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<channel>
	<title>Feeding Boys &amp; a FireFighter</title>
	
	<link>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk</link>
	<description>Recipes &amp; tips for filling bottomless pits</description>
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		<title>Win: pancake party hamper</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/mTRWAzfggYo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/22/win-pancake-party-hamper/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 May 2013 07:00:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Competition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Win]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10616</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It doesn&#8217;t have to be Shrove Tuesday to break out the pancakes. Birthdays, lazy weekends, or just because you feel like it are all adequate pancake occasions in our house! If you&#8217;d like to win this fabulous hamper to fuel your very own pancake party then step this way folks&#8230; THE PRIZE The Abra-ca-Debora Pancake [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/abracadabra_hamper.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10617" alt="Abra-ca-Debora pancake hamper" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/abracadabra_hamper-300x300.jpg" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>It doesn&#8217;t have to be Shrove Tuesday to break out the pancakes. Birthdays, lazy weekends, or just because you feel like it are all adequate pancake occasions in our house!</p>
<p>If you&#8217;d like to win this fabulous hamper to fuel your very own pancake party then step this way folks&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>THE PRIZE</strong></p>
<p>The Abra-ca-Debora Pancake Hamper is a luxury wicker hamper containing sweet and savoury ingredients for a pancake party for 2 people with a retail value of £50.</p>
<p>It includes:</p>
<ul>
<li>a pack of Original and Sweet Abra-ca-Debora Dutch pancakes</li>
<li>a jar of chutney</li>
<li>a jar of Marmite</li>
<li>Green &amp; Black&#8217;s chocolate</li>
<li>Maple syrup</li>
<li>Golden icing sugar</li>
<li>1 lemon</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>HOW TO ENTER…</strong><br />
Fill in the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries<br />
Entries are via a mandatory blog comment, with bonus entries via Facebook, Twitter etc<br />
Please read the rules below<br />
Closing date midnight 30th June, 2013</p>
<p><a class="rafl" id="rc-0bc3d258" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0bc3d258/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></p>
<p><strong>How Rafflecopter Works</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear</li>
<li>If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript</li>
<li>You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment</li>
<li>Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!</li>
<li>Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries via Twitter</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Terms and Conditions</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>This giveaway is open to all readers over 18 with a postal address in the UK.</li>
<li>The winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter using an online randomiser and announced in a subsequent post.</li>
<li>I am running this competition on behalf of <em>Big Fish</em> who will be organising sending out the prize. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.</li>
<li>They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type/value if the prize above is not available.</li>
<li>The winner will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not reply within 7 days another winner may be chosen.</li>
<li>Instructions form part of the terms and conditions</li>
<li>Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.</li>
<li>No cheating please! I will check the winning entry to see that you have commented/tweeted/subscribed etc.</li>
<li>There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above, but please you MUST leave a comment on the competition blog page for any of your entries to count.</li>
<li>If you already like/follow comment in the rafflecopter widget then let me know to get your entries.</li>
</ul>
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		<item>
		<title>Guest post: Top 5 BBQ tips for a sizzling summer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/tGVeadxBp4g/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/21/guest-post-top-5-bbq-tips-for-a-sizzling-summer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2013 10:20:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Sponsored Post]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10634</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Sponsored Guest Post Nothing beats a summer barbecue with friends and family. It’s usually one of the true highlights of the sunny months. Summer breaks at Center Parcs are made complete by sparking up a barbecue outside of your lodge, surrounded by the beautiful British woodland. Knowing how much their guests enjoy this element of [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/kebabs_on_barbecue.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10636" alt="Lamb kofte on the BBQ" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/kebabs_on_barbecue.jpg" width="600" height="399" /></a></p>
<p><a title="Disclosure" href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/disclosure/"><span style="color: #000000; font-size: medium;"><b>Sponsored Guest Post</b></span></a></p>
<p>Nothing beats a summer barbecue with friends and family. It’s usually one of the true highlights of the sunny months. <a href="http://www.centerparcs.co.uk/summer_holidays.jsp" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Summer breaks at Center Parcs</a> are made complete by sparking up a barbecue outside of your lodge, surrounded by the beautiful British woodland. Knowing how much their guests enjoy this element of their short breaks, they are offering the below tips for making your summer sizzle.</p>
<p><b>Marinade the night before</b></p>
<p>This is a great way to get bags of flavour into your dishes. Grab a few simple marinade recipes (rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon and olive oil is a great combination) and massage it into the meat. Then cover with clingfilm and leave overnight in the fridge.</p>
<p>By the time you come to cook, it will have had hours for all of those delicious flavours to work their magic, infusing and enriching the flesh in ways that no supermarket table sauce ever could.</p>
<p><b>Flavour the coals</b></p>
<p>This is great tip from our culinary cousins in Australia. It’s the perfect way to make a special occasion that little bit more memorable.</p>
<p>If you are feeling adventurous then you could try getting hold of some tree resin, such as Frankincense. Add it to the hot coals and the woody flavours will mix with the smoke to add real warmth and depth to the flavour of your barbecue.</p>
<p><a name="_GoBack"></a>If you can’t get hold of tree resin, then an equally good alternative is to add a few generous bunches of fresh herbs, such as thyme and rosemary, to the hot coals.</p>
