Angel Delight Recipes!

Ever wanted to make something tasty quickly? Well these simple recipes will allow you to make something tasty out of a well know product Angel Delight. I love it and have grown up with it. I will introduce Jack to it and make it a yummy treat for him.

Available in Chocolate, Strawberry, Banana, Butterscotch & Raspberry.
Also a sugar-free version in Butterscotch, Strawberry and Chocolate.

First up is similar to banoffee pie. Melt butter and digestive biscuits together and put in the bottom of a cake tin or bowls. Chop up two bananas and spread over the biscuit base. Next, mix up banana Angel Delight as normal and spread over the banana. To finish shake some chocolate sprinkles on the top and leave to chill.
To make a chocolate cheesecake; don't add the banana and use a chocolate Angel Delight. Try using some yummy biscuits as a base such as chocolate chip cookies or ginger nut biscuits!
You could even try making the base out of Weetabix mixed with Rich Tea biscuits, banana Angel Delight for the filling and add strawberries and raspberries to the top.

What about a Chocolate Orange Triffle? Add Jaffa Cakes to the bottom of a dish. Cover with mandarin oranges. Mix up a chocolate Angel Delight and layer over the Jaffa Cakes. Whip up cream and layer over the Angel Delight. You could even decorate the top with Terry's Chocolate Orange segments!

Ever thought to make yummy ice lollies from Angel Delight? Mix it up as usual just add a little more milk so it doesn't go to thick. Then pour the mixture into ice lolly moulds and freeze for around 2-3 hours. You could use Strawberry Angel Delight and add fresh strawberries to the mix!

Enjoy!!

Check out more recipes by clicking here!

Why is it so hard to find a job?

Hi everyone.
I am looking to go back to work now Jack is almost 2, but it seems people only want evening and weekend work for a part-time position! That's just not practical for me! I went for an interview on the 3rd September for a well known pet store; but haven't heard anything from them since. It was the ideal hours; I have since rang them and they have told me 'we want to employ you but are not sure if we can offer you 16 hours or more'. Since that phone call I have heard nothing! Should I call them again? I don't want to seem like I am bothering them. This is when I wish I had the another parent living with me or close by so I could call upon them to look after their child while I go out and work!

I am sick of struggling on benefits; and people making the assumption I either have loads of money because I am on benefits or I am to lazy to work - neither are true!
I feel so small going out into the big work world as a single parent.
Am I asking for to much? I need over 16 hours to make it worth my while (tax credits mostly for childcare) and I would like hours during the day. I don't think I am asking to much; but what I do know is I WANT TO WORK!! :-)
Does anyone have any good sites which advertise part-time jobs?

Dr Brown's Training Cup Review

Jack was sent some lovely Dr Brown Training cups to test out. I didn't even know Dr Brown's did training cups as I had only heard of their bottle range (which is fantastic if you have a baby who suffers from colic). We have had many cups in the past and Jack hasn't taken to them; weather they are just to heavy or the teat or spout isn't right for him; I don't know!

Dr Brown's Hard-Spout Cup

Jack had his milk in the 270ml Hard Spout cup this morning and seemed comfortable and happy with it. I have never given him milk in a cup as they always leak and you don't want milk leaking everywhere! This one didn't; it has a sip-activated valve which means liquid will only come out when Jack's mouth activates it. I was shocked that a cup which said it was spill-proof actually was! Many cups still drip when they are not in use; but I can honestly say this one doesn't. Even when it's upside down no liquid comes out; not even a trickle! The cup is suitable for the dishwasher (on the top shelf) and is ideal for a teething baby. (9+ months) The cup is BPA Free too. This cup comes in seven different colour combinations! 

The cup will grow with Jack; when he is ready I can remove the handles to make it a little more grown up. It comes with a protective lid which keeps the spout clean when not is use. I recommend this cup over all the others on the market if your looking for a non-spill cup that doesn't leak!

Enjoying milk from his new Dr Brown's cup!

Dr Brown's Soft-Spout Cup
This cup is a perfect if your thinking of introducing a cup to your child or moving your baby from a bottle to a cup. The spout feels just like a teat and is flexible. The Soft Spout Cup has all the same features as the Hard-Spout version but is suitable from 6+ months (due to the soft spout). This cup holds 170ml (6oz) and isn't to heavy for little arms and hands to hold. The handles allow enough room for you child to have their hands in a comfortable position and they are also removable allowing this cup to grow with your baby. Another super cup which doesn't leak!

