Toddlers and Books

We have a two year old tod, she is always on the go. They used to say that girls are the most easiest and calmest to raise But oh Dear dont ask what happened when i had mine.Though, i have seen a couple of calmest toddler boys.Anyways, this section is not anti toddler girls haha. In fact we will discuss our kids with each other to know how life has changed for us after them(weight wise and otherwise too) and what our kids want and how we are learning to be mothers.

My girl(Fafa(as she calls herself)) is one of those tots who have no interest in toys but OUR STUFF be it remote , jewelry, my husband's spec(the last pair he has), car keys, makeup, ah obsession with sprays and what not.There is one thing that she likes and i will always want that she keeps liking it forever is books.Since It is hard to control F in restrained environment so we have not taken her to library yet. Well i don't even know whether such young tods are even allowed  there but we thought why not collect some books for her since she doesn't even let yellow pages go without surfing through their pages.First book gift she got from the midwives, when they came for her general weight checkup etc.and they brought a package containing two books along with other items(which she chewed on while teething. yes!).Knowing F's destructive nature, i did not want to spend a lot on books because i knew she would either tear them apart or chew them off.

We in the UK have Boot sale every Sunday where you can find pretty good bargain on various stuff. So Basically, i got most of the books from there and pretty cheap too which i am really happy about.Today i wont be sharing her full collection but there are two books that every kid who likes books should have as one of initial books.

These books contain amusing and colorful pictures which a child can enjoy by himself or with parents an added bonus. They are very good for young minds to learn new vocabulary location wise/situation wise. Not only vocabulary but also a reference source for early readers, for spelling, new words and ideas for story telling. I keep one book in a car so that she can read if gets bored
 of seeing outside and Bed time story is we all know the best bonding time for parent and kid.

Most importantly,I don't take these books for granted , nor do i want F to take them for granted. Accidents do happen since she is too young to understand fully that she has to take care of her books. I keep telling her whenever she is being a little too aggressive with page turning or stepping on books sometimes.Whenever she tears some page, i always put some tape on because it is important for her to learn that books are supposed to be kept nice n clean. When she is done reading with them, she will gift it to someone else who likes books.

Happy Reading Mama and Babies<3

Tell me what you and your kids like to read?

Chicken Skewers

Ingredients:

Chicken: 2 boneless breast fillets
Capsicum: 1
Onion: 1
Tomatoes: 2
Ginger: 1 tea spoon
Garlic: 1 tea spoon
Lemon Juice:2 table Spoon
Oil: 1/2 cup
Tikka Masala(any brand of your choice): 2 Table spoon or to taste(increase or decrease the quantity as per your liking)

if you do not want to use any shop bought tikka masala then use the following ingredients

Red chilli powder: 1 tea spoon
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tea spoon
Coriander powder: 1//4 tea spoon
Garam Masala: 1/2 tea spoon
Salt: 1/2 tea spoon

Method

1. Cut the chicken breast fillets ,capsicum,tomatoes and onion in cube shape equally.
2. Mix crushed ginger, garlic, lemon juice and tikka masala in a bowl.
3. Coat chicken cubes with the marinade and leave it for an hour or so
4. Thread chicken and vegetables onto skewers alternatively.
5. Lightly oil the frying pan. Cook skewers on medium heat until chicken juices run clear and serve.

Suggestion:

Serve as a side dish in dinner or lunch as a substitute for Kebabs.

You can contact me on my email address or facebook page for any queries/comments/suggestions to make this blog better.

sanasheikh850@gmail.com

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Stay connected friends.

Chicken stuffed Buns

Recipe will be up soon.

Pizza

recipe will be up soon

West Wittering

I will be sharing photographs of beautiful places that i am blessed with the opportunity to see .A simple beautiful sunset from my bedroom window to beautiful horses in the farm next to my child's favorite park,  walk on a beach in summer , to early morning long drive in fog . It's small little things that just make you go WOW what a creation and who created all of this must be so beautiful Himself.

West Wittering is a small village in West Sussex and has a beautiful sandy beach.

Beautiful Sunset

Sunset from our kitchen window. 

Chicken Karahi

Source: My Mother

Prep Time: 5 mins Cooking time: 40 mins yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

Chicken: 1.5 Kg

Onion: 1 medium sized

Tomatoes:3-4 medium sized

Ginger: crushed 1 tea spoon

Garlic:  crushed 1 tea spoon

Salt :   to taste

Red chilli powder: 1 tea spoon or to taste

Haldi: 1/2 tea spoon

Ghee/ oil : half cup

Coriander leaves: 1 tea spoon

Green chilies: 2

Method:

1. Put ghee or oil and thinly sliced onion in a wok, golden fry them.

2. Put ginger and garlic, cook a little for one minute.
3. Put chicken in and fry till it turns golden so that juices are sealed.
4. Chop tomatoes into small pieces, put them and salt , red chili powder and haldi in the wok with a little bit of water (half cup appox), cover it with lid.

