Menu Plan Monday (20th November ~ 26th November)

OMG - wonders will never cease to amaze me.... it's Monday and I am actually posting a Menu Plan Monday post!!!

I realise it's been a couple of weeks since I posted but I have been travelling around country Victoria on my training mission. I have cooked here and there but to be honest it's pointless of me to menu plan when I am away as hubby and the kids normally fend for themselves in the kitchen. I have planned meals for them in the past only to come home to find the ingredients etc still in the fridge so I just don't go there anymore.

I am home this week which is a little exciting as I can play in the kitchen again!! Sad really getting excited about cooking but I cannot help it. I guess there are worse things to get excited about though?

On the House of Murray Menu Planner this week is:

Dinners:

Saturday ~ Vespa's Restaurant, Carrum Downs
Sunday ~ Toasted sandwiches

Monday ~ Chargrilled Steak, Baked Potatoes with Sour Cream, Salad and Creamy Blue Cheese Sauce

Tue ~ Sage and Garlic Pork with Apple, Creamy Potato Bake
Wed ~ Chicken Saagwala and Steamed Rice

Thu ~ Veal Steaks with Lemon and Caper Gremolata and Sweet Potato Salad

Fri ~ Beef Fajitas with Corn Salsa and Salad

Baking:
Christmas Pudding

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon. As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Kids with gadgets!

Yesterday during the lunch the kids were playing with my phone (a new Samsung Galaxy) and I still don't know how they managed to do this but they took photo's of themselves like this ~

I don't even know how they did it????? LOL!!!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

A while between posts....... for various reasons!?!?

Once again busy is the only describing word I can use for me and work at the moment but there have been some other issues and happenings also.

I have spent the last two weeks on and off travelling in south west Victoria, rolling out a new module for our computer system SAP to our country concrete batchers. I have to say it has been an interesting 2 weeks. Not only has it been fun, but it has seen long days and a hell of a lot of driving. My last night away this trip, last Thursday, I stayed at a gorgeous Bed and Breakfast in Cobden which I highly recommend. If anything I would have to say that it was one of the nicest places I have stayed for a long time. Called the Grand Central B&B and it was very comfortable and the hospitality of the hosts was absolutely amazing.

This was my room... for the night - wished I was staying longer!!

Anyways in between my travels I went on a shopping tour with Alex on Saturday 13th. It was a full bus tour and went for the whole day. I must admit I was absolutely knackered after my 5 and a half hour drive home from Heywood on the Friday night. I couldn't cancel on Alex as it was her first ever shopping tour - I am not sure if I should have introduced her to them so early in her life as she is already planning on attending next years one!!! We had a fabulous day together and although it rained a little I enjoyed every minute with my little girl. She is growing up especially wanting to buy makeup and looking at teenage style clothes. She even brought a handbag!!

We also attended Daniel's 1st birthday which was a pleasant day at Sean and Vicky's house last Sunday considering some dramas that have been happening behind the scenes. Vicky did really well entertaining us all with some delicious food - lasagna, cannelloni, salads etc. Both Sean and her look relaxed and made such an effort to make us feel comfortable and welcome. It was good to see Vicky's family again although the language barrier makes some conversation difficult.

I just cannot believe Daniel is already 1 years old!!!

Daniel loves cuddling uncle Noel

I definitely just wanted to relax this weekend after all my travels but unfortunately as always my best laid plans always end up changing. Saturday Noel worked so I took the kids into Frankston to start the Christmas shopping drama early this year. Mind you Alex and I got a few pressies on the shopping tour. After wandering around Frankston and all the toy shops we were successful with quite a few presents we popped into Bunnings to buy some more garden things. We needed a shovel as the handle on ours broke a few weeks ago and we are still trying to get our vegetable garden up and running. Even in a tool shop the kids managed to have fun....

I have to be honest and say that I have also been avoiding posting on our adventures etc as there has been some turmoil in the Murray family.... not just in our household but within the whole family. And while we have continued on with things it has been hard to remain normal or calm and to be honest I really didn't want anything to be said/written that could have strained the situation any further than where it has been at. It's been bad enough that this has been causing problems with our own relationship with Noel and I having many arguments recently.

In a nutshell to put you in the picture there was basically an argument which came to a head at the end of October (I have briefly mentioned it before), and since that argument many things (some not very nice) have since been said between all of the adult members of the family. Funnily enough the argument started due to lack of communication and lack of discussion as a family but it seemed that we have all been quite vocal since that day!! Needless to say it all came to a head yesterday when 5 adult members met at a park and tried to resolve the issue.

