Sneaky sidelines

No I am not talking about affairs, but time spent at work NOT doing work! I confess there are some days where I spend way more time than is acceptable planning my next holiday, sorting my daughter's social life, booking babysitters, doing my internet shopping, booking a pedicure... Surely I shouldn't feel guilty about this? But I do. When will this mad rush of life get simpler, slower and easier? Who has time to clean out the front hall cupboard? I have enough children's clothing that mine have grown out of to start my own kid's charity shop! I guess the bottom line is that I do grab the time at work to do it all (except that cupboard). A happy working mother is a productive working mother, and there are only so many hours in a day...

Meat on a Stick

This may strike you as a bit obvious, but it always works in my house which is filled to the brim with fussy eaters. Putting meat on a stick turns a mundane meal into something that kids find fun to pick up and munch.

You will need 2 wooden skewers per child. Then I slice up a chicken breast, or a lamb steak, or a steak, and I skewer the little pieces (1/2 inch each) onto the sticks. I often drizzle on some chinese hoi sin sauce, or some barbecue sauce so they are well coated. If you have neither, then a little olive oil and a touch of salt flavours the meat just as well. Grill them on a very hot grill pan or frying pan in a bit of oil (or best on a BBQ outside) until they are browned and cooked. Serve with their favourite vegggies and some boiled potatoes.

How dirty are you?

I'd love to be more mukky, but somewhere along the line it became unacceptable to go out without having had a shower, so I was surprised when I visited a working mother friend of mine and she casually mentioned that she hadn't showered in three days. I had a secret respect for that. I love going on the school run wearing my pyjamas under my coat. Add some track suit trousers and running shoes and voila, it looks like I've been to the gym at 6am like all power moms do, right? Ya right. We're all exhausted and filthy...aren't we?



This dish is so very elegant, and easy of course:



Gratin Greens



Chop up and cook enough spinach or kale or savoy cabbage for your gang. Drain it well and lay it out in a roasting dish. Bring a cup or so of single cream to a simmer with 2 cloves of chopped garlic and a sprig of fresh thyme. Watch it doesn't boil over! Let it cool before adding it to 3 beaten eggs, and stir in some ground nutmeg, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture onto the cooked greens, top with some grated parmesan and bake in an oven (190) for about 25 mins until it has just set. This creamy gentle side dish goes perfectly with roast lamb.