Boil potatoes, loosely mash with some butter (not to mashed potato creamy state). Mash in some corned beef, and serve with beans, oatcakes, ricecakes or beetroot.
Corned Beef Hash
Author: Mum Scottish
Easter holiday plan of action…..
Watching my kids frustrated at not being able to have the ultimate freedom offered to children around their own ages is difficult. Although they are coming up to the age when they should have more freedom out and about, their life circumstances has meant that they are not ready for the full-blown parent free experience that comes with leaving the house at 9 am and not coming home until 6 pm for supper.
That might have been my life as a youngster, but it isn’t going to be the tweenage life of my boys.
Middler finds all crowds challenging when he isn’t on medication that helps to keep his anxieties in check, but is he really all that different from a 2 or a 3-year-old child who just needs a little more TLC instead of the constant battle he faces from outsiders who think he is simply a spoiled and self obsessed lad who should be disciplined more.
In all fairness, I have given up with the mindset that he is ready to be introduced to age appropriate activities, no matter who says he should do more, and I have regressed into a more child like state of parenting for him which sees me pander to his inner baby.
Yeah, yeah, I hear the strict brigade chanting ferociously into the wind that I will regret babying a 10 year old, but hey, he has special needs so they can mind their own business these days, and scornful frowns might just see me turn to laugh at their ridiculosity (I know it’s highly unlikely to be a word, but it does sound good?).
Are the holidays going to be fun? Time will tell.
The first week we have a bit of space to ourselves as a family as middler goes to respite for a few nights, and then I am taking them away for a week in the caravan for the first outing of the year. I am looking forward to it, but also dreading at the same time. He is so much more work when we are away as we can’t lock all doors and windows and walk around with keys around our necks.
That got me to thinking about what I am going to do with them all, considering two of them are going to be highly rested is an understatement. Littlest will begin to turn night into day as he strives to be awake at times midder is sleeping, and eldest will be annoyed at having to help keep his younger brother on the straight and narrow.
Plan of action – activities for kids this Easter
Give the bikes a little TLC, and pencil in a few days during Easter for bike runs. The kids can do with the fresh air, and my rear end could do with the exercise.
Easter egg planning. My boys may be older, but I don’t think kids are ever too old to roll boiled eggs with painted faces down a nice steep hill. In emergencies, the longish driveway at the front of the house would serve, but the dog may spend a week on emergency potty runs after scoffing all the smushed up eggy bits as she uses her expertly trained nose to seek out any food in a crisis.
Fake a drawing competition on my blog, with a prize that any child of mine would be delighted to have, and of course, one of their entries will win *cough*. Hmm, I might actually make a real competition on the blog for kids, I like that idea and have some PR things lying around that would make perfect gifts. My boys would love to pick the winner.
DO NOT DO SHOPPING – Online is my very bestest friend in school holidays.
And of course, I would never pretend my kids are all 2 years younger than they are to get access to the local playframes.
They’re just tall, honestly !
How does everyone else cope with the Easter holidays?
I know our situation is slightly more different to most as I have special needs to consider, but hey, he’s not that much different to keeping an inattentive toddler amused 24/7.
Apple Pie, Ice-Cream and Elmlea
Apple Pie with Mackie’s Vanilla Ice-Cream and Elmlea Topping – A Wicked Dessert
COMPETITION : A bloggy chance to win £100 from Appliances Online closes 6th April
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UPDATE: The winner was @jaxbees with the caramel shortcake that my youngest chose as the winner.
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Coming home from school today, we decided to stop off past the local shop and buy a few treaty things for the boys. Instead of buying sweeties, we bought some meringue nests, chocolate and fudge icing in a tub, and some mini chocolate Easter eggs.
To say that the boys enjoyed their messy making of things was an understatement and Appliances Online liked the idea so much, that they have offered a £100 prize for a blogger who enters the linkie on this blog and includes a recipe or a foodie picture of their own. The rules are simple and are at the end of this post.
Back to the meringue nests: the pictures tell the whole story on their own, with lots of mess to clean up afterwards.
Competition rules: A simple food picture or a recipe post will do the job.
- Post a picture of a meal, or a recipe of your own and link it up to this blog below.
- Pop the words and link in this sentence into your post. “My entry for the Bosch Dishwasherlink up”
- The competition will close on the 6th April 2012.
- Leave a wee comment please to say how to contact, ie your email address in the comment or your Twitter id.
Good luck everyone, and if you struggle with the in-link, please just send me a message or a tweet.
