Recipe: Mexican dinner

You can never imagine your children will be off your hands for a single day, never mind all of the summer holidays. I remember when those seven weeks felt like an eternity. I spent my time with them going to the cinema, practising my skills at the paint-me pottery place, eating at the pizza joint, and then falling exhausted into bed at 7pm — and that was only day one! I lay there thinking how I was going to fill the other 53 days without going broke and insane. And what was I going to prepare for them to eat? I learned early on that I could tackle these problems by getting the children into the kitchen for a new activity, known as cooking.

So now I am watching my kids in disbelief as one discusses what she needs to trek across Thailand (surely not stilettos); one has been caught planning to take only one pair of pants to Israel (I have rectified this); and the youngest insists she needs her Ruth’s Princess Party dress for the camp disco.

So, to wish them bon voyage, here is their favourite farewell fare, which will speed them on their way along with my Princess motherly advice: for the eldest, don’t take anything from anyone; for the middle one, don’t think about enlisting; and for the youngest, don’t forget to apply sun cream, even if it is raining.

Serves 4