Brewer's Fayre, Dennis is there

I'm never one to turn down a meal out, it saves on washing up, and I can get to try things I wouldn't make at home.  So when we were invited along to our local Brewer's Fayre restaurant to have a look at their newly revamped children's play area, Play at Brewer's Fayre, and have a spot of lunch, you know it wasn't going to be a difficult decision.

Castle, of the falling down variety

So, off we popped on Saturday to Caerphilly, usually more notable for cheese, being the birthplace of Tommy Cooper, and having a somewhat falling-down type castle.

Rock on Tommy

But we weren't interested in comedians, cheese or castles, we were all about the restaurant.  We've actually visited this restaurant before, and while the food was fine, the soft play was dated and not the most exciting, so I was interested to see what had changed.  As soon as we arrived, Squeaky spotted someone very special, being very naughty indeed.  Dennis the Menace had also come to have a bite to eat, along with Gnasher.  And they were wreaking havoc in the way that only true menaces can.  Dennis and Gnasher, along with the rest of the Beano gang, are Brewer's Fayre's children's menu stars, and the restaurant have regular special issues of the Beano to keep young people (and adults) occupied while waiting for their dinner.

Dennis, menacing

The unsupervised soft-play area has been fully renewed, with a toddlers area, as well as three levels to climb, run, slide, squeeze, push & balance.  According to Squeaky, the soft play was "Awesome, can I go now please mummy?"  I'm no expert, but all the equipment was clean, and looked brand spanking new (as it should do).  There were giant beanbags to land on at the bottom of the slide, which makes a refreshing change from a ball pool, the contents of which usually end up everywhere but where they were meant to be.  There were plenty of friendly staff on hand to chat with the children, and make sure everyone was playing safely and having a good time, but they were clear that parents were responsible for supervising their own children, no running away to hide in the bar!  A face painter had even come along especially for the launch day, and was busy making the children look stunning. I'm never going to try anything more complicated than an England flag during the rugby world cup, she was that good!

Do you know how difficult it is to take photos in soft play?

One thing that soft play centres do extremely well is build up an appetite in even the fussiest of Squeaks.  So we were very grateful that Brewer's Fayre offered us lunch as well as a play.  I really like the children's menu, it's got a good mix of sensible, child-friendly foods, without relying on chips and beans with everything.  Squeaky being the child she is, she opted for pizza and garlic bread, while I remained true to my Slimpod and settled on the chicken salad.  Both were delicious, but we had to save room for desserts.

Desserts, ah, yes.  We do love a good dessert.  Squeaky didn't have a great deal of choice, because I'd already picked our meals in advance, and know that she tends to have eyes bigger than her belly when it comes to ice-cream sundaes, so instead I picked for her what she called an "ice cream Saturday", or in other words, the Cookie Double Dare - vanilla ice-cream sandwiched between two chocolate chip cookies.

Cookies & face paints

The cookies were perfectly crisp on the outside, yet chewy in the middle, which had the added advantage of helping her very wobbly front tooth on its journey to meet the tooth fairy.  It would have been a little embarrassing if her tooth had come out while we were in the restaurant, so I'm relieved that it waited until we got home to fall out.

We had a great visit to the Caerphilly restaurant, and it's firmly back on my radar as somewhere to call in for a meal, snack, or even just a cheeky coffee when we're out & about, especially if Squeaky can run around like a loon for half an hour or so.  The food was fab, with some great menu choices, and the staff were really friendly and welcoming.  You can tell when people actually mean it, rather than just going through the motions, thinking about payday.  And I'll leave you with something that really made me smile.  Attention to detail, this was the carpet in the soft play zone.  How much fun is this?

Disclosure: I was invited to attend this launch event, and provided with meals and soft drinks for my family free of charge. I was not obliged to write this post. I have not been told what to write and all opinions are my own. Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive payment for their use.

Time for a change

I've never been a skinny minnie, to put it mildly.  I'm not all that unfit - I can swim a 5k, and do a 3 1/2 hour Zumbathon without actually keeling over, but the only thing I can run is a bath, and while I can swim, me in a swimming costume is not a pretty sight.  So it's time for a change.

I've dieted in the past, who hasn't?  Sometimes I've lost weight, but eventually I fall off the wagon, usually with a fairly hard bump, and it all goes back where it came from.  I've been a member of a gym, but I get bored after a fairly short time, when I realise I can't read on a treadmill, and I don't like looking at myself in the mirrors.  (I don't mind Zumba, I can't see myself in the community centre's breezeblock walls, and everyone is so NICE it doesn't matter that I wobble even when I shouldn't).

So, time for a change of approach.  I've always had a slightly wobbly relationship with food. It's been my comfort, and it's been my downfall.  I craved pepperoni pizza while I was pregnant with Squeaky, and the cravings still haven't gone, despite the fact she's 5!

I was offered the chance to join in a trial with Thinking Slimmer, who are the people behind the Slimpod.  They've given me (and a group of other amazing bloggers) the chance to try out the Slimpod for ourselves, in return for sharing with them how we are getting on.  You know me though, I can't keep that to myself, I'm going to tell you as well.

Truth be told, I have kept it to myself for a little while, I wasn't sure whether you'd really want to know.  But I've been listening to the lovely Trevor, a cognitive hypnotherapist, before I go to sleep (and often while I'm asleep) for the last few weeks, and I'm honestly noticing a difference.  I'm not snacking so much, I'm choosing different foods, healthier foods, and I'm making better choices.  It's slightly strange being part of a group, but being remote from them, kind of the opposite to slimming clubs.  But for me it works.  I've come to the conclusion that you can't change for anyone other than yourself, and that includes competing with others.  I'll never be you, you'll never be me, it's a waste of good energy to try.  But I can be the best me, and I'm using my slimpod to help me be the best me I can.

