Beef and Honey Slow Cooker Stew

Ingredients
30g/ 1 oz Plain flour
450g/ 11lb braising steak cut into 2.5cm /1in cubes
3tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2leeks roughly chopped
1/2 medium turnip
1tbsp honey
550ml/ 1 pint beef stock
2large potatoes cut into chunks sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preperation

Place the flour in a freezer bag then add the cubes of meat and shake well to coat.


Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the meat on all sides.(Do this in batches as adding too much meat at once makes the meat steam rather than brown.


Heat the oil in the same pan you used for the meat, adding more oil if needed. Once the onion is browned.

Get your slow cooker out

Add the carrots, leeks,turnip, honey and beef stck and return the meat to the slow cooker.

About 20 minutes before serving add the potato to the stew ( adding them at this point means they keep their shape). Season to taste , with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.


Serve with crusty bread or dumplings.

Sure flap :Micro Chip Cat flap

In our household we have been known to be greeted by a sabre tooth beastie with half an ear missing. A  mass of  fur and claws has entered  your house your "Englishman's Castle", Nothing is too small to argue with . You stagger into the gloomy, waving your fluffy bunny slipper, ready to challenge the sabre tooth beastie to a duel, It makes good its escape. Its mass of fluffiness slinking back into the night: you know he'll be back. Life in Suburbia is a battle which is really seen, Why then do you think I send Mr T to make a drink each morning.

Rollie sulking on the decking.

We had a cat flap and yes it function the cat came in and guess what the cat went out, genus don't you agree. Except it was meant to be one of those cat flap that excluded all other cats from getting it. This was achieved by it wearing a little sensor which was mounted on its collar. Nice idea but our two cats got wise to this losing their collars on a regular basis and making us buy new collar and sensors. I think it could have been revenge for making Rollie "Psycho Ninja " cat pretty collars. I think his evil minions were basically laughing at him behind the shed. The only situation Rollie can't avoid was being mirco chipped by the vet "mwahh mwahh "

It didn't take much for Mr T to install the new Sure Flap Micro Chip cat flap.

The pet chip is a tiny glass tube with a microchip which contains a unique identification number. This chip is implanted in your cat's skin and entered on a database, together with its name and your address. Using a chip reader, a vet can then identify the owner of, for example, a lost cat. SureFlap cat flap saves your cat's chip number with just one push of a button. It is possible to programme in up to 32 different chip numbers. Once saved, the SureFlap cat flap will only open for your cat, stray cats or other unwelcome visitors will stay outside. The special design also ensures the cat has no chance to violently force the flap open. 

The antenna that reads the chip is inside the tunnel, giving it exceptional range. Also, if the chip happens to slip from its position, it can still be easily recognised. The flap overs inwards after a fraction of a second and closes automatically a few seconds after your cat has passed through the tunnel. The SureFlap also has a manual 4-way locking system, which comes into effect when chip recognition is not functioning correctly and works without the need for excess effort. SureFlap is easy to install.

 Its measurements fit into many existing holes from other cat flaps. An optional window adaptor can be bought separately for installation in windows; it is also very suitable for covering larger holes. You will find detailed installation instructions in the user manual. Important: Please check the construction of your door before ordering The SureFlap cat flap can be easily installed into any kind of door.

 Mr T had taken the previous step of teaching the cat flap the cats mirco chip. This consisted of basically enticing the cat  through the cat flap. Black cat jack no problems... Rollie well ... was not best pleased.

Jack had no problems with the Sureflap Mircochip Cat flap.

Jack going out the cat flap.

Jack as you see had no problems what so ever dealing with the cat flap. Rollie on the other hand is a whole different kettle of fish. And has sulked over the new installation of the cat flap, this may be due the the fact that that we didn't consult him.

Rollie sulking on the fence.

I think Rollie is spooked by the noise the car flap makes when it comes in it did sulk for a whole day before eventually coming in and if you look at the the below photo I think you will agree its not best pleased.

Moody Kitty is not pleased.

If  I had any small  criticism, its that I would like to see a snugger fit of draught excluder round the cat flap. But as my husband pointed out the moneys in the technology so all in I am really pleased with the new cat flap. Rollie will come around eventually and the wounds   husbands arms will heal as he tried to help Rollie through the cat flap for fifteen minutes.....

Disclosure ( I  Rollie & jack were sent the Sure Flap Mirco Chip Cat flap for review all opinions are theirs and mine )

The Purrfect Outfit for a cat blogger !

