Cowboy Casserole – recipe




16 sausages (I bought a double pack of Richmond’s)


2 tins of beans (I used Asda’s own)

1tsp dried chilli flakes

1tsp paprika

Splash of oil (for frying)










  • Enjoy!!

Peanut butter bites








270g (9.5oz) peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

40g (1.4oz) unsalted butter

140g (4.9oz) icing sugar


Sprinkles (optional)


  1. Line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper.



Am I eating chicken or tuna?

I am sitting in my recliner chair, feet up, laptop on my knee, watching my 18 month old with a fork and spoon.  On his plate is a portion of boiled white fish (cod) and a small amount of tomato sauce.

He’s tried so many times before to feed himself, yet every time he stabbed the food, or carefully placed it on the spoon (with his hand), it’d slip off or break in two.  None of it ever made it to his mouth.

Now I see my beautiful little man successfully stabbing, or shoveling  a small piece of fish and it’s making its’ way to his lips.  His mouth opens…  It’s made it.  He’s managed to eat half of the portion before my husband takes over to assist him.  It seems that the little man has worn himself out by feeding himself.  I am so proud.

We have a long way to go before he can manage feeding himself other variants of food, such as spaghetti, but we’re certainly not that far away.  Who knows; but when we go out for my hubby’s  birthday on the 23rd, he may be able to manage to eat his dinner with something other than his hands.

Coffee Sponge Cake with Bailey’s Butter Frosting

This was made for my dad’s birthday.  It is a recipe that I’ve used before, but previously it was only used in a large batch of cupcakes.  The larger cake, however, has turned out wonderfully.

Ingredients – Cake

8oz butter

8oz soft light brown sugar

4 large eggs

50ml strong coffee

8oz self-raising flour

Ingredients – Frosting

15oz icing sugar

10oz butter

4 tbsp Bailey’s

Method – Cake

1.  Preheat the oven to 180C (160C for fan assisted ovens) and grease 2x20cm baking tins.

2.  Cream the sugar and butter together in a large mixing bowl.

3.  Add the eggs, one at a time, ensuring that each is fully blended before adding the next.

4.  Add the coffee (I used 4 tsp coffee to 50ml boiling water) and mix throroughly.

5.  Sieve the flour in, holding the sieve as high as possible to allow a lot of air to join the mixture.

6.  Spoon the mixture evenly into the two greased baking tins.

7.  Bake in the oven for approx. 40 minutes (or until cooked).  A trick I have learned here is not to open the oven door until at least 30 minutes in to the cooking time.  This ensures a thorough cooking right the way through the cake without disturbing it too much.

8.  Allow the cakes to cool in the tin for approx. 5-10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling wire.

Method – Frosting

1.  Cream the butter in a mixing bowl.

2.  Add the icing sugar gradually.  I took 7 ‘helpings’.  Ensure each ‘helping’ is mixed thoroughly before adding the next part.

3.  Add the Bailey’s (don’t forget to pour a glass for yourself!).

Method – Putting it together

1.  On one of the cakes, cover the top with some frosting.

2.  Add the second cake on top.

3.  Use the rest of the Bailey’s butter frosting to completely cover the cake.