Cod Fillet Fish Supper
Cod, floured, egged, ruskolined and shallow fried on low heat with lettuce and tomatoes. Lovely supper.
Guest Post – How much money can I save by switching energy provider?
This is a featured guest post. Who couldn’t use a little extra advice these days about their energy costs.
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With energy prices still rising from the big six suppliers, it’s hard to know exactly how much you should be spending on your energy bill – and, more importantly, how to lower that. There are so many things that you can do around the home such as turning games consoles off to trim the spending, and through changing provider you can save as much as £420 on your tariff!
The trick to this is that through the right research you can compare electricity prices and hit the perfect sweet spot for your family. We can save on anything from energy bills to travel insurance when it comes to comparison, so have a look here and see how managing your bills better can lead to a reduction in expenses.
How to manage your consumption
Global warming is a hotly debated topic as the UK – well, the world – look at ways of moving to renewable energy. And, while it may not be the right time for your family to move to renewable services there are ways that you can help the environment and your bills at the same time. Have a look at these top four ideas:
- Insulation – Make sure that money isn’t literally going out of the windows and doors by ensuring that any cracks and leaks are stopped. Just by doing this, you can save as much as 30% on your energy costs.
- Cold water washing and air-dry – Calculators on energy usage have suggested that just by using cold water instead of hot to wash all of your clothes, you can save more than £100 a year. What’s more is that once this is done, try to save extra by leaving your washing to dry naturally – good for the clothes longevity and good for your pocket.
- Light fittings – If lights are left on for a full year, they cost more than £100 to run. So, with that in mind, if you turn off the lights every time you leave a room and switch to energy saving products then you will be ready to save money on your lighting.
- Unplug – An absolutely crucial one, especially in a full property. Do you leave the television on standby when you leave a room? Is that Xbox running all the time? Anything from this to mobile phone chargers being left in can cost you money, and studies have found that as much as 10% of electricity is used by appliances on standby.
Reducing your bill
Because there is no one company that can possibly claim to offer the cheapest electricity and gas services, finding out how to switch can be extremely cost-effective. Once you’ve understood how to use as little energy as possible, you can look at the other options for who should be your energy provider. To do this, all you need to do is follow a three step guide.
- Compare the market – Figure out what you’ve been paying in recent months, use a comparison website and see how your tariff compares to others on the market. Calculate how this works in your budget, and then;
- Choose the new provider – There are plenty of options in the market for you to choose from, and there are many variables to look at. Different areas can have different prices and you need to look at things like tariffs, discounts, incentives, extra charges, payment options and testimonials to ensure you’re getting the right deal.
- Switch – Contact the chosen supplier and you will be sent a contract to sign. If this goes to plan, then you will be able to switch in about six weeks. Be aware that 28 days notice is needed for the old supplier and any outstanding bills should be paid so the direct debit can be stopped. Then, the new supplier with come, the meter will be updated and you’re good to go.
Guest Post – Cash in the attic? Turn unwanted items into extra pocket money.
This is a Featured Guest Post, and it makes sense to look at our old dusty belongings that simply ship from home to home with us when we move. Perhaps these dusty old relics could be put to better use, and really turn into cash in the attic.
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Many people feel that to make a house a home, they need to fill it with all the earthly possessions they’ve ever come across. And, while it can be nice to be surrounded memories and lovely items, they could probably be put to better use.
There’s a reason that things tend to go in the attic, and it’s not because you want everybody to see them. Sure, photo albums of weddings, your children growing up and Christmas decorations are placed there to save room, but in the attic and across the home there will be items that could add to your pocket-money.
With the economy not looking likely to change anytime soon, cashing in on these things can do anything from helping the kids go on school trips to raising money for the holiday fund. Whether it’s time to get the antiques down to the auction room or you can start selling DVDs with musicMagpie, now’s the time to start the Spring clean. Read on for five of the best items to sell.
- Memorabilia – Remember that time you were lucky enough to go and watch Queen on tour and bought some items, or you were given that Bruce Springsteen Born to Run t-shirt as a present? Well, do you still need it? Are you a big collector? Of course, it brings back great memories to you but do you really need to keep it? T-shirts, especially from the bigger bands and the special tours, sell at a great price to serious collectors. With some items going for as much as £100, surely it’s better off out of your hair and put the money in the pot. Don’t forget signed football t-shirts either because they are sought after products by many – especially the vintage ones.
