At Home with Mrs M!

Ten things I loved in the 90's

2013-06-19T10:02:00.000+01:00

My post a few weeks back about my journey through perfumes made me a bit nostalgic and set me thinking about other things I loved from my past. I was 10 in 1990 so the nineties are very memorable to me as my teenage years. Worryingly it only seems like yesterday and I really can't believe how fast time is going. Whilst I'm feeling all nostalgic I thought I'd share a few things that I loved back in the 90s. I wonder if you loved any of these too?

Looney Tunes Tazo's from Walkers Crisps

The joy of opening a packet of Walkers Crisps and finding a Tazo inside - and one that is not already in your collection - is one that can't really be replaced and was only matched by the feeling of pouring your cereal into your bowl and landing the "surprise". Why do these things never happen anymore? I'm presuming it's down to health & safety or some nonsense like that. Back in the 90's I was an avid Tazo collector but I never managed to lay my hands on the elusive Taz Tazo. This was probably down to the fact that he only came in packs of Doritos and I was not a Doritos fan back in the day. I'm currently pondering over whether these Tazo's might actually be in my loft somewhere...

Images via http://www.milkcapmania.co.uk/

Sega Game Gear

Whilst everyone else was all about the Nintendo Game Boy, I was embracing the COLOUR screen of the Sega Game Gear. It was a revelation after the dull Game Boy and even better? It had Sonic and Tails. I remember saving up with my own pennies to buy the Game Gear, about £110 if I remember rightly which looking back seems quite a lot when you think about it. I had this knocking around a couple of years ago but can't remember what I did with it now.

Image Credit: http://gamesworldbodmin.co.uk/

Fresh Prince of Bel Air

Don't even dare try and tell me you don't join in once you here "Now this is a story all about how..." start up? I bet you know the whole rap don't you? Will Smith before he got all annoying and full of himself. I loved the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and used to watch it all the time. I watched it recently and alas, I didn't seem to find it quite as entertaining as I did back then. Perhaps it hasn't aged well. Unlike Will Smith who appears to have aged rather well.

Dummy Necklaces

I was too young for raves in the 90s, but I was not too young to sport a rave dummy. Remember dummy necklaces? They were everywhere, even featuring in one of my favourite Take That videos. (Anybody know which one? It featured the girl who got to star in the video by writing to Jim'll Fix It - I kicked myself that I never thought about it, but with hindsight...). I probably still got a dummy or two loitering in the loft. Shall we start a revival?

Image via http://myvintageonline.blogspot.co.uk/

Round The Twist

Another 90's classic - I spent an entire summer adding "without my pants" on to the end of every sentence. Oh who am I kidding, I still do it occasionally when the mood takes me. This programme was ker-razy but very entertaining. I won't lie, I have since watched many episodes and clips on You Tube.

Curtains

I was sucker for a boy with curtains. Okay, looking back, probably not the best look but back then, a well-placed pair of curtains made me all a-quiver.

Benetton

Benetton jumpers in an array of colours - I had pink, lime green, day-glo orange and red amongst others. School bags had to be a Benetton duffle bag, although Sisley branded ones were acceptable too. Man, I wish I still had these - I bet they class as vintage/retro now and are probably worth a bomb!

Scrunchies

*sings* I'm bringing scrunchies back....

Okay, I know they are seriously uncool but c'mon people, I miss the scrunchie. I think I spent the best part of a decade with one around my wrist, just in case I should need to tie my hair back. And I colour-coordinated too.

Image via Etsy http://www.etsy.com/listing/100669824/sateen-blue-scrunchie-wedding-party

Hooch

Hooch wasn't my first introduction to alcohol. No, that was ridiculously cheap cider in 2litre bottles but Hooch was the first alcoholic drink, that at the tender age of 15, I could stomach and actually liked. What's more, I was able to buy it from the off licence in town without fake ID - result. Hooch always had to be lemon, I had a terribly bad experience with blackcurrent Hooch, a McDonalds chicken sandwich and the Waltzers for which I still blame the blackcurrent flavour.

Mood Rings

We were all about the mood rings in the early 90s although for some reason mine never seemed to change colour. Perhaps I was just in a permanent bad mood throughout 1992 or perhaps they just never really worked but at about £3 what were we expecting? All I remember is that the ones we bought were really cheap metal and they made our fingers go green. Classy.

Image via http://www.bestmoodrings.com/mood-rings/stylish-oval-mood-ring

Oh there's so many more I could mention - Tab Clear, Wayne's World, Kickers (keep the tags on guys!), Zig and Zag, Mr Blobby, dial-up modems, Tamagotchi...the list could just go on and on.

So tell me, what were you doing in the nineties? Do any of these ring any bells for you?

Cherry & Almond Victoria Sandwich

2013-06-18T11:57:00.003+01:00

As I mentioned on Twitter at the weekend, cake decorating really isn't my forte. At all. I won't even pretend to be nearly good at it. I'm sure I could be if I tried however I haven't got the patience and well, I really don't care about how good it looks if it's just going to be eaten at home. I am a slattern, what can I say.

When a cake tastes this good? It doesn't need to look pretty. Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

This cake is delicious - if you like cherry and almond flavouring that is. If you're a fan of Bakewell Tart (not the pudding, bleurgh) then chances are this cake will be right up your street. Every time I take a bite I do a big MMMMMMMM. I'm not blowing my own cake trumpet or anything but it ROCKS.

My version of this cake is quite almondy (is that a word? it is now) as I like it to be quite flavoursome but if you're not so keen I'd reduce the almond extract to 1/2 tsp.

I love this cake for the simplicity of being able to bung it all in a bowl or mixer - it takes no time at all.

Cherry & Almond Victoria Sandwich

Ingredients

For the cake;

200g butter, well softened

200g golden caster sugar

100g ground almonds

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp almond extract

4 large eggs

For the filling;

jar of morello cherry conserve

100g butter, softened

140g icing sugar, sifted

drop of vanilla extract

For the top;

175g icing sugar

5-6 tsp water or lemon juice

1 tbsp ready-toasted flaked almonds

glace cherries

Method

Heat the oven to 180c/fan 160c/gas mark 4. Lightly grease and line the bases of two 20cm round sandwich tins.

Put all the ingredients into a large bowl or cake mixer and beat them together until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the two tins and level the tops. Bake in the oven for around 30 mins until they are golden.

When the cakes are ready, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes before taking them out and leaving them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Whilst the sponges are cooling, prepare the buttercream. Beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in the icing sugar and vanilla extract. When the cakes are cool, put one sponge onto a serving plate and then spread with the jam. Take the other sponge and spread with buttercream and then sandwich the two halves together.

Sieve the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the water (or lemon juice if you prefer). Stir until smooth and thick, then spread evenly over the top and let it dribble down the sides. Scatter with the toasted almonds and decorated with halved glace charries. Leave to set.

Well leave to set if you can wait that long...but I recommend you do, it's nicer when the icing is a bit firmer.

I've found that morello cherry conserve or jam can be quite hard to find however I now know that Waitrose stock it so I'm rarely without a jar in the cupboard!

Mmm tea and cake! Who cares if there's about 10,543 calories per slice?

