Our weekly meal plan! 21st - 27th September! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend! We had a great one. I was out on Saturday night with friends. We went for a meal and then went to a country night at the pub where they had a singer on. It was a lot of fun! Yesterday we all had a lazy day. I spent most of it in front of the TV while doing some blogging, which is pretty much my idea of a perfect Sunday these days!

Last week's meal plan went well. I did swap a couple of meals around but we ate everything. Our favourite meal was of course the leftover roast dinner pie! I put all the leftovers from the Sunday dinner into a pie dish and pastry on top and it was so good! I love using leftovers to make a different meal. I really enjoyed using the Gousto boxes last week, so we have another one this week with some of our favourite meals!

This week is going to be a strange one with Ellie working! Eek! Everything is up in the air at the moment as she doesn't get her shift pattern until later today. I can see myself being on edge all day, until she is home and I can hear about how her first day went. It feels like such a big thing when your children start a new job, even when they are grown up. I am going to keep myself busy and have a big tidy up in the garden. There is always something that needs doing out there and I have been putting quite a few jobs off. Stu is talking about having a tidy in the garage but he can do that himself. I do not like all the creepy crawlies in there! I am quite happy to leave that job to him.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - No idea!

Stu is doing the cooking tonight, so it will be a surprise. I don't think he knows what he's planning to cook either but I think it will be something out of the freezer. I quite like nights like this because I don't have to decide anything. I can just turn up and eat!

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Mushroom Wellington With Onion Gravy And Mash!

This is one of our favourite meals from Gousto which is surprising considering my family are meat lovers. I think the first time we ate this I didn't tell them there was no meat in it. Hehehe This is a plant-based Wellington and you almost forget that it's supposed to have meat in it. Puff pastry is stuffed with mushrooms, sage and walnuts and served with mashed potato and covered in delicious onion gravy. It is one of those meals that sounds a little fancy but is actually really easy to make!

Wednesday - Gousto meal - Crispy Chicken Katsu Curry Burritos!

This is a fun twist on chicken katsu. Crispy breaded chicken and shredded lettuce wrapped in tortillas and topped with the most amazing sauce. Wrapping it all up makes it feel fun and it is a nice change from having katsu curry served in the usual way.

Thursday - Gousto meal - Sausage Meatball & Tomato Sauce With Fresh Orecchiette!

This is another one of our favourites from Gousto. My family would eat this every week given the chance. This one is sausage meatballs cooked in a tomato sauce, served with fresh orecchiette. Those little bits of pasta are brilliant at holding onto sauce. Every time I tell the girls we're having this, they look puzzled until I say the pasta, which is like the Skips crisps. lol

Friday - Chip shop tea!

We are back to having a chip shop tea this week and I am looking forward to it. No cooking and no fuss. The biggest drama is deciding what we fancy. Fish and chips? Sausage and chips? A burger? Kebab? Maybe a pie? There are so many options. Last week Stu and I had fish and chips and Ellie had her usual Doner kebab wrap.

Saturday - Pizza!

I don't know if it will be home made, fresh from the shop or frozen but I know it will be enjoyed.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plans for Sunday at all. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards. There is always something that needs using up.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 14th - 20th September! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We had a nice quiet one, which was just what we needed after all the birthday celebrations we've had lately. In the space of three and a half weeks, we have Stu's birthday, Ellie's birthday and Becky's birthday. I love birthdays, and I love having reasons to celebrate, but it is a lot when they all come along one after the other. There is always something to organise, presents to think about, cards to buy and, of course, food to eat! I wouldn't change it though. Now we have a few months' break until it is my birthday.

Last week's meal plan went well. I did swap a couple of meals around but we ate just about everything. Our favourite meal was of course the roast chicken dinner yesterday. I even enjoyed cooking it. It's nice to eat out on a Sunday but even nicer to eat it at home, it is just a lot of effort! There are leftovers, of course and I am planning on using them up today.

We are back using Gousto boxes again this week. If you haven't heard of Gousto before, it is one of those recipe box services where you pick a few meals from their menu and they send you the ingredients you need to make them at home. I decided to order another box after I received an email offering me 40% off the next two boxes I bought, followed by 20% off a few more. I do like a discount. I got a little carried away with ordering the meals and when I was choosing the recipes, I ordered the Creamy Chicken, Leek & Carrot Pie without realising that we were already having pie today! I am going to cook the filling and freeze it. Then I can use it another time when we fancy a pie.

I have quite a bit on this week, a mixture of things I need to do and things I actually want to do. I am helping my dad out with some paperwork but it will be time spent with my dad and he will feed me lunch, so that's a bonus. I am also planning on having a mooch around the shops to look at all the autumn things. I don't need anything but that has never stopped me having a look! I also have a few life admin jobs to get done. Nothing exciting but I am hoping to tick a few things off this week so I can feel a little more organised. It seems like a good mix of fun and boring things. Becky is also back at work after almost two weeks off, so that is going to be a shock to her system. Ellie is still plodding on with the job hunting. Ugh!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Leftover roast dinner pie!

