Instead of a recipe today, a quick little introduction to one of our new fav foodie products! The very sweet Babushka nesting drinking cups….Babushkups!

The Babushka motive has been popular on the scene for sometime now and there’s no sign of it going anywhere so jump on the trend with these gorgeous little tumblers that save shelf space in the cupboard (and who doesn’t need that?) by neatly stacking inside of one another.

At $24.95 they are great value for 3 cups. Babushkups hold 8 (225mls), 10 (280mls), and 14 (395mls) ounces. They’re made from strong, dishwasher-safe borosilicate glass and packed in a colorful protective gift-box.

Please note: Borosilicate glass is not invincible, and caution should be used when these are used around young children. It will crack if subjected to very sudden and radical temperature fluctuations, or if it is dropped. It is more likely to crack or snap than to shatter, however, making it a safer glass to have around in a situation where breakage is a concern.

Happy Recipe Tuesday! Enjoy!

Tags: Babushka, Babushkups, drinking cups

I’ve done recipe Tuesday Choc Chip cookies before. But I recently tried this Bill Granger recipe and it’s a winner! Not only do they taste good but the house smelt delish too! Goldilocks and I ate a little too much of the raw mixture. Why does raw cake mix and cookie dough taste so good? But the cooked result was even yummier! So much so that they didn’t even make it to an airtight container but were snapped up by family and visitors from under the glass cloche before I could even say ‘tupperware!’

125g unsalted, softened butter

1 1/4 cups tightly packed brown sugar (I thought they were a little too sugary. And next time would reduce to 1 cup or maybe just a tiny bit under 1 cup of sugar. But you can decide for yourself)

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

11/2 cups chocolate bits

Preheat the oven to 180. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat until light and creamy. Add vanilla and egg and stir to combine. Stir in the sifted flour, baking powder and salt until just combined. Fold through chocolate chips.

Place spoonfuls of cookie mixture on a greased and lined baking tray, allowing room for spreading. Cook for 15 - 20 minutes until they turn pale gold.

Allow to cool on a tray for 5 minutes beofre placing on a wire rack to cool further. Makes about 16.

**HIP TIP** Bill suggests making double the mixture and rolling excess into a log and keeping in plastic wrap and foil in the freezer. So when friends pop in, or you just need a sugar hit thaw slightly and place 1cm thick rounds on a baking tray and bake as per above recipe!

Tags: Bill Granger, Choc chip cookies

Goldilocks and I have been enjoying porridge every morning since the weather has been cool (I’ve got the microwave quick oats technique down to a fine art. She has strawberries with hers and I jazz mine up with passionfruit yoghurt, strawberries, banana and LSA). At heart though, I’m a muesli type of girl and in Sydney we’ve had a few warm days lately so I’m already thinking about yummy summer stone fruits chopped over crunchy muesli with cold milk and a dollop of yoghurt!

Muesli is a personal thing, a bit like pouring milk over your cereal. We all like different things and amounts so when I read about this product recently in a magazine I was chuffed and just can’t wait to make my first order! Muesli Mixer delivers all over Australia and the premise is simple - you make your own muesli.

With over 55 ingrediants to choose from the website is seriously easy to use.

First choose your base mix. Be it 450g of honey roasted oats, three grains, traditional oats etc

Then choose your dried fruits. Priced by the 30grams.

Step three add your nut selection and for those who want a little more choose from the ‘Extra’s’ selection, which contains things such as bran flakes, puffed rice and pysllium husks to name just a few.

What I love about this idea is not only are you making a bespoke muesli but the site also shows the nutritional value of your mix per 100grams - fat, sodium, carbs, protein and energy. So if you’re watching your weight (muesli can often have alot of hidden calories in it) you know exactly what you’re getting in each serve!

Can’t be bothered to pick and mix! Then the site suggests some recipes you can choose from including suggestions for kids, runners and gluten free suggestions!

Love it! Congrats Muesli Mixer on making our lives easier!

Tags: muesli mixer

Happy Recipe Tuesday!

I found these brightly coloured sweet little cupcakes on an equally sweet little blog  titled Spearmint Baby recently and thought I’d share them with you. Great for parties, special occasions or when you just need a little colour in your life! The blog post talks you through step by step how to create these rainbow coloured beauties.

