually doing offline shopping with your children. The tips above can help you get the most out of your shopping experience - even if you take your kids along with you. So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and apply these tips to see real-world results.

Consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this post

Laptops, Photography and Thai Turkey Curry

2013-05-02T15:50:00.000+01:00

I've been a little quiet on here this past week, not completely quiet but anyone that knows me knows that I'm never completely quiet. You see, my laptop died a miserable death a few days ago with the blue screen of death announcing its sudden demise. The timing was impeccable, happening just as I'd entered all passport details for myself and my friend for our flights next week for our few days away with other friends. I blame Ryanair totally.

I immediately called upon a very helpful local man who sounded quite positive that he would, at the least, be able to retrieve all the data from the hard drive. Well he sounded positive until I mentioned the noise coming from the machine when I turned it on. His upbeat tone disappeared slightly to be replaced by his 'let's try and be positive' voice. Two days later the bad news call came, despite numerous efforts the data couldn't be retrieved from the hard drive, it was well and truly stuck. For an extortionate amount of money it could be sent away for one last attempt, but with no guarantees. I decided not to go down that route and instead I am learning by my massive mistake of not backing anything up. I don't think I've lost any photos as one of the many useful things I learnt at the weekend whilst on a photography course is that even if you delete photos from your SD card you can still retrieve them with some special software.

Talking of the photography course, here is a selection of photos that I took during the day on the grounds of Shugborough Hall, Staffs.

I now know how to take reasonable photos off the Auto setting, so just need to practice lots. I think Jack was sick of me practising on him so he decided to set up a few props for me to photograph instead.

Now onto the main reason for this post before I wittered on about laptops and photography, Thai Turkey Curry. This is an amazingly simple recipe, and very quick to prepare and we all loved it. Oh and did I mention that I have a new laptop, but not just any laptop - I have a Macbook Pro, thanks to my good friend Hannah and her eagle eyed husband who spotted a great deal.

Thai Turkey Curry - serves 4

1 tbsp Olive oil
1 red onion, sliced
2 tbsp thai red curry paste
1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
350g turkey breast, cut into bite sized pieces
200g cream cheese
50 ml water
150g baby corn
Handful of fresh coriander

Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion and fry for 2 minutes until softened
Stir in the curry paste, sliced pepper and turkey pieces and cook for 4-5 minutes on a low heat until the turkey is cooked
Stir in the cream cheese, water and baby corn and heat through
Stir in the coriander just before serving

Chocolate Soreen Ice Cream

2013-04-30T17:24:00.001+01:00

We're rapidly running out of Chocolate Soreen as the kids love it - especially warmed up as it goes really gooey in centre. With our second to last loaf I decided to make something a little bit different.....

Chocolate Soreen Ice Cream

1 loaf of Chocolate Soreen Malt Loaf

397g Condensed milk
600ml double cream
150g dark chocolate - I used Dr Oetker Fine Cooks chocolate*
25g Cocoa Powder
25g Dark soft brown sugar
3 tbsp boiling water

Bake the malt loaf in a 180C oven for approx 10 minutes and then allow to cool
Meanwhile melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, or in the microwave on short bursts, then allow to cool for a few minutes
Mix the cocoa powder, sugar & boiling water together until you get a smooth sauce
Whisk the condensed milk, double cream, chocolate & cocoa powder sauce together until you reach soft peaks
Cut the malt loaf into small pieces (I used scissors for ease)
Stir the malt loaf into the ice cream mixture
Pour into a freezable lidded container for around 4 hours

You will end up with a rich chocolate ice cream with chewy crispy chunks of delicious malt loaf.

Make sure you get the Chocolate Soreen soon as its limited edition and won't be around forever. It should currently be available in Asda, although unfortunately not in our local one. If you tweet @SoreenHQ they should be able to tell you where your nearest stockist is.

I have been paid to spread the word about new Chocolate Soreen. All words and recipes are my own.

