Ikea has style

What an amazing way to display ingredients for a recipe.  Taking cooking to all new level of art form.  I love it.








Doesn't this just make you want to play with your food.  Looking forward to getting my hands on the Ikea baking cookbook if it becomes available here.

Planning a kids party

I have been asked to share some of my ideas about how to plan a kids birthday party.  So here goes.

Firstly select a theme, this can be as broad as transport or as simple as the colour green.  Once you have a theme stick to it!  It is very easy to get distracted and to broaden the theme but then ideas get cluttered and you loose the effect. 

Once you have a theme (or you may need to decide this first) determine the location and timing of your big event.  I like to entertain at home but I am fortunate to have a house that allows me to do that but if you don't consider going to a park, playground or beach.  Then keep you eyes open. 

If you plan in advance you will have the luxury of just keeping your eyes open in cheap shops, the supermarket, online and you will be surprised how much of your theme you will stumble across.  You don't need too much, often it is best to keep to the KISS principle.  Have a few items and use repetition, it makes a great visual effect. 

Then you need to become a bit OCD, it is amazing the visual impact of grouping colours or textures together or lining up jelly babies on a plate.  I often use Amy Atlas' dessert tables for inspiration they are simply amazing.

Anyway this is the start to your party planning.  Stay tuned for more ideas, including the food, games and decorating.

Enjoy xxx

Chocolate Bread Men

In anticipation of my sons upcoming birthday party in August I have started to prepare.  I came across this chocolate bread men recipe which turned out to be a nice alternative to gingerbread men.  I hope you enjoy. xxx

Ingredients

Bakers flour 1kg

Butter 420g

Sugar 360g

Egg yolk 80g

Bicarbonate of soda 15g

Cocoa powder 40g

Golden syrup 180g

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Beat the eggs, sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy.  Add all other ingredients and mix for 10 minutes.  Tip the dough onto a floured bench top and shape into a ball.  Briefly knead the dough and then let rest for 10 minutes.  Toll out he dough until it is 5 millimetres thick.  Cut into the desire shapes, place onto a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool on wire rack.  Enjoy plain or top your chocolate bread men with your favourite icings and candy decorations.

From Wallaby Bakers Flour

Play dough

One of the best and cheapest activities for kids is play dough.  I know it was something I loved as a child and it is something my son loves.  Play dough is something very cheap and easy to make and lasts for a long time if stored correctly.  Relive some of your childhood memories by making a batch or two.

PS It also makes a great party activity or take home gift.

Play Dough

2 cups of plain flour

4 tbs cream of tartar

2 tbs cooking oil

1 cup of salt

food colouring

2 cups of water

Mix the ingredients in a saucepan, stir over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture congeals.
Store in airtight containers or bags and place in the fridge when not in use.

Sock Toys

I am a fan of making toys for my kids but have to admit that my toys normally consist of glue, paint etc because I can not use a sewing machine.  However when I was watching The Martha Stewart Show the other day I came across Knitwits.  These are sock toys made by New York based Quentin Webb.  They are very cute each with their own character and are easy to make.  I might have to get my needle and thred out and give it a go.  Go to Martha Stewart for instructions.  Let your imagination run wild!
On the same theme of sock fun, if you would like to start slow and make sock MP3 holders go to Little Miss Matched for full instructions.

Getting kids to eat their veggies - part 2

In my efforts to get my 2 1/2 year old to eat his veggies I have learnt to be a little creative where I place (or hide his veggies).  One of his favourite toasted sandwiches is a ham, cheese and avocado.  So I decided to make an almost a calzone version.  Firstly I made a bread dough with the help of my bread maker, added a couple of cups of veggies (zucchini and pumpkin) and then filled little pockets of the dough and baked.  My son loves them so much he normally asks for two and I now make versions for the whole family, including tomato and basil for me.  They freeze really well so they are a good healthy lunch ready at hand.

I hope you and your family enjoy xxx

Veggie pockets

milk 180ml (reduce this by the amount of liquid you get from the veggies, i.e. if you can drain 50ml of liquid out of your bowl of veggies by lightly squeezing the veg then reduce milk by 50ml)

oil 2 tablespoons

veggies 1-2 cups

salt 1.5 teaspoons

sugar 2 tablespoons

bread flour 3 cups

bread improver 1 teaspoon

dried yeast 1.25 teaspoons

your choice of fillings

Put all the above ingredients into bread maker machine.  When the dough is made remove, kneed and split into small balls (say 12).

