I like Lorraine Pascale. Okay, I’ve never met her and we’re not friends (though Lorraine, I am totally open to cocktails some time in London or even Leicester if you fancy a little jaunt on the Midland Mainline) but I think we could be. She seems like a girl’s girl. The type who would never ditch you for a bloke. Oh no. Lorraine is made of better moral stuff. A proper girlfriend.

So I was very pleased to be asked to review her latest book that accompanies her TV series, How to be a Better Cook. The book isn’t a Good Housekeeping style tome with details of how to fillet a seabass or indeed make a sourdough starter. It’s a book jam packed full with recipes that you might find really rather useful. It’s hard to ignore the fact that there’s a heavy slant on the healthier end of cooking. A lot of the recipes are low carb. There’s a high proportion dedicated to meat centric dishes. This for me is a bonus as frankly I need to eat a little low carb to deal with the last of the baby weight, plus if this is the food that makes LP look so utterly stunning then bring it on.

The book is very much of the moment. There are kale crisps for example. There’s pulled pork, a fair amount of pumpkin and Moroccan influence. And there’s a bit of novelty, which always appeals to me. Meringue ghosts, spider cupcakes, mummy wrapped sausages (I am publishing a recipe for this next week! See, we’re kindred cooking spirits I tell you!) and peanut shots. I like the book but if you are expecting a lot of classic LP baking recipes then this isn’t for you. It’s majority savoury. It’s food to eat every day, not just on high days and holidays.

Lorraine’s books are always strewn with motivational quotes. I follow her on Instagram and there’s a definite vulnerability to her. I don’t feel she posts these quotes for her followers, more for herself. A little reminder if you will. I like the quotes but I know some people won’t. They’re marmite in that way. Photo wise the shots are very crisp, very clear and almost masculine in the colour palette chosen for backgrounds. It’s not the Jamie Oliver style we’ve all become very accustomed to of late. There isn’t a lot of crumbs thrown casually across the table, there’s no messy chocolate shards lying in wait on the bench. The shots have been styled. They’re grown up.

All in all? A beautiful book that is genuinely useful. I like.

I have 3 signed copies of Lorraine Pascale’s How to be a Better Cook worth £25 (RRP) each to giveaway to three person. There are lots of ways to enter – see the Rafflecopter form below. The first way is just to leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy. Closing date 12th December 2014. How to enter:

• Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, Facebook etc.
• This giveaway will close on 12th December 2014.
• Please read the rules below.
• Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
• First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
• If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
• Complete the form – or your beloved entries will not go into the draw. And that would be such a waste of time.
• Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
• Want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.
• If you are viewing this by email you will need to click through to enter.

Rules and things:

• Open to anyone over the age of 18, all of Europe. Sorry to anyone younger or further afield.
• There is 3 x signed copies of LP’s How to be a Better Cook RRP £25 to giveaway to three people.  There’s no cash alternative to the prize and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
• Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 7 days then another winner will be picked so check your emails and your spam! The goodies will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after you have sent me your delivery address.
• I am running this giveaway on behalf of Harper Collins who will be responsible for sending the prize to you by post should you win. Their decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
• This is where I get all stern – please don’t say you have liked the post and followed me on Twitter and Tweeted away like a Tweety thing if you haven’t as guess what? If you win I will check you did do the things you said you did. It’s only fair after all. And I do like fairness.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was sent a couple of pictures by Outshine Art to review and very beautiful they were too. Suzanne runs Outshine Art from her Walton-on-Thames studio. She used to work as a buyer for Harvey Nics which I think is a good benchmark to describe the kind of quality and attention to detail you can expect from Outshine.

Suzanne creates framed art from sketches she has drawn which are then cut-out from thick white mountboard. Under the mountboard she places beautiful colour prints. All in all the effect is simple but beautiful – the white mountboard makes the colour prints underneath stand out. This is the kind of artwork any nursery across the land would be proud to display. Of course she personalises them too by embossing the names onto the mountboard. Oh and she doesn’t just make art for little ones – check out her website for lots of ideas.

