Butlins Skegness - amazingly good value!

S, on a ride around with Redcoats Wes and Shannon

Ah, Butlins. With your redcoats and green dinosaurs, you are a stalwart of the British holiday season. We had our first visit to Butlins last September when S was 2 and a half, paid for entirely with Clubcard Vouchers - and it was so fantastic we immediately booked a return visit for this September. We have just returned from that visit - and we're now pricing up another one for this Christmas! It is such unbelievably good value. We went to one of their Just For Tots short breaks and everything was included; the swimming pool, family entertainment, the fairground, sports coaching and meet and greets with the entertainers plus lots more. The Just For Tots breaks are new at Butlins for 2014, and everything is focused on under 5s.

On our arrival at the site (very well signposted) we were welcomed very warmly and given our welcome packs, which included a map of the site (including a buggy friendly walk) and a timetable of all the activities. We were informed that our accommodation would be ready from 4pm but that we were welcome to enjoy the site before then, so off we went to the fairground. This is an amazing facility that includes five rides and a trampoline, all suitable for under 5s. The rides are very safe and individually managed by Butlins team members so there is always someone supervising the behaviour of the children. On several occasions I saw the ride being stopped so that an upset child could be returned to their parents. 

All the fun of the fair

After the fairground we headed over to the Skyline Pavilion, the hub of all the action at Butlins. This is where the majority of the shows take place, and again, they're all included in the price of your holiday. Over the week we saw Thomas and Friends, Mike the Knight, Angelina Ballerina, Barney the Dinosaur, Mister Maker (yes, the actual real life Phil Gallagher!) and our personal favourites, the Skyline Gang (more on them later!). The shows last around 30 minutes, perfect for short attention spans, and are interactive - in the case of Angelina there was a dance to learn, and with Thomas two funny characters called Rusty and Dusty came out into the audience to make people laugh. Often at the end of the shows there is an opportunity to have your photo taken with the performers; there is a professional photographer there but you're under no obligation to buy these photos and can use your own camera too.

Meeting Thomas and the Fat Controller

There are plenty of sports activity sessions for the little ones too, and Butlins seem to have taken a leaf out of Center Parcs book with their ideas this year. S took part in football coaching, mini tennis, sports play, fun fencing and mini crossbows, all of which he really enjoyed. The sessions were led by sports instructors who were great at connecting with the kids and getting them involved in things they may not have tried before. There are also swimming lessons at the Splash Waterworld, although we did not take part in these. The pool itself is brilliant - lovely warm water and lots of different areas with the depths marked out clearly. Outside the pool is a splash water park with fountains that run every 20 minutes with different lights and musical themes - great fun on a hot (or even cool!) day! If your little one needs a relaxing break, the Little Stars studio is open every day for a drop in arts and crafts or messy play session.

Fun Fencing

To the main point of my review. The Skyline Gang! A wonderful group of entertainers that had the children transfixed from start to finish. Candi (pink), Sprout (green), Mimi (yellow), Dude (blue), Pip (purple), Bud (red), Rainbow the dog (orange) and new member Misty (black), they each had their own individual personalities. 

The Skyline Gang in 'Lost in Space'. Image copyright Butlins.

 
They performed three different shows; 'Beside the Sea'; 'Lost in Space'; and 'Caveman Capers'; and aside from those they also held balloon modelling and meet and greet sessions. 

S and the Skyline Gang

 
The children, not least our little S, were captivated by them, and the appearance of so many of them in full Skyline Gang costume by the end of the week is testament to how loved they were. They were so friendly as well, and just brilliant with the kids. We now have a little boy who has his first crush! Have a look below for a video of them in action. 

Our accommodation was lovely and clean, and very modern with everything we needed. It was self catering allowing us to save money by eating some of our meals in the apartment, although you can pre-book a dining plan which gives you breakfast and dinner. If you don't book a dining plan there are also plenty of restaurants on site that are good value for money - our favourite was the new Firehouse restaurant, which was similar in style and menu to Nandos, but there are also Italian and traditional fish and chip options, as well as plenty of cafes and a pub-restaurant (with an awesome wooden climbing play area outside!). 

All in all, it's an amazing place to take children, especially if you're on a budget. I'd highly advise booking in for one of their Just for Tots breaks, or just generally any break would be great!