<p>In fact, there’s really no reason why you can’t do both.</p>
<p><b>Pre-boil your chicken </b></p>
<p>If you want to really impress your guests, then this professional chef’s trick is a must. All you do is pop your chicken thighs and legs into a large saucepan of seasoned boiling water and leave to cook for 10 to 15 minutes before placing on the barbecue.</p>
<p>This cooks the chicken through beforehand, so you don’t get chicken that’s raw on the inside and burnt on the outside. But above all, as the chicken boils, it also absorbs all the water. So when it’s placed over the coals it crisps up yet retains all that lovely moisture in the middle.</p>
<p><b>Leave the meat alone</b></p>
<p>One of the secrets of a great barbeque is to resist the urge to bother the meat as it cooks. Leave it to cook, flipping it only once or twice, and it will develop its own lovely caramelised crust. Continuous agitation only serves to prevent this from happening.</p>
<p>Sausages in particular should be left alone, and should certainly not be pierced beforehand. Also remember that if you keep squashing everything down you will release all the juices and end up with a dry end product. Just leave it alone.</p>
<p><b>Rest before eating</b></p>
<p>Giving the meat just five to ten minutes resting time is a great way to ensure that all the flavours have a chance to settle.</p>
<p>That is because when a piece of meat is just cooked it tastes quite fatty, and a lot of juice will run down your chin if you bite into it. So leaving it to rest is the sure fire way to provide guest with the succulent and tasty version that you want them to remember. The golden rule is that when it comes to great barbecues, patience really is the key.</p>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Behind the scenes at KFC</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/FP2vBnhsFK4/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/20/behind-the-scenes-at-kfc/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 May 2013 07:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Product reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Restaurant review]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10549</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last week I was invited behind the scenes at KFC. I&#8217;ll be honest, it&#8217;s not a place I choose to eat in having heard one too many horror stories about the welfare of the chickens. It&#8217;s not that we&#8217;re totally averse to fast food in our household. For us it&#8217;s an occasional treat brought on by [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/kfc_logo_600.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10600" alt="KFC logo" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/kfc_logo_600-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>Last week I was invited behind the scenes at KFC. I&#8217;ll be honest, it&#8217;s not a place I choose to eat in having heard one too many horror stories about the welfare of the chickens.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not that we&#8217;re totally averse to fast food in our household. For us it&#8217;s an occasional treat brought on by long motorway journeys or extreme parental tiredness. I&#8217;m pretty diligent about the boys&#8217; diet so I try not to make a habit of it.</p>
<p>So I was really curious about what I&#8217;d find at KFC and naturally went with a long list of questions about nutrition and welfare. I thought i&#8217;d give you the lowdown on what I gleaned from the session.</p>
<p><strong>Who did we talk to?</strong></p>
<p>Chris Fells, Product Excellence Director<br />
Mark Baxter, Head of Research and Development</p>
<p>I was impressed by their open approach and willingness to answer any question we threw at them. They&#8217;re clearly on a mission to get the message out there.</p>
<p><strong>So what about animal welfare? </strong><strong>Where does the chicken come from?</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/british_chicken.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10607" alt="Chicken waving British flag" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/british_chicken-300x246.png" width="300" height="246" /></a></p>
<p>All of KFC&#8217;s on-the-bone chicken is sourced from Red Tractor certified British farms. However, according to the RSPCA, Red Tractor is not primarily a welfare scheme and &#8220;welfare standards for some species often simply reflect the UK minimum legal level with few additional requirements.&#8221;</p>
<p>A report last year backed by the Compassion in World Farming slated the Red Tractor label, which allows among other things chickens to be crammed into sheds with barely any space to move. <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/news/the-good-food-stamp-barely-worth-the-label-its-printed-on-7697854.html" target="_blank">Read more here</a></p>
<p><strong>So what did the chaps at KFC have to say about welfare standards?</strong></p>
<p>As well as sticking to the basic Red Tractor standards, they are committed to what they call a &#8220;natural enrichment&#8221; programme. This means introducing more natural light into the sheds where the chickens live and providing objects for them to climb on and peck at. These standards are currently in place at 75% of their suppliers, and they&#8217;re aiming for 100% by 2014.</p>
<p>They showed us a short video of what it&#8217;s like inside a chicken shed at Moy Park Farm, one of their suppliers. It was hardly a YouTube horror show, but it didn&#8217;t feel like a very natural environment for the birds at the same time. You can make up your own mind by watching it here</p>
<p><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6il4YpZBOWA" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Not all of KFC&#8217;s chicken comes from Britain though</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong>The meat in their non-boned products like fillets, popcorn chicken and zingers is imported from the EU, Brazil and Thailand. So how do they keep an eye on standards further afield?</p>
<p>Well they use third party independent inspectors to make sure the suppliers are committed to providing equal levels of standards to the Red Tractor label. They can&#8217;t raise the bar as high as the enrichment programme, but insisted that the birds have more space per square metre than in the UK.</p>
<p>I&#8217;d be interested to see video footage from these suppliers&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>What about eggs?</strong></p>
<p>They have made a commitment to use 100% free range eggs and received a Compassion in Farming Good Egg Award in 2012&#8230; but how far have they got with this?</p>
<p>The answer at the moment is that they use free range eggs in all their special breakfast menu products (currently available in Scotland) but eventually hope to use free range eggs as ingredients across their entire range within the next few years.</p>
<p><strong>Supply and demand</strong></p>
<p>What it came down to with both the chicken and the eggs is cost &#8211; using free range/organic and therefore more expensive ingredients risks losing their &#8220;price sensitive&#8221; customers.</p>