I love that Suzanne started this business after she’d had her first child. Sometimes having a baby really does get the creative streak in us going. The pictures are handmade, really high quality and the kind of gift I can well imagine a Mum being mighty pleased with.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What I would do for a new oven! Mine is battered and bruised after a lot of abuse from yours truly. Argos got in touch with me and asked if they could GIVE AWAY a range cooker to the readers of the blog. Yes! I know. I was a bit speechless too. Anyway, here are the details:

There’s 1 Stoves cooker to giveaway courtesy of Argos worth £449.99 up for grabs. There are lots of ways to enter – see the Rafflecopter form below. The first way is just to leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy. Closing date 14th November 2014. How to enter:

• Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, Facebook etc.
• This giveaway will close on 14th November 2014.
• Please read the rules below.
• Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
• First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
• If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
• Complete the form – or your beloved entries will not go into the draw. And that would be such a waste of time.
• Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
• Want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.
• If you are viewing this by email you will need to click through to enter.

Rules and things:

• Open to anyone over the age of 18, UK mainland only. Sorry to anyone younger or further afield.
• There’s 1 x Stoves cooker up for grabs as seen in the picture. There’s no cash alternative to the prize and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
• Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 7 days then another winner will be picked so check your emails and your spam! The goodies will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after you have sent me your delivery address.
• I am running this giveaway on behalf of Argos who will be responsible for sending the prize to you by post should you win. Their decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
• This is where I get all stern – please don’t say you have liked the post and followed me on Twitter and Tweeted away like a Tweety thing if you haven’t as guess what? If you win I will check you did do the things you said you did. It’s only fair after all. And I do like fairness.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It wasn’t that long ago that baby showers were just for the rich and famous. Now they’re as much a part of having a baby as hen do’s are an obligatory precursor to getting married. A baby shower is your send off into motherhood, whether it’s your first time or you’ve already popped out a few babies.

If you’re organising a baby shower for a friend or even yourself there are a few questions to ask before you even book a venue:

• Is the Mum to be needing her bed at 9pm every night? The end of pregnancy can be exhausting for some so think about a weekend daytime party if she’s in her PJs by the Eastenders credits every night.
• How does the Mum to be feel about others drinking alcohol? For some, giving up the booze can be the worst part of pregnancy, so watching others enjoy it is torturous. For others, even the smell makes them feel nauseous. Bear this in mind when booking a venue and remember that most sober Mums to be will have less tolerance for loud noise. A private room in a bar/restaurant, a tea room or even someone’s house are likely the best options.
• Who are you inviting? If it’s a surprise for the Mum to be, consult with a couple of her closest friends and her partner. In my experience smaller gatherings of really good friends can work better than inviting everyone on the Mums Facebook friends list.

If you’re inviting lots of people who don’t know each other well, you might need a game or two to help break the ice. Guessing the weight, gender and birthday of the baby is a good starter. Or buying some cheap white baby gros and some fabric pens and setting everyone to work creating a masterpiece fit for a princess or prince gets everyone chatting too.

Presents can be a tricky one. Some people are superstitious and prefer to only buy for the baby once he or she arrives. My advice is to keep present buying Mum focused. All too soon every gift she receives will be baby related. What about a voucher for a relaxing foot massage and pedicure (I’m assuming she find reaching her feet difficult by now!), a delicious smelling candle or some super soft PJs for making those night feeds a little more enjoyable? For the Mums who already have children practical help is often what they crave most; maybe some IOU vouchers for babysitting, making an evening meal or doing a load of washing and ironing? Just make sure she uses them.

Last, but in my opinion, most importantly, the food and drink. An afternoon tea party is a treat whether pregnant or not so it’s a great place to start. Perhaps kick things off with a mocktail like a virgin mojito and follow with fine leaf tea served in beautiful china tea cups with saucers.

Bear in mind any cravings the Mum to be might have had and try and incorporate them into the catering if they’re not too weird and wonderful. (Gherkin ice cream anyone?) Small, dainty bites like tiny crustless finger sandwiches filled with ham and mustard, slivers of cucumber or poached salmon and mayonnaise always go down well. Follow them with miniature scones with strawberry jam and clotted cream, little fine French macarons, heart shaped lemony shortbread biscuits and of course, a chocolately treat. Like these brownies.

