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Archive for the ‘Cooking’ Category

Since December I have been really very sloppy in keeping note of what “education” we have done.

This is partly because of the christmas spirit, and partly because Asha has had a snuffly cold for a while, so were still not onto “written work”

However she now has full command of the following three works of literature :

Little Women – Louise Alcott.. to the extent that yesterday, when I asked her which was her favourite book, she informed me that ” little women is, because Joe is like you and me mummy” Slightly abashed I asked her what she meant by this” she has a tempor which rises up and we both try and control it.. but fail misserably” Well there you go…

She also asked why daddies cant always be around, and what the war was in the story. She seems to empathise a lot with the girls when they are sad..

The secret Garden – Frances Hodges Burnett. She has loved this title for some time now, and I am seriously starting to tire of it. But her games have gone from Colin;s nautyness to being an Animal Charmer.. She is no longer wanting to be like Mary Lennox, recognising that Mary has a terrible temper, which Asha says isnt like a princess… It has also encouraged a great amount of interest in india, and if anyone has any recommendations for indian literature suitable for a 5 year old i would like to hear them!!

The Little Princess, also Frances Hodges Burnett.
This is interesting as it is encouraging her good behaviour and her love of literature and her sympathetic nature. Its also bought up questions about mineing, death, quarrying.. and slavery / maids… Wonderful stuff!

She also has some command of the following works.

The Hobbit. – daddy is currently re-reading it to her.
Winnie the poo.
Hiawatha.. All these have developed a lot since November and I am pleased with these outcomes.

In December we went to a violin concert in liverpool held by the Liverpool Suzuki group, it was wonderful. Asha had a lovely evening, though she was fidgetty, after a long day in birkenhead and liverpool, visiting such wonderful places as Woodside, Birkehead, etc..

Her violin practice has been slow this month, but hopefully we will get back on track once her snuffle has gone.

Currently Asha is not interested in reading or writing. Were encouraging these skills by ensuring she always has access to pens, paper and reading fodder… I am not worried about these skills, as last time I worked on them with her, she was well within her age group needs… and well.. there is more to education!

Her fascination with local birds is continuing.. we feed them every day, and she watches them every day.. often for hours at a time.. I plan on doing more work with bird life, once I have found some more resources on it.. We certainly seem to enjoy talking about there shapes, feet, wings etc….

Crafts, before Christmas we made loads of decorations.. snowmen, candles for on the wall, birds to hang up.. all sorts, since christmas we have done some painting, some drawing and talked about the chemical reaction needed to make a crystal snow tree.

Asha has contined to spend much time doing skateboarding, walking and enjoying time outside. We have also enjoyed a trip to portmerion…

I am generally more than happy with Asha’s level of education. She is a sociable, happy child.. what else can I want?

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I am not too good at the moment, so Asha is spending a lot of time, playing on her own in the lounge.

Todays theme was Ray Mears. We played a selection of his programmes in the background on the tv all day, and asha has been making her own variations on his meals in the lounge all day.

Just before tea tonight she measured out exactly 730 grms of sugar, to go with 730 grams of plums and 125 ml of water, to make some FANTASTIC Plum Jam. – with daddies help!

Pudding tonight was jam and rice pudding.. yummy!

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I seem to be having a bit of a block.. Not really sure what is causing it.

Anyway, what have we been doing for the last two weeks?  Ummmm.

Works backwards – Today is shove tuesday. We had a great pancake party, and ate far too many pancakes. P came round, and we all enjoyed ourselves.

We did shopping in bangor today, and asha bought herself a new set of plastic kitchen toys.

Monday – Naomi and 4 kids came round, and we had a lovely evening playing. In day time, Asha and i did assorted things with paper, and made sample musical instruments up out of junk for clas project on Wednesday.

Sunday – recovered from trip to grannys, and had T, and his parents round to play / eat. Went well. Made some mars bar covered fudge!

Saturday – played at grannys.

Friday – travelled down to grannys.

Thursday – recovered from wed, made some bread.Met new social worker.. Went well.

Wednesday – CLAS and Gwerin meeting, new record, home before 7.30

Tuesday – wrapped some vanilla fudge up for J and A at clas. Spoke to A, and J on telephone today.  Friend came round to play, after i had done shopping.

Monday. I did some shopping, and collasped in heap i think.

Sunday -

Saturday – was it snowdrop weekend at penrhyn? If it was we went there is Gwerin, and had a great time!…….