<p>Supply is also an issue at play here. With 850 stores in the UK they need enough chicken to supply all of these outlets. KFC say there is not enough high welfare meat and eggs available to them. That&#8217;s quite depressing!</p>
<p><strong>Overall conclusion on welfare?</strong> It&#8217;s refreshing that they have an awareness and are trying to improve things little by little. But at the end of the day if you&#8217;re really concerned about how the animals are treated that provide the meat for your meals and opt for free range or organic meat you wouldn&#8217;t eat in any fast food outlets.</p>
<p><strong>So how about nutrition?</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_10599" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/original-recipe-meal-productimage.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-10599" alt="Original recipe meal" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/original-recipe-meal-productimage-300x260.jpg" width="300" height="260" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Original recipe meal</p></div>
<p>Fried chicken is never going to be something you should eat every day. The KFC ethos seems to be that it should be regarded as a treat, but they have a responsibility to offer more healthier choices on their menu for their regular visitors.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s almost irrelevant whether lots of people are actually buying the salads and grilled products, but it&#8217;s admirable that they&#8217;re taking responsibility for what they&#8217;re selling and what goes into it.</p>
<p><strong>I&#8217;ll have fries with that&#8230;</strong></p>
<p>Personally I like the fact that there are healthier sides to choose from at KFC like corn on the cob and baked beans &#8211; both options that my children would eat.</p>
<p>They also don&#8217;t salt their chips like they do at McDonald&#8217;s which is progress.</p>
<p><strong>But what about wider salt levels?</strong> Well this is what they say&#8230;</p>
<p><em>W</em><em>e&#8217;re always looking for more ways to cut salt while keeping our menu tasty. This is why we signed the Government&#8217;s Salt Pledge – a commitment to keep reducing salt and provide regular progress.</em></p>
<p>I had a good scour through the KFC website and the mini fillet burger on the kids menu contains over half your child&#8217;s (age 4-6) recommended 3g daily intake.</p>
<div id="attachment_10598" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/categorypage-kids-choice.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-10598" alt="kids menu at KFC" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/categorypage-kids-choice-300x209.jpg" width="300" height="209" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Kids meal at KFC</p></div>
<p>So while they&#8217;ve cut down on a lot of the salt in their products, there&#8217;s still a way to go. It was interesting hearing how they&#8217;re working with different sizes of salt granules and how this affects the way you taste food to try and achieve using less salt without people being able to taste the difference.</p>
<p>We took part in a taste test while we were there to see if we could spot which piece of chicken had less salt in, and none of us supposed foodies got it right. I mistook the chicken with a stronger flavour as being more salty, when this was actually down to other seasonings.</p>
<p>To be fair to them, they don&#8217;t hide the salt, it&#8217;s there for all to see on their website, so as a parent you can make a calculated choice about what you feed your child if you happen to take them there.</p>
<p><strong>Heavily processed?</strong></p>
<p>If you stick to the on-the-bone colonel&#8217;s recipe chicken, you&#8217;re getting fresh British chicken, it&#8217;s never frozen, and it&#8217;s prepared in store by hand.</p>
<p>The only product that isn&#8217;t prepared in store is the popcorn chicken.</p>
<p><strong>Overall impressions</strong></p>
<p>I went in feeling sceptical and came out feeling informed and pleasantly surprised by the team&#8217;s warmth and genuine desire to improve the standards in both welfare and nutrition.</p>
<p><strong>Would I start eating at KFC?</strong></p>
<p>We won&#8217;t go as a family as they have absolutely no vegetarian options, but I certainly feel more comfortable with the idea of taking the boys there should the need arise. Plus their zinger chicken salad is DELICIOUS and only 295 calories <img src='http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/zinger-salad-productimage.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10597" alt="Zinger salad" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/zinger-salad-productimage-300x260.jpg" width="300" height="260" /></a></p>
<p><em><strong>Thanks to the team at KFC for inviting us along to their head office in Woking. The cost of our travel was included and we were fed till we were fit to burst. These are my honest views and I have not been paid to write this blog post.</strong></em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Review: picnic product round-up</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/BYVcX_W3ars/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/17/review-picnic-product-round-up/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 12:43:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Review]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Product reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10464</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;re looking for ready-made products to shove in your picnic bag this summer, on the off-chance that there&#8217;s a big enough gap in the clouds that is, then i&#8217;ve got a little round-up for you of some gems on the shelves at your local supermarket. Walkers Hoops and Crosses These fun and crispy treats [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>If you&#8217;re looking for ready-made products to shove in your picnic bag this summer, on the off-chance that there&#8217;s a big enough gap in the clouds that is, then i&#8217;ve got a little round-up for you of some gems on the shelves at your local supermarket.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Walkers Hoops and Crosses</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/walkers-baked-hoops-and-cro.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10582" alt="Walkers hoops and crosses" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/walkers-baked-hoops-and-cro-300x222.jpg" width="300" height="222" /></a></p>
<p>These fun and crispy treats are baked and contain wholegrain, so feel like a healthier option on the crisp front. They come in three flavours &#8211; roast beef, salt &amp; vinegar and prawn cocktail. They&#8217;re all pretty lip smacking, so if you like strong flavours then these will suit you. They&#8217;re also only 85 calories a pack which is great news for us snack prone mummies!</p>
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<p id="yui_3_7_2_1_1368714409141_36884"><strong><em>Walkers Hoops and Crosses available in packs of 6 x 23g multipacks, priced at £1.59</em></strong></p>
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<ul>