Lucky for readers of the blog I have a giveaway from Pink Lining for those looking for a smart changing bag used by normal Mums and also celebs too. They have a fine selection of baby shower gifts if you find yourself organising or invited to one.

There are 2 Woodland changing bags worth £79 each up for grabs. There are lots of ways to enter – see the Rafflecopter form below. The first way is just to leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy. Closing date 12th September 2014. How to enter:

• Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, Facebook etc.
• This giveaway will close on 12th September 2014.
• Please read the rules below.
• Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
• First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
• If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
• Complete the form – or your beloved entries will not go into the draw. And that would be such a waste of time.
• Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
• Want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.
• If you are viewing this by email you will need to click through to enter.

Rules and things:

• Open to anyone over the age of 18, all of UK. Sorry to anyone younger or further afield.
• There are two Woodland changing bags worth £79 each up for grabs as seen in the picture. There’s no cash alternative to the prize and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
• Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 7 days then another winner will be picked so check your emails and your spam! The goodies will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after you have sent me your delivery address.
• I am running this giveaway on behalf of Pink Lining who will be responsible for sending the prize to you by post should you win. Their decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
• This is where I get all stern – please don’t say you have liked the post and followed me on Twitter and Tweeted away like a Tweety thing if you haven’t as guess what? If you win I will check you did do the things you said you did. It’s only fair after all. And I do like fairness.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NB: Sponsored post. 

I still have a ruler and some pencils with my name printed on. They were ordered some time in the mid 80s by my mother and I loved them dearly. So much so that I couldn’t bring myself to use the pencils other than for the most special of cards or pictures. There’s something inherently special about using a pencil with you name on.

It seems nothing has changed since the 80s. Kids still love anything named. It brings out the animal marking territorial instinct in even the best of 3 year old sharers. My sons were in raptures to wake up to not only a named notepad each but also a drinks bottle and a lunchbox all courtesy of Stuck on you. They loved them. But what did I think?

I really like the drinks bottle – it’s made from aluminium and looks and feels very sturdy. It doesn’t spill either (how many drinks bottles have I tried that do?!) so a big tick from me. My only bug bear was that my son can’t use it for school as his bottle has to be see through. But that’s not Stuck on you’s fault! I also liked the lunchbox with Max’ name on. He loves it and finds it easy to unzip. It has an insulated lining that is also wipe clean. (The lunchbox sparked a big old nostalgic chat about the old plastic lunchboxes my husband and I had as a kid and why they’re not used any more.)

The drawing pads were the biggest hits with the kids, but the least with me. On the plus side every page was personalised which the boys loved. Their creations were safe from being claimed by others for all eternity! On the negative side I think the cardboard back of the pad could do with being more sturdy. It was a little flimsy meaning the pads are only easy to use when resting on a table. My little rugrats are partial to drawing when out and about and on their knees too. It’s a small criticism.

Things I liked: Anything named means less arguments in our house and less chance at playschool and school of having to replace items. Big tick. The kids like having their own personalised stuff.

Things I didn’t like: The only small thing I could criticise was the backing of the colouring pad being a little too thin. I’d have liked thicker card for the price.

I have 5 x £40 vouchers up for grabs. There are lots of ways to enter – see the Rafflecopter form below. The first way is just to leave a comment on this post. Easy peasy. Closing date 12th September 2014. How to enter:

• Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, Facebook etc.
• This giveaway will close on 12th September 2014.
• Please read the rules below.
• Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
• First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
• If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
• Complete the form – or your beloved entries will not go into the draw. And that would be such a waste of time.
• Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
• Want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.
• If you are viewing this by email you will need to click through to enter.

Rules and things:

• Open to anyone over the age of 18, UK & Europe only. Sorry to anyone younger or further afield.
• There are 5 x £40 vouchers available. There’s no cash alternative to the prize and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
• Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 7 days then another winner will be picked so check your emails and your spam! The goodies will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after you have sent me your delivery address.
• I am running this giveaway on behalf of Stuck on you who will be responsible for sending the prize to you by post should you win. Their decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
• This is where I get all stern – please don’t say you have liked the post and followed me on Twitter and Tweeted away like a Tweety thing if you haven’t as guess what? If you win I will check you did do the things you said you did. It’s only fair after all. And I do like fairness.

a Rafflecopter giveaway