Meal Planning Monday - the World Cup edition!

OK, so I know that not all of you are interested but in this household, we are. I say that but generally, it's husband and me. Monkey says he is, starts watching then wanders off. Kids!

So, this week, I decided to have a go at a round the world World Cup menu to fit in with teams playing that day. You may not agree with all of these but this is what I came up with.

Monday - Benachin/Jollof rice with grilled meat (Nigeria / Ghana)
Tuesday - Chicken Kievs (Russia - Wikipedia says they're Russian or Ukrainian so ner)
Wednesday - Spanish omelette with "Russian" salad (Spain)
Thursday - Butties (England!)
Friday - Pizza (Italy)
Saturday - Empanadas (Argentina)
Sunday - Rice pot (S Korea)

So, that's our international menu. What's yours? Don't forget - MPM is hosted at Mrs M's blog, which has recently moved house.

See you next week.

Meal Planning Monday - the boring mid-January edition!

January. Doesn't it go on forever? I mean, I know I have a birthday in January, but after that, there are still 25 days to go until February. It feels like 125. Don't ask me why but it does. I'm not on an alcohol ban, food ban or other strange regime (apart from doing more classes because there are lots of new ones I want to try) but I'll be frank, it's dragging. How can there be 2 more full working weeks in the month?

Moan over. I've tried to find some new things to brighten our January. I'm doing well so far this month because the chilli with cornbread topping I made last week was fabulous and will become a regular in the house. Here's hoping for this week's set of meals.

Talking of which....

Monday - Sausage and onion rosti
Tuesday - Roast squash and sweet potato soup
Wednesday - Fish finger butties
Thursday - Tasty turkey hotpot
Friday - Sizzling salmon with bean mash
Saturday - Pizza (from the freezer)
Sunday - Roast chicken

What's on your menu? Tell me then wander over to Mrs M's blog - badge above.

Meal Planning Monday - the January back to work edition!

The day has arrived. I've been off work for 37 days which have actually passed in the blink of an eye but Christmas does that, doesn't it? Even last week flew by in a flurry of birthdays, a resumption of school activities and getting back into the exercise groove.

Thinking that this week will pass in a never ending battle against a mailbox full to the brim, I have planned early and even had a Sunday food delivery. Today is a leftovers recipe, and tomorrow's is a dish that is in the freezer. The rest is a mix of new things and old favourites - Missy Woo asked me to do the lamb pilau as both of them love it.

So, this is it.

Monday - Turkey and stuffing chelsea buns
Friday - Fish pie
Wednesday - Chilli with cornbread topping
Thursday - Chunky butternut squash mulligatawny
Friday - Cheese and lentil loaf
Saturday - Lamb, coconut and mango pilau
Sunday - Roast chicken

And now I'm starving just reading that lot, so that must be a good sign! Come back next week for more. And in the meantime, click the badge above to see more meal plans.

Meal Planning Monday - the getting back to it edition!

Monday is the start of the first week of the New Year and the children go back to school. I'd have loved an inset day but seeing as the official start of term was 2nd, school has already had two last week (yes, really!) so a third is bit beyond the pale.

Why would I like an inset day? Because it is my birthday and now the children are at an age where they feel they are missing out on things. Especially as husband and I are going out for lunch. They've made me a cake too but they want to be there and to be honest, it would be lovely to have them around. To make up, we're going for ice cream after school. Hey ho.

Apart from that, the week's plan is all about getting back into varied and mostly healthy eating. There are lots of healthy recipes in Good Food this month which is where most of this week's meals comes from. I try to get them to eat as many vegetables as possible but today is all about speed, so it's back to it tomorrow. Apart from that, the week is back to normal - well, apart from the fact that the children have nothing on Mondays this term (for now) and Monkey's swimming is now on Sunday, meaning Thursdays are no longer quite as rushed as last term. Yes!