Best websites for family life

2013-06-18T10:00:00.000+01:00

In today’s world there are more challenges facing parents than ever before – from the right way to teach kids about the world, to the best way of keeping our homes efficient and clean. Join us as we take a look at some of the websites which are making our lives easier (and sometimes a little more fun).

Mumsnet

When the history of parenting is one day written, time will be split into two categories – BM and AM: Before Mumsnet and After Mumsnet. The website has grown from a simple forum for discussing parenting issues into a major force of its own right, influencing politics and parenting debates across the UK.

The website is now an excellent resource for advice about all matters relating to parenting, including potty training, diet maintenance and internet safety.

Flylady

Although everyone has their own routine when it comes to keeping their homes clean, the Flylady approach starts with a very simple premise: clean the kitchen sink.

Sound strange? It might do but the Flylady approach has become massively popular for helping thousands of people overcome the familiar feeling of being overwhelmed at the amount of cleaning which needs to be done.

Starting with small steps and gradually increasing day after day, its teachings are a fantastic way of finally getting to grips with things and ensuring no part of your house is left untidy.

Houzz

On the surface, Houzz is quite simple – a collection of decoration ideas, arranged by theme and room. Jump in a little deeper and you’re bound to find a treasure chest of inspiration for developing and applying your own interior style.

Rated people

We’ve all been there: we need a reliable tradesperson but we have no idea where to look. While you can take a gamble on advertisements posted in the local paper, it can be difficult and time-consuming calling around for the best price quote.

That’s where Rated People comes in. Users simply fill in a form, detailing the type of work they need doing and then they’ll be contacted by up to three different tradespeople who are interested in completing it. It’s a great way to save time and ensure you always get the best possible deal.

Just Eat

We all deserve a break from cooking now and then, which is why Just Eat has become a lifesaver in the home. It’s easy to use, letting you explore the menus of takeaways all over your local area and order the food online. It doesn’t matter where you are – Just Eat’s food delivery restaurants in Brighton will be just as delicious as food delivery restaurants in London.

Post in association with Just Eat

Meal Planning Monday (17th June 2013)

2013-06-17T07:30:00.000+01:00

Howdy!

Hope you had a lovely weekend. The weather wasn't as bad as feared so ours panned out okay in the end. I've struggled with meal planning this morning as I've just not had time to think about it over the weekend, have had a lot of stuff on my mind and trying hard to focus. I need to make a list!

My meal planning therefore is a little vague and I'm digging out some old favourites but will no doubt firm up later today when I have to go to the supermarket! Here's the rough plan...

Spaghetti Con Gamberetti e Rucola

Chicken Fajitas

Chinese Style Lemon Chicken

Keema Curry

Garbage Frittata

I've no socialising planned this week, so no reason to not stick to the plan. Fingers crossed I don't get swayed by some random takeaway craving.

Ok over to you. We're always open to welcoming new people into #mealplanningmonday in fact we love it, so if this is the first time you've stumbled across this the idea is simple - all you have to do is write a blog post about your meal plan for the week and submit the URL of your post using the Linkytools below. If you've not got a blog but want to join in, that's fine - just leave a comment below telling us what you're planning this week. Any questions, just holler at me via email (in the contact page) or on Twitter @madamding.

The Link Party for June is still active if you've got any recipes blogged this month that you'd like to pimp out! You can check it out here.

Catch up with you all this week, have a good one!

Cheese, Chilli & Chorizo Quesadillas

2013-06-15T13:23:00.000+01:00

Quesadillas are fast becoming one of my favourite lazy "treat" teas. So quick and easy to throw together and incredibly tasty too. I normally stick to my tried and tested spicy cheese variety but this week I played around a bit and threw in a few different ingredients.

The combination worked really well and I think I prefer them to the original ones I made, they were really very tasty! The recipe is meant to serve four but in reality it serves two piggies!

Cheese, Chilli & Chorizo Quesadillas

Ingredients

pack of 8 tortillas

tub of salsa

200g grated mature cheddar

1 red chilli, finely chopped

1 pack of sliced chorizo

Method

Take a tortilla and spread a good spoonful of salsa over it before covering with a handful of the grated cheddar. Sprinkle over some of the finely chopped red chilli and top with a couple of slices of sliced chorizo. Put another tortilla on the top and your quesadilla is ready to cook.

Pop your quesadilla into a dry non-stick frying pan over a medium heat for about a minute and a half before carefully turning over to cook for a further minute and a half. You want the outside to be slightly crispy and your cheese to be all melted and gooey so you may need to make a judgement call on this - but go easy as if the pan is very hot, the tortillas will brown very easily.

When cooked, cut the quesadillas into quarters and serve with guacamole and soured cream.

I've said to use sliced chorizo as it's nice and thin, the diced chunks you can get wouldn't really work so well in these quesadillas.

I've been asked before about how to keep quesadillas from falling apart in the pan, especially when turning them over. There isn't really any secret to it, but I just make sure I have oodles of cheese in them to help the two tortillas to stick together and press them down lightly when they are cooking to help them bind a bit better.

Who is reading my blog?

2013-06-11T16:03:00.005+01:00

I saw this idea on Emmys Mummy blog and it struck me that really I don't know a whole lot about the people who read my blog.

I started this here blog back in 2009 but had been blogging under various guises since about 2005. I've been a pregnancy blogger, a wedding blogger, a home shopping blogger and a dedicated food blogger but none of them really suited me and what you see today is the result of all of those - a complete mish-mash of the things that make up my life! I've blogged before about not being a niche blogger and whilst I enjoy the freedom of being completely random with my blogging I do feel that it probably costs me readers. I never get very many comments on my blog but I know that people are reading it from my stats, so come out from lurking and tell me a bit about yourself and your interests.

Are you a man or a woman?

Are you a parent?

Where do you come from?

I want to know all of this stuff!

Is there something you'd like to see more of on my blog?

If you have your own blog or are on Twitter, let me know so that I can follow you or add you to Bloglovin'.

Do you have anything you'd like to ask me or have a burning desire to share something about yourself?

I'd love to hear all your random thoughts but mostly I'd just love to find out who my readers are and perhaps get to know you a bit better. So if you read this blog post leave me a comment, it only takes a second (once you get past the Disqus thing, I know it's annoying) - today it's all about you!

Look forward to hearing from you!

Film Review: This is 40

2013-06-11T12:28:00.000+01:00

I was recently sent a review copy of This is 40 by the Universal press office. This is 40 is an American comedy film that is a kind of sequel to Knocked Up. I say kind of as the lead characters in This is 40 were not the main focus is Knocked Up, therefore it works really well as a standalone film if you haven't already seen it's predecessor.

This is 40 follows the lives of a a middle-aged couple, Pete (Paul Rudd) and Debbie (Leslie Mann) who have just reached their 40th birthday and documents the struggles they have with their jobs (Pete's business is failing and Debbie thinks her employee is stealing from her) and families (daughters arguing, Pete's dad borrowing money and Debbie trying to build a relationship with her absent father) which puts a fair amount of stress on their relationship. Debbie and Pete clearly already have their differences, for instance they're both into different music styles and as the couple try to deal with all these other day-to-day burdens they annoy each other more and what start as tiny annoyances seem to blow up - as I'm sure as happened to most of us at one time or another.