Want to join me?  Well, don't go away, there's something exciting coming very soon!

Munching in Munich!

I was going to get all travel-blogger style and give you a full run down of our recent two-day jaunt to Munich, where we got caught in a monumental hailstorm, rode to the top of the Olympic tower, learned to negotiate the German rail system without speaking a word of German, and drank many good cups of coffee, and even more good beers.

But really, this is me.  We were visiting a friend, and only had a couple of days, which is nowhere near enough time to do the city justice.  I want to go back for a week and fill in the gaps that I didn't have chance to explore properly.  With an umbrella to deal with the next hailstorm, obviously, though considering the wind I might well have a Mary Poppins moment & end up flying all the way to Austria.  Being my blog though, I have got some photos to share with you.  You know the sort.

Pretzels

CAAAAAAAAKE!

Being artistic at the Olympic Park

Beer. One of many.

If Frozen's Elsa worked in a Beerhall.

I'm slowly trying to improve my photography skills, bit by bit.  It's tough though, when time is limited and you're enjoying reality, to have the opportunity to set up a perfect shot.  This time I didn't have Squeaky dragging my arm down & making me run to the next streetlight, but even so, while I try to take a good shot, I also take many, many mediocre ones and more than a few outright bad ones.  I'll never be David Bailey (or insert other favourite photographer here), because life moves too fast for me.  But I'll have some fun along the way, and if some turn out good, all the better.

Lunchbox Woes

Nope, not a "I've run out of bento inspiration" post. I have neither the patience nor ability to make pretty shaped nonsense out of Squeaky's sandwiches, she will only ignore then in favour of yogurt, babybel and playing in the yard anyway.

Instead, I am bemoaning progress. Back in the day, a lunchbox was a solid plastic affair, with a picture of My Little Pony or Rainbow Brite on the outside, and space for a matching thermos flask. Or at least it was for a fortnight or so, before I lost it again, and it was replaced with a brown Tupperware box that was physically impossible to lose.  My Little Pony has had a makeover in recent years, and so has the lunchbox. Now, they are made from some sort of squishy thermo insulated fabric stuff. Great for keeping things cool (that said, I freeze squeezy yogurts, and fetch one out first thing in the morning & it's just as effective at cooling sandwiches), but gah, they are VILE.

School water bottle left at school. Again.

I'm sorry, but it's physically impossible to get these things clean. There's a permanent whiff of sour yogurt, fermented fruit juice and something that may once have been a Pom-bear.  I can only think of two possible solutions: 1 - a boil wash, or 2 - a flamethrower. At least with hard plastic you could get into the corners, these things have seams for goodness sake, where the ming seems to congregate.

I haven't got a dishwasher (I know, pity me), and there will be a meltdown of epic proportions if I do anything that might risk the Frozen lunchbag's appearance. But short of drawing Elsa on a Tupperware in Sharpie marker, what can I do? I'm going to throw up before the end of term at this rate.

I actually have a couple of really nice (in my opinion), bento-esque lunchboxes, made of solid plastic, easy to clean, and generally far more acceptable to my delicate sensibilities.  However, the lack of Disney branding makes them thoroughly unacceptable in the eyes of Squeaky.  I'm at my wits' end.

There's a whole separate moan about how matching flasks used to come with the solid plastic lunchbox, and were designed to fit in the flask space.  Now flasks, or sports cap bottles more often, are a separate entity, and an additional £5 plus to the coffers of whichever tv channel your child is currently obsessed with.  Not to mention the official school issued water bottle which never seems to come home with madam, and leaks all over her school bag on the very rare occasion I actually see it. (Secret admission here, I replaced it with one I had in a goodie bag from somewhere, and allowed the school one to meet with a tragic car-running-over type accident)

Does anyone still sell the Old Skool style lunchboxes? I'm getting desperate.

Five Whole Years

Five years ago, I was settling into my first (very cold) days at home with a brand new baby. Watching the snow fall through the window and wondering what on earth I was letting myself in for.

Yesterday I was helping my daughter recover from Saturday's On The Day Frozen birthday party spectacular, and trying to interest her in a light snooze after swimming and a soft play lunch.  Today, she's packed off to school as if nothing ever happened.

Five. How on earth has that happened? I've been trusted with the well-being of a small, dependent human being for 5 years, and have managed not to break her.  She's done her best to break me, mind.

The cold never bothered me anyway

We even managed snow, she's convinced that it snows for her birthday, because it's her birthday, every year. Even when experience has showed it only snows about every OTHER year, and despite her best Frozen singalong efforts, there was nowhere near enough to build a snowman, though it did look the part.

The melting Olaf biscuits went down a treat with the hoard of marauding 5 year olds who invaded my living room, and somehow the only casualties were one of my fingernails and a slight spillage of orange squash onto a mat that was down for exactly that reason.

Happy birthday little lovely.

Ocado home shopping

I've done my shopping online a few times, particularly when I was stuck at home with a broken ankle & couldn't get to the supermarket, much less push a trolley around.  Our choices have been pretty limited though, and as far as I knew only 2 of the big supermarkets, plus the frozen place actually delivered to our area.

Recently I learned that 2 other supermarkets have expanded their delivery areas to cover us, and that means TREATS!  Supermarkets that are a little too far away for me to visit regularly, but stock lovely things I like.  And when Ocado offered to send me a delivery of surprises, well, what do you think?