Dr Brown's Soft-Spout Cup

Fancy some fine art?

Hi everyone.
I just wanted to share with you some fantastic artwork. My granddad (Derek) has a BA (Hons) in Fine Art. He recently painted Jack a master piece! In the centre he painted Jack (my favourite image of him) and then added all of Jack's favourite TV characters. He also hide Jacks name in the painting. He is fantastic at using watercolours!
If you are interested in a fantastic piece of artwork (all prices are reasonable) please contact me or Derek. He also does fantastic pencil sketches! Any image which you would like; I am sure Derek can do!

Fun with Play-Doh!

Happy Friday everyone!
I just wanted to share with you some fun we had yesterday with Play-doh. Jack loved pressing the cutters into it and also rolling it out. We obviously did this in the kitchen as I didn't want pink Play-doh squashed into my cream carpet! Is it just me or has Play-Doh changed? I remember as a child it used to be quite dry and had a sandy feel to it. The hours of fun I used to have making birds nest's with little round eggs in and pizza's!
What did you used to enjoy making out of Play-Doh?

Become a Plum Baby Mum!

I have been selected to become a Plum Baby Super Mum (sounds good!!) I was selected by Plum Baby to become an advocate for the brand. They sent me two free samples (which Jack loves!)
You can also get a free Plum Baby sample by signing up HERE. All you need to do to ensure you get a free Plum Baby sample is enter my name Louise Millward into the box which asks if you have an offer or competition code. (see image below if you get stuck!) It's that simple!

Keep your eyes on my blog as I will (more Jack will) be testing new products and helping Plum Baby with any research they need.

My mission "To be involved in the Plum Baby adventure, and help them feed the nations' babies the ultimate organic baby food!"

KneeBouncers!

I can across a fantastic site while searching for games which my toddler can play online. This website called KneeBouncers. There are some fantastic games on the site which Jack can play on and learn how to use the laptop. It's fun and entertaining too! I enjoy watching him press the keys and laughing at the characters jumping around on screen! I haven't seen a similar site which has the same wide variety of educational games.

Playing 'The Number Game'

Playing "Choo-Choo"

Playing "Flashing Lights"

Here is a little bit about how and why KneeBouncers came about. Taken from the "About Us" section on the site.

KneeBouncers was created out of necessity. As parents of two young children, my wife and I were constantly seeking balance. Maintaining order in our little part of the universe was (and still is) a vital key to survival. If one child had something of value, the next child would have something of equal value (or half of whatever the first child was holding). This system seemed to work for us.

Then, we had a third child, and our balance was suddenly thrown.

The first few months were typical with a newborn, and we made all the necessary adjustments to our sleep patterns and schedules. As our bundle of joy grew and was trying very hard to catch up with her older siblings, our defensive philosophy had to change. We went from “man-on-man” to “zone coverage”. This, too, seemed to work for us and for a weekend or two we actually felt the universe in balance once again.

Then the older two, (at the time 3 & 4 years old), discovered the internet.

They had a great time on all the major kid sites. They searched for Ernie, colored Clifford, and got hopelessly lost on the Disney site. (Note to Disney lawyers: the old Disney site broke a lot – the new one is much, much better). They were having a blast. Unfortunately the same could not be said for their little sister.

She wanted to play too, but was frustrated when she couldn’t get anything to work - she was 9 months old. Okay, admittedly I may have been the one frustrated, but everyone with a 9 month old out there understands.

I began to search for online baby games, and online toddler games at all the major sites and came up with nothing. Nada. The diddliest of squat for the little ones.

During this time, I had been creating some websites with my very good friend and flash master Kurt Dommermuth. We had just completed a number sites that were rich with interactivity. Kurt had a one year old daughter and we talked at length about the same frustrating futile search for online games for babies and toddlers.

Then I took a plane trip.

Somewhere at about 35,000 feet, between LA and Baltimore, KneeBouncers came to me. I grabbed my sketchbook, planned out five or six games and drew most of the characters. Once home in Maryland, I called Kurt and went over the idea with him. Since our discussion, Kurt had been thinking of ways to program a site with interactive games that did not rely on the use of a mouse.

Then we got to work.