We are starting the week with one of my favourite make it up as you go along meals. We had a roast chicken dinner yesterday, so I am planning on using whatever is left to make a pie. I'll mix the leftover meat, pigs in blankets, stuffing and veg with some gravy, pop it into a pie dish and cover it with ready-made pastry. Then it just needs to go into the oven. I am sure there will be leftover mashed potato to eat it with too.

Tuesday - Gousto meal - Baked Chicken Thigh & Almond Curry With Rice And Naan!

We have had this before and it is delicious. The curry is made with chicken thighs in an almond and garam masala sauce. Finished with creamy yoghurt and served with rice and warm mini naan bread. I do like trying different curry recipes at home and this is a good one. We have a few favourites that we go back to that my whole family enjoy.

Wednesday - Gousto meal - One Pan Alpine-Style Sausage & Waxy Potato Hash!

This is a one-pan meal and less washing up is always a good thing. The sausages and onions get cooked together with crushed potatoes until everything is golden and crispy around the edges. Then it all gets coated in butter and herbs with a bit of thyme and topped with melted cheese. This is one of the only Gousto meals that Stu has ever cooked. It took him about an hour and a half and he decided there and then he hated making Gousto recipes. I made the same meal a little while later and it took about half an hour at the most and Stu just couldn't understand how. I told him it's because I am a better cook than him. Hehehe

Thursday - Gousto meal - One Tray Fishcake With Peri Peri Wedges & Sweet Chilli Slaw!

This meal seems a bit different from what we usually get from Gousto. Usually I would have to make the fish cakes but these are all ready just to pop in the oven. I'm not complaining, usually by Thursday I am losing the will to cook.

Friday - Chip shop tea!

We are back to having a chip shop tea this week and I am looking forward to it. No cooking and no fuss. The biggest drama is deciding what we fancy. Fish and chips? Sausage and chips? A burger? Kebab? Maybe a pie? There are so many options.

Saturday - Burgers in buns!

We will be having burgers in buns with the usual toppings, such as cheese, onions, lettuce and whatever sauces everyone fancies. We can all put our own burgers together, which is handy because not everyone likes the same things. I think I will make some onion rings and corn on the cob to go with them.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plans for Sunday at all. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards. There is always something that needs using up.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 7th - 13th September! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We had a quiet one with some family time, F1 and football. It felt like a proper good weekend!

Last week's meal plan went well. Stu ended up cooking sausages, mashed potato and baked beans on Monday, which we all enjoyed and we ate almost everything else I had planned. I was out on Thursday, had a bigger lunch than usual, so we ended up just having corned beef pasties and sausage rolls from Greggs for tea! Yum! We made homemade pizzas on Friday and there were leftovers for lunch on Saturday too so that was a bonus!

I have a few things on this week which will keep me busy and it is Becky's birthday too! How is it even possible that I almost have a 24 year old? She has plans to celebrate with friends and is honouring us with her presence for a family meal out. I am very excited about it as I already know what I am planning to order!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Corned beef hash!

We're starting the week with a proper family favourite! I haven't made this for a little while, so I thought it was time to put it back on the meal plan. It's one of those meals that is simple, filling and doesn't need loads of ingredients, which makes it perfect for a Monday. I'll probably make enough so that there is a chance of leftovers too, some to pop in the freezer and some to have for lunch tomorrow.

Tuesday - Chicken and bacon pasta bake!

Chicken, bacon, pasta and a creamy sauce all baked together with plenty of cheese on top. What's not to like? This one should be nice and filling and it's a good meal for when I might not have loads of time to spend in the kitchen.

Wednesday - Slow cooker beef stew!

We're getting properly into the autumn meals and I love using the slow cooker. I don't use a recipe for this one, I just whack everything in the slow cooker and let it do its thing. Beef, potatoes, carrots and onions all cooked in gravy, with some crusty bread on the side for mopping up all that gravy.

Thursday - A meal out!

For the birthday girl! We are going to one of our favourite places to eat, which reminds me that I need to book a table.

Friday - A help yourself evening!

Everyone can have a look through the fridge, freezer and cupboards and choose whatever they fancy to eat!

Saturday - Chicken fajitas!

This is a meal where everyone can get involved and make their own exactly how they like them. We'll have chicken, peppers and onions with the wraps and all the usual extras. I'm sure there will be plenty of cheese, sour cream and salsa involved too.

Sunday - A roast chicken dinner!

It seems ages since I made a proper roast dinner, so it's time to have one. Roast chicken, roast potatoes and parsnips, stuffing, carrots, broccoli, peas, gravy and of course, Yorkshire puddings!

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 31st August - 6th September! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. We had a great one celebrating Ellie's birthday and we have it all to do again in a week and a half when it's Becky's birthday! I will of course write all about it when I find time. Things have seemed so busy here over the last few weeks but I don't know why I'm acting all surprised. It's always like this in August. Can you believe tomorrow is the 1st of September? I do love the "ber" months.