My first shock was receiving a text telling me when to expect the delivery, and giving the driver's details, the second was that he was bang on time, which has never happened with other deliveries. Chirpy, helpful, offered to put my chilled stuff away for me, very amused by the fact that the whole delivery was full of surprises, and I was so overwhelmed I forgot to take his photo. Bad blogger, no biscuit.  Even so, he stocked me up with loads of exciting veggies, and a whole host of healthy lunchbox treats for Miss Squeaky.  It was actually at the top of my shopping list for the week to restock our lunchbox stash, so couldn't have come at a better time.

The delivery itself really impressed me.  While all deliveries separate cupboard items from chilled and frozen (different areas of the van, see), they were in identified bags, so even if I got sidetracked, I'd be able to tell straight away - and a very useful concept for my next "in person" shopping trip.  The receipt print out also showed everything by date order, so I could see at a glance which items needed to be used up quickest.  I thought that was a great asset, it's happened before that I've ordered things with a plan for a few days hence, and found that the ingredients all needed to be used straight away.  By listing the use-by dates, it meant I knew that the best dated products had been chosen, and that I'd be able to use them while they're at their best.

Yogurts, fruit yoyos, wholewheat cookies, veg crisps and dairy free choco mylk (yes, that's how they spell it) for Squeaky.  Peppers, avocados, samphire, girolle mushrooms, berries and rainbow chard for the grow-ups.  Chard?  Wait a minute, I thought Chard was a place in Somerset! I grew up watching adverts for the now defunct wildlife park "Cricket St Thomas, near Chard", and now you want to tell me it's a vegetable?  You'll be telling me Cheddar is a type of cheese next!

Squeaky has already tucked in to a couple of the snacks with enthusiasm, and can't wait to go back to school to show off a whole new set of choices (which make me very happy due to their fruit content, low sugar levels, and all round Good Mummy lunchbox friendly status)  We don't mention the healthy aspect, due to her general mistrust of anything natural, green, or that has ever been introduced to a vegetable, but we're slowly winning the battle.

The selection of lovely veggies deserved a special meal to show them off to their best.  And I am trying to become a real and proper cook, not just someone who reheats things from the freezer.  So, what did I rustle up?  How does baked cod fillet dusted with Polish breadcrumbs, on a bed of rainbow chard, with girolle mushroom couscous, topped with samphire sound?  Trust me, it tasted even better, and made a refreshing and healthy change from roast chicken.

I made this!

Would I reconsider online shopping? Definitely. Our local supermarkets are becoming a nightmare to park, and to get around, especially with Squeaky in tow.  Would I use Ocado? On this basis, absolutely!  Looking on their website, they have a price promise to beat Tesco, the Essential range looks to be great value for money, and if I can pick up some treats along the way, even better!  I'll never lose my bargain hunting streak and still have to pop in to the actual stores to look for the ooopsies and bent bargains, but for the proper shopping, I think things are going to change.  It'll help the budget as well, if I meal plan in advance, don't you think?

Disclosure: I was gifted with a mystery delivery of Ocado products free of charge for the purposes of this review.  I was not told what to write, and all opinions remain my own. Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Village Urban Resorts Cardiff

It doesn't happen very often that Daddy and I get a weekend to ourselves, and actually have something to do with our time.  Squeaky does visit my parents for sleepovers, but normally we've got nothing planned other than a swift pint in the local, and an undisturbed lie in.  However, some times, things just come together, and so it happened that we had the opportunity to visit the Village's Cardiff Urban Resort.  Even better when school announced an inset day to coincide with our trip, so Squeaky got longer with my folks, and we got more time to enjoy the facilities.

Now, I've eaten here a couple of times, but never had the chance to stay overnight before.  It's pretty close to home, but who says an escape has to be a long journey?  A retreat on your doorstep can be a really valuable concept.  And so, the Village.  The part of me that lives close by wonders why the hotel is just off the motorway, and just off the dual carriageway that forms my main route into the city centre. But then the sensible part of me remembers that hotels are located in places that are accessible for people who are travelling to them, and so the location is actually pretty much spot on.  It's a couple of miles out of the centre of Cardiff, which means it's not going to fill up with party-goers running up and down the corridors all night looking for their friends (and I've stayed in enough of those kind of hotels over the years), though it is a popular wedding venue, so it can get quite busy with groups over the weekend.

I love these cushions

We checked in on Friday lunchtime, and found plenty of parking space - always a good sign, and something of a rarity for city hotels, another bonus of being outside the city centre.  The hotel is pretty popular for business conferences and training events too, and they've clearly planned well with the large car park.  Our room was ready for us, even though we were earlier than the advertised check in of 3pm, and I was worryingly excited about the fact that we were staying in the "adults only" Upper Deck - the second (and top) floor of the hotel, with upgraded rooms, sky movies, a Starbucks hospitality tray, and lots of little touches to make this a real treat.  We don't get a night away from Squeaky all that often, so it was great to be just ourselves.  The room appeared newly decorated in a subtle modern style, and had everything you'd expect from a quality hotel - large flat-screen TV, plenty of seating space, hairdryer, an iron & ironing board, even an iPod dock, and a very special little welcome.

