Degustabox March 2023 review : Hello Spring

 

Things have been so hectic lately that when the postie arrived with the latest Degustabox, my instant reaction was "Already ?!!". It doesn't seem five minutes ago that we were opening up the last one ! It is indeed time for the March Degustabox though and this month's theme really underlines the passing of time and the change of seasons - welcome to ... Hello Spring. Bye bye winter, time to get out of here. Bring on the sunshine ! So, what's hiding inside this month's box ?

Fruit-tella Strawberry Multipack (RRP £1.50) contains four packs of the iconic strawberry flavoured chews. They are made with real fruit juice and only natural colourings and flavours. They are dairy, gluten and nut free and taste delicious. We haven't eaten these for ages but it's just reminded us how tasty they are so we'll definitely be buying them again ! 

 

Get More Vits (RRP 2 x £1.30) are fruity flavoured sparkling drinks with added benefits. Apple & Raspberry flavour includes B vitamins for supporting energy release, while Mango & Passionfruit provides vitamin D for supporting heathy bones and immune system. As well as being sugar free, low calorie and made with real fruit flavours, the drinks provide 100% of your daily dose of essential vitamins. What's more, they taste lovely and are very refreshing. Available at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado, Amazon and getmorevits.com.

Good Earth Passionfruit & Orange Tea (RRP £2.99) contains 15 biodegradable teabags of fruity and zesty herbal tea. I passed them on to Sophie who said they were very nice. Use code TRYUS for a free box of tea (with a £1 shipping charge) on their website.

Kelloggs Crunchy Nut Salted Caramel Flavour Twist (RRP £2.99) are a new variety of one of my favourite breakfast cereals. I already love the sweet, crunchy texture of classic Crunchy Nut Cornflakes but the addition of the salted caramel flavour takes it to a higher level. They're sweet, salty, totally moreish and utterly delicious ! Available at ASDA and Iceland, they will be rolled out to other retailers in the first half of 2023.

 

Maille Traditional Dijon Mustard (£2.75) is a classic French condiment, perfect for scooping on the side of the plate, adding to a a ham sandwich, stirring through mash or livening up the leftovers from the Sunday roast. It always makes my nose sting but a tiny amount added to potato salad, chicken salad or pork casserole always gets my taste buds tingling !

This month's Product of the Month, Mutti Rossoro Tomato Pasta Sauce with Parmigiano Reggiano (RRP £3.10) is the perfect sauce for turning leftovers into a quick and satisfying pasta dish. Made with high quality, 100% Italian summer tomatoes and the sharp, complex flavour of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, it is delicious and the perfect time saver when you need dinner on the table quickly. It is also lovely stirred through chicken if you have leftovers after the Sunday roast. Available at Sainsbury's, Tesco, Ocado and Booth's.

Knorr Beef Stock Pots (RRP £1.65) are great for throwing into casseroles or whatever is bubbling away in the slow cooker. They are gluten free and melt into whatever you are cooking, leaving absolutely no lumps, just a lovely, deep, rich, meaty flavour. My favourite part? They avoid the gritty, beefy smelling fingers you always end up with after crumbling a classic stock cube into whatever you're cooking ! 

 

Nescafé Gold Blend Refill (RRP £5.50) uses 97% less packaging than the regular Gold Blend jars and, once empty, can be recycled. You still get the same smooth, rich instant coffee inside and the resealable top helps to preserve the freshness of the coffee. Besides the eco-friendly virtues, I love the fact that it makes the shopping lighter to carry home !

Sxollie Golden Delicious Xider (RRP £2.99) offers the sunshiney taste of apples with zero added sugar and no added flavours or nasties. It is B corps certified which means it prioritises people and the planet over profits. It has a 4.5% ABV and is very tasty and refreshing. Available at WHSmith Travel and on Amazon Prime.

Bounce Maple Pecan Cashew Protein Ball (RRP £1.70) is a plant based protein ball packed with a squishy cashew nut butter centre. As Pierre is still trying to up his protein levels and work out his muscles, I donated this to him and he said it was very tasty. 

