Teatime for Dummies

I've got that back to school feeling. 

Even though it's 20 something years since I left formal education, since having children that sunken feeling of all the fun sinking away, returns. 

Living in a sleepy seaside village, you can't help taking a more relaxed approach to life and with our Indian summer and a new baby to throw in the mix I was finding my tea time organisational skills were somewhat lacking. 

Realising there's only so many times you can offer pasta & sauce to 2 hungry children and a very hungry husband but with limited arm movements wholly due a baby who has decided that between the hours of 4.30 & 5.30pm the only place he wants to be is snugly, not sure if that's a word, in my arms, any thing that only needs adding, pouring or stirring is a viable meal offering.

I felt it was time to resurect my love of lists for the health and sanity of my family. Just my luck (Mummy Money Penny followers might remember I'm an eternal optimist!) I spotted the Britmums After School Chefs plea and signed up, fast forward a couple if days, YES! A couple of days! And a big fat envelope arrives on my doorstep containing a bundle of Birds Eye vouchers to get me started. 

So off I trotted. no, I'm not a horse. I drove, very carefully, over to the shops to spend my loot. 

Pre baby /maternity leave days I used to sit down with recipe books and write my menus and shopping lists for the week, taking advantage of Tesco's (other supermarkets are available) click and collect to save time and keep me away from impulsive purchases. 

I'd then write the menu out on a blackboard I'd made in my kitchen. This served two purposes

a: To remind me what's for dinner

b: Let the family know what's for dinner

c: In the event of me being late from home from work, let hubby know what to make for dinner and

d: To make me look good to any visiting house guests (which I might sometimes elaborate ever so slightly)

You'll also notice that I use the board for reminders and ticking off the boy's chores as all pocket money is in exchange for jobs around the house that I hope will, one day, teach them to be perfect husbands. (It's also, unfortunately, used as another medium for brotherly insults which I try to ignore and view more of a literacy activity, I did once consider giving extra marks for spelling them right but realised it might encourage it more!  (I did check for rude words before taking this photo) 

My tip for getting back into a tea time (que tea/dinner debate!) routine takes nothing short of military planning and the days which I know I have limited cooking time, I plan quick meals. (and give them a fancy name for my blackboard)

I put this to the test yesterday by using my Birds Eye goodies. 

We'd exhausted 101 ways to cook with pasta and sauce already this week and needed to inject some creativity, so my freezer to table in 25 minutes choice were their Chicken Inspirations with garlic & herb sauce, super sweet sweetcorn with waffles for the boys and wedges for hubby & I. 

The results Speak for them selves. 

Not a cross word or pudding threat in sight!

Thank you Birds Eye & Britmums!

With love from lovely Devon

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This post is an entry for #Afterschoolchefs Challenge, sponsored by Birds Eye. Learn more on the Birds Eye Facebook Page.” and linking to After School Chefs