MUM IN AWE

Winter minestrone

Wendy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 14:15:47 +0000

Had enough of all that food over Xmas? Overdone your eating on ham, turkey, sausages and meat in general? Here’s a vegetarian soup to help you through the cold windy days……

Ingredients

200 g (7.1oz) Farro semiperlato (or pearled spelt)
Yummy soup
4 tbsp Olive oil, plus extra to serve
1 Large onion, finely chopped
1 Leek, finely chopped
1 Stick celery, finely chopped
2 Medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 Medium turnip, peeled and finely chopped
3 Garlic cloves, crushed
1 pinch Crushed dried chilli flakes
400 g (14.1oz) Tinned tomatoes
1 l (1.8pints) Vegetable stock
400 g (14.1oz) Tinned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 Bunch cavolo nero, shredded
1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful Freshly grated vegetarian parmesan to serve

Rinse the farro in a sieve under cold running water, tip into a bowl, cover with cold water and soak for 20 minutes while you prepare the soup base. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan.

Add the chopped veggies and cook over a low-medium heat for 10–15 minutes until tender but not coloured.

Add the crushed garlic and chilli flakes and cook for a further minute.

Pour the tomatoes into the pan, add the stock and bring to the boil. Drain the farro and add to the pan.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook the soup for 25 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the farro is cooked.

Add the cannellini beans and cook for a further 2–3 minutes.

You may need to add extra stock if the soup is too thick. Add the cavolo nero and cook for 3–4 minutes until tender.
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil, a scattering of grated Parmesan and slices of toasted sourdough bread.

Nope, this is not my own, this is Stella McCartney’s Winter minestrone, and I got it courtesy of lovefood.com. It just looked too good to miss out – so have a go and tell me what you think.

5 ways to save money (and make your kids save too!)

Wendy — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:07:53 +0000

Save money and be better off

Everyone knows times are tough. just about every parent I know is struggling to meet the bills and pay for the extras. But how do you cut down when you’ve really cuts down so much?

How do you teach your children to be mindful of what they spend? And just because you are struggling to make ends meet in the current recession, should your children be bothered by it?

I believe that they should be. Bothered that is. I believe they should understand that when things are tough for parents, children should pare down as well.

Now is the best time to teach your children about economizing, how to budget, and what really is a want or a need.

here are five easy tips on how to help make your children realise when things are tough that they need to chip in too:

Make a shopping list for the week, set a budget of four that shopping list, take your child to the shops give them the budget, and the money. Obviously you need to walk around the shops and potentially help them with the purchases, but the idea is to allow them to make decisions for the family based on the budget and list of food they need to provide for the week. allow them to make some mistakes. This will be a significant learning experience when they get home and the rest of the family judges them on their efforts. impress on them that if they choose the extra packet of sweets and thus forego the sugar, then E will taste rather strange all week, all this cereal will be unsugared. They may make this choice, for their own benefit, but what will happen is the rest of the family will be upset and make sure that they understand it. Sometimes it is difficult to make the whole family happy, but the child that is doing the shopping will certainly appreciate the efforts of the person that does the shopping in the family normally.
Explained to any child that has a driving licence and drives a family cars, that they will be paying for 50% of the petrol bill from now onwards. Teenagers love to drive, and will often take the longest routes to get wherever they want to go in order to a drive and be impressed their friends. This will increase the cost of the petrol bill. By explaining to the teenager that they are now liable for 50% of the petrol bill for that car, they will learn that taking the longer routes, or driving just for driving sake, is an expensive habit. this may only be feasible on weekends, if the child uses the car only on weekends. However if you use the card to go to work and back and they use the car in the evenings during the week as well, then the 50% rule seems reasonably fair.
Stop paying for branded clothing and items for the children. if your children need new trainers or clothing and request in branded items, take them shopping and find equally similar items that non-branded. explain to your child, that you are willing to buy them non-branded items as they are needed, but should the child grazed the branded item on the extra cost will have to come out of these savings. If a non-branded item is £15 and a branded item is £45, it is likely that your child will think twice about spending the extra £30 to get the branded item. At five pounds an hour in babysitting, that would be six hours worth of babysitting for a branded item product. I’m sure they’ll probably think twice about whether they really want it or not.
Put 20% of your children’s earnings/pocket money into a savings account. Explain to your child that this is money, for the big expenses coming up like University, car, mortgage deposit. This is a habit you want to teach your children early on, so that they continue to do this throughout the rest of their life, and as a result when they do hit a recession, such as we have, they are prepared.
make sure your child pays a portion, or for some items every month out of their own money and never fail to collect or deduct that money. It is far better if you actually give them the money at the end of the month, and then make sure that they immediately give what they owe to you back. Kids need to see money coming in and going out visually. the reason you pay good money at the end of the month, is because that is payment for chores, effort, “what ever” through the month. Just like the salary you receive at the end of the month for your job. This is good practice in the long-running as this is the way the real world works and you simply imitating that.

