Easing!

I'm easing myself back into blogging, mostly because my brain doesn't work and I can't think of very much to say but just so you know what I have been up to:

I have been building Ikea furniture

(mostly)ALL BY MYSELF!

;-)

(pictures to follow)

Laila

x

Macaroni and Cheese

Mama makes a fantastic Mac and Cheese which the kids have been asking for and as she isn't here, I had to do some research and deliver. The following recipe is from the Good Food website wich I have played with ever so slightly to get it to taste more like my mums. I made a double batch last week and the kids, their friends, my brother, the hubby and I finsihed it in a night! 

50g baguette , cut into small chunks (I blended it in the blender to get finer crumbs)
2 tbsp butter , plus 1 tbsp melted
350g spiral or other short pasta
1 garlic clove , finely chopped
1 tsp English mustard powder ( I used a tablespoon of whole grain)
3 tbsp plain flour
500ml whole milk (half fat works just as well)
250g mature cheddar , grated ( I used a mixture of Gruyere and Cheddar)
50g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated

1.Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spread the chunks of bread over a baking sheet, drizzle with the melted butter and season (I just mixed the melted butter and crumbs together then popped them in the oven - watch them carefully). Bake for 6 mins until crisp, then set aside.


2.Boil the pasta for 2 mins less than stated on the pack. Meanwhile, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan. Add the garlic and mustard, cook for 1 min, then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 min more, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a lump-free sauce. Simmer for 5 mins, whisking constantly until thickened. Take off the heat, then stir in all the cheddar and half the Parmesan.

3.Stir the pasta and some seasoning into the cheesy sauce, then tip into a large ovenproof dish, or 4 individual dishes. Scatter over the bread and remaining Parmesan, then bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden. Can be frozen before baking - defrost thoroughly before cooking.
 
We had it with a lettuce and cucumber salad...
 
Enjoy x

Chilli Con Carne

Hop on over to the Melissa Frances blog for a recipe link party! Just post a favorite recipe on your blog and then head over to the Melissa Frances blog to link your post (you can also view lots of other yummy recipes). It should be fun! Here is my recipe..

The whole family loves this recipe, no one complains when it goes on the table. It is fool proof and requires very little attention once you've got it going, it freezes well which is an added bonus for me. You can reduce the amount of chilli as it can be quite hot also the 2tbsp of balsamic can be a bit overpowering for the kids and I tend to only just use the one!

• 2 medium onions,  2 cloves of garlic,  2 medium carrots, 2 sticks of celery, 2 red peppers, olive oil, 1 heaped teaspoon chilli powder,1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin,1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon,  sea salt and freshly ground black pepper,1 x 400g tin of chickpeas,1 x 400g tin of red kidney beans, 2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes, 500g good-quality minced beef, 1 small bunch of fresh coriander, 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar,  natural yoghurt and an avocado to serve ( cools the chilli taste should you need to).

Chop all the veg and fry in a pan with the olive oil
add the spices with some salt and pepper and cook for about seven minutes untill soft and lightly coloured
add drained chickpeas and kidney beans and tinned tomatoes
add minced beef
fill a tomato can up with water and add to the mix
bring to the boil and then allow to simmer for about 40 minutes
add chopped corriander (including stalks) just before serving

Serve with Rice or Chunky Garlic Bread and a green Salad.


Enjoy xx

Beautiful Days!

Xxx

Mojo

I think we may just about have found our mojo!

It's two and a bit months since Hanna was born, I have enjoyed an extended period of R&R especially as Mohamed has been on leave and the kids had two weeks off for end of first term and again have had a week off for half term. It's full steam ahead now untill the 15th of June, which I am dreading (since the weather will be terrible) but also looking forward to, as it means that now I can I will have to get on with things.

How come Hanna is only two months old and yet it feels as if she has always been a part of our family? I can't even begin to remember what things were like without her. Noora and Abdulla love her to bits and show their feelings very differently, Abdulla is forever wanting to cuddle and kiss her and Noora wants to feed her and carry her (across a room - heart in throat) which she is very adept at considering her age. Noora also wants to cuddle when she is feeling a bit down or stressed (her word not mine)! Mohamed is as smitten with Hanna as he was with the other two, the novelty doesn't seem to ever wear off for him and whist he has been on leave has been getting up to give the wee baba her middle of the night feed.

Did I mention that she sleeps beautifully and only wakes once in the night for a feed and ocassionally she might need another about five thirty in the morning. How lucky am I?

I tidied up the sewing table a couple of weeks ago and thought that I might start trying to finnish off a few UFP's but nothing has come of it yet, in the mean time I will just keep staring and hoping that maybe my Mojo will extend to some Sewjo and I'll be whipping up projects in no time!

Hope all is well with you.

Xxx