Last week's meal plan went OK with me not getting a grocery delivery. We ate lots out of the freezer and there were many complaints and asks of can we just get a takeaway! We didn't until Friday evening and that was only because Ellie was out and she isn't a fan of Indian food, so Stu, Becky and I made the most of it. I did realise by Monday we were running out of a lot of random things, which was annoying, so I was very excited about getting the food shop delivered over the weekend.

We don't have much on this week. It is a bank holiday here today so we have even less going on than usual. Stu is back to work tomorrow after a week off, Becky has this week off work and Ellie has another job interview! She's averaging one a week at the moment but is getting nowhere. I feel disheartened for her but she is just plodding on applying and taking the no, thanks like a champ. I suppose she's doing better than a lot of people who are applying for jobs at the moment, at least she's getting the interviews.

I asked my family for help and ideas with the meal planning this week and they said they want to get the Gousto boxes again but I said why? We have folders full of the recipes, so they went through them and picked a few out.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - No idea!

Stu is doing the cooking tonight, so it will be a surprise. I don't think he knows what he's planning to cook either but I think it will be something out of the freezer.

Tuesday - Sesame Pork & Egg Fried Rice!

Ellie asked for this one and it took some finding as there are lots of pork and rice dishes from Gousto. lol Sesame pork and egg fried rice is made with savoury pork mince, fluffy rice, soy sauce and a hint of sesame oil with peas and carrots added and finished with scrambled egg!

Wednesday - Carrot & coriander soup with mango chutney pastry twists!

I know soup isn't usually a summer meal but this one is light and fresh. I will make plenty so we can have some for lunch the next day too. The mango chutney pastry twists are great as a side, they're just puff pastry with mango chutney spread on. I always make a few extra and have them for lunch on the day I make the soup.

Thursday - One Tray Sticky Hoisin Sausage Traybake!

This one is a good one! Sausages, potatoes and peppers are all coated in a sticky Hoisin glaze and cooked in a tray in the oven. They are one of my favourite type of meals because you can just shove everything in the oven and let it do its thing without too much washing up.

Friday - Pizza!

Homemade or just frozen ones out of the freezer, I am not too sure yet.

Saturday - Saturday - Red onion and bacon tart with baby potatoes!

This one is inspired by a Gousto recipe for Bacon and Leek Tart that we had years ago and it’s stuck with us ever since. I decided to make our own and Red onion and bacon tart became a thing. Ready-made puff pastry, a layer of soft cheese, topped with red onions and smoky bacon. I will make a little extra so I will have some for lunch the next day because it’s just as nice cold.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plan for today and everyone can just help themselves to whatever they fancy.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 24th - 30th August! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a really good one and it was a proper family weekend with us all being home together. I can't remember the last time that happened with the girls being out with friends or working, so it was really nice to have everyone home at the same time. We enjoyed some good food, watched TV: The Voice UK, the Grand Prix and football, had plenty of chats and just enjoyed each other's company.

Last week's meal plan went really well. We ate everything I had planned, although not necessarily on the day that I had originally planned it for. It worked out pretty well because we ended up eating the hearty comfort food like the cottage pie and sausage casserole on the days when it was raining. Yes, we've actually had some rainy days! Not rain all day, every day but enough to give the garden a good watering and make us want something warm and filling for tea.

Over the weekend, I didn't bother doing our usual grocery shop. Stu is off work all of this week and he has said he will help out with the cooking too. So, rather than going out and buying loads more food, we're going to make a proper effort to use what we already have in the freezer and there is plenty in there! I had a bit of a look through and found things that I had completely forgotten about. We've got cauliflower cheese, chicken nuggets, sweet potato fries, diced onions, mixed vegetables, fish fingers, frozen chips, mushrooms, chicken breasts, garlic bread, minced beef, battered fish fillets, roast potatoes, mini corn on the cob, potato waffles, chicken pies, sliced peppers, beef burgers, sausages, garden peas and tubs of leftovers and probably more if I dig deeper. This seems like a great opportunity to clear some space in the freezer while also saving ourselves a bit of money.

This week is going to look a bit different as we've got quite a lot going on. Ellie has another job interview and is still waiting to hear back from a couple that she went to last week, which is exciting. Stu and I need to go into town to buy some birthday bits for Ellie's birthday and of course we have a meal out planned. I need to help my dad with a few things on the computer and there are a few jobs around the house that need doing too. So, instead of planning meals for each day, I just have a list of meals that we can have depending on what we are doing that day. If we're out and about, we'll have something quick and easy. If we're home and have more time, we can cook something that takes a little longer.

On the menu this week we have:

A meal out for Ellie's birthday!

Of course, we have to eat out and celebrate the birthday girl! I won't have to worry about cooking, washing up or deciding what everyone is going to eat. I can just sit down, we can all order what we fancy and enjoy some family time, maybe with a glass of wine or two.

