Mud Cakes and Wine

Last we changed curry to sweet and sour chicken as I suddenly thought we had not had it in a long time. This week is quite simple to be honest and I had to do the list in a bit of a rush. Friday - Fish, Chips and Peas for us the boys will have Pizza Saturday - Burger - Well using birds eye reggae reggae chicken with avocado and cheese served with wedges (a few more calories but it is a treat night) ATM has a party so it will be pasta for the other two Sunday - Roast Chicken - the boys favourite meal Monday - Gnocchi and Tomato bake Gnocchi and tomato bake Tuesday - Chicken Curry with added veggies from the roast on Sunday Wednesday - Omelet and Chips Thursday -  Paprika Pork with noodles Paprika Pork

There was a lot of talk about Blue Monday this week prompting garden bloggers to post photos of their summer garden to cheer everyone up. It was lovely looking though my photos of the summer, it was with rose tinted glasses as lets be honest it was not the best. It got me wanting some colour in the garden now and you can get it. So ZAP and I went to our local nursery in search of flowers. I have a small border next to the back door, this was made famous with the dreadful show of annual seeds I planted Annual seeds review . This border would be perfect for some pretty winter flowers. Sunday I weeded it and cleared it all ready. We found benches of Primroses and Primula in the most amazing colours. I brought 5 primroses and 5 primula the Primula look like the primroses but the flowers are on stalks making them slightly taller and two Bellis Daisy. These only cost me £13.00 for a couple of months beauty that is a very good price. I laid them out and planted ...

We have some more meals that are around the 500 to 600 calories again this week. Last week meal plan went well and Mr MC&W even said the cottage pie was not too bad, which is high praise in this house. Friday - Pizza with salad for us all Saturday - Fajitas for Mr MC&W and I. The boys are having crispy chicken, beans, mash and peas Sunday - Lasagna - must admit it is brought in Monday - Another Gino one - Honey Grilled Salmon served with new potatoes and salad. The boys will have oven baked risotto Tuesday - Roasted Vegetable Couscous with lemon hummus the boys will have carbonara Wednesday - Pasta in a delicious meat sauce from Gino healthy Italian for us all Thursday - Chicken Curry for us all

We are still watching what we are eating which means the meals are around 500 - 600 calories. We have also been good and cut out the snacking and watched what we are drinking, there is no dry January in the Mud, Cakes and Wine household. Friday - Chicken Kiev (brought in) roasted tomatoes, green salad and crusty bread. Pizza for the boys. Saturday - Beef Stroganoff - Saturday is the one night I want a rest from cooking so this is thanks to Tesco Finest. Boys are having fish fingers, Mash and Peas Sunday - Sausage Casserole with jackets Monday - Pasta with mushrooms and ham  Tuesday - Cottage Pie. I very rarely make food like this but this week feels like we need comfort food. Cottage pie Wednesday - I have a real love for the wonderful Ainsley Harriott and this is his Sweet Chilli Tart Tatin from his meals in minutes book. The boys will have tuna puff pie. Thursday - Chicken and Chorizo Jambalaya. The boys will have the same but no chorrizo and only a few spices. ...

When it comes to the garden Mr MC&W and I are rather bold, we love a project and are not scared by making big decisions. This is the most dramatic job we have done so far. This is how our back border looked. Evergreen but no flowers Lots of weeds and brambles Wasted space What a mess This area was a total waste of space, full of shrubs that barely flowered, deadwood and a lot of brambles. We had about 5ft of garden going back to the fence lost and unused. So we decided it was time for it to go and to start again. Change happens fast The digger made light work of the roots So much more space Taking away for composting New Trees wow Here comes the turf Look at all the space we have given ourselves now. We planted laurels for year-round privacy and had the whole area turfed. The plan is to keep it like this for a year, watching how much sunshine it gets then start making a veggie patch and borders again. The boys t...

Wow we have made it to January and the next few weeks the meals will all be lower calories, around the 500 mark unless it is the weekend. We put on a few pounds over the festive period so we are watching a little closer what we are eating. Friday - Posh fish finger sandwich served on ciabatta rolls with iced gem lettuce and tartare sauce. Fish fingers, chips and peas for the boys Saturday - is manic ATM is at a party and we have swimming again. Simple Spag Bol and garlic bread for us all Sunday - Slow Cooked Lamb Shanks with roast potatoes, orange cooked carrots, broccoli and kale Monday - Chickpea, tomato and spinach curry and the boys will have tortellini Chickpea tomato and spinach curry Tuesday - I got given the Gino Healthy Italian and its lovely we are having his folded pizza with salad Wednesday - Another Gino dish - Lemon Chicken with honey and rosemary - will do this with no herbs for the boys. Served with green beans Thursday - Smoked Mackerel and leek hash th...

The Christmas period flew by in a haze of us all being poorly. I have not felt so ill in a long time, to the point I had one glass of wine on Christmas Day  and did not want cheese until two days ago. Friday - Turkey and Ham Pie. Made as individual pies for us all. Saturday - Charlie Bighman Thai Curry. Pizza for the boys Sunday - New Years Eve - canapés and cheese. Picnic style bits for the boys. Monday - Roast Beef from the farm shop, roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, carrots, kale and broccoli Tuesday - prawn laska for us All minus prawns for the boys Prawn and coconut laksa Wednesday - chilli beans with wedges. Waffles and thick ham served with peas for the boys. Mixed bean chilli with wedges Thursday - Chinese’s style rice, based on this idea for us all Barneys Monday night rice