Bizarre but easy peasy chocolate pudding

I have finally started my diet, after 5 months..hmm I lie.. actually 14 months of eating whatever I like. Dark days ahead and 1 stone to go. Then it was my birthday last week and with Mothers Day just a day after, I got a double whammy on pressies! Needless to say, for a foodie like me I gorged on some lovely rich food and was thoroughly spoilt. I have developed during and after my pregnancy a really sweet tooth. I have always like desserts and biscuits but my god I am like the hoover of anything sweet nowadays.

So after 2 days of constant eating, the last thing I want before I start my diet again was something cakey and chocolatey! I was at my in-laws and my mother in law suggested that we make her chocolate pudding. I have heard a lot about this chocolate pudding as Andrew loved it as a child. Knowing how fussy I am about chocolatey puddings Andrew warned me that it is not the type of chocolate pudding I am used to. Nevertherless I was too desperate to care!

The pudding itself was really easy and quick to make (prep and cook in under 40 mins) that didn't involve eggs but a cup of hot water at the end on top of the pudding mixture. Sounds bizarre? I was skeptical but I was pleasantly surprised. Don't expect this to be a gourmet pudding, it aint that but it was gooey and self saucing (the purpose of the hot water) and most importantly quick. Perfect for a quick fix. Eat it with lashings of cream, hot/cold custard or ice cream. It was deeply satisfying and yet light. I like it so much I made a second one when I came back from my in-laws.

Here is the recipe to my mother in law's bizarre chocolate pudding

Preheat oven 180degrees. Use a deep dish so that the sauce doesn't bubble over, I made a mistake of using a shallow one and my pudding was a little dry.

For 4 (or two if you are greedy like me)
Wet ingredients
1 cup self raising flour
1 tablespoon cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
2 oz butter, melted in the microwave
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry ingredients
1/2 tablespoon cocoa
1/4 cup sugar

1 cup of hot water

Mix all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl and pour into your baking dish. Mix the dry ingredients and sprinkle evenly ontop of the mixture. Pour the cup of boiling water on top. Bake for 30 minutes. That's it, easy eh? I ate mine with lashings of cream and fresh strawberries.

Happy Cooking!

The importance of doing something you LOVE...

When I saw that our last post was in November I realised just how time flies. I remembered the excitement when we first set up the blog and I wanted to write all the time. I haven't been lazy I promise, in fact I had a baby. I know, no excuse really, its only a baby! Holy cow, nothing prepared me for the arrival of our little monster. I loved my pregnancy, it was easy. I read no books, no websites but I attended NCT classes. We thought we might need to find out at least some basic facts. I heard the word Oxytoxin for the first time and we met some of the loveliest people. But nothing by which I mean NOTHING prepared me for the shock of having someone to look after. The birth wasn't straightforward and I ended up having a C section, after nearly 24 hours of labour, so recovery was slow. I remembered my NCT teacher said that when someone had major surgery, they are required to rest for a few weeks before doing anything but when you have a baby, you are required to take up a 24 hour job! That was the bit that shocked me! It was constant and you are required to do it with very little sleep. The bit that I found really hard to cope was I didn't know how the day would go. I was really dazed and confused most of the time. I had a career and a social life, oh how it changed overnight!

14 weeks on and it has flown by... I saw the light at the end of the tunnel when a routine started to form and I was able to do what I love most; cook. It is my form of therapy and I hate not eating well. I never have done, not even when we were up to our eyeballs with babystuff! Thank heavens that I have a husband who is a good cook and also a fantastic sous chef! He would prepare the necessary ingredients while I feed Alexa and when I am done, I will come down and cook. I needed that for my sanity. I wouldn't give anyone any parenting advice but one thing for sure, having a baby is not the end to anything ( I used to think it was). Always make sure you have some time to yourself and do something you love even if it takes some time and adjustment before you can do it. Slowly but surely I am returning to my old self and knowing that I can do the things I love makes me a more tolerant parent.

My life has changed somewhat but still I wouldn't have it any other way. I have a beautiful daughter and although she is very demanding, her smiles make up for it everyday. Soon I will be able to run the events we do so well and today marks another milestone as Alexa is rolling over without my help and we have a private hen do to host in May. To be able to have a daughter to love and to do something I love are truly a blessing!

My little monster - Alexa Lily

P/S: Next blog, I will be sharing some of my simple, fast and tasty meals...