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SNACK: Homemade Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Hummus is a great, healthy snack and it can be quick and easy to make your own at home. Here is my easy homemade roasted red pepper hummus recipe. Also explore my other recipes such as my tasty Salmon en Croute recipe here or my Classic Mini Strawberry Trifles recipe here. To make this recipe you will need the following ingredients: 1. 1 tin of chickpeas (keep the water they come in for the blender) 2. 1 red bell pepper 3. 1 small chilli pepper 4. 1 small red onion 5. 1 lemon, juice only 6. 2 cloves of garlic, peeled 7. 1 tsp cumin 8. 1 tsp paprika and…
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BABY: Cheesy Mashed Potato
Weaning your baby can be daunting as a new first-time parent. There are lots of helpful books out there such as those by Annabel Karmel or even Joe Wicks. However, sometimes the most basic fruits and vegetables that you have at home can form delicious quick and simple baby food purees. Read on to see how I made my own cheesy mashed potato recipe for my children when they were weaning. Check out my baby puree Apple and Cinnamon recipe here too for more weaning food ideas. To make three small pots of cheesy mashed potato, you will need the following ingredients: 1. 6 small new potatoes (2 potatoes per…
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Homemade Puppet Theatre
Have you ever thought about making a homemade puppet theatre for your children? It can be a great half-term craft activity for the holidays! Using an old cardboard box, you can design a great play theatre for your children’s toys at very little cost. A great craft activity to get children involved in decorating too! Read on to find out how I made one for my children. Check out my Cardboard Box Doll’s House craft activity here too. All you’ll need is a large cardboard box and some craft supplies to decorate it with. Here’s what I used: 1. A large cardboard box 2. Scissors 3. Paint 4. Sellotape 5.…
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DESSERT: Classic Butterfly Cupcakes
Stylish and elegant, these classic butterfly cupcakes are a pretty addition to any summer picnic or tea party! Great for bake sales, school fairs or simply when you have family and friends popping over for a cup of tea! Making the wings is also much easier than it looks! Read on to find out how to make them. To make 12 classic butterfly cupcakes, you will need the following ingredients: 1. 100g self-raising flour 2. 100g caster sugar 3. 100g butter, softened 4. 2 medium sized eggs 5. 1 tsp vanilla essence For the buttercream filling: 1. 100g icing sugar 2. 100g butter, softened 3. 1 tsp vanilla essence 4.…
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Three Uses for Recycling a Nappy Box
It can vary between different brands and shops but the nappies that we buy can often come in a cardboard box. Instead of continuously recycling these boxes, you could save money by re-using them and up-cycling them into various storage solutions. Now I realise that this is quite a self-explanatory craft activity, but it’s something that as busy parents we may overlook. It’s cheap to do and can be a great, quick solution to a storage issue you may have around the house. Check out my free Cardboard Box Doll’s House craft activity here for more cardboard box creative fun! 1. A Transportable, Light-Weight Clothing Storage Organiser Firstly, you could…
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DESSERT: Chocolate Chip Cake with Raspberries
This tasty chocolate chip cake recipe with fresh raspberries and raspberry jam is a real treat and yet it is light in texture. The raspberries add a lovely sweet, tart flavour when combined with the chocolate and the hidden chocolate chips in the sponge cake provide an indulgent surprise! It is quick and easy to bake too, so let’s get started! To make the Chocolate Chip Cake with Raspberries you will need the following ingredients: 1. 100g caster sugar 2. 100g butter, softened 3. 70g self-raising flour 4. 30g cocoa powder 5. A handful of chocolate chips 6. 2 medium sized eggs 7. 20g fresh raspberries (save a few for…
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MAIN: Classic Shepherd’s Pie
Shepherd’s Pie is a classic easy family dish that you can always prepare in advance. It is traditionally made with lamb’s meat as the title ‘shepherd’ suggests. However, beef or even quorn mince can work equally as well if you prefer. To make this tasty Shepherd’s Pie for 4 adult-sized portions, you will need the following ingredients: 1. 250g mincemeat of your choice 2. 1 medium-sized onion 3. 5 carrots, peeled and chopped 4. 1 tin of chopped tomatoes (or 1 jar of bolognese sauce) 5. 1 tbsp concentrated tomato paste 6. 1 tsp dried basil (or a handful of fresh basil leaves if you have these available) 7. A…
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DESSERT: Chocolate Cake Tray Bake
This recipe has got to be one of my most popular and easiest cake recipes! You don’t need to know your way around the kitchen to get fantastic results with this simple recipe! This chocolate cake tray bake is ideal for baking for your children’s school fair or bake sale. It’s great if you have last-minute dinner guests coming over or if you are simply craving a delicious slice of chocolate cake heaven! Check out my free Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies recipe here or my pretty Apple Roses recipe here too. To make my Chocolate Cake Tray Bake, you will need the following ingredients: 1. 120g caster sugar 2. 120g butter,…
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BABY: Baby Weaning Storage Solutions
Just when you thought you had everything sorted, from your baby’s car seat, buggy, toys and clothes, along comes weaning time! All the bowls, spoons, a high chair and other bits of cutlery… it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Here’s my tips on how I saved money and stored my baby’s weaning items, hopefully it will help you out too. We own two of these Summer Infant Sit ‘n Style Booster Seats shown above. One to travel with or leave at the Grandparents house and one at home. Not only can they be attached to chairs with the handy straps, they are perfectly safe to use at floor level too when…
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BABY: Apple and Cinnamon Purée
When weaning begins, it can be hard to know where to start. There are lots of helpful recipe books out there but sometimes it can be very effective to think from scratch and see what fruit or vegetables you have in your kitchen first that could be easily turned into delicious baby puree. From carrots to sweet potatoes, apples and bananas, there is always a healthy fruit or vegetable that you can puree for your baby. Here is how I make my apple cinnamon puree to get you started. Also check out my Cheesy Mash Potato Puree recipe here. Ingredients you will need: 1. 3 medium sized fresh apples 2.…
