Garden soup

As mentioned in my previous post, I have been quite busy in my garden over the past few months planting and maintaining veg.  The first things that I planted this year were spinach, watercress and rocket seeds.  I sowed them straight into a prepared bed in May

Hello again!

As you can see I have been absent for quite a while again.  It’s been very busy here in the Craftycook household with me adjusting to being at home with the kids.  Just when I was getting into a routine the summer holidays sneaked up on me and I had to adjust the routine again!

We are still planning our menus and doing our shopping lists

Menu plan 4/5/2013 to 10/5/2013

As you can see I've been absent for a while. There has been a bit of a change in circumstances here in the Craftcook household.  Since Easter I have been unemployed and have become a stay at home mum. Previously I had always been of the opinion that I HAD to work even when I became a parent, but I have to say that over the past few weeks I’ve begun to wonder why I had ever felt that way!  I thoroughly enjoy being at home with the kids.  It also means I can spend more time preparing dinner if I choose to, though if I am honest I prefer spending time with the kids.

We’ve also had another change in our household.  The week that I finished work, my husband received news that he was to be promoted at work.  He is now working in his new job.  The upshot of this is that we haven’t had to change our grocery budget of €100 a week.

Due to all this change I’ve been a bit haphazard when it comes to preparing a weekly menu plan, but that’s about to change.  Yesterday I once again started making a note of our menu for the week and creating a shopping list.  Our menu plan for the week is:

Menu plan from 10th to 15th February 2013

I've not been very well for the past week, so haven't been eating much never mind cooking!  We didn't have much of a menu plan to work from, so my husband just whipped up something from whatever was in the house for himself and the kids each evening.   Thankfully I am feeling a lot better today and am looking forward to getting back behind the cooker!

So, my menu plan for the rest of this week is as follows

Menu plan 4th January 2013 to 11th January 2013

So here it is - a post containing details of my first menu plan for 2013!  My menu plan for Saturday the 4th January until Friday the 11th January is as follows

Happy New Year folks!

Wishing you all a healthy and prosperous 2013!

Stuffing ready to go!

Last year on Christmas Eve I spent my evening stressing out wrapping presents and getting the stuffing made and ready to go in the oven the next day.  I didn't enjoy my Christmas Eve and went to bed tired and stressed out instead of relaxed and anticipating the kids opening their presents the next day.  I promised myself that this year would be different.  So, here I sit on Christmas Eve eve (see what I did there!) with a Bulmers (or Magners if you aren't from Ireland) in hand congratulating myself on how much better prepared I am this year.  Well done me!

Just before sitting down this evening I finished making my stuffing and it's in the fridge ready to go in the oven on Christmas day.  For the last few years I have made the same stuffing for each year - chestnut and cranberry roll - which was published in the December 2007 Goodfood magazine.  If you haven't decided what stuffing to make this year, do yourself a favour and make this.  Take it from me, it looks impressive, but it is fairly simple and straight forward to make.

Menu plan 16th December 2012 - 21st December 2012

As I get older I frequently find myself wondering where the time has gone.  It's not different today when I look at my last post - where has the time gone?  I am sure that, like me, all of you are up to your eyes in Christmas preparations.  I decided to take a break from the wrapping and writing cards to type up my menu plan for this week. 

So, my menu plan from the 16th December to the 21st December 2012 is as follows