There are some truly funny laugh out loud moments but the film is also quite touching in places and the characters of all very likeable. I think anyone with young children and/or stressful jobs can appreciate the feeling of being ground down by the daily churn of it all whilst trying to maintain a good relationship with your other half - as in reality it's normally that which gets neglected when you're trying to keep everything else up and running! I think one of the underlying tones that the film focuses on is that you can also lose sight of why you were together in the first place and how important it is not to let that go. I enjoyed the scene in the hotel bedroom for that reason as it was a glimpse of them getting back to being the couple they were - before things go wrong of course.

I loved the appearance of Jason Segel as Debbie's fitness coach and also Melissa McCarthy who had only a tiny bit-part but managed to turn it into a starring role. The woman is hilarious as an angry parent and I wish we'd seen more of her. The children in the film are played by the director, Jude Apatow, and Leslie Mann's (Debbie) real life children and I thought they played the parts really well.

I enjoyed the film a lot, although I will say that I thought it could have been a bit shorter - at 134 mins it did feel a tad long for the storyline. I am also going to say that it's probably more of a chick-flick but having said that, Mr M did really enjoy it too as the humour was definitely aimed at both sexes. You'll probably appreciate this film more if you are in your 30's/40's as there will definitely be parts you can identify with - I felt myself nodding in agreement more than once!

This is 40 is available to pre-order now and to buy on Blu-Ray and DVD on June 24th.

Meal Planning Monday (10th June 2013)

2013-06-10T07:30:00.000+01:00

No weather moans from me this week. It's been delicious hasn't it? BBQ central here - I'm making the most of it, you never know when it might disappear again. Saying that, the children have sports day at school this week and that always brings rain so I'm expect by Wednesday summer will be long gone...

Last week I had intended to diet a little bit. It didn't really go to plan, although I do think I cut back my eating a bit. I had to have fish'n'chips last week, I was craving them so decided it was best to give in and let myself have them rather torture myself over them!

This week is the first one in a while that is relatively quiet for me, thank heavens - sometimes I just need some downtime! We've still got the after school activities that necessitate quick teas some nights but that's all. Here's how my plan looks.

Thin-cut steaks, salad and Jersey royals

Fishcakes, poached egg and salad

Buffalo chicken quesadillas

Chicken caesar salad

Honey BBQ chicken sandwiches

Bang Bang Prawns

Handing over to you guys - tell me, what are you planning this week? Have you had the BBQ out this week?

If you are a new to my blog or the wonder that is #mealplanningmonday, the idea is pretty darned simple. All you have to do is write a blog post about your meal plan for the week and submit the URL of your post using the Linkytools below. If you've not got a blog but want to join in with the meal-planning fun, then that's perfectly fine of course - just leave a comment below telling us what you're planning this week. Any questions, you can catch me via email (in the contact page) or on Twitter @madamding. I like messages so don't worry about bothering me!

The Link Party for June is now up and running with only two entries so far - remember to add your makes and bakes to the blog post which you can find here.

Have a tip-top week dear friends!

Banana & Pineapple American-Style Pancakes

2013-06-09T10:27:00.000+01:00

We're going to gloss over the fact that these pancakes are erring on the side of "well-done" and instead just focus on the fact that they are de-licious. As I have mentioned before, I love American-style pancakes and at the moment am enjoying trying different flavours combinations.

I'll admit I was a little concerned about the consistency of these having both pineapple and banana in them but they turned out perfect and we're really tasty - we were hooked from the first mouthful. I think it's probably the addition of cinnamon that makes them taste so good so I will remember that for the future!

This recipe is definitely a keeper and destined to become a firm family favourite as we all enjoyed them. The perfect summer Sunday breakfast - with that tropical banana and pineapple they're like sunshine on a plate!

The recipe below serves 4 and is adapted from a BBC recipe.

Banana & Pineapple American-Style Pancakes

Ingredients

100g fresh or canned pineapple

1 banana

100g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp light muscovado sugar

1 egg

100ml milk

sunflower oil, for frying

Method

Chop the pineapple into small chunks and slice the banana.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sugar together. Make a well into the centre of the mix and crack in the egg. Slowly mix the egg into the flour and add the milk gradually to make a smooth soft batter. Gently stir in the pineapple and banana.

Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Drop a large tbsp of batter per pancake into the pan - you want them around 7cm across and can cook a couple in the frying pan at once, just give them a little space between to spread. Cook for 2-3 minutes over a low-medium heat until small bubbles start to appear on the surface on the pancake, then turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden.

Cover with kitchen paper to keep warm whilst you make the rest of the batch.

I served these with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and golden syrup but I can't help but think these would be amazing with ice-cream for a dessert? Must give that a try!

Do keep the heat low-medium as these will burn super-easy.

Round and about in Southwold, Suffolk

2013-06-06T09:46:00.000+01:00

So half-term was spent in Southwold, Suffolk. I love visiting Suffolk as the majority of the county feels like you're almost going back in time - so unspoilt and still very much championing independents although sadly, this is changing somewhat and I have noticed the arrival of both Tesco and Costa Coffee in Southwold since my last visit. Even so Southwold with it's famous brightly coloured beach huts has probably got to be on of my favourite seaside towns - it's well-kept, there's hardly any tack and it's somewhere you can have a jolly old time with the family!

We stayed, as we always do when we're in Suffolk, in a Best of Suffolk property. I first stayed in one of their properties back in 2009 and we normally base ourselves in Aldeburgh but this time we thought we'd like to stay near a sandy beach. Aldeburgh is beautiful but the beach is purely big pebbles so no fun for sandcastle building! The apartment we stayed in was lovely and very well situated being right in the town and only a couple of minutes walk from the beach. This was invaluable as Southwold tends to get quite busy when it's school holidays so not having to take the car out much and have parking hassles took away some of the stress. You may have seen some of my tweets - there were a few sleeping hiccups experienced but Best of Suffolk did their very best to get to the route of the problem and I cannot fault them for their level of customer service. I'll certainly be booking with them again.

On the Sunday we noticed that there was going to be an open water swim, from Southwold Pier to the Lord Nelson Pub so as the weather was beautiful we decided to pitch up at the beach and watch the swimmers come in. In the end this was more eventful than it should have been with many swimmers getting into difficulty and over 80 people had to be rescued from the water by the RNLI in Southwold who were assisted by other local crews. A couple of people were unaccounted for which meant a Sea King helicopter was deployed to help in the search. Fortunately all people were found safe and well and the Sea King did a low fly-by of the beach and gave us all a wave which pretty much made my son's day. It all got a bit dramatic with reporters and photographers hanging around for the rest of the day.

We mainly bobbed around Southwold during the week, and the other local areas like Walberswick, Dunwich and Aldeburgh, however on Thursday we decided to brave the elements as it was no longer raining and head to The Suffolk Show. If you've never been before The Suffolk Show is a great day out for the whole family, with something for everyone - plenty of animals, vintage cars & tractors, good food & drink, funfair and lots of shopping.

Places I'd recommend you visit in Southwold are numerous. The Two Magpies Bakery opened recently on the high street and their lemon meringue tart is to die for. A little further down the street and you'll find the Black Olive Deli, you'll spot it from the queue of people with their noses pressed against the window - they do the most delicious pork pies and quiches in a variety of flavours and if want somewhere to grab a cuppa and a tasty sandwich try Munchies or Suzie's Beach Cafe which is right on the beach (as the name would suggest) but gets very busy when the weather is warm!

