Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 37

Our first week of weaning has gone really well so far, though it has been quite messy! At the time of writing baby S has enjoyed carrot, sweet potato, butternut squash, broccoli and avocado. She's moving on to banana tomorrow which neither my husband nor I like, but apparently most babies love it!

My husband took a few days off last week which was a bit last minute so I ended up changing the menu slightly, so some of the things I meant to make last week but didn't will be repeated this week.

Monday - my husband is off too
Lunch- out
For baby S - avocado
Dinner - spiced lamb and herby quinoa crumble from this recipe for me, chicken chargrills for him 

Tuesday - my husband is off again
Lunch- bacon sandwich or pancakes I was going to do last week but didn't (though may not have time as we have to go out at 2)
For baby S - sweet potato with broccoli puree
Dinner - pasta with prawns and chorizo for me, meatballs for him

Wednesday
Lunch- jacket potato
For baby S - baby rice with strawberry puree
Dinner- beef pot roast I was going to do last week but didn't

Thursday
Lunch- sandwich
For baby S - baby rice with strawberry puree
Dinner - beef curry with leftover beef

Friday
Lunch- sandwich or pasta
For baby S - sweet potato and broccoli puree
Dinner -  gammon grill steaks and chips for him, homemade lasagne from the freezer for me

Saturday
Lunch- mini pizzas with mozzarella sticks
For baby S - baby rice and banana puree
Dinner - My husband wants to use the barbecue one last time before we put it away so hopefully the weather will be ok

Sunday
Lunch-cauliflower cheese crispy grills for me, cheese omelette for him
For baby S  - cauliflower cheese puree from Heinz - want to see what she thinks of one from a jar in case we need to take one when out and about
Dinner - Fajita chicken puff from this recipe

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Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 36

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Vegan Chocolate Baby Shower Cake

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Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 35

Last week was pretty rubbish as my husband has been not feeling well for several days so I didn't make most of the meals I'd planned, or either of the desserts as we didn't go to the party. It's meant I have lots of random ingredients in the fridge to freeze or use up!

This weekend should be quite exciting though as my little girl turns six months and we are going to begin weaning. I've decided to do a mixture of puree and baby led weaning (where you give them pieces of food to pick up and eat as they wish) but starting with purees. I've got a couple of Annabel Karmel books which recommend starting with just a couple of spoonfuls of carrot puree once a day around lunchtime, and progressing from there. I've been making purees and putting them in the freezer so will make a list of what I plan to give baby S each day so I don't forget!

Monday - bank holiday
Lunch - crumpets
Dinner - chicken and bacon pie (ready made) with mashed potato and veg

Tuesday
rest of pie which I think will last two days, with chips

Wednesday
meatballs and pasta with homemade basil pesto

Thursday
chicken curry

Friday
Tacos - either chicken or fish with potato wedges

Saturday
Lunch fresh pasta with garlic bread
Dinner sausage casserole

Sunday
Lunch bacon sandwich for us; and carrot puree for baby S
Dinner Spanish style chicken bake, based on this recipe

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Music and Drumkit Birthday Card

I made this card for a relative who is a musician; it can be hard to make cards for men that aren't just fairly generic so if a guy I know has a particular hobby (or in this case, it's his profession) I try to theme cards accordingly.

The main elements of this card come from a set of die cuts I bought that you press out from a sheet, I'm afraid I can't remember the brand! The musical notes and stave across the top come from a sheet of outline stickers (I think they are Anita's) and the backing paper is actually from a 6x6 paper pack with an Oriental theme - I thought this one would work with the reds in the drum kit and happy birthday square.

I'm sharing this with:
Allsorts challenge - music
Dream Factory (Die Traumfabrik) - Save the last dance
Jo's Scrap Shack - anything goes
Crazy 4 Challenges - masculine

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Peach Melba Cheesecake for a summer party

 

 

Cheesecake seems to be my default dessert in the summer as it's light and creamy, and you can add all sorts of flavours - my husband prefers chocolate desserts but I don't want to cook with chocolate that much when the weather is hot!

Last weekend we went to his aunt and uncle's house for a family party and I was asked if I could make a dessert. Cheesecake is usually popular and easy to make, so I chose a peach melba cheesecake recipe from a book called Cheesecake by Hannah Miles.

I was buying the ingredients several days in advance and have found fresh raspberries go mouldy very quickly before, so decided to use tinned; I also had tinned peaches in the cupboard so decided to use those instead of fresh. Finally I decided not to make the glaze to go on top - so here's what I did.

for the base
300g malted milk biscuits
150g butter, melted
300g tin of raspberries in syrup, drained - reserve a few for the decoration

for the filling
4 sheets leaf gelatine
410g tin of peach slices in juice or syrup, drained
100g caster sugar
200g cream cheese
250g ricotta
150ml double cream

for the topping
half a 410g tin of peach slices in juice or syrup, drained
a few raspberries to decorate

I didn't make the glaze to go on the top partly due to lack of time but partly as I didn't think I fancied it - it looked like a thin layer of jelly essentially. If you want to find out how to do that part have a look at the book.

Crush the biscuits in a blender in a few batches.

Melt the butter in a small pan or in a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave and stir in the biscuits.

Press into the bottom of a loose-bottomed cake or tart tin, pressing some of the biscuit up the sides to form a crust. Spread the raspberries over the biscuit base.

Soften the gelatine leaves in a bowl of water for 5 minutes or according to pack instructions.

Meanwhile puree the peaches in a food processor and set aside.

Mix the sugar, cream cheese and ricotta in a large bowl until creamy.

Heat the cream in a small pan until it is just warm. Squeeze the water out of the gelatine leaves and stir into the cream, mixing until all the gelatine has dissolved. Whisk into the cheese mixture in the bowl and then fold in the peach puree.

Pour onto the prepared base and leave overnight in the fridge to set.

Just before you want to serve, decorate the top of the cheesecake with the peach slices and reserved raspberries.

This cheesecake was really light and creamy, with a nice flavour from the peaches and a burst of raspberry on the base. It disappeared quite quickly at our family lunch!

I'm sending this to Baking Crumbs hosted by Only Crumbs Remain
 and  CookBlogShare hosted by Glutarama

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Meal Planning Monday 2018 Week 34

The mini moo (baby S) and I had a nice few days last week with my parents visiting though my mum was ill on their last day which put paid to our plans to going out for lunch and a date night with my husband in the evening.

Monday
chicken tacos with leftover chicken from the roast I did at the weekend

Tuesday
marinaded tuna steak from this recipe for me, sausage and chips for him

Wednesday
meatballs and pasta with homemade basil pesto

Thursday
chicken and bacon pie and mashed potato

Friday
Spanish style chicken bake, based on this recipe

Saturday
Lunch/Dinner - BBQ with family. I need to take a dessert so plan to make a white chocolate and strawberry marquise

Sunday
Lunch - fresh pasta we didn't have last week
Dinner - sausage casserole with mashed potato
Dessert - chocolate cheesecake trifle based on this recipe (but without the Baileys)

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