Thank you to everyone that nominated The Crazy Kitchen in the Britmums Brilliance in Blogging awards. Thanks to you I have been shortlisted in the Food category and would now appreciate a vote.....pretty please!

You can vote here : Bibs shortlist

*I was sent the Dr Oetker Cooks chocolate to use in my recipes

Lemon curd ice cream

2013-04-27T07:43:00.000+01:00

This is another very easy ice cream recipe, using the same basic ingredients as previously used (Nigella Lawson's genius idea) here, here and here. It's a great one for the Summer (when it finally arrives), and is lovely with fresh strawberries and meringue.

Lemon curd ice cream
600ml double cream
397g condensed milk
275g lemon curd

Whisk the cream, condensed milk & 125g lemon curd until it forms stiff peaks
Spoon into a freezable container
Stir through the remaining lemon curd, to leave ripples rather than combining it
Freeze for at least 4 hours

You can vote here : Bibs shortlist

5:2 Diet Low Calorie Ideas

2013-04-26T10:14:00.000+01:00

On a fast day I like to try and make my paltry 500 calories stretch as far as possible, giving me as much food as possible. I'd prefer to have five 100 calorie snacks in a day than one big 500 calorie meal, although most days I have 3 small meals.

It's no good eating biscuits as a 75 calorie digestive is not going to fill much of a gap and will probably leave you craving the rest of the packet. Instead here are a few ideas that I eat on a regular basis that help me to get through the day, especially when I haven't got much time to prepare something.

Bowl of sweets - 52 calories
well, frozen Morello cherries to be precise. Perfect for sweet lovers craving a fix - if you close your eyes & suck real hard they remind you of sour Haribo's.......sort of

Cheese on toast - 80 calories

I discovered Laughing Cow blue cheese triangles and then forgot about them. At only 25 calories each they give you a little bit of cheese without being packed full of calories. Spread one on a slice of toasted Nimble & top with a few slices of cucumber for a very light lunch.

Frothy Cappuccino - 16 calories
If you like a cappuccino but want to cut down on the calories then use unsweetend almond milk. Blue Diamond almond milk only contains 14 calories per 100ml, which is plenty for a coffee. I warm the milk up in the microwave and then add a shot of freshly brewed espresso, and top with a sprinkling of cinnamon - perfect for a cappuccino fix

Mushrooms on toast - 84 calories
1 slice of toasted Nimble with 200g of mushrooms (that's a lot of mushrooms) dry fried. I love this to start my day, along with a cappuccino

Continental breakfast - 144 calories
Another of my breakfast or mid morning favourites is a cappuccino along with 2 crackerbread with a slither of peanut butter (6g) and half a medium banana, and a sprinkling of cinnamon on the top. This feels like a real treat!

Coffee & Cake - 111 calories
Soreen lunchbox loaf really, at 95 calories and individually wrapped it's perfect for a fast day. Do not make the mistake of opening a loaf of chocolate Soreen on a fast day though - it might also be 95 calories per serving but have you ever tried cutting a malt loaf into 8 pieces and not shoving the squidged piece in your mouth.....I rest my case.

You can vote here : Bibs shortlist

Saving the Rainforest with SIGG

2013-04-26T07:30:00.000+01:00

A while ago I wrote about being a 'SIGG Mummy' and the SIGG reusable drinks bottles that we have. That was back in November 2011 and I can honestly say that those bottles are still used on a daily basis. Jack & Hanna take them to school in their lunchboxes as well using them in the house and out and about. Apart from being a little dented from being dropped on numerous occasions they've lasted well and have by far outlived cheaper reusable bottles.

We have now been lucky enough to receive some of the new 'Save the Rainforest' SIGG bottles. SIGG have teamed up with Cuipo (pronounced "Kwee-po") in an effort to save the Panamanian rainforest from deforestation. Cuipo's founders purchased rainforest land in a bid to permanently preserve it by allowing individuals to save the land in small increments, 'one meter at a time'.

