24 October 2012

5pm Panic - Tasty Toast

BY Unknown IN , , , , No comments


Issac is often really tired and hungry after a fun packed day at day care when he gets home, so the meal I offer him needs to be easy to eat and not challenge his dislikes, as the last thing I want is a meltdown.

I'm sure all mums and dads need a repertoire of tasty quick meals that can be put together in a matter of minutes. Ideally they still need to give your little one a variety of nutrients, include protein to fill up your little ones tummy and keep them full until dinner and hopefully go some way towards meeting their iron or calcium needs. When all else fails crackers with cream cheese, avocado or peanut butter , a boiled egg with soldiers or yogurt with fruit slices are pretty good options for the 5pm panic.

I've recently found that Issac likes bread and enjoys being able to walk around with it as eat it slowly, taking his time and doing his thing while eating finger foods.

My sis-in-law was the first to introduce me to the combination of jam & cottage cheese and I must I was pleasantly surprised. Cottage cheese is by far my least favorite of all cheeses, but of course it is healthier. So not only does Issac get a sweet treat, I can be happy knowing he’s also eating something healthy :)

This is just a different take on your usual French toast and really simple to make. You can be sure your kids will love you for it!

And coz last week I just went on and on about stuff, lets just get straight into it this week, shall we? I'll save my stories & nonsense for another rainy day :P

French Toast Squares

INGREDIENTS
3 slices white bread
1 tbsp sugar free fruit spread
1 tbsp cottage cheese (refer Notes)
1 egg
1 tbsp milk

METHOD
1. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut each slice into four squares.
2. Spread two slices with the jam. Spread the third slice with cottage cheese and sandwich it in between the jam slices.


3. Beat egg and milk together in a shallow dish.
4. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Dip the jam sandwich into the egg mixture and turn to coat.
5. Put the egg-coated sandwich into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, until the underside is golden. Flip over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes then transfer to a plate.


6. Allow to cool slightly and check temperature before serving – be careful as the jam can become very hot.


Notes
You can use sugar free fruit spread if you want to make it extra healthy without compromising on taste.
Cream cheese is also another option to use instead of cottage cheese.

16 October 2012

Pumpkin & Raisin Bread

BY Unknown IN , , , , , , , , 2 comments


I can't believe we are into the 3rd week of October already. Life seems to be just passing me by and I feel like 24 hours a day is just not enough. Juggling work and family is definitely not easy as I thought it would be.

And it definitely does not get easier when someone or the other keeps falling sick in your household. Both R and I have used up all of our sick leave in the past couple of months as it seems out of the three of us, someone is always sick, the usual culprits being me and Issac. :(

I guess I should be thankful that my workplace is a family friendly environment or else I don't know what I would have done. At times when I think about it, I feel that I would have fired me with the amount of days I've been off work! But lucky for me, my manager doesn't feel the same way and I'm glad that they are flexible enough to let me work from home to make up hours now and then.

Every woman I know who has a job and is a parent has to deal every day with making enough time for both. I never really am able to do it. I just keep stealing from one part of my life to give to the other. (I figure by the time my son is in college, I'll be caught up.) Balancing it all is definitely one of the biggest sources of stress in my life.

Of late I feel that Issac has been missing out on a lot of motherly care. With the new job and additional responsibilities, I just can’t seem to find the time or the energy to cook proper homemade meals for him like I used to when I was a stay-at-home mom. And with the added minus of the sickness rotation we are on, he definitely is in dire need of showers of affection and care.

I struggle mightily in my role as a full-time working mother. A role I feel I've never quite come to fully balance, resulting in the unsettling sense that I’m juggling two extremely volatile balls, either of which I’m in constant danger of dropping at any given moment.

Furthermore, it’s a role that only allows me to spend, on average, three quality hours each day with Issac throughout a five-day work week. Weekends aside, that amounts to a mere 15 hours per week - barely a part-time job. And not always the fun kind when you stop to consider that most of those hours occur at the end of the day, when we’re both tired and cranky and not exactly the most ideal versions of ourselves.

I realize, of course, that this isn't necessarily an issue for some working moms – namely, those who derive a great deal of personal identity and satisfaction through their chosen professions. Unfortunately, I am not one of those women.

