OK so it's been a while!

But these last few days have been epic!  We've dug and hoe'd and raked every last inch of soil in our back garden and we've now got something resembling a very tidy mud pit.  We've made a raised bed and bought and assembled a (plastic) greenhouse and dug in some good old fashion manure and compost.  I've planted onions (and forgot to plant the garlic!) and made a poly tunnel out of stuff hanging around already.  And more than that....we've got a plan!

Carrots
Leeks
Onions
Garlic
Potatoes
Cabbages
Spinach
Broccoli
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Rocket
Herbs
Parsnips
Pumpkins
Squash
French Beans

phew! we're gonna be overloaded! lots of veggie recipes and plans to make I think! Hopefully we'll fit it all in and it wont involve being too super organised!

I think as this is the first time we're doing it there's gonna be a lot of bare soil until we're ready to plant out in each area but once we get the hang of it and see how quickly everything grows and how well in our soil which hopefully will mean that next year we can fit stuff in a bit better.

Frozen Yogurt? Don't mind if I do!

Yummmmmy!  Frozen yogurt BIG SUCCESS! it's just Greek yogurt and frozen fruit and a bit of caster sugar whizzed up with the blender and whack it in the freezer.  I took it out after an hour just to give it another whiz with the blender just to be sure not to get any large ice crystals.  But the result is fantastic, lovely and creamy and so much healthier than ice cream it probably could be made healthier with half fat yogurt or something like that but I'd rather have the creaminess!

I watched Masterchef today and it reminded me that I really wanted to try making Dim Sum.  It's a favourite when we eat out but I'd love to have those Char Sui Buns at home!

Let's see what the weekend brings!

Alyx

bitten by the bug!

OK so I may be a little behind here but I've just discovered this whole new world of Freezer Meals and Once A Month Cooking (OAMC) and it's amazing!  We've spent £110 at the most and have made 35 meals out of it and that's not including all the pizza bases that Mister could make or the Risotto rice that's in the cupboard! (I'm sorry for all the exclamation marks but it's pretty exciting stuff!)

So far we've made:
Lasagne
Cottagepie
Tomato pasta sauce
Broccoli and Stilton Soup
Chilli Con Carne
Twice Baked Potatoes
Beef Casserole
Beef Stew with dumplings
Leek and Ham soup

And on top of all this we've got frozen broccoli (that was on sale), frozen sliced peppers, chopped onion, chicken and ham stock, lots of cooked chicken, ham and pork to add to Sweet and Sour sauce or Hoi Sin Sauce and not to mention any cut price meat that's on sale at the supermarket that week can just get frozen immediately or turned into a delicious meal that's ready to be cooked sometime when we get in from work.  There's just an endless range of possibilities!

My next plan is to come up with some sweet options to freeze including bakes and frozen desserts....I'm thinking apple and blackberry pie or fruit crumble or homemade frozen yogurt.....or pancakes or muffins or biscuits....mmmm! Well I'll let you know how it goes!

Tara for now!

Alyx

Happy New Year!

So much to do and so little time!  Its that time of year when everyone gets a kick up the backside and gets their act together and hopefully we're no exception.  My plans are to get active at the gym (at least twice if not three times a week), to get creative in the house and garden and to look after myself better.  These are not, I repeat NOT new years resolutions!  Because that would be setting myself up for failure!  These are lifestyle changes that I will appreciate even if at the time I don't realise it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what 2012 brings and I can't wait to look back at all that I've achieved. (Now that's what I call positive thinking!)