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Not todays work, but from a few days ago.  Whilst really not very well at all. I dont think we got a picture of todays materpiece, but Asha loves her baking.

and a smile!

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Asha at least has been a bit brighter today. She didn’t ask once for the TV, or even her computer to be put on.

So what did she do today then? This morning she and I read a few dozen books in my bed. Whilst eating Stollen, and drinking coffee..

After lunch.. cold meats and cheese, I did a bit of nothing, whilst she played with her toys in the lounge, and generally used up her energy. If only I had 1/20th of her energy, I would feel human..

After a while, Steve and I finally agreed to help her make her gingerbread house, which Granny had bought for her. It is now sitting proudly in the corner of the “living” room – we must decide on a name for this room!

After she had completed this mammoth task, which I was really impressed with her concentration throught, off she then did a bit of jumping around untill eventually she asked me for something interesting to do again. I supplied her with christmas cards to decorate.

So far she has done 6, she has about another 5 to do I think!

This evening, Asha asked me if every week after Wednesday she could have two days at home, as she enjoys it. I would like to myself.. I wonder if we can do it?

I “should” get some pics up of her creation soon.

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In 2000 B.C. wealthy Greek families sailed to the Isle of Rhodes to get spiced honey cakes. Later in the eleventh century, pilgrims and soldiers introduced ginger to the Europeans.

The English created ginger sweets. Typical english use hey!!!

Read the rest of this entry »

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Yes, I know I havent been very good lately at providing a running commentry again of our day.  why? Apart from the fact i feel awfull, Asha has been doing so much, and I just havent felt like spending time on the computer.

Anyway some fun things she has done:

Fungal forrage with friends at Moleci.

Swimming with friends at Portmadog.

A day at the beach – yes the second week in October! at Dinas.

Dutch Pancakes at a Tea Room near Snowdon.

A go on go-carts at parc Glasfryn.

Ride on her bike and on scooters in the road.

A trip to the play ground with J from CLAS.

A play date with R and A. – water bombs made, cutting out of words done.

A play date with T and R.G fed the ducks, and played with their dog.

Watched the Steam Train in Caernarfon.

Made bread rolls, very successfull they were as well!

Done more glass painting.

Completed a painting by numbers she started in August.

Plus so many other things, like swimming lessons, gymnastics, learning welsh, and being able to write her own name. Asha also drew a lovely picture of her daddy helping her to roller skate. She started wth the boots, drew her legs, then her body and arms and head, then she drew daddy.

Book wise, she has completed Toms Midnight Garden, and has been loveing the Medici Chidrens books lately. Not really wanting any other books to be read to her. I cant blame her really the stories are so gentle, and the illustrations so peacefull, they are a great bedtime story!

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My thanks to A, for this. Sorry i dont know the source of it, but we did it at CLAS today and the kids love it!

5 Min Chocolate Mug Cake

1. coffee mug

4 tbsp plain flour.  (it works fine with gluten free)

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp baking cocoa (i think we used less in the group)

1 egg

3 tbsp milk  (I used soya with Asha)

3 tbsp oil

3 tbsp chocolate chips (optional)

small splash of vanilla.

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well.

Add egg and mix thoroughly.

Pour in milk and oil and mix again

Add chocolate chips if using and vanilla, and mix again

put mug in microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but dont be alarmed.

Allow to cool a little and tip out onto a plate.

Eat.

I reckon it would be great cut into slices, then turned into a yule log or caterpillar.. It certainly tastes o.k. and the home edd kids LOVED making it today!

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What a little hero she is. She loves it.

She rolled around, jumped around, followed the line around, played tick, and went on the horse thingy. She smiles, and lands with her hands together and has a great time.

I just hope she keeps on loving it!

The rest of the day wasnt as sucessfull, we think Asha is stuggling with milk and gluten in her diet, and as such is being a number one cling on. Which is tireing and hard work. Though she did play outside for a while with daddy, and she did have a small rest when we went for a drive, as she was so tired.

Education done today. Not loads, but we have talked, we have read a few stories and we did look at a big plan of a human body, and talk about teeth, blood cells and veins. We also looked at where our hearts were… My child is 4, and knows more biology than I knew at 16!

Its actually very hard for Asha not to get an education in our house, as we have SO many books of all kinds lieing around.. and with her toys as well!!!!

