Recipes


Speculoos or Biscoff Rolls – A Cinnamon Roll Alternative

We are big fans of Biscoff spread in the Mad House after being introduced to Lotus Biscoff Biscuits when on holiday, well they were called Speculoos Cookies in Belgium when we first had them. Now you can get jars of Biscuit Spread in Aldi, which is where I get ours. I adapted a cinnamon roll recipe and used the dough for these delicious Biscoff rolls.


10 Delicious and Simple Air fryer Recipes 3

I am a big airfryer fan. We have had one since 2011 (make sure you check out our chips) and my mum had an actifry before that. It has really revolutionised the way we cook and we have recently upgraded our air fryer to a double one. Not only are they a more cost-effective way of cooking, but they are also speedy, use less fats and the boys love cooking with them. Maxi makes some sort of chicken in the air fryer for lunch when he is at home most days. So I wanted to share our favorite air fryer recipes. Also, it is if you want to prolong the life […]


Cooking Oats in 5 Delicious Ways: A How-To Guide

If you’re looking to prepare something that’s healthy, delicious, yet fulfilling then you should definitely make oatmeal. This is for sure one of the simplest and most effective ways to start your day. Besides being very delicious and easy to make, oats are also loaded with plant-based protein and fibre and are going to keep you full throughout the day. Now, there are a lot of people who are not too fond of it, because to them they seem like they are too gooey.


How to Make Potato Rösti 

We really love Potato Rösti and it is something we always order from Bettys which is a local institution that is a Yorkshire/Swiss tearoom that serves amazing food. I always assumed that there was some magical ingredient involved in addition to potatoes to make potato rosti and they would be hard to make, but I was wrong. Once you follow a few simple tips, this potato rösti will be easy to make.


The Ultimate Kinder Bueno Brownies

My teen has been begging to make Kinder Bueno Brownies since seeing them on Tik Tok, but he forgot to save the recipe, so we adapted our favourite brownie recipe and a week, a lot of chocolate and taste testing later we have perfected our recipe for Kinder Bueno Brownies.


King Prawn and Spicy Maple Curry – Cooking with Teens

King Prawn and Spicy Maple Curry – Cooking with Teens is a paid collaborative post with Maple from Canada. People who have been following this blog for a while will know that encouraging children to cook is a passion of mine. I believe it is a life skill that we need to empower in our children.


Savoury Cornbread Muffins with spring onions and Cheese 2

These Savoury Cornbread Muffins are made from scratch using polenta and flavoured with spring onions, mature cheddar, chilli and sweetcorn. The first time we had cornbread was at brunch when we visited Boston years ago and I have loved it ever since, but whenever I make it at home I find it too dense and not crispy enough. Then I had an epiphany when making dumplings for Sunday Dinner that I could make cornbread muffins, like dumplings for my chilli.


The Best Ever Oat and Raisin Cookies in the world

I dont say it lightly, but these cookies are amazing and never last in our house.  They truly are the best.  This is an American Recipe (it came on the back of some sunmaid raisins from the US), but that said is super easy for the boys, as I have some plastic cup measures that they use. So here goes Ingredients 3/4 cup softened butter or margarine 1 cup soft brown sugar 1/2 cup caster sugar 1/4 cup milk 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup plain flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups quick or old-fashioned oats 1 cup Raisins   […]


Easter Bakes, Making New Traditions

We have been busy in the kitchen this weekend, making and baking and bring in new traditions to TheMadHouse. Hot Cross Buns “Hot cross buns, Hot cross buns, One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns.” “If you have no daughters,  give them to your sons, One a penny, two a penny, Hot cross buns.” These have gone down well with mini and MadDad, so much so that I had to make extra! White Bread buns, which I make the dough in the bread-maker and then divide and leave to prove.  The temptation is to eat them hot, but my they really do give you indigestion. Magic Mummy mentioned that […]


The Best Carrot Cake in the Whole Wide World 2

  Receipe 140ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing 2 Eggs 200g light brown sugar 300g grated Carrots, (grated weight) 100g raisins 75g pecans or Walnuts, chopped (optional) 180g self-raising flour 1 pinch Salt 1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp ground Cinnamon 1/2 tsp freshly grated Nutmeg 1/2 tsp Mixed spice Orange cream cheese icing – this rarely gets put on in this house, as everyone eats the cake before I get chance!! 50g cream cheese, chilled 50g Butter, at room temperature 1 tsp vanilla extract 275g icing sugar, sifted 1 Orange, zest only Method 1. Preheat the oven to 150C/gas 2. Oil and line a loaf tin with greaseproof […]


Meal Plan Monday and More Frugal Food

Sunday Dinner was Mince, onions, dumplings and lots and lots of vegetables, one of my big tips for being frugal and following your meal plans is to make it as easy as possible, so today food will follow on and utilise yesterdays leftovers and additional amount that we cooked. Monday Lunch – Leftovers Dinner – Spaghetti Bolognese, utilising mince, onions and any left over veg with the tomato sauce we made over the summer Tuesday Lunch – Spaghetti on toast Dinner – Lasagna, bulked out with cottage cheese and vegetables Wednesday Lunch – Leftovers Dinner – Dahl and Naan Breads Thursday Lunch – Sandwiches and soup Dinner – Sausage casserole and […]


No Cards, Just Cookies 12

  I know that I am not alone in this as The Dotterel at Bringing Up Charlie blogged about it too.  I HATE CHRISTMAS CARDS.   Yep, I shouted.  It possibly stems from the fact I am a Christmas baby and I would rather have my measly few birthday cards up instead of Christmas cards. This issue with cards has grown year on year, especially as I have to write most of them.     It was fine when I worked, I would send out an e-mail saying Merry Christmas and that we wouldn’t be sending out cards, but donating to the NSPCC instead.  MadDad still does this with his work […]


Spiritual Sunday 3

Today is traditionally also know as “Stir it up” Sunday Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; That they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. So as you stir three times each (east to west to represent the three wise men) say the prayer and make a wish. My Christmas Pudding recipe can be found here


Cooking with Children – Tarka Dal and Naan Bread 7

I love cooking and more than that I adore cooking with my children.  I love watching them measure, weight, pour and get excited about the tastes and textures of the food we grow, make and eat. MiniMad and I made dal and naan breads last night, a real store cupboard meal, which is warming, filling, inexpensive and meat free, oh and it is also dead easy too, especially with a little prep work. Firstly I rinse and soak the lentils, we use split yellow ones (chana dall??), they need at last 40 minutes. I used 200g ish for all four of us. Then we make the naan bread to prove. We use […]