<li><strong>Metcalfe&#8217;s Skinny topcorn</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/skinny_topcorn.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10587" alt="skinny topcorn" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/skinny_topcorn-244x300.jpg" width="244" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Popcorn is everywhere these days, and personally I love having a lighter choice available on the days i&#8217;m watching my calorie intake more closely. I tend to pop my own popcorn for the children to save money, but these bags come in fantastic flavours and are easy to just grab and go when you&#8217;re pressed for time.</p>
<p>I loved the sweet &#8216;n salt and heat &#8216;n sweet flavours as i&#8217;m one of those weird freaks that likes to mix sweet and salty flavours. I also like the sound of sweet cinammon and think my boys would too.</p>
<p><em><strong>£0.79 for 25g at Ocado and Tesco</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Abra-ca-Debora <strong>Diddy </strong>Dutch pancakes</strong></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/diddy_pancakes.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10581" alt="Diddy pancakes" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/diddy_pancakes-300x213.jpg" width="300" height="213" /></a></p>
<p>Just the cutest little pancakes &#8211; such a great idea for picnic puddings or to stifle rumbling tummies on car journies. You can just eat them cold or dress them up with fruit and a dusting of icing sugar. You could even spread them with nutella and make lickle pancake chocolate sandwiches. Love miniature things!</p>
<p>Makes a change from those extortionate pots of mini rocky roads and flapjacks&#8230;</p>
<p><em><strong>In the chiller cabinet at Waitrose, £1.49</strong></em></p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Aldi range</strong></li>
</ul>
<p>As ever the German supermarket continues to impress with it&#8217;s supremely good value  products, and their picnic friendly range is no exception. They sent me a whole boxful of items to try, but here&#8217;s what particularly impressed me:</p>
<p><strong>Village bakery rolls</strong></p>
<p>Soft and delicious, generous size and perfect for shoving in the freezer ready for picnic days and outdoor adventures.</p>
<p><b><i> </i></b></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/aldi_multiseed_deli_rolls.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-10580" alt="Multiseed deli rolls" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/aldi_multiseed_deli_rolls-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-10579" alt="Aldi cheese topped rolls" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/aldi_cheese_topped_rolls.jpg" width="180" height="216" /></p>
<p><em><strong>multi-seeded deli (69p for 4) or cheese topped (59p for 4)</strong></em></p>
<p><strong>Dairyfine bubbles Minis</strong></p>
<p>Aldi&#8217;s chocolate offerings have always been impressive, and their take on Aero are really brilliant for out and about snacking. Small and individually wrapped so ideal for a little treat to save the day when someone needs distracting after falling over or as a reward for being extra good!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/image014.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10578" alt="Aldi Bubbles Minis" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/image014.jpg" width="209" height="203" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Aldi £1.29 for 185g</strong></p>
<p><em>Thanks to all the brands who have sent me samples to review for this feature. I have chosen a selection of the best, offered my honest opinion and not been paid to write this.</em></p>
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		<item>
		<title>Win: Melt ice-cream book</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/c78pxOmDNbM/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/15/win-melt-ice-cream-book/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 May 2013 19:27:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Competition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Win]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[book]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[competition]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prize]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[win]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10465</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If you&#8217;ve ever fancied dabbling with your own home-made ice-cream &#8211; then i&#8217;ve got a fantastic new book to giveaway &#8211; well 2 copies of it actually. Perky looking ice cream queen Claire Kelsey, pictured above in her retro van, is the owner of Manchester-based Ginger&#8217;s Comfort Emporium. She&#8217;s been knocking people&#8217;s hats off at food [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MELT-COVER-HR.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10561" alt="Melt by Claire Kelsey" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/MELT-COVER-HR-804x1024.jpg" width="610" height="776" /></a></p>
<p>If you&#8217;ve ever fancied dabbling with your own home-made ice-cream &#8211; then i&#8217;ve got a fantastic new book to giveaway &#8211; well 2 copies of it actually.</p>
<p>Perky looking ice cream queen Claire Kelsey, pictured above in her retro van, is the owner of Manchester-based <a href="http://www.gingerscomfortemporium.com/" target="_blank">Ginger&#8217;s Comfort Emporium</a>. She&#8217;s been knocking people&#8217;s hats off at food and music festivals with her quirky flavours of ice cream.</p>
<p>She romped home as the overall winner of the 2012 British Street Food Awards and also landed the Best Dessert award for her intriguing sounding Marmalade on Toast ice cream.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;re a flavour experimentalist then this is definitely the book for you, with some really quite out there combinations going on:</p>
<ul>
<li>Guinness and gingerbread</li>
<li>Chocolate, red wine, clove and black pepper</li>
<li>White chocolate and pink peppercorn</li>
</ul>
<p>But there are also some less challenging utterly delicious sounding ones like</p>
<ul>
<li>Sloe Gin Fizz</li>
<li>Peanut Butter and Salted Caramel</li>
<li>Rhubarb and ginger sorbet</li>
</ul>
<p>Mmmmm if the sun won&#8217;t come out i&#8217;ll be making these flavours anyway godammit! If you want to try and catch Claire and her ice cream wares up close then <a href="http://www.gingerscomfortemporium.com/?page_id=42" target="_blank">visit her website</a> for her latest events.</p>
<p>Otherwise, read on to find out how you can enter my competition to recreate her recipes at home&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>THE PRIZE</strong></p>
<p>Two copies of <i>Melt </i>by Claire Kelsey, published by Simon &amp; Shuster and priced at £18.99</p>
<p><strong>HOW TO ENTER…</strong><br />
Fill in the Rafflecopter widget below to verify your entries<br />
Entries are via a mandatory blog comment, with bonus entries via Facebook, Twitter etc<br />
Please read the rules below<br />
Closing date midnight 30th June, 2013</p>
