Don't Make the Bed Today

A while back, I read a review of a book about how it's OK to be lazy. There were top tips to being lazy and the one that really stuck with me was "don't make your bed every day". So I don't! I don't think that makes me a slob, and although I like crisp, smooth clean sheets at night, there is equal pleasure crawling into a mass of rumpled duvet and pillows, pre-shaped and ready made into the way you want it during sleep. Me, I don't run a hotel...

Ooooozy Prawn Pasta Salad

This is a great summer supper, or side dish at a BBQ and I usually make it for any vegetarian (pescatarian actually) guests since a BBQ can be quite a carnivorous occasion. The essential ingredient is something called orzo, which is small, rice shaped pasta. It has the most wonderful texture once cooked, and I get it from my local Italian Deli. I usually cook 1/2 a pack for about 8 people. Once cooked, put it in a salad bowl and leave it to cool with some olive oil stirred into it to prevent it from sticking. Add 2 tubs of creme fraiche, a large bunch of fresh dill, finely chopped, 2 big tbsps of grainy mustard, all the juice of a lemon and two packs of cooked prawns. Make sure the dressing is enough so the dish is quite oozy and not stiff. If stiff, add more lemon juice and creme fraiche. If you like a little crunch, add a chopped red pepper.

Glass of wine = Mum's best friend

You are not alone. It seems to me that there are MANY mothers out there who, upon getting their children to bed, go straight to the kitchen to pour themselves a glass of wine. This is no lecture about creeping alcoholism but a friendly (whispered) "pssssst...we all do it" moment. We love our children but they do, from time to time, drive us completely mad. And after a long frazzled evening (or day) together, only Chateau-take-moi-away will do! I know many a nutritionist who positively swears that a glass of red wine every evening does more good than harm, so it's the second and third that we should talk about...another time. Pass the bottle.


Not so Boring Potato Salad

This one is not reinventing the wheel, I know! But my cooking is all about the basics, with a lovely cheating twist to make people think you are a culinary genius. But it is with humbleness that I offer this very simple recipe. Obviously you boil some peeled potatoes which I always cut up before cooking as it cuts down on the cooking time. Drain and allow them to cool (never rinse them under cold water! It's far better to serve warm potato salad than the mulch this would produce). Add enough half fat creme fraiche (healthier than mayonnaise so please forgive my creme fraiche fetish) to coat the potatoes generously, 2 tbsps of curry powder, and some apricot chutney. I know "some" is not a measurement, but if it is about 1/4 chutney to creme fraiche, that should be about right. If the chutney you are using has chunks of apricot, either chop them up or leave them out. Mrs Balls Chutney has the perfect consistency for this, but any chutney will work. Add lots of salt and pepper as potatoes are so bland. Lastly, add some chopped fresh mint or parsley, for a cheffy flourish, if you can be bothered.

Are All Men Boys?

Last night I went out with two MSM's (Married Single Mothers) after spending some time in the afternoon with Geraldine. I was particularly disappointed to hear that Geraldine, too, is an MSM as I thought of her husband as one of the more devoted and doting ones I know. She said she was terribly lonely, looking after their daughter every weekend while he went off sailing. He thinks that because he does all the cooking, he's off the hook! All I can say is jeepers, look at the mess we've got ourselves into. Does anyone out there have a truly involved husband? Do you get time off every weekend...?

I think of Guacamole as comfort food, so here's to you, Geraldine...

Cheat's Guacamole

When it comes to speedy cooking, you often have to cheat, lie or steal. Sometimes all three. This is a cheat's recipe for Guacamole as it is deeply unauthentic but delicious. Take one ripe avocado per person, and for each avocado add about one big tbsp mayonnaise, juice of half a lemon and 1/4 tsp of garlic salt. Mash all together with a fork - ta da! The mayonnaise can be any kind. I recently found a lime/chili mayonniase at Wholefoods which worked very well but I usually use Light Hellman's. Leave some lumps in so everyone knows you made it yourself.

We all know a Yummy Mummy...

