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Did you enjoy Bonfire night?

Fireworks

So, did you all enjoy Bonfire night; oooing and aaaaahing at the spectacle adorning our skies?

I must admit, when it comes to fireworks, I have never grown up. I simply love them.

At home we enjoyed a very tame campfire with tiny fizzing ‘fireworks’ for my tiny children, then there was the local display for the older ones. From this display, we purchased some ‘toffee’ apples.

I was both horrified and amused to see a label on the back stating ‘Warning, this product may agitate or cause disruptive behaviour’!

Luckily we had hidden them from my four-year old who would have been climbing the walls for weeks.

It’s a tough call, how do we tread the fine line between depriving our little ones of fun and seriously considering their health?

Given my job, I think I lean a little too much towards the latter and was mortified to find my other half giving our twins baby biscotti for breakfast! Having talked to many parents and grandparents, feeding children is a constant source of consternation.

A food writer friend once admitted that she found it the most difficult part of parenting. Those of us who have a genuine interest in eating good food have real trouble accepting that our children don’t always want to eat it too! Until I became a mum, I never contemplated that I would give my son tomato ketchup with everything, just to get him to eat!

So how DO we get them to eat well?

Dependent on the child, I think we can to a point, and then we have to accept their limitations. Give them the healthiest foods that we know they like, even if this is very repetitive. It may seem like a cliché, but arrange food on a plate like a train or face – it really does work. AND involve them in food preparation and cooking; this works with children of any age and they do seem far more inclining to eat what they have created.

So, let’s try to relax a bit, feed our little ones as well as we possibly can, get them involved in the kitchen but don’t worry so much (note to self!)

Corned Beef FlanCorned Beef Flan

Corned beef is often a hit with children as it
doesn’t have the chewy texture of other meat.
Omit the onion and herbs and this is a winner!
CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

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The History of Halloween, Dairy Diary-Style

I’m often asked to find recipes from previous editions of the Dairy Diary, so I spend quite a lot of time flicking through old copies.

As the Dairy Diary is now in its 30th year, there are quite a few to peruse!

It’s always interesting to see how photography and crockery styles have changed over the years. Some of the styling in the eighties and early nineties makes me chuckle.

For a number of years, there was a fashion for including props which were supposed to relate to the recipe in some way. My favourite one is the recipe for Smoked Ham Cornets, which is pictured with a brass cornet!  Hee hee.

The 1993 edition is a fantastic book for these, though how Lancashire Fruit Braid relates to an embroidery hoop or Savoury Potato Skins relates to a Cluedo board I am not sure!

This week, I have been browsing Halloween recipes.

Here are some examples you may like to chuckle or reminisce at…

Halloween Dairy Diary-style

I love my job. The Dairy Diary is so fabulous. Though thank goodness fashions have moved on, or I would spend a fortune on props! Moving into the 21st century……this Pumpkin Gratin from the 2012 Dairy Diary is perfect for using leftover pumpkin.

Enjoy your lantern carving! I would love to see some pics.

Halloween Pumpkin Gratin from the 2012 Dairy DiaryHalloween Pumpkin Gratin
Perfect for a chilly Halloween celebration.

Recipe taken from 2012 Dairy Diary.

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Kindergarten Cook

The second I return from a sneaky week’s escape, I am ‘persuaded’ in front of the camera for a video-shoot to show off our fabulous products.

I am no Fearne Cotton and I am not sure how many of the viewers will understand the Stoke Smurf dialect, but the books look good. See these televisual masterpieces soon on the website.

Apart from cringing at my virtual self, I have been busy visiting schools before this year’s application process begins. I have to say how impressed I am by the involvement the children have with the food they eat there.

At one school, they grow their own herbs and veg, raise their own chickens and even create their own school lunch menus – not bad for 5-11 year-olds!

In fact, my son has been nurturing seedlings and poultry from a tiny tot at his nursery. I hear time and time again how the ‘younger generation’ don’t know anything about food or cooking but I beg to differ.