Fish, chips and mushy peas.

This one is completely from the freezer, which makes it an easy tea! We've got battered fish fillets, frozen chips and of course, we'll have mushy peas with them. It's one of those meals that doesn't need much planning at all.

A day of the tubs of leftovers.

This is probably my favourite meal of the week. We have a few tubs of leftovers in the freezer so we're going to have a bit of a lucky dip and see what we fancy. I think there is chicken curry, sausage casserole, pea and ham soup and maybe some Bolognese.

Beef burgers with potato waffles, baked beans and fried eggs.

This is a bit of a random meal but I think it will go down well! We've got beef burgers and potato waffles in the freezer, plus baked beans in the cupboard and eggs.

Chicken breast, cauliflower cheese, sweet potato fries and mixed vegetables.

This is going to be our little roast dinner of sorts. It should make a nice filling meal without actually having to make a full roast dinner.

Sausage, onion & pepper tray bake.

This is one of those meals where I'm going to make it up as I go along. We've got sausages, diced onions and sliced peppers in the freezer, so I'll throw them all together and see what happens. I will add some potatoes of some sort too.

Chicken pies with mash and peas.

There is something very satisfying about a chicken pie with mashed potato and peas. It's simple, filling and definitely one we all enjoy!

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 17th - 23rd August! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a good one and we had a lovely time celebrating Stu's birthday. We went out for a meal on Saturday and had a lazy day at home yesterday. That was what he wanted for his birthday, so that's exactly what he got! We have a little break from birthdays now and then it's Ellie's in less than two weeks. I don't know where this year is going.

Last week's meal plan went really well. We ate everything on the day I had planned until we got to the weekend and swapped things around a bit. It all worked out well though. I feel all off with what day it is, as Becky and Stu both took the weekend off work, so every day has felt like a Sunday. I am writing this yesterday afternoon and it looks like it might rain, it probably won't but it's chilly compared to what it has been and we can hope!

Today is going to be a busy, productive day. Ellie has a job interview, I have paperwork to sort out, I have no idea what Becky is doing but I don't think she is home and Stu is going to do some more work on decorating the bathroom. Today also marks 17 years since my eldest had open-heart surgery to fix a hole in her heart and tomorrow is 17 years for my youngest! Those days were some of the hardest days of my life. I never thought we were going to get through the day, the week or even the month at the time. There were so many worries and so many things going through my head but here we are 17 years later and they are both fit and healthy.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Cottage pie and baked beans!

We eat cottage pie in this house, not Shepherd's pie because my family have decided that they don't want to eat lamb again. It makes no difference to me because beef mince is cheaper than lamb anyway. Cottage pie is one of those meals that everyone seems to enjoy and it's also a great one for a Monday because it's filling and doesn't take too much effort to make.

Tuesday - BBQ pulled pork in buns with potato salad.

We only had this last month but it has been requested again. I use the simplest recipe and it will be cooked slowly throughout the day in the slow cooker. We will have it in buns and a side of potato salad.

Wednesday - Sausage casserole and mashed potato!

This is a proper family favourite, especially with the girls. I keep it simple and use a packet mix, then add sausages, onions and mushrooms and let it all cook away in the oven until everything has thickened up. I’ll be making extra of this one because it freezes really well and it's great to have something as a backup in the freezer.

Thursday - Vegetable pasta bake!

This is my attempt at getting a meat-free meal onto the table without anyone complaining too much. My family hate the idea of vegetarian meals but I like to try and sneak one in now and again. They love pasta, so they probably won't even notice it has no meat. Lol.

Friday - Pizza!

Homemade or just frozen ones out of the freezer, I am not too sure yet.

Saturday - Burgers in buns!

We'll have burgers in buns with fries and onion rings. I'll put out the usual toppings and everyone can make their own. It's one of those easy meals where everyone can have exactly what they want.

Sunday - Undecided!

Sunday is still undecided! I have no idea what we are having yet. I might see what's left in the fridge and freezer and make something around that or we might have a roast if I fancy doing one. I will decide later on in the week.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 10th - 16th August! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a good one. Nothing exciting happened apart from me thinking the shower was broken with water coming out of the bottom but it turns out the shower head was blocked with limescale. The girls were doing their own thing with friends, so it was quite at home. I am getting used to having two adult daughters who have their own lives, plans and people to see. I spent most of Saturday catching up on the housework that I didn't do during the week. Being full of cold and feeling sorry for myself, cleaning wasn't a priority. Saturday was a catch-up day with tidying, cleaning and doing the washing. Sunday was much more relaxed. I started watching the Lindsay Clancy trial on YouTube after seeing so much about it on TikTok. I had seen lots of people talking about the husband and things that apparently weren't adding up so I decided I wanted to watch the trial for myself rather than just relying on short clips popping up on my TikTok feed. It is interesting but also such a sad, sad case.