This is where SIGG comes in, as for every reusuable SIGG bottle that you buy you will save one square metre of rainforest via Cuipo. Each bottle has a unique code that can be redeemed on the Cuipo website, and you can even see the piece of land that you've saved on a map.

As it is for all the SIGG bottles, they are of the usual high quality aluminium with flip caps or screw tops, which can also be bought separately and interchanged.

I have been sent 3 SIGG bottles for the purpose of this review

Gooey Malted Chocolate Slices

2013-04-25T19:32:00.001+01:00

Today we took delivery of some squidgy deliciousness that is the new Chocolate Soreen. There was much excitement in the Crazy Kitchen household, but on the promise of being able to try it later the kids were packed off to school with a Soreen lunchbox loaf.

Soreen have been around for 75 years did you know, creating malt loaf with the same unique recipe ever since. To celebrate this achievement they've decided to give their customers a little treat, and create a chocolate malt loaf - still all the squidginess of the original loaves but with the added luxury of chocolate chips.

I handed a few out at the school gate, and took some into preschool for the staff to share. A couple of the comments were 'so wrong, yet so right!' and 'it's not cake, it's not bread....it's just so lovely'.

I then came home, rummaged in the cupboards and made dessert that was gooey and squidgy and malty and chocolatey and.....bloody lovely!

Gooey Malted Chocolate Slices - serves 4 (ish)

1 loaf of Chocolate Soreen

8 slices of banana

8 Rolo's

2 tbsp Nutella

Slice the Soreen into 8 pieces
Lay 4 slices into a small buttered ovenproof dish
Lay the banana slices on top, and the Rolo's on top of those
Lay the remaining 4 slices of Soreen on top of the Rolo's and press down with the back of a fork
Spread the Nutella over the top
Cover with foil and bake in a 180 C oven for approx 20 minutes until the bananas have softened

This would be great served with ice cream but that will have to be next time as we had none. The Soreen was all gooey in the centre but crispy on the outside, a very similar texture to brownies.

Limited Edition Chocolate Soreen is available in Asda from today (25th April) for 6 weeks, and in Morrisons from 20th May for 3 weeks and Sainsbury's from 23rd May for 3 weeks - get them whilst you can!

I have been paid to spread the word about new Chocolate Soreen. All words and recipes are my own.

You can vote here : Bibs shortlist

Out with the Old

2013-04-25T14:36:00.001+01:00

Have you ever seen that tv show 'The Hoarder Next Door'? Some of the houses are shocking they really are. There are bedrooms that haven't been slept in for a decade due to the piles of clothes on the bed, dining tables that haven't seen the light of day since the turn of the century for all the newspapers covering them, and then there was one lady that collected anything with ladybirds on. She must've had half a dozen brooms with ladybirds on, all brand new.

It got me thinking though, as I'm a bit of a hoarder. Not anywhere near these extremes but I do have lots of 'I'll keep that just in case' things. The thing is we're running out of room. Don't get me wrong, you can still see my dining table, my bed is (mostly) free of clothes and I don't have any ladybird brooms, but I'm afraid to touch anything in my wardrobe for fear of an avalanche.

Enough was enough earlier in the week when I delved into my wardrobe to look for some summer items for my upcoming girls weekend away (it's currently raining in Majorca so I may not need them after all), & I got rained on by jeans.

Do I even need that many pairs of jeans?

Will I even wear most of them again?

Will this stop me buying more?

The answer to these questions is quite obviously a big fat NO. Will that make me get rid of them all? again, probably a no. I need to bite the bullet though and pile them all up, get out the laptop and make a bit of money via a website where you can sell your clothes, just by entering the details, packing them up and sending them off, for free. No getting up at the crack of dawn to set up a stall at the local carboot sale, no expensive auction or postal fees to deal with...simple.