What a welcome

We set off from our room to experience the Viva spa, situated in the lower ground floor (I'm sure these floors used to be called basements!).  Due to errr, privacy, child protection, and risk of damage to your eyeballs, there are no pictures of me having a massage or in a swimming costume.  But just to make you jealous, I had a glorious 40 minute Lifesaving Back Treatment, my therapist Jessica was friendly and made the world of difference to my aching shoulders, and I floated out on cloud nine in a waft of Espa scented oils.  Life is good some days.  From the spa it was a couple of steps, wrapped up in my fluffy robe to the Velocity health club.  A gym (but I was really not feeling that energetic), pool, with jacuzzi, sauna and steam room.  I could spend all day in a steam room, given the choice.

That sadly wasn't possible, for the best reason, of course.  Dinner.  Our dinner reservation in the Verve restaurant had me slightly confused because there seems to be some rebranding between Verve and Vinny and Vito's, and I can't quite tell which way it's going.  Anyway, Verve is what our reservation said, so Verve it is.  The menu was kept simple, but with loads of intense and varied flavours.  With at least 4 vegetarian starters and main courses, there was a good choice, and I couldn't wait to get stuck in.  I opted for the caramelised onion & feta tartlet to start with, and couldn't have picked better if I'd been in the kitchen.  (At this point I have to apologise because I really couldn't take photos of Daddy's dinner across the table before he tucked in.)

Caramelised onion and feta tartlet

The buttery pastry of the tart, along with the generous amount of cheese was washed down with a crisp, dry New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, as I eyed up the meals arriving at the tables around me. The steaks definitely appeared to be popular, Daddy opted for the sirloin steak and chips which he declared to be perfect, whilst I pretended to be health conscious and chose a salmon fillet with new potatoes.  I was quite torn before I ordered this as the salsa contains coriander, and I'm really not a fan.  I'm glad I did though, because the coriander was light and didn't overpower the other flavours, giving the salmon a fresh edge and a really attractive presentation.

Salmon fillet with mango, coriander and chilli salsa

After a very relaxed night's sleep, we headed back to the Verve restaurant for breakfast.  I was only disappointed that I couldn't sit within view of the toast machine, because that is by far my favourite thing about buffet breakfasts.  However, the clientèle of the Village seemed to be a touch more competent than most, and there wasn't even a hint of flame coming out of it.  There was, on the other hand, a lovely selection of cooked breakfast, plus cereals, pastries, fruit, yogurts, and mini chocolate muffins which seemed to be going down a storm with the younger guests.  I was worryingly excited to be sat under one of the quirky light fittings I'd spotted the evening before, and took the opportunity for a cheeky photo.  Now I want to redecorate my kitchen.  I need these lights in my life.

Cool lighting

The Village is in a great location for exploring the scenery to the north of Cardiff. As well as being a spit away from Daddy's former employers, and only a mile away from his current work, it sits in the shadow of Castell Coch, a 19th Century Gothic Revival castle built on the ruins of an older castle on side of the mountain, and a regular location for TV filming.  Dr Who, The Worst Witch and Merlin have all filmed there, amongst others.  It rises up like a red fairy tale (Castell Coch is Welsh for Red Castle, you can see why) from the trees, and never fails to take my breath away.  Caerphilly is also only a stone's thrown away, as well as the sights of Cardiff, and the Brecon Beacons slightly further north.  And if you head that way, call in for a cuppa on your way past my house, and I'll tell you all the best places to go for bargains and cake!

Castell Coch

I loved the consistency of the V theme throughout the hotel. something that could be cheesy. but it's so well done with a hint of humour, and carried on through hashtags on their twitter feed as well.  A little bit of fun goes a long way.  We had a great night at Village's Cardiff hotel, and I'd be absolutely over the moon to go back, now I just need to find an excuse!

Disclosure: I was invited to be a guest at the hotel free of charge, and provided with a spa treatment and meal in the restaurant for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Cake Angels

Before I start with this review, I need to give a mammoth apology.  This post has been bubbling under forever.  Seriously, I mean like ages.  And just when I didn't think I could feel any more guilty, I used some more of their lovely stuff and realised I still hadn't written a post.  So I am officially a Bad Blogger today, slap my wrist and send me to bed without supper.

Right. Now that's out of they way, let me introduce you to my newest lovely friends, Cake Angels.  They are responsible for a percentage of my ever-increasing waistline, as well as some gorgeous treats, which I'd love to share with you in person - except for the fact that we ate them - so pictures will have to do instead! Many pictures. You know me.

Goodies!

 Well, first off, way back in the mists of time, I received a parcel from the angels, with a load of cake decorating items,  Perfect timing, as it was just before PirateGirl's birthday, and she was having a tea party at home, including decorating their own cakes.

As you can see, this was a major hit - small girls, cake and sprinkles.  All we needed was a unicorn or a special guest appearance from Sophia The First, and they would have actually exploded.  There were marshmallows, many many chocolate sprinkles, a load of royal icing designs, all piled on top of the most delicious vanilla frosting I've ever eaten straight from the tub.  Ooops.  It was leftovers, that doesn't count.

I'm not sure I'd've paid for one of their cupcakes, but they were pretty pleased with themselves.  (please ignore the look on my face, I am not the most photogenic of cooks)

Then came summer. And I still hadn't written this post, when through my door came some more goodies, including the most inspired Ice Cream Cone cupcakes I've ever seen.  I used to work for a bakery, a long long time ago, and they sold ice cream cone cakes, but they were nowhere near as impressive as these.

We took to the garden, see, that's how you can tell it was summer.  And Squeaky got on with the important task of cleaning out the bowl, while keeping a close eye on the kitchen timer.  They really were so easy to make, I was demoted to reading instructions and dealing with hot ovens, while Chef Squeaky took over.