- Electronics – Technology hasn’t half continued its meteoric rise over the years, and the odds on you having something in the home that you don’t use because you upgraded is pretty much odds on. Anything from a laptop to a digital camera or a smartphone could be lying around, unused. Let’s be honest, once you’ve stopped using it, you’re not going back so stick it on an auction website and see what money you can get in from it.
- Entertainment Collection – Mixed with both of the first two points, you are bound to have CDs, DVDs and computer games that aren’t needed anymore. So, with that in mind gather them up and decide whether you should continue to have them cluttering up the home. If it’s an old LP then you might be able to get a fair amount for it or if you’ve just got a lot of average discs to get rid of then you can get a little extra pocket-money using musicMagpie to get rid of them.
- Wedding Gear – One of the biggest sections on auction websites is for bridal wear, and there are plenty of other things from your wedding that could be sold. From ring-bearer pillows and decorations to bridesmaid and bride dresses you can usually get a few pounds for anything you had. Even if you don’t want to sell your dress, there may well be other items that are taking up space – get them shifted.
- Exercise Equipment – Remember that time that you said you were going to go on a fitness drive? Probably not, but if you did ever invest in an exercise bike, elliptical or treadmill that is now collecting dust in the roof – consider selling it. They cost a lot brand new, so trim the price and second-hand should go for a good few quid. Tightening the belts is starting to turn into a cliché, we’ve heard it that many times. But, with everyone needing to cut back a little, there are always ways and means of earning a few extra pennies.
Mothers Day Haul for the Scottish Mum Household from the Kids and Warner Bros.
Mothers day is a good day for some, and not such a good day for others. Motherhood came to me by adoption, but a mother I am. Warner Bros. came first with a fabulous box of feel good movies for me to watch (when the kids are not here) and sent through Doctor Zhivago, An American in Paris, Gone with the Wind and The Blind Side.
From the kids, came a lovely bunch of flowers, a box of Ferrero Roche chocolate, a little make up bag and a prettily decorated daffodil from my middle boy who made it at his special school. The teachers had spent time to help him write out the card himself, and he is as proud as punch of it.
There were two little golden oscar chocolate figures in the Warner Bros. pack, of which one was a little broken, but it still ate well.
Yum said littlest who was a little worried at first by the gold coating, but it was tasty.
Goodbye Vodafone (your customer service was poor)
To understand the background, after a very frustrating 5 hours on the phone to Vodafone to sort out the ending of our contracts, my other half with red face, and scarcely controlled temper had decided that enough was enough and tried for the second time to finish the current contracts that were actually ending.
Apparently, with Vodafone, we have to phone to cancel the contract a month before the contract ends, or they charge you another month of payments. We called on the 20th February to make sure we had done everything right to end the contracts when they were finished on the 6th March. We were advised that we had paid up to the end of the contract and could cancel the direct debit, so we did. We were also told that the unlock codes for our IPhones would be with us in a few days.
We had asked about transferring our contract to a sim only deal, as we were on a high IPhone tariff which included a premium for the handset when we first took the contract, but apparently they can’t move us to a new sim only deal when this one ended as it would be cheaper than the rate we were on, and our only options with Vodafone would be to upgrade or stay on the inflated rate once our contract was actually finished. I was speechless. Nobody would listen to the fact that we had paid 2 years of the contract, FINISHED it, and should then be put on a new deal which didn’t include the extra price for the phone.
A few days later, messages began to appear about unpaid charges.
Calling Vodafone – NOBODY – would talk to us about the issues, unless we paid the charges first. FIVE hours trying to sort it out was mind-blowing and nobody would put us through to supervisor to discuss the charges they now said we were due.
We eventually paid them to get to speak to someone who would talk to us, and suddenly the unlock codes would now come to us after apparently not being ordered in the first telephone call. Then after we pay those, they now want to sting us for another month, as they said there was no record of the phone call on the 20th to cancel – that is despite several Vodafone reps saying they could see notes on the system, but that it just hadn’t been done.
Apparently this is all in the small print, but what a pity we don’t have an IPhone contract then? They never sent us one, but we were supposed to know that the terms and conditions from an old contract would apply here too. The calls were passed from department to department, some told us they system was down and others told us it was fine. Very generously a UK rep finally agreed to backdate the contract termination to the 20th, so the message from me is to phone well in advance of your contract ending if you plan on moving, AND put it in writing with recorded delivery.
We were hung up on several times when being transferred and each department told us it was another departments problem. Take note, the staff have a lovely habit of listening to one line of a statement, and then saying something like, oh that’s disconnections, then not waiting and just hitting transfer button, and disconnections would then just say, oh that’s customer service and bang, you’re on hold again. It’s a nice trick to pass people round and round and round and round.
