The GIRL shed thanks to babysitting!

For all of you that know me, know that i babysit for lots of families(Cheap rates and good references availble)so i decided that i was going to put the money to good use! so i have i have brought a shed!

This is my shed to entertain in I am going to paint it pink - no not really!
Red is what im going to paint it and with that i will make wood bunting and paint it in pretty colours and it will have interesting things on it !! and for those that come to be entertained by me it will be a great place for us to be at in the summer drinking pimms or lager!!

It arrives on tuesday and i am expecting the erection to take place the same day so that i can paint it - Please god it does not rain...
I will post pictures...

Oddles of noodles

You cant beat a good old stir fry its quick and easy you can add left over meats to it you can use nearly most vegetables,
I love hoisin and chilli but some times i like to just make my stirfry a bit different by adding enough water to turn it in to a broth

This big cosy bowl of veg and noodles is just great like that on a wet and wild day like today and we wanted to do so much in the garden this week end !!!! its getting harder and harder to get out there.

Enjoy x

Lamb Tagine missing post

Oops sorry saved it in draft instead of post !!! Im only human,

I love my Tagine with apricots and sultanas but the later is upto you.

onion and garlic in a brown to brown theh the lamb when the lamb is coloured whip it out and put to one side to the pan add cinnamon - thyme paprika cumin and nut meg all about 1 teaspoon , pinch of salt and pepper.

then add tinned tomatoes and chick peas let that cook for a few minutes then add i tbs of harrisa paste add a little at a time and taste as you go.
i now add very fine sliced mixed colour peppers and the lamb back in add a little stock and then the apricots and sultanas at this point feel free to add a teaspoon of almonds if you want too not nessesary but i like it.

Serve with cous cous lemon and mint flavour and corriander on the top xx

Enjoy xx

Sausage Casserole

you can add and ommit what you like from this but this is my one pan casserole
onion chunky chopped
peppers chunky chopped
courgettes chunky chopped
potatoes chunky chopped
tin of tomatoes chopped
tin of green lentills
tin baked beans
2 sticks cerlery Small choppped
2 carrots chunky chopped
2 turnips chunky chopped
tin butter beans
paprika Salt & Pep and stock Thyme
Sausages & Chorizo
Brown the sausages in your casserole dish and then add everything on top cover and chuck in the oven till all is cooked then take the lid of and let it cook for a further 10 minutes
I serve mine in a bowl ...Enjoy

Lunch time idea for the weekend - take a pitta 1/2 a mozzerella ball - 1 tomatoe - garlic - mishrooms - ham- pineapple and make some pitta pizza the trick is to make them and bake them on a cake cooling rack over a tray in the oven that way that dont go soggy i loce spinach riccotta and peporoni on mine xx

Hope you Valentines was swell.

Well, i have been busy doing bits the 14th was my anniversary 6years ahhhh i hear you all say.
Well i hope you looked at the menu and got some ideas from it Tonight the messy dinner Bibs need
ARE YOU A TWIRLER OR A CUTTER ?
My boy a cutter me a twirler ! i am going to make some little garlic bread rolls to have with it. I make my garlic butter and put it in the fidge and when the rolls have proved first time i cut a knob off and shape the roll round as to keep the butter in when cooking. mmmmmmmm
Anyways Have a great day even if it is wet xx

Two weeks worth of Menu ideas.

Poached salmon & Hollandaise Sauce.
Left over chicken and veg curry with rice.
Spaghetti Bolognaise.
Sausage Casserole.
Lamb Tagine.
Noodles with stir fry veg.
My Nans Bacon and onion suet Roll with cabbage and mash.
Lasagne with Quorn mince.
Jamies 30 Miniute Chicken PIRI Piri.
Pollack in cheese sauce with new pots and veg.
Fishfingers in a bap with lettuce and homemade tartare sauce Sweet potato chips.
Omelette and salad
Friends for dinner Saturday nite THE GREAT BRITISH MENU.
Lazy Sunday Jumbalaya one pot wonder.

Im off now to do a shopping list for what i need - Dont forget to check you stock list so you dont buy things you dont need x

oops Salmon and hollandaise

Should of had this Today Sunday but its been moved to monday! Roast was needed!
So Salmon poached in a little white wine or water and a hollandaise sauce brought from M&S (naughty but quick)lots of veg and some oven roasted mini Potaoes Great for a Valentines/Anniversary Dinner xx 6 years ive been married to my boy xx

Julia & Julie " what a cool film"

Just watched this great film it was great however its now 8am so onwards and upwards...the dogs wont walk them selve's.

