Keeping your home clean and tidy is an ongoing task. If you have a day off from it you just have to work double hard the following day, so I find, if I just crack on and do these five things each day, life runs a little smoother the next day!
Golden Rule #1
Wash Up The Dishes After Each Meal
Golden Rule #2
Load the Washing Machine The Night Before and Switch on When You Wake Up
Golden Rule #3
Iron the Laundry the Same Day
Golden Rule #4
Wipe Down Counters
Golden Rule #5
Clean the Bathroom Daily (housekeeping cheat - Here's my way of cleaning the bathroom in just 10 mins each day)
Golden Rule #6
Pick up everything off the floor and put away
Golden Rule #7
Vacuum the carpets
Golden Rule #8
Sweep the floors
Golden Rule #9
Make the beds when you get out of them
Golden Rule #10
Hang up clothes that will be worn again
Try it every day for a week and see the difference it makes
What cleaning habits have you developed? What works for you?
Friday 18 April 2014
Monday 14 April 2014
Meal Plan Monday - The Big Cooking Day
So, last week worked really well - here's the gist if you missed it...
Back..ok
So, as usual I'm acting like my children actually run the house and have the upper hand, and I'm letting them do the meal planning again. I've suggested they follow up on this and do the shopping too but they both disappeared leaving me with a 1 year old that can push a trolley but just throws money out of purses therefore can't yet be trusted.
Although they have chosen what they want to eat, I have jigged it around a bit, just to stamp my authority as an adult really, and to make it so I can cook once on Monday after I've shopped and then have more free time to clean up after the little darlings and chauffeur them around if necessary.
Here it is..
Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise and Garlic Bread
Tuesday - Green Thai Curry and Rice with piles of mange tout and baby corn
Wednesday - Spaghetti Tacos and potato wedges
Thursday - Slow Cooker Curry
Friday - Cheesy Mash Shepherd's Pie and piles of veg
Saturday - Take Awaaaaaayy!!
Sunday - Paprika Chicken and Quinoa
and the plan for cooking...
Monday
- Make huge batch of spag bol and freeze several portions.
- Put enough in fridge for Spaghetti Tacos on Wednesday
- Make Thai Curry and refrigerate
- Mix up the curry sauce in a freezer bag and put in fridge
- Make garlic bread - from scratch!! (anyone know if I can freeze dough?)
- Make two shepherds pies and freeze
Tuesday
- Make pan of rice and veg for with curry
Wednesday
- Dice chicken and add to bag of ingredients
Thursday
- Fling chicken curry bag contents into the slow cooker in a flamboyant, I've beat this stove standing lark fashion
- Remember to switch slow cooker on at the plug!!!
- Make some rice and chips at tea time
- Defrost a shepherds pie
Friday
- Bung shepherds pie in oven and boil loads of veg
And you're thinking but what about the Paprika Chicken?
Well it's already lingering at the back of the freezer. I found it during a lunchtime freezer dive last week.
This reduced cooking plan is really working for me!
This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday Linky on I'm an Organising Junkie. There are loads of meal plans on there and I urge you to read them as some are gourmet!!
Back..ok
So, as usual I'm acting like my children actually run the house and have the upper hand, and I'm letting them do the meal planning again. I've suggested they follow up on this and do the shopping too but they both disappeared leaving me with a 1 year old that can push a trolley but just throws money out of purses therefore can't yet be trusted.
Although they have chosen what they want to eat, I have jigged it around a bit, just to stamp my authority as an adult really, and to make it so I can cook once on Monday after I've shopped and then have more free time to clean up after the little darlings and chauffeur them around if necessary.
Here it is..
Monday - Spaghetti Bolognaise and Garlic Bread
Tuesday - Green Thai Curry and Rice with piles of mange tout and baby corn
Wednesday - Spaghetti Tacos and potato wedges
Thursday - Slow Cooker Curry
Friday - Cheesy Mash Shepherd's Pie and piles of veg
Saturday - Take Awaaaaaayy!!
Sunday - Paprika Chicken and Quinoa
and the plan for cooking...
Monday
- Make huge batch of spag bol and freeze several portions.
