A month ago, if you had asked me what my dream job would be, I would probably have replied with something flippant like Johnny Depp’s personal secretary or a chocolate taste tester. Well, my friends, be careful what you wish for, because sometimes dreams do come true!

Thanks to the magic of Twitter and the British Mummy Blogger community I heard that Green and Blacks were looking for blogging taste testers. Without hesitation I volunteered my services and several weeks later, quite unannounced, a large jiffy bag arrived in the post, bursting at the seams with scrumptious chocolate! Since then I have been on a culinary chocolate journey, using my Green & Blacks bars to nibble, suck, scoff, melt and bake.

My surprise parcel contained 11 bars of chocolate – 8 to eat, and 3 bars of cooking chocolate. First off I ate the ‘flavoured’ bars – Butterscotch, Cherry and Almond.  Now I am a firm fan of Milk Chocolate so found both the Butterscotch and the Almond bars quite divine – both creamy and sweet with the perfect amount of burnt toffee flavour crunch in the Butterscotch and whole almonds in the other. Last up I tried the Cherry bar. I normally find dark chocolate too bitter for my taste, but the bittersweet tang of the whole cherry pieces made this bar really enjoyable, and not harsh in the way I normally find dark chocolate – in fact it’s definitely a combination I could get used to!

Onto the plain bars – Milk, Cream Milk, White, Dark 70% and Dark 85%. Now I could have just eaten these – no problem – but I thought I’d be a bit more creative and use some to bake with (although I’m ashamed to say the Cream Milk did disappear in a single sitting!). The Dark 70% was lovingly turned into Valentines Molten Chocolate Pots (see right) by being melted down and mixed with butter, ground almonds, 1 egg, 1 yolk, caster sugar and Baileys liqueur. Once melted the 70% Dark was like pure, black silk and the resulting pudding was incredibly rich but not in a sickly sweet way. Needless to say, my ‘Valentine’ was very impressed!

The Dark 85% was both eaten and baked. I felt I had to try the 85% because I don’t think I have ever eaten chocolate with that high cocoa content before. However the 85% Dark is ’softened with Madagascen Vanilla’ which you could really taste and did take any bitter edge away from the chocolate. The rest of the bar, along with a bar of G&B cooking chocolate, was melted down and turned into Best Ever Brownies (see left). When I make Brownies I normally use cocoa powder so I needed a recipe that used real chocolate  – and boy could I tell the difference! When I got them out of the oven I was too impatient to wait for them to cool down completely so cut them up while they were still warm. The insides of the Brownies were still gooey but they cooled to an absolutely perfect velvety chocolate consistency which was met with lots of appreciative “ooohs” and “aahs” when I took them along to one of our Mum’s The Boss meetings for some of our members to sample. And to make them even better they also contained chunks of the Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate bars for good measure – chocolate cake heaven personified!!

Which just leaves me with 2 bars of cooking chocolate left. One of these is earmarked to make some chocolate cornflake cakes with the girls and the other will be used to make our signature cake at meetings, and the most popular search phrase that leads people to our blog – Chocolate Fridge Cake!

When I excitedly posted on Facebook that I would be taste testing for Green and Blacks one of my friends replied “What’s to review? It’s chocolate. ‘Nuff said!”  Turns out though, that there’s more to this chocolate lark than meets the eye - and I’m more than willing to learn!

Popularity: 6% [?]

“….if a window opens
and the prospect pleases,
float through it;
that window
may never open again.”

Mirabel Osler from ‘In The Eye of the Garden’

Popularity: 4% [?]

“It’s all about Attitude” states the back cover boldly of Making it – Women entrepreneurs reveal the secrets of their success. This book has been written to examine why and how some women have managed to create very successful businesses, whilst juggling their family and home lives, but also, more importantly how you can join them in being a success too.

Attitude is the acronym that has been used for the chapter titles, Accentuate the Positive, Total belief, Trust, Innovate, To aim high, Unstoppable, Determined and Enthusiasm, and is very much the dominant theme running throughout the book. It is all about how YOU are in control, and YOUR attitude can determine whether or not your business is a success or a failure. If you are lacking motivation, or feeling a lack of focus or direction then this is certainly a good book to pick up.