Here's the week

Monday - Chicken kievs for the children, sandwiches for grown ups (and cake!)
Tuesday - Sweet potato shepherd's pie
Wednesday - Turkey meatballs and pasta
Thursday - Curried squash, lentil and coconut soup
Friday - Squash, mushroom and gorgonzola pilaf
Saturday - Sausages with aligot
Sunday - Roast dinner with the usual stuff

That's it for this week; I'm off to do nothing. It's my birthday, you know! PS Click on the badge above to go over to Mrs M's, where there will be much more meal planning loveliness.

Meal Planning Monday - the Christmas edition, with a few tips!

The big week is here. This is late, cos well, I can. I've been busy and I'm organised for the big day. If you're not already, I'll share some ideas that you can do right now. Oh, and by the way, if your turkey is in the freezer, GO AND GET IT OUT NOW. It's likely to need 48 hours to defrost in the fridge. (And do make sure you've defrosted it thoroughly before cooking it!)

So, this week is minimal cooking apart from the big day. We are also out on Boxing Day so I don't need to plan for then and the rest of the week is likely to be leftovers rehashed in various forms. On Christmas Eve, I never cook a full meal as I do other prep and so we're planning lunch out and snacks later. This year, it's likely to be Italian. And tonight, we had chicken kievs and oven chips for tea - very lovely but not haute cuisine.

So this doesn't leave you a lot to tell you but here goes.

Tomorrow - not cooking
Wednesday - seafood platter nibbles, followed by four bird roast, pigs in blankets, chestnut stuffing, roast potatoes, honey roast parsnips, broccoli, carrots, bread sauce and gravy followed by panettone pudding later (we don't do Christmas pud).
Thursday - out
Friday - Turkey chelsea buns
Saturday - Turkey hash
Sunday - who knows?

Anyway, a few tips if you are getting stressed about cooking Christmas dinner, or have never done it before. Even now, a little planning and prepping ahead will save you loads of time and make you feel organised.

1. Make a timeplan. Yes, I know it sounds a bit over-organised but Christmas dinner has so many different elements, that it's easy to forget things. I remember my mother nearly forgetting bread sauce a few times. She never actually forgot because I LOVE it. Anyway, start with a list of all elements and work out what time you want to sit down for dinner. Work back with the times that you need to do everything in order to achieve that time. Allow yourself a bit of extra time because things often take a bit longer. I do this all electronically as I then link to any recipes I'm using. It also means I can add things and rejig the timeplan without having to start again. I even view it on the day via my iPad! Having times helps me to remember to bob in to the kitchen to do little tasks and then there is just a bit more to do near the end. Don't forget to allow time for your bird to rest - this usually gives you time to turn up the oven to finish off potatoes and parsnips.

2. Prep what you can on Christmas Eve. I have already done potatoes (peeled and cut to size, parboiled, then frozen in open trays before putting in a bag ready to go into hot fat), gravy (this recipe is good if you have time) and stuffing and they are in the freezer but can be done day before if you like. I'm also planning to make cranberry sauce as it's easy peasy - cranberries, sugar and usually the juice of an orange or clementine - and get the veg I'm using peeled. In my case, that's just parsnips and carrots, and then I will pack into freezer bags to put in the fridge. Getting the prep out of the way just takes the pressure off a bit.

3. Make any starter as simple as possible. This year, we're just doing seafood stuff that we will graze on - there is no prep other than some filo prawns that need to be baked; I will just literally plate it and let people take what they want. All I have done in advance is buy everything and make some bread (but only because I like making bread). Soup can be a good option but it can be too filling. Don't feel obliged though - some people just like to get on with the main event and that's fine.

4. Delegate what can be done by someone else. Get the children to lay the table. It might not be perfect, but they'll do the legwork and you can correct it. In our house, husband does that with the kids. He opens the wine and he makes sure I have a drink! Don't get huffy if someone doesn't offer to help - ask!

5. Most people don't want pudding straight after the main course. Have a break and do it later. We've been known to have it for tea!

6. Finally, relax and don't worry about it. If you sit down to eat a bit late, or even a lot, so what? If you forget something, don't despair. As long as everyone has food and fun, it doesn't matter if you do forget something or it goes wrong. This is why I keep all my recipes simple as can be unless I'm making in advance - less chance of going wrong! But honestly, you will laugh about it in years to come and it really doesn't matter. Having a great Christmas does.