We all sat down and while it was very awkward starting off and a little heated, when we did start talking we all admitted that we played some part in the incident. We all agreed that the biggest component of this was NOT TALKING as a family and to each other.

The other pending issue was Christmas and the fact that due to all of this arguing etc Noel and I had decided to have Christmas at home by ourselves (just the four of us and my mam, of course). Our decision wasn't accepted by the family at ALL as we have never been apart before due to conflict. In fact the version turned from "us having our own Christmas to somehow shutting everyone out of our lives and not wanting to see anyone ever again".... a little drastic but I guess that's how others perceived the situation. Christmas was discussed and a compromise was made and we will now all spend time together on Christmas Day by having Christmas lunch at Mam and Dad's house. It was also agreed that from now on in there will be a rotation system putting Sean and Vicky up for Christmas next year (all going well), then Noel and I having Christmas at our house in 2012.

Another suggestion that was put forth by Mam which was that ALL of us as a family make some time every 4 - 6 weeks and get together for the day or even a few hours. Just to catch up and make sure we all keep up with what is happening in each others lives. Both Noel and I are all for this as it's something that we did used to do anyhow but for one reason or another it stopped happening.

We definitely left the park in a better mood than what we all arrived in!! Thankfully (hopefully) it has all been resolved and I am hoping that as a family we can all move forward.

Upon returning home, and I must say feeling somewhat better due to the positive outcome, Noel suggested we go out for dinner and spend the rest of the day as a family as we needed some quality family time. We went to the Canadian Bay Hotel, in Mt Eliza. I had seen it in the Cheap Eats Guide 2010. We had a wonderfully relaxing lunch with the kids. The meals were delicious and the atmosphere in the hotel was brilliant, in fact one of the nicest places we have been for awhile now. The kids both ordered burgers which they could have probably shared one together as they were massive while Noel and I just had to order the Seafood Platter for 2.

Alex and the Canadian Bay Beef Burger

Oliver and his Canadian Bay Beef Burger (with the lot)

The seafood platter was one of the nicest we have had. Most of the seafood was fresh and not deep fried covered in batter which was a bonus. On the platter were oysters, mussells, prawns (in their shell) and half a crab, grilled prawn skewers, grilled flathead tails, scallops in garlic butter and scallops in thai chilli sauce along with salt and pepper calamari.

We then took the kids slot car racing at Mobile Raceways in Dandenong. We all had a go at racing each other and I must admit it's fun. Oliver is totally engrossed in slot cars, even showing me which one he wants for Christmas!!

Of course I ruined the rest of the day by stopping on the way home to do the grocery shopping... bottom line as I told the family "if we want to eat tomorrow we need to do this today!!" LOL!!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Williamstown and Scienceworks

After Saturday night Noel and I decided we needed to have a nice relaxing day with the kids. The kids stayed at Jamie's house as it was an adult dinner party and it worked out well as Jamie had the boys and the cousins haven't seen each other for a long time.

Once we picked the kids up we asked them where they wanted to go..... after a few silly suggestions we all agreed on Scienceworks. Before going to the museum though we decided to buy some lunch and eat it at the foreshore because food in any public place can be expensive - I am sure you all understand what I mean?









Scienceworks is BRILLIANT. I am not sure who had more fun the kids or us adults...... well worth the trip to Spotswood.

The day finished off with toasted sandwiches!!!




My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

The Brie, The Bullet and The Black Cat

Something we have had in the planning for the last few months was a murder mystery dinner party which we held on Saturday night..... and what a great night it was. The game was called The Brie, The Bullet and The Black Cat. The theme was set in 1942 in Casablanca and all 12 of us at the dinner table were under suspicion for murdering the Black Cat, France's greatest mime artist.

Here is how the house and some of us looked on Saturday night......




People helped with the meals and of course the drinks kept flowing.... sssshhhhh but I cannot reveal the murderer!!!!
My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Looking forward to the Long Weekend.....

Wow a four day weekend and we want to achieve soooo much.

