Mouthwatering Monday - Week 1

I meal plan every week, not always on a Monday! It started as a bit of a habit from the various diet clubs I have attended over the years but now it has become just another routine that helps family life seem a little less chaotic. If I know what is going to be on the table each night and if I know that I have the correct ingredients in my cupboard and fridge to make each meal, I am filled with a certain comfort.

This is my first meal plan that I am linking up with Mrs M.

Monday - As I write this I have already enjoyed tonight's dinner. I use this Netmums recipe for my Beef Stew and I love it. It's super easy, filling and cheap. 

Tuesday - I cook a very basic stir fry which is actually more like a chow mein. I fry the chicken in sesame oil, throw in a stir fry pack (usually edamame bean as that is Grumpinator's favourite) with a little extra sesame oil. I stir throw the cooked noodles with a little soy sauce. Sometimes I might add a packet sauce but I prefer it as basic as possible. 

Wednesday - We go to my Mother in Law's for dinner on a Wednesday. A nice mid week break from the cooking!

Thursday - Shop bought fishcakes, no effort involved! I can cook my own and I have but I am all about the saving of money, time and energy at the moment. I will serve the fishcakes with some baby corn, mange tout and potato wedges.

Friday - I love salmon as does Grumpinator! The honey and Chinese 5 spice glaze is another Netmum's favourite, it's so simple but a very delicious meal. 

Saturday - I have bought a gammon joint and I will be using a recipe from my favourite recipe book by a fellow blogger, Nick from My Daddy Cooks. It's a tasty honey glaze with a pea mash. 

Sunday - is a day of rest so if I can't convince my step dad to have us over for a roast chicken Sunday lunch, I will buy a cooked chicken and cook the trimmings. You can't have a roast chicken dinner without a wee chipolata sausage or two and some thick gravy. YUM!

Listography - Top 5 Cook Books

The theme for Listography this week is the top 5 cook books. In our house, the sign of a good cook book is one that you struggle to read because the pages are stuck together or there are stains on most pages. Here is my top 5 . . .

1. My Daddy Cooks - yes I talk about it a lot! I love this book so much. I got a signed copy from Nick when I met him at Cybermummy last year and it was well worth it. I cook from it several times a week.

2. Jamie's 30 minute meals - this is where it all started for me. A year ago, I couldn't cook at all. Short of heating things up in the oven or stirring in a sauce, I was pretty much useless! I got this book for Christmas and decided to Jamie Oliverise my kitchen. I bought lots of new utensils using the list from this book and cluttered up my worktops with spices and condiments. It worked and now I cook most of my meals from scratch, not a ready made pizza in sight!

3. Jamie's Ministry of Food - I love this book. For a person like me who is nervous about opening a cookbook because I have so little knowledge this book is the answer. No complicated recipes, good hearty, family food. 

4. Nigella's How To Be A Domestic Goddess - This was one of the very first baking books I bought. I have always been better at baking than cooking and this book was right up my street. My favourite recipe from this book is and always will be her chocolate brownies. It's like eating heaven from a spoon!

5. Netmums Recipes - I am kind of breaking the rules here as this is not a book but I couldn't not include it as it is my 'go to' place when I want to know how to cook something. It's where I have found my Beef Stew and Dumplings, Chinese 5 spice with honey salmon and my lentil and ham hock soup recipe but to name a few. This site is great as it's recipes are posted up by busy, skint mums like me who are looking for ways to feed their family healthy and tasty meals for as little money and time as they can. You can go to the search facility and type in an ingredient, let's say salmon for example. It will then bring up all the member's recipes they have with salmon in it. There is also notes at the bottom where users review the recipe or add a variation to the recipe.

This post is linking up to Kate Takes 5's Listography linky