That's all from me. Click on the badge if you like but I just noticed that there isn't a new post over at Mrs M's place. Have a very Merry Christmas and I shall be back next week.

Meal Planning Monday - the post holiday holiday edition!

No post for two weeks? Very bad blogger, me! But now, I'm back. Hello. This blog has been neglected and for that, I apologise. Maybe I'll blog about our holiday soon but it was good. Got back on Saturday and now husband has started his course. However, the children are still off this week so it's just me and them during the day.

Time indeed to get back to normal meal planning, which I did last night, honest guv but I got distracted by tennis (US Open) and the fact I was getting a new car today. Excited doesn't even cover it. I've had the same car for over 9 years!

I've included Monday's meal even though we've already eaten it because it was universally enjoyed and will be one I make again.

Eyes down..

Monday - Prosciutto and pesto fish gratin
Tuesday - Jamaican pork and kale stew (heavily adapted so not too hot and we have no kale!)
Wednesday - Cajun turkey gumbo (adapted again)
Thursday - Cauliflower cheese
Friday - Turkey chilli jackets
Saturday - out at a wedding reception
Sunday - Leftovers

If you want more meal planning inspiration, click on the badge above to take you to Mrs M's joint.

Meal Planning Monday - the getting myself back in gear edition!

A meal plan, on a Monday. How unique! Seriously, this school holiday is messing with me cooking at the moment. The day is flying by before I realise I really ought to be cooking, then it's late and something else happens. I have so many things moved around, it's not funny. So... this week I am going to try to behave. Yes, there are carry overs from last week but still - I am at least going to make them!

Eyes down, people. Brace yourselves...

Monday - Salmon nuggets with sweet potato chips
Tuesday - Chicken and sweetcorn fried rice
Wednesday  - Pork and veg folded pizza
Thursday - Turkey burgers
Friday - Oven baked ratatouille with sausages
Saturday - Chicken and sweet potato curry
Sunday - Layered lentil and aubergine bake

Let's see how far we get with that!

For more organised and better behaved meal planning, click on the badge above which will take you to Mrs M's blog.

Meal Planning Wednesday?

I'm getting terrible! The weekend was very busy and sadly, husband had to withdraw from the Ironman a short distance into the cycle as he caught a cold that went to his chest. It kind of threw us out as we were planning to catch up with him at various points and instead we had to go on a mercy mission to collect him from a high school I had never been to and had no clue where it was, and then we had to take him to his car later so he could collect it, then his bike and his other stuff. It was sad, but it was the right decision as he knew he couldn't finish the bike (he knows the hills to come). He turned up to collect his bike shortly after the time cut off for starting the run and a number of people came in just a couple of minutes late and were quite distressed they couldn't continue. He was glad it wasn't him as by then, they would have been going for ten and a half hours.

Still, it was a shame after all that work. And after a weekend of trying to cook something with all the blackcurrants we have, I'm trying to keep on top of work. I have kind of had this plan in place anyway, especially as Monday's meal was a carry over from last week and today's was kind of put on hold.

This is the week I have planned.

Wednesday - Veg curry - effectively a fridge bottom one.
Thursday - Fish stirfry
Friday - Turkey tortilla stack
Saturday - Salmon nuggets & s pot chips
Sunday - Pork and veg folded pizza

Normal service *should* be resumed next week.

Meal Planning Monday - the February trying to keep it healthy edition!

Yay, it's really February now. The nights are getting lighter. It's slightly warmer (although I've just noticed snow is forecast for later, joy). And I'm still trying to be healthy. If you picked up this month's Good Food (which is actually the March edition, go figure), you'd be forgiven for thinking that people only eat interesting healthy food in January, because a lot of the recipes are quite fattening, starting with the recipe that is 1,100 calories per adult portion. Stuff that - that's for Christmas!

So I've had to hunt around to pad out my plan for the week.

What's going on this week? Well, parents evening is on Wednesday and so sandwiches are the order of the day then. Apart from that, not masses is going on other than the usual routine. Husband is working his weekend off, but in advance of taking two weekends off for half term, which is the third week of February.

