Tales From The Kitchen...

... and other stories.  As promised for Vanessa here is last weeks menu list:

Thursday: Lunch - Potato and Fennel Soup*, mixed salad and grated cheese.

              Dinner - Leeks with Greens*, Baked Spuds.



Friday: Lunch - Sandwiches and Plain Crisps.

          Dinner - French Beans with Tomatoes*, Cheese and Chilli Wedges.



Saturday: Lunch -   Leek and White Bean Salad with Mustard Dressing*,  



             Dinner - Cottage Pie with Three Root Mash Topping*




Sunday: Lunch - Five Root Soup with Bacon*, Homemade Bread


            Dinner - Stuffed Butternut Squash* and Mushroom Tart* 



Monday: Lunch - Lentil and Squash Patties* with French Beans.


             Dinner - Left over Cottage Pie with Baked Beans.



Tuesday: Lunch - Broccoli and Courgette Soup, Homemade Bread.


             Dinner - Quorn and Vegetable Stir Fry with Rice.



Wednesday: Lunch - Lentil and Vegetable Soup.


                  Dinner - Colcannon and Fried Eggs.


All items marked with a * are from the "River Cottage Everyday" Cookbook.


I have to say that, it's the first time in ages I've religiously stuck to a menu list and it's paid dividends as I was able to make best use of the oven (the mushroom tart and lentil patties were cooked on the same day) and even had leftovers in hand which saved the day when we had a clinic appointment for Benedict on Monday.

 This weeks menu list is as follows:


Saturday: Lunch - Mixed Vegetable Soup, Cheese and Onion Bread.

              Dinner - Tuna and Sweetcorn Stuffed Jackets, Mixed Salad.



Sunday:   Lunch - Leek and Quorn Pie,  Buttered Cabbage.

              Dinner - Chilli and Cheese Wedges, Scrambled Eggs.



Monday:  Lunch - Sandwiches, Soup and Crisps.

              Dinner - Veggie Mince Lasagne, French Beans.



Tuesday: Lunch - Build your own pizza!
           
              Dinner - Spicy Rice, Roasted Root Veg.


Wednesday: Lunch - Mixed Vegetable Soup, Cheese and Onion Bread.


                  Dinner - Cashew Nut and Mushroom Roast, Mashed Potato,


                              Seasonal Vegetables.


Thursday: Lunch - Leftover Lasagne.


               Dinner - Cauliflower Cheese and Baked Spuds.

Thursday is our busy non school day.  In the morning I take Pip to toddlers whilst Benedict and Dave do their own thing at home.  Dave is currently  working on a CAD drawing and Benedict is crazy about  weights and measures!   We need a quick heat through lunch so I try and include a casserole/lasagne/curry meal that will keep from earlier in the week.  Thursday is also our shopping day so the evening meal needs to be quick and easy.  On Friday we  have a vegetable box delivered from Abel and Cole; the quality is always good, they literally deliver in all weathers (even when snow stops all else!) and the box items challenge me to cook seasonal.

On the home school front I finally got my act together and with the help of Melisa Nielsen's Second Grade e- book and existing Oak Meadow info, I've put together a plan for the remainder of the year.  Please God, I know you're listening so help me be a patient and enthusiastic teacher!  Our topic for the remainder of January/early February is "Times and Seasons".  We made a good start this morning and worked together on our calender.  In addition to the regular information regarding general holidays and  the phases of the moon, we are hoping to celebrate the churches liturgical year with craft activities and special meals/teas.

To allay any possible assumption that, I truly have it all sorted at this end, here are some photos of last night's family messes around 9:30pm. I had two options, the first to spend another hour putting everything away or put on rose tinted glasses, pour myself a nice cup of tea and pick up my knitting needles!  I chose the latter and in truth it did not take long to sort the chaos this morning before Home School

 Sheesh, I cleaned the kitchen after tea but here we are post suppertime snack!

Ironing Mountain conquered but now it all needs putting away!

 Not great I know!  The Good Lord and His Blessed Mother sharing their space with Lego bits and Home Ed reading.  I comfort myself with the fact that, they are well used to everyday chaos, after all His first resting place was an animal feeding trough in a barn!

Home School prep on the nursing chair in the front room.

 Craft paper, magazines and other unrelated paraphernalia on the hall table.

So their you have it, just keeping it real folks!