Leave dough to prove.  Once the balls have risen roll out and fill with your chosen fillings. 

Brush the edges with water, fold and press down and place into a hot oven (180 C) until pockets are lightly brown.

Best served hot.

Top 5 - Time Saving Tips - Online shopping

I am due to go back to my day job shortly (after some maternity leave) and it has made me start to think about how I can and currently do save time in my day.  Time is something that we all need more of so I thought this is something that I would like to share and would love your tips on how to save time also.

Since having my first child I have learnt to become a fan of online shopping.  At first I was a bit concerned, but on a whole I have found it a massive time saving tool and the cost is normally cheaper or with postage at least no worse than what I would pay in the shops.  When you factor in travel time and the stress of getting out with a couple of kids, I think online shopping can only be a good thing.  Here is my top 5 online shopping sites.

Coles online - www.colesonline.com.au - for a small fee you can do your grocery shopping online and Coles will have a personal shopper get your goods (and they do pick the good stuff!), bring it to your house, unpack it and put it on your kitchen bench.  What could be easier than that?

Chemist direct -www.chemistdirect.com.au - chemist direct is as its name suggests, it is a chemist online.  I have found some items are a little more expensive but some are a lot cheaper.  So if getting out is too hard or you have a sick family this can be fantastic.  The orders normally arrive in a couple of days.

Peter's of Kensington - www.Petersofkensington.com.au - an online department store great for gifts (get the item wrapped and sent straight to the person) or for all your home ware needs.

Snap Fish - www.snapfish.com.au - don't go out to get photos printed again.  At snap fish you can get all your photo needs taken care of at great prices and with great service.

Zazzle - www.zazzle.com.au - Zazzle is great when you want to customise things like invitations, cards, t-shirts etc.  They have thousands of designs to choose from or you can import your own.

I hope this helps you save time and you get more 'me' time. xxx

Chicken & Corn Soup

In honour of Mother's Day on Sunday, and the fact that cooler weather is around the corner, I thought I would post one of my Mum's best and most simple soup recipes, chicken & corn soup. Sometimes life becomes to busy not to take a few short cuts so I often make a large batch (because I am not good at making only enough for one meal) of this soup and freeze it do give my family several easy lunches or dinners when who can be bothered making dinner. Thanks Mum, enjoy xxx

Chicken & Corn Soup

2 large onions (finely chopped)
2 chicken breasts (diced very finely)
4 packets of chicken noodle soup
12 cups of water
4 cans of creamed corn (420g)

Saute onion in a dob of butter. Add chicken and cook until white.
Add noodle soups and water
Cook for approximately 15-20 minutes. Add corn stirring continuously.

This recipe makes a large pot of soup so should cover a family for a couple of meals.

Getting kids to eat their veggies

Welcome. For my first post I thought I would share one of my success stories to help get my two year old to eat his veggies, pumpkin and carrot muffins. Like many two year olds he has been going through a stage where he won't eat any veggies, not even trying them really frustrates me. I decided to try and come up with a muffin recipe which was relatively healthy and full of veggies and this is what I came up with.

Pumpkin and carrot muffins

175g low fat margarine

75g brown sugar

1 egg

1tbs water

1 cup grated carrot

1 cup grated pumpkin

1/3 cup sultanas

150g wholemeal flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

pinch of salt

Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in egg and water.

Stir in carrots, pumpkin and sultanas until well combined. Then mix in the rest of the dry ingredients to blend evenly.

Spoon into muffin trays lined with patty pans. The number will depend on the size of pan you use. This mix will make approximately 12 medium size muffins. I like to make smaller ones for the kids.

Bake in oven at 180 degrees for approximately 35 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin and enjoy.

These muffins have been enjoyed by my son, his friends and the adults too. There is still sugar and fat in the recipe so I still give these as a treat (maybe with a second serving allowed) but my son thinks they are cake and as far as a treat is concerned I think this a healthy alternative.