 Each chapter is made up of Mentoring moments, Entrepreneurs experience and an in-depth section where the authors meet and discuss business with a range of successful businesswomen.  Whilst that in itself is interesting, it is really the last section of each chapter which is most useful. It is all very well reading about successful people, but that can leave you feeling even more flat and confused about what to do next. The final part of each chapter takes what has been achieved  and breaks it down into a few simple bullet points and demonstrates you how you too can model that success. You then have to complete an ‘attitude exercise’ to see where you score, and finally you are given 3 steps to help improve your performance in this area.

This book has been co-written by Lou Gimson and Allison Mitchell. Alison is an inspirational coach and trainer and an NLP Practitioner. Lou is an experienced and accredited business trainer and coach and is a founder member of the charity foundation ‘Dream Buddies’ which helps individuals realise their potential. They have a wealth of experience which they have bought to this book and offer both professional advice and personal insights.

Popularity: 3% [?]

I’m ashamed to admit it has taken me 40 years to have this great idea, but now I have, I thought I would a) share it with you and b) ask your advice. 

This week I borrowed 2 cookery books from my local library. What a fantatsic idea I thought. I can have a proper read through and see if there are any actual recipes in it that I will make. Genius!

I love cooking and I love cookery books and have a fair few on my kitchen shelves. But from each book I have probably tried a dozen or so recipes, and from that dozen maybe 2 or 3 have become favourites that I cook regularly. So I figure this way I can either copy down the 2 or 3 recipes that prove a hit, or if it looks really promising buy the book myself.

So this week I have borrowed The Delia Collection: Soup and Tana Ramsay’s Family Kitchen. At first glance I would say there are maybe 4 or 5 soups I would try from Delia’s book so probably not worth buying, but the Tana Ramsey book has some definite potential.

So my question to you is, which cookery books would you recommend me to borrow from the library next week?

Popularity: 9% [?]

“I am what I am
And what I am
needs no excuses…..”
from La Cage aux Folles

What’s more I am not a clothes label, a newspaper,  a TV channel,  a political party,  a make of car,  a holiday desitination or a brand of buggy.

I am not yummy, slummy, earthy, alpha, retro, attachment, middle-class, chav, cloth nappy, baby-wearing, organic, non-organic, controlled-crying, vegetarian, meat-eating, feminist, traditionalist, designer, liberal, conservative, socialist, scrounging, breastfeeding, bottlefeeding, over-anxious, boho, pushy, unmarried, single, teenage or aging – or any of the other ‘labels’ you wish to bestow on me.

I am a mum. And I am so much more besides.

Popularity: 14% [?]

We were emailed this story recently and thought it was just too good not to share.

Recently, in a large city in Australia, a poster featuring a young, thin and tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said, “This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?” A middle-aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern,

Whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans). They have an active sex life, get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas, seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Bering Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia. Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don’t exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis. Fish or human? They don’t have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them, not to mention how could they have sex? Just look at them … where is IT? Therefore, they don’t have kids either. Not to mention, who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store?

The choice is perfectly clear to me: I want to be a whale.

P.S. We are in an age when media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes me shiver, and a piece of chocolate with my friends.

With time, we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room, it distributes out to the rest of our bodies. So we aren’t heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy.

Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think, ¨Good grief, look how smart I am!

How fabulous do you feel now, having read that??!!

Popularity: 15% [?]

Now I know that at least half of you are thinking I may be suffering some sort of delusion or mental breakdown; how can she possibly be cheering the school holidays? The other half know why. It’s quite simple: I love being with my children and the whole reason I was a stay at home mum and am now a WAHM is for this very reason.

No, my children aren’t saints, and no my work doesn’t stop and the work/life balancing act doesn’t go away or fit in with school holidays perfectly. However,  as ‘my own boss’ I can decide when to log on, I can decide when to work and I can forward plan so that anything major does not clash with my children’s holiday time.  I took those decisions because I wanted to be with my children; 90% of the time it is a fulfilling and brilliant job – and 10% of the time it isn’t, but then nothing in life is perfect!

Depending on what sort of business you have, the school holidays may realistically present you with a challenge; but you knew that when you started. And it is only a few weeks of the year.  I have friends who work full time, and in fairness their children are used to the routine, but I always feel a little sorry for them. They don’t get to have a pyjama morning, a picnic in the park or an afternoon film snuggled up with mummy – at home – chilled out and free from the stress of school. For those that work and are reading this – no judgement is made – I am simply explaining the freedom of my choice.

