Mr T relives his memories and makes me go on a walk in Charnwood Forest

Well after my first attempt at trying to find the place of my childhood walks, I found it second time round. It seems that Charnwood Forest covers a large area of Leicestershire, 67 square miles and of course that will include a lot of hills. So for me to find it with so little information from the past, and not wanting to go and ask the one person who would know, my Dad, because I would look such a fool, I think that it was great luck. The place Beacon Hill near Coalville. My memories of the place was a hill with a plinth on top. The surrounding area was clear, not many trees away from the actual wood itself but the views were great.
I remember walking through the woods and coming out to the view of the hill in front of us, which as children must have looked like Everest. I know that over the years things would have changed, trees and plants grow plus car parks built. With is in mind I took my family off to holy place of mine.

I had studied the maps of the country park and pick a car park near to the actual Beacon hill (Upper car park). On arrival I found out that the upper car park was just that. Upper meaning a few hundred yards away from the top of the hill. OK I know that means that I would miss out on reliving my childhood memories but you have to think about the kids, the wife and the car ride home. We set off from the car park, up the hill to take in the views from the top and boy they were great. The countryside around the hill was breath taking. Looking back to the past they had changed, more house and factories to see but that is life.

On your arrival there are lots of walks you can do around the country park. The woodlands are full of life and I remember that this place was the first and only place I had ever seen a woodpecker in the wild, so I could not believe my eyes when within half an hour we had seen one. What did my son say, I have not seen that one on TV for a long time and yes he was talking about Woody the woodpecker!! The walks themselves are very easy. We saw lots of small children running up and down the hill and even if you could not keep up the pace there are loads of sits around the place to take a rest. It this point I better point out that Beacon Hill is the second highest point in Leicestershire at 804 feet.

Once again I took out my camera and took some pictures of this place that holds so many memories for me.

The last picture above shows the hill now covered in trees and other plants etc, but for me I will always remember it as I did as a kid, bare from top to bottom.

Well to that one picture That I aim to get. What is it this time? Is the woodpecker, or some other wild animal walking around? Well may be. Just take a look. I came across this animal just sitting there all on its own. It was not a set up I truly did just come across it.

Crazy frog was just sitting there.

New Zealand Co Honey

What’s the “buzz” about honey?

New Zealand Honey Co’s new range of delicious honeys are an easy way to incorporate natural goodness into your diet and help improve health and wellbeing. What’s more, they’re also a wonderfully versatile way to add flavour to a whole host of your favourite dishes.

Unlike other squeezy honeys, New Zealand Honey Co’s range has a unique pre-biotic and antioxidant rating which tells you just how much goodness you’re getting from each spoonful. Available in two exciting varieties, the range of ‘squeezy’ honeys makes life in the kitchen even easier. No knife required, just hover the bottle over its target, squeeze and hey presto you’ve added a sweet and healthy shot that gives your dish a gorgeous new flavour.

Smooth tasting Beech Forest Honeydew is fabulous spread on nutty breads and tastes fantastic with fruit, yogurt or muesli. The honey is packed 
full of 
pre-biotics which are good for the gut and for strengthening the immune system.  For the more adventurous amongst you, why not add it to a Moroccan Chicken 
dish
 for an extra kick to an already exotic meal.

Thyme Honey, as well as being great on toast or with yoghurt, also creates a delicious and tender marinade for meat dishes. The honey is packed full of antioxidants, which can help neutralise harmful free radicals, that have been known to cause anxiety and other common health problems.

New Zealand Honey Co’s range is not only delicious and packed with goodness but is also a great alternative to sugar. This means that you and your family can still enjoy tasty sweet breakfasts but with a natural sweetener that is better for you than refined sugars.

Owned by a group of dedicated beekeepers, New Zealand Honey Co harvests its honey from over 14,000 hives in the rural and unspoilt South Island of New Zealand. The company is New Zealand’s largest single producer of speciality honeys and they work hard to ensure the final products preserve all of the full flavour and nutritional qualities found in raw natural honey.

So fill that space in your cupboard today with New Zealand Honey Co’s range of squeezy honeys and put the buzz back into your diet.

A staple must to have in your cupboard for your cooking and of course your breakfast.

This is a quarter of the price I have seen other quality honey for and it's a brand I shall be sticking with from it's superb taste to it's ease of use.

New Zealand Honey Co’s range of squeezy honeys are available from Waitrose, priced £3.49.

Follow New Zealand Honey Co on Twitter @NZ_Honey_Co  

Become a fan on facebook: http://goo.gl/BK93
(Disclosure I was send some honey for review I had some for my breakfast and I also used it in my  cooking)

Heinz Beanz Pack Rollie opens up.

Heinz Beanz Pack Rollie opens up.

Helping the country stay on track and offering even more choice when it comes to eating healthily the nation’s favourite beans brand is back, with a new twist on a classic favourite; the Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Pack.

As the latest must-have for your fridge, the Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Packs provide beans lovers with all the flexibility and advantages of a convenient re-sealable pack.

Containing no artificial sweeteners, colours, flavours or preservatives, 100g contains one of your five a day, giving you complete peace of mind when it comes to consuming the ultimate comfort food classic.