<p><a class="rafl" id="rc-0bc3d257" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0bc3d257/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><br />
<script type="text/javascript" src="//d12vno17mo87cx.cloudfront.net/embed/rafl/cptr.js"></script></p>
<p><strong>How Rafflecopter Works (short video)</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>If there is no form hit refresh (f5) and it should appear</li>
<li>If it still not working check that your computer is running Javascript</li>
<li>You need to complete the mandatory entry first – usually making a blog comment</li>
<li>Rafflecopter will tweet, like and follow on your behalf making it really easy to enter!</li>
<li>Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries via Twitter</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Terms and Conditions</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>This giveaway is open to all readers over 18 with a postal address in the UK.</li>
<li>The winners will be chosen via Rafflecopter using an online randomiser and announced in a subsequent post.</li>
<li>I am running this competition on behalf of <em>Simon &amp; Shuster</em> who will be organising sending out the prizes. Their decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.</li>
<li>They reserve the right to substitute the prize for one of a similar type/value if the prize above is not available.</li>
<li>The winners will be contacted by e-mail, if they do not reply within 7 days another winner may be chosen.</li>
<li>Instructions form part of the terms and conditions</li>
<li>Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will be disqualified.</li>
<li>No cheating please! I will check the winning entry to see that you have commented/tweeted/subscribed etc.</li>
<li>There is one main way to enter and several ways to get bonus entries, including bonus daily entries. Follow the instructions in the form above, but please you MUST leave a comment on the competition blog page for any of your entries to count.</li>
<li>If you already like/follow comment in the rafflecopter widget then let me know to get your entries.</li>
</ul>
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		<title>Zombie birthday cake</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/djOOHmRwtL4/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/13/zombie-birthday-cake/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 08:00:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Party]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10534</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Arlo is obsessed with zombies. I think it comes from a combination of Scooby Doo and the Plants Vs Zombies game on the iPad. So when I asked him what kind of cake he&#8217;d like for his fourth birthday party, it had to be a depiction of the living dead. Naturally. We didn&#8217;t want to [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/birthday_zombie_cake_complete.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10537" alt="Zombie cake" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/birthday_zombie_cake_complete.jpg" width="400" height="600" /></a></p>
<p>Arlo is obsessed with zombies. I think it comes from a combination of Scooby Doo and the Plants Vs Zombies game on the iPad. So when I asked him what kind of cake he&#8217;d like for his fourth birthday party, it had to be a depiction of the living dead. Naturally.</p>
<p>We didn&#8217;t want to give the other children at the party nightmares, so after ruling out most of the gruesome looking cakes we found on Pinterest, we decided to model the cake on the more adorable zombie out of the Plants Vs Zombies game.</p>
<p>Like last year it was a team effort, with me baking  the cake and Matthew taking creative leadership with the fondant icing.</p>
<p><strong>How did we do it?</strong></p>
<p>I used my staple <a title="Super-quick chocolate fudge cake" href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2011/02/14/super-quick-chocolate-fudge-cake/">chocolate cake recipe</a>, using all the batter to fill a lined 25cm square loose bottomed cake tin.</p>
<p>After it cooled Matthew cut sections of the cake out of the bottom to create a jaw line, and shaved a shallow well to create a recess for the mouth.</p>
<p>He then rolled out grey fondant icing until very thin and after brushing the sponge with raspberry jam that had been warmed in the microwave, he carefully covered it with the fondant.</p>
<p>Any splits in the icing were cleverly turned into wounds oozing raspberry jam. The rest of the features simply cut out of different coloured rolled fondant icing.</p>
<p>Fondant icing is brilliant as it gives such a crisp finish for novelty cakes.</p>
<p><strong>The party</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/feeding-boys43.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10539" alt="feeding boys43" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/feeding-boys43-1024x682.jpg" width="610" height="406" /></a></p>
<p>We joined forces with Arlo&#8217;s best buddy James and hit the local sports centre complete with bouncy castle and loads of their friends from nursery.</p>
<p>Sharing a party is just brilliant. Not only does it halve the costs, but you can split the tasks and it leaves you with more time to actually take in a bit of what&#8217;s going on rather than manically running around with plates of sandwiches and jugs of squash.</p>
<p>We served up a simple selection of sandwiches, mini sausages, crisps, popcorn, carrot, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. And as usual about a quarter of it was eaten!</p>
<p>We ditched plastic-filled party bags in favour of a book, a <a title="Birthday marshmallow pops" href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/01/14/birthday-marshmallow-pops/">marshmallow pop</a> and a slice of cake for each of the revellers.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/birthday_marshmallow_pops.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10540" alt="Marshmallow pops" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/birthday_marshmallow_pops.jpg" width="400" height="600" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Another birthday</strong></p>
<p>It also reminded me that one of my first ever blog posts was about <a title="Arlo’s Birthday Picnic" href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2010/05/02/arlos-birthday-picnic/">Arlo&#8217;s 1st birthday</a> celebration &#8211; so Feeding Boys and a Firefighter is three years old this month! Can&#8217;t quite believe how much Arlo has changed in that time, as has my life!</p>