I am working in the morning which will be the first Saturday since February. I wouldn't actually call it working - infact I am driving the front end loader at Lysterfield to gain experience loading trucks. I will spend a few hours loading the bin truck! I am really looking forward to it as I am enjoying the new experience of sitting behind the wheel of a huge tonka truck

Saturday afternoon will be some grocery shopping. Oliver is off to a birthday party and Alex has invited a friend over (but we haven't heard from her yet). If her friend cannot make it we may just take Alex to the movies or something else nice.

Sunday I want to finish planting all the seedlings we purchased so not quite sure what else we will do - hopefully some relaxing and quality family time.

Both Noel and I have Monday off work. The kids still have school so it will be a day for the two of us to enjoy each other.

Tuesday is then the day that a horse race stops the nation. It is Melbourne Cup Day and we are off to a bbq at Pete and Tanya's. The team is Aussie so we are going to dress up. I am taking a salad and dessert and champas!! Should be a great day.... I hope Alex is in good tipping form - like she has been for the last few years.

The main thing I want to do however is NOT argue with Noel. We have spent much of the week arguing about one thing or another and have wasted so much time by doing so.

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (23rd October - 29th October)

The weekends are becoming a blur. As you know we have been busy for the last few weeks but the calendar doesn't have many blank days on it coming up either..... oh well I guess we are on the home stretch now to the silly season.

On the House of Murray Menu Planner this week is:

Dinners:

Saturday ~ Barbecued Half Bird, Moroccan Couscous Salad
Sunday ~ toasted sandwiches (we went out for lunch)

Monday ~ Eggs, Beans and Chips

Tue ~ Chargrilled Steak with Potato, Carrot and Onion Bake, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
Wed ~ Chicken and Spring Vegetable Pasta

Thu ~ Chinese Roast Pork served in Rice Paper Rolls with salad

Fri ~ Parmesan Crusted Fish with Crunchy Potatoes and Salad

Baking:
Mixed Chocolate Chip Muffins

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon. As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Woosh there goes another weekend.....

Surprise surprise... another busy weekend for the house of Murray!!

It all started with a doctor's appointment Saturday morning to get the results of Thursday's blood test. Thankfully all was good and Dr Botrous was happy with the results. No obvious signs of heart disease, pancreas all good and as we already knew the ECG results were normal also.

Saturday evening, Mat, Anne Maree and the kids came over for dinner. Strangely the camera didn't come out which is sad really as they are about to start a new life as a family in Mackay, Queensland. We had a brilliant evening, all laughing and reminiscining etc.

It was Sean's birthday yesterday and lunch was at the Chelsea Height's Hotel. I came across a brilliant deal while looking at the internet in the morning - 30% of each main meal over $15 if we printed out coupons, which of course we did. I am sure that everyone appreciated the deal we had found (I know we saved nearly $30 on lunch just the four of us!)

Opening the presents....

Lunch was going great until Christmas was brought up for discussion. In fact there wasn't a discussion to begin with and it turned sour from there. The rest of the luncheon was quite quiet and to be honest I was glad when it was over. When we finally got home, more harsh words spoken and Noel took off to Dave's leaving me fuming and with the kids.

So what better to do, go to Bunnings, buy lots of seedlings and do some gardening even if this was at 5pm!! Oh well at least the kids and I had a pleasant and productive evening..... we now have mint, basil, coriander, curly parsely, flat parsley, sage, oregano, firecracker chilli, cherry tomatoes, spring onions, capsicum, baby spinach, cucumber, mixed lettuce and strawberries growing plus a few punnets of petunias and snap dragons!

Noel didn't get home until later!!!!

I guess the Christmas saga is to be continued..... another time!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (16th October ~ 22nd October)

Our menu this week started off with a feast to mark Pam and Dennis last night with us. Starting with some fresh seafood and then some Kangaroo Fillets followed by a huge cheese platter, their first time trying it which Dennis enjoyed but Pam wasn't that fussed. It is a stronger taste than beef etc but it was good that they were both happy to give it a go.

With it only being a few weeks until Christmas I need to pull my finger out with some baking and also stick to our menu plan which is based on low fat cooking. God knows I need to combat all our upcoming social events.

