Raising two young boys can sometimes get quite complicated when it comes to what to cook for them. Most of the times there is always one that is not so impressed with what I have come up with. Especially when it comes to dessert! For some reason my kids get a bit picky here!! Which I don't think is normal. I mean when have you heard a kid say no to a piece of cake but if you ask my kids they will tell you that there are only 3 sorts of cakes that they are OK with. 

And one of the most popular treats after dinner is rice pudding. No complains here!

Lucky for me its also an easy thing to whizz up in the kitchen and since I have been making it so much lately, I kind of perfected the art of making a perfect fluffy,creamy rice pudding and thought I would share it with you!

All you need is: 

600 ml milk

400ml single cream

zest 1 unwaxed lemon

1 vanilla pod

25g caster sugar

100g short grain pudding rice

25g butter

Heres is how you make it!

1. Heat oven to 120C/140C fan/gas 2. Put the milk, cream, zest and vanilla pod all in one saucepan. Gently bring to a simmer, then stir in caster sugar and rice.

2. Transfer mixture to a shallow ovenproof dish and dot the butter on top (I like to use my stoneware casserole dish as its perfect for slow cooking). Bake for 30 mins, then stir well and cook for 1 hour more until the pudding is soft and creamy and a golden skin has formed on the top. The depth and type of dish you use will affect the cooking time, so if the pudding seems loose then return it to oven once more and check every 10 mins or so. Once cooked rest for 10 min and then serve.

The good thing about rice pudding is that you can make as much or as little as you like in one go. I always make a ton and then fill it up in little glass pods so that we can still enjoy our homemade rice pudding by the end of the week!

I hope you will like this recipe and tell me if you want to see more of my cooking. I love creating healthy, tasty homecooked meals for my family and would love to share some more with you!

INDIAN CHAI TEA

Now that Autumn is just around the corner and the nights are drawing in, I like to get cozy at home with a nice warm and spicy tea from India. I am talking about chai tea and the first time I tasted this lovely tea I fell in love with it.It is really easy to make and there are lots of different recipes how to make this lovely tea ( in India every family has their own secret recipe) but this is one of my favourite recipe and I would love for you to try it. Here is how you make it (makes about 4-5 cups of tea).

Ingredients:

1.5 l water

6 anise star

 1 tbsp  fennel seeds

6 cloves

8 cardamon 

1 cinnamon stick

2-3 tbsp brown sugar

5  black tea bags (I used English breakfast tea)

Directions:

To make the tea, put all the spices and sugar with the water in a large pot and bring to the boil.

Let it boil for 10 min on a small heat so that all the spices can release there aroma.
Next put the tea bags in and take the pot from the heat and let them infuse for another 5-7 minutes. Don't boil the tea as it will get bitter and won't taste nice.
When the tea is ready take a sieve and strain the spices and tea bags so that you are left with just the tea.
Serve the tea in your favourite mug or cup with milk. I use soya milk in mine because I prefer the taste. Spritz a little whipped cream on top and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon or chocolate (or both) and enjoy!

Perfect for those days when you need a little pick me up!!
Let me know if you liked this recipe and if you tried it at home. I would love to hear your thoughts!!

Wish you all a good weekend!!

CHICKEN,SPINACH AND GOAT CHEESE LASAGNA

This is one of my all time favorite Lasagna dishes I have made. It's so easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious. This dish is perfect for a little get together with friends and is easily adjusted for vegetarians.

Chicken,Spinach and Goat Cheese Lasagna

                                                                                                          serves up to 4 people

  Ingredients:  

2 chicken breasts

1 can of chopped tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic

bag of spinach

100g of goats cheese

150g of mozzarella

100g of parmesan cheese

10-12 lasagna sheets

fresh basil

olive oil

salt & pepper

Directions:

To make the sauce, cook the garlic in a little oil until slightly brown

Finally add the tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper

Bring everything to boil and simmer until thickened

Cook the spinach slowly, allow to cool and drain in sieve then chop coarsely

Chop and fry chicken breast in pan

To assemble the lasagna, put about 1/4 of the tomato sauce on the bottom of your dish 

Add chicken on top

Make an overlapping layer of lasagna sheets 

Spread some more of the tomato sauce on top making sure the pasta is well covered

Take about half of the spinach and layer on top

Sprinkle some of the mozzarella on top and repeat the next layer of pasta, sauce, chicken, spinach then break up some of the goats cheese and put on top

You can continue layering in this fashion for more layers

I only did two of these layers and finished with sprinkling some of the parmesan with the goats cheese.

Cover the dish with some foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 min, remove foil and bake for a further 15-20 min until nice and brown

I love serving Lasagna with some lovely fresh ciabatta bread and some rocket salad.

BUON APPETITO