I can then use the cash to go on a spending spree.......

for more jeans

image courtesy of next.co.uk

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2013-04-24T09:38:00.000+01:00

When you get asked if you want to try out some new chocolate it's a no brainer really, especially if it's connoisseur chocolate from Elizabeth Shaw. I could've kept the chocolate to myself but being the kind and generous Mum that I am I decided to make some cookies with one of the bars - dark chocolate Blackberry & Ginger. I didn't add any other flavour to the cookies to see how much the flavour of the chocolate would come through. You could definitely taste a fruitiness of the blackberries in the cookie, backed up with a mild ginger flavour, and the kids loved them!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

100g Butter, softened
125g Caster sugar
1 Egg
150g SR Flour
100g Elizabeth Shaw Blackberry & Ginger chocolate (ok maybe it was less than 100g as it's the cooks prerogative to try a little first), chopped

Beat the butter & sugar together until creamy
Beat the egg & add to the butter & sugar
Mix in the flour and the chopped chocolate
Take spoonfuls of the mix and place on a greased baking sheet, approx 5cm apart
Bake in a preheated 170 C oven for approx 8-10 minutes
Cool on a wire rack

I was sent some Elizabeth Shaw chocolate but wasn't obliged to write about it

You can vote here : Bibs shortlist

Red Thai Turkey Pizza

2013-04-23T09:30:00.002+01:00

Once again I've had the pleasure of being asked by Lean on Turkey to come up with a creative turkey recipe to prove that turkey most definitely is not just for Christmas. This time the challenge is to come up with a pizza or pasta recipe using fresh turkey. The first recipe that sprang to mind was spaghetti bolognaise using turkey mince but it didn't seem very adventurous so I decided to go down the pizza route. Instead of scattering cooked turkey breast on the top, which would seem the obvious choice, I used it instead of the tomato base, spicing it up slightly with a Thai paste.

It's a very quick meal to cook, especially as the base doesn't contain yeast so needs no proving time - only about 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.

Red Thai Turkey Pizza - serves 4

1 tbsp Olive oil
225g Turkey thigh mince
50g Red Thai paste
150g SR flour
1 tbsp Olive oil
100ml milk
150g grated Mozzarella cheese
1/2 small red pepper, sliced
2 mushrooms, sliced
4 mini corns, sliced
few slices of fresh red chilli

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan
Add the turkey mince and thai paste and cook on a medium heat until the turkey is cooked through, stirring regularly

Make the pizza base by mixing the flour, olive oil and milk together to form the dough - you may not need all of the milk so keep a little back until the dough is almost mixed and add it if it seems too dry
Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to fit your baking tray or pizza stone - mine was 30cm in diameter
Flour the baking tray and lay the rolled out dough on top

Spread the turkey mince over the base

Top with the mozzarella, then the pepper, mushrooms, corn and chilli

Bake in a preheated 180 C oven for approx 18-20 minutes until browned on top

A family meal enjoyed with chips and salad....

This is a sponsored post, however the recipe is my own

Thank you to everyone that nominated The Crazy Kitchen in the Britmums Brilliance in Blogging awards. Thanks to you I have been shortlisted in the Food category and would now appreciate a vote.....pretty please!
You can vote here : Bibs shortlist

A So-pisticated Afternoon Tea

2013-04-22T11:17:00.000+01:00

At the weekend I hosted an afternoon tea for a group of friends. Of course, with this particularly loud group of friends, it was never going to be a sophistcated affair. To the outside eye it certainly looked it though, we had sandwiches with the crusts cut 'orf' and cakes galore, not to mention the pretty little teaset and a collection of teapots.

Did I mention that the teapots were filled with cocktails? Cocktails were the basis for the afternoon tea idea after I was sent a couple of pouches of ready made cocktails from the MyCocktails range to try out. Remembering my friend telling me that she enjoyed cocktails in teacups poured from little china teapots a while ago my brain went into overdrive.

I decided that as well a serving the MyCocktails I would make a couple of others based upon tea, and came up with Cheeky Chocolate Chai and Flirty Summer Fruit cocktails (recipes below). I chose to serve a selection of sandwiches that I hoped would suit both my meat eating and vegetarian friends, as well as the odd fussy one that likes plain and simple, along with a selection of home-made cakes.

