Easy Easter Cooking

I love easter and now that Jack is a little older I can't wait to arrange egg hunts! I used to love running around the house looking everywhere for eggs which had been hidden by the Easter bunny.
I have found a few simple recipes I would like to share; most you toddler can help you with. You will remember making most of these when you were a child! I remember making Easter Nests at first school and the misshapen nests I took home were obviously a delight to my family as they were eaten that night after dinner (and still are today!)

Easter Nests

You will need:

Cereal (cornflakes or shredded wheat) 

Cooking chocolate 

Mini eggs

Method:

Combine cornflakes (or crushed shredded wheat) with melted chocolate and shape into nest shapes in bun cases. Before the chocolate has set, place 2-3 mini eggs into your chocolate nests.

For a simpler alternative, cover Rich Tea biscuits with icing (mix icing sugar with a little water and colouring if desired). The children can then decorate them with a variety of small sweets and sprinkles.

Easter Rainbow Cake

(You could even make mini rainbow cakes; just divide the coloured mixture between cake cases)

You will need:

Vanilla cake mix (mix according to package directions)

Food colouring (pink, green and blue)

Vanilla icing or frosting

Method:

Divide the vanilla cake mix into 3 separate bowls.

Colour each bowl a different colour using the food colourings.

Grease and flour 2 cake tins and layer the different coloured mix in the tin.

Once the cake has cooked (follow cake mix packet instructions) allow to cool before spreading a thin layer of frosting between the 2 cakes.

Put one on top of the other and cover in icing sugar or frosting.

Easter Bunny Biscuits

They are also brilliant for wrapping up as Easter gifts for friends and family.

You will need:

125g butter, softened

75g caster sugar

1 egg (separated)

200g plain flour, sifted

Quarter tsp of ground cinnamon

Quarter tsp of mixed spice

Zest of 1 lemon

75g currants

2 tbsp milk

Method:

Preheat oven to 200°C/329°C/gas 6. 

In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar together using a wooden spoon or electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, keeping back the whites. Using a round-bladed knife gently stir in the sifted flour, spices, lemon zest and currants. Gradually stir in the milk until the dough starts to come together.

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured worktop and knead gently until smooth. Roll out to about 5mm thick the cut out the biscuits using a rabbit-shapped cutter or a cutter of your choice.

Place the biscuits on 2-3 greased baking trays and bake each tray in batches for 10 minutes and the remove from the oven.

Whisk the reserved egg whites very slightly, brush lightly over the biscuits then sprinkle with sugar. Then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes until golden. Remove biscuits from baking tray and place on a cooling rack.

Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day!

Pancake Recipe

Yummmmmy!

Ingredients

For the pancake mixture:

110g/4oz plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
200ml/7fl oz milk mixed with 75ml/3fl oz water
50g/2oz butter

To serve (optional):

Caster sugar

Honey

Chocolate Spread

Lemon juice 
Lemon wedges

Preparation method

Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs - any sort of whisk or even a fork will do - incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.

Next; gradually add small amounts of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream.

Melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake.

Now, get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you're using the correct amount of batter. 2 tbsp is about right for an 18cm/7in pan. It's also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate.

Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.

To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar. Try this step with chocolate spread or honey to make a yummy sweet treat. You could even add strawberries or oranges!

Good points to being a single mum!

1. I can wear granny pants when I want to as I have no one to impress!

2. I don't have to keep my legs smooth!

3. I don't have to keep putting the toilet seat down.

4. I get to enjoy every minute of time with Jack; knowing I have taught him everything he knows.

5. We can have dinner when we want to; we don't have to wait!

6. I don't have to kiss stubble every day!

7. I can listen to Justin Bieber 'Baby' as much as I like!

8. I don't have to watch football; unless I choose to!

9. I don't have to share my bed or duvet with anyone!

10. I can wear bed socks to bed!

Graze - Nature Delivered (First box free & second half price)

Hi everyone!
Just wanted to share something with you. I was looking online for somewhere which can send me healthy snacks to my door (lazy I know) but I like the element of surprise and the Graze nibbleBox has it! When you sign up (discount code: QG733P4) you will get your first box for free and your second one half price. It's worth seeing if it's something you would like! The boxes are £3.49 including delivery.
There is no commitment ever - you can cancel your weekly deliveries at any time. If you're going on holiday it's really easy to push back your boxes or add a 'weekly delivery holiday' so you can receive the boxes when you're back. You only pay per box and Graze only ever charge on the day they send the box to you. All Graze boxes will fit through a normal sized letterbox so you don't need to be home!
You can select from over 130 items and choose the ones you like, love and would like to try, there is also the option to bin any you don't like. You will receive a selection of these foods in your box; that way you will always receive something you like!
They offer delicious, healthy, natural food; delicious nuts, seeds and dried fruits, tasty crackers and olives, freshly baked focaccia, as well as some well deserved flapjacks and natural treats. All foods in their range are completely free from artificial colourings, flavourings and preservatives and everything is hand-picked from the finest producers.

Happy New Year & Potty Training.

Happy New Year everyone. I hope 2011 brings lots of happiness and joy. I have a feeling this is going to be a good year!!
I have decided to start potty training Jack now that he has turned 2 and tells me when he has gone to the toilet. I brought Gina Ford's book "Potty Training in one week" as I needed to get an insight into how to begin!
She suggests getting two potties and a padded toilet seat. I have been looking around and there are hundreds! I was hoping to ask for some advice. I don't want to get one which is rubbish and Jack refuses to sit on it or scare him!
So, can you please share which ones you used and how you got on with them.
Also, is there any advice you can share with me? Jack is the first boy in our family for 3 generations so my Mum and Nan don't have a clue about boys! Are boys and girls the same when it comes to potty training?
HELP!!