I did the drawings and graphics and Kurt brought them to life with all the animation, music and sound effects. In 2002, we launched KneeBouncers.com and it was an overnight sensation – in our little part of the universe. Kurt’s little girl loved it. My little girl loved it. So I sent the link to my sister and brother and they told two friends and so on and so on…

Since then, the site has reached places neither of us had ever dreamed it would. We have received thank you notes from every continent (except Antarctica, apparently the little ones there are too busy trying to stay warm to play games).

KneeBouncers.com has been the site of the week for many media outlets including the BBC and BBC Canada. Parenting magazine, and countless parents blogging sites have recommendations for KneeBouncers. Teachers of children with special needs and autism have written to us delighted by the response their children have from playing on KneeBouncers.

Today, as proud parents (me of five and Kurt of two), we are excited to be launching a new phase of KneeBouncers. We have added new games, activities, coloring sheets to download, a store with KneeBouncers merchandise - from tee shirts to a Sly Cat plush toy - and a forum for parents to share their experiences. We welcome your thoughts and comments on the new site.

KneeBouncers was created for the ittiest of the bittiest. Our goal is to provide you and your family with a whole lot of thumping, bumping, crashing, bashing, smashing, splashing, popping, bopping, wiggling and especially giggling.

KneeBouncers.com. A whole lot of fun for the itty bitty ones!

We hope you enjoy it.

Jim Robinson

Chief KneeBouncer

OMG Pizza Hut are letting kids eat free!!

 

Trust Pizza Hut to have a super offer on while I am on a diet! (they must know I adore their pizza's) Can you believe they are extending the fantastic offer so Kids Eat Free until Jan 9th 2011?? I can't! Pizza Hut have been running an excellent offer all summer which allows kids under 12 to eat for free*.... yes I did said FREE*!!

*For every adult main course or adult lunchtime buffet purchased, an accompanying child can choose from either a FREE 2 course kids meal (includes a drink) or a FREE kids lunchtime buffet (includes pizza, pasta and salad). If you don't believe me you can find more details about the offer at http://bit.ly/a1DhgJ

They know the summer holidays can be a struggle to ensure kids are entertained. That's why there is nothing better than some free pizza to keep everyone happy, and with the offer extended until January (following over 900,000 happy kids taking advantage already) everyone’s a winner! I know I may have to have a day off the diet just so Jack can eat lots of yummy pizza!

There is only so many times you can walk to the local river to feed the duck's and go the library. I swear we have had most of the children's section out! As much as Jack enjoy's feeding the duck's and going for a walk along the river (I don't! I get bored doing the same old thing!) Living in such a small town; the parks are always busy and you can't escape without jumping on a train or bus (unless your lucky enough to have a car!) There is only so much time you can spend in the garden and it can then become boring. I am sure my family are tired of seeing me and Jack (LOL)  I know there is nothing which could compare to a yummy scrummy lunch at Pizza Hut where kids can eat free!

Pizza Hut are offering more! At the bottom of any Pizza Hut Restaurant receipt you will find an offer code. Enter this code at http://www.pizzahut.co.uk/familyadventures to get great deals on a wide range of family activities and adventures including holidays, theme parks, zoos and more.

There is no excuse not to go to Pizza Hut!

This is a sponsored post.

Share hosted by Wikio

This time last year; Wordless Wednesday!

This time last year....

A day with nanny!

Hi everyone.
Today Jack had fun playing with Nanny in the park! They went on an amazing slide (must have gone down it over 20 times!) I just thought I would share the pictures with you. Wasn't it warm today? It was beautiful and sunny here in Worcestershire!

Jack and Nanny on the slide

Climbing up the hill to the top of the slide!

Have fun with your toddler in the kitchen!

Hi everyone!
I thought I would share with you a two actives you could do with your toddler. 
The obvious activity is letting your toddler help you. Maybe you could make some cakes together and let them mix the mixture or even let them scrub any dirty vegetables you may need for the evening meal. Toddlers love helping you out. Asking them to get something out of the fridge is rewarding for them as they have clearly identified what they have been asked to get. Teaching them kitchen safety, such as what's hot and what's cold, from an early age will help them feel more comfortable when in the kitchen. You could even leave plastic containers, inexpensive pans, plastic silverware and wooden spoons on a bottom shelf in your kitchen. Toddlers will learn the kitchen isn't totally off limits to them and while you are cooking they can join in the fun with their own dishes.


Next up is Marshmallow Magic! 
You will need some dark paper, white PVA glue, a saucer/plate and mini marshmallows!