If you're looking a quick drink both The Lord Nelson and Sole Bay Inn are very friendly places and also do food if you fancy a nibble. Children aren't allowed in the bar area however it's very pleasant to sit outside the front of the pub in the sunshine as both are situated in quiet areas.

We ate one night at The Red Lion, which is a pub that looks tiny but is in fact a bit of a tardis once inside. The food was good - just great family-friendly pub grub and very reasonably priced. I'd recommend it if you are in the area with your children.

No trip to Southwold is complete with a visit to their famous pier. Southwold Pier is privately owned and is very tasteful compared to my other pier experiences, with a really nice cafe and restaurants (who do a great hot choc!), a couple of shops and a very quirky arcade! It's really worth a visit.

It would be easy to miss going down to the harbour in Southwold but it's worth taking a wander. You can get the small ferry boat over to Walberswick (or take the footbridge) where crabbing is an absolute must, or you can buy fresh fish from the huts for your dinner. Make sure you stop by the Sole Bay Fish Co and the adjoining smokehouse.

One of my favourite shops in Southwold was the Adnams Cellar and Kitchen. You can't fail to notice Adnams when you're in Southwold. Their brewery is in the town and every pub you go in will have several varieties of their bitters on tap. Mr M recommends either the Adnams Broadside or his new favourite Adnams Southwold. The C&K is a cafe and shop with a tasting bar, allowing you to try before you buy. Along with their famous beers, there is a whole selection of wines and homewares to buy. It's fair to say I spent more than I should have in this shop, especially when I discovered Fresita. The staff at Adnams were all lovely and helpful and seemed to really enjoy working there!

The one disappointment was the chip shop. I'm not saying it was bad but it wasn't great, and there was only one. When I go the seaside I look forward to having fabulous fish'n'chips but in all honesty they were overpriced and not a patch on the ones I can get locally, and don't get me started on the teeny tiny sausages! I probably wouldn't call in there twice.

Other places that deserve a mention outside of Southwold are Snape Maltings which is great for a little mooch, the Choppings Hill Bakery in Aldeburgh where we nipped in for lunch on a rainy lunchtime, the Flora Tearooms at Dunwich which are pretty unremarkable in appearance but you're greeted by friendly, chatty staff and made to feel very welcome, and finally Wrenthem Chinese takeaway who fulfilled my need to eat sweet'n'sour pork balls.

And there you have it, our trip to Southwold in a nutshell with a few recommendations of places to visit if you're ever in the area!

Guest Post: Home and Technology

2013-06-05T12:37:00.000+01:00

Guest post by Alex Francis

It's safe to say that home and technology are two areas that are coming closer and closer together. Your average household has various examples of modern technology, from the TV to the computer.

As such, technology isn't something you should add to any home; it’s something that a home should be designed around from the ground up. As technology becomes ever more important in your day to day life, your home should reflect this.

As such, here are a few key areas where your home and technology may often over lap. Whether it’s the simple joys of watching TV, understanding how much you use the internet or the many ways technology conveniences us, there is always something to bear in mind.

The television set is, more or less, still the main form of entertainment in the living room. With plenty of channels to choose from, there is always something to watch. Unfortunately, the old method of watching TV doesn't always suit our modern busy lifestyles.

Technology, however, is always adapting. Take the likes of Youview. This is simple piece of technology that allows for catch-up TV. Why catch something live when you can catch it at a time that suits you? It’s perfect for the living room, allowing whole families or couples to catch up on TV together. You can learn more about it here.

Image Credit: http://www.pixabay.com

Internet

Alongside the TV, it’s safe to say the internet is rather important. It’s no surprise that a lot of modern homes have a designated 'office' room. This shows just how important a computer is in day to day life. As such, your internet connection is always going to be important. Computers, laptops, mobile devices and even Smart TVs all connect to the web, so you want a connection to cope.

This will, of course, depend on your home. The more people you have, the more you'll need a broadband package that copes with high traffic and demand. If it’s just you, however, then you only need a simpler connection that suits your needs.

Image Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/coveredindust/

Home conveniences

Finally, is there's one thing technology is good at, it’s taking something difficult and making it more easy or convenient. Your kitchen is a prime example. Cookers were originally a technological replacement for a simple fire, and this trend has continued. If you're a fan of modern gadgets, you can find plenty of new devices for your kitchen. From modern slow cookers to blenders and other specific gadgets, you can cater your kitchen to suit your needs.

Jersey Royal & Salmon Salad for Sainsbury's Kitchen Heroes

2013-06-05T09:23:00.000+01:00

Recently Sainsbury's sent me a £50 giftcard and asked me to create a recipe using one or more "by Sainsbury's" products. The "by Sainsbury's" product range contains literally thousands of every day items so the hardest part of this challenge was narrowing down what I was going to pick!

After a week away recently, where we ate really really badly (but enjoyed every minute of it) I was kind of craving, some good clean food and as the weather has been lovely and warm I decided a salad would tick the box. One of my kitchen cupboard heroes has got to be eggs. As the slogan goes "eggs can make a meal out of anything" and if you've got eggs in the cupboard you're never going to go hungry!

I decided on Jersey Royals as they are delicious and also in season right now - it won't be long before they disappear off our shelves for another year so I thought I'd make the most of them now. If Jersey Royals are out of season, of course you can easily substitute with new potatoes.

The dressing I made was simple and basic, using Greek yoghurt as I didn't really want to take away from the other lovely flavours. Natural yoghurt really has to be another kitchen hero of mine!

I think that salmon is probably one of my favourite things to have in a salad and I always feel so healthy when I eat a dinner like this, although the fact that I had served it with a big baguette probably takes away from the healthy aspect!

This salad is to serve 4.

Jersey Royal & Salmon Salad

Ingredients

500g Jersey Royals, scrubbed and halved
1 bag of crispy leafy salad
1 cucumber, deseeded and sliced
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
4 large eggs
1 bunch radishes, sliced
small bunch of mint, leaves picked
250g hot smoked salmon

For the dressing,
200ml natural yoghurt
1 lemon, juice and zest of
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Method

Boil the potatoes for around 15-20 minutes until tender.

Whilst the potatoes are cooking toss the sliced cucumber with the vinegar and sugar and leave for 10 mins and then drain. In a pan, cover the eggs with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for around 7 minutes. Drain and leave under cold running water for a few minutes before peeling and halving the eggs.

Take a large serving bowl and put the leafy salad in the bottom before mixing in the potatoes, cucumber, radish, mint leaves and eggs. Flake the hot smoked salmon into the salad.

To make the dressing, season the yoghurt with sea salt and freshly ground plack pepper. Mix in the lemon zest and the lemon juice and drizzle over the salad just before serving.

This salad would work just as well with some smoked mackerel too and you could also add a few other ingredients in like broad beans, asparagus, spring onions - there's not much that wouldn't work with this basic salad and dressing.

Disclaimer: I am part of the Sainsbury's Food Blogger Network and received a £50 gift card in return for posting my Kitchen Heroes recipe.

