Alternative easter gift guide

How cute are these hand painted candle eggs £4.50 Easter doesn't have to be all about kiddies chocolate and sticky fingers, why not make it your own and as well as treating your family why not treat yourself to some Easter fun. Whether it be something cute for the home like the hand painted candles above or a nice little necklace or some wine to go with your Sunday roast, there are lots of alternatives to hollow eggs and even if you do want a spot of chocolate you could opt for something a bit more refined like some delicious Belgian  praline truffles. Here is a little Easter gift guide with a difference Easter treats by laura-sidestreet featuring a crate and barrel dinnerware 1. Guylian Belgian Chocolate Easter gift box 2. Easter Rabbit interior decoration - Joss and Main 3. Lindemans Wine 4. Happy Easter Chalkboard £31 from Etsy 5. Crate and Barrel hand painted egg £3.50 ...

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When the chips are down - the best potato recipes

Veggie delight with chunky chips at Milgi Bar in Cardiff Ever since the sixteenth century, the British have had a very close relationship with the humble potato and it isn’t hard to see why. If it isn’t down to the fact that potatoes are a good source of potassium, vitamin C and fibre or that they are so affordable, it must be down to the fact that they are so simple to cook and so versatile. Mashed potato Everybody has their own favourite way of cooking mashed potatoes. The addition of a thick dollop of real butter and some full fat milk creates a devilishly creamy texture and taste that compliments anything from steak to sausages, tofu or pie. For some people the quest for the perfect mash is an art – for others it is a science. Homemade Wedges go down really well with the little man The chip and Wedges Any real chip connoisseur will tell you that the limp shoelace chips served in your local late night kebab shop is an abomination to the potato. Th......

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As sweet as apples

I hope everyone had a great Bank Holiday weekend. We returned from our Brussels City Break to a very empty fridge but as I was lucky enough to be chosen to take part in the #MorrisonsMum campaign it was a great way to do a big shop at the super market and spend the end of the Bank Holiday baking up a lovely treat. I managed to pick up a whole bag of lovely apples from Morrisons for 99p as well as some wholewheat flour, raisins and chopped hazelnuts so the little man and I thought we would throw something together that was fun and tasty, such as a chunky apple cake. The little man helping out in the kitchen The recipe is pretty toddler friendly as you can throw the ingredients together without worrying to much about doing everything in exact order. It's also pretty healthy and made with wholewheat flour and can easily be adapted to a vegan diet (have suggested alternative ingredients) and lovely for a picnic or after supper treat with custard. What you need 100g mel......

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Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone, hope you are all having a wonderful day, filled with laughter, smiles and treats. We started the day with two mini craft projects which distracted the little man long enough for the easter bunny to visit the garden and put out the eggs for the hunt. This was the first Easter we have had in our new house and the little man was really excited. Over the past few weeks it's almost as if he has gone from toddler to little boy, the way he runs, the funny sentences he comes out with and how he just "got" Easter this year. Our hunt included crafted eggs we painted, a few plastic eggs as well as painted boiled eggs which bulked up the hunt as oppose to just chocolate eggs, although he did get a large chocolate egg which he was blown away with. ...

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The ultimate Belgian waffle recipe

So some exciting news, we are going to Brussels and Bruges at the end of this month and cannot wait. Even though I have been to Brussels a few times pre-baby I've never had the time to check out Bruges and it's a city i've had on my wish list so it's great to tick it off. This has lead me to a lot of dreaming about Belgian chocolate, beer and of course waffles and thought I would share some european foodie inspiration with you. Belgian waffles are one of those foods that can work beautifully in all sorts of ways. You could have a waffle for breakfast as the Americans do, as a snack or as a decadent dessert. You'll need a few things to make the perfect waffle. Firstly, you'll need a waffle iron, a cream charger and plenty of ingredients for toppings. Using fresh free-range eggs is ideal ( image ) The waffle mixture Here's the basic recipe for a waffle that you'd cook in a waffle iron. Ingredients 2 cups plain flour ¾ cup s......

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