Enjoy a rainbow coloured day!

Tags: Rainbow Cupcakes

We are thrilled to have this handy little bag back in stock! Personally, I love this product. I’ve had it since Goldilocks was a babe and used it to keep bottles and mushy food cool and now still use it as a ‘keep drink cools and lunchbox’ keep all kind of bag for outings.

Infact, I often have to hide the Built NY Gourmet Getaway bag within a bag as Goldilocks knows those distinct polka dots means’snacks and treats’ and if we are heading out the door and she sees the bag she’s likely to eat all the ’snacks and treats’ throughout the car ride leaving nothing for our play at the park!

The Gourmet Getaway is perfect as a lunch bag, insulating picnic addition or as an everyday handbag. Because of the unique design and wetsuit material it protects and insulates from temperature and impact for electronics, to makeup, to food.

The stylish little bag is designed to carry all of life’s essentials. Ours has been on plane trips with us, toured Bali and Fiji and often carries all the snacks we needs and my wallet and keys! The Gourmet Getaway lays flat when not in use.

Love it!

Tags: Built NY, Built NY Gourmet Getaway Bag

Anyone whom has had experience with a rusk knows how messy they are! All babes seems to love the little sticks I liken to a baked piece of homemade playdough but they are seriously messy little items that seems to cake on play mats, clothes and car seats like nothing else! My fav food product of the week is the Groovy Gripper Holder.

Priced at $14.95 this neat little gadget promises to make your rusk or fruit stick eating babe a little neater whilst also allowing them to eat independently. Ergonomically designed the handle grips the rusk or food whilst the cord attaches to your childs wrist or clothing, thus stopping food from falling on the floor. No waste and hygeinic!

Dishwasher safe and 100% Australian designed and owned its a great gadget for when you’re out and about on the go!

The groovy gripper also comes with a fork and spoon attachment ($9.95) for older children. No more dropped and dirty utensils. Meal times have never been so easy. No having to pick up dropped utensils at meal times and it teaches your children how to hold a fork and spoon properly and keep them close by!

Happy Recipe Tuesday! Enjoy!

Tags: Groovy Gripper

I just loooove these ABC paper cups that are just in this week!

What a cute addition to any party setting - something that both adults and kids will love! Either make a word or ensure each guest has their own cup beginning with the letter of their name to prevent mix ups!

Whether you fill them with water, cordial, an old fashioned strawberry milkshake or a creaming soda spider the opportunities are only limited by your imagination!

Or get super dooper creative and use them on the party table; Spell out HAPPY BIRTHDAY and fill each individual cup with party treats; choc chip cookies, chips, popcorn or sweets!

Want to send something home with your guests? Then make sure there’s a letter for each guests first initial at the party and fill with party favours. Wrap in cellophane and bingo a thoughtful take home gift!

Along with our ABC paper cups the Donna Hay 2010 Kids Issue Magazine is also out this week. Packed full of creative party ideas and everyday recipes there are hundreds of recipes and literally something for everyone! It might just inspire you to find something else to fill the supercute ABC paper cups!

Tags: ABC paper cups, Donna Hay, paper cups, party decor

Two years ago when I met Mel I didn’t know what BPA free was, until I saw her daughter drinking from a slightly strange bottle colour. When Goldilocks was born, I wasn’t really aware of BPA free products there wasn’t much in the media about it, in the last two years though there has been alot of awareness regarding the harmful chemicals in plastic bottles. We’ve harped on about it many times on this blog and take great pride that many of our products are BPA free, including our flexibath, Boon Inc Squirt Baby Food dispensing spoon, makeUwell natural soother, and the very cool Wean Machine. Infact, we’re so intent on providing the best and safest possible products for your babe we have a whole section dedicated to Eco friendly baby products.

With this in mind there has been alot on the news, in the newspaper and on current affair programs regarding the ramifications of using bottles for children that aren’t BPA free.  So today we just wanted to point out to you the extensive range of bottles and sipper cups available from The Hip Infant. If like me, you need to trash your existing bottles and consider a new, more safer kind of bottle or sipper cup we have a whole range of brands and price points to consider.