The Gruffalo with the Royal Northern Sinfonia

Photo credit: Orange Eyes Ltd 2009

 
The Gruffalo (and it's sequel, The Gruffalo's Child) has won a special place in many a child's heart over the last 15 years, and for good reason. It tells the tale of a brave little mouse who, when faced with predators such as an owl, fox and snake, cleverly invents a monster who he will soon be meeting for a meal in order to scare them away. Little does he know that the Gruffalo is, in fact, real...

There have been many stage adaptations of the book in recent years, along with animated films of both books, and I can't wait to take S along to this event at The Bridgewater Hall in Manchester in October. Both films will be screened on a big screen, with the music performed live by the Royal Northern Sinfonia. The acoustics are wonderful at the Hall and it looks like a great way to introduce children to live orchestral music.

There will also be free family activities in the foyer from 12pm.

The event takes place on Thursday 30th October and tickets are available now.

Bathtime stress!

I am writing this after a long absence to ask my fellow mums for advice about what they do when it comes to the dreaded hair wash?

S is completely phobic about having water on his hair and so we manage to wash it about once a month. He screams, panics, thrashes about throughout the whole process, and it's horrible for everyone. Does anyone have a failsafe method that they use?

Needless to say, it's nowhere near as easy as this image implies, but I couldn't help posting it!

It's beginning to cost a lot, this Christmas...

Mr C and Master S.

This is my first year with a child who is old enough to understand that Christmas equals presents. S is almost 3 and, while he isn't asking for anything in particular, I am so looking forward to seeing his little face light up when he is presented with a roomful of Monsters University merchandise.

However, this constant present buying takes it's toll on the purse, and there are still other things that I need to buy. We currently have no festive food, the tree has only just been decked (where were all the clear fairy lights this year?!) and the Secret Santa is yet to be purchased (more on that later).

So, when passing Poundland, I thought, hey, I wonder what I can get from my ever expanding list in here? And I have to say - a lot! Here is a list of the items I purchased, all for £20.

1. A melamine serving plate. This will come in handy for the Christmas day snack buffet - and just this weekend I also saw that our local cafe are using them for children's cooked breakfasts, which is a great idea if you have a child who is phobic about bean juice touching toast...

2. Christmas doggy treats. A gift for my colleague's dog!

3. Happy Birthday loot bags. S turns 3 in January so the expense is all going to begin again as soon as Christmas is over!

4. Fruit gummies. Perfect sweet treats for S on days when I'd rather he didn't have chocolate.

5 and 6. Pergale chocolates - for mum and dad on Christmas day.

7. Russian doll trinket box - perfect to put aside in case of last minute gift emergencies!

8. Mickey Mouse push light. S has recently started getting up for a wander at night, this will help him see his books.

9. Cheese! For our buffet at work tomorrow (yum).

10. 6 children's toothbrushes. He's going to need them after his Christmas chocs....

Subtotal: £10.00

11 and 12. 3 selection boxes for £2. We are not doing a Secret Santa at work this year but instead using the money to buy food to donate to the foodbank. We've also decided to add a small chocolate gift. What a lovely treat for such a small outlay.

13.  The Very Hungry Caterpillar sticker book. Lovely little stocking filler.

14-17. Melamine bowls, plates and salad serving bowl. Will be used to great effect on Christmas day.

18. Cookie Crisp cereal. Another potential sugar saver - I plan to dole out small bowls of this whenever S asks for chocolate or biscuits over Christmas.

19. 6 pack of Butterkist toffee popcorn - perfect for my girls' trip to the cinema (Hunger Games, since you asked).

20. Another melamine serving plate - because a friend was coveting the one in the cafe!

Grand total: £20.00


It feels great to have those few things ticked off my list - and at such a cheap price!

Have a wonderful festive season xx

Disclaimer - Poundland sent me £20 as part of their Christmas challenge. The choice of what to spend it on was mine.

Frugal Food

For those of you who have not yet heard of A Girl Called Jack, I recommend you get straight over to her blog as soon as you finish reading this. After finding herself in financial dire straits, she started the blog as a way of sharing recipes that she was able to make for a few pence in order to feed herself and her young son on the small amount of money she had available.

She has recently started the campaign #22mealsforacoffee to highlight the difference the cost of your daily coffee could make to a family struggling to make ends meet, encouraging us to spend that money donating to the very worthwhile charity The Trussell Trust, who provide foodbanks around the country, rather than popping into Starbucks every morning.