it is my humble opinion that if you imitate real-life father children younger, they receive no great enormous surprise is when suddenly they enter the real world. I have 100 parents who would tell you different. I know many peers that believe children should be children, and not have any pressure, and not have any responsibility, until they are much older and able to deal with it. I believe differently as you can tell from my blog.

I believe I can help teach my children the lessons of the real world in small measured ways, as they grow up, and that I am preparing them for life in the real world, and not preparing them for enormous shocks when they step out the cosseted family home to fend for themselves. Many people do not agree with my methodology.

That’s okay, if we were all the same then the world would be a boring place. But if you do (or don’t!) agree with me please comment below and tell me what you do to save money and help your kids .

Book review – The Sibling Effect

Wendy — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:15:07 +0000

book give away

Jeffrey Kluger has recently published a book on the effect that sibling have on our lives.

After extensive research, and some personal anecdotes, he writes about the effect a brother or sister has on our psychology, sociology, competitiveness, and other traits we’ve never been able to explain.

Whilst so many books are written on how our parents affect us, few have really looked at the effect one or more siblings have on us, and in fact what the birth order does to a sibling relationship.

You are likely to learn quite a lot about yourself by reading this book, it also allows you insight into your siblings and why the way they have developed the way they did.

Coming form a large family of boys himself, Jeffrey Kluger offers some personal insights that are both amusing, and in some ways similar to our own sibling relationships.

I have two copies of the pre-release book to give away , so please send an email to me, ‘like’ my Facebook page and subscribe to this blog, in order to qualify. Or send me a really good reason why you’d like the book!!

Older and wiser or not?

Wendy — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 09:31:19 +0000

I recently was interviewed by the Sunday Telegraph for an article on marriages with large age discrepencies….

The article obviously came up because Bryan Ferry married a much younger woman. I think it’s an interesting question, whether the age makes a huge difference, and after all is said and done, it does.

Basically it’s because you are in two different world, brought up in different eras, and with most likely different values. It’s not that you are not compatible, it’ s just that overcoming the differences is quite hard once the initial attraction wanes a bit. Especially once you add children into the mix.

I don’t think you understand that when you first get into it, and it gradually become aware of it as time goes by. It’s not anyone’s fault, and I guess I went into my marriage with my eyes wide open. But I guess when the goal posts change, by plan or fluke, it changes everything, and you have to be able to weather the storm, or go back to port and disembark.

So I wish Bryan Ferry a long and happy marriage, and hope he weathers the storm. It’s not easy, but he does have a lot of life experience and quite a bit of money to help smooth the way. That might help. For all the others out there – don’t regret anything you do, learn from the experience and move on. I’ve got two wonderful kids as a result, and I’m happily involved again.

Life moves on, so should you.

Read the article here Old enough to know better

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Slow cooker Lasagne

Wendy — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 10:20:26 +0000

Lasagne

Chop up 2 peppers, 300g mushroom, 2 onions

Put the mince in a bowel, with the chopped food

Add the tomatoes, tomato puree, garlic puree ,

1 x oxo cube,

2 tsp mixed herbs,

1 tbsp Worcester sauce

Mix it all together well,
Put a layer on the bottom of the pot,
Add some hard lasagna sheets on top ,
Add another layer of mince mixture, and sheets and carry on untill all the mince is used up,
Put a final layer of lasgna sheets and put white sauce on top
then loads of grated cheese!