<p>Have a good week everyone <img src='http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Easy pasta bake recipes</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/fjAqKEe6to4/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/09/easy-pasta-bake-recipes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 May 2013 14:12:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[One Pot]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pasta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Quick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Vegetarian]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gnocchi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pasta]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10513</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I wanted to share some of the recipes and photographs from the latest photoshoot I styled for The Good Food Channel website. Summer may not seem like the ideal time for pasta bakes, but these recipes have a touch of blue skies about them and are super easy to knock up for children in need [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div id="attachment_10516" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 609px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_chorizo_bake_serving.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10516" alt="Serving chorizo pasta bake" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_chorizo_bake_serving.jpg" width="599" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photograph by Sharron Gibson</p></div>
<p>I wanted to share some of the recipes and photographs from the latest photoshoot I styled for <a href="http://uktv.co.uk/goodfood/homepage/sid/566" target="_blank">The Good Food Channel website</a>.</p>
<p>Summer may not seem like the ideal time for pasta bakes, but these recipes have a touch of blue skies about them and are super easy to knock up for children in need of an energy fix.</p>
<p>The boys are exhausted at the moment, Sam is currently working hard for his SATS at school and Arlo is just busy being Arlo which let me tell you is full-on! They both need waking up in the morning rather than hammering down our doors which is still freaking me out a bit!</p>
<p>So carbohydrate-rich comfort food is pretty ideal to keep them motoring&#8230;</p>
<p>Anyway enjoy the pictures and visit the links on the Good Food Channel website to get my recipes.</p>
<p><strong>Baked gnocchi with spinach, tomato and mozzarella</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_10517" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_gnocchi_bake.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10517" alt="Gnochhi bake with spinach, tomato and mozzarella" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_gnocchi_bake.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photograph by Sharron Gibson</p></div>
<p>This is easy and very cheesy, but also gets some iron-rich spinach into the mix. It&#8217;s a super tasty and quick supper to throw together for a busy weeknight.</p>
<p><a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/657170" target="_blank">Get the recipe here&gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p><strong>Chorizo pasta bake</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_10518" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 609px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_chorizo_bake.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10518" alt="Chorizo pasta bake" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_chorizo_bake.jpg" width="599" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photography by Sharron Gibson</p></div>
<p>This recipes packs a huge punch of flavour with the chunks of red pepper really soaking up the paprika from the chorizo. Leave out the chilli flakes if your little ones don&#8217;t like spice. I&#8217;d forgotten how delish chorizo is and will now be using it in everything &#8211; like toppings for home made pizzas.</p>
<p><a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/657169" target="_blank">Get the recipe here&gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p><strong>Mini macaroni and cauliflower cheeses</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_10519" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 409px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_mini_macaroni_cauliflower_cheeses.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10519" alt="Mini macaroni and cauliflower cheeses" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_mini_macaroni_cauliflower_cheeses.jpg" width="399" height="600" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photograph by Sharron Gibson</p></div>
<p>Such a family classic, but adding cauliflower lightens things up a bit. Serving them up in individual dishes makes them appealing to children &#8211; just be careful to let them cool down enough first so little fingers don&#8217;t get burnt.</p>
<p><a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/657065" target="_blank">Get the recipe here&gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p><strong>Spagetti bolognese bake</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_10520" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_spaghetti_bolognese_bake.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10520" alt="Spaghetti bolognese bake" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_spaghetti_bolognese_bake.jpg" width="400" height="600" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photograph by Sharron Gibson</p></div>
<p>We&#8217;re still getting chilly evenings, and this twist on spag bol is perfect for warming your cockles. Breaking the spaghetti in half makes it easier to serve up and eat, and the crispy topped cheese and spinach sauce is a real treat.</p>
<p><a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/657171" target="_blank">Get the recipe here&gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p><strong>Creamy spinach gnocchi</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_10521" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 610px"><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_creamy_spinach_gnocchi.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10521" alt="Creamy spinach gnocchi" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pasta_creamy_spinach_gnocchi.jpg" width="600" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Photograph by Sharron Gibson</p></div>
<p>I didn&#8217;t create the recipe for this final dish, but we needed to get a picture of it for the website. It was absolutely delicious and ridiculously easy to make. Ready-made gnocchi really is just one of the BEST express meals. This recipe is lifted by lemon zest in the creamy sauce with a hit of chilli &#8211; yum!</p>
<p><a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/656542" target="_blank">Get the recipe here&gt;&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p>We also made a LOT of cake on this photoshoot which i&#8217;ll be telling you about very soon&#8230;</p>
<p>Thanks to Sharron at <a href="http://www.theimagegarden.co.uk/" target="_blank">The Image Garden</a> for taking such fab pics of my food and to Anna for her magic touches <img src='http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
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		<title>Review: kMix Blender</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/nQbYDy_ZLgk/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/06/review-kmix-blender/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 08:00:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Product reviews]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10494</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I was sent this rather beautiful kMix blender to test from the lovely people at Kenwood,  and as you can see it looked like it had always meant to be in my kitchen. Did they mean to send me it in red to match my mixer or was that a coincidence? Anyway how did we [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/feeding-boys41.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10495" alt="Review of kMix Blender" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/feeding-boys41-1024x682.jpg" width="610" height="406" /></a></p>