Wonka-inspired Raspberry Hot Chocolate with Tassimo

2013-06-04T08:00:00.000+01:00

When I was asked by the rather nice people at Tassimo whether I would like to take part in their blogger challenges I didn't really need to think twice. I've always quite fancied owning my own Tassimo although I'm not a massive fan of coffee - I know, why would I want to try out this machine then, huh? The major selling point for me is that Tassimo doesn't just offer coffee but also tea and the real clincher for me - hot chocolate. To get started with my challenges I was sent a Tassimo T20 machine along with two packs of T Discs and a few little extras.

The first hurdle I needed to jump over was setting up the machine which to my delight I found was incredibly simple. It's a pretty nifty looking bit of kit and I really liked being able to see the water level at the back of the machine and was impressed by how quickly it managed to heat the water up. Easily pleased? Me? Never!

Another thing that impressed me, that I was completely unaware of, was that the machine uses barcode technology to help make the perfect drink. Each T Disc has a barcode on it and this tells the machine key things like how long to brew for, how much water to use and temperature depending on which beverage you are having.

The challenge for May was pretty simple as it was mainly about experimenting with the machine and the flavours and extras I was sent to create my own unique Tassimo drink. Whilst pondering over what I could mix it up with I was reading a review online for the new Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical that has recently opened in London and this inspired my creation.... the Wonka-inspired Raspberry Hot Chocolate.

I tried to imagine what you would be presented with if you asked for a hot chocolate in Willy Wonka's factory and whilst I am sure what you would get would be far bigger and way more fantastical than my offering, this was my take on it.

What's in it? At the bottom of the mug was a huge (HUGE) dollop of raspberry syrup (the type you put on your ice-cream sundaes), then I used one of the Suchard T Discs to make the hot chocolate itself. It was topped with copious amounts of whipped cream, followed by jelly beans, chocolate covered popping candy, mini marshmallows, milk and white chocolate curls before being drizzled with more raspberry syrup and finally garnished with a wafer curl.

Highly extravagant and not really very diet-friendly, neither is it particularly good if you're fond of your teeth, but nonetheless a very nice treat for when you deserve one!

Since I've received my Tassimo I've been treating myself to a bedtime hot chocolate each night, a little bit naughty, but also very nice! I now can't wait to try out more of the T Discs and see what other challenges may await me!

Mrs M's Recipe Link Party (June '13)

2013-06-03T21:45:00.001+01:00

Another month goes by...and before we know it, it's June! And look, what is that? SUNSHINE? Never! Quick, get out and enjoy it, you never know when it might disappear again.

Welcome to another Recipe Link Party. Thank you so much to all those that joined in last month - loads more recipes for me to bookmark. Hopefully you've been finding inspiration from other peoples blogs too. I always find blogs my biggest source of inspiration when I am looking for something to cook or bake, I sometimes wonder what we did before blogs!

My three things that I'd most like to try this month are....

Image Credit: http://www.carolinemakes.net/

I don't know who I am kidding, I'm unlikely to ever make this as a Fraisier Cake looks way out of my league but like Caroline from Caroline Makes, I saw one of these made on the Great British Bake-Off and fell in love with the look of it straight away. Strawberries, cream, what's not to love?

Image Credit: http://foodiequine.blogspot.co.uk/

Over on Foodie Quine's blog she has been making some great nibbles including this delicious sounding (and looking) Baileys Fudge. I really must try this as I always seem to have leftover Baileys knocking around - I use it more for cooking with than anything else - and it strikes me as something that would make a great gift. Also you need to check out the blog post if only to see the PENGUINS. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Image Credit: http://tangolikeraindrop.blogspot.co.uk/

Last but certainly not least Elizabeth of Elizabeth's Kitchen has whipped up this amazing Rhubarb Ripple ice-cream. I'm a big rhubarb fan and as raspberry ripple ice-cream is one of my favourites this sounds like something I need to eat!

Clearly I am craving sweet things at the moment - damn diet!

All the submissions were great so please do check out the other May entries on the linky here.

The June Link Party has now opened so get submitting your recipes. You've got all month to add as many as you like. As always, I'll talk you through the non-rules...

You can submit as many recipes as like.

You don't have to write a specific post for the link party.

Make sure you link to the post, not your homepage.

Grab the badge above if you like and stick it on your blog.

Put the badge or text-link to the link party in your recipe post if you want to.

I'd appreciate it and it all helps to spread the word and get others involved.

Please try to visit a couple of the blogs that link up.

I will attempt to visit & comment on all that I can.

You can start submitting your recipes now (the linky will close on 30th June) and at the beginning of July (hopefully on time!), I'll be starting the party all over again and showcasing my favourite submissions.

Any questions, do drop me an email - you can find my details on the contact page of my blog. As you can see I've used pictures from the original blogs - if anyone has a problem with me doing this, please do let me know but I will always credit and link to your blog.

Thanks to all who joined us last month - I'm looking forward to seeing your summer recipes now the sun is shining at last! BBQ's a-go-go!

Please do help spread the word and if you have any blogging friends who cook up a storm, let them know about the linky!

See you next month!

Meal Planning Monday (3rd June 2013)

2013-06-03T07:30:00.000+01:00

Oh my giddy aunt it's only blinkin' June! How did that happen? Who cares - look outside - it's SUNNY. My word, haven't we waited a long time for this?

I hope you all had a great bank holiday and half-term break (if it applies to you!). We're only just back from holiday so I won't even pretend to be caught up with everybody's posts and blogs but will get up to speed this week at some point and may even find time to blog about my trip away!

I always find that sunshine motivates me massively and I'm on a cooking and cleaning frenzy. Don't worry, it won't last. As is normal, this week is busy with after school activities and not one, not two, not three but FOUR social engagements for me this week. Four? I'll have nothing to do for the rest of June, you watch this space. There is a meal plan though, as even if I'm not eating, everyone else is!

Chicken Caesar Salad

Green Chilli

Macaroni Cheese

Jacket potatoes with cheese/coleslaw/beans/salad/prawns (not all at once)

Salmon, new potatoes and salad

Pizza

Not the most inspiring and certainly not as inspiring as last weeks, huh?

So once again, it's your turn! What are you planning this week? BBQs and salads galore? If you are a newcomer to my blog or #mealplanningmonday, the idea is pretty simple. Write a blog post about your meal plan for the week and submit the URL of your post using the Linkytools below. If you've not got a blog but want to join in, then that's perfectly fine - just leave a comment below telling us what you're planning this week. Any questions, you can catch me via email (in the contact page) or on Twitter @madamding. I like messages so don't worry about bothering me!

The Link Party for May is now closed and this week there will be a June one up and running. I'll be sure to pimp it about a bit and hopefully will have a few joiners!

In the meantime, enjoy the sunshine and have a brilliant week people!

Shopping for kitchen lovelies

2013-06-02T12:26:00.000+01:00

I don't know about you but when looking for kitchen supplies and equipment (something I do A LOT) I've never really thought to look at specialist suppliers like Crosbys who supply catering equipment to the restaurant, bar and catering industry.

A quick poke around the Crosbys website and I had a shopping list as long as my arm. Crosbys specialise in equipment for food preparation and food presentation and it was the latter that really caught my eye. I really like the idea of presenting my food a bit more restaurant-like as the children love it when diner is a bit special and this Genware serving cone would be a great way to serve up their chips! I just love the little sauce holder.

