Corned Beef hash & Baked beans!

I love this time of year....I love hearty filling meals which warm you through....Especially the one's which take hardly any cooking at all!

This has to be one of our favourites at the moment....The kids ask for it at least twice a week....lol It is so simple to make!!

Corned Beef hash & Baked beans! I found the recipe here and modified it....To which I added some mushrooms and onions...I think it shout actually be called 'Not a shepherds pie' as the kids thought it was but it so obviously isn't....lol

Before I do get onto the Corned beef hash.....I have a mini rant about the stupid tins that Corned beef comes in!! 

What is the point of those stupid corned beef tins? I’d like to know which clown thought and still thinks that packaging corned beef in a tin that can only be opened by turning a flimsy key is a good idea. I have a theory that corned beef tin manufacturers actually work for elastoplast companies...lol It's all a big conspiracy!! We cut ourselves on the horrible tins then have to wear a plaster to stop bleeding into the food as we were obviously cooking something when we were opening the tin!!

So back to the Corned beef hash....Which does not take long to prepare at all....

Put the potatoes on to boil while you are cutting yourself opening the corned beef....

Add the baked beans...I used two tins to an oven proof dish.....

Add a layer of corned beef...I used a tin and a half of it...

Add the mushrooms and onions...I fried them before adding them..You don't have to add them...They were not included on the original recipe I saw....We just love mushrooms and onions....

When the potatoes are boiled mash them and place on top of the beans, corned beef, onions and mushrooms....

Place it in the oven for about 40 minutes until the mash has gone crispy and brown.....You'll know when it's done!!

Then let it cool a few minutes and serve!! We just have it as it is with no side dishes as it is filling and tasty enough without adding a side of veg...So easy and simple to cook!! My girls love it and it is fast becoming one of our favourite meals....I even tend to leave a portion and have it the next day for lunch reheated....

 

Walking Dead & Glee (Contains Spoilers)!!

I've always been a bit slow when it comes to watching tv shows....I never seem to catch them when they start and then watch a couple of episodes and get hooked and have to play catch up....I did it with Glee....Got into it at the end of the 3rd series then had to go all the way back and watch it from the start....I watched all three series in about a week and a half....lol

When I first became aware of The Walking Dead I vowed never to watch it.....It was all about Zombies what could be good about that? Yeah then I saw an episode where a woman (Lori) went into labour and had a baby by c-section in an old disused prison overrun by zombies and her older son (Carl) had to shoot her in the head to stop her turning into a zombie....Sounds lovely doesn't it....lol..It was horrible but the reaction of the dead woman's husband (Rick) had me welling up and I realised if I show I've never seen before makes me cry there must be more to it then just zombies....Three weeks it took me to watch the three series of it....lol

So this month see's the return of Glee (4th October on Sky One) and The Walking Dead (18th October on FOX).... Although Glee started last week in the US....I have seen the first episode and I cried!! I won't spoil it for you though....

Glee will be tinged with sadness following the death of Cory Monteith who has been in it from the first episode!! Yes he was a drug addict but it does not stop it being sad that a young lad has died....Even more so when you think his fiance was Lea Michele who plays Rachel on Glee....Glee's third episode features the death of character Finn Hudson, and a tribute to Finn and to actor Cory Monteith.....I will be crying!!

This will be my first time watching The Walking Dead where I have to wait a week for the next episode....I don't think I'll be liking that one bit!!

Ohh and one last thing....I have to share this video!! Did you know Toy Story & The Walking dead have the same storyline....hehehe There is Zombies in it so don't watch with young children about....

Hospital Checkup!

Both my girls had open heart surgery just over four years ago to fix holes in their hearts....You can read about it. Part one HERE and Part two HERE and each year we have a trip to the hospital to see the wonderful Dr Kirk for a check up.....Today was the day!!

After nearly two hours of traveling we were there....We checked in at reception and the girls had a quick play in the play room which Ellie had been really looking forward to...She loves that playroom.....

First up was their ECG's (electrocardiogram) which is a test that measures the electrical activity of the heart....Self-adhesive electrodes are attached to various locations around the body...Mainly on the chest, arms and legs....Totally painless and according to Ellie they tickle....

Then their heights and weights were taken.....All were fine!! They both are in line with the expected height and weight.

Back out to the playroom to play some more....

Then onto the Echocardiogram (much like a scan you have in pregnancy but focuses on the heart)

Both Becky and Ellie were brilliant...The woman who scanned them actually remembered us from four years ago lol....It wasn't a normal day for her when we walked in the clinic the first time all those years ago....She got to scan two sisters which rarely happens and me!.....Just because the the doctor we see wanted to see my heart too....For research....lol

The woman scanning the girls pointed everything out and even showed us the exact spot where the holes in the girls hearts used to be and said those lumps and bumps are the stitches.....WOW! In these 4 years she is the first person to actually talk us through what she was seeing!! I have never thought to ask before....lol It is definitely not something you see everyday!! Not everyone gets to see their child's heart in so much detail....I guess we're lucky!!
 

Then we got to see the amazing Dr Richard Kirk!! He is one of the nicest men I've ever met....Put's the girls at ease and me too....He said their hearts are still working fine...As well as expected to be....There has been no change since the last time we saw him....The valves are still leaking but no worse then they were...He said their hearts are nearly identical but Ellie's valve does leak slightly more then Becky's....

They are fit and healthy and we have nothing to worry about.....Phew!!

When he said that it was like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders....I knew they were fine but there's always that slight doubt in the back of my mind something could be wrong.....Seven years Becky went without us knowing about her heart problem and two years for Ellie and we only found out about them by accident when Ellie got her fingers jammed in the door and had to have surgery to straighten one.....It's funny how things work!!

I'm off to pour a large glass of wine!! I think two years with no check up is a reason to celebrate!

Bonmarche Fur Trim Parka - Review!!

What do you think of when you think of the Ladies fashion retailer Bonmarche?

Clothes for old women? Right? Yes me too....Well that was my way of thinking up until recently!

I have been thinking about buying a new winter coat for the last few weeks....The weather has changed and the coat I wore last winter is looking a bit old worn.....I need to look good on the school run and not like a tramp so when I was contacted to pick something to review and keep I instantly thought of a new winter coat....

There was a huge selection of womens coats and jackets in sizes 12 to 24 on the Bonmarche website....Lots of styles and colours to choose from....

I chose this one....A Fur Trim Parka!! Which is £45.00

"This stylish, fully lined padded parka is a must have for the autumn season. In a luxurious crushed satin fabric styled with a soft faux fur trim collar and cuff, this parka features two front pocket with a concealed zip and press stud fastening, this coat is lightly padded to give you that little bit of extra comfort as we enter the winter months"

What do you think? I really like it....I wore it for the school run on Friday & yesterday...Everyone I spoke to commented and said they loved it!!...When I told then where I got it from they were quite surprised it came from Bonmarche!

 Yeah it might look better on the website then it does on me but I like it and I'm so happy with it...It's so warm!!...The pockets are big...Ideal for my phone, tissues and anything the kids give me to look after....I think the only thing that it's missing is a hood but I have noticed the collar does come up and zip all the way up right up to my nose which will be fab for when the winter really does set in....I can imagine getting a lot of wear out of this coat.....It's even Machine Washable which means I won't have to pay extra to have it dry cleaned like some coats....

So Bonmarche is not just for old women....It's for younger women too!! 

I was sent the Fur Trim Parka free of charge for the purpose of this review....This is my honest review....All thoughts and opinions are my own!!