Six months and counting……..

All getting very exciting now and not only am I nesting and itchy to get little one’s room prepared. I am also planning on stocking freezer with healthy nutritious meals which can be quickly reheated during the first few weeks of baby’s arrival.

But steady on we need to eat now…
Well since we last chatted I had the dreaded head cold, very sore throat, blocked nose and generally felt yeuch.

But my lovely one took good care of me. I felt pretty miserable and really wanted a lemsip as the headache and throat felt pretty bad. Of course I didn’t take lemsip, no medicine for me. Instead lovely one made me a Lemon & Manuka honey hot drink. I really wasn’t hopeful it would work as I felt so poorly but it did. It definitely helped the throat and cleared the head some what.
Important thing to put lemon and honey in first and then add the boiled water. We sieved it through but think the lemon pulp should be fine if you like it. Sniff sniff.

Some tasty recipes to prepare in advance, freeze and then reheat in the oven. I must admit I don’t own a microwave. Not sure - long term how long this will last. What with reheating little one’s meals at six months of age. But for now we are getting by…

This is one of my favourite alternative’s to Lasagne or the baked pasta dish. It’s a Gennaro Contaldo recipe from his beautiful book Passione. Not as time consuming as it sounds, I promise its worth it, yum„,

Baked Pasta Shells filled with Cheese.
For this recipe you will need Conchiglioni Rigati (pasta shells) Cook them al dente in boiling salted water and leave to cool.

Having made a simple tomato sauce using good tinned tomatoes, olive oil, garlic and basil. Combine 150g ricotta, 1 ball of mozzarella (diced) 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan some salt & pepper and mix well. Shape the mixture into 16 balls, wrap each in a basil leaf and stuff into cooled pasta shell.
Pour a layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of an oven proof dish and place the filled shells on top. Pour over the remaining sauce, sprinkle more parmesan and top with slices mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake for 35 mins at 200 degrees celsius.