Easy Peasy Soda bread - 32p

I decided to take on the challenge of cooking the recipes from her blog, and seeing how easily I could get my food bill down. Over the past weekend I have knocked up her Mexican Bean, Chilli and Chocolate soup, her Easy Peasy soda bread and her Kidney Bean, Carrot and Cumin falafels. I didn't want to have to buy anything new so I substituted some items for those we already had in the cupboards, and everything turned out wonderfully. According to her prices, these two meals (we had the bread with the soup) cost me 85p. Healthy, nutritious and frugal - that's the kind of meal I like!

To buy or not to buy....

...that is today's question.

My dilemma. I have to renew my train pass in December, at a cost of £870 for the year. This will go up in January 2014 (price TBC) so I definitely want to take advantage of the 2013 price while I can, but it depresses me to: A) spend that much money at once and; B) to think I will still be commuting in a year's time!

When I bought the pass last year I had been paying monthly, the saving worked out as £23 a month when I converted to annual. A massive saving, I think you'll agree. I started a regular savings account and put £25 a month away (I figured I wouldn't miss it as I had been paying it out anyway) so by December I will have £325 squirreled away towards the new cost, leaving just £545 to find. I had hoped to find an interest free purchases card to put this on but have only managed to get accepted for a 6.9% on purchases for life card.

So. I guess I just buy the pass and put it on the card? I can probably throw £75 a month at the card whilst still saving this £25 a month towards next year's ticket (please God don't let me need one next year!), and I think it will only cost about £10 in interest payments.

Don't really know what the alternative is but I'd love to hear suggestions!

Meal plans: 30th September - 6th October

So, both to keep me on track and to hopefully inspire some of you to try some new recipes, I will try to post up my meal plan on a weekly basis. I tend to take advantage of the yellow stickers (reduced items) in Tesco, the best bargains can be found around 3pm on a Sunday afternoon and after 8pm on a weekday. We currently only have a tiny fridge while we wait for our kitchen to be replaced so we're currently reliant on foods (root veg, tins etc) that can be stored at room temperature, barring milk, cheese, yoghurts and meats which we make space for!

Here follows my meal plan for this week. It's a day late so apologies for that, but I can tell you that the curry was yummy. I also don't tend to plan lunches as there's usually something leftover by the weekend, and I just take to work anything I haven't managed to use up the previous week. However, I'll often take salad, soup or pasta with me.

Monday: HFW's lentil dahl with brown rice and a tomato and red onion salad.

Tuesday: Quiche (from the reduced section) with lazy lady's skillet potatoes and broccoli

Wednesday: A Girl Called Jack's Carrot, Kidney Bean and Cumin falafel, with some potato wedges and spicy tomato sauce.

Thursday: Oven baked spinach risotto (spinach was purchased reduced to clear so I cooked it down in butter and garlic on Sunday before it slimed. Took up much less space in the fridge too!)

Friday: Oyster and Pearl's Tarka Dal with brown rice and a tomato and red onion salad

Saturday: Home made pizza (topped with whatever we have!)

Sunday: Leftover curry from Friday.


What are you having this week?

I'm back

I apologise for the long hiatus on this blog - I'd started to run out of new things to write about so have decided to slightly change the skew of the blog and make it more about moneysaving for familes. My moneysaving journey began when I decided I had had enough of constantly having no money left at the end of the month. While I consider myself to be a fairly frugal person, I also knew there was more I could do, as I always saw friends who seemed to be much better off than me - a coffee and a cake on a Saturday morning seeming to use up half of my weekly food shopping budget.


So, welcome to my world. I'll share budget recipes that could pass for Nigella, great discounts that I find for those special must-have-don't-need items and cheap ways to spend a day out with kids. If you have any suggestions, please do leave me a comment, I'd love to hear your tips.

Love, Siobhan

Toddler ready meals

S enjoying his Little Dish Mild Chicken Korma

As much as we'd all like to cook fresh food from scratch for our babies and toddlers, sometimes time does not allow us to. Perhaps you've gone out for the morning, fully intending to come home for lunch, but then you bump into a friend and decide to go for a coffee together - and the cafe doesn't sell anything suitable for your little one to have for lunch! This is where ready prepared baby food comes in handy. We're all used to seeing the little jars lined up on supermarket shelves, but what about when your child is eating proper, chunky meals at home - a jar just isn't going to cut it. I decided to roadtest the different offerings available for a child of S's age (22 months), and I have to say, I wasn't disappointed in any. 

