Valentine's Day 2011

Happy Valentines Day....

This is the card that I made Noel to celebrate Valentines Day - even though we don't really celebrate Valentines Day as such.



When we ate dinner, Fillet Mignon with a Blue Cheese, Mushroom and Onion Sauce the kids made sure love was on the table.

My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

Menu Plan Monday (13th Feb ~ 19th Feb)

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!!

So we have settled into somewhat of a routine and I must say I am definitely getting used to not working on Saturday mornings anymore.... have to admit didn't take me very long!! LOL!! This weekend we celebrate (in our fashion) both Valentines Day and Chinese New Year.

Planned on the menu this week are....

Saturday ~ Barbecue Prawns

Sunday ~ Mongolian Steamboat
Monday ~ Combination Stirfry with Vegetables

Tue ~ Beef Tacos with Salad

Wed ~ Twilight School Sports - picnic

Thu ~ Fish with Macadamia Crust
Fri ~ Spicy Beef Casserole with Crusty Bread

As Sunday was both Valentine's Day and Chinese New Year's Day we ensured that we had a nice brunch, Whipped Egg on Toast, and then we sat down for our Mongolian Steamboat, our favourite family feast.

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

Love is in the air - Happy Valentine's Day!!

Happy Valentines Day everyone.....

Actually called Saint Valentine's Day February 14 is a day for celebrating love and affection between couples. The day itself is named after Valentine, a Christian matyr. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by giving bunches of flowers, most prominently red roses, confectionery and greeting cards.

For us, the old married couple it consisted of a verbal "Happy Valentine's" wish whilst in bed, getting up having breakfast of Whipped Eggs on Toast, a recipe I had been wanted to trial for a while, then proceeding with normal life until dinner time!! Very romantic indeed!! Definitely the days of recieving roses and being wined and dined are a fragment of my imagination!!

Don't get me wrong... I have never really been one to go over board on Valentine's Day. It's another day that we all acknowledge that really has become to over-commercialised, which leaves me with the feeling that it's no longer as romantic as it was intended to be!

Speaking of traditions and celebrations it was also the first day of the Chinese New Year - the year of the tiger (which is also known by its formal name of Geng Yin).


To celebrate the Chinese New Year for dinner we had a mongolian steamboat, which is a favourite in our house that to be honest we don't eat enough of. Everyone enjoyed dinner, the element of cooking the food in front of you and then fishing it out excites children of all ages plus you can cook what you want and accompany your dish with any flavour sauce you wish.

Needless to say the Murray household had a wonderful day yesterday.


My Family from WiddlyTinks.com

A weekend full of love and laughter...

Another weekend that went as quickly as it came.....
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On Saturday it was Valentines Day and we celebrated it just like any "married" couple would... with the kids. This was our choice as at the moment with all the devastation and sorrow surrounding us it was good to be together as a family. The saddness is so strong that one cannot help but hug your family, kiss them and definately cwch up with them.
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Normally, Noel and I do not put any emphasis on Valentines Day but like I said we made sure that the LOVE was definately in the house this year. So we decoarated the dining table, planned a nice meal and had a surprise or two up our sleeves for the kids.
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Dinner started with a Mixed Seafood Platter and Noel's Chilli and Ginger Scallops! Yum what a way to begin the feast!
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Then we went up to the Carnival which was quite close to us at the local shopping centre. After convincing Oliver to go on the Cha Cha we couldn't get him off. As we had set off up there late we were able to go on 3 rides - first the Cha Cha, then the Dodgem Cars (where we all drove our own cars - Alex thought it was ace and caused a lot of bumping when she got the hang of it!!) and then it was back on the Cha Cha! Needless to say I was feeling quick ill in the tummy by the time we got off.
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Back home for a superbly cooked Veal cutlet with a Bacon and Mushroom Sauce - many thanks to the Man of the House.
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It was then definately time to relax, we all watched a movie called Forbidden Kingdom whilst eating chocolate love hearts!!
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Needless to say - Sunday was a day of rest.....