Oct 08 - On our way to the terrible twos! Noooooo we're not ready!

[50ftQueenie]

Here we go ladies.....At the speed we've been moving it might be the terrible twos thread! It's the final count down.......

Well, I've joined Q for a long nap. He's all snotty and the winter cough has returned. We then watched the gruffalo DVD. He watched it all and sat through it!

Pistachio - It's funny you should ask that. I was just meal-planning for the week and found a bag of lentil shepherd's pie base in the freezer, and I though Oh God, lentil shepherd's pie again. I'm in a food rut too. The kind of food I used to cook is so different to the kind of food I'm able to cook now. I used to spend ages making all sorts of fiddly things, but now it just needs to be healthy and quick.

Having said that, I just spent a bit of time in the kitchen this evening and it was quite pleasant - I made a sweetcorn chowder to take for lunch, and a spinach and ricotta canelloni, which we're about to eat.

Anyway, let me have a think about that and I'll come back to you. If anyone else has got any suggestions, do let me know!

50ft - I've got a feeling you've got the Leon cookbook... Is it any good?

Glad to hear you're going for the p/t option btw. The PGCE is hard-going (I found the NQT year a breeze in comparison. Actual teaching is much easier, once you get used to the paperwork), it must be doubly so if you've got kids. There's a TA at my school with 3 children. She gave up her PGCE 6 weeks before the end because she just couldn't cope. Such a waste of talent.

Pistachio - root vegetable crumble?

Pistachio yes I took sparkle on top but of course with a red or green or any colour pepper or a kiwi and a glass of oj even though the effect of on in absorption is low. I also just ate loads of spinach - I put it in nearly everything... Probably why Q loves it so much now!

I also took floradix daily. For an extra boost :)

How do you make the crumble bit of root veg crumble?

at sparkle

Here you go Star. I would probably use oats instead of the breadcrumbs. You could use cheddar instead of parmesan as well.

If I was making a vegan version, I'd omit the cheese (obviously) and add some garlic and herbs to the crumble mix.

I guess iPhone doesn't know spa tone! Still not as funny as oxlips!!!
Thank you both for recipes :)
I couldn't do vegan. I love cheese!

I guess iPhone doesn't know spa tone! Still not as funny as oxlips!!!
Thank you both for recipes :)
I couldn't do vegan. I love cheese!

Congratulations Ksal. What a fab weight for 37 weeks and a lovely name as well. Lucky you didn't carry until 40 weeks. That would have hurt

50ft I meant to suggest that you volunteer in O's school for a while. It will either put you off teaching or confirm it is def what you want. Unless you are already doing that obviously!

HMM LOOK after yourself.

Pistachio - I've got a really nice butterbean stew recipe somewhere. I'll dig it out for you later on.

50ft - I was going to suggest volunteering as well. As well as helping you decide whether it's what you want to do, it should help you get on the course, as they're quite oversubscribed these days.

V tired today - can't wait to get into my bed.

Pistachio - Here you go. The lemon lifts this quite nicely. I have a feeling aubergines aren't popular in your house, but I'm sure you can substitute a different veg. You can also make a scone topping or top with slices of potato instead of the dumplings. Actually I'm glad I dug this out - I think I might make it this week. We need to start spending a bit less on our food shop.

Butterbean and vegetable stew with herb dumplings

1 tbsp veg oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic
2 leeks chopped
1 aubergine cubed
Zest of one lemon
225g butterbeans (cooked weight)
150ml veg stock
2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
150ml cream/soya cream
Chopped parsley and oregano

Herb dumplings

170g self raising flour
Pinch salt
75g vegetarian suet
5010 ml dried mixed herbs
Cold water to mix
Extra flour for shaping

Method

Preheat oven to 180C

In a large pan heat oil and sauté onions and garlic until soft. Add the leeks, aubergines and lemon zest and cook for 10 mins., then add the cooked butterbeans, tomatoes, stock, tomato paste and cream. Bring to boil and simmer partly covered for 20 mins or until vegetables are just cooked. Season to taste and transfer to an ovenproof dish.

Dumplings
Sieve flour into a bowl. Add salt, mixed herbs and suet along with enough cold water to make a dough. Shape into 8 equal balls using a little flour to stop them sticking to your hands. Add them to the stew and bake for 30-40 mins until the dumplings are risen and golden.

I made ratatouille with rice tonight. mmmmm. It was delicious. :)

Pics of the baby, please Ksal :) I've been looking on fb but maybe I've missed them. If you want any visitors, let me know... I have a half term coming up - the week before most of the others. So, week of the 18th, I think and I can purchase cook something yummy for you :)

Oh bollocks. I'm in the middle of an online shop with Asda and their bloody site's gone down. I knew there was a reason why I don't normally shop with them online. Gah!

A friend told me how to make it. Saute onions in butter then add peppers, a can or two or tomatoes (I used tinned cherry tomatoes... yum), then added a courgette, an aubergine and some herbs. I let it cook for a half hour, then let it sit under cover for a bit while I bathed Q and then made it hot again and it was perfect :) Easy. If I can make it, anyone can!

Oh, I took out the onion part. I do not like onions. I did sprinkle in onion powder, though :)

Shop Ocado. Seriously it's not expensive especially if you buy "essential waitrose" brand for most stuff and delivery pass at £9.99/month means you can order as many times as you want in the month for that price.

It would have but DH won't eat "just vegetables".
Q loves it with rice.

Oh a pastabake. What a good idea. Instead of mixing up pasta, cheese and spinach, I could just put it all in a bake. hmmm and some veg and maybe beans. Interesting. Do you have to boil the pasta first or can you put it in hard just like lasagne sheets?

Ratatouille - That's something I haven't had for a while. I think traditionalists say you should cook all the veg separately and combine them at the end, but did you find it worked OK without doing that Star? I might try and make some this week.

I'll wrack my brains for some new recipes Pistachio. I'm so pleased it's slow cooker weather again now.

I've been doing some planning for school. We're doing some work on really poignant short animation. I keep welling up every time I watch it. I showed it to the children today and had to keep the tissues handy.

Cf my French friend told me to make ratatouille that way - her food is always amazing so I just did what she said. No idea about any other way :)

Pistachio go on, cook up a big steak!

Hiya,

congrats KSAL - really good weight and glad he's feeding well....hope you're back home.

Op on Friday was a success, removed the cyst which despite repeated reassurances, had not got any smaller so it was worth taking out...ovary was twisted so no wonder i was in pain. Feeling much better but sore...boys are struggling not to jump on me all the time. DH has gone away for the night to watch football and I had to lift Joe into his cot on my own - not good with 8 stitches....ow....I will make him suffer when he gets back tomorrow.