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Original poster

Mumsnet Book Idea - Mumsnet Recipes?

26 replies

berries · 20/05/2003 16:55

Not sure if this would appeal to anybody, but wondered what Carrie/Justine et al would think of a mumsnet recipe book? Just looking through the cupboards for tea & realised theres always great recipes on here, (fish ones at the mo look good), and knowing that everyone had to cook them while looking after the kids, rather than spending all day being able to shop & prepare in ginormous empty kitchen with army of helpers means that I am more likely to try them out.
What does anyone else think.

OP posts:
oxocube · 20/05/2003 17:21

berries, that sounds like a fab idea! I am a very sad, food obsessed mother of three and would definitely buy a book like this. Seem to spend my entire life shopping for food, talking about food, cooking or eating food (must get out more!) Would bring in some badly needed revenue for Mumsnet, too.

GeorginaA · 20/05/2003 17:48

I'd buy it! Especially if it was a good mix of proper recipes on a range of budgets and also just (for example) lunch ideas (the sort of things you don't really cook but throw together - I just have no inspiration some days). You could even have a separate chapter for special diets (like a non-dairy or wheat-free diets) - we're fortunate that I haven't found anything ds is allergic to yet, but must be really tough for mums that do have to think of that as well when they ask themselves "what's for tea?"

ThomCat · 20/05/2003 17:49

Ditto Oxocube. I spend hours walking round supermarkets desperate for inspiration and I've just printed off the 'What did your kids have for tea' thread to give me a few ideas! Great idea Berries.

Mulefa · 20/05/2003 19:08

I love that idea! I quite often lack inspiration for kids meals although I am quite a 'foodie' I suppose!

Could have mainly kids meals with a chapter on fast family suppers? Or all 'family meals' with a section on baby foods with a weaning chart? It would be lovely to have mum's real recipes rather than Annabel Karmel who doesnt seem to live in the real world.

I'm glad I started that thread now

edgarcat · 20/05/2003 19:10

Message withdrawn

SoupDragon · 20/05/2003 19:18

Split it into meal times to make it different from other books. I never know what to give mine for lunch for example or something other than toast or sugar laden packet cereal for breakfast.

edgarcat · 20/05/2003 19:18

Message withdrawn

SoupDragon · 20/05/2003 19:25

I've no idea what you mean...

batey · 20/05/2003 19:33

I'd get it too, much better tried and tested recipies done with a toddler hanging off your leg, baby screaming and cat whinging for it's tea than...."finely chop half of this that and the other, saute gently" blah blah. Meanwhile phone rings, toddler wees on the floor and baby pulls cats fur out!!

XAusted · 20/05/2003 20:19

Great idea. Real recipes, made and eaten by real people. How about a special section for grape recipes, all mumsnet children like to eat them.

Claireandrich · 20/05/2003 21:01

Sounds a great idea. Mind you, to suit my 13 month old DD you'd need some cheese dishes in. Some days that's all she wants. Like the idea of being split into different types of meals (a bit like the Jamie Oliver cooks books!), starting with breakfasts, lunch, dinner, teas, supper, snacks. Maybe even some ideas for yummy desserts and juices/drinks.

edgarcat · 20/05/2003 21:03

Message withdrawn

Claireandrich · 20/05/2003 21:05

Agree with edgarcat - we need 'real' and 'normal' everyday food that we can all do, even after a day at work or when DD/DS have been playing up all day.

edgarcat · 20/05/2003 21:06

Message withdrawn

calcium · 20/05/2003 21:41

Wicked idea it should also have a section for dads to use, simple stuff to throw together for babies/todlers/kids I am forever trying to think of things for dh to make for dd's tea as I am at work then. Ideally they would be things which don't make too much mess when preparing if this is possible when combined with dd's and dh's!!

I would definately buy it I love buying baby related books, food/cook books!!

SoupDragon · 20/05/2003 21:43

You mean to tell me that NONE of you have ever made the Choux Pastry Mice from AK's book???

Twink · 20/05/2003 22:12

LOL Soupdragon (the sandwich snake hasn't appeared here yet either)

GillW · 20/05/2003 23:09

edgarcat - have you come across "Tuna Fish Pie"? It used to be a student staple of ours, though I haven't made it for ages. Take 1 tin of tuna, 1 tine of sweetcorn (drained), 1 tin of condensed mushroom soup, an onion (softened) and mix them together and put them in a loaf tin. Cover with the crushed contents of a packet of ready salted crisps and bake.

You can vary it by adding peppers or pasta to the main mix - or use the main mix as a kind of tuna supreme with rice.

Bossanova · 20/05/2003 23:30

I'd like a book of real recipes too, after all, mumsnet tends to eat into my cooking time!

I think the only thing I've made from AK's books is biscuits - although I am 'making' the chocolate choo choo cake for ds's birthday on Friday. I don't think there's much chance of that tractor sandwich thingy making an appearance though.LOL.

RockingRosebud · 21/05/2003 07:30

A book of recipes that don't involve stupid things you've got to go trailing around for like vanilla pods or equally obscure things!

SoupDragon · 21/05/2003 08:08

I have made things from AKs book but dispensed with the stupid fiddly bits. Sleeping Cannelloni where you had to cook 6 peas to make the eyes or the chicken sausage snails which had strands of something green to make the antennae spring to mind. I just made the bog standard recipe and they were delicious. I have to say that her tuna and courgette lasagne is absolutely delicious!

The one "fancy" thing I did make were her pinwheel sandwiches where you roll up the bread into a swiss roll and cut slices into slices from the end. Made nice bite sized finger food for a little one.

StripyMouse · 21/05/2003 08:50

I agree Soupdragon. Have read a lot of negative things about AK in mumsnet threads but have found many of her more sensible, less time consuming recipes really good. Her lasagne is really good. At the beginning of weaning as a nervous 1st timer with not many people on hand for advice I also found her early sections on baby mush recipes and quantities really reassuring until I got the hang of the obvious!

Personally, I think it is a brilliant idea, to have a mumsnet book and would definitely buy a copy. Always on the look out for easy and nutritious alternatives to our usual routine meals. There are always great recipe suggestions on mumsnet and I am sure that we would miss out all those laughably fiddly silly/unnecessarily expensive bits that so many baby cook books seem to feel the need to include just to make their recipes seem exotic and different.
Nice one, berries - hope the powers that be are able to listen to this one and do something with your great idea.

Bobsmum · 21/05/2003 09:32

Fab idea berries!
I'd love some ideas for ds that would take no more than 15 mins at the absolute max to prepare. and definitely no vanilla pods or deseeded tomatoes - grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

justiner · 21/05/2003 09:54

Yes it is a really good idea - it could be a sort of alternative cook book based on all the short cuts real mums use to cook healthy food that their children will eat. Maybe we could combine it with advice from talk on the most common foodie problems - eg getting kids to eat veg etc...
Thanks for that, Berries, we will broach it with our publisher - hope we've sold enough copies of the first book for them to be interested!

calcium · 21/05/2003 20:13

or peeled grapes and skinned tomatoes Bobsmum, who has the time?