One Pan Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice

So I couldn't think of a creative name for this - all I can say is... Wow.

I discovered the recipe on Facebook of all places, one of those timelapse videos, and thought - that sounds amazing. I tinkered with the recipe a little, after all, I am a fussy bugger, and came up with the recipe below. It's delicious!! And only needs one pan, so minimal washing up - which is ideal in my eyes!

Tickton Grange - a getaway to remember

I recently had the good fortune to visit a rather lovely hotel, just outside Beverley, Hull.

As the very patient wife of a man who likes to play numerous sports as well as working a busy job, I jumped at the chance of a night away to ourselves, which was to include a delicious dinner. And a spot of shopping in Hull - a place I had never visited before.

Slingsby Gin

I was given a bottle of Slingsby Gin as an early Christmas gift, and have to be honest, I had never heard of it! But I was so intrigued by the beautiful bottle, and the fact that it is made fairly locally to me - in Harrogate. So of course, I simply had to taste it as soon as responsibly possible (i.e. not whilst at work, driving or in charge of two small children) and tell you about it!

Here I am!

Goodness me, it's been a while! So I've been a really terrible blogger, and not posted anything at all for a number of months. Six of them to be precise.

It's been a bit of a mad time, just being a mum and working, and trying (and failing) to maintain some level of sanity!

Sweet and spicy and oh so good.

I'm always on the hunt for new and exciting recipes to try. Ways of making the usual weeknight dinner a little more interesting. Quite often, I'll have a play around in the kitchen and just see what happens.

Dauphinoise for Dummies

Dauphinoise potatoes. The hero of the potato world. The luxurious, creamy blanket of garlic-infused heaven that gently envelops you and warms you from the tips of your toes to the top of your head. The side dish that I will ALWAYS order, even if it doesn't match my meal.

Would you like cheese with that?

I'm very fortunate to have a pretty epic job, working in an industry I am both passionate about and really enjoy. Going to work every day is something to look forward to (as much as I miss my children), and Monday morning is a friend rather than a foe.

Salsa chicken. For reals.

Always rushing, always multi tasking, always hungry.

Don't cry, we're all just mums.

I'm tired of reading blogs written by perfect mums, who juggle a high flying career with a model house, entertaining numerous guests with flawless haute cuisine. dressing their model babies in designer clothes and never a single hair out of place.

Oh it's not difficult, it's all in the preparation. Oh this? I just knocked it up while Marmaduke was at baby yoga. Haha darling, I wear heels all the time - wouldn't want my husband to see me in a state!

NO. It is BLOODY DIFFICULT.

Five easy starters/snacks/canapes

My other half does like to drop me in it where entertaining is concerned. I get home from work, get the dogs walked, children to bed, iron on ready to tackle the usual mountain range of school uniforms, work shirts, tshirts.... and he announces that friends will be here shortly. For dinner. For drinks. For something I am utterly unprepared for.

The perfect chocolate brownie

MOIST. It's a filthy sounding word, but definitely the one I like to use to describe my brownies! Nothing worse than a cakey, dry lumpy thing that feels like sawdust in your mouth and makes swallowing feel like medieval torture. The following recipe can only be described as utterly filthy and waistline destroying. My idea of heaven!

The art of the selfie

#SELFIE

They're everywhere. Girls in bathrooms making duck faces, boys in mirrors trying to make themselves look like they have awesome abs, couples snuggled up being all cute...

Selfies have taken social media by storm, and there are a few things that I have discovered through personal experience, that help to make your selfie a little more #hello rather than #hellno

Salad. But good.

Every year starts with the intention to eat well, exercise more, and drink less. By January 2nd that's all gone out of the window and I'm snuggled up on the sofa in my comfies, stuffing my face with chocolate and glugging wine.

Recipe for disaster...

Valentine's is fast approaching, and I find myself in the usual quandry - not wanting to embrace the forced romanticism, still wanting to "make the effort", not wanting to fob my children off on someone else...

It's all about realistic expectations.

Just recently, all of our weekends have been absolutely crazy. With small children and a dog, performing any sort of DIY is just an epic task. Epic. Especially with a husband who likes to paint the carpets, and indeed ceiling, as well as the walls...

And so it begins...

It's gotta start somewhere, right? I've always wanted to blog. Something quite special about pouring the random ramblings of my hyperactive mind onto a page, whether physical or virtual. And never mind whether or not anyone wants to read it, I'll have done something I always wanted.