Kids in the Kitchen

We all know that cooking with kids is a great idea, a fun thing to do, a great bonding experience. Even educational. It may also be your version of hell.

If you're considering getting into the kitchen with your small one, if the guilt has finally gotten to you, coming to terms with the following facts will save your sanity.

1. It'll be messy.

There's no getting away from this. There will be mess. Even the simplest of recipes will make a mess. Flour on the floor. Batter in your kids hair, or yours. Sauce in places it couldn't possibly be. Mentally prepare yourself for a lot of mess. It's all part of the fun. Sorta.

2. It won't be perfect.

If you're a perfectionist, maybe you should just take your kids to the park instead. Biscuits will be oddly shaped. The cake will rise wonky. Something will burn.

3. It will be slow.

Especially with really young kids. Little hands don't work as fast, aren't as strong. Also, they get distracted pretty easily.

4. Your kid will eat all the ingredients before you've made anything.

My daughter eats the flour. The mixture. Any kind of dough. All spices. Butter is eaten in chunks. They will spend most of their time "Tasting".

5. They will get bored.

It's very possible, that after a little while they'll just lose interest and you'll be up to your elbows in chocolate cake, or un-iced sugar cookies. This can be a blessing in disguise.

Still wanna cook with your kids? Then take my advice....Or not.

1. Time it right.

Mid-morning, on the weekend, when you've been sufficiently coffee'd or tea'd into consciousness. You'll be less rushed, and there'll be plenty of time to create and eat your masterpiece.

2. Set the scene.

Clear off as much space as possible. You'll need it. Everyone washes their hands. Everyone dons an apron. Grab a stool for the short people, or if your knees can take it, set up at the kids table. (Move it into the kitchen if that saves the carpet.)

3.Read the recipe.

Make sure you've read the recipe numerous times, especially if you haven't made it before. Kids in the kitchen are totally distracting and it's easy to miss a step!

4. Let your kids actually do stuff.

Measure out the flour. Crack an egg. Stir things. Show them how, but try not to take over. Jump in when they need a bit of muscle, or if you're using electric beaters.

5. Let them taste everything.

Yes, even the flour. It's a great time to get them actually thinking about flavours. Is it salty? Is it sweet? Spicy? Dry or wet? Slimy or smooth?

6. Let them lick the bowl.

Licking the bowl is one of life's pleasures. I know there's hoo-ha about raw eggs etc, but I've never keeled over from ingesting cake batter, have you?

6. Even Chefs clean.

If they haven't already done a runner once the cake is in the oven, get them involved in the clean up. They can rinse stuff off in the sink, wash their hands, put the aprons away. Or just kick them out and do it yourself... you'll be needing a cup of tea by now.

7. Congratulate them on a job well done.

Bang on to anyone who will listen about how the small fry made the scones. They will beam with pride and it will all be worth it.

8. Smile Smugly.

You've earned it. File the memory away for those days when you feel like a totally crap mum who does nothing but yell.

Or is that just me?

Lemon Curd, And My Little Matthew Evans Crush

I've got more lemons than I know what to do with, but I'm giving it a red hot go.

If you've been playing along at home, you'll know this isn't my first go with the Lemon Curd. The last time I made it though, I fell in love with it and so it makes sense that the millions of lemons I am always in possession of get made into this beautiful balm.

While the fabulous packaging (if you ask me) is all my work, I can't take credit for the recipe. It's my boyfriends recipe.
Mr Frog knows, don't worry. At least I think he does. Although he forgets anything he doesn't take seriously.
Anyhoo, the recipe comes from the gorgeous, and heavy, tome "The Real Food Companion", written by (my boyfriend) Matthew Evans.

I realised I had the hots for him somewhere near the middle of the original Gourmet Farmer t.v series. I'm not sure what it was... the way he narrates, cooks or talks to his pigs. When I saw his book during my Angus & Robertson days, I had to have it. Aside from the crush, the book really is beautiful. It's all about how our food is raised, grown, killed and harvested and the best practices for all of these methods. It's not preachy, it just tells you how it is and how it could be if we all made better choices. Beautifully styled and shot, it's one of those books you can read from cover to cover, and if you're familiar with the series, you can hear Matthew reading to you.

Is it getting creepy yet?

