Mud Cakes and Wine

I am very sorry I was not that well on Sunday and the eldest OB was ill a couple of days before that. I must admit thinking about food was not on the agenda. Adding to this Mr MC&W has an assignment meaning he is leaving early and getting home late, luckily we found out he can have a main meal at lunch times. Monday - Mushroom risotto for myself and the boys Tuesday - Tuna Pasta bake for me the boys will have cheesy pasta Wednesday - this is a use up day as the shop is coming on Thursday so we are using up from the fridge and freezer Thursday - Gnocchi with a homemade tomato sauce then finished under the grill with mozzarella. For me I will add peppers and mushrooms to the sauce. Friday - Fish, Chips and Peas for everyone Saturday - Fajitas for Mr MC&W and myself for the boys spag bol Sunday - We are having the Easter Lunch from Good Food Mag. Potted prawns, leg lamb and cheesecake Monday - Ready Meal for everyone as a rest from cooking I added Monday as its a bank hol...

A bit of a busy week in our household and for once I have managed to get my menu plan written up Monday - Coconut Quorn Curry for myself and Mr Mud Cakes and Wine. The boys are going to have  the same lets see how it goes..... Tuesday - Aubergine Parmigiana the boys will have pasta with just a plain tomato sauce Wednesday - Jacket potato with tuna for Mr Mud Cakes and Wine and baked beans and cheese for boys as I am out with my special needs mummy's Thursday - Mr Mud Cakes and Wine is out tonight so I will be having a Jacket Potato with beans and cheese the boys will have a Jacket Potato with broccoli and breaded chicken Friday - Taiwanese Style Chicken Salad the boys will have a mini roast dinner Saturday - A treat of a ready meal for us and the boys to give me a little rest from cooking Sunday - Beef In The Slow Cooker with mashed potatoes and veggies

Shhhhh this post is a confession that I feel I need to get off my chest. I used to be totally obsessed with evergreens, when I was looking at plants all I wanted was a green garden all year round. For some reason I am not even sure why this was all I thought about, will it give me year round green. Please do not get me wrong I have always loved the turning of winter, we visit Sheffield park and wonder at the amazing and vast array of reds and bronzes. I drive along watching as the leaves turn and winter slowly takes it's grip. But for some reason I had it in my head that I wanted to keep my garden as some green oasis in a sea of plants that had died back for the winter. Since I have become more interested in gardening I have taken a step back and wondered what I was thinking about, I want to witness the changes in the seasons in my own garden. This is the first spring I have ever really paid attention to, yes I am like most people ohhh the daffodils are starting to come through...

Sorry it's Wednesday and only just written this one up.... Monday - Chicken Parmigiana for the adults and the boys will have a mini roast dinner Tuesday - Goats Cheese and pesto tart with salad and new Potatoes the boys will have a pesto and cheddar with mozzarella tart Wednesday - using up some blue cheese so having a blue cheese, spinach pasta dish all made up and could go one of two ways. The boys will have Jackets with beans and sausages Thursday - Tesco had some chicken pieces with a spicy sauce we will have those with corn on the cob and homemade Potato wedges. Boys will have cheesy pasta Friday - Mexican Meatballs with tortilla chips and the boys will have mince and Gnocchi Saturday - Ham, Eggs and Chips for everyone Sunday - Chicken and Ham Pie for us all

I decided to write this post as a Mummy of a little boy who is on the Autism Spectrum  and has very limited speech and understanding, I wanted to give a glimpse into our world. He had been for a school trip to a small local airport and this is the story of collection and journey home.... As I walked through the door I almost heard the sigh of relief from the teachers, "Mummy is here" was said in that slightly high pitched tone mixing happy and stress all at the same time. OB runs towards me shouting Mummy then collapsed on the floor just by my feet telling me "I want yo see  animals and go to Legoland". OK I think to myself here we go, I bent down to his level and said in that slight high pitched fake happy tone that it was time to get into Mummy's car, but he was getting distressed the word Lego was being said repeatedly. I noted he did not have his Lego (Lego goes everywhere with him) I enquired about said Lego, luckily it was quickly found, this seemed to...

Wow time is just flying by so quick quick here is my late meal plan, again Mr MC&W is out and about so a few simple meals just for myself and the boys Monday - Chicken Salad Tuesday - Chicken and Rice Wednesday - Birds Eye Fish in Sauce served with new potatoes and Spinach Thursday - Mr MC&W is late home tonight so myself and the boys will be having Jackets with Beans and Cheese Friday - Mr MC&W again is out so myself and the boys will be having Fish Fingers, Chips and Peas Saturday - Homemade Burgers with blue cheese for the adults and Spag Bol for the boys Sunday - Mothers Day we will have a surprise as I am not cooking Whoop Whoop.

My lets start at the front blog I wanted to get the front tided up a little and get some colour. A couple of weeks ago I went to a wonderful nursery called Staverton I can spend hours here as they are all about the plants. I brought a small range of plants that should start to give us some spring time colour, I am aiming to do all this myself for next spring but it was a step too far this year. This is what I have been up to..... Polyanthus two in blue and a yellow one along with a Narcissi Jetfire and Narcissi Minnow. Can you beat blue and yellow? Two lovely blue Crocus and Endymion non-scriptus (true native bluebell) and a beautiful Polyanthus in pink to add hint of extra colour. Three beautiful Hyacinthus - two in blue and one in white I put them in a planter on the wall as they are a little higher and should be easily seen. This one I chose a couple of Sugar Rush Wallflowers one in yellow and one in orange in front I put a couple of daffodils again slight...

Today was the most beautiful day, there were white fluffy clouds in a crisp blue sky, it was cold but not that biting cold where your fingers and toes are numb within minutes. I decided its time to start digging the main front bed again, our soil is heavy clay and we have had a lot of rain so it was all rather sticky and heavy going. Towards the hedge the Ivy seems to be going mad again, all I seem to be doing is trying to dig out ivy roots. They are my Arch-Nemesis at the moment, ivy along with brambles dominate a lot of the garden, could say I am an expert in growing them both. I spent most of the time not just digging but pulling these roots out. I am very pleased that our front garden is not too public, on several occasions ended up on my backside, did not mind when I had a large root in my hand not so happy when I thumped to the ground empty handed. I have been talking with people on twitter mainly the wonderful Team Woolly about non dig gardening and it sounds very inte...

First week of the new job in London, not sure how this is going to work. Some very simple meals this week Monday - Jackets Potatoes Myself and the boys Baked Beans and Cheese Mr MC&W Tuna Mayonnaise Tuesday - Frozen Chicken, Mash and Homemade Tomato sauce for all of us Wednesday - Courgette Lasagna for all of us Thursday - Mr MC&W is out with friends, myself and the boys will have special fried rice Friday - Spiced Beef Mince with Pitta Saturday - Again Mr MC&W is out, tonight with the Dads of the Autism Massive. The boys and I will have Puff Pastry Tarts Sunday - Chicken on a bed on Mediterranean veggies