After school snack

 When three o'clock rolls around, I am guaranteed the same question every day...

"Mum I'm hungry.....can I have something to eat?"

The boys are starving everyday when they arrive home and I've gotta tell you, I almost could give them a big bowl of pasta just to tied them over until dinner time, but I don't want to encourage this type of behaviour until they hit their teens at least!

Looking for a healthy, quick and filling after school snack can be a real chore at times and quite frankly I get a bit sick of raiding the cupboards looking for snacks that are met with 'Is there anything else, that won't fill me'. I can't get mad because I remember feeling exactly the same way as a kid.
 It was only when mum and dad moved to Tassie and opened up the restaurant that I stopped complaining about the lack of food after school ( I also WAS a teenager by then and was quite happy to get my own snack and clean up after myself....something Alex is still trying to achieve), but that's OK as I have found the perfect snack AND I can pop in a few extra healthy bits they don't even know about.

My new banana and berry smoothie is packed with flavour, and fills them until dinnertime which is exactly what I want. I also add a tablespoon of Chia seeds for extra fibre and a bit more of an omega 3 hit. They both refuse to have it sprinkled over their cereal in the morning, so this is the perfect way to get it into their system without all the fuss.

So, if you are looking for a great afternoon pick me up for yourself or your kids then look no further, this is a fabulous one to make. Alex even asked me to take a photo of his finished glass......note the finger marks!

Berry and banana after school smoothie
1 banana, peeled
1/2 cup frozen berries
1/4 cup natural yogurt
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon Chia seeds
3 cups milk

Place everything into blender and blits for 20 seconds.
Pour into glasses and enjoy!

Martini-induced dinner

Friday afternoon is a time I really enjoy. It doesn't matter if I have to work the weekend because Friday night is all mine.  I get to sit back, relax and let my darling hubby make me one of his fabulous dry martinis -if I wasn't such a guzzler I'd have taken a photo of it beforehand.....maybe next time, or the time after that?

With blue cheese and crackers on the balcony, martini and scotch in hand, Nic and I unwind from the week. The pure luxury of having the evening to ourselves without sporting events to drop the kids at, teaching nights or last minute catering deliveries to attend to is fabulous.  Friday is, 99% of the time, our night.
I'm not to sure if it's a sign of age or I'm just not able to drink the way I use to but I have to admit I get a little warm and fuzzy on the tail end of my martini. My mind and body let go of the week and I kinda get a little chatty and silly and all I can say to that is THANK GOD. Because for the rest of the week it's GO, GO- run here there and everywhere and the fun is totally sucked from my week, so, I enjoy my 'letting go' served with two green olives!

We'd made dinner early for the boys as they were starving and wanted to go off and play Harry Potter for the early evening, so we made the most of it and relaxed. In fact we relaxed so much we didn't realise how late it was. Nic rushed the boys into bed while I started dinner.

Something yummy and fast was in order as I was starving and feeling a bit tipsy. I think this meal took me about 15 minutes to pull together (just about as long as potatoes take to boil). While the steaks were cooking I really needed a sauce and I happened to be in luck. A few days earlier I'd roasted a chicken for another meal and for some reason I decided to save the juices and fat of the chicken and store it in the fridge. This is VERY unusual for me. I am always trying to find healthy alternatives to fat....not this time!
I scooped off a little of the lard and sauteed some onions in it before adding sliced mushrooms and garlic. The smell was intoxicating and I could help myself so I added a little more lard then quickly tossed the rest in the bin so I wouldn't be tempted any more (note to self- martini is evil to my butt). Anyway BEFORE  I threw the fat away I pulled out the chicken jelly that had formed under the fat and added this to my mushroom sauce. Best idea ever!!! In about 5 minutes I had a divine, rich and succulent mushroom sauce that just oozed flavour (and fat). Quick as a flash I chopped up some parsley to throw in to stop the guilt creeping in, I guess I could of had another martini but then I would of be on the floor and faster than Nic could say 'goodnight and sleep tight' to the boys!

For someone in a relaxed state of mind I was mightily impressed with this quick and totally delicious dinner. Fat is bad, fat is evil but chicken lard in a mushroom sauce is nothing but pure heaven!
I think my thighs are telling me Nic needs to cook this Friday night however.

The Mum's Mojito

It's holiday time!
The boys and I decided to take a short break from the shores of Sydney and visit their cousins in sunny Melbourne. We arrived yesterday, it was a beautiful summer's day as we started wandering the streets of Melbourne, taking in the sights of what my once upon-a-time hometown has to offer. I always loved living in Melbourne, there was (and still is) a wonderful magic to the city, not only is the food fantastic with abundance to choose from but I have always found I could park myself at any random cafe with a delicious latte and have one of the best stares one could hope for. All walks of life parade themselves on Melbourne's streets so why not stop and take a peek.
 I wish I could say I sat at a cafe, sipped coffee and watched what all the fabulous people were doing, but I was too busy being a grumpy mother of two little boys who decided to put me through the ringer once out of the house pounding the pavements! I think it wasn't until after the train, plain and bus ride that I finally told the two young Baker boys I was going to offer them up to anyone who wanted them if they continued fighting like a couple of alley cats.  All I asked was for them to hold hands and walk in front of me while I navigate the bags (one of which lost its wheel so it was more of a drag than pull!).
At first I thought someone might swipe one of the kids and hold them for ransom....then again who am I kidding, no one would be that game!
Anyhow to put all the bad thoughts behind, we got to the cousins' house, the boys disappeared out the back and were never to be seen again- yippee! (seriously I was at my wit's end)

Day two rocks around and the boys are off for a full day of play. I am well rested and have managed to put the day of hell behind me. Melbourne put on a pearler of a day, the sun shining with the slightest of breezes, it was one of those summer days that remind you of when you were foot loose and fancy free, not a care in the world. I had this thought as I was walking back home with my sister-in-law (Arwen) after spending a great afternoon at the park.
David (Arwen's husband) had been laying concrete and digging up the garden all day, however he had promised to make a mojito for us upon our return- something I wasn't really expecting him to do after hours of digging, lifting and and what ever else you do when laying concrete.
After a shower and a ten minute rest he was true to his word. Mint was picked from the flourishing plant by the back door, limes were cut and we (David) was in business. I know it isn't exactly a meal nor is it something to share with the kids however it was fantastic, refreshing and a wonderful treat for the hard working parents.
Thanks David for one of the best Mojito's to date, I'll be coming back for more......

David's Mojito

1 tsp sugar

7 mint leaves

juice of half a lime

crushed ice

2 measures of light rum

soda water

Place sugar, 6 mint leaves and lime juice in a highball glass and crush mint.

Add crushed ice and rum then fill with soda water.

Give a little stir, take a sip then adjust to your liking.