Last night we got back from the holiday that made us all realise that holidays were no longer holidays. This morning Bert greeted Ray (our long-suffering dog) with rapturous delight and offered him a dummy and a soft teddy bear. We all greeted stair gates and child locks with relief and pleasure. And we cooked chicken couscous.

This is an adapted Leon recipe.

Serves 2.5-3

3-4 chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon mild curry powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Splash olive oil

1/2 packet of couscous

Another splash of olive oil

1/2 dessert spoon butter

4-6 tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, crushed, and combined with a tablespoon of olive oil

To garnish adult portions – chopped coriander, chopped mint, toasted pinenuts

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces, put in an oven proof dish and coat with the spices and oil. Meanwhile, put the couscous in a bowl, stir through a splash of oil till all the grains are coated and cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and give it five minutes for the water to absorb before stiring it through the chicken. Dot the butter on top and bake in a hot oven (200 degrees or near the top of an Aga roasting oven) for 25 minutes.

Chop the tomatoes into generous pieces, coat in the garlic and oil and put on the next shelf down in the oven for 20 minutes. (If you combine the garlic with the oil first, it won’t burn.)

If your baby is a better baby than mine, try him or her on the tomatoes.

If your baby is an even better baby, try them on the herb garnish.