* Lazylol *

National Baking Week

I've been ill for the last few days - full of cold, sore throat, you know the same thing everyone you speak to seems to be suffering from.  Feeling much better today though and better still, i know have a week off for half term :)

The free calendar I got in Prima Magazine cheered me up - it is lovely.
 

My little old car had its MOT this week and I got a nice surprise - it passed which is a miracle.  So to celebrate we abandoned the menu plan for Friday night and had a takeaway Chicken Korma and Naan - YUM!  My son is home from Uni for the weekend and his girlfriend is here with him. It is so nice to have a noisy house again.

I made this Scrummy Yummy Carrott Cake from my meal plan.  It was a lovely moist cake but I think next time I will leave out the raisins.  The raisins weren't very popular and I have to agree.  Seeing as it is National Baking Week I also made a Dorest Apple Cake after reading about it here.  I have to say this is now my new favourite cake. 

I served it warm with a dash of cream and it went down a treat  with everyone. YUM YUM YUM :)

I have more baking planned this weekend.  First off some Yorkshire Parkin which will need to sit for 3 days to be at it's best and will be perfect to take to the caravan.  We are planning lots of walking so I will make a flask of hot chocolate and take some parkin along. 

I am also going to try a recipe that I've seen in Prima Magazine for Chocolate Millionaire's Shortcake. Good job we are going to be walking and swimming a lot next week! 

Just Call Me Mrs Thrift.

Blimey, I didn't realise sending my son to University would be quite as expensive as it is turning out! I have had to make some changes to the household budget and am now on a mission to save as much as possible to keep my lad in Super Noodles for the next three (or more) years.

I have already managed to stash £100 in the Uni pot by cutting down at the supermarket this month.  I've been using what I already have in my bulging freezers, food cupboards and fridge.  I already cook a lot of meals from stratch but I've been making a weekly menu plan and doing lots of baking.  It's suprising what a difference it all makes and I've not been throwing food away which is a bonus. Making double quantities of things like bolognese, chilli etc and freezing them as not only saved me money but time too.  In fact, I am spending much less time in the supermarket and I love knowing exactly what we are having every night.  So much easier to get on with tea when i get in from work and am too tired to think!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This weeks meal plan

breakfasts - porridge with fruit or toast

lunch - homemade soup (tomato & lentil/leek & potato) with bread plus fruit or yogurt

dinners

Monday - Stew and dumplings

Tuesday - fish with parley sauce, mash & veg

Wednesday - 'on toast' night (everyone is back from work and then out doing various activities so we have a quick meal)

Thursday - lasagne with salad and garlic bread

Friday - chicken curry and rice

Saturday - only me in for dinner so I will have some of the left over curry, with a glass or two of wine while I watch X Factor

Sunday - roast dinner and a homemade pud (treacle sponge & custard)

Bake of the week - Carrot Cake :)