Meal Planning Monday - the family choice edition!

Another week, another dollar. Or something. Not wanting to hunt out lots of meals for my plans this week, I opened it up to the children and husband who made a few suggestions and I dropped in a couple of extra things. I've even been to the supermarket on Sunday to buy it all so the week will start with me vaguely organised.

Here we go for this week. 

Monday - Fried eggs with chorizo, onions and potatoes

Tuesday - Lasagne

Wednesday - Ribs and coleslaw

Thursday - Sandwiches

Friday - Cauliflower cheese

Saturday - Italian spiced chickpea burgers

Sunday - Roast beef

Nothing particularly fancy there; my kids are fairly traditional in taste. Missy Woo loves cauliflower cheese, Monkey wanted roast dinner and they both adore pasta! Husband wanted chicken or ribs and the kids chose ribs. Who am I to argue?! 

When you're done reading this (all of 30 seconds probably), hop on over to Mrs M's to find more MPM posts - click on the badge for further details. 

Have a good week! 

Meal Planning Monday - the Nearly New Sale edition!

Yes, it's that week. The week when I'm busy as anything. Way too much going on and Saturday is a day when I walk miles. I've done *counts on fingers* 14 nearly new sales in my time, mostly handling the money. Since stepping down as the branch's treasurer, I've always helped count the money, which is good as this weekend, I'm counting the money again and running the show as the current treasurer can't make it as she's away on a course. Saturday after a Nearly New Sale is always Chinese. Always.

The rest of the week is going to be kept as simple as possible as I also have a governor's meeting on Tuesday night and Friday, I will be helping to set up the hall for the sale. Although I went shopping with Monkey yesterday and there is food everywhere. Perhaps I will be having a "no shop" meal plan next week!

Eyes down, look in here we go.

Monday - Lazy cheesy vegetable hotpot
Tuesday - Spicy bean burgers
Wednesday - Slow cooker chicken and mango pilaf (recipe coming up)
Thursday - Red lentil, chickpea and chilli soup
Friday - Slow cooker barbecue ribs
Saturday - Chinese
Sunday - Roast pork etc.

And that's your lot. And before you go, two things. First, bob over to Mrs M's to check out everyone else's meal plans. Second, if you are in the Lancashire area, bob on over to our sale on Saturday, which is at St Michael's High School in Chorley, 12 noon start or 11.30 if you are an NCT member and can show your card. £1 entry, bargains galore.

Say hi if you see me, I'll be the one dashing around looking a bit stressed, but visualising my Chinese in the evening!

Meal Planning Monday

So it's time for another week of meals. The weeks fly, don't they? (I feel like I say that every week, so you're probably, quite rightly, rolling your eyes right now.) Last week went OK but I had a "sod it" moment on Saturday afternoon as we had been out and Monkey was at his first ever sleepover so I decided we'd have pizza. The cheesy veg hotpot got shoved to Sunday and the barley risotto has gone on hold for another day.

Meal Planning Monday

I can't believe it's another week gone by. Last week's went very well, with more meals from Nick's book My Daddy Cooks. The creamy mushroom and parma ham pasta bake was a particular hit with everyone.

So, time to plan some more meals. As I'm away at Cybermummy this weekend (all thanks to my sponsor Seaworld Parks, I've planned in a few things I can prepare ahead and leave in the fridge. The Italian meatloaf is particularly good for this as it's made in 5 minutes.

Monday - Ham and sweetcorn pizza, carrot sticks, cucumber and tomatoes
Tuesday - Oven baked risotto (from Nick's book)
Wednesday - No cooking
Thursday - Goulash (from Nick's book)
Friday - BBQ ribs (from Nick's book)
Saturday - Italian meatloaf
Sunday - Kept free (possibly takeaway)

A reasonable mix, I think - but no fish! I really must rectify that next week as the children do actually love fish. And of course, I shall not be eating some of those meals - on Friday, I will be eating Italian at Sandy's Meet, Greet and Eat and on Saturday, curry in aid of Gemma's birthday.

Why not pop over to Mrs M's blog for more meal planning entries?

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chinese Ribs

I decided to blog this recipe when I mentioned it on Twitter and immediately got a request from The Coffee Lady for the recipe. It's not your average slow cooker recipe - it doesn't need as much cooking but it is a "bung it all in and leave" type thing, with some grilling at the end. I have two variations in the recipe book I got this from - the other is maple glazed ribs, but this is much nicer. The original recipe suggest eating it with some coleslaw but rice is nice with it too. In the pic below, I cooked some rice with a bit of stock and some coconut cream, and stirred in some soy sauce and petits pois near the end of cooking. The cooking time is listed as 5 to 7 hours but I would imagine it could be cooked in less time than that as the meat is falling off the bones and the bones disintegrating.

Chinese Ribs
Serves 4

1.25kg/2.5lb pork ribs
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, thickly sliced
2 bay leaves (entirely optional)
2 tbsp malt vinegar
1 tsp black peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
1 litre/1.75 pints boiling water

For the glaze:
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp light muscovado sugar
juice of 1 orange (tho I often use about 2 tbsp of freshly squeezed orange juice)

Put all the ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on high for 5-7 hours or until tender. Mix the ingredients for the glaze with about 100 ml of stock from the slow cooker pot. Drain the ribs, transfer to a a grill pan lined with foil (preferably on a rack) and preheat the grill to high. Cover the ribs with the glaze  - I use a silicon pastry brush for this but you could spoon some over each rib. Grill for about 15 minutes, turning once or twice. I often take them out every 5 minutes and brush more glaze on as they cook, continuing until all the glaze is used. They're done once they are browned and sticky all over.