First up, we tried Plum's Taste Adventurers range. These meals are designed to be stored at ambient temperatures, making them perfect to pop into the changing bag for use in an emergency. They can be warmed or eaten cold, and come in their own disposable bowl - very convenient. They are aimed at babies aged 10 months or over so are a little smoother than S is now used to, but served alongside a chunk of bread with some cheese squares and fruit, they make a great, convenient meal for a hungry toddler. The range includes Mediterranean Paella and Salmon, Root Vegetable and Beef Casserole, Aubergine and Lamb Moussaka, Sweet Cape Curry with Beef and Chickpea and Chicken Tagine. One criticism of them is that they don't have a lid (which would make the bowl format even better). They also have that "baby food" aftertaste that I can't quite pin down, but S enjoyed them all, especially the Chickpea and Chicken Tagine. 

Next up was Little Dish's range of kids ready meals. These are my favourite by far as they are more like conventional ready meals, in that they are stored in the fridge and taste much more fresh than other ready prepared baby foods. In fact, my husband is always hoping S isn't having a hungry day when there's a Little Dish meal on the plate, so that he can finish it off! However, the fact that they are fridge stored does mean they are not as convenient, as you can't really carry them round in case you need them. They are however wonderful for those evenings when you've had a long day of play and you just need a quick meal at home, especially as they show on the sleeve how many portions of veg they contain. S adores the Mild Chicken Korma, although all the range went down well. The range is aimed at children aged 12 months plus and includes Beef Lasagne, Fish Pie, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Risotto, Chicken and Butternut Squash Pie, Pasta with Cheese, Peas and Broccoli Trees and Pasta Bolognaise. Little Dish also sell a cookbook, full of wonderful recipes to cook at home.

Then we tried the Organix range of Mighty Meals. These, like the Plum meals, are stored at ambient temperatures, but they are more similar to the Little Dish meals in that they are more chunky, aimed at 12 months plus. They do still have that baby food aftertaste which Little Dish have avoided, but look more like a meal than the Plum meals that are aimed at slightly younger children. S particularly enjoyed the Vegetable and Chicken Korma; the range also includes Hearty Lamb Hotpot, Tomatoey Beef Bolognese, Creamy Chicken Pasta, Pork Meatballs, Herby Salmon and Potato Bites, Beef Stew and Dumplings and Spinach Falafels.We are going away on holiday next week and plan to take a bag of these with us!

The one criticism I would have of all of these ranges is that there are very few vegetarian options - Little Dish just have their Pasta with Cheese, Peas and Broccoli Trees and Organix the Spinach Falafels, while Plum don't have any in the Taste Adventures range. I would like to see more vegetarian meals for families who choose not to eat meat, either ever or just as a break, but still want to eat a healthy, balanced meal.

Just to try something different, we have Ella's Kitchen's new range of cereals a try. S really enjoyed the Wakey Wakey Round Ones (aimed again at children aged 12 months plus), which I was a little surprised at as he is used to Cheerios and Weetabix in the mornings. I did think these may not be sweet enough for what he is used to as they have no added sugar but he wolfed them down. It's great to have a cereal like this that is aimed at toddlers as it's hard to find no added sugar cereals that they will enjoy.

So, next time you're planning a day out and you're worrying about what to feed that energetic bundle of noise and love, don't worry - reach for one of these options and you can be sure you are getting a good, healthy meal into them.

The First Cut

A few weeks back, S and I indulged our artistic sides when we took in the Family Art Club at Manchester Art Gallery. The Family Art Club generally runs one Saturday a month and is for ages 6-11, however during holiday periods it is often opened up to ages 0-11 and so we decided to make our first visit. From previous visits to the Mini Art Club (aimed at 0-5 year olds) I knew that S can be a little wary of messy play, so I was pleased to find that this session was paper-themed, to fit in with their exhibition The First Cut. The exhibition itself is amazing, showing works by artists who cut, sculpt and manipulate paper, such as Rob Ryan and Claire Brewster. The first part of the session involved a visit to the exhibition and identifying as many geometrical shapes as you could. I was a little worried about allowing S into a space with such delicate artworks but he was fairly well behaved, shouting "Circle!" and "Square!" whenever he saw one. He has recently developed a love for shapes so this session was perfectly timed! 