On the House of Murray Menu Planner this week is:

Dinners:

Saturday ~ Family Feast (oysters, prawns, kangaroo fillets, etc - for full menu read previous post or click here)
Sunday ~ dinner at a Thai Restaurant

Monday ~ Roasted Lamb Chops, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Vegetables, Gravy and Mint Jelly
Tue ~ Slow Cooked Pork and Sweet Potato Casserole

Wed ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise, Garlic and Cheese Bread
Thu ~ Chicken and Macadamia Stirfry with Steamed Rice

Fri ~ Curried Lamb and Couscous Filo Rolls with salad

Baking:
Mixed Chocolate Chip Muffins

As you have probably gathered by now, I LIVE for menu planning! By menu planning it ensures that we have a weeks worth of meals organised which is especially useful Monday through Friday when there is not much of the day left after finishing work, picking up the kids from school and having to deal with the tasks of homework, clothes washing, showers, etc., and to do without the hassle of worrying WHAT we are cooking for dinner each night. Honestly if I left deciding what’s for dinner until I go home we wouldn’t eat until midnight!!

I know that our week starts on a Saturday but that’s just for the ease of fitting in with my grocery shopping which is normally done on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon. As usual more great menu ideas can be found at Menu Plan Monday over at I’m An Organising Junkie, don’t be shy pop over and have a look at other’s menu plans. You never know you may just find something different to have for dinner.

Some recipes for things we cook can be found over at our cooking blog, A Dash Of Flavour, normally posted after they have been cooked or just click on the links for each meal when they appear.

Happy cooking,

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Desserts, Dragonflies and Sad Goodbyes

Another busy weekend - infact I cannot remember the last quiet one or cannot foresee when the next one will occur.

Friday night was spent at the Beretta's Langwarrin Hotel, with Pam and Dennis taking us out as a thankyou for their lodgings.... they didn't have to but it was an enjoyable evening. The meals were fantastic and we will definitely be going there again. Oliver's meal didn't arrive with the others only to find out that they had overcooked it and there would be a wait. The bistro manager, along with apologizing brought two mammoth pieces of cake and two bowls of icecream in way of compensation - all for FREE!! Definitely no arguments from everyone about that generousity!

Mammoth wedges of Mars Bar Cake and Lemon Meringue

Saturday we all went into the city. We were on a mission for Pam to buy some souveniers for the family back home so the Queen Victoria Market was our first stop. Mission completed and we all hopped on the City Circle Tram which is a free tram looping the outer areas of the CBD and is narrated with local facts both present day and in the history of Melbourne. Pam and Dennis thought it was great. The weather wasn't the best on Saturday with it raining on and off so we didn't hang around in town for too long.

Walking back to the carpark from the tram Alex managed to befriend a dragonfly which sat on her belly for the best park of walking 3 city blocks. She loved it and wanted to take it home but both Pam and I agreed it was not coming in either car.

Saturday night we had a final feast together as Pam and Dennis were leaving for New Zealand the next morning. On the menu was:

Entree:
Natural and Vietnamese Oysters
Fresh King Prawns with Seafood Cocktail Sauce
Wonton with Sweet Chilli Sauce

Main:
Mustard Marinated Kangaroo Fillets

Pam also had Pan Fried Swordfish
Roasted Sliced Potatoes
Chargrilled Capsicum Strips
Salad

Dessert:
The kids had meringue nests with icecream and topped with a Hersey's Kiss.
The adults had a cheese platter with various cheeses brought from the Queen Victoria Market.

Saturday evening was brilliant. Pam and Dennis trying Kangaroo for the first time (I just had to cook it for them) and the oysters were delicious. They had been freshly shucked at the market so you really cannot get better than that. Pam purchased some swordfish from one of the fishmongers at the market. Noel and I had never even tried swordfish so we tried a little and was pleasantly surprised at the taste. I believe we will be purchasing it in the future!

As the evening drew to a close the feeling of sadness started to linger. Not wanting to have a late night as they had planned to leave by 6.30am we all got to bed at a fairly decent time (I think!!)

Sunday morning was the time for goodbyes. Pam and Dennis are such beautiful hearted people and as they are family it was without saying that it was very hard and it wasn't a dry farewell with tears flowing from most of us. It has been an absolute pleasure having them stay with us and of course I wished it was for longer and we did more things. With working we really only saw them in the evenings but I know they enjoyed the stop at ours as they got time to relax and just chill out.

I dwelled on their disappearence for awhile after, the quietness of a house that has been full and bubbly was deafening, I had a few giggles with the kids about the last few days and we all have memories to hang on to. It turned into a very lazy day for us, pottering around the house, a little bit of shopping and then Noel took us all out for dinner to a thai restaurant in Frankston.

Reality - back to work this morning!!!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com