After studying Art & Design I know that the contrast of black and white makes the use of space all the more obvious to the developing artist. Pour a small amount of glue into a saucer/plate and show your child how to dip a marshmallow in and stick it in patterns to the dark paper. You could try make little snowmen by gluing the marshmallows 3 high, take turns in gluing the marshmallows in a long line or even just go around the edges of the paper with the marshmallows. Your little one will enjoy sticking down the soft marshmallows and playing the game with you.
If you have any marshmallows left over you could put a few onto a cocktail stick and dip in melted chocolate then decorate with hundreds and thousands or sugar strands. 

Yummy!!

Have you ever tried giving your teething toddler frozen vegetables?
Maybe you should give Vegetable Teethers a go!
All you will need is a pack of frozen mixed vegetables. You can serve your teething toddler frozen mixed vegetables straight from the freezer. Most children like them better uncooked and they can be a quick fix for those fussy times!

Frozen carrots, peas, green beans and sweetcorn!

My Monday Heartache...

Hello everyone.
Today Jack went to nursery as usual. He has been going for over a year and still cry's when I leave him. I have quite a tough heart (you have too!) and I don't let it get to me (deep down I know he likes it!); but I can't understand why he cry's when I leave him. Surely the regularity of going every Monday should have kicked in by now? (he has been going to the same nursery for over a year) When I go to collect him; he is happy and full of smiles. Maybe he is just going through the separation anxiety phase; but how long does this last? Or, maybe it's because I am the only person he spends a lot of time with? I want him to enjoy his time away from me and I know he does, but why does he cry? He even knows the way to nursery and cry's before we even get there! I do reward him with something when I collect him.
Any advice would be welcomed.

Happy Jack!

A 'Yummy Scrummy' Recipe!

Hi everyone!
I thought I would share with you a rather tasty recipe. Now that summer has ended; it's time to get cooking all the yummy comfort foods!
This recipe is for blackberry muffins and it makes 12. You could go blackberry picking to get the berries for this recipe (an excuse to eat loads of blackberries!). You could also experiment and add apple (that would be scrumptious!), or maybe add some chopped hazelnuts?

250g wholemeal plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

75g butter

100g caster sugar

2 eggs

250ml natural yogurt

200g blackberries

First you need to heat the oven to gas mark 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. You also need to line a muffin tin with cases. Next you need to put the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, add the butter and rub into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Then stir in the sugar and hazelnuts (if using). Then Mix the eggs and the yougurt together and stir into the breadcrumb mixture with half of the blackberries. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and push the remaining berries into the top of each. Bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden brown.

Yummy.....blackberry muffins!

Last night's shenanigans!

Hi everyone.
Last night was one of the most eventful nights I have had in a long time (which didn't involve alcohol!) I was doing my university coursework and I had a glass of water on the table with me. I reached to get a pen from behind the water and knocked the glass flying! I was soaking wet and so was my laptop!
I started to panic (and I was right too!) What would I do without my laptop?? How would I complete my computer programming course?? I left it to dry out upside down while I cleaned up the rest of the mess. I came back to continue with my typing and the keyboard wouldn't respond. Uh oh.....
It started to type random characters on it's on; and then eventually gave up all together. I was stressing out! I took a hair dryer to it as I thought this would dry it out quicker; but it just melted the keys!
The situation was getting worse!! I backed up everything onto the external hard drive and turned the laptop off. I was scared it might not turn back on! I left up upside down over night and turned it on this morning. I was in two minds if it would work or not...... but thankfully it did!

Desperately trying to dry it out!

Games for Toddlers (without breaking the bank!)

I thought I would share with you some fun activities me and Jack do together! Each activity came be made with things you may have laying around the home; but would be cheap to buy from the supermarket (compared to shop prices!)
All of these activities will help to entertain and stimulate your child. I personally find them useful for when if it's raining outside and you need a distraction (or for when the large amount of toys just aren't interesting any more!) 

Wrapping paper!

Our favourite game has to be the Gift-Wrap Memory Game. Jack enjoys playing with the shapes and learning how to find the other pair. I found it a great way to recycle any left over wrapping paper! I also hide the shapes around the house and encourage him to find them; he love this!
All you need for the Gift-Wrap Memory Game is:

• Wrapping paper in a variety of patterns and colours
• Cardboard
• Glue
• Scissors
• Sticky backed plastic (optional)
• Clothes pegs

First you need to cut the wrapping paper into a variety of shapes (you can cover each one in sticky backed plastic if you want it to last a little longer), then stick these shapes onto the cardboard with the glue. You can make as many pairs as you like (I suggest between five and ten for a toddler; maybe more for older children). Toddlers will enjoy handling and looking at the cards. You can gradually encourage them to lay the cards face up and try to clip the matching pairs together with a clothes peg. Older toddlers and preschoolers will enjoy playing a game of memory, where all the cards are laid out face down and each player takes a turn trying to find a matching pair.