- Put enough in fridge for Spaghetti Tacos on Wednesday
- Make Thai Curry and refrigerate
- Mix up the curry sauce in a freezer bag and put in fridge
- Make garlic bread - from scratch!! (anyone know if I can freeze dough?)
- Make two shepherds pies and freeze
Tuesday
- Make pan of rice and veg for with curry
Wednesday
- Dice chicken and add to bag of ingredients
Thursday
- Fling chicken curry bag contents into the slow cooker in a flamboyant, I've beat this stove standing lark fashion
- Remember to switch slow cooker on at the plug!!!
- Make some rice and chips at tea time
- Defrost a shepherds pie
Friday
- Bung shepherds pie in oven and boil loads of veg
And you're thinking but what about the Paprika Chicken?
Well it's already lingering at the back of the freezer. I found it during a lunchtime freezer dive last week.
This reduced cooking plan is really working for me!
This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday Linky on I'm an Organising Junkie. There are loads of meal plans on there and I urge you to read them as some are gourmet!!
Monday 7 April 2014
Meal Plan Monday - Cook Once for the Week
It's the Easter Holidays and about time. Both boys are worn out and quite frankly that is wearing me out.
So, tactics are required here. Dinners (lunches) are always a bit of a hit and miss thing. Some are planned and healthy, some are made by themselves as a cooking activity and others are thrown together and eaten like we're cavemen.
I will not be chained to the kitchen for this holiday and I do aim to leave it at sometime. I'm adopting the Once a Month Mom tactic. (prepping as many meals as possible and spending one full day cooking)
Here's the meals:
Monday: Chicken Dinner
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes and Potato Wedges
Wednesday: Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake
Thursday: Turkey Tikka Massala
Friday: Gluten Free Chilli Tacos
And here's how I'll do It
Monday: Cook 2 Chickens and double veg refrigerate leftovers
Make Cheese Sauce and refrigerate
Cook Sloppy Joes in Slow Cooker and refrigerate
Bake 4 potatoes and refrigerate
Mix up Turkey Tikka Massala Raw in a Freezer Bag and freeze
Cook big batch of Gluten Free Chilli on hob then freeze
Tuesday: Warm up sloppy joe mix, Cut wedges, sprinkle with seasoning and bake, toast buns, fill with sloppy joe mix and serve
Wednesday: Warm up cheese sauce to loosen up. Put extra chicken and left over veg in pasta bake dish, pour over cheese sauce, pour over water until loose consistency and stir well. Take out 20 mins in and stir. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cook until hot.
Take the Turkey Tikka Massala from the Freezer
Thursday: Cook the Turkey Tikka Massala
Take the Chilli out of the freezer
Friday: Heat through the chilli and serve in tacos with loads of accompaniments
What do you think? Sounds easy? I'll report back next week how it goes (fingers crossed!)
There's loads more meal plans which are probably not so frantic over on I'm an Organising Junkie and this post is linked up to the huge Meal Plan Monday linky of fantastic meal plans. Go look!!
So, tactics are required here. Dinners (lunches) are always a bit of a hit and miss thing. Some are planned and healthy, some are made by themselves as a cooking activity and others are thrown together and eaten like we're cavemen.
I will not be chained to the kitchen for this holiday and I do aim to leave it at sometime. I'm adopting the Once a Month Mom tactic. (prepping as many meals as possible and spending one full day cooking)
Here's the meals:
Monday: Chicken Dinner
Tuesday: Sloppy Joes and Potato Wedges
Wednesday: Chicken and Veg Pasta Bake
Thursday: Turkey Tikka Massala
Friday: Gluten Free Chilli Tacos
And here's how I'll do It
Monday: Cook 2 Chickens and double veg refrigerate leftovers
Make Cheese Sauce and refrigerate
Cook Sloppy Joes in Slow Cooker and refrigerate
Bake 4 potatoes and refrigerate
Mix up Turkey Tikka Massala Raw in a Freezer Bag and freeze
Cook big batch of Gluten Free Chilli on hob then freeze
Tuesday: Warm up sloppy joe mix, Cut wedges, sprinkle with seasoning and bake, toast buns, fill with sloppy joe mix and serve
Wednesday: Warm up cheese sauce to loosen up. Put extra chicken and left over veg in pasta bake dish, pour over cheese sauce, pour over water until loose consistency and stir well. Take out 20 mins in and stir. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cook until hot.
