Okay, okay, this isn’t a ‘recipe’. I know that, you know that, but it’s almost Christmas, so give me a break. READ MORE
Okay, okay, this isn’t a ‘recipe’. I know that, you know that, but it’s almost Christmas, so give me a break. READ MORE
Anyone who knows me well, knows I LOVE cheese. I always choose the cheese board after dinner. I am often to be found nibbling on slithers of cheese straight from the fridge. I am a cheese fiend. Cheese would be my last supper. And Comté is up there for me; in my top cheeses. It’s creamy, nutty and moreish. And has a fabulous name. I can channel my inner French woman. (And for anyone wondering how you pronounce it, it’s ‘com-tay’ – I am always the girl who asks for the correct pronunciation so tend to pass the news on). READ MORE
I have hosted many a Halloween party. I know every game inside out. We’ve done it all. Spooky cupcake decorating, pin the hat on the witch, wrapping small children up as mummies using cheap loo paper, bobbing for apples, ghoul discos… I won’t go on. They’re all fun. But really you may as well ditch the lot and just go straight for the doughnuts on a string. It is one of the funniest games I have ever had the joy to see my children play. Proper belly laughter. And if you manage to fill the house with the aroma of freshly fried doughnuts in the process then bonus points for everyone. If you go a step further and add a doughnut to a boozy freak shake for the adult guests then, well, a spooky high five to you. READ MORE
I love bees. Bees are good. We all know that. Trying to convince my little boys that anything buzzy is a good thing is not so easy when one of them has been strung by a wasp and hence, all things that buzz and fly are potential givers of pain. READ MORE
Well, sugar free pancakes that is until you add maple syrup in bucket loads. These pancakes will save you from the summer holidays. These and a glass of wine and perhaps a bit of screen time. READ MORE
It’s half term here and so I find myself looking for easy wins when it comes to feeding the kids and that’s where this easy peanut noodle sauce comes in. I don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen when the boys are at home in the day. School feels like it steals so much of my time with them, I don’t want any further interruption when I get whole days to hang out. Noodles (or doodles as young Laurie calls them) are a favourite and always return empty plates. Albeit, plates with some vegetables picked out and left on the side. Oh to be two and so picky! READ MORE
I’ve confessed before about my vegetable smuggling ways. Not all my sons happily munch on crudités in front of the TV so I have a habit of adding extra veg to dinner time offerings. This is a delicious vegetable rich beef ragu which is cooked in just 25 minutes in a pressure cooker but tastes like it’s had 3 hours bubbling away on the stove. So essentially a dinner that makes you look like you’ve given more effort than you have – that’s my kind of dish. (Details of how to cook on the stove too below). READ MORE
Pizzas are such a popular dinner, and these are super healthy, speedy versions using homemade oat ‘flour’ without any yeast, so there’s no waiting about for the dough to prove. Let the kids top their own oat pizzas using whatever you have in the fridge. These are even delicious cold in lunchboxes the next day. READ MORE
If you’re feeling a little guilty about the over indulgence enjoyed by all the family over the festive period, then this recipe is for you. It’s positively virtuous. READ MORE
Do you remember double art on a Friday? I do. It was magical. The opportunity to spend half an afternoon before the weekend in some kind of wonderful world of zen; colouring, painting, modelling clay. It was the perfect start to the weekend. A treat! A welcome break from Monday’s double physics and Wednesday morning’s double whammy of maths and chemistry. READ MORE
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