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Easter Cooking

Easter Cooking

A couple of tasty ideas for Easter weekend cooking!

We do love an occasion in our house! So, this Easter I have let Annabelle loose in the kitchen and the finished product are pretty cute <3

Chocolate Nests

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups coco pops (or other chocolate puffed rice cereal)
  • 3 + 2 Moro bars (3 for the recipe and  2 extra for... you know, life!)
  • 60 g butter
  • Sprinkles
  • Mini chocolate eggs
  • PATIENCE ;)
 

 

Instructions

  1. Use cooking spray or butter to coat the inside of a muffin tin, make sure you grease each cup really well so your nests don't stick.
  2. Chop the butter and Mars bars into small pieces and place them in a large microwave safe bowl.
  3. Eat one of the spare m=Moro bars (that's why you always buy extra!) 
  4. Microwave for 30 seconds then mix the melted butter and Moro bars together.
  5. Microwave for another 10 seconds if the Moro need a bit more melting nb. the nougat part might not melt completely.
  6. Add the coco pops to the melted Moro and butter mixture, and stir in until the coco pops are well coated. (constant 'taste tests' start about now!) 
  7. Put spoonfuls of mixture into the muffin tin, pressing down firmly to create a nest shape with a thumb or spoon indent in the middle (for your eggs).
  8. Shake sprinkles onto each nest (and all over the table and carpet) and put them in the fridge for half an hour.
  9. Once set, remove from tins with a hot knife and pop a few eggs in each nest! Add extra green sprinkles too, if needed.

annabelle micing kneeling on her booster cushion  Annabelle making chocolate Easter eggs with her Minene booster cushion  

    The finished product! Chocolate Easter eggs and one very dirty Minene booster cushion

Verdict: It was messy but she loved it! They taste nice with a coffee too! 

Another cute idea that we might try over easter is below!

chick pops

Ingredients

  • 150g white chocolate melts
  • 100g white marshmallows
  • 10 yellow M&M’s
  • 1-2 red licorice twists
  • black icing pen
  • 20 pop sticks or skewers
  1. Melt white chocolate in a microwave proof bowl and melt in short bursts in the microwave.
  2. Push marshmallows onto the pop sticks. One by one, dip into the melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off.
  3. Cut M&M’s in half with a sharp knife.
  4. Cut 4mm slices of licorice and then cut those across into half moons.
  5. Working quickly before the chocolate has completely set, press a half M&M into the front of the marshmallow and a licorice piece onto the top. Refrigerate to set completely.
  6. Once set, using icing pen, squeeze a small amount onto each marshmallow to form the eyes.

Please share you creations with us on Insta! 

Wishing you all a very happy Easter! xx

Bath Buddies - Bathtime fun for newborns and siblings

Bath Buddies - Bathtime fun for newborns and siblings

Bathtime can be a really relaxing time for a newborn, the weightlessness and warmth they feel in the bath can help ease wind and sore tummies - however, add in a couple of 'little helpers' and the once relaxing activity can soon turn into a stressful event ending in tears all round. 

Throughout my pregnancy Annabelle would tell me how she was going to look after her new baby sister when she arrived. Everytime we talked about baby or purchased something new for her, "I will feed Lottie, I will bath Lottie, I will put Lottie to bed, I will dress Lottie" It was a cute stage and lovely to think that she was looking forward to getting involved, cute in theory - not in practice!

For Newborn and Beyond

This is Lottie at 7 days old and a *very* keen Annabelle, who was adamant that she would be bathing Lottie. Although I was a hovering bunch of hormonal nerves, Lottie stayed relaxed (and afloat) in her bath buddy and we avoided the 3 year old tantrum and tears! It was a huge win during a turbulent time in Miss 3's life. 

  

 

Being a part of the bath time also helped Annabelle settle in to having an extra little person around. She really struggled in the first few months, I guess most kids do. We went into it thinking we had prepared her quite well, she was SO excited to have this baby sister, however once she was here the insecurities set in. The quiet of bathtime helped. Lottie was at her calmest and Annabelle knew she had to be gentle with her, especially being around water and they started to bond, Of course, there was still plenty of tears, but at least there was 20 minutes of calm to look forward to each day!

Sharing is Caring

The real fun then starts when they can share a bath. Annabelle was able to jump in the big bath with Lottie in the bath buddy and they certainly had fun. It was a good test to see just how buoyant it is - and I can hand on heart report, VERY. We had nightly rounds of "row row row your boat' and Lottie was launched 'down the stream' often, and with some ferocity as the song went on. However, she felt securely nestled and happy enough and Annabelle was having a great time! 

 

I talk about our bath buddies alot, especially if you have ever met me at Mary's Market or a Baby Show. They really are my favourite product - I thought it when Annabelle was little, but using it for Lottie and having Annabelle involved, it's a game changer.

And anything that makes parenting 2 kids easier and a little calmer, is fine by me. 

Enjoy xx