Take the Turkey Tikka Massala from the Freezer
Thursday: Cook the Turkey Tikka Massala
Take the Chilli out of the freezer
Friday: Heat through the chilli and serve in tacos with loads of accompaniments
What do you think? Sounds easy? I'll report back next week how it goes (fingers crossed!)
There's loads more meal plans which are probably not so frantic over on I'm an Organising Junkie and this post is linked up to the huge Meal Plan Monday linky of fantastic meal plans. Go look!!
Wednesday 2 April 2014
How To Clean A Kids Lunchbox
They get grotty don't they? They catch every single crumb of every single item. Throw yoghurt into the equation and blergh!
You so have to clean them daily. (I've heard in the playground that people don't!)
So, the plastic type of box - easy - complete immersement in hot soapy water and give it a good clean.
But the fabric type with the seams. They seriously catch everything, I'd hate to know the results of a germ swab on that!!
All is not lost, they are cleanable and it's really easy!
Unzip it fully and completely turn it inside out.
Give it a good clean and get right into those seams.
Allow it to air dry whilst still turned inside and it won't smell!
Easy Peasy!!
Put it on the daily routine list.
You so have to clean them daily. (I've heard in the playground that people don't!)
So, the plastic type of box - easy - complete immersement in hot soapy water and give it a good clean.
But the fabric type with the seams. They seriously catch everything, I'd hate to know the results of a germ swab on that!!
All is not lost, they are cleanable and it's really easy!
Unzip it fully and completely turn it inside out.
Give it a good clean and get right into those seams.
Allow it to air dry whilst still turned inside and it won't smell!
Easy Peasy!!
Put it on the daily routine list.
Tuesday 1 April 2014
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes
A firm kids favourite here and it cooks itself in the slow cooker.
Ideal if you're all eating at different times on a busy day.
Ingredients:
2lb mince
2 small chopped onions
2 large grated carrots
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
375ml Passatta
A little salt
Half a Block of Cheese
Method:
Fry the mince until browned
Drain off The Fat
Add to slow cooker
Chop onion and add to slow cooker
Grate Carrot and add to slow cooker
Mix passatta BBQ sauce, salt and worcestershire sauce in jug
Pour over and stir well
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours
Just before serving grate the cheese in and stir well
Serve on toasted buns
Delicious!!
Ideal if you're all eating at different times on a busy day.
 |
| How to make Sloppy Joes |
2lb mince
2 small chopped onions
2 large grated carrots
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
375ml Passatta
A little salt
Half a Block of Cheese
Method:
Fry the mince until browned
Drain off The Fat
Add to slow cooker
Chop onion and add to slow cooker
Grate Carrot and add to slow cooker
Mix passatta BBQ sauce, salt and worcestershire sauce in jug
Pour over and stir well
Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours
Just before serving grate the cheese in and stir well
Serve on toasted buns
Delicious!!
Monday 31 March 2014
Meal Plan Monday - The Boys Plan
Don't even ask how last weeks self feeding went. With all the good intentions, I was chasing him with a bowl and when I wasn't doing that he was trying to climb out of his highchair.
I sound like a case for Supernanny! It's not that bad (honestly.) (I don't think!)
So this week, Again, we're on kids food and I've let the bigger two choose their favorites. The Easter Hols are nearly upon us and I need to muster resolve for that. In my quest for an organised life, I'm now activity planning, so I've given the meal planning task to the big boys.
Here's their plan
Monday: Potato Cakes, Bacon and Beans
Tuesday: Macaroni Cheese and Bacon
Wednesday: Fajita Buffet Bar
Thursday: Home Made Chicken Strips and Chips
Friday: Home Made Doner Kebab (Thanks to recipe on Mortgage Free in Three)
Saturday: Oh a well earned takeaway for all!!
Sunday: The Big 3 Courser - Melon - Slow Cooked Lamb - Ice Cream Buffett!!
I'm also trying to get weight on my 12 year old so we need to plan desserts as well as main courses rather than the haphazard approach of look in the cupboard and choose! I've written a little about the food diary situation, but will be putting a lot of effort this week into planning several months of food to get some weight on the lad.
