Meal planner

Hi! 

Feels like ages since I've been on here properly. Been busy getting my pieces for the paper sorted but think I'm finding my feet a bit now so it shouldn't affect my frugal blogging!

We have been away down south for the long weekend with Ian's family so I've not done much cooking since last week. 

We got home on Monday so I made a quickie supper of pasta with wild garlic pesto, prawns, chorizo and lots of grated Parmesan with a crunchy breadcrumb and chilli flake topping. 

I did a serious stocktake in the freezer and cupboards on Monday night. It is amazing what I've uncovered from under mounds of ice! I found a pack of chicken thighs and a homemade beef and Guinness pie. Total result. Tasty, speedy suppers to follow! 

On Tuesday I had leek and potato soup with some sorry looking rolls from the freezer. In the evening I made the chicken thighs into a cheesy chicken & broccoli bake with the purple sprouting broccoli from my dad's garden. I poached the chicken in water with a stock cube, some asparagus stalks, a celery stick send a carrot for about 15 mins, until cooked through. Just before I took the chicken out I chucked the broccoli in for a few mins, until tender. I then strained the chicken and veg and removed the stock veg (and gave it to the hens). I put the stock to one side. 

In a large pan I melted some butter, mixed in a few spoons of plain flour and whisked in some of the stock until I had the desired consistency. I seasoned it with salt and pepper, a tsp curry powder, added a large splash of white wine, a good grating of cheese. 

I took the chicken off the bones, discarded the skin (well, gave it to the cat actually!) and chopped up the meat. I added the meat and broccoli to the sauce, covered with a mixture of dried breadcrumbs and crushed salted crisps. I baked it for about 30 mins at gas 6/ 200c until bubbling and calling my name. 

While it was cooking, I rustled up a lovely pan of creamy mashed potato with lots of wild garlic butter. I also made some rice for Robin as a going back to school treat! It went very nicely with both but the mash is definitely the winner!

With the leftover mash from Tuesday's supper I made easy pea-sy fish cakes for the kids (and, although Ian and I were going out for a cheap and cheerful Italian with friends, we also had some!!). 

I defrosted 1 fillet of pollack and 4 raw king prawns. I then poached the fish with some milk, seasoning and a pinch of paprika. Just as it was about to be ready (only takes 5 mins), add a small handful of frozen peas and the prawns. When it's all cooked drain the fish, prawns and peas and save the cooking liquid. 

Chuck the fish etc in a food processor along with some mash, salt and pepper, a few chilli flakes, some fresh herbs (I used mint, chives and oregano from the garden), some grated cheese and some dried breadcrumbs. Whizz it together and then let it cool in the fridge until you're ready to use. My mash was very milky already so I didn't add any wet ingredients but you could add an egg, some of the cooking milk or some mayonnaise. 

When ready, shape them into balls (about the size of ping-pong balls) and then slightly flatten. Coat in more dried breadcrumbs. If the mixture isn't very sticky, you may need to use a little beaten egg before the crumbs. 

Heat a frying pan, add 1 tbsp groundnut oil and add the fish cakes. When browned, turn them over and continue to cook on a low heat until brown on both sides and heated through. The combination of the fish, peas and mint was delicious. We all enjoyed them with carrots and chips and there wasn't a crumb leftover!

So, we're at Thursday already. I've just inhaled an enormous bowl of bread and butter pudding and ice cream so nothing else for me until tonight. I'm going to give the leftover chicken bake to the kids, with rice, for supper and Ian and I are going to have the beef and Guinness pie, with the rest of the freebie purple sprouting broccoli and some minty peas, for ours. Then Ian will have the leftover pie on Friday night as I'll be gallivanting in Harrogate at the Good Food Show Live (my birthday present from my lovely friend, Gail) with, aforementioned friend, Gail!

On Saturday my menu consists of fish pie. If you are making my menu make extra mash for the fish pie and fish cakes, when you're making it for the chicken bake. And, when you make your fish cakes, poach extra fish and prawns and use them for the fish pie, using the poaching milk for the cheese sauce. Use hard (but soft, if you know what i mean?!) boiled eggs and peas, spinach and sweetcorn are all good additions too. 

To make your eggs, put them in cold water and bring the water to the boil. Take them out of the pan 6 mins after putting them in. Put them in iced water to cool quickly and then peel them and half them for the pie. 

I assemble all the fish, nestle the eggs in amongst it, add the veg and then pour lots of cheese sauce over the top. I top it off with crumbs and bake until bubbling. 

Freeze if you're not using it for a few days. 

The kids are at a party on Sunday so we'll just grab a toastie and/ or soup for lunch. For supper I'm going to make an oven-baked risotto with some peppers  and cherry tomatoes I've got in the fridge.

Hope this has given you a little inspiration. 

Next week I will, almost certainly, be melting Easter chocolate to create something to share with friends and get out of our house whilst I'm working on my bikini body!!