Andreas Kocks, In the Beginning (2007)

After looking at the artworks, we then moved back to the education space where there were tables laid out with glue, safety scissors and different shapes of paper and stickers, to allow you create your own artwork. There were also tubes attached to the wall and children were encouraged to lie their paper flat underneath then throw the shapes down the tubes and glue them where they lay.

S thoroughly enjoyed this session and it was a relief to not have to clean paint off his tiny hands at the end! His art work ended up looking a little like a Miró and I might even get it framed...

CBeebies CD release

If, like mine, your child's face lights up when they hear the theme tune to their favourite CBeebies show, this CD is definitely one to add to the Christmas pile. Full of theme tunes from shows like 64 Zoo Lane, In The Night Garden and Abadas along with familiar songs from within shows like Charlie and Lola, the CBeebies album is perfect for this dancing-on-the-sofa rainy days, long car journeys or even at bedtime. I was thrilled to discover the bedtime song on the CD (The Time Has Come To Say Goodnight) as it has become part if S's bedtime routine and it's nice to not have to turn the TV on. Be warned though. The songs are ever so catchy. All together now... "Numtums, Numtums It's a number-tumber-number day..." CBeebies: The Album is released on November 9th and is available to pre-order from Amazon now.

Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Porcini mushrooms. Delicious little things, but pretty expensive, right? Well, Sainsburys have come up with a fantastic way to add that gorgeous taste to your meals without shelling out for a bag of dried mushrooms that, frankly, weighs less than the money it cost to buy them (because really, who outside of London can lay their hands on fresh ones easily?)

As part of their new Speciality Ingredients range, they have produced a porcini mushroom paste that is full of salty, savoury yumminess. They recommend trying it in pasta or soup, however the Scrumptious household enjoy a tasty risotto every now and again so we gave it a go.

It was a resounding success! The paste added that lovely umami taste to the risotto without us having to go through the hassle of soaking the dried mushrooms for hours. We used half a jar which was more than enough to feed us and a hungry toddler. Please bear in mind that cooked rice can be dangerous if left at room temperature so if you are feeding a child using the recipe below, serve as soon as it is cooked and cooled enough. Please also check their salt levels for the day and omit the wine.

**The recipe has been amended from the BBC's Really Easy Risotto recipe**

Porcini Mushroom and Asparagus risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• A handful of white or chestnut mushrooms
• 1 small glass of dry white wine (omit if feeding to a child - why not just drink it while cooking?!)
• 120g arborio risotto rice
• 1/2 jar Sainsbury's Porcini Mushroom paste
• 1 pint hot vegetable stock (try Marigold Reduced Salt Bouillon or  Heinz Cook at Home stock cubes, especially if feeding to a child)
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 10g butter
• Freshly grated parmesan
• As many asparagus spears as you like!

Preparation:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy based saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Fry over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add the mushrooms and fry for a further 2-3 minutes, until browned.
2. Stir in the rice and coat in the oil. Pour in the wine (if using) and simmer, stirring, until the liquid has been absorbed. Add the porcini mushroom paste and allow to sizzle a little, but don't allow the rice to dry out. Add a ladleful of the stock and simmer, stirring again, until the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock in this way, until all the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is plump and tender. 
3. Meanwhile, prepare the asparagus tips by holding at both ends, bending and allowing them to snap. Set aside the tips and chop the stems thinly until you reach the part that feels woody, discard this part. Steam the tips until tender but NOT mushy.
4.  Add the sliced asparagus stems to the risotto and stir through. Cook for a couple of minutes, adding a splash of hot water if it starts to stick. Then stir through most of the chopped basil, parmesan and butter.
5. Allow to sit for a few minutes as this will relax the rice, allowing it to ooze out its starch, making the risotto even creamier. When serving, top with the steamed asparagus tips and a little more chopped basil.

Serve with fresh crusty bread and a green salad.

Yum! I'd love to hear your comments below if you make this, or if you have any questions about the recipe or the product.



Disclaimer: Sainsburys sent me the product for review purposes only

Healthy eating for family car trips

Heading out on a long car journey with the family? Then don’t forget to take enough tasty treats and thirst-quenching drinks to keep them happy.

