Mud Cakes and Wine

What a wonderful week of weather we had in East Sussex last week, it is half term so we are hoping it can stay for a little longer.

I have had a major fridge clear out and was shocked by the sheer number of half used jars. After giving myself a lecture about waste, it made me realise how I must keep my fridge in a better state of organisation and cut this waste out.

As I mentioned it is half term and Mr MC&W is off work, so the meals we having I am not planning as there will be a few out to give us all a break from the normal routine.

Friday - Treat Charlie Bighams Risotto. Boys are having sausages, chips  and peas.

Saturday - Veggie lasagna for us and the boys its Quorn Burgers and salad

Sunday - Jackets, beans, cheese and eggs

Monday - Pizza and salad for the boys. We will have a Gastro Fish with new potatoes and green veg mix

Tuesday - Treat out or take away.

Wednesday - Treat out or take away.

Thursday - Treat out or take away.

We have another busy weekend and week coming up. We have ATM party with his school friends but I am sharing this with two wonderful Mums who I get on so well with and its been so much easier and nice to have a messenger group we can share the stress with and go through the plans. Then we also have Mr MC&W birthday, where the family are all over for lunch.

School next week is busy with end of term presentations and national book week dressing up.

Please hand wine and a lot of it

Friday - Ready meal for Mr MC&W and I. The boys are having ham, eggs and waffles.

Saturday - Treat for Mr MC&W is steak followed by cheese. It is the party day so it will be party food. 

Sunday - Family over so doing two tray bakes.... the chicken one I am adding new potatoes and chickpeas to and doing a large salad. Little cooking for me. The boys are having pizza again (not well planned by me, but they love pizza)

Harissa chicken traybake with peppers and feta

Halloumi traybake

Monday - After a weekend of…

The Willow & Wild box arrived on Friday morning and the boys were so pleased to find it waiting for them on their return from school, they noticed very quickly it had their names on it, a real winner in their eyes. I knew we had a very busy weekend so decided it would make a perfect Sunday afternoon activity.




Sunday morning arrived and as expected I had three tired and emotional boys. We decided to open up the box of fun as ATM re named it. I had a quick read through everything and found we needed to prepare the paper ready for making seed paper in the afternoon. ATM had lots of fun cutting the paper up with me and covering it with water to soak. 



I would defiantly advise having a read through everything just in case there is anything you need to do before hand, so to avoid disappointed little ones.

The afternoon arrived and the eldest loved creating the lantern, he read and followed the instructions. ATM loved making the spider and decided to only give it one eye to make it even mor…

We mainly stuck to the meal plan but we did treat ourselves to a curry midweek as the beef curry was quorn and mainly in tins or veggies could be used in other meals we did not waste any food.

We have birthdays and play dates this week so it all seems a little crazy...

Friday - We have a play date for the eldest so its spag bol for all the boys and Mr MC&W and I are having scampi, Chips and Peas

Saturday - Its a birthday treat lunch and then nachos for Mr MC&W and I whilst watching strictly. The boys will have picnic dinner.

Sunday - Honey and Mustard Chicken for Mr MC&W and I, the boys have requested sausages, beans and mash

Slow cooker honey mustard chicken thighs

Monday - Leek, mushroom and goats cheese tart for the adults and a tuna tart for the boys. It will be based on the below but with puff pastry

Leek mushroom and-goats-cheese-strudels

Tuesday - A play date for the middle boy and they will all have pizza, chips and I will attempt salad. We will have simple omelet and chip…

Can not believe it is going to be October this week coming. We have had some beautiful weather here in the South East which has felt like a treat, but the nights are cold and the comfort food is hitting the spot.

Friday - Smoked Mackerel and beetroot salad for Mr MC&W and myself. The boys had school lunch so picnic dinner for them.

Saturday - Spag Bol

Sunday - French Style Chicken and Bacon - The boys will have roast chicken breast and both meals with have roast potatoes and greens

French style chicken with peas-and-bacon

Monday - Gnocchi with broccoli and mushrooms for us all. This is from Jo Pratts The Madhouse Cookbook

Tuesday - Tortellini for the boys with peas and cheese. We will have Salmon with beets and lentils

Mustardy salmon beetroot lentils

Wednesday - Easy Sweet and Sour Chicken for us all. This will be with noodles as we are having rice on Thursday.

Easy sweet and sour chicken


Thursday - Beef curry in the slow cooker using quorn strips for us all. This is the idea but a few cha…

While wondering around the garden centre in May I spotted a packet of Cosmos seeds, I had brought some Cosmos plants last year and fallen in love with them, but they were a little expensive. A thought hit me, try and grow my own, I grew some beautiful Dhailas last year, so why not give it a go.









I planted the seeds in some trays I had received my winter bedding plants in, using the cpmpost I had brought to plant the hanging baskets with. The poor seeds were really neglected, they were left out at night when it was cold (even a frost) and I kept forgetting to water them.

I was left with these awful leggy seedlings and a feeling of total failure, I potted them into larger pots to see if I could rescue the some of them.




The weather was warming up and I watered them everyday and they began to get stronger and stronger until they were ready to be planted out.

Then came the heatwave and they for some reason thrived. I watered them with some water from the washing up every week and they soon bega…