What better outfit for a cat blogger with Halloween coming than this !

The Purrfect outfit for a cat blogger.

I have the cats:

Evil Rollie the Silver Tabby!

Jack Black the cat!

You will find this outfit over at Dahlia Fashion.

Universe its where you go to learn ..

I have two funnies this week one from school and one form my home .

First at school I was confronted by a four year who stated

"I just saw the teacher leaving"

Me "Oh they must be going for their lunch"

"No No NO they are going to the Universe!"

"The Universe??" I asked never never under estimate a four year old they are a dangerous creature.

"They have gone to the Universe to help people, it where big boys and girls learn" They said very happy with themselves.

"You mean the University!"

"NO NO NO NO the Universe" at this point the child was exhibiting a death stare.. I backed down. It was more that my life was worth.

The second funnee this week was catching my husband drying up from the dishwasher.

"Why oh why are you drying up from the dishwasher?" 

"Because you don't know what residue is left on them" He said.

"I said you don't need to the instructions don't say you have to " I replied biting my lip and trying not to roll my eyes.

"The instructions DON"T tell you to put the items away do they now"

*Sigh I left him to it.

So while Rollie the evil cat is having issues learning to use the new cat flap I left it to my husband to teach the cat to use it. When his arms had finally stopped bleeding I quiped up " I bet the instructions din't mention that would happen now did they "

Rollie the cat doesn't need instructions.

Train of thought ! #HalfTermFood

Half term that period of time when you do battle with the evil that is the fridge monster it runs down the stairs reaches it grubby paws into the fridge and snatches "goodies" that retreats back to it lair. Any interaction with the fridge monster is dangerous and you do so at your peril. Show them a carrot and they sniff it feverishly and thow it back into the vegetable/salad draw where a lonely cherry tomato is speared .. RIP Mr Cherry Tomato.

The lair of the fridge monster.

Now we are a busy  hectic household so meal planning is necessary for us both because of budget constraints and the other because of time. Now my meal planning recently has been helped by Aunt Bessies though I do need Aunt Bessie to help me with my lack of direction and organising whilst taking a train. *insert Twilight music *

Picture the scene I was at St Pancras station obviously there to catch a train , whilst I noticed two girls who were in all seriousness looking for platform 9 3/4 from Harry Potter . They asked a guard who looked bemused and pointed them in the direction of the correction station which is Kings Cross. "Tssk" how can anyone be so so silly I checked the board to make sure I got on the correct train it said Platform 2 so off I toddled and got on the train I sat there and thought this is a bit quiet but I was early so no problems. Big thumbs up for me .. then I noticed a guard making hand signals and gestures at me. I waved back he made more gestures at me .. I waved again. then he slowed down the gestures :

Pointing at me: translated as OI you get off that Bl**dy train.

Finger extended while the others were in a fist: translated As move NOW!

Hand moving up and down in a jumping motion: Translated as jump off the train.

So I moved off the train in a dignified fashion the guard met me .

"Oh was I on the wrong train?"

After I explain what train I was aiming for he pointed at the correct train .. last I saw off him was being buried under a group of snap happy Japanese tourists.

This train journey fared better than the last one where I was sitting on the train and it separated and I ended up at the wrong station. One friend suggested I had a Paddington Bear style tag made as I have a habit of getting lost on public transport.

A blogger "Paddington Bear" style label.

Anyway make to my meal planning:

So this is what my meal plan looks like for the week so far:

Monday: Chicken wrapped in bacon with Aunt Bessies Yorkshires and Aunt Bessies Carrot, Swede & Parsnip with a honey & thyme glaze.

Chicken wrapped in bacon and Aunt Bessies Yorkshires.

Tuesday:  Leek and Bacon Flan

Wednesday: Sloppy Joes Burger with salad 

Thursday:  Aunt Bessies home cook chicken casserole with our own sausagemeat stuffing. Though you can adapt this recipe I have managed to do so by adding honey and adding two packets of the stew in the slow cooking and adjusting the amount of water needed. You also add one tablespoon of honey during cooking.

Friday: Saucy Sausage Pasta

Saturday: Frugal Corn Beef Hash

Sunday: Italian Rice with turkey

There will be other back up meals from  Aunt Bessies freezer to the cupboard as we are always having trot off to one of my sons many sporting commitments so a contingency plan is always needed. And in this family we are all partial to toad in the hole!

This post is an entry for the #halftermfood Linky on BritMums.