This is what I have planned for us foodwise this week.

Monday -  Southwestern black bean casserole
Tuesday - Slow cooker turkey stroganoff
Wednesday - Sandwiches
Thursday - Spiced parsnip and cauliflower soup
Friday - Pork taco mix probably done as fajitas
Saturday - Smoked salmon spaghetti
Sunday - Chorizo and pepper lasagne

How do you like my menu? What's on yours this week? Toddle on over to Mrs M's place if you want more Meal Planning Monday action. 

Meal Planning Monday - the keeping warm January edition!

Gosh, tomorrow is pretty much the middle of January but I'm feeling the chill. This is partly a good thing, because it's been so warm recently, I've been boiling in bed at night, but I dislike the cold, I'm not great with ice or snow. We're still trying to eat as healthily as possible and the dishes I've chosen reflect that. I've left one day free, because husband's niece is 21 on Sunday and has invited all of us to her party on Sunday but as she lives in Cumbria, down a twisting, hilly road from the M6, we might be taking a rain check on that one if the weather gets really grotty. Other than that, it's stuff that warms - pilaf, bakes, soup and two stews. Oh, and burgers.

The good thing about it being the middle of January is I'm feeling the days lengthen already - we got back from school later than normal on Friday and it was really noticeable that we didn't have to have the lights on straight away. Soon be summer, won't it? (Please?!)

Our week in meals looks like this.


Monday - Spiced vegetable pilaf
Tuesday - Lemon and thyme turkey burgers with vegetable chips
Wednesday - Gnocchi and tomato bake
Thursday - Fresh and light chowder with crusty bread
Friday - Chicken and veg stew with couscous
Saturday - Keeping free
Sunday - Hearty lamb and barley stew

How does your week look foodwise? And have you been to see what other people are doing over at Mrs M's?

See you next week!

Meal Planning Monday - the Christmas 2012 edition!

It's here at last. Hopefully, you're not too stressed by it all. I have everything I need foodwise, the presents are bought and wrapped, and we're all on holiday (although husband worked over the weekend!) 

I've spent so much time planning Christmas Day that the rest of the week is pretty vague, but we will cope. It will mostly be leftovers and I'm not doing a major shop again until later in the week. I'll be near a shop tomorrow afternoon so might wander in to see if there are any bargains. 

We don't cook on Christmas Eve (apart from perhaps some minimal prep or make ahead things for Christmas Day) so we're going out for a curry! In previous years, we've bought Chinese take-away but we end up buying too much which fills the fridge unnecessarily with leftovers. We decided to go for the curry and then discovered our local Chinese is closed over Christmas anyway, so it was obviously meant to be. The later part of the week, husband will be back at work so it will feel like normal days for us, although we might pop out and visit family so this is all rather provisional and subject to change. The only things set in stone is Christmas dinner really. 

Monday (Christmas Eve) - Not cooking

Tuesday (Christmas Day!) - Poached and smoked salmon pate (already made), Four bird roast (in freezer) with pigs in blankets, stuffing balls (in freezer), bread (out of a packet) and cranberry  (made) sauces, roast spuds and roast parsnips (both veg prepped in freezer), broccoli (just needs chopping up today and bagging) and carrots (prepped, blanched and frozen), gravy (already made), followed by chocolate coconut banoffee tart (the main part of making this is today's job)

Wednesday (Boxing Day) - Ham cooked in cola with a maple mustard glaze, with jacket potatoes and salad

Thursday - Turkey/Poultry leftovers (sandwiches or chilli)

Friday - Turkey and ham pie, mash

Saturday - Turkey fajitas (or possibly coronation turkey)

Sunday - Keeping free

As you can see, there is a repeating theme to the week! 

By the way, every year, I try to get people to tweet pix of their Christmas dinner with the hashtag #allthetwimmings Feel free to join in *cough* hint *cough* - it can be photos of your table, any of your courses or preparation. I'm just nosey. I'll try and retweet any that I see. 

And don't forget to tell me what you're having. And if it's there, Mrs M will have the linky for the other Meal Planning Monday entries. 

Happy Christmas! 

Meal Planning Monday - the distinctly Autumn edition!