In truth, I have always worked more out of necessity than to fulfill any real calling in life. With a fair amount of shame, I will admit that I simply never quite figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. And so I've spent my adult life wandering rather aimlessly down a meandering career path, with no real sense of where I've been or where I’m going.

So, it’s only natural that I should feel a certain amount of envy for the stay-at-home moms who spend their days with their children, while I in turn sit chained to a desk.

You can guess where I’m going with this… Yes, I think I've got a case of the Working Mom’s Guilt. So, what do I do to make myself feel better? 

I've promised myself that from now on, no matter how stressful or busy my work day has been I wouldn't take my work home with me as I've been doing of late. Even if I get only few measly hours of quality time with Issac on a week day, I’m going to make the most of it. Even if I’m tired and exhausted beyond thought, I’d still find the energy to run around the house playing peek a boo or roll on the floor with him pretending to be a puppy!!

Today’s recipe is a result of my guilt as well. I've been pretty slack in making Issac more of my homemade meals and he’s been thriving mainly on instant oats and rice and veges and yogurt for a while now. L

So I've finally got my act together again and so you can be darn sure to see more interesting toddler recipes coming your way soon! J Now onto today’s special- Pumpkin and Raisin Bread. It’s very straightforward to make (a simple process of mixing wet and dry ingredients) and the slightly dense texture is perfect for little ones as it’s very soft and ‘squidgy’.

It’s suitable for babies who are already confident with finger foods and it’s a painless way to get them to eat up their veggies.

I wouldn't say it was a super duper hit at home, but my picky eater did definitely eat most of it. And he most certainly did not just turn his nose up at it  instantly and totally ignore it, so that's always a plus in my book.

And what do you know, I've actually got step by step pics for this one (not that it was really needed!). But I had my phone on hand and I just clicked away. Since I took the pics on my phone, the clarity ain't that great but you'll get the picture :)

Pumpkin & Raisin Bread
Recipe adapted from : AllRecipes.com

DRY INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup light brown sugar
big pinch baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
big pinch allspice
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

WET INGREDIENTS

1 egg
few drops vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) Refer Notes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.
2. Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a second bowl, stir together all the wet ingredients.

4. Combine the contents of both bowls and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon until everything is well mixed (the mixture will be quite ‘wet’).

5.  Empty into a small, greased cake tin and bake for 40 to 50 mins until firm and golden. You can use a loaf tin here but I just used what I had on hand.

6.  Serve warm with some honey or golden syrup (optional).





Notes:
To make your own pumpkin puree:
Peel the pumpkin, cut into dice and place into a saucepan. Just cover with water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender (approximately 5 to 10 min).
Drain and mash well.


10 October 2012

DIY Mickey/Minnie Mouse Birthday Banner

BY Unknown IN , , , 2 comments


Here’s the long promised tutorial on how to make your own Mickey/Minnie Mouse Birthday Banner.  I’m sorry I don’t have step by step pictures, which I know would have made this tutorial a whole lot easier to follow. But I made this banner over a couple of weeks (not that it takes that long, I just didn't have the time) and I wasn't organised enough. But I will remember this for next time though, I promise J

But for now you’ll need…
Black Card Stock
White Card Stock
Glue (lots of it!!)
Scissors
Ribbon
Round cup/dish for the white insert

Steps:
1. Start by getting a Mickey/Minnie head template for your invite.  I just googled "Mickey head template."  You'll get lots of images to choose from.  Print out the template of your choice.
2. Trace on black card stock and cut out with scissors.
3. Open a new "document" in Paint and type "H" in the font that you want; I used the Walt Disney font I downloaded. I saved that I repeated for every letter until I got all the letters I needed for "Happy 1st Birthday Issac & Annabelle."
4. Then, I printed out each letter on white card stock paper. 
5. Next use a circle cutter to cut out the letter so it fits on your Mickey head.  If you don't have a circle cutter you can use a small round dish or cup like I did.
6. Use glue stick to stick it onto Mickey's head.
7. Once you've got all the letters, get the hole puncher. Punch a hole each on Mickey’s ears and thread your ribbon through it and you end up with this:



Now you have an adorable Mickey/Minnie Mouse banner for your party! Hope you understand my tutorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. 