Who coined the phrase "yummy mummy"? It's such an unfair label which only olympic mothers can achieve. For the rest of us mere mortals, it's simply an annoying label to aspire to. You know the type - she shows up at the school gate with hair perfectly coiffed, full make up and painted immaculate fingernails. She's super slim, makes her own jam, plays awesome tennis, runs a book club, participates every year in a major marathon (for charity of course) and wears only the latest fashion. And the worst thing is she's probably really nice. Well guess what, it's OK to hate her.

In honour of all those yummy mummies out there, I present to you my most revolting recipe - the antithesis of anything they would ever cook as it contains mayonnaise (fat! horror!) and tinned soup (yuck!). But it tastes good...

Chicken Divan

I suppose this is an old 70's recipe and I have no idea where I got it from, but I have been making it for 20 years, honestly. Cook 4 skinless chicken breasts in a pan and slice them up into bite size pieces. Scatter into a deep baking dish. Chop up a whole brocolli, also into bite size spears, and scatter those on top, raw. In a bowl, mix together 2 tins of cream of chicken soup, 1 cup of Hellman's Light Mayonnaise, the juice of one lemon, 3tsps of curry powder, a good pinch of sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Add in some milk (1/2 cup), to loosen the mixture a bit. Pour this over the chicken and brocolli, it should cover them well. Cover the top with breadcrumbs, more black pepper and a generous layer of grated parmesan cheese. Cook in a preheated oven 200C for 30 minutes or until it looks golden and hot. I serve this with rice, apricot chutney and a green salad.

Are You Sleep Deprived?

I think sleep is way overrated. The way parents obsess about their sleep or go to bed at 9pm is just plain boring. Sure we all like a good night's sleep, but if you just accept that us parents don't get to sleep as much as before children, you will enter a whole new world. But you have to truly accept and be at peace with lack of sleep, and never get angry about it again. There's a lot of interesting research out there about sleep and the only bit I believe is that kids need sleep as it's when they grow. The next time you see a runt of a kid, ask the parents if that kid sleeps badly, or never takes a nap and 9 times out of 10 they'll say yes.

Today's recipe won't put you to sleep, but it's one of my all time favourites. It epitomises everything that I feel my cooking represents: It's a bit unusual, it's tasty, easy to make and FAST. Happy working mothers don't slave for hours at a stove!

Warm Cannelini Bean Salad

Heat a large espresso cup's quantity of olive oil in a saucepan. Add about two tsps of (ideally) fresh rosemary pulled off the stalk, or the same quantity of dried. We're not looking to deep fry it, so just heat it gently until you can smell rosemary in the air above the pan. Stick your nose in there! Then add a tin of drained cannelini beans with a generous pinch of sea salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. The beans shouldn't be swimming in oil, nor should the mixture be too dry, so add more oil if you need to. Heat through and then switch off as you can just leave it on the stove top with a lid until you need it. Don't overcook them as the beans will go hard. Serve it warm with some lamb chops and a green salad. It's a nice alternative to potatoes and healthier. I often make this in larger quantities for BBQ's too.

We are Always Late for School...

I was one of the last of my friends to have children, so all my friends are the wise and experienced parents - very useful for me. But I do have a friend whose child just started school this year and today when I bumped into her I, for once, played the wise one. The topic: How do you get to school on time every day? She looked ruffled and perplexed. She had been up since 6:30am which is just when her husband leaves for work (I told her she's a Married Single Mother like so many of us) and she's barely making it on time.

Kids and rushing just don't mix. And no matter what time we get up, we're usually just barely on time, or late. I am still a teenager too, and getting up in the morning often causes me physical pain, so add a little grumpiness and the result is a typical morning scenario...rush...yell...tears...rush...forget stuff... As the stressed out starfish in Nemo says, "find a happy place, find a happy place!". I have no magic formula for mornings but I do have the fastest pancake recipe ever. I don't weigh flour for this...

Weekday Pancakes - Yes Pancakes!

My nanny taught me this - when you make pancakes be BRAVE and CONFIDENT. You'd think pancakes are a big production but with the right attitude, they take as long to make as a piece of toast. Kids love these, and they eat them quickly - key to a hassle free morning. Read on...

