Menu Plan Monday (7th Aug - 13th Aug)

BUSY BUSY BUSY and out of routine can be the only way to describe the last few weeks... but I have enjoyed every moment of it.

Reality has come back to bite us though with the fact that even though we have been having a ball, we need the structure and routines that comes with running our household. Dinner has been all over the shop with cooking meals late, not knowing what to have so the good old menu planner was completed this week and shall be followed.

A couple of repeat dishes this week and we are going out for dinner on Thursday night but this is what I have planned for our menu this week:

Saturday ~ Salt and Pepper Calamari, Prawn Hacao

Sunday ~ Spaghetti Bolognaise & Garlic Bread

Monday ~ Honey Soy Chicken Tenderloins for kids/Kung Pao Chicken for adults
Tue ~ Beef Stroganoff with Pasta

Wed ~ Chargrilled Pork Cutlets, Sweet Potato Mash and Steamed Vegetables

Thu ~ The Waltzing Matilda Hotel

Fri ~ Chicken and Corn Canneloni

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

Another weekly round up.....

We are still running around like busy bees.... OMG it just doesn't stop but it is BRILLIANT!!! I love being surrounded by family and friends and keeping busy!!

So as you have noticed my poor blogs have been left on the sidelines and are only getting enough attention to write quick weekly round ups!! Sorry!!

This week saw us all going out for dinner on Wednesday night to The Seaford Hotel... what a fantastic evening we all had. Noel and Jamie get along really well with Anthony.

The kids chatted away, had their dinner and then played in the playground!


Anthony enjoyed his rib eye steak... and yes after the photo he used his knife and fork!


Angus thought this was quite funny!


A nice photo of all the kids together....


And then the silly face one!!


Friday, Anthony and Rachel and the kids came over for dinner.... a nice quiet evening that saw Anthony, Noel and myself going to be around the 4ish mark Saturday morning.

Noel picked them up from the hotel so both Rachel and Anthony could have a drink and relax. We had arranged for both Ellis and Ffion to stay the night but the four ended up kipping at our house.


Rachel had complained on Wednesday night about Anthony's snoring (definitely must be a Lewis trait as Mam snores and I admit, so do I!!). Noel brought Rachel home a present such a generous fellow I married.... she was a little worried at first but it made her scream with laughter.....




Mind you they are meant to be ear plugs???

Dinner went down a treat.....


Cooking outside on the weber and as you can see a few more laughs.




But not as much as the chocoloate fondues did for dessert!!

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Catching up... so much happening!!

As everyone knows it's never dull at the Murray household.... so without rambling on too much I will give you a quick catch up post.

On the 30th July Anthony, Rachel, Ellis and Ffion arrived from Oman.... there has definitely been excitement in the air about this as the last time I saw Anthony we were 18 years old and we were in Wales.... man soooo long ago. They arrive in Melbourne very late Thursday night so it wasn't until Friday afternoon they made their way to Frankston.


They stopped for dinner. We still had some seafood from my trip to Lakes Entrance so we started with a seafood platter followed by beef curry and rice.

Rachel peeled her first prawn!!


The kids all got along famously - it was like they have known each other all their lives!!!! In fact we all had a great evening the first night!!!



Saturday night, Clare's birthday, we celebrated again in honour of her birthday of course!! Anthony, Rachel, Ellis and Ffion along with Jamie and the boys came for a Turkey dinner. Being July I guess we could have had a "Christmas in July" theme but once again in was brilliant to have the house full of family.



Sunday saw the final round of the 2010 junior football season.... both kids played well but sadly Oliver's team lost and therefore are not in the finals this year. But football is far from over with the four next Sunday's consumed by the Finals which Karingal is hosting again this year.



My Family from WiddlyTinks.com