5. When tomatoes soften, take the lid off and cook on high flame till water dries out.

6. When oil separates, sprinkle chopped coriander, Julianne ginger and green chilies.

7. Serve it with Naan or Chapati and raita or green chutney

Banana Bread

Source: found this recipe on the internet way back. I have lost the actual source link.

Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 60 mins  

Ingredients:

• Plain flour :285g/10oz
• Baking soda or bicarbonate of soda: 1 tea spoon
• Salt:1/2 tea spoon
• Butter: 4 oz
• Castor sugar: 8 oz
• Eggs: 2
• Riped Bananas: 2
• Buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar) : 3 oz
• Vanilla essence : 1 tsp

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, mix the butter and sugar together with the help of hand or electric until light and fluff.
4. Now add flour, baking soda, salt in the butter and sugar mixture.
5. Mash the bananas and put them in the batter. 
6. Grease a loaf tin and pour the cake mixture, sprinkle whatever nuts you would like to eat(walnuts, hazel nuts , almonds etc), i had hazel nuts at home so used them.
7. Transfer to the oven and bake for about an hour, or until well-risen and golden-brown.
8. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
9. Serve it with tea or coffee.

Lobia(Rajma)

This lobia  recipe is very basic and yummilicious , originated from Kashmir(Pakistan side).

Source: My Mother
Prep Time: 10 Cook Time: 30 mins Yield: 5-6 servings  
Equipment: Slow cooker or pressure cooker

Ingredients:

Lobia or Red beans: 1 and a half cup 
Oil: 1/2 cup
Onion: 1 medium sized
Ginger:1 tsp
Garlic: 1 tsp
Black Cardamom 1
Cinnamon stick:1/2 an inch long
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Haldi: 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp or to taste
Garam Masala: to put on top
Green Coriander:2 Table spoons
Green chillies: 2

Method:

1. Soak Lobia for two to three hours and boil it in whatever cooking utensil you use to boil lentils.Since i don't use pressure cooker so i really don't have an idea how much time it will take to cook in it. I use slow cooker to boil Chick peas and Lobia etc. which i usually put at night on high setting and switch it off after 6-7 hrs so it slowly and steadily cooks.

Now moving onto making daal masala

2. Put oil and thinly sliced onion in a cooking utensil,golden brown the slices and then

3. Put ginger and garlic, fry it for one or two minutes.

4. Put all dried spices(Black Cardamom, Cinnamon stick, Haldi, salt, Mirch, cumin seeds) except for garam masala with a splash of water so that they don't burn.

5. Put boil lobia in with two cups of water.

6. When the water boils, cover it with a lid.

7. After ten minutes, mash daal a bit like we do with masoor daal or haleem(half mashed and half unmashed).

8 .Check if you like the consistency but if you like your daal a little runny then put some water in and cook some more.

9. When daal's consistency looks according to your liking, put garam masala ,coriander and green chillies  on top, cover it for 5 minutes again.

10. Daal is ready to serve with Naan/chapaati/white boiled rice , achaar and salad.

Suggestion:

Put some butter/desi ghee on top when you serve daal to make it tastes rich.

Nan Khatai

Source: Internet

Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins  

Ingredients:


Plain flour: 1 cupSugar: 1 cupIlaichi powder: 1/2 tea spoonBaking powder: 1 tea spoonoil: 1/2 cup

Method:

Pre-heat oven at 200 C before starting because prep of khatai wont take long.

1. Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon.

2. When the batter is mixed properly then give them a proper shape of a biscuit with hands or mold.

(tip) if the mixture is not moist enough and continue to get separated rather than forming a proper shape then add a bit more oil to moisten up and make whatever shape of khatai you want.
3. Glaze your nan khatai with beaten egg yolk on top then sprinkle crushed badam or pista. . 

4. Grease the baking tray n bake nan-khataies for 15 to 20 minutes.

5. Let the khatais cool down on a cooling rack before  serving them otherwise they will crumble. Enjoy with a cup of tea!

Introduction!

Lets begin with a little intro so that we know each other before we begin this journey...

I am a stay home mama of a two year old girl.I used to have quite a few hobbies before her...i am not saying that she stopped me getting indulged into my hobbies but after her i wasn't left with much time to continue with them.

BUT BUT BUT

its about time that i rekindle with my hobbies that i used to enjoy doing during my free time.So, I will be sharing with you what i like to eat (previously) now cook as well,my motherhood journey(not that i am some expert) i am learning on job as well so some tips/suggestions might be beneficial for new moms or moms to be, general idea about life and relationships etc. we will come up with ideas as we go.