Pasta shapes!

Jack also enjoys playing Pasta Sort. As well as sorting the dried pasta he enjoys eating it! This is such a simple game and is cheaper than some of the sorting games in the shops! I like to give Jack a variety of pasta shapes and left him feel the different textures. I then pick up a piece and ask Jack if he can find the same piece Mummy has. We have hours of fun playing this game. For older toddlers or preschoolers you could colour the pasta and ask them to match the colours to a coloured container. For details on how to colour pasta see teaching tiny tots.

Our last game which we enjoy playing is Number Cards. Jack really enjoys finding the numbers and learning the numbers. I created the number cards on some of my spare study cards. I simply drew the numbers on the front and added the number of dots on the back of each one to help him visualise the correct number of dots and learn to count. You could cover these in sticky backed plastic if you wanted them to last a little longer (but in my opinion it's not worth the stress!)

Number Cards!

Jack playing with the number Cards (excuse my voice; I hate the sound of it on camera!)

I hope these games help encourage you to use your creative side! They should also keep your little ones amused for 5 minutes! I would love to see any pictures of your games you make. Please also share any ideas you may have for other games me and Jack could enjoy.

Let the student life begin!

Hi everyone!

I am starting my level 2 university course in October. I am so excited I have already started reading the course books. I know; I sound like a geek! I will be the first to admit I have missed studying!
The time they give you off is a silly amount. I had nearly 4 months off and it wouldn't surprise me if I have gone brain dead (all their fault of course!)
So I guess your wondering what I am studying?! Well I am taking two courses with the OU (Open University) and working towards my degree in Computing and Design. The two courses I have chosen to study this year are M255 Object-oriented programming with Java and MT264 Designing applications with Visual Basic. Sounds technical I know. I kinda scared myself when I opened up the boxes when the study material arrived! All I can say it; I can't wait to learn and hopefully pass these courses!
Are you studying anything this year; please comment if you are. I would love to hear what course(s) you are studying. Also, comment if you are studying with the Open University too!
Louise x

Blow drying, sleep suits and potty training...

As I was sat at home today; I was thinking about a few things.

Should I be blow drying Jack's hair?

Should he still be wearing all in one sleep suits?

And, should I start potty training him any time soon?

Whenever I go to the hairdressers they always seem to pile products into my hair saying the heat from the hair dryer will damage it. Should I be piling the products into Jacks hair? It's to cold at night for him to be going to bed with wet hair! Towel drying doesn't seem to dry it; admittedly I do use the hair dryer on the coolest setting. I am unsure if using a hair dryer now will damage his hair in a few years to come. Any advice?

Now my child isn't one for staying under the duvet when he is in bed. I hate to think he would be getting cold feet (I hate having cold feet!!) I have tried socks but he pulls them off. They only way I can think to keep him warm is to wear the all in one sleep suits and a long sleeve vest. I was thinking maybe as he is nearly 2; I should start using pyjamas. Any advice?

A few of my friends have started potty training the children; personally I think Jack is too young to be understanding how to use a potty. He is starting to communicate with me when he has a dirty nappy; but I don't think he would understand me saying "if you need the toilet, go on the potty". Does anyone have any advise on potty training and when you should start it?

Thanks for reading!

My little monkey!

Getting to know me!

Hi everyone!
I thought I would do a post so you could learn a little more about me. I have come up with 15 questions! You could reply with your answer's so I can get to know you a little more too!!
Hope you enjoy reading and I can't wait to read your replies!