But even having lost my place in the cake-making pecking order of our house couldn't stop me trying to be arty with the finished product.  The packet made six, but we'd slightly already eaten two when I realised it would be a good idea to take some photos.  It was a hot day, ok?

I am a real blogger, see!

And finally, if that wasn't enough cake for you already.  Just to prove it's not all for children, and grown-ups can get the benefit of the Cake Angels' wisdom and sprinkles too, here's the cake I made for our office's Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning.

Cake Angels Chocolate Fudge frosting, and milk and white chocolate hearts, sprinkled on top of a very chocolatey cake, held together with choc fingers.  The purple glitter was edible too, but came from the back of my cupboard and had lost its label.

Cake Angels have a huge range of kits and decorating products to make your baking a little bit of heaven.  Their website also has a load of recipes, so if you need more inspiration, or want to torment yourself if you're on a diet, there's something for everyone.

You can buy Cake Angels online, and I've also seen them in most supermarkets.

Disclosure: I was provided with the above items free of charge for the purposes of writing a review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

As One Door Closes...

After a whole year of part time nursery class, Squeaky's broken up for the summer holidays, and is moving upstairs to reception full time in September.  While she knows the children and the teachers, and it's exactly where she goes to Breakfast Club every day, it's still a pretty big change, and she's been showing some anxiety about it all.  Clingier than I've seen her in a very long time, wanting to stay with me rather than go to activities and join in with other children.  Sometimes I think we forget how much our children know, and what seems insignificant to us can be huge to them.  Nursery is all the school she's experienced, so it must be pretty big.

In addition to moving upstairs, and going full time, there's more changes going on at school.  Rather than being the last remaining separate Infants school in the borough, the school is merging with the linked Junior school that pretty much all the Year 3's move on to.  The head of the Infants is retiring after over 20 years at the school, and both schools are getting a new name, motto and uniform.  It's quite the end of an era, as the Infants school has been there for 112 years.  Forget parents having gone to the school, we're talking Great Grandparents, and beyond!  That's something I fell in love with when we first visited, the real sense of history and place.

The new headmaster is doing a good job of involving parents in being an active part of the new school though.  We've been invited to make suggestions for the school name, logo and motto.  And I'm secretly more than a little bit proud that my motto suggestion has been adopted by the school, so we're already making our mark on the future.  You can dress it up any way you like, but it's still a tie-breaker competition, and my inner comper can't resist a good tie-break.

The challenge of full time school, for us, is going to be all about the food.  I'm confident Squeaky will cope with the hours and the work, but the big question is will she eat?  And if so, what?

We're trying our hardest to get her to expand her diet, with some small successes, but she's what can be politely described as a stubborn creature - it's the Capricorn in her.  I've looked over the school dinner menus, and over the three week cycle, she'd probably eat about 5 meals, and that's being optimistic.  The alternative, obviously, is packed lunches.  Again, a battle.  When she eats only a limited range of foods, I'm terrified of falling foul of the lunchbox police & having my marmite sandwiches and babybels confiscated.  I have enough trouble getting us up and dressed in time for school in the mornings, never mind making a packed lunch as well (as you can tell by the rubbish I eat in the office). And really, bento?  No offence to those who can, but this is my reality. I have neither the time nor inclination to make pretty garden scenes out of cress, carved tomatoes and pasta shapes.  Which will only get swapped for someone else's squashed jam sandwich anyway.  If I had time for that in the morning, maybe I'd have time to blog more often!

The world's fussiest 4 year old vs foreign food

What happens when you take a very fussy eater on holiday? Aside from a stress related migraine, of course.

Well, as we've just got back from a fortnight in Fuertaventura, I've got a fair idea. Our holiday was on a half board basis, in the hope that there would be sufficient buffet food that Squeaky would eat at tea time, and because I love the entertainment value of the coffee, juice and toast machines in the morning. Honestly, it's like watching a Krypton Factor challenge some days.

Breakfast was the easy part. Nowhere can go far wrong with toast and jam. And lunches were a fairly relaxed affair of cheese sandwiches, crisps, yogurt and ice cream.  Dinner time is where the fun begins.

We've never been to Fuertaventura before, though we have been to Tenerife. I was surprised how much more Spanish it was than my previous Canaries experience, in terms of the people, the atmosphere, and especially the food.  Our hotel's buffet served up some glorious paella, fiduea, Canary potatoes, fish in mojo sauce, all of which made me very happy indeed.  However, for Squeaky, the children's section held such wonders as burgers (yucky), potato wedges (yucky), chicken nuggets (yucky unless renamed Space Shapes), pasta (only acceptable if white, not tricolour), and chips.

She basically spent the fortnight eating plain pasta, plain rice, chips and ice cream, helped along by a couple of hot dogs out and about.  I'm so frustrated, I'd love to be able to take her to other places, but I'm worried she'll eat even less. What would happen when faced with a plate of Greek salad and moussaka I dread to think.

The biggest success we had was convincing her that spaghetti was in fact pasta, and good fun. Otherwise that day she wouldn't have eaten anything. No dinner, no ice cream.  We've got serious work to do, so wish me luck. For now we're concentrating on school dinner foods ahead of September, but I really need some proper variety so that next year's holiday is a relaxing one, rather than a battle of wits at the dining table.

Bank Holiday Monday as a #MorrisonsMum

I'm Cheaper, are you?

