"Keep it Simple, Sweetie" with Cooking; Cajun Popcorn.

I have decided this was a great way to get a bit more spice into my kids life. They loved it. We eat plain popcorn all the time for a healthier snack but this is something a little bit more special and can be a great adult snack too.

Ingredients;

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon garlic salt

85g of popping corn (you can use a microwave popcorn packet of this but try to go for no added salt or butter).

Canola oil spray

Method;

Place onion powder into a small bowl

Add oregano

 Add paprika

 Add garlic salt

 Combine together

 Add popping corn to popcorn maker. (If you don't have a popcorn maker just follow the instructions on the packet.)

 Sing the popping song to make sure it all pops.
"It's a pop, pop, popping,
pop,pop, popping,
Pop, pop, popping along."

Spray on the oil while it is still warm. Toss it around.

 Add the spice mix.

 Mix it around until fully coated.

 WAA LAA. Yummy cajun popcorn. A little bit spicy but my kids couldn't get enough of it. xx

"Keep it Simple, Sweetie" in the Garden; A healthy worm farm.

I love worms. I love that I can tell my kids that we can't have a pet because we have about 1 thousand already. They are so easy to look after and great for my kitchen waste and my garden. Did I mention I love them?

What you will need;

We got our worm farm from bunnings. You can get everything you need and they even sell the worms. Easy peasy. 

 Things you need to know;

Make sure you put the work farm in a shaded warm place. Not too hot, not too cold. These little animals need to be comfortable. They also need to be moist, so you need to spray the top layer about once a week.









You can feed them; kitchen scraps, grass clippings, wet cardboard, and newspaper. You need to keep the farm a little bit aerated, so paper and stuff is good for that.






 DO NOT feed them;

no citrus,
no onions
no garlic
no meat
no bread

You need to hand trowel top layer bedding about once a week. It is best to do this when there is no surface food on top. Be gentle with your little pets.

It can take about 6 months for a new worm farm to really come into it's own. Don't worry if not much is happening or they are not eating much. If they haven't eaten what you are giving them in a couple of days then just reduce the amount you are putting in for a while. When it is fully working the worms should eat about 250g of food a day.



And when they start doing that you will have some lovely worm juice to put on your garden. Make sure you dilute it first, by 10 parts water to 1 part worm juice. Have fun with your lovely pets. xx

"Keep it Simple, Sweetie" with Cooking; Chocolate Banana Cake

This is my go to cake. I normally have these ingredients in my cupboard and it can not be stuffed up. Even if you burn it (which I do regularly, just cut off the ends and it's good to go, don't tell anyone).

       

Ingredients;

3 big ripe bananas
185g caster sugar
185g of self-raising flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tbsp light olive oil
3 tbsp milk
100g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
100g walnuts, chopped

 Method;

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease a 10x20cm tin

Place the banana in a mixer and mash it up.

 Add the sugar.....

 and mix.

 Add the sifted flour

 Place the eggs into a small bowl

 And whisk

 Add the eggs

 Add the oil

 Add the milk

 Mix

 Roughly chop the walnuts and chocolate

Add them

 Mix a little

 Add to tin and cook in oven for about 55 minutes. Leave to cool for 5 mins then turn out.






Sooooo yummy. Try it today. xx

"Keep it Simple, Sweetie" with Craft; A Me box

My daughter was asked to do this for school but it is such a nice idea I thought I would share it.

 What you will need;

Some pictures of your child. I let my daughter choose them. The things that she thought where important in her life so far.

Scissors

Wide sticky tape

A shoe box or similar

An all about me page (I'll explain later)

How to make;

We printed a bunch of pictures off the computer. We ended up with about 40 because my daughter had trouble deciding. 

Cut them all out.

And stick them all over the box with the wide sticky tape

Sides, top, bottom......

 And the inside

 Don't forget the lid.

 Next add some things into the box.
We were asked to add;
a photo of them as a baby
a photo of a special event in their lives
a special toy
a photo of them now
a photo of their family

All the photo were all over the box so that was great for us.

Make an "All about Me" page;

With the questions;

My full name is
I was born on
My first word was
I began to walk when I was
I am _______ years old now.
My favourite colour is
My favourite food is
I don't like to eat
I like to
The best thing I ever did with my family was
When I grow up I want to be a

My daughter wrote the cutest things for this like,
I don't like to eat........ WORMS
and
The best thing I ever did with my family was........... SEE A RAINDOW.
Why do we ever take her anywhere? ;)

 And there you have it, your very own ME box. It would be so lovely to keep this and make another one every few years and see how there answers change. Maybe add some more questions. xx