The MyCocktails are a genius concept for those that don't have a cupboard full of spirits but still like to enjoy the occasional cocktail in their own home. The 1.5 litre pouches have a dispensing tap making it easy to pour straight into the glass, or teacup in our case. The pouches also mean that they can be taken along to outdoor events such as festivals and concerts (drinking responsibly of course). We tried Cosmopolitan's and Woo Woo's and they were both a really pleasant drink, although quite sweet. You could certainly taste the alcohol in them and after a couple of teacups of each I managed to drop a tray of sandwiches whilst getting them out of the fridge - unfortunately I couldn't apply the 5 second rule as my friends were laughing so much and taking photos to post on all available social media outlets!

Apart from the small mishap with the sandwiches all went well and we had an amazing afternoon and evening with lots of laughs, lots of food and possibly too many cocktails, including the locally famous Flip Flop, invented by a friend whilst on holiday last year, and my favourite Kir Royale's (Chambord Raspberry Liquor and Champagne - introduced to me by fellow Chambord lover Heather).

I decorated the room with tissue paper Pom Poms, and bunting made from a pack of 'afternoon tea' paper that I found in Dunelm whist shopping for my bunting table covering. I also found some mini bunting in there that I used to decorate my cake stand and made some washi tape bunting which was hung between 2 paper straws to decorate the Victoria sponge. I bought a couple of bunches of flowers and popped them in empty jam jars which I decorated with a few strips of washi tape, and placed around the room.

Here's the menu for the afternoon, many of the items can be made in advance, such as the meringues and choux buns, and then filled with cream just before serving. I made the carrot cakes the day before, as well as the Victoria sponge and then filled it with cream on the day. Scones were made fresh a couple of hours before my guests arrived, as were the chocolate strawberries which were a last minute addition as I'd bought such a big punnet of strawberries. I also made the chai tea cocktail a couple of days previously and kept it in the fridge, along with the base for the fruit cocktail.

Sandwiches

Roast Beef & Rocket
Grilled Aubergine and green Pesto
Chicken Tikka
Cucumber
Ham

Cakes and Pastries

Victoria Sponge filled with fresh strawberries & whipped Cream

Raspberry Choux Buns

Chocolate Meringues

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

Mini Carrot cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Fruit Scones with Jam and Clotted Cream

Cocktails

Cheeky Chocolate Chai

Flirty Summer Fruits

Cosmopolitan

Woo Woo

Kir Royale

Cheeky Chocolate Chai Tea Cocktail

per person you will need:

75ml boiling water

2 Chai teabags

35ml dark Rum

35ml Baileys (or equivalent cream liquor)

20ml Double cream

1 tsp Nutella

Pour the boiling water over the teabags and leave for approx 20 minutes
Use a little of the tea to mix the Nutella to a sauce
Remove the teabags and allow to cool
Once the tea is cool mix with the rum, Baileys, cream & Nutella
Chill in the fridge before serving

Flirty Summer Fruit Tea Cocktail

per person you will need:

100ml Boiling water

2 fruit teabags (I used Twinings Strawberry & Raspberry)

30ml Vodka

1 tsp Chambord raspberry liquor

Sparkling Rose wine / Cava / Champagne

Make the tea up with the boiling water and teabags & leave for approx 20 minutes
Remove the teabags and allow to cool
Stir in the vodka and Chambord
Chill in the fridge until you're ready to use
To serve pour equal amounts of the fruit cocktail and sparkling wine, Cava or Champagne

As the afternoon drifted into the evening there may have been a small amount of singing and dancing, some of which may have taken place on a table. Any likeness in these pictures to anyone that you may see in a respectable day job is purely coincidental, it's definitely not them....honest.

I was sent 2 pouches of MyCocktail for the purpose of review. All other food & drink shown in this post was provided and paid for by myself.

MyCocktails are available from Asda for £13.99 with up to 14 servings in each pouch. On their Facebook page there is the chance to win a cocktail pouch weekly.