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 I don't know which season it is edition!

I've only called it that because I can't think of anything else to put! It's still September, I'm still getting myself back on an even keel and learning new routines. Getting there slowly should be the phrase of the week. I seem to have two dishes I didn't make last week - one of which was because I spent so long doing the supermarket shop that I it was too late to cook anything and be ready at a reasonable time for the children.

There is nothing special on this week apart from all the things we normally do. The kids are doing choir at school, Missy Woo is dancing and both are swimming at separate times. We have no major social events to go to, although Monkey is keen to go to the presentation night for his cricket academy (even though he's yet to play for the team). Oh yeah, it's the proper launch of Strictly on Friday and Missy Woo will be giddy with excitement.

Apart from that, let's get on with the week. Some things are a bit retro and low effort, I like it like that.

Monday - Chicken and sweetcorn fried rice
Tuesday - Leek and tomato eggy bread bake
Wednesday - Mince and mash
Thursday - Cauliflower cheese soup
Friday - Loaded healthy nachos
Saturday -  Butter pie with apples and cheese
Sunday - Salmon with butterbean mash

As ever, you can find more Meal Planning magnificence at Mrs M's so click the badge above to go on a voyage of discovery.

Pebbles - of chocolate?

As you may or may not know, one of my unwritten rules for my blog is "never turn down chocolate". Not for me necessarily, but everyone else in the house adores chocolate and I quite like it too. Anyway, Cadbury's offered to send me some Dairy Milk Pebbles to try, so I couldn't say no.

Unfortunately, (or fortunately, if you are Cadbury's) they didn't last long. They did, however, last long enough for me to take a couple of snaps. (Badly, of course!)

Pebbles fill the void left by Mini Eggs when it's not Easter. They're a little bigger, pebble shaped (strangely!) but still covered with that crispy shell. Well, I say bigger - perhaps they're just flatter. And I think I can safely say they are moreish; I had to ration them with the children on the first afternoon they arrived. I was away the next night and by the time I came back, they were all gone! Hmm, maybe that wasn't just the kids; I think I hid the remainder.They come in handy bags for sharing, but if you're sneaky, I'm sure you could easily polish off a whole bag yourself. 

The chocolate is Dairy Milk - standard Cadbury's fare - so perfect unless you don't like milk chocolate. I've been told the RRP £2.03 (which is an odd number!) but looking at the supermarkets, some are selling them for £2 and others £1.50. It's similarly priced to the other sharing bags of chocolate on offer. 

I'd definitely recommend you buy these if you love your Mini Eggs; it will be like Easter every day without having the depressing thought that it's Easter straight after Christmas etc. Anyone would enjoy them though - I like getting through the crispy shell to find the chocolate underneath. Your only problem is going to be stopping eating them. I dare you. 

(Cadbury's sent me a couple of bags of Pebbles to try. They also kindly sent me a free family ticket for admission to Cadbury World.)

Meal Planning Monday - the regrouping and hopefully calm edition!

I was very organised last week but not organised enough to link up to Mrs M again. Gah. But I had a busy week, preparing for a weekend away in Coventry at work's national conference. I got home at 7.30 on Saturday evening and by 9.30, I was in bed. Shortly after, I was asleep and the next thing I knew it was 4.40am and after a couple of brief awakenings, it was 8.30. And on Sunday, after Missy's swimming lesson, we headed off to Skipton to meet my sister, her husband and their dogs as they are on holiday in North Yorkshire to have lunch with them. Luckily, I kind of had the basis of a meal plan made from last week so I've just juggled it to fit our week. Monkey is going out to tea tonight so Missy has chosen tea. They're starting choir on Tuesday so I don't have to pick them up til 4.30.

Husband starts his new job properly today, as in he now gets to go to his workplace (which he still hasn't seen!) so we will now be working out how the family day fits together. This probably means my meal plan won't work!

Anyway, I'm rambling. This is what I have planned for us.

Monday - Fish goujons, mushy peas and mash
Tuesday  - Keema with naan
Wednesday - Pumpkin and lentil soup
Thursday - Sandwiches
Friday - Slow cooker ham and beans
Saturday - Leek and tomato eggy bread bake
Sunday - Butter pie, apples and cheese

As ever, click the badge to visit Mrs M's and you will find lots more meal planning fun.

Meal Planning Monday - the back to school edition!

Today is the first day of school for the children. It seems like ages ago since they were last at school, but also it seems to have flown. For weeks, I have had "Lay in darkened room" written in my square for today. It's not been that bad really but boy, they are ready for school again and thankfully, both raring to go.

In my attempt to be uber-organised, I got my meal plan done yesterday. And my shopping is already in the cupboards. This means I am raring to go myself once I have done the school run because I have a busy week (when don't I?!). I'm off to Coventry for work on Friday, to our big annual event and AGM and I'm presenting one workshop and helping in another. I have one set of slides to do and possibly another set to edit for someone else. Sheesh. Add to that all the little stuff that gets put on hold for summer holidays and you'll see what I mean. Consequently, I'm sitting here typing this about to plan my week out once I've shared my meal plan with you.

This therefore is what we're having.

Monday - Cheesy polenta with sausage ragout
Tuesday - Keema with peas and mini naan
Wednesday - Pizza pie
Thursday - Sandwiches
Friday - Pasta with something (Husband is cooking!)
Saturday - Tomato and chorizo rice
Sunday - Hoisin chicken wings, corn cobs and rice

Being organised this week involves me actually remembering to link up to Mrs M's linky, which you can find by clicking on the badge above, where you will find many more meal plans more exciting than mine.

Have a good 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.