Break one egg per child into a large bowl. I actually have a plastic jug with a small mesh that fits just under the lid. I think we got it a long time ago during a mad health moment to make protein shakes, but it's perfect for pancake mix so use it if you have one. Add one heaped tbsp per child of plain or wholemeal or self raising flour - whatever you have will do. Then slosh in some milk, not too much and not too little (and you'll get good at this with practice).

Preheat your frying pan with a knob of butter, and then whisk, beat with a fork, or shake up the mixture until you have a thick-ish batter. If it's very runny, add some flour, and if it's quite thick, then add a touch more milk. Don't be scared. Runny batter makes crepes and will cook quickly and thick batter makes puffy substantial pancakes. Either result is perfectly acceptable, and you'll get well practiced re the consistency once you have done this two or three times.

If you cracked two eggs for two kids, then obviously use half the batter each time so you end up with two pancakes and no leftover batter. Fry the first side and peek under it - once brown, flip over and fry other side (this side takes much shorter). I serve them straight away with maple syrup, runny honey or a sprinkle of sugar.

Cooking Well IS for Wimps Like you and me

My friends think I am a great cook, which makes me chuckle. I have worked around the edges of the food industry for years now, so I do know a lot about food, but that doesn't make me a great cook. I see myself more as a competant flavour combiner. This means you won't find fancy cookery methods, or homemade pastry recipes here and no! I don't make my own jam. I think the reason friends think I am a good cook is because I just get on with it, and I have lots of ideas. You might be freaked out or relieved to know I will rarely give specific measurements in my recipes. Use your eyes, your nose and your taste buds. And don't be scared of using salt. It has yet to be proven scientifically that salt is bad for you - honestly!



I often make this for a mid week dinner party as it's easy and tasty.

Thai Prawn (Shrimp) Curry

Fry two chopped onions and an (optional) chopped red pepper for a minute or two in vegetable oil. Stir in a big spoonful (or two if you like it hot) of Thai curry paste - red or green doesn't matter but I prefer red - and lots of pepper and a generous pinch of salt. Add one tin of coconut milk and some soured cream or creme fraiche to thicken it a bit (about 3 tbsps). Let the mixture get hot, and taste it: Too spicy? Add more of the cream/creme fraiche. Too bland? Add more curry paste. Just before serving, add some cooked prawns and bring the whole mixture back up to a good simmer, then switch it off and put a lid on it. If you overcook prawns they turn into nasty little ocean bullets. I use tiger prawns as they are quite hardy and retain their firm texture and please don't use tinned prawns - yeucchh! The trick is just to warm the prawns through and not to cook them anymore. Serve with rice and a spoon as it is a bit liquid.

Are you also a Married Single Mother?

Since when is the care of one's children a one parent job? I just spent a weekend making pancakes for breakfast, going to the playground, lifeguarding, washing up, making lunch, changing nappies and spoon feeding my grumpy two year old, supervising homework, piano practice, doing laundry, serving hot chocolate and cooking dinners. My husband played tennis, had lunch with a friend, tinkered with his car, had tea at the neighbours... you get the picture.

As my profile says, I started an earlier blog called the Angry Working Mother. I have thought about this a lot, and even considered keeping both blogs going simultaneously, as, really, I bounce between being angry and happy. But overall I am happy, and willing to commit to this blog now because here I am, at my desk on a quiet Monday morning and with all love and respect to my children I am HAPPY to be here!

I made this last night for the kids - dinner in 4 minutes (if you have the right leftovers):

Healthy Pasta

I chopped up some cooked chicken, some cooked broccoli and grated some parmesan cheese. (Just use your best judgement and use portions your children normally would eat, plus about 1.5 tbsp of cheese per child). I heated a deep frying pan with a bit of olive oil, adding some leftover cooked pasta until it was warmed through. To that I added half a tub of creme fraiche (cream will do) - enough to generously coat the pasta. Heat through, then add all the chicken, broccoli and cheese and keep stirring until it's all hot. I added a 1/2 tsp of garlic salt too, but if you're a psycho-mum and avoid salt in all kids' food, that's fine too.