 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 £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

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.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 13

Last week was as hectic as I predicted. This week should be better as I only have one meeting left, on Monday. Thank goodness for that ! The rest of the week is back to normal routine so I should have some time to deal with other problems around the house - fingers crossed ! 

Monday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - leftover chicken with pasta or rice (hopefully Juliette will sort out dinner as I'll be late home)

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner- sweet Chinese pork with noodles (or rice if there's some leftovers)

Wednesday

lunch- chicken burgers with ebly (and red peppers in a jar, that need using up)

dinner- Spicy tomato chicken with mash & green beans

Thursday

lunch - lunch with a friend

dinner- Hawaiian shoyu chicken with pasta

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - Hawaiian pork chops with rice

Saturday

lunch- pasta bolognese

dinner- baked potatoes (with cheese/bacon/mushrooms/beans)

Sunday 

lunch- roast dinner (probably chicken)

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 12

Last week, I said I should have a pretty calm week coming up. Ha ha ha, best joke I've told in a long time ! It was brutal, combining report filling, after-school meetings at work and rushing about with doctor's appointments. Next week is a week of meetings (Tuesday, Thursday and Friday), so I'm not sure how much cooking I'll be doing (I can see us relying on the kids pitching in or grabbing takeaways if I get in too late and totally knackered !) but in theory, the worst is behind us. At least I've finished the reports ! Now I have to start tackling the problems around the house again (mainly involving dealing with a leak in Sophie's bathroom in the loft leaking into Pierre's room underneath - which may be coming in through the roof but maybe not). Sounds fun (not !)

Monday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - savoury mince and veg (either over rice or in pasties with mash)

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner- pasta with sausages/tomatoes/onions/mushrooms

Wednesday

lunch- chicken fajitas

dinner- battered fish, rice & veg

Thursday

lunch - lunch with a friend

dinner- pasta carbonara

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - probably a takeaway/Deliveroo

Saturday

lunch- omelettes for me and Juliette, fridge-raiding for Pierre !

dinner- chicken and leeks in a cheesy, creamy sauce with pasta

Sunday 

lunch- roast chicken, roast potatoes, veg and lashings of gravy

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 11

This week was busy, filling in as many school reports as possible on my days off. I got about half of them done so I should be pretty chilled out with no last-minute cramming before the class meetings that kick off at the end of the week. Phew ! That was as exciting as it got this week ! In terms of meals, the chicken pie was a big hit - we used to eat them pretty much every week with the leftovers from our roast chicken, then, after Mike died and Sophie moved out, a whole chicken was too much so we went down to chicken fillets. They're easy to cook and very tasty but there are no leftovers for pie making sadly ! The pork chops received rave reviews too, even though I did absolutely nothing special with them. No complaints from me though - I bought some more for this week !

Monday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - pork chops, rice and ratatouille

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner- sweet & sour chicken and noodles

Wednesday

lunch- chicken and chorizo jambalaya

dinner- pasta carbonara

Thursday

lunch - leftovers or cheese/ham (or maybe tuna/mayo) baguettes

dinner- fishfingers, pan-fried potatoes & coleslaw

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - after school meeting so probably Deliveroo by the time I get home

Saturday

lunch- salami and goat's cheese tartlets (or they may end up as bacon and cheese ones) with mash & beans

dinner- pork curry & rice

Sunday 

lunch- tartiflette (stinky cheese baked over baked potatoes, bacon and onions)

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

Kelly Loves sushi kits (... and so do we !) (review)

Sophie and Juliette both love eating sushi so they sometimes grab some from the supermarket or our local Japanese restaurant. The problem though is that Sophie doesn't really like fish and Juliette is not a huge fan of vegetables so they are limited in what they can choose. Making your own sushi is a great way of getting around this problem as you can customise it to suit your own tastes. Not only that - it's great fun too !

Kelly Loves recently sent us a fabulous selection of products for us to have a play around with. Created by Kelly Choi, a woman who was born in Korea then moved to Japan, immersing herself in their culture, Kelly Loves offers a wide range of ingredients that are a perfect introduction to Asian food. Let's take a closer look at what we received.