A ranty message on Twitter and a Vodafone rep asked if they could be of any help, but the only topics they will discuss are the unlock and pac codes and they conveniently ignore the question of the EXTRA MONTH AND A HALF OF CHARGES they have stung us for. Nobody would talk about the fact we were told there were no more charges on the 20th February and to be honest, no matter where we move now, I will never, ever go back to Vodafone. They’ve had nearly 20 years of service from us, and this is a poor way to end it all.
So it’s goodbye to Vodafone and I am also moving my son and my mother away too, so they have now lost 4 phones, not that they actually care of course as we are probably just a drop of pee in the chanty pot to them.
AND HELLO TO GIFF GAFF NETWORK
ps – the Giff Gaff link does open to an affiliate page – what can I say, if anyone signs up, we both get a free fiver and I really have to tell you about them later this week.
Mothers Day – Crafty Tealight Candlemaking Tips for Mothers Day Gift Ideas
Making sure our mothers get a present that is fit for the fabulous job that they all do, is difficult. Often, it is the time spent on making something that is more important than what it is that they have received. How can we give our lovely mums something different?
Making handmade gifts lets your mum know that you think she is special and deserves the time and effort it has taken to make it.
We could:
- Make some homemade cards. Kids often love to make lovely things, so it’s an easy thing to do.
- Buy one of the jars from supermarkets that have the clip on lids and make pot pourri, smelly jelly or simply fill it with her favourite sweeties as it will look much better than the shop bought cardboard versions. After it’s made, you can tie a lovely ribbon around the neck and attack a tag.
- Make candles..
Wooo hooo, did I mention making candles.. Ok, I’ve said before that I was going to help you all with making some basic candles, so here we go.
The very first things to learn about making candles is how to handle the materials.
Before you start making any candles, please read:
Tools for Candle Making
- Wax melter or double boiler & Pour Pot
- Stainless steel measuring cup if needed
- Stirrer or wooden spoon
- Scales
- Thermometer
- Scissors
- Knife
- A lid off a box, flat baking tray etc.
Don’t be tempted to harden your candles in a fridge. They will cool too quickly, and the candle quality will be compromised.
Work Area
Prepare your work area. Weigh out your wax so that you know how much you are using. Make sure you keep records of amounts and weights for the future. Candle making is all about testing what works for you. Remember candles work differently with everyone in their own heat settings and environment.
What works for one may not work for someone else, ie wicks, temperatures and scents. Keep notes so that you can replicate something wonderful and not copy what didn’t work for you. You may think you might remember which wick, how much scent and which wax gave you a wonderful candle, but in two weeks time, you honestly won’t.
Scent and Colour
The general rule of thumb for all candle making with our chips and fragrances is
- Maximum 1oz scent to 1lb of wax, or the maximum of 10 percent rule.
- With colour chips, use approximately 1chip to 1lb of wax (or less / more depending on what shade you want). Less than 1 chip per lb will give you a lighter colour. More than 1 chip per lb will give you a darker colour.
It is all down to testing your amounts and keeping records so that you know how to reproduce the effect that you want.
Double Boiler Wax Melting Method
This means boiling a pot of water on a heat source. The temperature of the water will never exceed 212 deg. F. The pour pot with the wax inside is then placed inside the boiling water. The pouring pot is never in direct contact with the heat source and the water transmits the heat to the pouring pot quickly and evenly, without scorching the wax and minimizes the chances of a fire. Even with a double boiler, do not leave it unattended.
- Choose an old pot large enough to put your pouring pot into.
- Add an inch or two of water to the old pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Place your pouring pot directly into this boiling water. You may wish to place a metal biscuit cutter, or something similar in the bottom of your old pot to elevate the pouring pot.
- Lower the heat to a simmer.
- Add water to replace water lost to evaporation. Do not let the double boiler run dry. It can quickly get too hot.
- Allow the wax to melt and monitor the temperature until you reach the temperature needed for the particular type of wax you are working with.
- A thermometer is a necessity when working with wax. The temperatures that you work with can alter the burn properties of your candle.
The Nitty Gritty – Making Tealights – Soy Wax
Materials
- Soy wax
- Wick
- Glue spots
- Fragrance Oil (optional)
- Colour (optional)
To find out how much wax you need for each tealight, simply fill a tealight cup up with water and find out how much it holds.
