When life gives you…

blackberries……you make blackberry cobbler …of course…..

the custard on top is optional but it helps…big time…..cause those blackberries can be a touch tarty…..and you want something really sweet to make it all perfect…..

What else can I make with the rest of the blackberries in the fridge? …Overnight oats? ….muffins?  we’ll think of something I’m sure….

Wishing you all a great ending to the weekend….

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines

What do you do when….

life gives you pumpkins? Spend a whole day in the kitchen, of course!!!!

that was hard work I tell you…..emptying out the pumpkins…washing the seeds…roasting the pumpkins and the seeds….pureeing the flesh….butter and salt for the seeds…bagging the puree to freeze….dd14 did the cupcakes….pumpkin cupcakes of course…delish of course…..and guess what? that was only one of them….I still have another three to do!!! not sure I want to puree them all….I’m thinking couscous tomorrow…I gave one to a dear friend today and another very dear friend is coming round tomorrow….hopefully she likes pumpkin….

Dd14 also baked an apple tart today…..she knows how to make her sisters and mama happy….

How was your weekend? Ours was quiet and productive….just the way I like them….

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines

When life gives you beetroots…

make a cake…..a chocolate cake with beetroot in it….a delicious cake which tastes of nothing but chocolate but somehow fools you into believing that is healthy ….it’s got to be….it has beetroot in it!!!!

Very moist….very decadent…very appropriate as a middle of the English lesson break treat….dd14 did a good job….her friend liked it…well, you need something sweet and rich when dealing with Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations…..Picasso does not like chocolate….but he likes ice lolly…..

Have a good weekend….

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines

P.S recipe here 

British Bake off inspired…

We all watch the program at home ….best T.V ever …….as soon as the episode is over I turn to  dd14 with pleading eyes and beg her to bake something that has made me drool while watching…..this week it was the biscottis…..had to have some and at long last I got to eat one today…..yes , just one cause tomorrow is weighing day….just a little treat….I’ve been very good today…..all week actually….two swimming sessions and 3 kettle bell workouts…..no junk, no processed foods…….. fingers crossed results will show tomorrow insh’Allah…..so yeah here they are….your turn to salivate ……alternatively you could make your own and treat yourself to a really nice biscotti….

Can’t wait for the next episode of the British Bake off……  😉

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines

 

 

So much for new year resolutions……

Two days ago, late at night, as it is the norm with dd14 a.k.a in house baker inspiration struck her and she decided to make doughnuts. She had been meaning to make them for a while but finding the right oven tray proved quite difficult and in the end we ordered this one online…amazon to the rescue once again… Deciding which recipe to follow was a chore too….sooo many out there…in the end she settled for Cinnamon baked doughnuts ….simply scrumptious…a great hit….

      

No great pics but you get the idea…. Next, chocolate coated doughnuts and perhaps stuffed ones….oh the sky is the limit with this girl…tabarak Allah Salaam y hasta la vista, Ines

Last week…

was one of those weeks where we did lots of things…so rather than writing different blog posts this is going to be one of those random ones…you know, the one for the sake of documenting for when I’m old and frail and I can look back….;)

In the little urban garden the butternut squashes are doing rather well…

see the little one hiding?

 

We picked the first cobs of corn yesterday….delish…. simply boiled and some butter…

Dh and dd18 were busy at work on the allotment on Saturday whilst the rest of us partied…so what to show you first, the allotment or the henna designs? lol

As usual I had a blast…good company, good food, lots of catching up and the henna designs simply amazing, mash’Allah

Dh and dd18 reassured me that they had fun too and here is what they achieved ….

 

 

So, we now have four raised beds…the large one at the back of this pic already has a few veg sown in…hopefully I was not too late…anyways, carrots, swede, turnip and chard went in…insh’Allah

We have managed to half fill a small bed today…two car loads and still another million to go but we are enjoying it all…

Dd13 is going through another baking phase inspired by the ‘Great British bake off’…..we all enjoyed her first time eclairs…

and dd3 is learning to cut in straight lines…her concentration is admirable and laughable…bless her…

 

This past week we also celebrated dd18’s accpetance at the uni of her choice…omg…my baby is going to uni in October…mash’Allah…time does fly…subhan’Allah

I did warn you that it was going to be a random post and I don’t think they come any more random than this…

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines

 

 

Iftar treats…

for when dh and dd18 come back from taraweeh…..sometimes there’s tea and Algerian sweets on the table, other times is just a cold drink, fruit, yogurt….tonight insh’Allah there’ll be ma’amoul….

 

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines

P.S  Recipe courtesy of Karima , mash’Allah

N is for…

the night before…the night before a girly meetup
Preparing for tomorrow’s get together…just a few friends for a cuppa and a catch up afternoon…I anticipate lots of laughter, proud girls receiving plenty of compliments for their delish cakes, some tears (yeah all is possible at mine’s..trust me), some impromptu a capella songs from our past and a lot of cringing teenagers… 😉 and who is bothered….

party glasses ready ….

teacups and cake plates polished too…

the crew…working in pairs…well not the little one…

first batch out…yum yum…

Are you into using teenagers to do all your baking? My first time and I think I’m loving it already…the downside is that I have now a sitting room full of teenagers watching films, eating popcorn and all the usual sleepover stuff…so tomorrow will start with a double dose of tidying up …never mind…

Salaams y hasta la vista,

Ines