Don’t be tempted to lug along unhealthy crisps, sweets, chocolate and other junk foods. With a little preparation you can provide nutritious nibbles that the whole family can enjoy – and leave your car crumb-free to boot. 

How much to bring
You should certainly bring a few snacks, but if you’ll be driving over lunch or dinner time, you might want to forgo the expensive offerings at motorway service stations, and prepare a picnic instead.

On the other hand, if you want to get to your destination as quickly as possible and feel it’s impractical to stop for a meal on the way, a big bag of substantial snacks will certainly keep everyone going.

Clean and tidy
It might seem an improbable dream to eat without mess in the car, but there are steps you can take.

• Fresh food and drinks should be packed in an easy-to-reach cool bag. If you don’t own a cool bag, you can’t ensure your entire family meal will stay edible on a long journey, so pack dry snacks instead.
• Keep wet wipes on hand for filthy fingers.
• Use a carrier bag as a bin for dirty Tupperware, cutlery, food scraps, etc.
• Bring kitchen roll for mopping up the odd inevitable spillage.
• If you do plan to stop for a picnic, don’t forget the all-important blanket.

Delicious drinks
You should avoid fizzy drinks, as many are loaded with E numbers, sugar and caffeine – not good for children stuck in a car.

Water is the best thing to drink – it’s healthy, hydrating and if it leaks it won’t leave a sticky mess all over your car’s upholstery. But if your children don’t like drinking water, give them vitamin-packed fruit juices and smoothies, or low-sugar fruit drinks. You could also prepare a flask of ready-to-drink cordial.

Only bring drinks that come in unbreakable bottles with screw-top lids – pouches with straws and cans are just asking to be spilt, and glass bottles are an accident waiting to happen.

Must-have munchies
Car-suitable snacks should be mess-free and easy enough for even a toddler to handle with ease.

Fresh snacks can include fruit – anything that doesn’t have peel, pips, a stone or a core is best, or you might prefer to chop up fruit and bring it in sealed Tupperware containers. Don’t forget a fork and a carrier bag to put your dirty containers in afterwards.

Vegetable sticks are another great option – we’re talking celery, cucumber and carrot batons. Cherry tomatoes are tasty, but can squirt juice. A dip can liven up your vegetables, but take plenty of kitchen paper, unless you want to find splodges of it round the car later.

Dips, such as hummus, are also good for dunking pitta bread. Or, as an interesting alternative to sandwiches, why not take along tortilla wraps with ham and cheese?

Mini sausages and cheese, such as Babybel, are often a hit with kids, too, as are sticks of yoghurt, which are brilliantly fuss-free.

If you don’t have a cool bag, bring popcorn, as well as oatcakes, rice cakes and bread sticks, which you can dip in peanut butter.

Children usually like tucking into their own individual packs of raisins, yoghurt-coated dried fruit and cereal bars. If you have the time, try making some homemade flapjacks.

Picnic en route
If it’s a nice day, why not stop somewhere picturesque for a proper old-fashioned picnic? The kids will revel in running around outdoors after being cooped up in the car, and it’s a great way for the driver to refresh themselves before getting behind the wheel again.

Your picnic should include all the usual suspects – sandwiches, quiche, tart, pâté, olives, crusty bread and cheese. And don’t forget dessert – yoghurt, cold puddings in pots, mini muffins or slices of cake are all good options.


Author Bio:
Tara Nathanson writes for Sainsbury’s Bank Matters Blog on a range of topics including car insurance, car safety and other motoring topics. In her spare time she likes going to the cinema and doing yoga and Zumba classes, and at weekends she likes hanging out with her six-year-old son.

Pip-pip onk-onk!

On Monday, we took S to see In the Night Garden Live at the Trafford Centre in Manchester. I had, up until around a week before the show, been considering selling my tickets on as I really couldn't imagine my active, boisterous, yet at times very shy little boy sitting still for an hour. However I'm so glad we took him along as I could never have imagined how mesmerised he would be by the whole experience.

The show took place in a specially constructed inflatable Showdome, with buggy parking, microwaves and plenty of baby changing facilities - as soon as we arrived we knew that people were running the show who completely understood how it can be taking a child anywhere new; this was incredibly reassuring.

