B R E A K F A S T

I am sharing this super easy breakfast idea which is far less effort than it looks! Ingredients and what I have used are listed below.

* Pack of part baked rolls (I usually shop at Aldi so would pick them up there but the ones in this photo are Paul Hollywood crusty part bake rolls)
*Fresh coffee
*Homemade berry jam
*Orange Juice ( decanted into glass bottle)
*Butter

Really it's that simple! I put the rolls in the oven for about 8 mins and whilst they are baking i get set the table and get the coffee ready. Stress free and it gets all the family round the table eating the same thing for the first meal of the day.


Table mats, knives, plates, cups and tea towels from ikea. 
Caffettiera Bodum

Salted Caramel Cake

Salted caramel cake

125g dairy free butter (I use vitalife)

125g self raising flour ( use gluten free if you are intolerant)

125g white caster sugar 

X2 medium eggs

Few drops of salted caramel flavouring 

This really is the most easy recipe! 

Add all ingredients into a mixing bowl

Mix until batter is nice and smooth

Line a baking tin ( I like to use a loaf tin) 

Pre heat the oven to around gas mark 5 

Place in pre heated oven for about 45 mins 

( check from about 40 mins as everyone’s ovens are different)

Let it cool on a rack and enjoy 

Let me know how your cake goes down! I know my lot love it 

Lauren x

Soup : Leek and Potato

Here we are at another week and its already Tuesday! And best of all the weather really seems to have taken a turn for the better (i even got in the garden this weekend!). Soon the chill will leave the air and spring will set in but until then we are still seeking those comforting warm dinners for the chilly evenings. So here we are... enjoy!

We all have those days which are super busy after school with clubs and classes! For us this is Tuesdays and after we get home from all these extra activities, and the kids are starving, its handy to have a pre made dinner which only takes 5 mins to heat up. Ours today is this warming (because lets face it the sun may be out but its still so cold out there!) leek and potato soup with a loaf of crusty bread for dipping. Really easy recipe and doesn't take long to whip up at all.

Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes or 4-5 smaller ones - cubed 
• 3-4 leeks depending on size - sliced
• medium onion - diced
• 900ml chicken stock (can use vegetable stock also)
• knob of butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Peel and chop all ingredients, and add onion to a pan over a medium heat and stir with butter until slightly soft.

Add leeks and potato and stir.

Add a pinch of salt and some pepper.

Add stock and bring to boil.

Lid on and simmer until vegetables are all soft (approx 30 mins) 

Turn off heat and blend with an electric hand blender.

(once the soup is ready to blend i tend to put my loaf in the oven for around 5 mins to warm) 

Season again to taste and serve.

If you are making this to reheat later then don't warm up bread and leave the extra seasoning until reheating. Leave to completely cool before placing in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy 

XO Lo 

Cupcakes

I spent the morning waiting in for something so i decided to use my time to whip up these super easy cupcakes for the boys to snack on when they get home. They don't take long to make and i had them mixed, made, in and out the oven and iced within the hour!

Ingredients

• 110g Caster Sugar
• 110g Self Raising Flour
• 110g Unsalted Butter (at room temperature) 
• 1-2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1-2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• x2 Eggs - Lightly Beaten 

Mix all ingredients together until smooth batter is formed.

Line 9 cupcake cases in a cupcake tin and divide the batter between.

Pop into a pre-heated oven at gas mark 4 for around 15 mins. 

Allow to cool completely before eating or icing. 

Enjoy....

XO Lo

A weekend of family friends and good food

30.11.15
                                 
The weekends doings...
We are a family of foodies...
There are a lot of pictures...

27.11.15

       
                                     

What a turn in the weather we have had this last week! It's so cold, it feels as though winter is setting in properly now. I have secretly been looking forward to this, as this is the time we have a good excuse to stay in the house, wrapped up in front of a cosy fire, and this weekend has been the first of this winter we have been able to do that! We have had a busy weekend entertaining, eating and spending some good family time together. Above are pictures of Friday night... A good couple of bottles of red wine, a platter of food pickings and entertaining some new friends.

28.11.15

 Saturday was spent as a family with visits from other members too.

• Remy and Mummy
• Remy proud of his train track
• Remy playing in his own world of imagination
• A little kitchen plant 
• As above
• Dinner prepped and ready to go in the oven
• Before dinner pickings
• The main dish for our lovely evening entertaining family
• The salad
• The bread
• The whole dinner
• (Picture of dessert is missing as we were having far to much of a good time and had relocated to in front of the fire - in case your wondering we had homemade chocolate covered strawberries and vanilla cheesecake with lashings of cream. its safe to say one of us ABSOLUTELY fell asleep after this! )

29.11.15

• Beautiful seafront
• My coffee 
• My lazy Sunday morning attire
• Fresh bed linen - Zara home
• Brunch for me and the kiddies of grilled cheese sandwich's and caramelised onion chutney 

30.11.15

When i woke this morning i longed for an extra day of the weekend.. i was not ready to let go of lazy mornings, children and a full house. I lay for a few extra moments with my eyes shut - soon realising there was a child and dog that had joined me on the bed! A few coffees later and the cupboards re-stocked i am ready to tackle my Monday house duties.... Maybe

Lo XO

Pumpkin Pasta Recipe

This simple little recipe is so quick and easy to do and perfect for a healthy weekday dinner! 

 

 

Serves 4

Ingredients

Pasta - around 300 - 350g depending on appetite (brown rice pasta or wholegrain is healthiest!)

2-3 whole butternut squash (depending on size)

whole garlic bulb (medium)

olive oil

Salt and pepper

Parmesan cheese

Peel and chop butternut squash into roughly 1.5cm chunks

Scatter onto a baking tray or oven dish

Break up garlic bulb into individual pieces and lightly crush each with side of a knife (no need to peel them)

Scatter the cloves onto the tray with the squash

Drizzle olive oil all over until coated and add a pinch of salt and pepper

Bake in the oven for around 30 - 40 mins until very soft

Meanwhile cook pasta to packet instructions 

Drain pasta when cooked and add the entire contents of oven baked tray to the pasta (can remove garlic cloves if you don't want to eat them by mistake!) and mix well

Serve immediately with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese 

Enjoy!

Lo  XO

Super easy cereal bars

This recipe is so easy and quick to make... I whip up a batch when the kids are hungry or at the start of the week to pop in their lunch packs. I am changing the ingredients for this constantly adding white chic chips or raisins into it!

Ingredients

250g rolled oats
125g butter
125g soft brown sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup
Small handful flaked almonds
Few drops vanilla essence - depending on taste

Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend for about a min.
Spoon into a tray and smooth.



Bake in the oven in a lightly greased tray for around 20 mins or looking golden.