Having spent my student years, and a fair few years after graduating living in the wilds of West Yorkshire, I have to admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Morrison's, as much as it's possible to like a supermarket in that way.  They're the reason why I call the reduced cans display "Bent Bargains", the source of all sorts of odd products I can't find anywhere else, and slightly more logical than the average supermarket.  I was quite upset when I moved south and they hadn't yet expanded to the rest of the UK.  However, those days are long gone, I've grown up, and Morrison's are everywhere now.  There's even a rumour they might be planning to build a new store in our town, where the bus station is at present, if and when the roadworks finally finish (I'm taking this with a pinch of salt, mind you, there have been rumours about Markses going in every big bit of vacant land in town for the last ten years and it still hasn't happened) The likelihood of the roadworks finishing this side of the next millennium is pretty slim considering the speed they're working, so I'm not holding my breath.

Well, this isn't meant to be me wittering on about my long-lost youth, or the state of the Merthyr Tydfil road network, this is me talking about Morrison's now.  Morrison's have taken on the country's economic what-have-you, and introduced a huge range of savings across the store.  Not for a day, or a week, but permanent reductions on over 1000 everyday items, as well as some treats, in order to put a bit of cash back into our pockets.  I was given the chance to have a look for myself, and I'm never one to say no to a trip to Morrison's, even if it's a 15 minute drive, past 3 other supermarkets on the way, and through more roadworks than you'd really believe possible.  I'm going to stop talking about roadworks in a minute, honestly.

Scary Knife lady

Armed with a shopping list (quite unusual for me), Squeaky and I hit the aisles in Ebbw Vale, our nearest store, and one I enjoy popping in when I'm passing. I'd been told to look out for the "I'm Cheaper" stickers, and I was expecting to see a few scattered through the store, but they were everywhere.  Fruit & veg, coffee, cereals, bread, freezer section, everywhere.  I managed to resist the siren call of the deli counters, though I'm a bit upset about that, because I missed out on a couple of my favourite things, though I'm not sure I would have had the chance to eat the huge amount of pork pie or blackberry tart along with everything else I bought.

We stocked up the cupboards to siege levels, ready to withstand any invading zombie hordes, took advantage of the 3 for £10 meat offers to get our weekend roast, chicken for a Mexican Saturday lunch, and some mince for a spag bol later in the week, watched a knife demonstration (and came away with a free garnish knife), filled the freezer with the important things in life (or turkey aeroplanes and Arctic Roll to you & me), bought Daddy some razor blades, and even picked up a few treats.  And still came out to just under £70!  This is the point where I would normally have made a mad dash to the wines & spirits section and grabbed some vitally important Pinot Grigio, but I'm meant to be being healthy at the moment, so I resisted.  I don't do a "big shop" all that often, and when I do it tends to be at a discount supermarket, so I was pleasantly surprised how much I was able to get for my money.

Instead of buying enough wine to pickle myself for the rest of the weekend, we rewarded ourselves with a trip to the cafe, where Squeaky had what she declared to be the most delicious teacake she has ever tasted (and she's tasted a LOT of teacakes!), and I stuck to coffee.  I've still got some voucher money left over, so I'm going to have a word with our local foodbank and see if they have any special requests for the leftover balance - I think that would be a good thing to do, don't you?

The most delicious teacake ever

Bank Holidays throw my timing out of the window, especially when coupled with a Sunday afternoon birthday party, and Daddy working shifts.  So we had Sunday On A Monday roast dinner.  Would you like to join us?

Try my Perfect Roast Potatoes, and Never Failed Yorkshire Puddings  (Honestly, this is not just an excuse to link to a couple of my old posts, they are the recipes I use every week because they really work, and are far better than any others I've tried)  However, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you how to throw a chicken in the oven, and you've already seen my Yorkshire Puds & Roasties, so instead I've decided to share with you the recipe for the Totally Amazebowls Tomato Soup I made as a starter.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the supermarket

Totally Amazebowls Tomato Soup - serves 4. Cost per serving 35p
Ingredients:
1 can chopped tomatoes
2 medium sized potatoes (or 1 baking potato, depending on what's to hand)
1 sweet potato
1 onion
3/4 pint of veg stock
2 tablespoons Soured Cream, and a little more to serve.

Method:
Peel and dice the potatoes, sweet potato and onion, and place these, along with the stock and tinned tomatoes into a large saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer for around 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.
Blend with a stick blender, or potato masher if you are more patient than me.
Stir through the sourced cream.
Pour into bowls and add a swirl of soured cream to each bowl to serve.

Totally Amazebowls!

Disclosure: I was provided with £80 of vouchers to carry out a shopping trip in order to write this post. I was not told what to write, and all opinions are my own. Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not receive reward for their use.

Guilty Pleasures

I've got a confession to make.  It's been a bit quiet of late in this little corner of the internet, partly because Real Life has kept me on my toes, and partly because what downtime I have had has been indulgently filled with what can only really be called Guilty Pleasures.  And the Guilty Pleasures on my list have been growing, to the point where it's getting hard to keep up with them.

We all have them, let's be honest about it. Those nights where the kids are in bed, or out depending on their age, himself is elsewhere, and the evening is stretching out ahead of you, with nothing more taxing planned than topping up your glass of Pinot Grigio.  Pinot Grigio, by the way, is not a guilty pleasure. It's a necessity.  If I wanted to feel guilty about the odd glass of wine, I'd've stayed on at Catholic school.

Let me in!!