 

Kimchi is a classic Korean dish, made principally with fermented cabbage, and this Kimchi sachet (£1.79) is a simple way to enjoy the flavours. It contains Napa cabbage, radish, red pepper powder, salt, onion and garlic, amongst other things, and is suitable for vegans. It can be eaten on its own, served over rice or fried up in a wok with noodles. It's perfect as an introduction to Korean food and makes a refreshing change if you want to try some new flavours.

 Crispy fried onions (£2.75) are great for adding flavour and texture to sushi, as well as offering an impressive finish if you stick them all around the outside (a particularly good idea if you don't like the traditional seaweed sheets). However, they are very versatile and have been sprinkled over everything from cheese on toast and mashed potato to pizza and soup. Whatever they go with, they are delicious and really perk up the most mundane of dishes.

This Bento box (£14.95) is the perfect way of storing your sushi or taking it to work or school for lunch (and showing off to all your friends !). 

It has a unique double layer that is firmly held in place with an elastic band. This is ideal for keeping fruit or cakes/biscuits separate from your sushi if you don't want your whole lunch to smell of fish ! It's a great size and has been instantly adopted by Juliette.

  

Back to the ingredients, soy sauce (£3.95) and spicy mayo (£3.35) are both great ways of adding instant flavour to your sushi. They are also enjoyed by the non-sushi lovers though, with rice or noodles (for the soy sauce) and sandwiches or carrot sticks (for the spicy mayo).

Ramune (£2.55) is the perfect accompaniment to sip along with your sushi. It is a traditional Japanese lemonade, served in a classic glass bottle. As well as the original Ramune flavour that we got, this is also available in lychee or yuzu flavours. The kids love the little glass marble designed to keep the fizz in the drink !

 

A sushi mat (£2.30) is indispensable if you are trying to make sushi. (Well, you probably could make it without one but this makes it all much easier !) It's perfect for rolling up sushi and pressing it into shape so that it doesn't all fall apart. I would suggest buying one mat per person so that you can all make sushi at the same time, without waiting your turn.

Sushi nori (£3.35) is one of the classic sushi ingredients, guaranteed to give your homemade creations an authentic look and taste. They are toasted seaweed sheets that add taste and texture, as well as providing an appealing colour contrast to the rice. Each pack contains seven sheets but we split them in half to make smaller sushi.

 

Sushi rice (£2.50) is the other absolute must-have when making sushi. This fine short-grain rice is perfect for sticking your creations together (but I warn you in advance - it does end up sticking to your fingers like glue when you've made a few!)

Sushi vinegar (£2.10) should be stirred through your cooked sushi rice and this instantly brings it to life, giving it a lovely authentic flavour.

 

Finally, add a hit of authentic flavour and zing to your sushi with sushi ginger (£3.35) or wasabi (£2.35). Now, we are all wimps so we didn't like either of these, but they are a great way of adding a traditional kick to your food.

You won't get perfect looking sushi the first time you try to make a roll but it is great fun and incredibly simple. Just chop up some small strips of fish and vegetables (we used smoked salmon, prawns, carrots, and cucumber) and let your creative juices flow !

Once rolled, chop it into slices and serve on a plate (or stick it straight in your bento box ... or mouth !) Meshiagare !

I have shown you the prices for each individual ingredient but it is cheaper to buy the Ultimate Sushi Kit for £29.99 which contains everything above except the Ramune drink and the kimchi. Whatever you think of sushi, these are great fun to make and you may surprise yourself. I was not keen on the idea at all but by picking my favourite ingredients, they actually came out really nice.

for more information : https://kellyloves.com/products/ultimate-sushi-kit

Disclosure : I received the products in order to share my honest review.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 10

The first week back at school was hectic. On Tuesday we took the kids to the cinema to see BlacKKKlansman as it ties in with their Martin Luther King/peacefighters project. On Wednesday I had a visit from the insurance people, as the girls have reached an age when they can get their hands on their money. I'm starting to feel old !! On my Thursday afternoon off, I had an appointment at the bank to sign some papers, then had to go back to school for a meeting that went on for hours. Next week is no better as I have to start filling in the school reports - aaaggghhh ! I think I'll go for an easy week of meals this week as I'll be on my knees by the end of the week ! 