Then there are things I would never think about buying like gorgeous boards to put steak on and mussel pots. Okay, so clearly I'm probably never going to rustle up moules marinieries after work but it doesn't stop me wanting one. The steak boards however? They'd get used for sure. Imagine serving up a lovely treat on a Saturday night - juicy fillet steak, medium-cooked with chips (in a serving cone, naturally) and a lovely fresh salad alongside grilled mushrooms and tomatoes. The board would MAKE it.

And then there is the glassware.

Obviously what I need in my life is more, many more, vehicles for drinking colourful cocktails? We'll gloss over the fact that I am running out of cupboard space....

I've found that checking out specialist suppliers can really lead you to some fab finds for the kitchen - if you're like me, things you never even knew you needed (clearly when it comes to kitchen stuff it's a need not a want).

Tell me, do you like to put an effort in with serving up your meals and drinks and do you like to have the right equipment to do it?

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post

What I've been reading recently...

2013-05-29T13:00:00.000+01:00

It's been a while since I've done one of these posts. I've still been reading but truth be told, I've been rather slow at getting through books. I think this is my own fault as I seem to keep picking books where I haven't really been clicking with the characters. Still I have been persevering, it's just taking me longer than usual! I almost feel like I've covered some of these blogs on my blog but I can't find a post anywhere so I shall just presume I didn't. I swear I am going nutty in my old age.

Believe it or not, I managed to reach the grand old age of 33 without ever having read The Great Gatsby. I decided, in anticipation of the film, I would read the book. I enjoyed the story however I'm not going to lie, I found this book a bit slow and therefore a struggle to read. It was hard to motivate myself to keep going with it but I did get to the end and was glad I did.

Oh dear. I'm just going to say it and wait for the onslaught, but I just don't enjoy Lisa Jewell books. I've tried, honestly, and I had high hopes for Before I Met You but there's just something that I don't get on with. That's not to say I didn't enjoy the book as I did like the storyline, as I've mentioned before and will become apparent here, I enjoy anything that works in dual time-frames, it's more I just can't see me picking up another Lisa Jewell book as I never seem to love them as much as everyone else does!

I was reading Mariana when I wrote my last "What I'm Reading" post, and was enjoying it at the time. Well I continued to enjoy it and even shed a tiny tear at the end. Really enjoyed this book and it prompted me to seek out a few more Susanna Kearsley books.

I like to soak up anything Disney-related, particularly "behind the scenes" types of books so Stories from a Theme Park Insider was a must-read. It didn't really tell me anything I didn't know but I do like to read little anecdotes and have become quite a fan of these type of memoirs - some of the titbits are fascinating!

When I started The Legacy I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it or not. It felt quite slow to get going but I did get hooked in and did enjoy it. I can't say I was overly fond of the characters, I felt the two main female characters were a bit wimpy really but liked the storyline as it was another dual time-frame. I did think it was easy to predict where the story was going however it didn't really spoil it in any way.

I've always enjoyed reading Kate Morton's book and The Secret Keeper was no different. In fact I think it might be my favourite one yet and this one is TRIPLE time-frame so I was bound to love it, huh? I really liked the characters in this book and this is one of the few books I've read recently that I read quickly!

In my last reading blog post I mentioned the debut novel of Joanne Phillips "Can't Live Without", well The Family Trap is a follow-on from that and I enjoyed it as much as the first book. I really warmed to the character of Stella and her assorted family members and I hope that we get to see more of her!

The Rose Garden was my second Susanna Kearsley book - quite different from Mariana but another dual time-frame and another good one. I really enjoyed reading this book and got sucked right into the storyline. I was quite sad when it was over and wanted to know more - which to me is always a sign of a good book.

Oh guess what? Yes YET ANOTHER dual time-frame and this one is by...Alan Titchmarsh?! I know that had me as well and I'll be honest nearly put me off but The Haunting had good reviews so thought I'd give it a try. I wasn't disappointed, I enjoyed the storyline and thought the book was well written.

It took me quite a while to get into The Saturday Supper Club but once I got going I found it a light, enjoyable read and it was another that left me wanting to know more about the characters after the book had finished. I could quite happily read a sequel to this as I think that story has further to go.

And that's my very brief rundown of what I have been reading.

I'm currently reading Lifesaving for Beginners by Ciara Geraghty and then I shall be moving on to one of the following: Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes, The Last Time I Saw You by Eleanor Moran, Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn and The Night Rainbow by Claire King.

What are you reading at the moment? Have you read any of the above-mentioned books? Would love to hear your thoughts.

Meal Planning Monday (27th May 2013)

2013-05-27T07:00:00.000+01:00

Aha, this week I am ready for you, even though it is half-term. Go me! Okay, so I am doing this from the past but still I've made an effort to be on time! Yes, this is a pre-planned, pre-scheduled post as I having a short break enjoying the lovely English ~~sunshine~~ rain with my children. That means my meal plan is pretty easy this week.

Fish'n'chips

Cream tea

Fish'n'chips

Chinese takeaway

Cream tea

Or something like that.

Let's hope yours is more inspiring (and healthy than that!)

Once again, it's your turn! What are you planning this week? Are you having the week off for half-term or do you stick to routine?

If you' are a newcomer to my blog or #mealplanningmonday, the idea is pretty simple. Write a blog post about your meal plan for the week and submit the URL of your post using the Linkytools below. If you've not got a blog but want to join in, then that's perfectly fine - just leave a comment below telling us what you're planning this week. Any questions, you can catch me via email (in the contact page) or on Twitter @madamding. I like messages so don't worry about bothering me!

Remember - the Link Party for May is active and will run until the end of this week. Make sure you share any recipes you blog this month on that page which you can find HERE. It's been a quite month so far so could really do with a few more recipes being added!

Catch you next week!

The city dweller's guide to the countryside

2013-05-26T09:30:00.000+01:00

I was contacted recently on behalf of DairyCo who are an organisation working on behalf of British dairy farmers who help to provide independent evidence-based information and resources for dairy farming business. DairyCo wanted to share their rules of the countryside to encourage more people to get out into the countryside, enjoy the fresh air and help support the local farming community.

As a townie-turned-country girl myself - my next door neighbour is a dairy farmer - I thought I'd share these rules with you. Grab your wellies and breathe in that lovely country air!

The ten rules of the countryside

1. Be friendly. The morning commute in the city can turn the most polite of us into self centred battlers whose strategy for getting through the day is head down and elbows out. Not so in the countryside, where ignoring a fellow human is practically unheard of – 99% of people living in the countryside greet people they meet with at least a ‘hello’ when out and about. So get practising in the mirror for a facial work out and a genuine spirited grin rather than a ‘Blue Steel’ grimace.

2. Become a foodie. From Cheddar to Caerphilly, the countryside is the place to enjoy classic British produce. Favoured by a quarter of respondents, the traditional Ploughman’s lunch with a good chunk of local cheese was the food people most like to eat when in the countryside. There is something special about flavour, freshness and the sense of ‘good stuff’ on your plate.