Last week's meal plan went really well. We ate just about everything that was on the plan, which I am taking as a win because I had no interest in cooking for most of the week. Stu did the cooking on Monday, which was a massive help as I just couldn't be bothered and for the rest of the week we just muddled through.

This week is going to be a little busy, we have a few things going on. Stu has a couple of days off work, Ellie has a couple of appointments and at the end of the week, it is Stu's birthday! I love this time of year, it's Stu's and the girls birthdays over the space of three and a half weeks. It's busy but a lot of fun!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - A fry up!

We're starting the week with a proper fry-up. On the plate will be sausages, bacon, mushrooms, black pudding, hash browns, baked beans, tomatoes and toast! It is one of those meals that works at pretty much any time of the day. We could have it for breakfast, lunch or tea and nobody would complain.

Tuesday - Meat-Free sloppy joes with potato salad!

Tuesday is one of our favourite meals and it is something we originally used to get from Gousto. Meat-free sloppy joes with potato salad. I remember the first time we had the meat-free mince. I was very curious about it because I'd never really used it before. I am pretty sure I didn't even tell my family it was meat-free until after they had eaten it. I thought I would see whether they noticed and they didn't! lol The sloppy joes are really tasty and messy, which is all part of the fun.

Wednesday - A help yourself evening!

Wednesday is going to be one of those nights where I have no plans. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards. We always seem to have random bits of food hanging around. Half a packet of something, a few potatoes, some cheese, leftover meat, something in the freezer that I bought ages ago and forgot about. This is the night to use things up.

Thursday - Ham, eggs and home made chips!

I have a couple of joints of gammon in the freezer so they are coming out for Thursday and Friday. I'll boil the gammon and we'll have it with fried eggs and homemade chips. It's such a simple meal but it is so good and homemade chips are always worth the effort!

Friday - Ham salad!

We'll be using the leftover ham with a salad. Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, beetroot, sweetcorn and some new potatoes. I'll probably end up adding anything else I find in the fridge too.

Saturday - Pizza of some sort!

I haven't decided exactly what we're having yet. It might be homemade pizza or it might be fresh ready-made ones from the supermarket. It will depend on how much time I have and what everyone fancies.

Sunday - Stu's birthday!

We sort of have plans, but nothing is definite yet. We have talked about a few things we could do but we'll see what happens. Whatever we end up doing, I know it will involve something nice to eat!

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 3rd - 9th August! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a nice quiet one and it was just what I needed after coming down with the cold that Stu had last week. I thought I had escaped it Ugh! It's not even a proper cold, it's just there. I have been a little bit snotty, coughing a little and I feel like I am walking through mud. I don't feel really poorly but I also don't feel anywhere near 100% well. Luckily, I had plenty of Wrestling to watch on TV this weekend with a big event taking place over two nights. It was perfect timing because I could sit down with a blanket, a drink and just enjoy.

Last week's meal plan went really well, we ate everything and mostly on the day I had planned too. The Cheeseburger pasta bake went down really well and it was nice not cooking on Saturday night with the Chinese takeaway.

I have no plans at all for this week. At the moment I am planning on taking it easy while I get over this cold. Ugh! Hopefully it disappears quickly because I have things I want to do but I am not going to push myself too much.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Chicken casserole, dumplings and mashed potato!

Today is supposed to be a colder day. Not cold but cooler than what we've had lately and it might actually be forecast rain this afternoon. I can't remember the last time it rained, it was easily over a month ago. The garden really needs it, especially the grass! A chicken casserole feels like the perfect meal for today. Cosy and hearty!

Tuesday - Vegetable fingers and BBQ pasta!

Once upon a time, vegetable fingers were one of the only ways I could get vegetables into my girls. I think it was because they looked like fish fingers. lol Sometimes I had to be a little bit sneaky! If something was shaped like something they liked, of course they were going to eat it. We are having veggie fingers with pasta and the easiest sauce ever. It is simply mayonnaise with a squirt of BBQ sauce mixed in.

Wednesday - Sausage, chips and beans!

You really can't go wrong with sausage, chips and beans. It is one of those meals that everyone loves and enjoys!

Thursday - Jacket potatoes!

Another easy meal! I think I am going to have tuna mayonnaise and sweetcorn, which is one of my favourite toppings for jacket spuds and the girls will probably have baked beans and lots of cheese. I love meals like this where everyone can pick and choose what they want as there are never any complaints.

Friday - Chip shop tea!

Friday night and we're back to having a chip shop tea! No cooking and no fuss. The biggest drama is deciding what we fancy. It feels like a treat and it's something I always look forward to.

Saturday - Some sort of stir fry!

Saturday is going to be a bit of a make it up as I go meal. I am thinking some sort of stir-fry because we have a few packets of Udon noodles in the cupboard. I will see what's in the fridge and throw something together.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plans for Sunday at all. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 27th July - 2nd August!! #MealPlanningMonday

How are we heading into August already? I keep saying it but this year is flying over! Before we know it, we'll be buying Halloween sweets and then it'll be Christmas! Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a nice quiet one and just what we needed. Our weekend was mostly spent gardening, watching TV and nothing much else. It was nice though.