It can go quite sloppy if you put too many tomatoes in - but if you want crispy cheese on top then you can take the pot out the cooker and shove it in the oven for 20 mins before you eat it!

Happy New Year Everyone – 5 tips for being money savvy in 2012..

Wendy — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:54:27 +0000

Happy New Year

Well, 2011 has been a roller coaster year. It seems not just for me, but as I chat to friend and see a few posts on Facebook, I notice things have been tough for a few people.

The recession has been something everyone but the VERY rich have had to contend with, and I certainly know I have pulled in our belts with the family shopping and meals.

I now am very careful about saving and using vouchers and cash back. I buy bulk if it is not going to go off, and I’ve managed to be very clever about the left overs. Like my Curry Prawns and my Lasagne .

I predict that 2012 is going to be a very tough year financially.. I think some of us have realised that 2011 was gonna be tough, and we cut out cloth a bit, but those that didn’t will have a very tough year in 2012 I think.

I think budgeting, vouchers, savvy shopping and money management are going to become things that people will need to learn quickly. So learn your lessons, and then teach your kids. They always benefit from the lessons ( even if they don’t appreciate it right now) and it’s the real meaning of ’quality time’ in the long run.

Here are 5 tips for being money savvy in 2012..

Go back to cooking. No more expensive take aways.
Teach your kids to cook – it’s quality time with them – and fun!
Play more family games together – uses less electricity when you turn off all those gadgets!
Buy the cheaper cuts of meat in the supermarket - they taste just as good!
Give up that Gym membership, and start walking every day. Graduate to running every day. Carry weights if you need extra workout. Do these with a friend and both get healthy together!

With all that said, I wish all of you a wonderful New Year, a happy, healthy 2012, and a year a head full of love and success!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Black kale with bacon, garlic + rosemary

Wendy — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:36:44 +0000

Black Kale

Kale is a vegetable I only got introduced to after I started cooking for the family. It’s a lovely fresh change to either spinach or something like cauliflower. This is also healthy for vegetarians.

Ingredients

2-3 heads black kale (cavolo nero)
100-150g streaky bacon or pancetta (usually 4-6 slices), slivered
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
leaves from 2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped

Method

Strip the kale from the stalks by holding the thick end of stalk and pulling off the green leaf in a single movement. Cook the leaves in boiling salted water for 3 mins, then drain and run under cold water to refresh.

Squeeze out the water, chop the kale and keep to one side.
Warm the oil in a large frying pan and add the bacon or pancetta.
Fry gently until the fat starts to run, then add the garlic and rosemary.
Fry a little longer until the garlic starts to colour, then add the chopped cooked kale.

Cook for another 10-15 mins until kale is tender.

Season well and serve.

Variation: fry some diced boiled potato with the bacon for a more substantial dish.

Pumpkin pancakes

Wendy — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 10:20:02 +0000

Pancake

Still looking for something to do with all that left over pumpkin? Here’s a recipe you never thought you’d need (or do!). Try it out and give our kids pancakes they never thought they’d eat!

Ingredients

150g pumpkin, peeled + diced
120g self-raising flour
30g caster sugar (about 2 tbsp)
½ tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp salt
2 eggs
approx 2 tbsp milk
oil for greasing
maple syrup or honey, to serve

Method

Steam or boil the pumpkin until soft (about 10 mins).

Purée in a food processor (or mash really well) and leave to cool.

Mix the flour, sugar, cream of tartar, bicarbonate of soda, mixed spice and salt together in a large bowl.

Add the eggs and cooled pumpkin purée.

Whisk together, then gradually add enough milk (about 2 tbsp) until the mixture has the consistency of double cream.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan or flat griddle pan.

Add a little oil and use a piece of kitchen paper to grease the pan all over.