Sadly, unbeknownst to me, during the filming of that first series, Matthew had already hooked up with his extraordinary wife, Sadie. This is a woman who stuck with a bloke who had not only just bought himself a little farm he had no idea how to run, but was being filmed while doing so. Since then there has been another couple seasons of G.F, a series on the labelling of Fish for consumption, and then he filmed him and his mates traveling around Tasmania on a boat. All the while Sadie has been running not only the property where they live, but also the other farm they own a few k's away. (I'm not actually sure how far, I'm not a stalker!)

Did I mention they have a little boy?

So, as much as I enjoy your shows and adore your books Matthew, you'd better hang on to that Sadie. She's a keeper.

So, back to those lemons. I use Matthews recipe. It's super simple, and I always feel better when he says "Don't worry if there are lumps - that just proves it's homemade".


Ingredients:

Finely grated zest of six lemons and their juice
8 eggs, lightly beaten
200g unsalted butter, cubed, softened
400g (1 2/3 cups) castor sugar

Sit a large bowl (Matthew says stainless steel, I use glass) over a saucepan of boiling water. Add all the ingredients, stirring occassionally with a wooden spoon until melted. Cook for a further 10minutes or so, stirring and scarping the bottom as you go, until the mixture thickens slightly. Remember ot to worry about the lumps, Matthew says it's ok! (And so do I!) The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. Transfer to sterilised, airtight jars and once cool, store in the fridge. It'll keep for up to two weeks.

Excellent on crumpets, pancakes, your favourite bread, turned into little tartlets, or even dolloped into your yoghurt.

Bon appetit!

MC

P.S Matthew, please don't sue me for sharing your recipe... it's an act of crush!

The First Birthday

It finally arrived.

After months of planning, weeks of having the dining table covered in my craft crap, and what seemed like hundreds of tiny, but seemingly terribly important decisions, a First Birthday Party was had.

I already had paper and string, so this bunting was FREE!

 You know how when you have something in your head it never turns out that way?

I sent out two versions of the invites, only because I couldn't get enough of this paper.

It didn't matter. They looked good, and came with a Fleur de Lys magnet made from Fimo, which I already had... = FREE!

Well, that didn't happen this time. The party looked and felt just like I planned. Just like I worked for. Just how I hoped.

You know I love a theme!

We celebrated surviving the first year of keeping a Tadpole alive in style.

Everything labelled in French

Finally an excuse to buy one of these babies!

Cheers!

Mr Frog doesn't celebrate birthdays. He's a weirdo. He knows it's a big deal for me so he said I could do what ever I wanted, and he'd just be there on the day.

Sweet!

And so I did. All the little lovely touches I found on Pinterest ( The Devil!) I could tweak to suit our little family.

This was meant to be on a blackboard looking fancy but that would've meant buying one and that was not an option. Make do people!

 And some ideas, I just kinda made up.

Leave a note for the birthday girl to read on her 21st birthday.

Tadpole was, understandably, quite overwhelmed by the people and noise. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of our friends and family.

I drank bubbles. I forgot to eat.

A good time was had.

This little handmade act of love was wonderful.

Eiffel Tower shaped biscuits with edible glitter instead of lolly bags.

To our friends and family who made it a special day, and who for more than a year have helped us in ways big and small...

I say Merci Beaucoup.

And to you I say "Wanna know how I did something from the party? Just ask!"

MC

Lemon Cordial is for Vodka, Lime and Soda

It's been forever since I posted, but it's not my fault.

I've been drowning in Lemons!

So, I made Lemon Cordial, which turned out not just sweet but wonderfully zingy. Then, I made Lemon curd, which is now my favourite thing to have on crumpets.

They didn't have time to get a fancy make over, I've only got one jar left!
I've also been making cards...

 ...finding things to add to the compost...

...Mr Frog has harvested our first veg, Lettuce and Spinach...

...and, we've been generally enjoying the garden Mr Frog has become so obsessed with...

Mind my bra hanging on the line.

Meanwhile, I've been going mad on Pinterest for Tadpoles 1st Birthday, and hunting for supplies. The invites are in the middle of being made, and I am slowly talking myself down from the extravaganza in my head to something more achievable without giving myself a stroke.

What have you been up to?

Got any lemons?

Lemonade is for Wimps

So, remember how I have a lemon tree?

Remember how I made Preserved Lemons?

Well, at the same time, I made this...

 

This is Limoncello.

After a month or so like this...

...this Bad Boy gave birth to these...

 Retro babies...

 Pretty little retro babies.

And that chilled little dude in front minus a little bit....?