Well, those guilty pleasures.  First up The Valleys.  Ok, they've got the morals of an alley cat and all the brains of a teapot, but it's addictive viewing. Judge me all you want, I don't believe it's real, but it's pure entertainment.  I've never watched TOWIE, or any of the other "reality" shows, but when these are virtually my neighbours, I can't help myself.  Much as all Welsh people aren't like that, there are those who are, there is some degree of truth to it, and what else is going to happen when you take a bunch of deluded halfwits, ply them with as much booze as they want and drop them in a big posh house in the middle of Cardiff Bay?  (I've actually been to the house, but I couldn't get in.  Probably for the best)

I might have watched every episode in existence at least twice, but I still can't resist a bit of Dog The Bounty Hunter.  If you haven't watched this at least once, you haven't lived. Seriously, what is wrong with you?  Mullets, outsized boobs, crazy footwear, and stunning Hawaiian scenery.  And criminals.  Oh yes, this has to figure. I can't not, can I?  I keep trying to pretend it's educational, that I'm learning about drugs, the American criminal justice system and social commentary.  But really, it's all about the mullet.

OM NOM NOM

But it's not all about the telly.  My guilty pleasures run far further than the Sky remote.  I'm torn whether or not to admit to this, but what the heck, we've all done it at least once...  Frosting straight from the tub. Admit it.  NOW.  Honestly, there is no better comfort food in the world, no matter what Squeaky might claim about mint choc chip ice cream (I can't stand mint choc chip!)

I know I'm not alone in my next guilty pleasure, even if you might have been scratching your head this far.  Meat Loaf.  Not the food.  The large, sweaty, hairy American singer.  (Is there a bit of a theme here?)  If you don't at very least crack a smile at the start of Bat Out Of Hell, you're not alive.  Nothing beats a few cheeky drinks and screaming along to Paradise By The Dashboard Light.  Even better if there's actually a karaoke microphone nearby, but that's just details.

So come on then, people of the internet, admit it.  What do you do when everyone else is out?  NOT THAT!! I don't want to know about that!  The other things, the ones you can talk about in front of the in-laws.  I've shown you mine, now it's time for you to show me yours.

Hot Dogs bite back! With Jungle Dogs

I know I'm boring you, because I'm boring myself, when I start yet another post telling you how Squeaky is what's politely termed a "fussy eater".  Believe me, we have many more creative terms in our house.  Truth is, she's picky in the extreme.  However, one thing she's guaranteed to tuck into is hot dogs.  So when Jungle Dogs got in touch and asked us to try out some of their dogs, we were happy to oblige.

Jungle Dogs are fresh hot dog sausages, kept in the fridge section of the supermarket.  They're smaller than canned hot dogs, just right for smaller appetites.  And most importantly for us, they come in a pack of 6, which is split into two smaller packs of three.  So no need to eat hot dogs for 3 days in a row, no bowl of brined sausages sitting in the fridge threatening to fall out every time you open it for milk.  Simple ideas are often the best, and this is a great one.  The dogs are able to be cooked in a pan or in the microwave - very convenient, though I did find when I microwaved them the ends expanded to look like something a bit ruder than a hot dog!  Made no difference to the flavour though!

Hot Dog, Hot Dog, Hot Diggity Dog!

I was quite impressed that Jungle Dogs are made from 85% pork, with no mechanically recovered meat.  That might not sound too surprising, but I looked at a tin of "normal" hot dogs to discover that they are mostly chicken, and mostly mechanically recovered (i.e. all the nasty slurry bits after the real meat has been taken off for other foods)  Makes me feel a bit wobbly, so Jungle Dogs get a thumbs up from me for being real food.  They taste great to me as well, a bit meatier than canned hot dogs, for obvious reasons.

The Squeaky verdict is obviously all-important.  We tried the hot dogs as hot dogs, in a bun, and they went down a treat.  We tried them alongside pasta (alongside, not mixed in, this is important!), and they went down a treat this way too.  I think we can comfortably call them a success!  In fact, if you want a confession, we ate them all so fast I had to go out & buy some more for these photos, and because Squeaky's enjoying them so much.  They've taken up a regular spot in my weekly shopping list.

A success!

Jungle Dogs are available in the chiller section of most major supermarkets, priced around £1.00 per pack.

Disclosure: I was provided with two packs of Jungle Dogs sausages free of charge for the purposes of this review, I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme and will not be rewarded for their use.

Nom Nom Kids reuseable pouches

Squeaky is a fussy child. I might have said that once or twice before.  She drives me to distraction with the foods she will or won't eat, and the way she'll eat them.  She does love a good "squeezy yogurt" though, or "squeezy fruit", and while these are available in the supermarket, they cost a good deal more than the more traditionally packaged equivalents, which adds another few quid to an already stretched budget.

So when I heard about Nom Nom Kids, and their refillable, reuseable pouches, I was really excited.  I know, I know.

It's such a simple idea.  The kind of thing where you think "why didn't I think of that".  The pouches look just like the supermarket ones, the caps are identical, but they have a zipper seal on the one side, and are able to be personalised to identify exactly what's inside, and any serving or storage instructions.  Designed by a mum frustrated with children's eating issues, they're a simple solution to a problem many of us face.

For Squeaky, they mean I can buy supermarket value yogurts, or make my own fruit purees, and serve them up in a squeezy pouch, meaning she doesn't make a mess and is more inclined to eat them.  For younger children, it means home made veg purees and weaning foods are easier to take out & about, rather than buying the expensive ready made pouches - especially important if your child has a food allergy or intolerance.

Nom Nom indeed!

The pouches are DBC, Phthalate and PVC free, and freezer and dishwasher safe.  Even though we haven't got a dishwasher (no space in our kitchen, sadly) they're still really easy to clean, as the inside of the pouch slopes so there are no awkward corners to trap bits of food in.  And because the pouch opens out on the side, it's stable when you're filling it, so no mess in the kitchen.