Containing the equivalent of nearly two and a half standard cans, the 1kg Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Packs are a quick and convenient solution that ensures no waste. Ideal for families and those with busy lives, the screw top pack can be re-sealed and popped back into the fridge, staying fresh for up to five days and allowing you to use as many beans as you like.

For those who want to keep an eye on how many beans they have left to feed the family, top their toast or cover a jacket potato, each pack features a handy see-through measure on the side to help you keep track.

Paul White, Heinz Beanz Marketing Manager, comments, “The Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Packs mean beans fans can now tuck into as many beans as they want, in portions that suit them, whilst helping to reduce their salt and sugar intake.

Ideal for busy families, the new packs offer a convenient mealtime solution with the added benefit of providing one of your 5 a Day.”

Heinz Beanz has been fuelling the nation for over one hundred years, with the much-loved range now including Heinz Beanz Snap Pots and Heinz Beanz Fridge Packs, for those seeking super convenience. And with Brits consuming over 442 million cans of Heinz Beanz in the past year alone, this popularity is set to continue.

Reduced Salt and Sugar Heinz Beanz Fridge Packs are available from major supermarkets including Tesco, Asda, Morrisons and Co-op available now. RRP £1.93

Green and Blacks The Tasting Collection

I'm sure you're all familiar with the luxury chocolate brand. The Tasting Collection retails at £11.99 and consists of 24 (REALLY TWENTY FOUR cute little chocolate bars ) 15g bars of chocolate in the following flavours - white chocolate, milk chocolate, creamy milk, butterscotch, almond, raisin & hazelnut, cherry, ginger, hazelnut & currant, hazelnut, dark 70%, dark 85% plus a small bar of dark 70% and some tasting notes which includes some great recipes.  My personal favourite is  all of them - oh yummy!


This Chocolate is very rich so it a timely gift that will last days either for Christmas , Birthday and that special occasion when you want express  via a gift what words cannot.

It also tell you to limit  yourself to around six different chocolate varieties. Any more will give you tasting fatigue.


Another tip is to drink water between varieties to cleanse your palate.




Heaven comes in small packages believe me this was a really tough review but someone has to do it.


And as all palates vary your favourites will be different J's was the creamy milk chocolate. Mr T for him it was the Ginger one and for me all them I LOVE CHOCOLATE.... 




Oh and the Ginger one is NOT Amy pond off Doctor Who someone Mr T takes a little too much interest in...


For more info, products or to shop online please visit the Green & Black's website and keep up to date with current news on their twitter or Facebook page.


Disclosure ( I was sent these Chocolates to review and and I am sorry there are none left you will just have to buy your own so there !.)

Morphy Richards Slow Cooker review with Keevil and Keevil Wild Boar sauasges in a SCHWARTZ mix!

Yes I am going to burst your bubble,crush your dreams make you cry hopelessly destroy your childhood dreams . Please don't cry and I am sorry I don't do a counselling service.

Remember when we were a child and were really really excited when you lost your teeth and put them under your pillow at night. You went bananas when you woke up , it was like Christmas morning. Lifting up your pillow just to see what the tooth fairy brought. It usually was some coins  a sweet note hand written of course by the tooth fairy. As all little children as inspiring capitalist they are really more interested in the cash, I have yet to find out if Lord Sugar or that lot off Dragons Den started their business success in such a manner. I have always strongly believed and was totally convinced that the tooth fairy existed and I wasn't a believer in the Toe nail fairy until until my son J told me otherwise or conned me into it. Thanks J .

(copied with the owners permission)

When you are a children life is always so much simpler and magical days are endless and time doesn't exist. .Well its about the "Toe Nail Fairy" I am sorry it doesn't exist it was a clever ploy by J when he was 5 to con me out of cash on holiday.We were on holiday in Spain and one of his toenails had come off, he swore blind if there was a tooth fairy there had to be a toenail fairy.


He is 13 now and yes he is still conning me out of cash because he really really needs that avatar on his PS3.


All this of course lead to my believe in the slow cooker fairy who is a compete and utter well angel basically. I may not be blessed with culinary skills but I am learing fast and may give jamie Oliver a run for his money.

I am in love with my new Morphy Richards Slow Cooker.

Going into my Slow cooker was Keevil and Keevil Wild Boar and apple sausages.

I used a SCHWARTZ slow cooker Sausage and Bean casserole mix.

Jack Black doing his Oliver impression. No he didn't get any!.

I added the sachet to a can of chopped tomattos and also added some Pinto beans.

I added the sausages which I had browned into the slow cooker along with the onions.

The slow cooker was ready for me to serve up the meal.

The meal served up I will work on my potato!!!

And one blog that I will be definitely heading over to his the Madhouse where Cheryl the slow cooker fairy lives. She has a very extensive blog about many different things but if say you are looking for slow cooker recipes just type it into the search bar on her blog.




And who'd have thought you could make yogurt , yes yogurt in a slow cooker . Well head over to and you will find out how you can . A brilliant blog from a lovely Gran called Elaine with information on cooking with food if you have allergies her blog is a must read.




Disclosure( I was sent these item(Slow Cooker, Sauasges, mix) for review except for the toenail clippings those you provide yourself)