1. How many children do you have?
   I have one child and his name is Jack.
2. What is your favourite kind of music?
   Ummm, I like lots of music but my favourite has to be dance.
3. What did you want to be when you were a child?
   When I was a little girl I always wanted to be an air hostess; until I found you needed to learn another language!
4. How many children did you want when you were a child?
   In the playground me and my friends used to talk about having lots of children and living in a big house. Little did I know how much hard work they actually are!
5. What place would you like to visit?
   I have always wanted to visit China.
6. What is your favourite thing about your Mum?
   My favourite thing about my Mum has to be her helpfulness and support. I don't think I could have managed having Jack without her.
7. What is your favourite thing about yourself?
   Ummmm tough one! I quite like my eyes!
8. If you could pass on one of your personality traits to your children, what would it be?
   I would pass on my conscientiousness. I think I am a very careful person and I would like to think my children will be.
9. What are three adjectives which describe you?
   Independent, strong hearted and intelligent
10. What were your favourite subjects in school?
    I enjoyed art, science and I.T.
11. When you have an hour of free time, what do you like to do?
    I like to sit back and relax. Having time to myself is a rare; but without Jack around I feel lost!
12. What is the strangest thing you ever did?
    When I went to Thailand I had a baby tiger sit on my lap!
13. What is the strangest food you ever ate?
    I tried sword fish when I was in New Zealand.
14. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
    It would have to be my weight.
15. What is your dream job?
    My dream job would be working as a high rolling web designer; making lots of money!

Quick and easy cake tray pizza bites

Hi everyone!!
Thought I would share with you a yummy pizza recipe I made today. Jack helped me pat the dough into flat circles! (All measurements are estimates as I just chucked the flour and water into a bowl!) All you need to do is make it into a dough!

For the dough:
4oz of self raising flour
4oz of strong wholemeal flour
Water
2 tablespoons of oil
A pinch of salt

Sift the self raising flour into a bowl and add the strong wholemeal flour. Add oil and water until a dough is formed. Work the dough for about 5-10 minutes. Tear the dough into small balls and pat out until flat. Fit into a cake case tin.

For the topping:
Tomato pure
Anything you fancy!

Spread the tomato pure thinly, then sprinkle on the topping you fancy. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

These are ideal for toddlers as a snack. They are small, tasty and fun!!
Enjoy!!!

Cake tray pizza bites!

Ham and Cheese pizza bites!

Hipp Organic Product Review

The lovely people at Hipp Organic sent Jack a few products to review. Unfortunately he can't type words yet; so he asked me to document his thoughts on them!
When the postman delivered the box we opened it with excitement; Jack was a little overwhelmed at all the yummy food! We were given seven products to review. These were:

1. Little Nibbles: Organic crispy biscottes (Stage 3 from 10 months)
2. Little Nibbles: Organic crumbly rusks (Stage 1 from 6 months)
3. Little Nibbles: Organic carrot & pumpkin rice cakes (Stage 2 from 7 months)
4. Cheesy leek & chicken macaroni (Stage 3 from 10 months)
5. Mediterranean ratatouille with gnocchi (Stage 3 from 10 months)
6. Scrumptious lasagne (Stages 3 & 4; 1-3 years)
7. Chunky vegetable pasticcio (Stages 3 & 4; 1-3 years)

Hipp Organic Products

As you can see the organic carrot & pumpkin rice cakes are not in the image above; Jack couldn't wait to open them! I was unsure how they might taste as I have never seen carrot and pumpkin used together. I tried one myself and it was yummy! Jack certainly enjoyed eating them. The rice cakes contain a blend of carrot and pumpkin juice concentrate and contain no added salt or sugar. Hipp Organic have a special snack range called "Little nibbles". All products in the Hipp Organic range are prepared using the finest quality organic ingredients. The organic crispy biscottes are fantastic! Jack enjoys his as a snack with fruit. They look like mini toasts; but are twice-baked wheat biscuits. Jack also enjoys munching on the organic crumbly rusks. I feel confident to give these to him as I know there is no added sugar; unlike the unhealthy biscuits you find in supermarkets.

Munching on Carrot & Pumpkin Rice Cakes

Because I am on a diet I worry what Jack is going to eat for his dinner as I am not cooking a meal just for him! I found that some baby meals don't look or smell very nice and Jack doesn't enjoy eating them. I was unsure if Jack would enjoy this lasagne. I put the heart shaped pot into the microwave for a minute. I couldn't believe it when I cooked the scrumptious lasagne; not only did it smell wonderful it actually tasted like lasagne should! This is because there are no artificial flavours or ingredients.

Hipp Organic; Scrumptious Lasagne

Tonight, I tried out chunky vegetable pasticcio. I had no idea what this was but from the picture I guessed it was a vegetable pasta dish. Again, I microwaved this meal for a minute and it smelt wonderful. I wish I could have eaten it! Jack enjoyed this meal more than I thought he would. There was no need for me to worry about Jack having a healthy meal as this meal was full of vegetables.

