Sarah's Mexican Meat-free Madness

Hello bloggers

Today on my journey through the kitchen I stumbled upon a 'leftover' dish that actually turned out pretty good!

I bought quorn a while ago to see if it was financially economical. I have to say it's extremely easy to use, it can be used straight from the freezer which is awesome, especially when you are an exhausted mother who is trying to write up her PhD in any free time she has. Anyway, I used quorn a while ago for tacos and it didn't really work that well, so tonight I thought I might give it another go.

Ingredients

Quorn
Onion
Garlc
Can of refried beans
Enchilada jar (the one with the enchilada seasoning powder on top)
Tomato puree
Water
Chilli flakes
Chilli powder

I think that's all...I can't remember what else I put in.

OK, so soften the onions and the garlc and add the quorn with a little boiled water. Once its all soft add the enchiada powder, enchilada sauce and tomato puree ( one big squeese is enough, all these imgredents are 'to taste so more can be added later)

Mix all that through and add the refried beans. Now, taste and add more tomato puree if it needs a bit more of a tang. Once its tasting all good add your chilli flakes and chilli powder to taste. Serve with corriander rice (rice with corriander chopped and mixed through, obviously!)

Now, I know that may sound a bit...gross...but honestly...try it!

Gas and Air

For anyone who gets constant headaches...this is my ideal pain relief solution...everyone loves a bit of Gas and Air...

Baby Friendly 10 minute pasta n' sauce

With a PhD thesis looming and a baby to look after I'm all for 10-minute meals...this meal takes as long as the pasta takes to cook and is quite yummy (Andrew almost didn't get any...)

Ingredients:

• Baby pasta (or normal and cut it up)
• Oil (I used Rapeseed 'cos it's slightly better for you)
• Tomatoes (I used baby tomatoes but big ones will do too)
• Tomato pureé
• Baby stock cube (your prefered flavour, I used veg)
• Water
• Herbs (basil and thyme are good, thyme is very rich in iron (more than spinach I think) but you can use any other herbs you like)
• dash of lemon juice (to taste)

Put the pasta on to cook, while you do chop the tomatoes small and chop the herbs. put some oil (just a little) in the pan and put it on a low heat.

Add the tomatoes and herbs and a little water (just a little) and then cut about 1/3 of the stock cube off and chop it up and add it to the pan. Put the rest of the stock cube in the fridge. I don't know if you can re-use stock once it's open, I do though, but don't if you think its bad!

Using a wooden spoon mix the stock into the mixture.

Add the pureé and the dash of lemon (and anything else I've left out!) and gently warm until the pasta is cooked. Add water to taste depending on how much stock you added and how strong you want it. Voila! Done! :)

Andrew seemed to like it anyway...

Charity Shop Bag

Ok...so I'm maybe a bit addicted now, but today I made a messenger bag for Andrew's stuff that cost in total about £4...Who says babies have to be expensive, eh?

The main fabric was £2 for two large curtains in a charity shop (originally from Next I think) and the lining was just plain blue bed linen for about £2 in the same charity shop. The pattern is free (my favourite price) can be found here. It really is a very easy tutorial! A must try for any crafty (or non crafty) mum-to be, or general crafty-type person!

Rioters and the Old Spice add...

Hello Rioters. Look at your friend, now back to me; now look at your friend, now back to me!


Sadly he isn't me, but if he stopped using antisocial behaviour and started using the job centre he could be like me.


Look down, back up. Where are we? You're at an interview with the man your friend could work for!


What's in his hand? It's an application form to that job he needs. Look again, the form is now money!


Anything is possible when you get a job and stop looting like an idiot.


I'm at a desk.

Home Made Nachos, The Healthy Alternative

Hello bloggers!

If anyone here knows me, they know that nachos are my vice! Every time I make them I can hear my Mother's voice in my head, so I thought why not make a healthy version using tortillas...

Home Made Nachos

First, lay your tortillas out on the chopping board, spray that side with that 1 calorie spray and cut into 8 pieces

Put each piece onto a baking tray with a metal grid on it oily side down and spray the other side of the pieces.  If you want to season your nachos with salt, chili flakes or anything yummy like that then add them at this point. If you have a deep-fat-fryer and are only really seeking to achieve ultimate home-made snack satisfaction rather than a healthy alternative then chuck them all in your fryer and in about 2 minutes they'll be done.  I, sadly, can still hear my mother telling me that's an awful thing to do so we'll continue on with the healthy alternative...

Turn your grill on to about 4 and put your nachos under it. Watch them carefully...lets just say my smoke alarm definitely works...

They will take a little longer to cook under the grill but it'll be worth it knowing you have saved yourself from another night of guilt and indulgence...

When they look lovely and brown (but not too brown) take them out and turn them over and brown the other side and then chuck them into a colander to cool-down and crisp-up for a few minutes and hey-presto, nachos!

Just add the usual...salsa, guacamole, grated cheese, soured cream, jalapenos and put back under the grill for a bit! 

Ta Da!