3. Visit a farm. Yes you can... and it doesn’t cost a week’s salary for a family of four as some days out can. We don’t need to look too far back in time to realise that farming used to play a bigger part in our collective consciousness, so it’s unsurprising that older generations are more likely to be aware that a trip to the country can be combined with a visit to a working farm. Nearly eight out of 10 of over 65s know that it’s possible to pay a visit to a farm, compared with less than half of 18-24 year olds.

4. Lose the preconceptions. Close your eyes and picture a British farmer. Who do you see? More than half of respondents conjured up a flat cap, tweed clothes, walking stick and a sheep dog, with less than one in 10 associating farming with names like Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis or former Blur guitarist-turned-cheesemaker Alex James - despite both being well known farming profiles. And while they may not be quite typical, the face of farming is changing: figures from one agricultural college shows the number of female students have nearly doubled in five years. So don’t be surprised if there isn’t a flat cap to be seen on your next trip to the country. It’s a real place, not an artist’s impression.

5. Go local. Around half of people surveyed agree that the most enjoyable aspect about a visit to the countryside is finding a good local pub for the evening, with a real log fire, real ales and local grub, so don’t look for the nearest restaurant chain to spend the evening in – you could do that anywhere. Find a local gem and get cosy with all the good senses of sight, smell, taste and sound at play.

6. Switch off the TV. A busy lifestyle means our standards may be slipping with regard to what constitutes ‘quality time’ with a partner. Three in four people agree that watching television is entertaining, but only one in three think it makes their relationships stronger. Yet watching TV is by far the most popular ‘communications activity’ in the UK according to Ofcom, the telecoms regulator. With the majority of respondents – including 70% of countryside residents - agreeing that a walk in the countryside makes their relationships stronger, what are you waiting for? Switch off Dancing on Ice and don your walking boots.

7. Go cow spotting. There are more dairy cows in Britain than there are people in Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester put together, yet one in 10 people have never seen one up close, and nearly six in ten would ignore this good-natured goddess if they came across one whilst out exploring. But this black and white beauty is fascinating to watch and remarkably human in nature – a recent study suggests cows are good ‘social networkers’ that form important group structures within their herd.

8. Chill out. Ease yourself into the lack of human traffic and open your ears to the sounds of nature. Respondents voted birdsong and farmyard noises as the most relaxing sounds to listen to, with just 4% agreeing that general ‘people noise’ in a city helped them chill out. Me time needs a good backdrop that isn’t all about the bustle and the drama.

9. Go au naturel. Nearly half of city dwellers wear just as much slap in the city as they do in the countryside, but more than a third of countryside residents don’t wear any at all. So when in Rome, do as the locals (or in this case the ‘rurals’) do, strip off that facial camouflage, and adopt a look more Catherine Zeta Jones in The Darling Buds of May – rosy cheeks and tousled tresses – than the power jungle uniform. Everything needs a breather from time to time, including our faces!

10. Swap the shop. When you’re staying in a nice self catered cottage, do you really want to stock the shelves with the same things you could get at home? We think not! Nearly half of people say that a visit to a farm shop would improve their stay in the countryside, so find one as soon as you arrive and stock the fridge with some homemade delights. Any leftovers can go back to the city as a souvenir! Nothing beats hand-cured cheese or a dollop of ice cream made on the farm, and served to you with the smile you can expect from rule one.

Some really great points there I think you'll agree? However I have to say I can't agree with No9 - I may be a country girl these days but I absolutely never leave the house without make up!

If you want to find out more about dairy farming or get some more inspiration about how you could make best use of the countryside why not visit http://www.thisisdairyfarming.com/ and if you've got any of your own useful countryside tips, leave a comment below!

American-Style Blueberry Pancakes

2013-05-24T10:00:00.000+01:00

Apologise for the slightly blurry photo. I could pretend that I was aiming for an artistic soft-focus kind of look but I'm not, I was just in a rush and am really bad with a camera!

I love American-style pancakes - they're always my first choice of breakfast if I ever find myself stateside (which isn't as often as I'd like...) and yet I had never made them myself at home. It's not that they are partocularly tricky, I just never find pancakes a particularly relaxing breakfast to make for yourself especially when your family is involved!

However, make them I did and I throughly enjoyed them too. Both children loved them as well, helped along by the blueberries as they're both blueberry fanatics. I tried them with the American staple of maple syrup but found that I much preferred them with golden syrup, probably because it's just a bit sweeter. Now sitting looking at this photo all I can think about is eating them with a big dollop of vanilla ice-cream. Not for breakfast. Obviously.

American-Style Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients

200g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 egg

300ml milk

knob of butter, melted

150g blueberries

sunflower oil for cooking

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Beat the egg with the milk and make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Whisk the eggy milk into the bowl to make a thick smooth batter. Beat in the melted butter and carefully stir in half of the blueberries.

Heat a teaspoon on oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Drop a large tbsp of batter per pancake into the pan - you're aiming for your pancakes to be about 7cm across and you can easily make three or four pancakes at the same time. Cook for 2-3 minutes over a low-medium heat until small bubbles start to appear on the surface of the pancake, then turn and cook for another 2-3 minutes until golden (or to you preference).

Cover with kitchen paper to keep warm whilst you make the rest of the batch.

Serve with the syrup of your choice and the rest of the blueberries.

When it comes to buying blueberries, I would say that the smaller you can find, the better. The large ones get a bit messy and the small ones mix in to the batter better.

These make a lovely lazy weekend breakfast!

Giveaway: Win a family ticket to The Blackpool Tower

2013-05-22T09:00:00.000+01:00

Today I am giving you the chance to win a family ticket to visit The Blackpool Tower one of the most popular family attractions in Blackpool. The ticket gives you access to all four attractions in the Blackpool Tower - The Blackpool Tower Eye, The Blackpool Tower Ballroom, The Blackpool Tower Circus and Jungle Jim's which is for the little ones. It's been quite a while since I have visited The Blackpool Tower myself but I do remember twirling around the ballroom with my friend as a 15 year old - right before I scared myself silly walking on the glass floor!

What you can win:

The prize is one family ticket which gives access to the four attractions in the Blackpool Tower. A family ticket is for 2 adults & 2 children and will be valid for 3 months after the competition has ended.

What you need to know:

The prize will be supplied direct from the PR agency and there is no cash alternative. This competition is open to UK residents only. Please check out the T&C's listed on the Rafflecopter widget below.

How to enter:

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on this prize just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. The competition closes, and the winner will be drawn on Friday 14th June 2013. Once the winner has been drawn, address details will be needed by the end of Monday 17th June 2013 to arrange timely delivery. In the event that the winner cannot be contacted, another name may be drawn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions

The scent of my life...

2013-05-21T14:23:00.000+01:00

I don't really know what started this thought process off, but I've been thinking about my birthday (so far away yet!) and considered that I might like to try a new perfume. I love trying a new perfume and the way it makes me feel but always feel disappointed as no matter how much a swather myself in, I never get that wafting scent that others do. This led me to thinking about the perfumes that I have worn through my life, so far and I thought I'd share them with you!

My perfume journey started back in 1991 hanging around the perfume oil section in The Body Shop on a Saturday afternoon. I'm sure many of us have been there! I used to always try a few different scents but always went back to that old favourite, White Musk. I had a sniff of it recently and struggle to see what all the fuss was about!