Last week's meal plan did not go to plan at all and only started going to plan on Friday. lol All our plans changed at the start of the week and we never really got back on track. All was good though. We didn't eat badly and we ended up having ham salad one night because it was quick and easy, chicken fajitas because everyone fancied them and some leftover Bolognese from the freezer, which was one of those meals that saved the day.

This week we have a few nice plans that I'm looking forward to. Becky is planning on doing a little baking. It all came about because her partner couldn't get their favourite banana bread from the shop, so she said she would bake some. I bought the bananas with the food shop late last week so they will be almost overripe when she comes to use them. Stu also has a day off work this week, which doesn't happen all that often, so we're going to make the most of it and do something as a family. Everyone is free and it has been a while since that happened.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Pork and apple sausages with potato wedges and mushrooms and peas!

We're starting the week with something nice and easy. I really like pork and apple sausages as they just seem a bit more interesting than plain sausages and the apple gives them a lovely little bit of sweetness. I'll pop the potato wedges in the air fryer until they're nice and crispy, the mushrooms fried and we'll have peas on the side too.

Tuesday - Chicken dippers in wraps with salad!

This is one of those meals where everyone can make their own wrap just how they like it. I'll cook the chicken dippers in the air fryer and everyone can fill them with whatever they want. Lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes and whatever salad bits we have in the fridge.

Wednesday - Cheeseburger pasta bake!

We're having something a little different in the middle of the week. We had this cheeseburger pasta bake before, many moons ago and I fancy making it again. It has all the flavours of a cheeseburger but mixed with pasta and loads of cheese on top. I'll probably serve it with some garlic bread because this meal feels like it has to have garlic bread!

Thursday - Quiche and salad!

After Wednesday's pasta bake, we're keeping things nice and simple on Thursday! Quiche is an easy tea and it's perfect at this time of year with plenty of salad. It will be shop-bought quiche, probably cheese and onion or cheese and bacon.

Friday - An all day breakfast!

We'll be having sausages, bacon, mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans and chips. I know some people would prefer to have hash browns but we've always preferred chips as they seem more filling.

Saturday - Chinese takeway!

We haven't had a Chinese takeaway in what seems like ages, so I think we're due one. I usually go for sweet and sour chicken balls with fried rice but I will be pinching bits from everyone else's meals too. That's the best thing about a takeaway in our house, everyone shares.

Sunday - A help yourself evening!

I have no plan for Sunday. Everyone can help themselves to whatever they fancy and use up bits from the fridge, freezer and cupboards.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 20th - 26th July!! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Our weekend was a quiet one but nice. I did a bit of gardening on Saturday, along with the normal housework and yesterday was spent watching sport. The F1 Belgian Grand Prix and of course the World Cup final. I've watched nearly every other match, so had to really.

Last week's meal plan went well. We ate everything I had planned and on the day I had planned too! It felt like I was winning at life. lol All the meals went down really well and were eaten without any complaints. I do like it when that happens.

This week we have a few things going on and Ellie and I are going to go on a little adventure which I will share more at a later date. Oh! and the UK is getting a new Prime Minister today. Andy Burnham is the 7th in the last 10 years, which seems crazy but it happened. Eek! Can we not just get a good one and stick with them for a while?

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Chicken satay salad!

This is something different for us because we've never actually had chicken satay salad before. Obviously, we've had chicken satay and we've of course had salad but we've never thought about putting the two together. It's marinated chicken served with salad and topped with a satay dressing. The recipe also includes pomegranate seeds but I think we'll give those a miss this time. The dressing is the bit I'm most looking forward to though, we love satay sauce here.

Tuesday - Tuna Patties and sweet potato fries.

Tuna is one of those things I always seem to have hiding at the back of the cupboard and it usually gets thrown into a sandwich or mixed into pasta when I need something quick but this recipe caught my eye because it’s a bit different. The patties are made by mixing the tuna with herbs, a little lemon, Dijon mustard, breadcrumbs and egg to help everything stick together. They’re then cooked until they’re golden on the outside. I’m really curious to see what everyone thinks of this one because it’s not something I would usually make.

Wednesday - A help yourself evening.

This is one of those easy tea nights where everyone can help themselves to whatever's in the fridge. There should be plenty of leftovers to choose from, so nothing will go to waste. Ellie and I are out for the day and I already know that by the time we get home I won't be in the mood to start cooking.

Thursday - Ham pasta bake!

I found this recipe on the NHS website when I was looking for recipes to use up leftover ham and even though it's aimed towards little ones, I thought it looked like something my whole family would enjoy. We love a pasta bake here. It’s got all the good stuff in it too: pasta, ham, mushrooms, onions, garlic and peas all mixed together in a tomato sauce. I like that it’s got a few vegetables hidden in it because sometimes it’s much easier to get everyone to eat them when they’re mixed into something tasty rather than sitting on the side of the plate looking lonely!

