My Recipe for a Happy Child....

Today was a funny one, it was "That Baby's" first full day at school. It's not like it was her first day at school ever, she's been going for over a year now. First to the Nursery class before she moved up a class to Reception. The big girl's class (her words). It's just today was the first ever day that I didn't pick her up at lunchtime. Without my little helper for six whole hours. Just me and "This Baby" all on own little ownsome :(

I thought having lunch without me might be daunting for her, but nope. She was pleased as punch with her new lunchbox, talked about it the whole walk there. I worried that she wouldn't know where to go or what to do, that she'd be afraid to ask for help. I worried that she wouldn't be able to open things, that she'd struggle with cling film and end up not eating anything. I worried she wouldn't know where to get herself a drink and that she be dehydrated by the end of the day. I was pretty sure she'd gorge herself on crisps, ignore the good stuff and have a meltdown in the afternoon. As it turned out, I needn't have worried at all, she took to it all like a beautiful little duck to water.

After her first full day we had her swimming lesson. STRAIGHT AFTER. We had exactly fifteen minutes to get from one place to the next, get changed and into the pool. I'd planned it like a military operation. Earlier in the day I'd driven the car down and parked it outside her school, facing in the right direction, all ready to get in and zoom away. I knew if I left it until the end of school we'd never get a spot and we'd have to do battle with the posh Mummies in their unnecessarily massive cars. Oh yes, and when did people my age suddenly get enough cash to start spending £40,000 on a car? I don't think we'll ever reach that point!

I felt pretty smug, all the bags were packed and ready. This Baby's bottle was made and cooling ready to feed her at the pool. Then I realised I'd forgotten to put her car seat in the car; noooooo! Cue a mad dash round the corner and it was problem solved. So nearly a doh! moment.

Half way through the morning a friend advised me that "That Baby" would probably be pretty tired at pick up time. And grumpy. And hungry. Not good if you have to swim for a whole half hour straight afterwards.

So! I cracked out my trusty flapjack recipe, which I know she loves, and made her a big batch of almond and apricot flapjack. Not only did it give her a full enough tummy to get her swimming like a fish, it let her know that we'd missed her loads and that we love her to bits.

Here's our recipe:

4 oz butter
5 tablespoons golden syrup
2 oz sugar
8 oz oats
4 oz dried apricots, snipped into little pieces
2 oz flaked almonds chopped up a little

Preheat the oven 180C/425F/Gas mark 4

Put the butter and 4 tablespoons of the syrup into pan with sugar and heat gently until they melt (or until you can't feel any more crunchy bits with your wooden spoon).
Stir in the oats, apricots and almonds and mix. Spoon into a tin or onto a fairly deep baking tray (I've been using my new Pampered Chef Medium Bar cos it cost me an arm and a leg, it does work really well though) and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
Sprinkle the top with a few more flaked almonds.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden, then remove from oven and while still warm and cut into huge great big rectangles, nobody wants a slither of flapjack! Finally dip a teaspoon into the syrup and drizzle the top with a little extra syrup for stickiness.
Leave to cool and remove from the tray.

Yum!

Let me know if you try it :)