Yep, definitely Autumn out there even though we have had a, few nice days recently. I've just looked at the meal plan and the food reflects the season - cobbler and soup to name but two. The ham hock from last week never got made, partly because I didn't manage to get hold of a ham hock. I need to go to a proper butcher's to buy one, I think.

Apart from the fact that I am out most of Friday and therefore not cooking because I won't be home until nearly 7pm, it's a pretty uneventful week for us.

Eyes down, here we go.


Monday - Sausage and bean cobbler
Tuesday-  Turkey tortilla pie
Wednesday - Low fat chicken biryani
Thursday - Curried root vegetable soup
Friday - keeping free
Saturday - Ham hock with pinto beans
Sunday - keeping free

(There's no links because most of the recipes are from this month's BBC Good Food and they take a little time to get them onto their website.)

Is your menu feeling distinctly autumnal? Tell me what is on your plan this week and then head over to Mrs M's to find more MPM entries.

Meal Planning Monday - the post-Olympics edition

It's all over (the Olympics, that is) and we are bereft with only the prospect of the Paralympics in a couple of weeks to keep us going. That does mean that we are returning to a kind of normal in the household but it is still school holidays.  I'm trying to keep it relatively simple whilst providing some kind of variety as I get bored so easily with what I'm cooking (if you hadn't noticed).

On with the week.

Monday - Veg and cheesy rice bake
Tuesday - Oriental salmon and broccoli traybake
Wednesday - Turkey chilli jacket potatoes
Thursday - Special fried rice with prawns and chorizo
Friday - Pizza (Homemade)
Saturday - Chicken pesto pasta
Sunday - keeping free

That's us. How about you? What's on your menu this week? Remember that Mrs M has the Meal Planning Monday linky on her blog so you can find more meal planning inspiration.

Meal Planning Monday - the last week of term edition!

I can't quite believe it that it's nearly the summer holidays. Within 6 weeks, I'll have a child in juniors. This week is slightly busy (again) as I am hosting a Pampered Chef party tonight, Monkey has a friend coming for tea tomorrow and Missy Woo STILL has her dancing lesson this Thursday. (Dammit, I thought last week was the last one of term!) Still, at least Monkey no longer has football which means it's slightly less manic. And then, at the weekend, Monkey has two parties to go to and husband is off to the Open golf at Royal Lytham - tickets to which were his birthday present. 

I even managed to get the meals planned on Saturday before I went to a wedding reception and the food bought yesterday to give me as much time today to get the house presentable. Monkey even came to the supermarket with me and my stress levels didn't go through the roof!

So, ladies and gents, I give to you our menu for the week. 

Monday - Chilli ginger lamb chops with curried pasta salad

Tuesday - Pinwheel pizza

Wednesday - Lemon scented fish and chips

Thursday - Courgette, bean and cheese quesadillas

Friday - Turkey and coriander burger with guacamole

Saturday - Special fried rice with barbeque chicken

(There are no links as I took all the recipes from this month's BBC Good Food mag and the recipes don't appear straight away on the site although they usually do within a month or two.)

Don't forget to check out other Meal Planning Monday entries over at Mrs M's place - but stop by and let me know what you are eating this week first. 

Meal Planning Monday - the post-marathon edition

So, we are post-marathon. Husband ran the Greater Manchester Marathon yesterday in shocking conditions in 4:37, seven minutes faster than he ran his first one last year. He reckons he could have shaved off 15 to 20 minutes off that time if the wind hadn't been so bad, which would have been great. In fact, he went through a half marathon in 2:07 which displays how well he was doing until he hit the really hard bit. We're all so proud of him, Missy Woo drew him a picture with the words "Winner" along the top and she's desperate to take his medal into school.

Onto this week. It's a mixed week - I have cake club tomorrow night so I will mostly not be eating for a day before or after and husband has a meeting and possible social event on Thursday. Plus, it's our wedding anniversary on Saturday so will probably be going out on Saturday as a family as we are a bit short on babysitters at the moment. We have, therefore, a few old faves to make to use up freezer stocks and a couple of new things to try.

Onto our plan.