Friday - A Chippy tea!

Friday night and we're back to having a chip shop tea! No cooking, no fuss and the biggest drama is deciding what we fancy. Last week I had the best fish and chips and I am quite fancying it again.

Saturday - Home made pizza!

We do love homemade pizza. I will buy the bases ready-made and we can add our own toppings. I will be having BBQ sauce, smoky sausage, onions, mushroom and a little sprinkling of cheese on mine!

Sunday - Beef chuck stew with thyme dumplings, mashed potato and veg!

This is exactly the sort of meal I want at the end of a busy week. A proper comforting Sunday dinner. This is made with slow-cooked beef and carrots in a rich tomato sauce, with herby thyme dumplings on the top. I will serve it with mashed potato and vegetables on the side. It will all be cooked in the slow cooker!

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 13th - 19th July!! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Ours was a good one with lots of family time, we watched football, spent time together and that was pretty much it, apart from watching some movies and the usual boring chores which appear every weekend! Hmmf.

Last week's meal plan went pretty well. We managed to stick to most of the meals but by Wednesday it was just too hot to stand in the kitchen and cook. We ended up having leftovers and random things out of the fridge, which worked out quite well. I always think leftovers are a great way of using things up and saving a bit of money too. I've looked at the weather forecast and this week is set to be a little cooler. Phew! All winter I wished for warmer weather and now it's here I want colder weather. lol

This week I don't have anything planned for myself, which is quite nice. The rest of the family have lots going on but I will be doing my usual job of keeping everyone organised, making sure people are where they need to be and reminding them about things they have forgotten. On the meal plan, there are a couple of requests from the girls this week which makes my life easier. It's so hard coming up with what to feed everyone, every evening! The slow cooker will be getting plenty of use too, partly because it makes life easier and partly because it helps keep the kitchen cooler.

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - BBQ pulled pork in buns with potato salad.

It has been ages since we had pulled pork and Ellie requested this meal. It is one of those meals that feels like a treat but is actually really easy to make. I have found the simplest recipe and it will be cooked slowly throughout the day in the slow cooker. We will have it in buns with BBQ sauce and a side of potato salad.

Tuesday - Sausage pasta!

Tomato, onion and garlic pasta sauce with sausage chunks for a bit of substance. I might add some peppers and we will of course have it with a side of garlic bread!

Wednesday - Chicken curry, rice and naan bread!

This is Becky's choice and she has asked for chicken curry. She loves a korma, so that is what we will be having. Nothing too spicy, just a nice creamy curry with rice and naan bread on the side. I will be making it the lazy way in the slow cooker and using jars of sauce.

Thursday - Carrot & coriander soup with mango chutney pastry twists!

I know soup isn't usually a summer meal but this carrot and coriander soup is light, fresh and doesn't feel like a heavy winter soup at all. I will make plenty so we can have some for lunch the next day too. The mango chutney pastry twists are great as a side, they're just puff pastry with mango chutney spread on. I always make a few extra and have them for lunch on the day I make the soup.

Friday - Chippy tea!

Friday night and we're back to having a chip shop tea! No cooking, no fuss and the biggest drama is deciding what we fancy.

Saturday - Burgers in buns with fries!

Simple beef burgers on brioche buns with fries and probably some salad. Burgers always feel like a Saturday meal in our house. They are easy to make, everyone can add their own toppings.

Sunday - Toad in the hole, mashed potato and veg!

I am cheating and have bought ready-made toad in the holes which just need popping in the oven. Thanks Aunt Bessie! hehehe We will have it with a creamy mash and probably peas and carrots with lots of gravy over the top!

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 6th - 12th July!! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend. Ours was a busy one, well compared to most of our weekends. We went to a country show. We wandered around looking at all the animals, stalls, displays and of course, there was all the yummy food! I'll be writing all about it soon because I took loads of photos and there was so much going on that it deserves its own blog post. We spent Sunday watching sport. I am writing this yesterday afternoon and hopefully, by the time you're reading this, England will have made it through to the next round of the World Cup. Eek!

Last week's meal plan did not go to plan. We swapped quite a few meals around and didn't eat them on the day I had planned but I suppose they were at least eaten. The only meals we didn't have were a freezer dive on Wednesday as we ate out at the bike meet-up that we went to and the Sunday roast dinner. I just couldn't be bothered after being out all day on Saturday. We ended up having ham and pickle sandwiches, which are pretty basic and boring but it was ham I cooked myself, so there was some effort involved. lol

This week should be much more of a normal one. Becky and Stu are both back at work, so the house will be a little quieter during the day. Ellie has a couple of appointments to go to but apart from that, we don't really have anything big planned. I like weeks like this that give me a chance to catch up with jobs around the house, spend some time in the garden and get on with writing blog posts. It's supposed to warm up again later this week, not as hot as it was a few weeks ago but hotter than last week. I'm not complaining. I do love the sunshine and want to make the most of it. Our meal plan feels so simple this week, with very little cooking. Lessons were learned by me during the last couple of hot spells. I am a happier person when I don't have to spend much time in the hot kitchen!