Place your tealight cups on a flat surface, i.e. an old flat baking tray would do nicely and would catch any wax drips if you overpour. Do not use it for cooking afterwards.
Leave a space between each of them, i.e. not touching.
- Put a generous dab of your wax glue, or a glue spot onto the bottom of the sustainers attached to your tealight wicks and then stick your pretabbed wicks into the tealight cups. Some people put their tealight wicks in after they pour the wax, but I find that this can cause overpour. It depends on your particular preference.
- Melt the amount of wax you wish to use and keep a note, as it will affect the amount of scent and colour you use.
- While your wax is melting, weigh out your scent, remembering your maximums and get your colour ready.
- If you use half a lb of wax, use half a chip of colour. For 1lb of wax, use one chip of colour unless you wish to have a darker or lighter colour.
- Weigh out your scent. For half a lb of wax, use a maximum of half an ounce of candle making fragrance oil to start off with. Once you get the scent level you like, note it down and for future reference you will know how to reproduce it. Don’t think you will remember it in future, as you won’t.
- Heat the wax to 165°F.
- Be sure to stir/mix the wax while melting and after adding fragrance and colour. Allow the wax to cool to your desired pour temperature, add the fragrance, colour and mix well.
- Pour into your tealight cups.
- Straighten any wicks that have bent over while pouring. Do this before the skin forms.
- Leave for a few hours to harden.
- Your tealight is now ready for burning, but they would be best left to cure overnight if you have made scented tealights.
- Pop it inside a tealight holder, or wrap it up to make it look pretty.
Top tips to Reduce our Environmental Footprint?
My children have forced me into learning a little about what all of this is about. Their school has an ongoing project and have a permanent ECO group which works to raise awareness and get children into the mindset of what it is all about and how we can all contribute to making it work.
Our eco footprints give a reflection on how much energy we use as a nation. Officially, it is an estimate of the land and sea area needed to give us the energy we need to use in our lives, which includes the water, transport, food and materials we use up.
Don’t confuse your ecological footprint with your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases we use.
In the UK, we use far more than is sustainable. If everyone on earth lived in the same way that we do, then we would need more than 3 or 4 planets as a minimum to keep us going for the future.
The top tips to reducing your environmental footprint (as well as keeping down your bills) are:
- Recycle, recycle, recycle. Recycling plants seem to spring up everywhere. Use them where you can.
- Turn things off and don’t leave them in standby modes, ie TV’s, computers, cookers, chargers etc.
- Turn down central heating and water settings as even one or two degrees will make a difference long-term.
- Insulate your loft, walls and hot water tank. We keep hearing this, but how man of us have done it.
- Use energy-efficient light bulbs where you can. I have some, but sadly, my mother cannot see in the dim light they produce. I am led to believe that the normal bulbs we grew up with will not be available soon so the choice may be taken away from us.
- Travel where you can, by bus or train instead of car. Car share if it is possible, and try to walk or cycle for short distances.
- Use trains or ferries where you can, but this is beginning to be difficult as the flight is often much cheaper.
- Choose energy-efficient appliances where you have to replace your old ones.
- Buy your meat, fruit and vegetable locally when you can.
- Fill machines to full before switching on, ie full dishwasher, washing machine and tumble dryer modes. I still have to convince my mother that this is a good idea as she seems to have the idea that leaving ANY washing overnight is a bad thing to do.
So, that’s about it in a nutshell. If you are over 30, you might only have seen the adverts on TV trying to get us to reduce our footprints, but not REALLY know what it is all about.
If I have missed any good ones, feel free to add them in a comment. Comment anyway, you know we bloggers love them, and commentluv give you a lovely linkie back to you.
Three generations of Scottish Mum women at the age of 18 ish.
Uncovering some family photos, I came across some lovely photographs of my grandmother, that I have not seen in years.
We don’t have many photographs as a family, and there are so few of me that it is shocking. I will go to my grave, as almost the faceless entity, mother of 3 adopted children.
My grandmother – how hip and trendy was she. I wish there were lots more photographs. My grandfather took the photograph so I have no idea who she is posing on the bike with. We Scots didn’t all run around in our kilts and sporrans, even in the early 1900’s !!
My mother – now where DID she put that dress??
And last, but not least (I hope) – me, with awful bouffant hair, but I wish I was still as slim as that.
Delicious! I have made this recipe many, many times. Always perfect.
Yep it works perfectly. Get a good crumbly stilton though.
My old machine said hot or cold water. No way cold water cooks the veggies in my old machine. Actually…