Monday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - chicken pie with mash & carrots

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner- bacon/tomato/onion/potato hotpot

Wednesday

lunch- chicken burgers with rice & ratatouille

dinner- chicken lazone with pasta

Thursday

lunch - meal with friends for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner- pork chops with onion gravy, apple sauce & rice

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers/canteen for the kids

dinner - cottage pie

Saturday

lunch- leftovers

dinner- takeaway or pizza

Sunday 

lunch- pork filet mignon with roast potatoes, peas and carrots

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

Degustabox February 2023 review : Home Comforts

This month's Degustabox has arrived and as I unpacked the contents for the first-look photo, my immediate impression was that there are lots of brands that I was familiar with, sometimes from previous Degustaboxes but often from the supermarket shelves. As is often the case with Degustaboxes though, we get to try out new products from well-known brands, as well some brand new or (for me) untried brands, so I was keen to see what we'd think. Let's take a closer look at this month's selection !

My first pick from the box was Aqua Libra (RRP 2 x £1.15), a drink that we got to try out in a previous Degustabox. It is a sparkling water infused with natural fruit flavours and a dash of lemon. In the previous box, we received Blood Orange & Mango and Raspberry & Blackcurrant. In this box, we got Blood Orange & Mango again, alongside the summery, cooling Cucumber, Mint & Lime. There are no sugars, sweeteners or anything artificial in the drinks so they have a crisp, clean taste that would appeal to adults more than children. They're ideal if you want something refreshing to quench your thirst without the overpowering sweetness of many drink options. At just 4 calories a can, it's a great choice if you're watching your waistline.

B.Ink Red Blend 187ml (RRP £2.50) is described as a super-rich and full-bodied wine, with flavours of dark chocolate coated raspberries with gentle oak. This sample size of bottle will not be available for sale but the 750ml bottle is available at ASDA, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsburys, priced at £9. I'm not a huge red wine drinker so I think I'll end up using this in cooking something like a boeuf bourguignon-style beef stew.

 

Bio & Me Super Seedy & Nutty Gut-Loving Porridge (RRP £1.50) is packed with 14 deliciously diverse plant-based foods and prebiotic fibres. It has no added sugar, is high in fibre and vegan friendly. I scanned the ingredients list and while many of the things listed didn't surprise me (almonds, hazelnuts, coconut, dates, pumpkin seeds, raisins, oats, ...), there were a couple of unexpected additions, including carrot and chicory root. I first offered this to Pierre, who didn't like the crunchiness of the seeds and nuts, so I polished it off and thought it was very nice. The single-serve pot is convenient but if you want a more eco-friendly option, it is also available in a bigger box. Available at Amazon, Boots and on the Bio & Me website.

Zest Vegan Spinach, Mushroom & Ric***a Sauce (RRP £2.99 - other subscribers got Vegan Tomato & Mar***pone Sauce) is a simple way of creating a vegan-friendly option in minutes. Just stir through some pasta and you're good to go ! At Zest, they say that they concentrate on the simple things in life - good food, good times, good vibes. Their products are dairy-free, gluten-free and soy-free so everyone can enjoy them. They're perfect for keeping in the cupboard in case you need a quick veggie option for a guest. I passed this on to Sophie who said it was very tasty and incredibly convenient. Available at Ocado, Morrisons and Amazon.

 

Heinz is a brand that has been about for donkey's years - as it says on the can, it was established in 1869 - but they are still coming up with new products, including these Heinz Beans & Vegan Sausages (RRP £2). I remember eating cans of beans and sausages on toast or with mash when I was a student, so I can understand the appeal of these if you want a veggie or vegan option. The label promises the great taste of Heinz, made from plants.