Oh we also melted some chocolate and added corn flakes to it. We then made some pepermint iceing up, and dropped it into the chocolate crispy cakes. Its really interesting what then happens.. you have after eight choclate crisp cakes!

Oh and before bath, Asha also played with ff.
Vicki xx

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Anglesey Cake: [Teisen Sir Fôn]

4 oz butter

4 oz sugar

1 egg beaten

8 oz G.F Self Raising Flour.

Pinch of salt.

4 oz currants

4 oz sultanas

Milk (i used long life soya milk, sweetened)

( I also use what ever dried fruit i have in)

Set oven to gas mark 4 / 350 F.

Cream butter and sugar together, once fluffy beat in egg.

Sift in flour and salt, fold in.

Stir in dried fruit,

add sufficient milk to give a dropping consistency.

Turn into a greased cake tin. The recipie states a 6″ cake tin, but I tend to double up the recipie and cook in a few small loaf tins :d

The instructions also say bake for 45 mins to an hour, but I find with LPG and gluten free it takes slightly longer, but well keep an eye on it!

Enjoy!

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Bara Brith.

I never realised how easy this cake was to make, or how cheap! I use the cheapest dried fruit mix I can get hold of, as you are soaking it overnight in tea!

10 oz Mixed dried fruit.

2/3 pint of hot tea. I made it in a pyrex jug. No milk!

3oz Soft brown sugar.

Grated rind of 1 lemon

12 oz of gluten free flour. (I added a tsp of gluten free baking powder as well)

1and a bit of a  large tsp of mixed spice.

1 large egg.

Soaked dried fruit overnight in tea.

Next day, set oven to gas mark 4, and greased some small loaf tins (I doubled up recipie again)

Strain the fruit, and keep the liquid.

Mix fruit and other ingredients in a bowl. Add liquid untill a soft dropping consistency. Pour mixture into tins, and bake for about 45 mins (depending on cooker, ingredients and stuff)

Cool and serve sliced and marged :d

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We didnt have a cooked breakfast every day. We did have baked beans and Sausage some days.

We did have cereals, however Mummy ran out of cows milk.

We did eat loads of home made cake.

Carrot cake made with gluten free flour is fine, I used a delia recipie adapted

I used sunflower oil, in place of groundnut oil, and dove farm self raising gluten free flour.

I adapted a recipie out of one of the

Welsh Teatime Recipes
Traditional Welsh Cakes, for both Bara Brith and Anglsey Cake.

Having looked on line, at others it appears to be missing some ingredients, however Asha enjoyed it.

We didnt eat as much fruit as i would have liked, however as I put fruit and veg in all the cakes, yes even the chocolate one, i didnt worry too much!

Frozen stew re-heated worked well. Trying to make a curry was hard work.

We will look into canned veg for the next camp. Fresh veg, is too hard to prepare in the wind and rain.

Crips worked well to keep us going. We didnt eat any of the lentils or tins of assorted beans.

Oh well, looks like cake and tinned food next camp.. Oh and fresh coffee, we need to take enough for three a day, not two!

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And today its rocket making..

Plastic bottle, cork, one bycle inner tube, and a small valve. Wow the effects were fantastic.

the kids loved them, the older kids. thought they were brilliant, and all the kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

At night, we had a communal food, which we got to late, as we had to nip home to feed the cat. We did however stay up far too late, and have a great evening.

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Yes, you know one of those things which have hot water in and you can cook eggs in?

Well after years, and years of wanting one. Steve bought me one last week. Brand is Horwood, and it cooks 4 at a time. The result? Poached eggs.

We got it from Saks in Bangor. On the whole they sell a good selection, however I was disapointed that they dont do double boilers.. Oh well, they do do some really interesting stuff!

Wonderful!

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It was Asha’s Birthday yesterday and we made some chilli sauce. Most people liked it, so here is the recipe.

Handful of the green end of spring onions chopped
1 scotch bonnet (with seeds) chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic
Tablespoon(ish) of Paprika (sweet, not hot or smoked)
Juice of half a lime
Some olive oil
400g chopped tomatoes (approx)

Gently sautee spring onions in olive oil for a minute or two. Add garlic and chilli and sautee for another minuite or so. Add tomatoes, lime juice and paprika. Stir regularly and cook on a low heat until reduced slightly. Blitz with a hand blitzer thingy or similar.