Good old fasion sunday today its raining and we are having roast chicken with stuffing, Cauliflower, Runner beans and spring greens and i am going to knock up and old pub favourite for My Boy " Syrup Sponge but in the microwave" and its so simple just make up a mix of 3oz s/r flour - 3oz Caster sugar - 3oz of butter 2 eggs wisk together and in individual microwave pudding pots (like xmas pudd ones) put you syrup at the bottom and put mixture on the top just half why because the double in size and tralar... mini puds try it with jam mixed fruit or puree a pear with some ginger and give that a wizz.

Visited our good friend P.O.H for a cuppa yesterday and he is as excited as me about our sausage making course!!!

Chat soon xx

In the oven Rissotto

I love making my rissotto in the oven, I pan fry all off my ingredients like onions - courgettes - garlic, then add the rice then the stock put it in the oven with a lid on and check it after 30 mins then check it every 10 after that i keep the kettle hot just incase i need to top up the liquid content when i think its nearly ready i add my defrosted prawns (any other meats i would add at the start) when its out i add my parmasan mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

You just can't beat it with a fresh salad or purple sprouting and asparagus with galic olive oil over them...

Tonight i will make home made chips with sweet potato and normal potaoes, Steak served up with Mushrooms and grilled tomatoes a mix leaf salad (rocket - watercress and micro leaves )

Pudding is roasted pineapple with strawberries and natrual yoghurt

Enjoy the weekend, the sun is shining when i finish work im going to look at some cream legbars chickens and a new shed that i am going to paint bright red.

TTFN

Home cornish pasties

My Boy is a real homeboy and just loves comfort food and is really lucky that it doesn't stick to his ribs!!! so i have made him some traditional cornish pasties beef skirt,potato & swede with lots of blackpepper all chopped up to about the same size and popped in raw and baked off. This will see him right for a few days at work.

Have a good day.

Change...

After a long chat with my buddy Emma she explained that looking and reading reciepes is not the problem it the " what do i need " so i have decided that on Sunday i will do a 2 week shopping list and menu plan and then will do a new week list the following sunday, Not being a mum i tend to shop when i need to but talking to Emma packed lunches dont just appear on a monday

Which made me think that i will chuck in a few lunchtime classics for you or the kids lunch box and some "while tea is cooking hunger crunchers "

So I will do the list and you will need to do a stock take of what you have in the cupboards i have a list in the back of my shopping list pad! but i love a list just ask anyone that knows me.

I like the stocktake evening i get a chance to pull everything out the cupboards give them a good clean with hot soapy water - dry them and date check everything. then i add the list to the back of the book with the date as the title and this helps me decide what i need and what the meals should be to use bits up.

I know its another job but this will make life easier and you will be surprised at howmany reciepes you will make again because you brought that Saffron! for a reason at some point.

Till next time

Elaine is over for tea...

Well what a wet and horrible day! Busy day today work till 5 then off to see Gramma Mavis then back home for 7.30pm when E arrives for tea.
Sweet and sour Chicken with rice - I love this dish i love adding extra pineapple crushed up small and cashew nuts whole and toated at the end, just for presentation
My reciepe is
brown the chicken first then take it out and leave it on the side for a bit
onions, vinegar. sort brown sugar. chicken. carrots. peppers. chilli . garlic. pineapple. tinned tomatoes. tomato puree.
soften the onion and garlic add 2 x shots of vinegar and the same in sugar add the peppers carrots and chilli add the pineapple juice and all & then the tomatoes let this all bubble for 5 mins add 1 pint of stock add the chicken back in and let it reduce and thicken - serve with rice and dont forget the cashew and pineapple to garnish

Have a great day x
Try a bit of baking today as it is so wet and horrible xx

Morrello cherry crumble with a twist

This is a basic crumble mix but the twist is that 10 minutes before its due out the oven i like to crumble ammertti bisciuts over the top to give it that great almondy marzipanny taste.

the boy loves this with a dollop of creme frais on the side

Fay ripley ! what a great book its her "Fay's Family Food" i would reccommend it i will be putting it on my Easter egg list ! im a diabetic so instead of chocolate it seems only fair to be able to hunt something...

Delia's Yes i know Delia's "frugal book is great at sainsburys for £3 what a great book fab pictures and smashing ideas ! and the price of a magazine.

The little Tomato seeds have started life... there on the window sill at the moment butt we are colleting loo rolls and mini pots to re plant them in to ready for the spring time.