Another veggie option is Heinz Plant-Based Creamy Tomato Soup (RRP £1.70). I ate this and really enjoyed the taste and texture of the soup. I assumed it was their classic tomato soup with "plant-based" added to the can, but apparently it is a new vegan-friendly option. (I just went to the check and the original, while vegetarian, contains milk, cream and milk proteins.) It's just as lovely as the original version, even as a non-vegan !

Kit Kat Caramel (RRP £1.99 for 9 x 2-finger bars) are a new twist on the well-loved brand. The crispy, crunchy wafer biscuit is covered with a smooth caramel flavoured milk chocolate. Even better, each two-bar Kit Kat only contains 106 calories so you can nibble on them guilt-free ! Very tasty.

 

Nescafé Azera Americano (RRP £3.60) is a premium barista-inspired instant coffee, giving you the great flavour of a coffee shop-style drink from the comfort of your own home. I'm not a coffee-drinker but I passed this on to a friend who said she loves it.

Simply Roasted Sea Salt (RRP £1.19) are crisps made with a healthier technique, using triple roasting rather than deep frying. This retains the taste, crunch and satisfaction while vastly reducing the calories, fat and salt. At less than 100 calories a pack, they offer a guilt-free way of tucking into your favourite snack. Available at Waitrose, Ocado, WHSmith, Whole Foods Market and on Amazon.

 

Very Lazy Chilli Boost (RRP £3) is another great time and energy-saving product from the Very Lazy team, that avoids covering your fingers in spicy chilli juice then squealing in pain as you try to get a rogue eyelash out of your eye ! We got the Hot Zingy Chilli Boost but I think we would have preferred the other version that some Degustaboxers got to try, Medium Smokey. It's great for adding to chilli, casseroles, pasta sauce or whatever you want to spice up. I love the fact that you can stir some into an individual portion at the last minute if you have spice-haters in the family. 

Finally, Tilda Vegetable Golden Rice (RRP £1.54) is this month's Product of the Month. I always love to have a couple of pouches of microwavable rice in the cupboard for the kids to use at lunchtime, so I was keen to try out this new flavour. Containing 21% vegetables, the rice contains sweetcorn, peas and carrots so it's a great accompaniment for meat, fish or vegetarian dishes. Two minutes in the microwave or three minutes in a pan and it's ready to devour. I'll definitely be buying some more of this.

 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 £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

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.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 9

Tomorrow I'm back to work and I really don't feel like I've had a fortnight off ! I did manage to finish pretty much everything I had planned though, which was mainly stripping the wallpaper and repainting the walls. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to tidy up and put everything back as it should be though, so this afternoon (hopefully !) will involve carting piles of books back to shelves, putting picture frames back on the walls and throwing the hoover around. We stuck to the menu plan for most of the week, but the girls have been pootling about doing stuff and staying at Sophie's flat so several of the meals ended up just for two, which means they lasted two days for me and Pierre. The recipes that I didn't make will go back on the plan for next week, as I have the ingredients already bought. We loved the Chicken Brunswick Stew, which was actually really simple to make. The Pork Jambalaya was pretty good too but Juliette wasn't keen on the spices. I can't believe we're into March next week. Next job - sort out the patio so we can enjoy the sun ! 

Monday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers for the kids

dinner - pork casserole with pasta

Tuesday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers for the kids

dinner-  chicken in a pot with lemon & thyme dumplings (Ainsley Harriott, p74) and rice

Wednesday

lunch- chicken and chorizo traybake (with new potatoes)

dinner- pasta carbonara

Thursday

lunch - lunch with friends, leftovers for the kids

dinner- corned beef & potato pie with beans

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers for the kids

dinner - chicken pie with carrot mash, peas & potatoes (Jamie's 30 minute meals, p90)

Saturday

lunch- chicken chow mein

dinner- creamy bacon & chorizo pasta

Sunday 

lunch- sticky chicken with rice

dinner- steak sarnie & crispy new potatoes (Jamie's 30 minute meals, p200) with salad

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

Book review : Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six - Lisa Unger

The title of Lisa Unger's latest novel - Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six - sounds vaguely like an Airbnb advert. It's bland, benign, unworrying, appealing to anyone with a busy life who wants a much-needed chance to get away from it all for a while. It settles you into a (false) sense of security, imagining a nice break in the woods, surrounded by birdsong, clean air and the soothing scent of pine.