If you have an underweight child, I'd be really interested to hear from you as I feel the care given is dismissive and unhelpful. Oh I feel a rant coming on, I'll rein it in!!
This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday post on I'm an Organising Junkie - Go and have a look at all the delicious ideas on there - I love a good nosey!
Have a fabulous week, all of you!!
Claire x
I sound like a case for Supernanny! It's not that bad (honestly.) (I don't think!)
So this week, Again, we're on kids food and I've let the bigger two choose their favorites. The Easter Hols are nearly upon us and I need to muster resolve for that. In my quest for an organised life, I'm now activity planning, so I've given the meal planning task to the big boys.
Here's their plan
Monday: Potato Cakes, Bacon and Beans
Tuesday: Macaroni Cheese and Bacon
Wednesday: Fajita Buffet Bar
Thursday: Home Made Chicken Strips and Chips
Friday: Home Made Doner Kebab (Thanks to recipe on Mortgage Free in Three)
Saturday: Oh a well earned takeaway for all!!
Sunday: The Big 3 Courser - Melon - Slow Cooked Lamb - Ice Cream Buffett!!
I'm also trying to get weight on my 12 year old so we need to plan desserts as well as main courses rather than the haphazard approach of look in the cupboard and choose! I've written a little about the food diary situation, but will be putting a lot of effort this week into planning several months of food to get some weight on the lad.
If you have an underweight child, I'd be really interested to hear from you as I feel the care given is dismissive and unhelpful. Oh I feel a rant coming on, I'll rein it in!!
This post is linked up with the Meal Plan Monday post on I'm an Organising Junkie - Go and have a look at all the delicious ideas on there - I love a good nosey!
Have a fabulous week, all of you!!
Claire x
Thursday 27 March 2014
Home Made Potato Cakes
This is a family favourite and easy leftover meal if you've had mash the day before.
My kids love this with beans and bacon.
There are no quantities stated because it is very much dependent on how much mash you have. You really can't go wrong (unless you make them early - see warning below!)
Ingredients:
Cold Mashed Potato
Plain Flour
Salt
Margarine or Butter
Method:
Add a little salt to your mash to taste if you haven't already (or leave out if you don't use salt)
Mix an handful of plain flour into your cold mash potato
Keep adding flour until the mixture firms up and goes stiff. Generally a pan full of mash takes about 4 handfulls.
Grease a baking tray. I put foil on my tray then grease that - easy cleaning!!
Dust a little flour over the greased foil/tray
Make a ball from the cold mash mixture and squash it to a circular potato shape
Add a tiny dollop of butter to the top of each potato cake
Grill until the tops start to brown and turn them over
(they will be soft and sloppy)
When the second side is browned, they are ready to serve.
Warning: You can make the mash ahead, but don't add the flour until you are ready to cook them. I did once and refrigerated them overnight and they had black spots the next day!!!!
Serve with beans, bacon, sausages, fish, you name it, potato cakes go with it!
Enjoy!
Claire
My kids love this with beans and bacon.
There are no quantities stated because it is very much dependent on how much mash you have. You really can't go wrong (unless you make them early - see warning below!)
Ingredients:
Cold Mashed Potato
Plain Flour
Salt
Margarine or Butter
Method:
Add a little salt to your mash to taste if you haven't already (or leave out if you don't use salt)
Mix an handful of plain flour into your cold mash potato
Keep adding flour until the mixture firms up and goes stiff. Generally a pan full of mash takes about 4 handfulls.
Grease a baking tray. I put foil on my tray then grease that - easy cleaning!!
Dust a little flour over the greased foil/tray
Make a ball from the cold mash mixture and squash it to a circular potato shape
Add a tiny dollop of butter to the top of each potato cake
Grill until the tops start to brown and turn them over
(they will be soft and sloppy)
When the second side is browned, they are ready to serve.
Warning: You can make the mash ahead, but don't add the flour until you are ready to cook them. I did once and refrigerated them overnight and they had black spots the next day!!!!
Serve with beans, bacon, sausages, fish, you name it, potato cakes go with it!
Enjoy!
Claire
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