The early teens were all about Exclamation and Charlie Red, and of course I had the accompanying body spray tucked away in my school bag. I must have got through bottles of this stuff and one little whiff takes me right back to 1994 reminding me of first loves and well, skiving off school mainly.

By the time I was sitting my GCSE's and leaving school I had moved to to CKOne - this evokes memories of day-glo Benetton jumpers, belly button piercings and Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill. In this same period of my life (but hopefully not at the same time) I was wearing Chloe Narcisse. I totally loved this perfume and haven't smelled it in years (I can't tell you how long it has taken for me to remember the name of this perfume!) but it only makes me think happy thoughts and I remember how much I loved wearing it which has brought about the urge to go and buy some.

When I entered the world of work at the tender age of 17 I was wearing Tommy Girl. Now I haven't gone near a bottle of Tommy Girl in such a long time but can vividly remember the smell. This isn't necessarily a good thing as it generally reminds me of a very bad time in my life and not something that I want to be revisiting on a daily basis so Tommy Girl will remain firmly in the past. This was around my 18th birthday when I received a bottle of Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers as a present. I felt really grown-up wearing this scent but in hindsight it was probably a bit too old for me.

As I suddenly had money from my new job, I went through a bit of a mad perfume purchasing stage. These were the Calvin Klein years. Mainly Eternity but with some Contradiction thrown in and even some of the yack-inducing Obsession. I have no idea what I was thinking about. My boss bought me some Estee Lauder Beautiful for Christmas one year around that time and even though I didn't love it, I still wore it.

In my early twenties my perfume of choice was Emporio Armani Il/Elle/She. I wore this for quite a few years and it reminds me of getting together with my husband. It also reminds him of that time. I think this is something I should revisit, to remind us of carefree times before we were dragged down by the daily drudge of house, jobs and what can sometimes be, mundane family life.

In the years following I also dabbled with Paul Smith Rose and Davidoff Cool Water Happy Summer but never really felt that connected to them. They were both good, light day-to-day perfumes but I probably wouldn't be buying them again.

By my mid-twenties I had discovered Marc Jacobs and his Daisy perfume and it's still a firm favourite. I've stayed pretty loyal to the original Daisy even though there has been many different editions out and in fact I've liked them all. I'm actually wearing Daisy as I type this! I was 30 when we got married and I wore a perfume that Mr M had bought me for my birthday only a week or so before, Marc Jacobs Lola. I still have a big bottle of this but I try not to use it too often as I don't want to wear it out if you know what I mean? It still takes me back to the gloriously sunny day of our wedding.

Which brings me to now and my current choice of perfume which is Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb. Mr M bought this for Christmas a year or two ago. I asked for Eau de Toilette and he bought Eau de Parfum. Clearly not a huge problem for me, but was a HUGE problem for his wallet. Tee hee. I love this and will continue to wear it for a long time I think.

I'm now on the lookout for a new one. I might try another version of Daisy or maybe a Dior. As you can see, I tend to favour florals but I don't like anything too over-powering. I recently tested all of Jo Malone's perfumes but they're not really me so if anyone has any perfume suggestions that I really must try out, leave me a comment below!

Did you ever wear any of these perfumes? Would love to hear all about your scent choices.

Meal Planning Monday (20th May 2013)

2013-05-20T08:24:00.002+01:00

Coming soon....I'm on a school trip! Had a busy weekend with birthday parties all over the shop and today I'm helping out in Year 2 (for my sins!). I'll be back later with full update but in the meantime wanted to get the Linky up for you guys!

*UPDATED*

So I wasn't great at coming back to this yesterday - what a day! Anyhow, thanks to all those who linked up despite my absence - you're all fabulous meal planners! So, my meal plan...

It's a bit of a weird week this week as there's lots to do including a child's birthday and we have an inset day on Friday so we get to start our half-term holidays early. The word of the week when it comes to meal planning this week is EASY.

Salad & baguettes & picky bits

Pizza

Vegetable moussaka

Vegetable biryani & samosas

Fish'n'chips

Gosh, you'd be forgiven for thinking I'm almost a vegetarian! I'm not, but I do enjoy vegetable-based meals. Do you like how technical my "picky bits" is? This covers a multitude of sins like scotch eggs, pork pie, olives...whatever is lurking in the fridge or cupboard really. The best thing about this meal plan? The fish'n'chips will be by the sea!

By now the majority of you will have seen the Linky below and linked up. I'm sorry for my uselessness - I must get better and more organised!

Thanks for joining in, see you all next week!

Turning dreams into a reality?

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Image Credit: http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/221664

An item that is on my bucket list and something that Mr M and myself have been considering over and over again is the possibility of buying another property to keep as a holiday home. We both adore holidaying in England, we love spending time by the coast with our children and the dream of having another home where the children will be able to go as they grow up (perhaps with their own children one day) is something I often have a little whimsical dream about. A holiday property could also be (potentially) a great investment for the future, and as I’m seriously lacking in retirement plans, we’d definitely consider letting it as a rental. For some reason I am quite excited at the prospect of running a holiday let, albeit long distance!

One of the first stages of our plan is location – we just can’t settle on a place but do have a shortlist, which includes Norfolk, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall. That really narrows it doesn’t it? The second stage is looking at mortgages and working out whether financially it could be reality or it should remain just a distant dream. I mean in my head, I can make it work but in reality? Who knows?

There’s also the fact that I am a bit scared at the prospect of taking on another large financial commitment, although mortgage rates are so much lower than when I last bought a house, what if our situation changes? It’s nice to sometimes just have a dream and I tend to spend a lot of time procrastinating, looking at pretty cottages on the Internet and daydreaming about what colours I’d paint the walls. Then I worry that we’d feel like every holiday had to be taken at the holiday house, seriously restricting my need and desire to explore new places.

Whilst looking at interiors and endless pictures on property websites is a lovely way to waste a few hours, it’s not ever going to help the dream become a reality and it’s probably coming to the time where we have to put up or shut up!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post

Giveaway: Luxury Picnic Hamper & Jersey Royals

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Today I have a lovely giveaway for you on my blog today courtesy of Jersey Royals. A few facts for you... Jersey Royals have been grown on Jersey for over 130 years and there are approximately 20 island farms growing Jersey Royals today over approximately 7,300 acres. The Jersey Royal season begins in November under glass and then the main outdoor crop is planted from January to April. Harvesting usually starts in April however this year the harvesting season has been a bit late due to the atrocious weather conditions we have suffered over the winter!

What you can win:

The prize is one luxury hamper along with some Jersey Royals for you to enjoy at home (Prize value is around £45).

What you need to know:

The prize will be supplied direct from the PR agency and there is no cash alternative. In the event that the item pictured above is not available, an alternative may be supplied. This competition is open to UK residents only. Please check out the T&C's listed on the Rafflecopter widget below.

How to enter:

To be in with a chance of getting your hands on this prize just follow the Rafflecopter instructions below. The competition closes, and the winner will be drawn on Friday 7th June 2013. Once the winner has been drawn, address details will be needed by the end of Monday 10th June 2013 to arrange timely delivery. In the event that the winner cannot be contacted, another name may be drawn.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

ThePrizeFinder - UK Competitions