Many people would delight, or look forward to the day when their children are at school full time. I however still miss them dearly and actually relish the time they are at home in the holidays. As well as spending some real time with them, awake and fun, it gives me an opportunity to relax, play and enjoy their childhood with them. I actually get to ‘have a holiday’ from what I normally cram into the week and my mindset is switched over to ‘anything is a bonus’. I can just ‘be ‘ with them, I can catch up at home and the  housework,  which is always bottom of my list in term time, and I am relieved from continuously time managing the school run, play dates and homework.

The added bonus to all of this is when the Other Half gets home after work, having spent the day with the children I feel justified in sneaking off to reply to the emails or have a relaxing bath  as I have already spent the day with them, and then rather than do the night shift I actually have some evening time.  

It is never a clear division between being employed and being a WAHM, and there are many pluses and minuses to both – but if you did chose to be a WAHM….remember why….take a deep breath – count to 10 ……… and don’t wish the time away…..very soon they will be grown up and gone.

How do you manage the holidays? What are your tips and experiences to share with us about managing children in the holidays?

Popularity: 4% [?]

We are delighted to announce the launch of Mum’s The Boss Leicestershire, which will be run and hosted by Rebekah Harriman of R&R VA Services.

The first meeting will be held on 19th February at Soar Valley Leisure Centre, Mountsorrel, from 10.00-12.00. There will be no formal speaker at the first event – instead Rebekah will be talking about the Mum’s The Boss ethos and her plans for the group, and encouraging her visitors to chat and get to know one another over tea and cake!

The cost of attending the meeting is £5 per person.  Creche places are available and must be booked with Soar Valley Reception and paid for directly by the parents 1 week in advance (i.e.today!).  

Mum’s The Boss Leicestershire is kindly being sponsored (in cupcakes!) by Rakhee Townsend of Fashion Cake and by Emma Moore from Print Monkey.

A full schedule of speakers for the year will be posted shortly at www.mumstheboss.co.uk or you can follow Rebekah’s updates on Twitter at @MTBLeicester .

We are delighted to have Rebekah on board and wish her lots of luck with the new Leicestershire group – we’re certain she will make it a huge success!

Popularity: 5% [?]

As part of the Building Enterprising Communities project, Exemplas are running some workshops for people who are interested in starting their own business.

If you’re interested in seeing whether self employment if right for you or if you can turn your skills into a hobby their Business Experts are covering the key business basics – from finance to planning, market research to attracting customers – to help you make an informed decision.

Location: Family Groups Training Room, Southways Nursery, Raleigh Centre
Time: 9:30 – 14:30
Date: Friday 26^th February
Refreshments: Lunch included
Creche: Free childcare provided

You will also have the opportunity to speak to their Business Advisers who are on hand to answer your questions.

The workshop is open to anyone living in Bedford Borough and who is economically inactive (i.e. unemployed, stay at home mum etc) 

To book a place on this workshop, please call 01707 398290 or email your full name, telephone number and email address to annes@exemplas.com

Popularity: 5% [?]

One month ago today a catastrophic earthquake hit Haiti. Haiti’s government now says about 230,000 people died in quake, 18,000 more than its previous estimate, and the final toll is now approaching that of the 2004 Asian tsunami, which killed 250,000 people. Immediately after the quake there were numerous appeals for money and aid and many people gave generously.

In the week following the distaster the blogging community ‘blogged for Haiti’ and managed to raise over £4,000, with donations still coming in. However the problem has not gone away, with food, water and shelter still needed, before the authorities can even think about rebuilding the infrastructure of this broken country. 

As parents we are constantly faced with situations that make us feel guilty – kids, work, family, the environment, the food we eat, the amount of exercise we take – the list is endless. And when family budgets are tight you can feel even more guilty by additional requests asking you to donate to charity.

Which is why I think Tescos new Clubcard Voucher Scheme, where you can donate your Clubcard vouchers to the Haiti Disaster Appeal is such a brilliant idea, allowing you to contribute to a great cause without actually having to dip into your pocket.  

By donating your Clubcard vouchers you can help the Red Cross save lives in Haiti. Just £2.50 in Clubcard vouchers could provide a blanket to offer warmth and protection to a survivor who has lost everything in the quake.

So if you feel you would like to donate more to the disaster fund then this is maybe another way you can. It may not seem a lot, but as Tescos likes to remind us, “Every little helps”.

Popularity: 9% [?]