Monday - Turkey and cranberry meatloaf (from My Daddy Cooks)
Tuesday - Pizza
Wednesday - Lamb coconut and mango pilau
Thursday - Sandwiches (possibly pizza if Missy Woo's friend comes for tea)
Friday - Sticky chicken wings - without the noodles!
Saturday - keeping free
Sunday - Roast vegetable and goats cheese penne (also from My Daddy Cooks)

So, what are you having this week? Mrs M has more Meal Planning Monday entries on her linky.

Meal Planning Monday - the post-Easter edition!

Hope you had a lovely Easter and aren't too sick from chocolate overload. We've had a quiet one thanks to work (husband's not mine!) but we've another week of school holidays to go. This week is a mix of things I wanted to try making or am trying to perfect - you might have seen the Thai fish pie a few weeks back; well, I'm trying out my own version of it that is a) cheaper b) healthier and c) more family friendly - ie not as hot and more acceptable to children's palates. When I get it right, I'll blog the recipe

Here's our week.

Monday -  Garlic mushroom and turkey bake
Tuesday - Mushroom stroganoff
Wednesday - Bolognese bake
Thursday - Vegetarian sausage, butternut squash and pepper stew
Friday - Thai fish pie
Saturday - Lemon spiced chicken with chickpeas
Sunday - keeping free

And don't forget that you can find more Meal Planning Monday entries at Mrs M's place but before you go, take a few minutes to tell me what you're having this week.

Meal Planning Monday - another 5 for £20 edition!

You may remember that I have in the past reviewed the Sainsbury's meal plans. Last May, we tried the £50 weekly one and then in October, we tried out one of their evening meal plans, which offer 5 evening meals for a family of 4 for £20. Sainsbury's have just launched a new meal plan so have given me the chance to try  the latest one. The meals have generally been brilliant, although I do find some of them rather carb heavy so I tend to cut back on quantities now if it's a pasta or rice dish in particular. And they add mozzarella to risottos - what is THAT all about?

The meal plans are great if you don't have time to meal plan and they often suggest veggie options. You can print a shopping list for you and transfer most of the ingredients into their internet shopping site - you have to add some of the items for reasons I will never understand.

So here is what we're having this week, courtesy of Sainsbury's.

Monday - Tomato and broccoli risotto
Tuesday - Simple sausage supper
Wednesday - Creamy pork and mash
Thursday - Sandwiches or soup and sandwiches
Friday - Turkey chilli with rice
Saturday - left free for family party
Sunday - Cheesy jacket potato with bacon and pepper ratatouille

Come back next week and I'll tell you how we did. Don't forget to visit Mrs M's blog to check out the other entries in this week's Meal Planning Monday and feel free to check out Sainsbury's Live Well for Less site and all their meal plans.

What's on your menu this week?

Meal Planning Monday - the reality bites edition

So, my birthday has been and gone, the kids are back at school and reality hits home. It's January and I want to eat as healthily as I can. The month feels like it goes on for ever too so let's hope this one passes quickly.  The healthy eating well explain why there are three dishes containing poultry on the menu this week. Again, all the recipes (apart from the risotto, which is just made up) are from BBC Good Food this month but none of them have reached their website. And excuse the chicken pies - they are in my freezer and I've actually checked, they're not too bad in the calorie department. 

Here is next week then. Nothing out of the way, I'm leaving Saturday free because I am not currently sure what we are doing. 

Monday - Chicken risotto

Tuesday - Baked turkey meatballs with crispy potatoes and broccoli

Wednesday - Mushroom stroganoff with rice

Thursday - Chunky pea soup with bread

Friday - Chicken pies, mash and mixed veg

Saturday - left free

Sunday - Salmon and broccoli cakes with salad. 

Are you planning your meals this year? What are you planning to eat this week? Tell me, and then visit Mrs M's  place to visit the other entries in this week's linky. 

Some quick ideas for using leftover turkey

Fed up of turkey sandwiches yet? We're probably coming to the limit of the time you can use leftover turkey but you're probably drowning in it, whilst not wanting to waste it. Of course, a good way to jazz up a turkey sandwich is to add some bacon, or some stuffing, or even some cheese - and toast the bread first to make it a turkey club sandwich. Yum!