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Ham salad!

When it's warm outside, there's nothing better than a big salad! We'll be having slices of ham with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, beetroot, sweetcorn and some new potatoes. I'll probably end up adding anything else I find in the fridge too.

Tuesday - Hot dogs!

Hot Dog Hot Dog Hot Diggidy Dog! Thanks to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, I don't think I'll ever be able to hear the words without that tune popping into my head. My girls watched it when they were little and hot dogs make me think of it! Tuesday's tea is hot dogs in buns with fried onions, mustard and plenty of ketchup.

Wednesday - Omelettes!

We're having omelettes to use up whatever is in the fridge. If we've got some leftover ham, that'll definitely be going in. Cheese is a must and then whatever vegetables need using up. We never make plain omelettes in this house, we pile them full of fillings until they feel like a proper meal!

Thursday - Chicken dippers with curly fries and baked beans!

Sometimes you just fancy a meal that reminds you of being a kid and this is one of those meals. Curly fries always seem more exciting than ordinary chips, I don't know why. lol

Friday - Fish finger wraps!

Crispy fish fingers with lettuce and tartare sauce wrapped in a tortilla! They're easy to make and perfect for a Friday evening when nobody can be bothered.

Saturday - A Ploughman's plate!

I keep seeing this on a local pub's Facebook page and it looks like such a great idea! A grown up picky tea! Cheese, ham, pork pie, pickled onions, crusty bread, pickle, salad, grapes and crisps. No cooking needed at all!

Sunday - Something with mashed potato!

All I know for certain is that we're having mashed potatoes. For some reason, Sundays and mash just belong together in my mind. I don't know what it'll be served with yet. It might be sausages and gravy, chicken, pork chops or something else.

What are you eating this week?

Our weekly meal plan! 29th June - 5th July!! #MealPlanningMonday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a good weekend. Ours was a quiet one, mainly sat in front of the TV watching sport. There was of course more of the World Cup and the Austrian Grand Prix.

Last week's meal plan went well, mostly. We ate some of the meals, a couple were swapped around and a couple scrapped. We had jacket potatoes with baked beans and salad, which wasn't on the meal plan but it was too hot to spend too long in the kitchen. I love my kitchen but at the same time I hate it. It is always the coldest room in the winter and hottest in the summer!

We have quite a few plans over the next few days which I'm really looking forward to. I won't say too much just yet because I'll be blogging about everything once it's happened. As well as the fun things, there are a few jobs around the house that need doing. One of those is defrosting the freezer. It's one of those things that I keep putting off because it's a bit of a faff but it needs doing. The good thing is that it gives me the chance to use up lots of what's already in there

On the menu this week we have:

Monday - Chicken pie and mashed potato!

I made extra mashed potato yesterday, so tonight's tea should be nice and easy. I only have to cook the chicken pies, heat up the mash and warm the peas. The pies are chicken and gravy ones, so if it has cooled down like the weather forecast says, it should be an enjoyable meal.

Tuesday - Mango, coconut & lime chicken fillets with sweet potato fries.

I have these chicken fillets sitting in the freezer waiting to be used. I spotted them reduced in Tesco a couple of weeks ago and couldn't resist. I think I paid around £2 a pack instead of £5 each, or two for £8. I always love finding yellow sticker bargains. I also have four bags of sweet potato fries in the freezer which will go well with the chicken.

Wednesday - Freezer surprise!

Wednesday is the only day without a proper plan because once I start emptying the freezer I'll no doubt come across something that needs using up which I have completely forgotten about.

Thursday - Sausage fried rice!

This sounds like a good recipe to use up some of the sausages in the freezer. I will loosely follow the recipe. I don't have any oyster sauce, so that will be left out and I'll be using a normal brown onion instead of spring onions because that's what I already have. Over the years, I've learned that recipes don't have to be followed to the letter. If you can swap ingredients for things you've already got, it saves money and usually tastes just as good.

Friday - Fish and chips!

Homemade, not from the chip shop! I already have battered fish in the freezer and frozen chips so it will be a nice easy meal to make. I must remember to buy some mushy peas to go with it as we have none in the cupboard.

Saturday - A help yourself evening!

We have a busy day, so everyone can help themselves to whatever they want. I know I won't feel like cooking so for me, it will be something quick which doesn't need much time spent in the kitchen!

Sunday - A roast dinner of some sort!

It has been ages since we have had a roast dinner at home and I feel in the mood for one. It will either be chicken or gammon with roast and mashed potatoes, roast parsnips, carrots, peas, stuffing and of course Yorkshire puddings.

What are you eating this week?