Monday 18 October 2021

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 43


Final week before the holidays and all I can say is thank goodness for that ! Sophie has been getting lots of Too Good To Go bags lately so this has been changing our menu plan. As well as lots of cakes and loads of bread, she's had hot dogs, a hamburger, a toasted cheese sandwich, salmon pesto pasta, a curry and rice dish and several tuna baguettes. No complaints from me !

Monday

lunch- canteen for me (leftovers for the kids)

dinner - beef bourguignon (if Sophie remembers to set off the slow cooker) with pasta

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me

dinner- something with mince - tacos? chilli con carne? spag bol? cottage pie? I'll see what we feel like

Wednesday

lunch- pasta carbonara

dinner- creamy chicken and mushrooms with mash (I might even make it into a pie actually)

Thursday

lunch - lunch with my friends

dinner- probably leftovers

Friday

lunch- a pasta dish made by Sophie (or leftovers)

dinner - creamy coconut curry (from a jar) with chicken or pork and rice

Saturday

lunch- McDonald's or equivalent

dinner- pizza or leftovers

Sunday 

lunch- roast dinner

dinner- bacon sandwiches or leftovers

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Katykicker

Monday 11 October 2021

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 42


It's been a busy week and this next week is no better. We had a parent-teacher morning on Saturday which stopped me getting my late morning lie-in (boo !) and I feel like I've been trying to catch up ever since. On Wednesday morning, I have to go in on my day off (another lie-in that I won't get - I'm fed up of 6.15am alarms !) to supervise a cross-country run. Hopefully it won't rain as I have to go to a work lunch straight after. The next day, I'm signed up for two training days so in the morning, I have a meeting/workshop about the Norway critical thinking collaboration, then in the afternoon, I have to catch up on the bullying workshop that I missed in the morning and join in on the afternoon session. As if that's not enough, I have Pierre's parent-teacher evening after work. I can tell I'll be a zombie by the end of the week so I need some simple dinners this week !

Monday

lunch- canteen for me (leftovers for the kids)

dinner - creamy pork with rice

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me

dinner- chicken, red pepper & tomato pasta bake

Wednesday

lunch- lunch with the Norway team

dinner- baked ham with mac & cheese (didn't get made last week)

Thursday

lunch - quick lunch somewhere between meetings (sandwich?)

dinner- quick meal needed after parent-teacher evening - pasta carbonara should do it

Friday

lunch- leftovers or a Sophie special (I'm guessing cherry tomato and cheese pasta)

dinner - beefburgers, couscous & ratatouille

Saturday

lunch- McDonald's or equivalent

dinner- pizza or tartiflette (stinky baked cheese on baked potatoes and onions) - the kids can choose

Sunday 

lunch- roast dinner

dinner- bacon sandwiches or leftovers

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Katykicker

Book review : Primary Obsessions - Charles Demers


Primary Obsessions is a great new read by Charles Demers that combines two intriguing elements - mental health issues and a quest for the truth. The opening premise seems quite believable. Sanjay is a young patient, suffering from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, who is arrested for the brutal murder of his roommate. At first sight, this is logical. Sanjay is subject to repeated thoughts of a violent nature so he is the prime suspect for the crime. The police are happy to have solved the case so quickly and all is well and good.

Except for Dr Annick Boudreau, the doctor that deals with Sanjay and other tortured souls in her psychiatric practice at the West Coast Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Clinic. She is shocked by the arrest and doesn't believe that Sanjay is capable of the crime. He is horrified by his violent thoughts and she is convinced that he would be incapable of acting them out in real life. The police and prosecutor are unwilling to help and Dr Boudreau is reined in by the doctor-patient confidentiality rules that prevent her from speaking out on his behalf. She can't get let it go though and sets out to investigate the case under her own steam.

The author, Charles Demers, is one of Canada’s top stand-up comics and, all importantly, a longtime Cognitive Behavioural Therapy patient and his insight into the largely unknown (to me, at least) work of psychiatric practises is fascinating. I also enjoyed learning more about the intriguing city of Vancouver (even if this novel principally reveals its darker, seedier side) and the enchanting mix of cultures and heritage - Dr Boudreau is Acadian, her boyfriend is Chinese, her patient Indian and her partner at work  "one hundred percent of the Jamaican-Canadian Zen Buddhist community in Vancouver". Is that even a thing ?!

This book is the first in a series of mysteries, with each new title uncovering a different aspect of psychiatric care. The next book, Suicidal Thoughts, will be released by Legend Press in 2022. I'm looking forward to following the further adventures of the witty, feisty and unrelenting Dr Boudreau.

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Legend Press (15 Sept. 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1800310013
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1800310018



Disclosure : I received a review copy of the book.


Sunday 10 October 2021

September 2021 Degustabox review : Family Sharing


Before we'd even started unpacking this month's Degustabox, the kids were already hovering behind me oohing and aahing in appreciation ! You can see why when you look at my first sneaky peek here - yes, I can see what they've got their eyes on too ! I giggled when I saw the theme of the box - Family Sharing. Hmm, I wonder how much of this month's contents will actually be shared. I bet I don't manage to get my hands on much !


The first product that was instantly munched was this pack of Brioche Pasquier Brioche Rolls with Chocolate Chips (RRP £1.50). The kids love the beautifully soft brioche and the generous quantity of dark chocolate chips in each bun. They're perfect for breakfast or an after-school snack when they get home ravenous.