My pick of the bunch? The Life Factory WeeGo glass bottles, not only safe but look cool too. Mel’s tried and tested favourite? Green to Grow.  And still can’t decide? Then watch this space for Hip Random Reviews on the Weil Baby sipper cups, glass and triton bottles.

Tags: Boon Inc, BPA Free, BPA free bottles, flexibath, glass bottles, green to grow, Life Factory WeeGo bottles, makeUwell, Wean Machine, Weil Baby

Goldilocks and I spent the weekend minus the Blue Eyed Chef. He was around, but worked both days leaving before we’d woken and arriving home long after we’d gone to sleep. So come 4.30pm on Sunday when he walked in the door he was greeted by a smiling wife, a toddler full of cuddles and a dog yapping and tail wagging at his feet!

I announced to him earlier on Sunday over the phone that we would all be eating together at 5.30pm. What better Sunday family dinner than a good old fashioned roast chicken! I set the table, lit candles, we chinked glasses and said ‘cheers’ and we all sat up to the table and ate a delicious roast chicken. It was such a lovely experience, Goldilocks discovered pouring gravy or ’soup’ as she called it, she ate beans (which I didn’t know if she’d like), for months I’ve placed sweet potato on her plate never to have her try it, yet she ate it up as she watched us do so and she ate a serious amount of roasted fennel (she has a strange love of things like olives, gherkins and fetta cheese so whilst I was happy with the fennel eating, I wasn’t suprised!!). She used her fork and spoon well and was encouraged to use good table manners, something I probably don’t do enough of when she usually eats dinner solo at her little table, watching tv as I pack away toys and clean the kitchen around her. 

Nothing could be more simple than a roast. Even if you’re an average cook. Cut up a few potatos, we had pumpkin and sweet potato as well. And throw a chicken in the oven with a bit of oil sploshed over the top and some salt and pepper. Personally, I like to put a few squidges of butter just under the skin to keep the breast moist, I stuff half a lemon in the cavity and I always place the chicken on some wedges of red onion and fennel (they sort of go soft and translucent as the juices leach out rather than roast) Bake at 180 for about 40 - 1hour or until the juices run clear. Serve with some greens, we had beans and peas. Done!

So simple, easy and a great meal for all the family to enjoy TOGETHER!

So teach your children to set the table, at 2 Goldilocks can place her fork, spoon and plate on the table (if a little bit wonky), sit around the table as a family, teach your children that elbows shouldn’t be on the table, turn the TV off, talk about the best and worst parts of your day,  it doesn’t matter if you eat early (I caught the Blue Eyed Chef picking at the left overs just before The Good Wife started), it’s about taking time, being together and remembering that some good old fashioned favourites are still relevant!

Happy Recipe Tuesday! Enjoy!

Tags: roast chicken

It’s been tres chilly in Sydney since the weekend. The Blue Eyed Chef has been home and we’ve been treated to lunchtimes filled with steaming bowls minestrone and crusty bread, afternoon pikelets with apricot jam (eggs cracked and stired by Goldilocks of course!) and oxtail ragout with parpadelle and crisp green salad. What a treat!!!

In return for our delicious fare I made real hot chocolate this morning for us all to enjoy. As Goldilocks sat her chubby little stockinged legs in the sandpit we rugged up on the balcony and basked in the winter sunshine drinking steaming cups of hot chocolate. The perfect morning tea treat!

Hot Chocolate! (serves 4)

4 cups of milk

100gr good quality dark chocolate. Don’t scrimp on the chocolate you want a good percentage of cocoa

Marshmallows to serve, and eat whilst you’re waiting!

Place milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Keep an eye on it, you want it to just come to the simmer. Set aside.

Place 20gr of chocolate in each mug or heatproof glass and pour over the hot milk (I’m not huge on measuring so I just threw a little chunk in!). Stir until chocolate melts or serve with a spoon so you and the love of your life can stir themselves! Top with marshmallows. And grate a little of the left over chocolate over the top.

Delish! Happy Recipe Tuesday! Enjoy!!

Tags: Hot Chocolate Recipe