Add a large tbsp of the pancake mixture and repeat; you’ll probably have room for about four at a time.

Fry on a low to medium heat, until you see bubbles forming all over the top of the pancake.

Gently use a pallet knife to turn the pancakes (they should be a golden brown colour), then cook for a min or so, until golden brown on the other side.

Cook in batches and keep warm, wrapped in a clean tea towel.

Serve drizzled with maple syrup, or honey.

I often make an extra batch and then freeze them in cling wrap. I freeze 8 in one lot, as that seems to be the number of pancakes we can easily get through in one sitting.

cooking, family food, Recipe, Recipes,

My 10 best presents this year (for me…)

Wendy — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:59:23 +0000

With Christmas so close….Is the panic of trying to get everything done and wrapped, and finished bearing down upon you?

Christmas is here

Well, it is bearing down on me. What with the blogging, the kids, the dog, the partner, the house, other family members etc…. I feel frazzled and flustered.

So, after all those hectic days, what would the best present be to get for Xmas?

Here are my top 10:

1) Spa day with partner

2) Facial

3) Makeover

4) entire new outfit

5) weekend away with partner

6) A Secretary

7) A house cleaner

A big cash injection

9) A well trained dog – ( or a dog trainer for my dog)

10) A decorator to re-do the house

Look, I never said all of these would be sane wants. Xmas is about spending money on crazy things you don’t really need.

Hell, we’re about to spend a lot of money on kids thing that they seriously could live without. But we’ll do it cos that’s what Christmas is about.

Or am I being a bit bah humbug? Maybe I am, but it just feels like Christmas is much more about how much you spend than what you buy these days. It’s a pity, but true.

And so, shopping almost done, I’m off to wrap. Merry Christmas!!

Fish pie with spinach recipe

Wendy — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:58:25 +0000

Fish pie with spinach

We eat a lot of spinach in the family. We particularly like the fresh small leaf, and hardly ever cook it, but here’s a wonderful fish pie recipe that also allows us to eat our favourite vegetable, spinach!

Ingredients

250g whole piece of white fish
250g whole piece of salmon
250g prawns
700ml milk
½ onion, peeled + cut into rings
a few black peppercorns (6-8)
1 bay leaf
a few parsley stalks
3 hard boiled eggs, peeled + roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 kg potatoes, peeled + diced
a knob of butter (about 50g)
50g plain flour
juice of ½ lemon
250g bag of spinach, washed, stalks removed + discarded
a little freshly grated nutmeg
4 tbsp double cream
1 kg potatoes, peeled + diced
a knob of butter and a splash of milk for the mashed potato

Method

Place the salmon and white fish in a large pan (a large frying pan will be fine) and pour over the milk.
Add the onion rings, peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley stalks.

Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 mins.

Strain the fish, reserving the cooking liquor.

Leave to cool slightly, then pick out the onion, herbs and spices, and discard.

Flake the fish into a large bowl.

Add the prawns, eggs and chopped parsley.

Stir gently to combine.

Make a white sauce: melt a knob of butter in a saucepan, add the flour and cook gently for 2 mins.

Add the reserved milk from cooking the fish, a squeeze of lemon juice and whisk to combine.

Heat until thickened, then leave to cool. Pour over the fish and gently stir to combine.

Steam or blanch the spinach in a pan of boiling water for 3 mins, until wilted.

Drain and plunge into a bowl of cold water, then drain again.

Squeeze into a ball and gently squeeze out as much water as you can, then finely chop.

Place the spinach in the bottom of a baking dish.

Pour over the cream and grate over a little fresh nutmeg before pouring over the fish mixture.

To make the mash, boil a pan of salted water, add the potato and cook until just soft, about 8 mins.

Drain and return to the pan.

Add a knob of butter and a splash of milk, season well with salt and white pepper and mash until smooth.

Spread over the fish mixture then use a fork to rough the top up a little.

Dot some butter over, then bake in the oven at 200˚C for about 20-30 mins, until the top is starting to go brown and crispy.

Serve and enjoy a healthy family meal together!

cooking, family food, Recipe, Recipes,