Enjoying chunky vegetable pasticcio

We used the smaller pots of cheesy leek & chicken macaroni and mediterranean ratatouille with gnocchi for lunch. They are the perfect size to pop in a handbag or changing bag. Each pot is gently steamed cooked for optimal goodness. Each pot contains organic rapeseed oil with omega 3; which is important for the development of your baby or toddler. This is something which not many baby products can offer. I will most defiantly be buying some more from this range.

Stage 3 Wholesome Pots

We would like to thank everyone at Hipp Organic for sending us these lovely products to review. I think Jack had the better end of the deal!! We will definitely be adding these to our trolley next time we go shopping! You can find many more of the Hipp Organic range on their website; and even order food (I didn't know this!)

Ella's Kitchen Product Withdrawal Notice

Hi everyone
I had this email yesterday from the people at Ella's Kitchen and thought I would share it with you as some of you may not be registered with them.

"We wanted to get in touch to let our friends know that some mums + dads have contacted us about an issue with a number of our Carrots, Apples + Parsnips stage one baby food pouches. 

We've looked into this and found that 3 of our products produced at one isolated factory have been subject to natural product spoilage, occurring inside the straw of the pouches.

This has affected our Carrots, Apples + Parsnips; Strawberries + Apples; and Apples + Bananas stage 1 baby food.

Whilst we believe that this spoilage is completely harmless, we are currently investigating thoroughly, and this process will take some time to analyse fully. In the meantime, while we carry out our investigations into the exact cause, and because we believe that mums, dads and hungry little ones should be enjoying all of our products in tip top condition, we have decided to withdraw all products produced at this one factory, until we know what's gone wrong. This includes the above affected products, plus our 'Yellow One' smoothie fruit snack as a precautionary measure. 

The batches we are withdrawing are limited to products with the letters'CAP', 'SA', 'YO' and 'AB' in the batch code and with the best before dates of April 11, May 11, June 11 and July 11 (both found on the back of pack). 

If you have one of these pouches, and you'd like to get in touch, then we'd love to hear from you by:

	Contacting us by email on this address: customercare@ellaskitchen.co.uk
	Ringing our customer care line on this number: 01491 629 120. We'll be here to answer calls Mon – Fri 9 –5pm. If you leave a message we'll get back to you on the next working day. IN the event of an emergency, please call us on 01491 629 123.
	Or, you can pop the pouch in an envelope. All you need to write on the envelope is "Freepost Ella's Kitchen". Just make sure you include your name, address and telephone number so that we can get in-touch with you and refund your money.

We can assure you that no other Ella's pouches affected, having all been made in another factory to Ella's high standards.

We'd like to say a big thank you to those mums and dads who have taken the time to get in touch and let us know about this. We're really sorry to have let you down on this occasion. It's really important to us that we make sure you always enjoy our products in tip top condition. 

If you would like to chat to us about this or any of our products please do give us a ring on 01491 629 120 or email: customercare@ellaskitchen.co.uk"

'I Can Cook' Recipes

'I Can Cook' images (From BBC website)

I seem to watch CBeebies everyday with my little one and there are a number of programs I have seen a hundred times! The one program which I actually enjoy watching is 'I Can Cook'. I think the recipes which Katy cooks with the children are really easy and simple. The recipes help you encourage healthy eating as they all include fruit and vegetables; it also teaches children to discover the full cycle of food as they learn to connect what's on their plate everyday with the world around them. I thought I would share the recipes I found with you all!
I found SAVOURY and SWEET recipes. I can't wait until Jack is a little bit older and we can cook together. Enjoy cooking with your children!
My favourite recipes are Spicy Baked Wraps, Fish Triple Decker and Chunky Banana Bread.

Jack is in a Baby Competition

Hi everyone!

Just a quick one today (feeling tired!) I would like to ask you all for some help! Jack is entered into my local papers baby competition. I was wondering if you all had a spare few minutes you would possibly vote for him. All you need to do is e-mail the words VOTEBABY 158 to votebaby@eveshamobserver.co.uk (you can vote upto 5 times on each e-mail address!)
Voting closes at midnight on Wednesday, September 8th.

If Jack wins; we will get a giant framed photo of him!

Thanks everyone xx

Jack's photo in the local paper