Compal Orange Algarve (RRP £1.99) is another great breakfast option. Made using fruit from the Algarve, with its long hours of sunshine and high quality soil, it has a great flavour and level of sweetness. This is available in Portuguese stores and at delicias-uk.com


Carr's Ciabatta Original (RRP £1.59) are Italian-inspired oven-baked crackers that can be topped with all sorts of sweet or savoury toppings. The kids have been eating them with pâté, cheese and tomatoes or tuna, as well as chocolate spread, peanut butter and jam. They are as tasty and convenient as they are versatile.


Eat Real Tomato & Basil Hummus Chips (RRP £1.80) are this month's Product of the Month. Eat Real are on a mission to bring delicious snacks made with honest ingredients that never compromise. Their slogan is "real ingredients, real crunch, real taste". These crunchy snacks are surprisingly tasty and they are better for you than similar products, with 40% less fat. The little boat shape is perfect for scooping up salsa or guacamole but they are also very tasty on their own.

One of the Madhouse kids' favourite snacks from their time in France, Prince Chocolate and White Chocolate (RRP 2 x £1) are tasty, crunchy biscuits sandwiched together with a chocolatey filling. A couple of these biscuits with a glass of orange juice is all that is needed for a quick afternoon snack. They're even suitable for vegetarians.


Santa Maria Fajita and Chicken Taco Seasoning Mixes (RRP 2 x £1.05) are perfect for rustling up a tasty lunch in a matter of minutes that the whole family will enjoy. The Fajita mix, which includes a blend of chilli pepper, cumin, paprika and oregano, makes a regular appearance on our menu plan. The Chicken Taco mix was a new one though and was much enjoyed. The flavours of oregano, mild chilli, garlic and cumin are not overly spicy so it was well received. Add fajitas or taco shells, guacamole, tomato salsa, grated cheese, sweetcorn and salad to the table and let everyone serve themselves in a Tex Mex fiesta ! 


Kelly Loves Katsuo Udon (RRP £2.90) looks like an interesting snack or lunch option. It offers an authentic Korean Katsuo broth with a generous portion of Udon noodles and dried bonito flakes as a topping to bring extra umami. Erm, I only understand about half of that but it sounds like some great new flavours to try out ! Even better, the product is low in fat & sugar. Available in Sushi Daily kiosks at Waitrose and ASDA.

Sumol Passion Fruit (RRP 99p) is a refreshing, lightly carbonated drink that contains the juice and pulp of passion fruit. It's a lovely zingy flavour that we all enjoyed. While we've never tried it before, the brand has been around since 1954. Also available in orange and pineapple flavours. Available in Portuguese stores and at delicias-uk.com


McVitie's Jaffa Jonuts (RRP 50p) are a new twist on the old favourite Jaffa Cakes. A soft donut-shaped sponge base, tangy orange filling and crackly chocolate topping. Each ring contains 167 calories so they're not bad as a fun snack for the kids. Individually wrapped, they are available in multipacks.


Nature's Heart Almond, Peanut & Double Choc Protein Bar (RRP £1.59) contains 10g of plant protein, "powered by pea and nuts". The bar is a combination of crunchy almonds and peanuts, covered in quality dark chocolate from certified sustainable cocoa. Each bar is gluten free, suitable for vegetarians and high in fibre. The perfect snack to keep you going during a busy day ... or just to nibble on when you fancy a tasty treat !


Toffifee (RRP £1.43 for a pack of 12) are one of those sweets that I've known about for years (decades, in fact !) but have never actually tasted. Well, now that I have, we'll be having them again as they're delicious and not even expensive. You get a crunchy hazelnut in a delicious caramel shell, smooth hazelnut spread, plus a drop of rich chocolate. Utterly delicious !


There was also a voucher for a Richmond Frozen Family Meal (RRP £4), available at ASDA, Morrisons and Iceland, that I haven't managed to use yet. These meals serve four people and sound perfect for a midweek meal when I get in late from work. You have the choice of Tomato and Sausage Pasta or Sausage Hotpot, both of which sound appealing to both kids and adults.

 A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which means you'll get the first box for just £7.99 - that's an even bigger discount than usual ! Just enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 

for more information :

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK

Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.

Sunday 3 October 2021

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 41


From one day to the next, we've gone from summer weather (going to work in a T-shirt and denim jacket) to winter weather (T-shirt, hoodie and big winter jacket). It's currently blowing a gale outside, it's been raining non stop all day and the heating has just come on for the first time since the summer. It's my fault - I got the slow cooker out last week and we enjoyed tasty, comforting stews ! Oh well, more winter food on the way then, I guess !

Monday

lunch- canteen for me (leftovers for the kids)

dinner - leftover roast chicken, potatoes & veg in gravy (or possibly soup, if everyone prefers that - made with the same ingredients, either way !)

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me

dinner- pork chops in a cream sauce, rice & veg

Wednesday

lunch- chicken burgers with ebly  & ratatouille

dinner- pork curry & rice

Thursday

lunch - meeting up with friends

dinner- chicken tacos

Friday

lunch- leftovers once I get home from school

dinner - baked ham with mac & cheese

Saturday

lunch- McDonald's or equivalent

dinner- pasta and hot dog sausages (Juliette asked me to recreate a meal I once made when they were little - chop hot dog sausages into chunks and push lengths of spaghetti right through, leaving long threads sticking out of each end, then cook for 5-10 minutes (depending on the pasta). It'll need some sauce to liven it up !

Sunday 

lunch- roast dinner

dinner- bacon sandwiches

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Katykicker

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