<p>I was sent this rather beautiful kMix blender to test from the lovely people at Kenwood,  and as you can see it looked like it had always meant to be in my kitchen. Did they mean to send me it in red to match my mixer or was that a coincidence? Anyway how did we get on&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>Looks: </strong>Full marks on this front &#8211; a happy harmony of vintage style with modern functionality. It comes in loads of different eye popping colours so you can match it to the rest of your kitchen. The glass jug sends you straight back to the 1950s.</p>
<p><strong>Performance: </strong>It&#8217;s not just a work surface dolly, this machine is far more powerful than the plastic one I had been using. I use a blender a lot in my kitchen for soups and smoothies as well as a quick way to blitz up breadcrumbs.</p>
<p>My previous cheapo blender struggled to get things really smooth and the plastic soon started to snap and break leading to annoying leakage. The kMix has a sturdy and generous 1.6 litre glass jug with a supertight sealed lid that doesn&#8217;t let anything escape.</p>
<p>Once you&#8217;ve set it in motion, you quickly see why you pay for what you get. The 800W motor roars into life and rapidly makes light work of the jug&#8217;s contents.</p>
<p><strong>Settings:</strong> It helpfully has three different settings &#8211; drinks, ice and dips reflecting what you&#8217;ll be using it for. You can also choose to pulse or keep it on continually.</p>
<p><strong>Controls:</strong> Easy to use, nice big buttons and a tiny light to indicate it&#8217;s on.</p>
<p><strong>Maintenance:</strong> It comes apart easily so is a cinch to wash up.</p>
<p><strong>Cost:</strong>  £119.99. It&#8217;s an investment but also worth the money as you&#8217;re not only getting something that looks amazing, but it&#8217;s got the performance to boot. Its direct competitor would be the vintage looking KitchenAid blender which comes in at a pricier £159.99, yet its motor is only packing 550W.</p>
<p><strong>Overall verdict:</strong> Great if you want a blender to sit out and look smokin&#8217; hot on your work surface but need the performance under the hood to match.</p>
<p><strong>Recipe</strong></p>
<p>Our family&#8217;s favourite things to make in blenders are shakes and smoothies. It&#8217;s a great way to get fruit and a kick of energy into the boys on a saturday morning after a long week at school. It&#8217;s also brilliant for Matthew when he&#8217;s come home after a busy night shift in need of a quick refuel before hitting the hay. I add a shot of espresso into mine, mother&#8217;s little helper and all that&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>Banana and nutella breakfast shake<br />
</strong>makes 2</p>
<p>1 ripe banana<br />
1 tbsp nutella<br />
pinch cinammon<br />
2 glasses milk</p>
<p><strong>optional extras</strong><br />
shot of espresso (grown ups only)<br />
tbsp smooth peanut butter (for a super energy boost)</p>
<p>Load all the ingredients into the blender and blitz for a couple of minutes for an ultra smooth and bubbly drink.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/feeding-boys42.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10497" alt="Banana and nutella smoothie" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/feeding-boys42-1024x682.jpg" width="610" height="406" /></a></p>
<p><em>Thanks to Kenwood for lending me the kMix Blender to test for this review. You can find out more about the range by visiting <a href="http://www.kenwoodworld.com/uk/All-Products/kMix-by-Kenwood/kMix-Blender/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.kenwood.com</a></em></p>
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		<title>Rhubarb and orange mini loaf cakes</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/co/ChDr/~3/H9hBbpQV_FE/</link>
		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/05/01/rhubarb-and-orange-mini-loaf-cakes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 01 May 2013 08:00:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Packed lunch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sweet Recipes]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[I love cooking with rhubarb &#8211; it&#8217;s such a beautiful ingredient that brings a mouth whalloping tang along wherever it goes. I don&#8217;t have a super sweet tooth, so really enjoy the sourness of rhubarb in desserts. Sara Buenfield&#8217;s recipe for rhubarb and orange cake in May&#8217;s Good Food Magazine has been on my to-bake list [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I love cooking with rhubarb &#8211; it&#8217;s such a beautiful ingredient that brings a mouth whalloping tang along wherever it goes. I don&#8217;t have a super sweet tooth, so really enjoy the sourness of rhubarb in desserts.</p>
<p>Sara Buenfield&#8217;s recipe for rhubarb and orange cake in May&#8217;s <a href="http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/" target="_blank">Good Food Magazine</a> has been on my to-bake list for a couple of weeks, and I finally found some time to give it a go.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/feeding-boys39.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-10437" alt="Making rhubarb and orange mini loaf cakes" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/feeding-boys39-1024x682.jpg" width="610" height="406" /></a></p>
<p>I adapted it slightly and decided to make mini loaf cakes instead of one big cake. Loaf cakes are perfectly portioned, freezable and portable for picnics or breakfasts on the move. You can pick up the coffee shop-esque loaf cake cases in the baking aisle at most supermarkets these days, but I get mine from <a href="http://www.sainsburys.co.uk/groceries/index.jsp?bmUID=1366881197591" target="_blank">Sainsbury&#8217;s</a>.</p>
<p>The texture of this cake is wonderful. A crusty almond-flecked topping giving way to a soft puddingy orange and almond sponge with fabulous nuggets of lively rhubarb.</p>
<p>I had to scoff one fresh from the oven as it was totally irresistible! Sam got stuck into one after school &#8211; he loved the sponge but studiously avoided eating any rhubarb, looking revolted by the stringy tendrils on the end of his fork. Matthew hoofed one down for dessert and then again for breakfast the next morning so it definitely got the firefighter&#8217;s approval.</p>
<p>If I made them again i&#8217;d split the cake batter and fold rhubarb through one portion and leave the rest plain for the boys &#8211; that&#8217;s another virtue of loaf cakes &#8211; you can customise them to order!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rhubarb_orange_cake_finished.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10436" alt="Rhubarb and orange mini loaf cakes" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rhubarb_orange_cake_finished.jpg" width="267" height="400" /></a></p>
