Yesterday we had a wonderful afternoon with our young boys, we went pyo-ing raspberries and strawberries. The sun was beating down, the fields were full of families loading up their little cardboard baskets with medal handles (I love the fact these haven’t changed design since when I was little!) and we had lots of fun picking the juicy fruits from the bushes. It was not only great fun, but the boys got to experience the delights of fresh fruit eaten straight from the bush – fabulous.

To get the most out of our bounty, as soon as we got back we blitzed the fruit in our smoothie maker and we all had fruit smoothies (or super power juice, as my 5yo called it), we then had some fruit and icecream for tea. Then this morning, I’ve frozen some raspberries so I can sprinkle them as and when on my cereal in the morning (much better than sugar) and the rest, well I surpassed myself and made raspberry jam.

Jarred and labelled, I look forward to raspberry jam sandwiches and toast in the forthcoming weeks. So for a lovely afternoon with the kids, I’ve now got a freezer and cupboard full of summery loveliness.

Here’s somebody else who enjoys getting the most out of nature’s goodness, Sarah Dawnay from Mothers of Innovation www.moixx.com a website dedicated to finding innovative products made by parents for parents ( Count On It® labels are here!). Here she shares her lovely summer time recipe

Hedgerow Recipe: Elderflower Cordial

30 – 40 elderflower heads
2 unwaxed lemons, scrubbed and sliced
1 X 50 pack of citric acid (from a chemist)
Up to 1.8kg / 4lb golden caster / granulated sugar
Muslin
3 or 4 empty screw top white wine / rose bottles

First drink the wine – sorry, I lie but screw top wine bottles are ideal to keep this in. Just soak off the labels and sterilise in the dishwasher / wash and drip dry in a warm oven about 1/2 hour before bottling.

Pick the elder flowers when they are in full bloom – ideally on a lovely walk! When you get home gently turn them out onto the work top / draining board to allow any hidden insects to escape. Cut off the stems and pop them into a large bowl. Add the lemon, citric acid and sugar and 1.5 litres / 2 1/2 pints boiling water. You can experiment with adding other flavours such as ginger or mint. Stir to dissolve the sugar then cover – stirring daily. Recipes vary on the steeping time, it varies between one and five days, but each day that you leave it make sure that you stir the mixture.

Rinse your muslin in boiling water then line a colander with the muslin and strain the mixture.

Chill and serve with water / sparkling water or tonic and a slice of lemon.

With England playing again tonight, here are some great tips from LoveFoodHateWaste’s website to get you out of the kitchen and in front of the box. Not only that, if you make a larger portions, there’ll be some tasty leftovers for a quick Saturday lunch, even more you time. Enjoy.
http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

While the football is on everyone wants to spend less time in the kitchen and more time in front of the box. We can all save time and money by planning what we want to eat, storing food correctly and then saving our leftovers for another meal

Professional Party Planning

England’s campaign kicks off on 12th June against the USA, so gather your friends together to watch the game and try some of our tasty recipes. Mini cheeseburger stacks are great and you can eat any leftovers the next day to eat while watching how Germany does against Australia.
If you are hosting your own football party our party portion planner can help. Making the right amount for extra guest can be tricky, this handy tool calculates how much party food you need depending on the number of guests you have
Keep the kids entertained while the football is on by giving them refreshing lollies. Freeze fruit juice, smoothies and yoghurts into ice-lolly moulds.
Having a barbeque? The best barbeques are the simplest. Plan your foods a few days in advance and keep any meat in the freezer, then just take out as and when needed.
Couscous is a simple summer dish that can be served up in no time at barbeques or as a simple summer dinner. It also originated in Algeria – the home of England’s final opponents in their group. Why not settle down for the game with some nutty veg couscous any extras can be eaten for lunch over the next couple of days:
Potato wedges are always a favourite of kids and adults alike, they’re easy to make and use up those extra potatoes. Just chop into wedges, add some oil and put into a hot oven for 25 minutes. Cover with cheese, strips of bacon or any cold meat like salami or ham that needs using up.

Skillful Storage
Buffet or finger food is a simple idea for football parties. Guests can pick and choose the food they want and watch the game at the same time. If you’re preparing a cold buffet bring food out of the fridge at the last minute to keep it at its best.
Freeze any fresh foods that didn’t get eaten – foods can be frozen right up until the end of their ‘use-by’ date.
Storing fruit in the fridge will keep it at its best – however bananas, the sportsman’s staple, are best kept in the fruit bowl.
Buffet and barbeque leftovers make great lunches for work or school the next day. Cold meats are delicious with pickles and chutneys or add a dollop of leftover dip to a cold burger.

Leftover meats will keep in the fridge well wrapped for up to two days.

Come on England!