All the children I know are intrigued with ‘fork to fork’ and love both growing and cooking. They may be fussier with the eating but the interest is there – it’s not just all about fast food.

So, let’s give our children a break – whatever their age – and applaud their culinary creativity. My three-year-old loved making these Cherry Cupcakes with me, but if your children are closer to 33 they will enjoy them too!

 

Cherry Cupcakes

Recipe taken from 2012 Dairy Diary.

 

 

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National Baking Week

National Baking Week

National Baking Week

Baking is trendy once more thanks to BBC’s Great British Bake-Off.

Strangely compelling and featuring cookery legend Mary Berry, the program has reignited interest in this culinary delight (despite Mel and Sue popping up with ‘amusing’ comments throughout).

With most forms of cooking, you can get away with throwing a few ingredients together without propensity for disaster.

With baking, however, it really is a scientific art and without the right ratios of ingredients, it simply doesn’t work.

That’s why recipes are so crucial for us mere mortals for which this science is something of a mystery.

The Dairy Diary and Dairy Book of Home Cookery are packed with baking recipes; in fact the latter features a staggering 167 breads, pies, bakes and cakes!

So don your pinny….get….set…..bake! 

How about this amazing…

Chocolate Layer Cake from the Dairy Book of Home CookeryChocolate Layer Cake
Recipe taken from Dairy Book of Home Cookery

 

 

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Eggs, the Student Staple?

Eggs, the student staple?

As many youngsters embark on life at university, full of excitement and anticipation, many parents will worry about their wellbeing and particularly if they are eating properly!

Over the years I have many phone calls from anxious parents asking for copies of the Dairy Book of Home Cookery to pack up along with the bumper packs of loo roll.

Though many are sceptical about students cooking, they may be surprised to know that many do.

My student-speciality was broccoli topped with chopped tomatoes and grated Cheddar (let’s hope student skills have improved since my day!)

There are several student cooking blogs, Facebook pages and even a dedicated website www.studentcooking.tv.

Uni-goers, of course, are always on a budget and for economical reasons (even if it is only to save more beer money!) home cooking may be essential. Eggs are the frugal cook’s best friend as they are so cheap yet versatile. They should grace any students’ fridge alongside the mouldy carrots and crate of lager.

Coincidently, this week is National Egg Week – so let’s celebrate the magic of the egg with recipes from www.wakeuptoeggs.co.uk or the 2012 Dairy Diary, from which this delicious omelette is taken.

 

Green Omelette from Dairy Diary 2012

Green Omelette
A delicious watercress omelette made in just 10 minutes

Recipe taken from 2012 Dairy Diary.

 

 

 

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It’s great to be back!

Jasmine, Isaac and Maisy

Hello everyone, I am back in the Dairy Diary office once more after nine months off having babies.

I am now a very proud mummy to twins Jasmine and Maisy, as well as the ever-cheeky three year-old Isaac.

I have had a magical few months, but it’s great to be back and be blogging again. Thanks so much to Karen and Marion for holding the reins in my absence.

I have come back at a very exciting time of year with our fantastic new range of products selling like hot cakes! I am thrilled to hear so many compliments about our revamp of the classic Dairy Book of Home Cookery, as well as consumers loving the 2012 Dairy Diary and Dairy Diary Set.

In the current economic climate, saving money is always a hot topic, and as a mum of three, I am only too aware of how crucial this is.

Make an original corsageMy evenings are dedicated to this very pastime; making cards and gifts for birthdays and Christmas. For this, my trusty Dairy Diary is invaluable, not only does the 2012 edition have recipes perfect to make and wrap for others. It also shows you how to make a beautiful corsage.

Win a vintage corsage making kit
The kind people at Buttonbag have given us a vintage corsage making kit. Like us on Facebook before 13th October and be in with a chance to win it!

Sweet Spicy NutsIf you too need to be thrifty, or just like to make gifts for others, why not make these scrummy Sweet Spicy Nuts? Wrap them in cellophane and tie with a ribbon and a pretty tag. Recipe taken from 2012 Dairy Diary.

 

 

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