Anyway, here are just a few things I make to use up what's left of the turkey. Thankfully, we don't have tons as we had a turkey crown but there is still way more meat on it than 4 people will ever eat in 10 meals, let alone one. If you are reheating the turkey in anyway, don't forget to make sure it's heated right through.

Coronation turkey - this is really quick and quite a flexible recipe. It goes really well in sandwiches but if you're bored of that, then use as a filling for jacket potatoes or just have with some green salad. Look away now if you don't like fruit with meat, this is not for you!

First, chop up some turkey meat into bite sized pieces. I don't weigh how much I've got, I just cut off enough to feed however many people are eating. Finely chop an onion and cook in 1-2tbsp oil for a couple of mins without browning it. Add some mild curry powder (about 1 tbsp) or some curry paste and cook for another minute, stirring. Then, add 1 tbsp tomato puree or ketchup, a hefty dash of lemon (or lime) juice, and about 125ml of chicken stock, from a cube or proper stock. The tomato is entirely optional, leave it out if you don't want the finished result to look quite orangey. Simmer this for about 10 mins until you have quite a thick sauce. In the meantime, chop up some dried apricots and add to the turkey. If you don't have them, use raisins or sultanas instead, or even some chopped fresh apple. Once the sauce is done, cool the sauce. If you're in a rush, run some cold water into your washing up bowl, plunge the pan into that and it will be cool in about 10 mins. Now add mayonnaise (low fat will be fine) and natural yogurt in roughly equal quantities. If you're making for 4, you'll probably need about 200-250ml of each but stir it into the cooled sauce and see if you like the consistency. Taste and season, pour over the turkey and fruit mix, stir in and serve. Add some flaked almonds if you really want and have some to hand.

Turkey tacos or fajitas - This is really quick and a nice way to serve up an informal meal with a bit of spice! First, slice up some turkey meat, some onion (red or white but red looks best), and 2-3 peppers of any sort (preferably a mixture of colours). You can also use sliced mushrooms, sliced baby sweetcorn or any leftover veg that you think might go. Heat some oil in a pan or wok and add the turkey, stirring for a few minutes, then add some chilli powder, ground coriander and ground cumin. Again, I tend to do this by eye, but usually about a teaspoon of each. Stir to cover the turkey and let the spices cook without burning, then add the veg. Cook for a few minutes until the veg are softened. Then heat tacos or some tortillas according to the instructions.  Put everything out on a table in dishes, adding some pots of other things you'd like to add - such as grated cheese, sour cream (though greek yogurt will do), perhaps some salsa or some guacamole. Everyone can help themselves and build their own fajita or taco.

Turkey and ham pie - brilliant if you have leftover gammon too but you can add any ham and again, you can adapt it to what you have left. It takes longer to make but it's quick to prepare, then you can relax whilst it bakes. Chop up as much turkey and ham leftovers as you want to use into bite sized pieces. Finely chop an onion and cook it in some butter for a few minutes, then add some sliced mushrooms and cook until  golden brown. Next, either make a white sauce (like Delia's all-in-one white sauce, which I use a lot) or if you have leftover cream, add that to the mushrooms and onions, bring to the boil and simmer gently until it thickens. Mix everything together - if you have other leftover veg, you could add that too - leeks, sweetcorn, carrots, broccoli are all good. Pour into a baking dish, and cover with pastry. If you have an oblong dish and ready rolled pastry sheets, it should be as simple as putting the pastry on top, sealing the edges and then making a small hole for the steam to escape in the middle. Brush with beaten egg then bake at 220C for about 20 minutes, then cook for a further 15-20 mins at 180C.

If you have any quick and easy yummy recipes for leftover turkey, add them in the comments below or blog about them and link away in the comments.

Either way, that turkey will be gone in no time!

Meal Planning Monday

Last week did go vaguely to plan although Saturday got swopped to Sunday thanks to Monkey going to his friend's for tea. The toad in the hole and cheesy fish pie was lovely, as was the butternut squash and coconut curry.