Familiarity doesn't breed contempt!

In the world of an autistic child/ SEN child  familiarity doesn't breed contempt it provides security, safety and happiness. If their routine is broken it can set them back to such a point it can takes months to recover.

Familiarity  produces :

1. Routine.

2. Security.

3. Happiness.

4. Social Interaction ( This is very much down to the level of autism or Special need)

5. Communication.

There are probably more that you could add to this list. For an example if an autistic child doesn't usually play with other children just giving them a ball to play with will soon have them interacting with other children. It might not be conversation that is perhaps normally associated with ball games but the interaction may well include the autistic child rolling the ball to another child and them rolling it back.

Also if the autistic child seeks to play with the ball ask them:


"What do you want to play with ?"

And in my case they answer "Green ball please"

Play is a great leveller and its humbling when all children come together regardless of Special needs or disability.

Life in a hashtag ! #

Don't you find that we all live our lives at a fast pace ? Social media can take a hold of you and make you its prisoner this can either be becuase :

1. You are surfing the net and things keep catching you catching your interest.

2. You are on twitter.

3. You are on Facebook.

4. You are on Pininterst .

I am not going to delved into social media time management today but I do find through no fault of my own I do sometimes live my life in a hash tag within twitter and while there are some brilliant and very kind people on twitter, it is very nice to switch off sometimes. Think of it like this when I close my fridge I do wonder what happens when the light goes off.

But you can leave a conversation you won't find reports on your television because someone forgot to eat because they were hanging on your every word. In the words of "Why don't you switch 0ff your TV and go and do something less boring instead "

And for all of those you not born in the 1970's or earlier sorry ...

But switching off and not living your life in a hash tag ( twitter) allows you to turn into the world and see this:

Shepherds Pie made easy

Its that time of year when you need heartwarming filling food especially for us as a family on the go always popping off to some sporting fixture or other So as we always have potatoes,carrots in and the meat staple that is mince then Shepherds pie is the natural choice to make with a cheesy twist to the potatoes even the fussiest of children like my son will eat this. And I agreed to be in the blogger Splendid Spud Challenge and below is the result!

Ingredients

1lb s /900g potatoes , peeled and quarted

6 tbsp milk

110g butter but keep a small knob back for the sauce

Salt and Pepper

400ml of beef stock add more if you so wish

115g chopped onion

115g finely diced carrot

115g sweetcorn

450g minced lamb

1tbsp all-purpose flour

115g grated cheese

2tlb of olive oil

Optional you could add celery for a twist !

Serves 4-6

• Heat oven to 375/190c/ Gas 5
• Boil the potatoes until soft then drain. Place the milk and butter in the pan used to boil the potatoes, return to the heat and warm gently until butter has melted.Add the potatoes and mash. Season to taste and keep to one side.
• Put the olive oil in a deep pan. Add the onion and carrot and fry for 5 minutes.
• Add the minced lamb and one- third of the beef stock to the onion and carrot mixture, adding also at this point the sweetcorn. Sir constantly until all the meat is browned. Add the remaining stock and season with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes.
• mix the flour into the remaining knob of butter then add small pieces of this to the miced lamb sauce, stirring all the time until all the flour has dissolved and the sauce has thicken in around 5 mins.
• Place the minced lamb sauce into a square dish around 8" 3 " / 20cm x 7 cm either glass or ceramic. Sprinkle the grated cheese on top of the potato and bake in the oven for 30- 35 minutes unil the surface is crisp and brown. Serve immediately. 

Disclosure ( I was sent a bag of Good Natured Splendid Spuds to make a recipe all though words and opinions are entirely my own)

Good Natured’s Splendid Spuds are the perfect partners for a wholesome winter dish, from a roast dinner to a creamy gratin, and what’s more they are pesticide-residue free, brimming with nutrients and flavours to warm you through the chilly months ahead.

Good Natured’s potatoes are grown in harmony with Mother Nature, using only natural predators to control pests and disease, which leaves you safe in the knowledge that you and your family are getting nothing less than natural perfection. In fact the entire Good Natured range is both good by name and good by nature.

Good Natured Splendid Spuds are perfect for roasting, with a crispy coating and soft fluffy texture. A fantastic addition to all your Christmas meats such as beef, pork, chicken and turkey, liven up your roasties with goose fat, fresh rosemary and sea salt.What’s more, potatoes are pound for pound lower in calories, higher in fibre and lower in carbohydrates than other popular sources of carbohydrates like white rice and pasta? Yet another reason to go back for seconds!

Good Natured Splendid Spuds are available in selected ASDA stores nationwide.

ü  Good Natured is a range of pesticides residue free fruit, salads and potatoes farmed by expert growers in tune with Mother Nature – using environmentally friendly production systems.

ü  Good Natured is a sub brand of Angus Soft Fruits based in Angus, Scotland – a family-run business established in 1994 by growers Lochy Porter, his father Wallie and cousin James Gray.

ü  Good Natured Salad are available in selected ASDA 

Hotel Chocolat White Chocolate Advent Calender

Hotel Chocolat White Advent calander  This is where I tell you I consumed it and didn't leave any for my child but no the child took charge and set The Hotel Chocolat White advent calender up in its own little shrine ready for Christmas. Which means that ...  despite pleading,stamping feet, sitting on the naughty step that my son   I wasn't allowed to open it.

I have no doubt that the white chocolate will be exquisite as it was when we as a family reviewed a Hotel Chocolat Easter egg. But I am afraid you can not argue with my son .. no he is the sort of child that will argue black is white and so forth.

So I will on the 1 st December provide an update as to whether I got to the advent calender first... After alls fair in love and war.


I have to admit I love the design of the advent calender it isn't too childish its just the right sort of grown up whilst maintaining a magical childlike quality. The price for it is £12  which you may feel is quite expensive but the quality of the chocolate overrides any worries you had about the price. I love the way it matches in with my sons very early Christmas decoration !

(Disclosure I was sent The Hotel Chocolate White Advent all thoughts words and opinions are my own)

Genius Mince Pies Gluten Free

Now I am not coeliac myself but my Mother in Law is so I like to make sure she is part of the Christmas ritual when they come round to visit and I do this with the Genius gluten free mince pies.

The very kind people at Genius sent me a pack of 4 mince pies to try as Christmas is coming didn't you know. Ho Ho  'd have believed it.. sorry no more Christmas jokes....!

Genius Mince Pies

Genius Mince Pies hot from the oven.

Both myself and Mr T liked the taste of these they were crumbly in a melt in the mouth way. Mr T thought they looked a bit pasty and wondered had I followed the instructiona on the packet, yes I had if I had left it to Mr T no doubt he'd have bunged them in the microwave. I suspect you could brush them with a little milk to make them go brown on the top.

The filling was plump and mouthwatering so its a thumbs up from myself and Mr T and scores us brownies points with the Mother in Law!