The ticket price included a free programme which took a little of the sting away from the ticket price - although S was a little bit young to appreciate the content, it's something we can put away for him to enjoy in the future.

We sat down in the Showdome with 20 minutes to spare before the show started, we were a little worried about this as S doesn't like sitting still but there was plenty of room for him to explore, and better still he was allowed to! Up and down the stairs, round and round the room, and lots of other friendly children to say "HIYA!" to. As soon as the opening music began however, he sat on our knees and watched intently, clapping and shouting away.

All the main characters from the TV show were present, along with some fantastic puppeteers. Perspective was played with brilliantly as Makka Pakka grew and shrunk depending on which characters he was interacting with. We attended the Pinky Ponk show where Makka Pakka washed the characters' faces; there is also a Ninky Nonk show which I believe involves Igglepiggle losing his blanket. The stories aren't going to win any Booker prizes but the children absolutely loved watching Igglepiggle, Upsy Daisy, the Tombliboos, the Pontipines and of course Makka Pakka getting up to all the usual tricks they see on television.

It's definitely worth a visit - we can't wait until next year!

A Fiscal Fast

I have been reading about Jeff Yeager and his 'Fiscal Fast' concept recently and it's something that really touched a nerve with me. Our freezer is constantly full to bursting and our food cupboard is overflowing into the loft crawl space, yet I shop in Tesco most days because I fancy something particular for tea. Since going back to work after maternity leave we have less money each month than we used to and with energy prices constantly rising we need to start cutting some corners somewhere.

So. I have decided that this week I am going to do a 3 day fiscal fast and see how we get on. I have meal planned as follows:

Tonight - Youngs Fish and Chips - these were reduced to £1.19 each in Tesco which is a bargain as the fish is light and delicious - such a treat.
Wednesday - Green vegetable risotto to use up all those odds and ends of vegetables we have in the salad drawer
Thursday - Andrea's Pasta e Fagioli (or Pasta Fazool if you're Dean Martin...)
Friday - Vegetable curry from the freezer (will be taking S to Zoom Playcentre in Stockport on Friday so will need to spend some money but not on dinner if the meal plan goes to, ahem, plan).

Hopefully along with the bread in the bread bin, the boxes upon boxes of cereal we have in the storage space, the 5 pints of milk and the endless stocks of pasta and tinned tomatoes, this should see us through without spending anything else!

I have also downloaded myself a free app called Food Planner and Groceries from Google Play that allows me to add recipes from the web then add ingredients from those recipes onto a shopping list so I will be trying that over the next few weeks to see if it helps reduce all those little top up shops that are killing my budget. Wish me luck!

Courgette and Red Onion Tart

With fathers day lunch with the inlaws looming and a toddler under my feet, I needed something that could be thrown together quickly and easily but that would come out of the oven looking and tasting great. Hubby stumbled upon this recipe in the Tesco Real Food magazine and with a courgette languishing in the fridge left over from a moussaka earlier that week, it was perfect. I served it with with lemon-herb roasted new potatoes and some chargrilled asparagus - and with a chilled glass of white wine it made for a special, albeit relaxed lunch. S enjoyed it too, cut into grabbable slices with a few of the potatoes and some spears of well cooked asparagus.

Ingredients

• 1 x 375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 large egg, beaten
• knob of butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 courgettes, sliced
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 50g (2oz) pine nuts
• 150ml (5fl oz) creme fraiche
• 50g (2½oz) Parmesan

Method

1 Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C. Unroll the pastry on to an oiled baking sheet and score a 3cm (1½in) wide border. Prick inside the border with a fork and brush the pastry with a little of the egg. Bake for 12 minutes, until risen and lightly golden.
2 Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan. Add the courgettes, onion and garlic. Fry over a medium heat for 6-8 minutes, then stir in the pine nuts.

Gently press down the middle of the pastry, to allow room for the filling. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Mix together the crème fraîche with half the Parmesan and the remaining beaten egg. Spread the mixture inside the border and top with the fried vegetables and remaining Parmesan. Return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.

Almond Bizcocho

After the lovely weather of a few weeks ago vanished into what looks like being yet another washed out English summer, I found myself dreaming of days spent in Barcelona, Valencia and Seville, bones warmed by the Mediterranean sun, delicious food at my beck and call, so this recipe positively leapt off the page of my rain-spattered Metro newspaper on a grey commute into Manchester. I made the cake at the weekend, deciding to forgo the caramel oranges so that we could eat it sliced from the cake tin when the sun yet again failed to make an appearance.

