Sorry been away, illness (me) and then a bit of a shock from the hospital. 5yr old has a speech delay/disorder and within a week of being in school nursery he was referred to our paediatric development team. So the last two years have been assessments and follow ups and a few weeks ago I was told J has ASD. Not sure how I feel. Shocked I guess. Sad that he will likely never 'catch up' his speech just learn to adapt. J is J,  loving school, playmobil and policemen! Still cooking trying to do everything from scratch, and mostly doing so. Lunch boxes are hard, just right out of ideas. Dusted off laptop to do a google for healthy not too out-there ideas.

I have been taking photos of dinners, they aren't so pretty but it gives you an idea!

Winter chicken AK

This is a great recipe and is always a big hit. Its very easy and quick to do. The original Annabel recipe gives exact quantities but I have scribbled them down in my note book and adjust according to whats in the fridge. Its a great freezer dish.

Winter Chicken

Two large chicken breast or equivalent thigh etc meat.
Flour
Vegetable oil
2 leeks
1 red onion chopped finely
2 celery stalks chopped finely
500 chicken stock (I use baby stock cubes)

Coat chicken in flour and brown a little in oil.
In another pan saute leeks and onion for 5 min until soft.
Add stock, chicken and celery, and put into a pyrex dish and cook for about 1hr at 180C

serve with rice or mash

freezes well and can be moulied or blended for baby/toddler.

Red wine chicken casserole

Sutlac/Rice pudding

1 lt milk

200g white rice

180g sugar

60g corn flour 

1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Rinse the rice and boil in in 2 cups of water untill has evaporated
2. Add the milk, sugar, and vanilla extract in to the sauce pan and stir over a low heat. Make sure you stay close by and keep stirring for 20 or so minutes until it starts boiling.
3. Add corn flour mix with a little bit of water until the corn flour is smooth. Then, add  the corn flower to the sauce pan. Keep stirring for around five mintues untill rice mixture starts to thicken to a custard like consistency. If your rice mixture is too runny add more cornflour (mixed with water)and sir for 3/4 minutes.

Now its done! you can either pour your rice pudding into bowls and refrigerate or the Turkish way is too grill untill the top browns till its nearly black! Mine was the top right...

Turkish style spinach soup with red lentils and bulgur


200g red lentils, rinsed
200g bulgur, small-grain, rinsed
1 red onion finely chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
half tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp red pepper paste
1 tsp tomato puree
800ml of water (add more if needed as lentils and bulgar cook it may become very thick)
1 tsp cumin
Salt
Pepper
3 tbsp dry mint
4 big handfuls fresh spinach, roughly chopped

1. Saute the onion in olive oil until glossy looking. Add the garlic and cook for 2/3 mins over a medium heat. 
2. Add the lentil, bulgur, chopped tomato, red pepper paste, tomato puree water, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook on a medium heat.
3. cook for approx 20 minutes until lentils and bulgar are soft and cooked.
4. When the lentils and bulgur are cooked, add fresh spinach and mint. Cook until spinach is wilted.

enjoy!

Hello to the lurkers!

Hello to all the people that stumble across this! I have added myself to the netmums blogger site so I guess you might be from there? Please say hi! tell me your blog address if you have one! Let me know if there are any recipes you are looking for. Also while your here tell me your favorite recipe? Mine is icli kofte, I've never attempted it... Maybe I should! Icli kofte are Turkish stuffed meatballs, so yummy!

Conversations with my nutty 4yr old

I have a little book with my rather untidy scribbles in. Mostly of random conversations I have had with my big boy. I just don't ever what to forget them. Here is a selection of them, hope they get a small smile :)

J: I not have a pet
Mummy: no you don't- poor you...
J:yeah, I like it pet...
M:When you are fifteen you can have one
J:counts on fingers, oh not long
M: no not long (phew only 11 years to wait)
J: pauses, its ok! I got a brother. S is my pet he eats stuff  and lick the floor!
M: lovely what else does a boy need?
J: more pets?

He feed his baby brother stuff he doesn't like, from his plate. Small boy is a dustbin. I do try to stop this! and yes he is fond of licking the floor. I guess if you spend a large part of the day prone face down, it one of the few things to do.

J: London is in England
M: yup
J:Istanabull (Istanbul) is where Baba lived
M:yes
J: Turkey? Baba is Turkey
M:no, Baba is Turkish.
J:yes! good girl Mummy!
J: Paris? where is it?
M:its the capital of France
J: Whaaat??? paris lives in the radio?

Need to do more work on his geography, he got a globe for his birthday and he is amazed everytime he looks at it.