This year i am going to sell them at my gate along with my eggs and other fayre.

Have a great day guys x

Toad in the whole

I spell it like this because it is all in one
Sausages
Mini stuffin Balls
Onion
Peppers
Beetroot
Mini potatoes
Brown them all off in the oven first starting with the potatoes then the sausages then peppers,onion and beetroot add extra oil and then the batter mix...
I like to make a thick onion gravy with sage and garlic in it and serve it up just like that...
Hope you love it as much as we do x

Quorn and mushroom curry

I made this once before and it was terrible but i have since thought about it and made it a few times and now i seem to have it right.
The secret to quorn i find is its bland !
i fry my chestnut mushrooms that i have quartered with onion and garlic i then add 2 spoonfulls of my favourite Rogan Josh paste add 2 x chopped tinned tomatoes and let it bubble and reduce add the quorn turn it down and let it bubble while i cook the rice. i love to make a really fine chopped salad of lettuce tomato onion and carrot.some natrual yoghurt with a spoonful of mint sauce in it a few popudoms and a naan bread

We love it with a cold beer / orange juice and cranberry juice mix with lots of ice x

Just to let you know today i got DELIA Frugal book its looking good - I will try out some reciepes and update you.
Emma has also promised me a sneak at her Fay Ripley book that she swears by

Can't wait xx

Have a good day x

This weeks menu plan

Monday - Stir Fry
Tuesday - Quorn and mushroom curry
Wednesday - Toad in the whole
Thursday - Sweet & Sour chicken with rice and Elaine
Friday - Courgette and prawn rissotto
Saturday - Steak and chips
Sunday - Salmon with Hollandaise sauce

I have preped up ready, done the shopping for it and check what i need to use up in the frridge and in the cupboard so this is what came out of it.

Robs Chocolate brownies

These brownies are so gooey that its rude have a go.


Dark, Indulgent Chocolate Brownies
Source: “Mary Berry’s Ultimate Cake Book” by Mary Berry

Ingredients:

12 oz of Dark chocolate, broken into pieces
8oz of butter or margarine
1 teaspoon of instant coffee*
1 teaspoon of cocoa powder
2 Tablespoons of hot water
3 extra large eggs
1 cup of super fine/caster sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
3 oz or 6 Tablespoons of self-raising flour
8 oz of Milk chocolate chips good quality

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and line with parchment paper 13 x 9 inch baking tin.

Melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl with the butter or margarine over a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally.( i sometimes cheat and chuck it in the oven to melt while the oven is getting hot) Allow to cool. Dissolve the coffee and the cocoa with 2 Tablespoons of the hot water.

In another bowl, mix together the coffee, cocoa, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and chocolate chips, and then pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
Get rid of all the flour bubbles.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until firm to the touch and a dull crust has formed. Leave to cool in the tin. When the brownies have completely cooled, cut into squares.

*This is a modification. The original recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of coffee. But that sort of put me off cause I didn’t want it to have an overly coffee taste to it so I added the teaspoon of cocoa powder instead. But the one teaspoon of coffee definitely adds to the richness of the flavor.however i have made these for others and they love the coffee I also add walnuts to Robs and have added morello cherries to someone else's.
You can mix the chocolate up to by adding white chips instead ive also added chocolate orage pieces and use orange extract instead of vanilla.

Happy baking xx

Then it hits you...

Went to my Nans and all of a sudden she looks old! There are so many things i want to ask her too... I told her i wanted to write a cook book and some of her reciepes would be great. She was over the moon so we sat and over a cuppa she told me all her old favourites and how to make them. I will share them with you but i have decided also to make a scrap book up and pass it on to my adopted goddaughter...she may not cook from it but she may be able to add to it and pass it on.

It brought back great memories of being on holiday with her and fridays was sausage chips and beans homemade chips and homemade baked beans and really tasty sausages from the butcher and fresh made bread that she would slice and butter with lurpack lol. We where aloud to mop up the bean juice after we had eaten it all and when we finished that it was her special trifle with hundreds and thousands on and a glass of fizzy pop...Nans you just have to love them x

The golden girls

Chinese stir fry in a flash

This is a real quick tea as we are out tonight looking after Godchildren xx love them to bits, anyway so i pick up a bag of ready prep stir fry some noodles and thats it a quick wok off with a touch of Black Bean sauce and we are good to go - Made a Bananna, Cinnamon & Hazlenut cake yesterday so that will be sliced up and eaten with a cuppa after - I am a diabetic with Kidney problems so i have to try and be good! so bananna and cinnamon are great for me and i use canderel style sugar in some cakes
The eggs are coming thick and fast so i am now selling them 6 for a £1 ive also decided that i will sell my jams and marmalades for a £1 a jar too...

