Really Easy Coconut Ice

I originally found this recipe in Good Housekeeping magazine and I have tried it out a few times now.  It is really easy to do and looks really effective, great for presents!  

This recipe involves no baking and only four ingredients what more can you ask for?  If you can pick up some pretty jars and ribbon you can present these as perfect homemade presents which look gorgeous but won't cost you the earth.

Ingredients: 

405g Tin Light Condensed Milk

300g Icing Sugar Sifted

300g Desiccated Coconut

Red/Pink Food Colouring

Method: 

1) Line a 15cm x 20cm tin with baking parchment.

2) Mix the condensed milk and icing sugar together then add the coconut (the mixture will be stiff).

3) Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and flatten until level.

4) Add the food colouring to the remaining mixture and stir well.  Press on top of the white coconut ice until even.

5) Wrap in clingfilm and leave to set in fridge overnight.  Once set cut into bitesize cubes.

Love Sophie..xxx

Mummy Bloggers - How Do You Do It?

Seriously...if you are a Mummy Blogger or even a Daddy Blogger for that matter, please tell me how you manage it!

Obviously I am in the 'Mummy Blogger' category myself but sometimes I find it really hard to find the time.  I know I am new to blogging and I am really trying to get my blog out there using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram but I'm finding it a real challenge to keeping up with the rest of you!

Take Twitter for instance, I try to post any new additions on my Blog to Twitter once a day but some bloggers are posting every hour - where do you find the time? What with taking care of the kids, doing the house work, going to my actual work, socialising, keeping fit, actually having a conversation with my Husband and just sitting down for an hour a day (if I'm lucky) I really don't understand how these great Parent Bloggers manage to put so much energy into promoting their blogs (and actually make them good)?

Most of the Parent Bloggers I follow are actually posting new material at least once a day and some 'Super Bloggers' are even posting twice a day - you are truly amazing and I take my hat off to you!  

Now if I only I knew your secret I may be able to match your amazing commitment! Go Mummy Parent Bloggers Go! 

Love Sophie..xxx

P.S. You can find me on Instagram now too!

Double Side Braids

If like me you have a little girls (or big ones) you might get a little bored of creating the same old hairstyles everyday so here is a good one for you to try.  Once you have the hang of French braiding you will find this comes as second nature!

1) Part the hair down the middle and take a small section of hair from near the face.

2) Divide the small section of hair into three pieces and cross over into the beginnings of a plait/braid.

3) When you have crossed over all three sections once take a new section of hair from the parting and add it to the braid as if you are making a french plait.  Do not add another section from the other side.

4) Continue to braid this way adding a small section of hair from the parting until you reach the back of the head.

5) Once you have braided as far as you want to go, finish off by braiding the section of hair you have left to the bottom and tie off.

6) Repeat these steps on the other side.

If you like this hairstyle please check out my other tutorials here...Love Sophie..xxx

1st Day Of School HaHa!

This is me today (except I'm wearing a winter coat and welly boots)! Thank goodness the girls have gone back to school after the Christmas break.  This may sound mean, and although we had some good times and made some great memories I just can't help being happy that my kids have gone back to school!  

The weather has been absolutely atrocious here in Dorset over the Christmas period and has led to Cabin Fever taking hold in the Prescott residence.  We have tried to get out when we can but when it is cold and pouring down with rain it doesn't leave you with many options does it!?

Well I can honestly say I breathed a sigh of relief when I sent my oldest off to school today, normality has resumed and the routine has begun.  Is it just me or do your children behave better when they have some focus i.e. school and after-school activities?  Of course the routine comes with the daily grind of lunch boxes, taxiing around and work but all in all I like to know where I am, and although it is nice to have the occassional rest, getting back to routine feels good!

Love Sophie..xxx

Christmas Day & We Almost Flooded!

So it was Christmas Eve and in the early hours of Christmas day (2am!) we had a flood warning call from the Environment Agency! My husband was pacing around and taking short trips to the river by our house to check out the situaton at crazy o'clock and we were both slightly panicking by the time the girls woke up at 7am.  We carried on as usual determined to keep Christmas Day the special and magical day it should be! 

 

Once all the presents were opened instead of just playing and getting ready for Christmas Day we decided to lift our furniture onto breeze blocks (just in case) in order to prevent any damage to our posessions before we went to my parent-in-laws for the day!  

Stressed is not the word to be honest, the river levels had never been so high and the water was literally a couple of feet from reaching the top of the flood barrier at the end of our road! 

The mobile home site on the other side of the river had been evacuated in the middle of the night and I felt so sorry for them it was truly awful, at least we hadn't actually been flooded!

Let's hope this once in a hundred year occurence stays away for another 100 years...

 

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies - No Eggs!

So there are only a few more days left of the school holidays and if you're looking for something to do with the kids why not try baking these really easy and delicious Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies made with only five ingredients!

I found this recipe when looking for a way to use up some left over condensed milk at the Carnation website.  You can bake the entire mix in one go or you can freeze the dough in small balls and bake the cookies on demand it's completely up to you!

Ingredients: 

 350g Self Raising Flour
100g Chocolate Chips
170g Condensed Milk
225g Softened Unsalted Butter
225g Caster Sugar

 

 

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 180C and cream butter sugar and milk until light and fluffy.

2) Mix in flour to create a soft dough then add the chocolate chips.

3) Roll the dough into walnut size balls and pace on tray flattening them slightly.  Make sure you leave enough room between the balls as they will spread.  Bake for around 20mins and cool on a wire rack.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you! 

So do you have any New Year resolutions?  To be honest I don't this year - I'm not actually sure how to beat last year's resolution 'To have the greatest year ever'! Mmmm...if you have any ideas let me know lol! 

Maybe you're looking to make some extra cash or get fit? I have some great ideas for these and I will post them in the next few days!

Right we're off for our traditional New Years Day walk! Here's hoping we all have a great New Year...speak soon..Sophie...xxx