He's mine. And had I not felt compelled to do a taste test (actually, I made Mr Frog taste it first) to make sure I wasn't going to poison anyone, my little guy would be full.

But not for long!

Oh, and the preserved lemons...?

I haven't been game to open them!

MC

Eat Your Sprouts! Yes, I Said Sprouts.

Brussel Sprouts.

People often have very strong feelings about them.

I LOVE them. In winter I eat sprouts like they're going out of style.

Halved and sauteed in butter, oil and garlic. Sometimes with a little bacon thrown in. That's all you need. In fact if they're cooked properly (steamed or sauteed, not boiled and then boiled again), then all you need is a little butter and salt and pepper.

Forget what you think you know, and try it.

Or try this. I could eat pasta all day every day, and quite frequently did when I was a poor singleton. But Mr Frog... Not so much. But this recipe, he LOVES!

After trimming the ends and less lovely outer leaves, halve and then finely slice your sprouts.

You want a lovely pile like this, but quantities vary depending on size of sprouts, and frankly, the size of your people. This is about enough for two people.

Dice a couple of rashers of bacon, chop some garlic, and lightly toast some chopped almonds. Faff about arranging them just so, so you can take a bloody picture.

Then take another one.

Next, throw some olive oil in a pan and start cooking your bacon. Once it gets going, throw in the sprouts. As they soften, add the garlic, and cook, until the thickest pieces of sprouts (the stem bits) are just tender.

Meanwhile, cook your pasta (I like spirals for this, but you choose) and reserve a little of the cooking water. Drain and then throw it into the pan of cooked sprouts. Stir well, and add some of that water.

Serve with the chopped almonds scattered ever so artfully on top, and parmesan.

Trust me, it's delish!

Bon Appetit!

MC

Old Mother Hubbard

Unlike the old lady, my cupboard isn't bare. Actually, it wasn't even a cupboard, it was a book case.

When Mr Frog was doing the house hunting, I told him what was important to me... gas stove, cupboard space, dining room, 3rd bedroom etc. And while the poor love certainly did his best, and found us a lovely place to call home, the kitchen, is well.... Shit.

No cupboard space. Oh there are cupboards, but very few and they're super small. And most importantly, there is NO PANTRY. I had a tiny little one in my last place and was so looking forward to having a nice normal sized one where I could enjoy buying in bulk.

It wasn't to be.

Until we headed to IKEA and bought a pantry, made all fancy by having part glass doors.

Behold, the stocking of the pantry.

All of this... plus I'm sure there are a few things hiding on the floor... (that's the old book case in the middle of the kitchen)

... went in here. All the pretty things went up the top, and the rest down below. No, I don't have matching cannisters, or Tupperware. What I do have are matching labels, and I was quite happy to find that they make it all look pretty.

Mr Frog went crook at me for taking a photo with crap all over the bin. However, I'm a real person, I have a baby, a life, and I was way too excited about my pantry to notice!

Small things make me happy. 

An organised pantry. A styled bookcase. (Yes I feel a bit naff saying "styled" but why not put a bit of love into the ordinary?) And room for my bargain buys out in the laundry on the old pantry bookcase.

Are you organised? Or do you throw things in and close the door real quick?

MC

Life Gave Me Lemons

Life gave me lemons... actually, chance gave me a lemon tree in our new house.

I have been waiting ever so impatiently for the copious amounts of green fruit to ripen, finding out along the way that they actually ripen off the tree.

Anyhoo.

I had to use all of these!

And so...

Some squeezing...

... some sorting and squeezing...

 ... a few extra ingredients...

... a mishap with a cheap jar, and a rescue from Dolmio...

... we have Preserved Lemons.

I hope.

And then...

there were still more lemons.

So stay tuned!


MC

Oh No You Didn't!

Oh yes. I did.

I used powdered potato. Out of a packet.

And I liked it.

I'll do it again.

Let me explain...

I made Pea and Mint Soup. No great mystery there, some onion, a little garlic, a heap of mint, (did I add a little lemon myrtle? Can't rememeber) Blitzed, served with a dollop of sour cream (naughty!) and some crispy bacon pieces.

However, I had a little too much stock, and I like my soup to fill me up a bit, so I often add a diced potato to my soups. But I had none.

So I used this...

It worked a treat.

I'd like to thank Nigella for the inspiration and the guiltless, slightly smug feeling I'm enjoying right now.

What's your dirty secret trick?

MC