This was undoubtedly the thinking behind a weekend getaway, booked in a luxury cabin in the woods for a group of friends. High flier Mako has paid for it all and, alongside his wife Liza, they have invited his sister Hannah and her husband Bruce, alongside Hannah's best friend (and Mako's ex/bit on the side, just to add some extra tension), Cricket and her new boyfriend. What could possibly go wrong ?!

Well, quite a lot really, but not in the ways I was expecting ! Bruce and Hannah have a baby daughter and this is the first time that they are leaving her behind for some us-time. Hannah is unsurprisingly ill-at-ease about how her daughter will get on without her. Liza seems on-edge too, so nobody is sure if her sudden migraine is real or just a handy excuse to spend some time alone in her room. Then there's Cricket's boyfriend. Hannah is sure she knows him from somewhere, but where ?

With a severe storm rolling in and the mobile phone signal at best very glitchy, even the hot tub and the private chef aren't enough to have everyone feeling relaxed. What's with the spine-tingling stories of the cabin's past? And the slightly intrusive rental host who has the women feeling unsettled ? Then they have the off feeling that someone is watching them from the woods ...

It's a book that has you nervously nibbling your nails as you proceed, trying to work out who the bad guys are and who are just the hapless victims who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. All of the characters are described in the early chapters as having a character flaw or a personality that leads you to think that they could be a secret serial killer or stalker. The over-anxious mum, the insecure wife, the secretive husband, ... Ultimately, I thought I had it all sorted out in my mind but I was completely wrong !

This is Lisa Unger's twentieth novel so I think I may have to go looking for some more. I did review one other, In The Blood, on my blog and I was surprised to see that that was almost ten years ago - wow ! 

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £8.99

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Legend Press (28 Feb. 2023)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1915643988
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1915643988

Disclosure : I received a review copy of the book.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 8

This week was a busy week but at least I managed to cross a couple of things off my to-do list. The bathroom got completely dejunked and tidied so it looks much better now. I also managed to redecorate the landing, which involved taking all the big heavy books off the book shelf. This meant that I could finally get rid off the totally trashed mat that the dog had half shredded (that was stuck under the heavy bookcase) so that looked instantly better. After stripping the wallpaper and painting the walls (a tougher job than I had imagined!), we sorted through the books and put aside half of them to get rid off. I still have another week's holiday to do the top landing which involves another (but luckily smaller) bookshelf. It looks so much better now that it's done, so I can't wait to finish the rest. Despite everything that got done around the house, we still stayed on plan for most of the week's meals which was pretty amazing ! This week, I've been digging through some of the recipe books that I uncovered on my bookshelf. I may end up falling back on 5 minute pasta and a jar of sauce if I'm knackered after doing the decorating though !

Monday

lunch- Super-fast beef hash with jacket potatoes (Jamie's 30 minute meals, p210)

dinner - cashew-stuffed pork chops (p68, Best of America) with pasta

Tuesday

lunch- Jimmy's chicken chompers (Ainsley Harriott, p22) with mash & beans (or leftover pasta)

dinner- chicken Brunswick stew (Best of America, p26) with rice

Wednesday

lunch- chicken pie with carrot mash, peas & potatoes (Jamie's 30 minute meals, p90)

dinner- pork jambalaya (p67, Best of America)

Thursday

lunch - sounds like a leftovers day to me :)

dinner- hamburgers for the kids, crispy salmon for me (Jamie's 30 minute meals, p191) with coleslaw & potato croquettes

Friday

lunch- pasta carbonara

dinner - chicken in a pot with lemon & thyme dumplings (Ainsley Harriott, p74) and boiled potatoes

Saturday

lunch- I can see us heading into town and grabbing something there

dinner- steak sarnie & crispy new potatoes (Jamies 30 minute meals, p200)

Sunday 

lunch- roast chicken, roast potatoes, veg & gravy

dinner- toast or leftovers (or maybe even homemade soup if we had a whole chicken)

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