Squeaky loves the animal design, especially the giraffe (because of her ongoing obsession with giraffes & their bodily functions), and the bright colours make the pouch easy to spot should she suddenly decide to be tidy & put the empty pouch in the bin rather than the washing up bowl.  I love being able to quickly prepare something she sees as a real treat by simply pouring a pot of yogurt or chocolate pudding into a pouch - I feel like SuperMum!

Nom Nom Kids pouches are available to buy online at £6.95 for a pack of three reusable pouches.  Single pouches and replacement lids are also available.

Disclosure: I was provided with a set of three pouches free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions are my own.  Links are provided for convenience, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive payment for their use.

Giovanni Rana Fresh Pasta

I might have mentioned once or twice in the past about our love of pasta in Squeaky Towers.  I don't pretend to be the greatest cook in the work, but we do enjoy a nice bowl of something Italian, with a chunk of garlic bread on the side.  (Note how I resisted the temptation to make the obvious joke about liking a hot, rich Italian Dish, and including a picture of Gino D'Acampo.  I'm expecting my Mature & Responsible Adult medal in the post any day now)  Well, the chance arose to try out some of Giovanni Rana's fresh filled pasta range, and who am I to say no?

We received the Giant Ravioli with ricotta, baby spinach & marscapone, and the Tortelloni bolognaise.  Two great traditional flavours, though the range also includes sauces, plain fresh pasta, and fillings including chicken, and a very intriguing gorgonzola & walnut.  These, I think were just right for me, I'd've been a bit wary of the gorgonzola without someone to tell me what to expect!

First up, we tried the giant ravioli.  And yes, GIANT is the right word.  You really only need about half a dozen per person for a meal.  We went quite traditional with these, keeping it simple with a drizzle of olive oil, a sprinkle of paprika for colour, and a rustic chunk of focaccia.  Perfect comfort food for these grotty evenings, and great with a cold glass of whatever takes your fancy. (Stop thinking about Gino! I can read your mind!)

GIANT ravioli!

Next up, the tortelloni, which I completely forgot to take photos of as I was positively starving after a day at work.  Keeping with the bolognaise style, I tossed them in some passata which I warmed through in a separate pan while they were cooking.  I was even generous enough to share a little with Squeaky herself.  For once, she was in a more adventurous mood and tried them, and even admitted to liking them.  Though she did then say she preferred her spaghetti hoops on toast! That's three year olds for you!

While I was mooching around my local Asda, looking for some garlic bread to go with the pasta, and checking out the reductions section, I did spot that they stock a whole load of the range - and check out those rollback stickers! Even better value.  So I thought I'd share this photo of Giovanni Rana pasta in its natural habitat, the chiller section!

Giovanni Rana has been making fresh, gourmet pasta for over 50 years, and has become an Italian staple, known for great taste & great quality.  For me, the fact that the pasta is ready in just a couple of minutes means I can get a healthy and tasty meal on the table after work without any hassle.  Compared to a lot of other filled pastas I've tried in the past, these kept their shape and their seal really well so I didn't have filling spilling out into the water & soggy pasta.  A definite 10 out of 10 from me, and a new addition to my shopping list.

Giovanni Rana pasta is available from Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, Booths, Ocado and other retailers, priced on average between £1.99 and £2.49.

Disclosure: I was sent the pasta as detailed above free of charge for the purposes of this review. I was not told what to write and all opinions remain my own.  Links are provided for convenience only, I am not a member of any affiliate scheme & will not receive reward for their use.

Kryptonite

Willpower is a wonderful thing.  I can be faced with a mountain of Brussels Sprouts, and I can easily resist taking even the tiniest mouthful.  Similarly rhubarb crumble, pistachio ice cream, wasabi peanuts and hoisin duck pizza.  Then there's times where I actually get all determined to do something about my ever expanding backside, and actually make an effort to resist things that I really enjoy.  And for a while I can do it.  I can cut out the muffins, I can ignore the office biscuit pile, and even say no when someone says they're going to the chippy for Friday lunchtime, and do I want a noodle special.  I even took homemade soup in to work today for my lunch, rather than a trip to the corner shop.

Powerless to resist

But then it happened.  I had to get oil for my car, which decided to be a particularly temperamental beast at 8 o'clock in the morning, when I needed to drop La Squeak at breakfast club at get in to work as early as I could to try & work the hours they pay me for.  So, there was no chance of a car-parts shop being open, and I took my chances with the supermarket.  What a mistake.  Right in front of me, on a huge pallet, just as I walked through the entrance barriers (it's getting more & more like Terminal 2 at Heathrow, my local Tesco, I'm sure).

KRYPTONITE

Kryptonite in cake form.  Mr Kiplings Frosty Fancies, to be specific.

I tried.  I really did.  I turned my head, walked away & found the really exciting motor oil that I went in for.  I browsed the trashy magazine selection, and considered whether I had enough diet coke to get me through the day.  And then I had to walk past them again to get to the checkout.

Big Fat FAIL.  And getting progressively bigger and fatter, as these are going to be hanging around the supermarket for the next two months.  Honestly, I can resist most cakes, but I only need to think about these to start drooling like one of Pavlov's dogs.  They barely even touch the sides.  And if you think I'm going to share them with anyone, you're sadly mistaken.  My Kryptonite!  MINE!!

Frosty Fancies are my kryptonite.  What's yours?