09 October 2012

Hey Everyone!

BY Unknown 1 comment


So let's be honest. I've been pretty lazy about this blogging thing lately. Well, lazy maybe isn't  the right word -- I just haven't had the time to say it. So I've let this slide in a serious way.

But when I was feeling guilty about being a lousy blogger the other day I remembered the reason I started this in the first place: to give all working moms a place to find quick and easy recipes to feed their kids without the guilt of not being able to devote their full time & attention to their kids, and if necessary, complain about the ins, outs, complexities, irritations and joys of being a working mom.

Some days there's nothing better. Other days... well, let's just say that there are days when I would give just about anything to be alone at home, curled up on the sofa with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate.
So that's me. Do you agree? Let me know. Write about it - the good days, the bad days, and the days that may have been better spent on the beach without your boss or your kids. Do you have recipes to share with us that you know is sure to be a winner with the kids? I’d love to hear from you!. Let's face it, I know a lot about being a working mom but not everything. Hehehehehe J

 Send your stories /recipes to honeytjames@gmail.com and I’ll feature them here. Looking forward to hearing from all the beautiful and wonderful moms out there…. Ta.


01 October 2012

Oreo Pops

BY Unknown IN , , , , 5 comments

I saw these Oreo pops first in one of the photos of Nolan Paper Airlines {First Birthday Party}.



I knew I had to make these the moment I laid my eyes on them. How cool do they look? Oreo pops are one of my favorite miniature treats. A few bites of Oreo goodness, coated in chocolate, on a stick - super cute, delicious, and unbelievably easy to make.

Oreo Pops 
Ingredients:
1 package of Oreos
1 tub of cheesecake filling @ room temperature (refer Notes)
1 bag of Cadbury's Milk Chocolate Chips
1 bag of Cadbury's White Chocolate Chips
Chocolate sprinkles
Lollipop sticks

  1. Chop up those Oreos until they are a bowl of Oreo powder goodness. A food processor can be helpful here, but it's pretty easy to use your hands as well.
  2. Mix in enough filling so that the cake holds together when squeezed. You should be able to roll a firm ball that holds its shape.
  3. Refrigerate the cake balls until firm, or place in freezer. A word of caution - you do NOT want to dip frozen cake balls into chocolate! The cake will expand as it defrosts, and it will crack the chocolate coating. Firm is ok - frozen is not. If you are having problems with cracking cake pops - they are likely too cold and/or your chocolate too hot.
  4. Melt a small amount of the milk chocolate, and dip a lollipop stick in about 1/2". Stick at least half-way into cake ball (make sure you don't poke all the way through!). Repeat with remaining cake balls.
  5. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm around the lollipop stick.

  1. Melt  the white chocolate in your microwave safe bowl, according to package instructions. Make sure that you melt enough chocolate so that you can submerge the entire cake pop without tilting the bowl, and without hitting the bottom.
  2. Once cake pop is completely covered, lift it out of the chocolate.
  3. Once removed from the chocolate, excess coating will start dripping off of the pop. Hold the cake pop in one hand, and gently tap your hand to help remove excess coating, turning the pop as you go so the excess will come off evenly. 
  4. Dip cake pop into chocolate, so that it is completely submerged (make sure to cover the chocolate around the lollipop stick!). It's really important that the entire cake ball is covered with chocolate - otherwise, the cake will escape from any and every tiny hole in the chocolate (trust me, it's not pretty).
  5. When you have no drips left, hold cake pop upside down for a few seconds to allow coating to dry a bit before inverting. If you are adding sprinkles, sanding sugar, or other decorations, wait until the cake pop is about halfway dry before you start. If the coating is still too wet, the weight of the sprinkles or other decorations may displace the chocolate.
  1. Let them setup on a cookie sheet. I made them a day in advance and kept them in the fridge. You WILL need to hide them. Or make an extra batch. :)

Notes
You can use a block of cream cheese or even butter cream frosting instead of the cheesecake filling I used. It will still taste pretty awesome!