The ground almonds add an almost fudge-like texture to the cake and the scent of the orange zest brings back memories of ad-hoc picnics beneath orange trees in the cloister gardens of the Monasterio de San Clemente in Seville. ¡Muy Delicioso!

Almond Bizcocho with Caramel Oranges

 

 

Ingredients (Serves 8)

200ml olive oil, plus extra for greasing

175g plain flour

2tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

100g ground almonds

175g caster sugar

3 large, free-range eggs, lightly beaten

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

100ml freshly squeezed orange juice  

For the caramel oranges: 

8 blood oranges or small, juicy oranges

200g caster sugar

6tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice, strained

Method

Step 1: For the caramel oranges, cut a slice off the top and bottom of each orange, then slice away all the skin, ensuring the white pith is completely removed. Cut each orange across the segments into slices, reserving all the juices. Put the sugar into a large pan with 120ml cold water. Leave over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved, then boil rapidly until the syrup has turned into a brick-red caramel. Remove from the heat and plunge the base of the pan into cold water to stop it cooking any further. Stand back (as it will splutter) and add the orange juice. The caramel will form a lump in the bottom of the pan. Return to a low heat and stir until it dissolves again. Leave to cool very slightly then, while it is still liquid, pour over the sliced oranges and chill for at least 1 hour.

Step 2: For the almond bizcocho, preheat the oven to 170°C /gas mark 3. Grease a 1kg loaf tin with olive oil and line with greaseproof paper. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and stir in ground almonds and caster sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten eggs, olive oil, orange zest and juice. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet to make a smooth batter. Pour  the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 hour, covering the surface loosely with a sheet of paper after about 50min, once it is a rich golden brown. A skewer, pushed into the centre of the cake, should come away clean.

Step 3: Remove the cake from the tin and peel back the lining paper. Leave to cool on a wire rack. To serve, cut into 16 slices. Place a slice on to each plate and spoon some of the caramel oranges partly over the slice. Top with another slice and drizzle over a little caramel syrup.

Read more: http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/900948-jose-pizarros-spanish-flavours-profiles-the-riches-of-the-nation#ixzz1xTgtjnSD

Fridays with S

Recently (probably because S has decided to start sleeping properly so I can actually function outside of his waking hours) I have been feeling inspired to cook, bake and generally produce delicious food again. Needing somewhere to share the recipes I've been finding, I decided to resurrect my Baby Scrumptious blog; however I then realised I didn't really have the energy to maintain two blogs - so I have decided to merge it with Fridays with S. From now on my tales of Fridays spent with the boy will appear here alongside declious recipes and anything else I want to share with my friends.

So, to kickstart the blog again, here is a recipe for Salted Caramel Brownies from The Guardian magazine. Make them, they're amazing. One tip - the recipe for the salted caramel makes about three times as much as you actually need so it's an idea to have some other recipes on hand to use it up - perhaps these Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, or maybe just drizzle it warm over some good quality vanilla ice cream. Yum.

Salted Caramel Brownies

For the salted caramel
90g golden caster sugar
60ml double cream
¼ tsp sea salt flakes
60g unsalted butter, cubed

For the brownies
200g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
250g unsalted butter
4 large eggs
175g caster sugar
150g light brown soft sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp sea salt flakes
20g cocoa powder

Start with the caramel: tip the sugar into a heavy-based pan and add two tablespoons of water. Heat gently, stirring only until the sugar dissolves, then turn the heat to medium-high and let the syrup come to the boil undisturbed. Simmer briskly, swirling the pan occasionally but never stirring, until the caramel turns a rich amber. Remove from the heat, stir in the cream and salt, then the butter, and set aside to cool.

Now for the brownies. Line a 23cm x 32cm brownie tin with nonstick baking parchment. Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water (or in the microwave), and set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs, sugars and vanilla in an electric mixer (or with a whisk) until increased in volume. Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa, pour in the melted chocolate and butter, and beat briefly to combine. Scrape half the mixture into the tin and dot teaspoonfuls of salted caramel over the surface. Cover with the remaining brownie mix and top with more teaspoonfuls of caramel. Slide into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until almost firm in the middle. When cool, turn out and cut into 18 bars.