Today's Useless Crap

I've not been on this much since Andrew's been born, I guess you could say I found more fulfilling things to do with my time (more fulfilling than the internet?!) but I haven't forgotten my little blog! I don't think anyone ever really reads these properly, except when I decide to have a good rant, 'cos apparently people love reading a good rant. I got a couple of those I could start on, but since you never really know who's reading I better not. Besides, in an age of 'political correctness' is there really such a thing as 'freedom of speech'? Everything I say will, in turn, offend someone else (I'm offended by that!). 


Having a child makes you realise a couple of things. Firstly, it's amazing how much you can get done while your baby sleeps. Motherhood takes women to a whole new level of multitasking, and Fatherhood seems to teach men the basics of multitasking (there...I went and did it...I offended someone...). While multitasking is now a primal instinct, baby brain has left me a bit...damaged...and unable to function at times! I've forgotten the point I was trying to make, so you'll have to make do with my tangential rambling for now.


A little side note...does anyone know how I tell my mac that I want my spelling checked with the proper dictionary...sorry I mean the English dictionary, rather than the American? 

Baby Shoes ROCK!

I just wanted to share that...

THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER

I love this little bedtime story...

THERE was once a shoemaker who, through no fault of his own, had become so poor that at last he had only leather enough left for one pair of shoes. At evening he cut out the shoes which he intended to begin upon the next morning, and since he had a good conscience, he lay down quietly, said his prayers, and fell asleep.

In the morning when he had prayed, as usual, and was preparing to sit down to work, he found the pair of shoes standing finished on his table. He was amazed, and could not understand it in the least.

He took the shoes in his hand to examine them more closely. They were so neatly sewn that not a stitch was out of place, and were as good as the work of a master-hand.

Soon after a purchaser came in, and as he was much pleased with the shoes, he paid more than the ordinary price for them, so that the shoemaker was able to buy leather for two pairs with the money.

He cut them out in the evening, and next day, with fresh courage was about to go to work; but he had no need to, for when he got up, the shoes were finished, and buyers were not lacking. These gave him so much money that he was able to buy leather for four pairs of shoes.

Early next morning he found the four pairs finished, and so it went on; what he cut out at evening was finished in the morning, so that he was soon again in comfortable circumstances, and became a well-to-do man.

Now it happened one evening, not long before Christmas, when he had cut out shoes as usual, that he said to his wife: "How would it be if we were to sit up tonight to see who it is that lends us such a helping hand?"

The wife agreed, lighted a candle, and they hid themselves in the corner of the room behind the clothes which were hanging there.

At midnight came two little naked men, who sat down at the shoemaker's table, took up the cut-out work, and began with their tiny fingers to stitch, sew, and hammer so neatly and quickly, that the shoemaker could not believe his eyes. They did not stop till everything was quite finished, and stood complete on the table; then they ran swiftly away.

The next day the wife said: "The little men have made us rich, and we ought to show our gratitude. They run about with nothing on, and must freeze with cold. Now I will make them little shirts, coats, waistcoats, and hose, and will even knit them stout stockings, and you shall make them each a pair of shoes."

The husband agreed, and at evening, when they had everything ready, they laid out the presents on the table, and hid themselves to see how the little men would behave.

At midnight they came skipping in, and were about to set to work; but, instead of the leather ready cut out, they found the charming little clothes.

At first they were surprised, then excessively delighted. With the greatest speed they put on and smoothed down the pretty clothes, singing:

"Now we're dressed so fine and neat,

Why cobble more for others' feet?"

Then they hopped and danced about, and leaped over chairs and tables and out at the door. Henceforward, they came back no more, but the shoemaker fared well as long as he lived, and had good luck in all his undertakings.

THE END

and

GOOD NIGHT

Thank goodness I'm not an Elephant...

Pregnancy Tips For Young Men...

For any young men reading this...a few tips...

1: At 9 or so months there is no bending over, it just doesn't happen...nor does lifting. Besides that it is just polite to offer help anyways

2: When we need to use the facilities, it's usually pretty urgent...and waddling doesn't take us very far very fast. Be a  good boy and try and accommodate us.

3: When we look like we have a large basket ball up our tops and frequently hold it as if in extreme discomfort, that's called being pregnant, you can go ahead and offer us your seat on the bus/train.

4: If you fail to do any of these you can go ahead and expect a world of pregnancy-hormone rage being sent your way. I'm sorry but that's the rule.

5: It's not that we are being unreasonable, we actually can't control it most of the time.

Be warned.

Epic start to 2011...

Epic start to 2011...4am this morning:

Me: "Phil I heard a loud noise downstairs.."

Phil: "There are 2 layers, like a sandwich"

Me: "What? I heard a noise!"

Phil: "I know, let me explain! There are 4 layers!"

Me: "Wake up I heard a noise!!!"

Phil: "I *know* I'm trying to explain it to you! There are 6 layers in total!"

Me: "I don't understand..."

Phil: "It's like your t-shirt is one layer, your shirt is another"

Me: "What's that got to do with the noise I heard"...

Anyways..turns out I heard the noise in my dream...