Mud Cakes and Wine

The last meal plan of the year and the next one will be rather more healthy. We are lucky had had a rather indulgent Christmas, however we do not like waste and this plan is rather a use up one.  Lunches are just using up the meats and cheeses with bread. Friday - Gammon, Egg and Chips to use up the Christmas Ham Saturday - Turkey Curry for Mr MC&W and I. The boys will have Chinese turkey noodles. Sunday - Mr MC&W decided he wanted these posh sausages from the butcher where we got our turkey from but we did not need them for Christmas lunch. So we will eat them up in a sausage casserole as the MIL is coming round. The boys will have them with beans and mash and broccoli. Monday - Lasagna for us thanks to Charlie Bigham as I wanted a break form cooking. The boys wanted tomato soup. Tuesday - new year eve - We have a lot of cheese so it will be a cheese fest for us snacking on with apples and grapes. The boys will have pizza and salad. Wednesday - Roast beef wit...

It has been so long since I last wrote a garden update, I have been training so I can hopefully go back to work, combine this with the almost constant rain and children getting poorly I have not managed to get outside for ages. Below shows how our clay soil is coping with the rain.... Today I managed to get outside, start to clear down and see what needs to be done.  Firstly these grapes, what a mess. I did not have the time to do anything with the grapes we grew and the butterfly's and insects did love them late autumn when they needed the food, but this left over mess I really hate. I am thinking about if I want to keep the grape vines or look for something else. The vines grow fast and look OK but it is a plant I really have not grown to love. A good hour of tidy up and the joys of a step ladder in the garden, it looks much better. I am not sure I should be doing this now but the plant was getting mouldy and I cut back to a node each time. So hopefully not ...

Well it has been sometime since I last managed to upload a meal plan. Rest assure we have been eating just very busy with training, Christmas, birthdays, school and everyone getting poorly. I can not remember a time I have missed so many plans. So here we are coming up to Christmas and getting closer to another new year. I will be back to sharing my meals as I have missed it. Friday - Sausages in rolls with red onions just sausages for the boys Saturday - Caesar Salad for us and Chinese Chicken Noodles for the boys Sunday - Spag Bol Monday - Scampi, chips and peas. Fish Fingers for the boys. Tuesday - Curry this was Mr MC&W family tradition and one I am more than happy to continue on. I will be cooking a ham in cola today and if any of it lasts we will be having it over the next week. Problem is we tend to pick at it on Christmas eve. Wednesday - Well Roast rolled turkey breast with carrots cooked in orange juice and honey, roast potatoes, parsnips and everything else...

Oh my the month is disappearing way too fast. As always now the meal plan is late and i am getting more unorganised which can not be good in the run uo to Christmas. Friday - Main lunch out for Mr MC&W and I so a snack. Boys omelette's and jackets Saturday - Peri Peri Chicken for Mr MC&W and I the boys are making their own pizza. Sunday - Sausages in large Yorkshire puddings with lots of veggies and gravy. Monday - Fish, Chips and peas Tuesday - Halloumi burgers as making slaw for the peri peri chicken and pineapple for the pizza so using it all up for this meal. Boys having quorn burgers. Spiced halloumi pineapple burger zingy slaw Wednesday - Prawn Paella, this is Ainsley Harriet one from his quick meals and its brilliant.  Thursday - Sausage Casserole as the sausages are not freezable and we now have swimming on a Thursday so chuck this in t he slow cooker and some microwave mash and we are go go go Please have a think about doing food bank advent this ...

Well the fiber increase went pretty well, though the butternut squash and sweet potato soup was not enjoyed. However, the wholemeal pasta was a huge hit as was the change to wholemeal bread and sandwich thins. Lots of little changes have made a big difference. Friday - Jacket potatoes with omelets filled with cheese Saturday - Cola Gammon with roast potatoes, carrots, kale and broccoli Sunday - Chicken Curry - based on this one but coconut milk not double cream Monday - Harissa Salmon with zesty couscous. Tomato soup with wholemeal toast for the boys. Harissa salmon zesty couscous Tuesday - Pizza and Salad Wednesday - Spanish meatballs with butter beans. Meatballs with spaghetti for the boys. Spanish meatball butter bean stew Thursday - Tuna slices for the boys. Mr MC&W and I will have goats cheese and Mediterranean slices with salad. Please join us in food bank advent as well, have a little look at the post here Food bank advent 2019

This is a very quick, easy and tasty meal that the whole family love. The other great thing about this meal is you can have a good old fridge clear out. I have put down all the bits we have used in this meal.  This takes around 10 mins to prep and 15 to 20 mins to cook Ingredients Chicken breast cut into bite size pieces or quorn pieces Microwave Rice we use 2 packs for 5 of us two adults and 3 kids (1 toddler) Thai Curry paste red or green, I use the smaller pots as no waste. Coconut milk Chicken or vegetable stock around 200ml Examples of veggies you can add red onions, peppers, sweetcorn, peas, broccoli, mushrooms, carrors - add what ever the kids or you like. I cook one version for the kids after school and one for us a little later on. Method Cut the chicken breast  and all the veggies you are choosing that need to be cut up into bite size pieces. Add the chicken or quorn and veggies that need a little longer to cook for exapmle onions, peppers, br...

The meal plan is late as I just could not get it right. This week we have my mum coming to stay for a couple of days and could I get my head around what to feed her. We also have one word going round our household at the moment and that is fiber, our youngest is terribly fussy with all textures which means we are constantly battling food. We are trying to find little ways to increase fiber into his diet as he likes so few foods. Friday - Quorn burgers for the boys we had birds eye southern style crispy chicken with avocado and salad Saturday - We were meant to have Charlie Bighams Lasagna but we had a power cut so had reduced priced sushi Sunday - Charlie Bighams Lasagna the boys are having pasta Monday - Gnocchi with mushrooms and broccoli form Madhouse Cookbook by Jo Pratt Tuesday - Sausage Pasta. We will be trying wholemeal pasta!!! not sure how that will go down. Wednesday - Chicken in red wine that we were meant ti have on Sunday  Chicken and red wine cass...