Mud Cakes and Wine

It is here the week I have to get myself back into gear and think about packed lunches again and evening meals that can be prepared in advance or cooked fast. As the children will clear the cupboards on getting home. Friday - Chilli Bean Wraps with avocado, Sour cream, Cheese and lettuce. The boys had Mcdonalds (again, as I said this blog is totally honest) on Thursday so will have fish and chips tonight instead Quick chilli bean wraps Saturday - Italian Style Burger loosely based on this but I have brought in the chicken burgers and will serve with a crispy green salad Italian style chicken burger Sunday - Roasted Sausages, Potatoes and red onion with honey and mustard sauce. Boys will have similar but not too much sauce or onion. Monday - Cajun Chicken Gumbo Cajun chicken gumbo Tuesday - Cheats Pasta Bake Cheats gooey pasta bake Wednesday - Meatballs all homemade Thursday - Tuna Melt Wedges with crispy salad Tuna melt potato wedges

Wow where has the summer holidays gone to. Can not believe next week I need to be thinking about packed lunches and quick evening meals again. This week Mr MC&W is on holiday so we are having a lazy one and not making any plans at all. Friday - Gnocchi with a two cheese sauce. The boys had peas and changed the blue cheese for Parmesan. Served with crusty bread and a green salad Gnocchi with two cheeses and bacon Saturday - Mr MC&W passed a huge exam at work so it is treat of steak and chips for us. The boys will have homemade pizza Sunday - Pork and dumplings. The boys are having a McDonald's as a treat for lunch so will have a picnic dinner. Pork- goulash with herby dumplings Monday - It is going to be warm so we are going to have a lunchtime family BBQ Tuesday - Mushroom Stroganoff the boys will have pasta with a homemade tomato sauce Mushroom stroganoff Wednesday - Ravioli for the boys and we are going to have a treat charlie bigham meal, as we are on h...

Wow the meal plan really is late this week, I apologise. I have been rather poorly for over a week now with  Vestibular neuritis   which means I have been feeling constantly dizzy. This has not been pleasant and I am not completely better. Friday - Gammon, Egg and Chips for us all Saturday - Cesar Salad and salad for the boys Sunday - Fish cakes with salad and roasted new potatoes. Boys will have chicken, Mashed potatoes and broccoli Monday - Ravioli (brought) mozzarella and tomato salad and garlic bread Tuesday - Bhaji Frittata with mango chutney. Omelette's and chips for the boys. Bhaji frittata Wednesday - Take away curry. chicken curry for the boys Thursday - Sticky Chicken Tray bake Sticky chinese chicken traybake

A little while ago I wrote a post, I was full of excitement because we had sewn a few packets of seeds on a small side border. I had visions of a border carpeted in the most wonderful flowers. Annual seeds to update border Sadly this has not been the case, we watered them and I did not even weed for a while as I was not sure what was growing weed or wild flower. We are now mid-August and this is what we have. Well, not a huge success is it? I have to laugh at how sad these two flowers look. There a couple reasons I know they have not worked, my youngest son has turned into a plant destroyer. He has pulled off petals and whole flower heads, he stomps through the border snapping plants under his small podgy feet. Then factor in slugs and snails who think they were planted as a tasty treat. We have had some success and they are very pretty just a shame not in abundance. Will I try this again? yes, I will try this again and in the same place. Next time I...

The summer holidays have not been full of the paddling pool fun and games we were hoping for. We have all been sick this holiday and it has put us out of action for around two weeks. This meal plan was quickly put together as I have now come down with the virus and feeling pretty sorry for myself. Friday - Fish and Chips with peas easy to prepare and always popular Saturday - Cajun Chicken Burger Cajun chicken pineapple burger Sunday -Toad in the hole Monday - Paprika Pork served with tagliatelle Paprika Pork Tuesday - Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Broccoli and a cream sauce the boys will have a tomato sauce Wednesday - Treat night so a curry box the boys will have chicken curry Thursday - Courgette Lasagne - this is such a simple dish but really tasty Creamy courgette lasagne

The meal plans have been a little delayed due to us getting back from holiday and then our youngest being very poorly. He needed a lot of care and we forgot the meaning of the word sleep. Friday - Spicy Chicken (this was a McCain Gourmet) served with vine roasted tomatoes and new potatoes. The boys had homemade pizza. Saturday - Moussaka (thank you Tesco Finest) with a fresh red onion, tomato and cucumber salad. I always thinly slice the red onion and put it in a bowl with lemon juice while the dinner cooks. The boys had linguine with ham and peas using up the tomato sauce we used yesterday for the pizza. Sunday - We will have beef pie, roasted potatoes and green veggies and the boys will have jacket potatoes with sausages and peas Monday - A new smoked mackerel salad nice light and fresh. The boys will have cheesy pasta Smoked mackerel beetroot salad creamy horseradish dressing Tuesday - Spaghetti and Mozzarella bake Tomato and mozzarella spaghetti bake Wednesday - Mor...

This summer weather or should I say the autumnal weather has been playing havoc with my hanging baskets. They are being drenched, yet not getting enough water. They are being blown about all over the place, then add in the rather chilly temperatures and grey sky. The plants are really unhappy, as you can see after another night of hard rainfall the petunias are looking really rather sad. The photos below show the damage the weather has caused. They almost seem to be dying back and nothing is spreading as it did last year. This has made me a little sad, but enough of that, what can I do to help them out. One problem has been a lack of water, I thought due to the fact it had been raining hard they would not need watering, I was wrong. I gave them a good water and added some liquid feed. I will check them every day come rain or shine to see if they need water. I will also feed once a week. I did not feed the hanging baskets at all last year but these guys nee...