I have been given by a great friend the film Julia & Julie to watch so i will settle down with that tommorrow.

Anyway must fly stay well and warm xx

unloved...

If you love cats you will love this

unloved....

So the time has come to de clutter - I have started ebaying again and will put a few random bits on here too if you like at and want to buy it you will have to email me or leave me a message xx

The cockrel has found its voice..

Woke up this morning to the sound of our cock crowing !! I feel like a pround mum of a teenage boy whos voice is breaking,
Wet old day today but we need to get peppers seeded out today in the green house and we have some more topsoil to shift onto our urban allotment.
First job is to make a fruit cake as our mate and mentor Paul (also the account) is coming over he knows so much he is great to have on hand. it was his fault this all started I looked after his 3 dogs and his veg patch ! now look at me i am living the ggod life lol
we have our sheep with him and he will be taking us clay pidgeon shooting soon and then on to better things we hope
Anyway Today for Tea i am making a turkey and leek pie instead of a traditional roast, sometimes a pie is just as good and a little treat with all that tasty shortcrust pastry.. i will be serving mine with mash potatoes sweetheart cabbage,brocolli and runners and a nice thick gravy mmmmmmmmmmmm i cant wait.
 for pudd ive got some fruit left in the freezer from last seasons pick and a soft pear so i will knock up a quick crumble too with vanilla ive cream - Its sounds so much better that the porridge i just had ...

Thai Crab & Prawn Fishcakes with salad

These are great fun making - I bake mine in the oven to give them that golden crisp edge and serve with a mixed salad a like to add lots of raisin nuts and other dried fruits to my salad and fresh corriander.

One pot wonder

Tonight can only be a chuck in the oven tea - I have the gym & swimming with my boy and an early night with Belle/Hannah !! so its a case of lots of veggies some stock tinned chopped tomatoe, mini pasta or spaghetti broken into small pieces, some bacon thats left in the fridge and a handfull of quorn pieces all into a casserole dish and in to the oven to cook while we are out when it comes out i give it a quick blender stick zap a bit of seasoning and a sprinkle of or parmasian cheese serve with bread - its great and i with whats left over i will whizz it up and add a little extra stock and make it in to a soup for work.

Flapjack making tomorrow for Mr Lully's lunchbox

Enjoy your day

P.S 1 Egg today... But the up side is the Micro cress are looking awesome x

Roasted Chicken Thighs with cous cous stuffed roasted peppers

Can't wait for tea tonight, this is one of our favourites - I quickly roast of the chicken thighs, make the cous cous and add some extra veg if you like stuff it in the peppers and chuck in the oven to roast I serve this with a dressed salad - easy peasey lemon squeezy. and a  little something naughty a mini bakewell tart and ice cream Jamies reciepe xx

Have a good day

Cottage pie

This reciepe is so easy
I fry off my onion's, mushrooms and mince,  I then grate a courgette and a carrot into it add some harricot beans tin of toms oxo cube and water and turn down low so it all bubbles and reduces slightly. I then add a splash of worcecter sauce a squueze of brown sauce and a spoonfull of tomato puree. i like to tom mine with Mash potatoes or some times mashed root veg and potato mix.  I serve this up with a big jug of gravy and peas and runner beans
We love it - hope you do

6 eggs from the chickens again !
onions are coming up and the garlic we plnted in December is looking perky
The micro cress is on the up and our mung beans are looking like beansprouts cant wait for the first stir fry !

My turn to do lunches for  Emma and me this month so i knocked up a little veggie soup last night and a fruit salad for today
Have a great day xx

Bangers, Bubble & Beans

Wet and cold days like today need comfort food ! Tonight we have got little bubble & squeak cakes with sausages made from our pigs and baked beans with added worcester sauce for a lille kick. The perfect way to use up the veg from a sunday.
Tonight for a little treat i am gonna do a fruit platter with some dipping chocolate and marshmallows.

( the patties are really easy to make - mash up you veg and potaoes from sunday and add an egg a little mustard and then mix well - make into fishcake shape and size and shallow fry or bake in the oven till golden brown)
 for the kids i use the beans as hair 2 patties as eyes and the bangers as lips

Enjoy xxx