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So apart from learning not to touch mummys sun burn… well its a learning outcome   and mummy trying to find out a simple explanation on sunburn – given up for now… What have we done today?

Asha watched Just so stories this morning.. We then did a few audio books, with her “reading along” to herself. she enjoys pinoccio this way. I phoned mum, as I am sure some of the books to go with some of the tapes are down there still.

After I had done a trip to tescos for some after sun, Asha did some glueing. I had bought her a cheap funky felts set, which was meant to be used to make a neckless, but the needle wont go through the felt easily, and Asha was getting upset, so I suggested we got some glue out and she made a picture. She has done this, and now wants to send it to granny..

Asha is now outside again, playing with the neighbours children, and I need to get that chicken in the oven!

Asha is definatly on the way to reading on her own though. Its wonderfull to see.

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We had our normal thursday today. Asha and I made some cinnamin (sp?) buscuits, and she measured the flour, and margarine out. then enjoyed mixing them together, and naturally eating the mixture :d

We also made some bright pink iceing to put on the buscuits.. oh well the joys.

Asha also spent some time watching her just so stories videos. she really does love them. I watched an angelina ballerina video with her as a treat, but she didnt really enjoy it. We then talked about ghosts, castles and behaviour. It was interesting.

After Asha had enjoyed the videos, we read a noddy book, It was one of the old ones, and she did seem to enjoy it. I havent read a long story to Asha for a few weeks, so it was good to do that again.

Tonight we had a look at nutbrown hare (guess how much I love you) and mogs mumps. Asha seemed to really enjoy them both. It seems weird to be reading Mogs mumps to Asha, as it was one of my books from when I was little.

We have had a lovely day today. Asha has spent some time one on one with Me and Steve, played with the neighbours kids and adults tonight. done reading and colouring in, and cooking.. A restfull but productive day for us all I feel… Oh well, good night!

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On the way home tonight, we called into the local chip shop .

When we were pulling out, Asha asked where hers was. The reply oh the shop had run out of food, other than “nasty kebab meat, and you wont want that.”

Asha’s response… “Couldnt they go to the Cash and Carry!”

There you go.

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Asha got up with Daddy and did some TV, a rare treat these days. After she did breakfast mummy got up, and we wizzed to pwhelli, to do some small jobs.

Once home we played in the Garden, and Daddy did a bit of potting of plants.

Asha and I then came indoors and made some corn tortillas and had some sausage butties as we were all hungry by now!

Daddy made a beef curry, for when R and A were due around. Around 4 pm they turned up, along with a St Johns Wort Plant.. WOW! Steve rappidly got it into the ground, in the hole he had previously dug.

After the two girls had a play outside on there bikes, and then did some HAMA beads, and ate some curry and sausages. We took them for a walk on the beach at Aberdesach,  where we did a bit of water play, looked at some rocks, had a close up of a crab, and did some sea side botany research on return, in the pouring rain, and then along to Pwhelli.  Asha fell asleep on the way home, so I poped her straight to bed.

R and A had a drink before setting off home.

So what is this then?

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Well we were out first thing this morning, enjoing the sun and rain, and sleet. Yes I know its April.. Its what happens in April!

Anyway, after our trip to see the MP, in Caernarfon.. isnt it funny how holiday towns never seem to have to deal with real life, untill you live in them. Anyway.. we called in to pick Asha’s tickets up for CLAYDAY tomorrow.

‘Claytime’ is a play with clay, where the audience are invited to participate. Presented by Indefinitearticles, you are invited to a place where the earth’s natural material meets with children’s imaginations: a world of fabulous forms, amazing animals and morphing monsters.

Each Claytime is totally unique – creating its own world, its own characters and its own stories drawn directly from its young audience. Truly, interactive theatre at its most engaging. This show is made with and for 3 to 6 year olds. Parent / guardian will need to stay throughout the performance.

http://www.galericaernarfon.com

I am so looking forwards to this, I think it will be great for Asha. She has ballet in the morning and then a small period of time out. Then a great afternoon doing make and do and theater, what else can a three year old want!!!

Anyway, after getting her tickets, and me collapsing in a heap, which I woke up from four hours later. We went for a drive down to Trefor Beach. Asha had a lovely walk and play, on the beach, Steve took some photos, and I enjoyed watching them both.

We piled some wood into the back of the van, and came home, prepared and ate tea, did some reading and sewing and then Asha went to bed, tired.

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