<p><strong>Rhubarb and orange mini loaf cakes</strong> (adapted from BBC Good Food Magazine)<br />
Makes 12-14</p>
<p>300g rhubarb, 2cm dice<br />
225g butter, softened<br />
280g caster sugar<br />
1 orange, zest and juice<br />
225g self-raising flour<br />
100g ground almonds<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
3 eggs<br />
handful flaked almonds<br />
icing sugar, for dusting</p>
<p>1. Put the chopped rhubarb into a bowl with 50g of the caster sugar and leave to soak. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160 fan/gas 4. Put your loaf cake cases out on a baking sheet.</p>
<p>2. Meanwhile cream the butter, sugar and orange zest and juice together in a mixer until fluffy.</p>
<p>3. Add the flour, baking powder, almonds and eggs and mix well until you are left with a smooth batter.</p>
<p>4.  Fold in the rhubarb and juices, then spoon the mixture into the loaf cake cases making sure the lumps of rhubarb are evenly distributed.</p>
<p>5. Scatter with flaked almonds and then bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out of the sponge clean.</p>
<p>6. Cool on a wire rack and then dust with icing sugar and serve.</p>
<p><strong>Tip:</strong> These would also be delicious with an orange drizzle icing on top. Mix the juice of one orange with enough sieved icing sugar to form a runny paste and then drizzle over the top of the loaf cakes.</p>
<p>They don&#8217;t keep for very long because of the moisture from the fruit &#8211; so scoff them within a couple of days.</p>
<p><strong>Breakfast Club!!!!</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Breakfast-Club-logo.gif"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10470" alt="Breakfast Club" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Breakfast-Club-logo-300x300.gif" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m hosting this month&#8217;s Breakfast Club event on behalf of Helen at <a href="http://fussfreeflavours.com/" target="_blank">Fuss Free Flavours</a>, for which the theme is Bakes&#8230; so I&#8217;m going to enter this batch of lovelies and fully encourage you to think of something you&#8217;d like to bake for your breakfast and share it with us too. Hop on over to my <a title="Breakfast Club May: Bakes" href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/04/29/breakfast-club-may-bakes/" target="_blank">Breakfast Club page for May</a> to enter your recipes now!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SimpleinSeason.jpg"><img class="aligncenter" alt="Simple and in Season blog event" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/SimpleinSeason-300x285.jpg" width="300" height="285" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m also submitting this to my lovely friend Ren&#8217;s blog event <a href="http://www.renbehan.com/simple-and-in-season-food-blog-event" target="_blank">Simple and in Season</a> as rhubarb is tres seasonal! Check Ren&#8217;s site out for some great ideas using produce that&#8217;s around this month.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<div></div>
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		<title>Breakfast Club May: Bakes</title>
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		<comments>http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/2013/04/29/breakfast-club-may-bakes/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:00:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Katie Bryson</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[1 Featured Posts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Breakfast Recipes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[bakes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[baking]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[breakfast]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/?p=10468</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;m delighted to be hosting this month&#8217;s Breakfast Club &#8211; a blogging event thought up by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours to celebrate the first meal of the day. It&#8217;s a good excuse to think of something a bit more exciting than tea and toast and share it with us here. This month&#8217;s theme is [...]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Breakfast-Club-logo.gif"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-10470" alt="Breakfast Club" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Breakfast-Club-logo.gif" width="300" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;m delighted to be hosting this month&#8217;s Breakfast Club &#8211; a blogging event thought up by Helen at <a href="http://fussfreeflavours.com/" target="_blank">Fuss Free Flavours</a> to celebrate the first meal of the day.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s a good excuse to think of something a bit more exciting than tea and toast and share it with us here.</p>
<p>This month&#8217;s theme is Bakes &#8211; whether you start your day with cakes, flapjacks or pastries, savoury or sweet I want to know!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rhubarb_orange_cake_cover.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-10435" alt="Rhubarb and orange mini loaf cakes" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rhubarb_orange_cake_cover-300x200.jpg" width="300" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve kicked proceedings off with a batch of rhubarb and orange mini loaf cakes which I&#8217;ll be posting on the blog this week. Moist and fruity without being sickly they&#8217;re a lovely start to the day with a large cup of coffee.</p>
<p>If you fancy joining in with some breakfast baking, here&#8217;s how&#8230;</p>
<p><strong>The Rules</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Mention Breakfast Club in your post and use the logo at the top of this page</li>
<li>Link to this post and to the <a href="http://fussfreeflavours.com/breakfast-club/" target="_blank">Breakfast Club</a> page</li>
<li>You are welcome to send in old recipes, but please add the information above and re-publish</li>
<li>Entries can be sent to other events, but please respect their rules</li>
<li>If you tweet please tweet using #blogbreakfastclub</li>
<li>If you do not have a blog send a photo and details to katie@feedingboys.co.uk</li>
<li>All breakfast clubs are also blog hops, so please grab the code and add to your page!</li>
<li>The closing date for this month is 1st June 2013</li>
<li>By entering you are allowing the hosting blog Feeding Boys and a Firefighter to post your image and pin to Pinterest</li>
<li>Please respect others&#8217; copyright</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Dorset-Cereals-Breakfast-Book.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-10471 aligncenter" alt="Dorset Cereals Breakfast Book" src="http://www.feedingboys.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Dorset-Cereals-Breakfast-Book.jpg" width="240" height="277" /></a>Win win win!</strong></p>
<p>There&#8217;s a prize!  One copy of the Dorset Cereal Breakfast book is up for grabs.  It will be awarded totally at random, and it can only be sent to a UK address.</p>
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