Meal Planning Monday

I made it through another boys laser quest party! Now I have a breather for 9 months. I find life pretty full on when it is party party Christmas party! This week sees middle man turn 9 and he has opted for a fry up for breakfast and a Dominoes for tea! Long gone are the days when he asked for a fruit basket. But what about the rest of the week?

Sunday: Roast Beef and Yorkshires

Monday: Scrambled egg and chorizo bagels

Tuesday: takeaway

Wednesday: Spaghetti bolognase

Thursday: Steak and chips for Valentines day (although little man wants chicken nuggets.)

Friday: Chicken curry

Saturday: Ummmm not sure yet but it is half term so the pressure is off a bit.

What have you got planned?

This no bake mint chocolate tiffin is a great thing to make with the children. My youngest made this with me and it was good for him to see what exactly went into it. It is the kind of thing that he would order to have in a coffee shop and is now well aware that there isn't anything good in it. But life would be boring without the odd little treat wouldn't it?

When I was shopping for this, I had totally forgotten about viscount biscuits. My Mum used to buy them when I was a child and it was a trip down memory lane eating one of these. They worked really well in the tiffin, but I guess mint Trios would also do the job.

No Bake Mint Chocolate Tiffin

• 200g chocolate
• 100g butter
• 2tbsp golden syrup
• 6 Viscount biscuits
• 12 digestive biscuits
• 100g Areo peppermint bubbles. Half cut in half and the rest to go on top of the tiffin.

1. Break the chocolate into pieces and put into the microwave for 30s. Stir and pop back in for 10s at a time until melted. (Or melt over a bowl of hot water.)
2. Stir in the butter and golden syrup.
3. Place the Visvount and digestive biscuits in a zip lock bag and crush with a rolling pin. It is nice to have a few chunks so don't make it all into crumbs.
4. Mix the biscuits in with the chocolate.
5. Mix in the Areo peppermint bubbles that are chopped in half.
6. Line a baking tray with grease proofed paper and spoon in the tiffin mixture.
7. Press down the mixture and then add the remaining peppermint bubbles.
8. Place in the fridge until it has hardened, then cut into chunks.
9. Enjoy!

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Meal Planning Mondays

Well I hadn't seen the snow coming this week! I mean I know it was forcast, but I really didn't think we would have a snow day. Of course it meant that our Tesco delivery was cancelled and as we had run out of all fresh food, my other half had the fun of trying to get the food shop with loads of roads closed. Luckily, his cave man hunter instincts worked and he got our shop.

So what is on the menu for the coming week?

Sunday: pork with apple sauce and mash followed by plum upside down cake to use the plums up that I bought last week.

Monday Chicken Fajitas

Tuesday: Slow cooked ham, egg and chips

Wednesday: Chicken and ham pie using up any leftover ham from Tuesday.

Thursday: It is parents evening for me so the boys have microwave meals.

Friday: Chicken Korma

Saturday: It is middle man's birthday party so my husband and I will make do with something from the freezer whilst the boys eat their own weight in cocktail sausages and party rings.

What have you got planned for this week?

Meal Planning Mondays

Well we made it through another week with my husband away. The shopping bill is currently going through the roof though. I think I need a trip to Lidl to stock up on some meat and other bits to make the next few weeks a bit cheaper. I am taking on a few more hours at work which will inevitably mean more work in the evenings, so once again I need to be organised with my meal plans and remember that as the week continues the meals need to be easier. It appears that my husband is also addicted to smoked salmon with chili avocados and poached eggs as he has asked for it this week again! Luckily smoked salmon is on offer at Tesco this week so I bought a couple of packets.

So this is what we will be eating this week.

Sunday: Salmon with potatoes and vegetables.

Monday: Garlic, lemon and chilli prawns

Tuesday: Pork stuffed with spinach and pine nuts. Let's hope the boys won't turn their noses up at it!

Wednesday: Salmon and chilli avocados with poached eggs.

Thursday: Cheesy egg and bacon muffins

Friday: Lamb Dhansak which has been frozen from when I made a large batch a couple of weeks ago

Saturday: Sweet and sour chicken.


What do you have planned this week?

These cherry, chocolate and ginger scones aren't you usual type of scone. They are packed full with flavour. Whilst my husband insisted on putting butter on his, it really isn't required. I made them small in a hope that I wouldn't eat too many. Yeah that didn't work! They are very moreish!

They are really easy to make and I based the scone recipe on this one from Delia. The stem ginger gives them a really grown up taste, but I leave this out on the ones for the children.

Cherry, Chocolate And Ginger Scones

• 225g self raising flour
• a pinch of salt
• 40g Stork 
• 110ml milk
• 50g glace cherries
• 30g dark chocolate chopped
• 30g stem ginger chopped

1. Pre heat the oven to 220C.
2. Weigh out the flour, salt and Stork and rub together.
3. Slowly add the milk, forming a dough.
4. Mix in the.chocolate, ginger and cherries. Add a little more flour if it is sticky.
5. Flatten to about 3cm and use an inch diameter cookie cutter to press out the scones.
6. Bake for around 9 minutes when they look golden brown.

Are you a fan of flavoured scones or is it plain with jam and cream that you like best?

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Meal Planning Mondays

Well that week flashed by as usual. Last week was easy meals as my OH was working away and it is much of the same this week.I find that when I am by myself I can cook Monday and Tuesday and then exhaustion sets in and I need simple recipes for the rest of the week.

I have decided that I need to go though the cupboards as the cost of our weekly shop is ridiculous at the moment. Maybe a trip to Lidl and Costco is also on the cards.

Sunday: We are off to Skywalk Adventure which we won from Kids Days Out Reviews. I have found a batch cooked lasagne in the freezer which will be perfect to pop in the oven before my husband flies off to Ireland.

Monday: The boys have karate and we often have quesadillas. Having watched Tom Kerridge on TV the other night we will be making a tex mex chicken one.

Tuesday: Another Tom Kerridge idea of a sausage roll filled with veg too. If this works it will be a great way of getting the boys to eat their vegetables. Fingers crossed.

Wednesday: I am totally addicted to this chilli, avacado and smoked salmon dish. It is quick, easy and tastes fantastic. It was on last weeks meal plan and is going on this weeks again!

Thursday: Sausage and mash

Friday:Sweet and sour chicken and egg fried rice - it is my cheats style fakeaway using chicken nuggets. Little man loves it!

Saturday: I have a curry to make from my Spicery subscription. The boys can have the left overs from the slow cooked chicken korma I made recently.

So that is the plan for this week, with the meals getting gradually easier as I get more tired. What have you got planned?

Slow Cooked Chicken Korma Recipe. Perfect For Batch Cooking

This slow cooked chicken korma is simple to make and great for cooking large quantities so that you have a meal to put in the freezer.

For this recipe I have used skinless and boneless chicken thighs, however, chicken breast would work too. This is a mild curry so perfect for families whose little ones aren't keen on strong flavours.

Slow Cooked Chicken Korma

• 1Kg chicken thighs
• 1 onion diced
• 75g almonds
• 350ml water
• 5 desserts spoons of Korma spice
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 thumb ginger chopped finely
• 150- 300g natural yoghurt depending if you want to freeze any.

1. Put all of the above ingredients except the yogurt into a slow cooker. 
2. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
3. If you want to freeze some of the chicken, separate the chicken mixture in half and allow to cool. Put half of the mixture in a large pan and stir through 150g of yoghurt. Warm through and serve.
4. You can freeze the remainder of the chicken and when you reheat it, stir through some more yoghurt.

What is your favourite slow cooker recipe?