TheBoyAndMe | TheBoyandMe

366 #8

February 26, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe

I've got some exciting news on the #Project366 front! I've managed to negotiate three competitions for you fabulous photographers for the forthcoming months, from three very kind online photography shops. The first one starts next weekend and is courtesy of BonusPrint. Make sure you take advantage of the turn in the weather and get some really creative shots for you to select your favourite from because next week will see three winners chosen from the linky! I'll blog more about it in the week so you might want to subscribe so you don't miss the post.

Anyone taking part is welcome to join the Project 366 Facebook group. The fabulous community building up there offer support to those taking part in this photography project, and give much blog love. We've made it a closed group so that not every Tom, Dick or Harry can see the content but if you'd like to join just click the 'ask to join group' button in the top right hand corner of the page.

Choose your favourite photo from the past week and link it up below.
Please add the badge to your linked-up post so that other people know how to find all the other fabulous entries.
If you can spare five minutes to comment on just a few other entries I know they'd appreciate it!

Saturday 25th February 2012 – 'Mummy Fixed It' (56/366)

February 25, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 30 Comments

ShowOff ShowCase: The One That Should Have Done Better

February 25, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 3 Comments

This weekend is your opportunity to link-up a post that you wrote that filled you with a sense of satisfaction. You typed that last full stop, pressed 'publish' and thought "yes, this will be a good one!" and waited.

But no bugger actually bothered to read it, or if they did they certainly didn't comment on it!

Why? I can still hear you shouting it at the stats counter/comments log.

Heaven only know why. They didn't deserve it, they were good posts. It's not their fault that they were published on a Bank Holiday or when people were experiencing blog-apathy. They don't deserve to feel inadequate, not when they've done nothing wrong.

This weekend, I'd like you to help that post to hold its head up high! Brush them off, stick my badge at the bottom of the post and show them off for everyone to see. Don't be ashamed of them, help them shout at everyone:

I SHOULD HAVE DONE BETTER!

Recipe Shed: Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagne

February 24, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 14 Comments

I'm adapting and editing this recipe from the original one published in February 2012, due to the fact that I've discovered the filling cooks much more nicely in the slow-cooker.

Vegetable lasagne.

One of the staples of most pub menus and a reliable dish to produce on mass and in a hurry for vegetarians anywhere. But good God, it's boring. I get so fed up of mushrooms, broccoli and carrots stagnating in a heavy tomato sauce and then drenched in a non-descript bechemal sauce. When I make vegetarian lasagne, I tend to make it with quorn mince, and whoever I serve it for, absolutely loves it. This always surprises me because;

I'm a decent cook but certainly not Delia
it's vegetarian and people normally complain if I enforce a non-meat dish on them.

However, the serving dish is scraped clean as people always go back for more. And despite the fact that my mother-in-law once highlighted that it wasn't a proper vegetarian lasagne because it didn't use vegetables, she wolfs it down too.

Saying all this, last week I had half a humble butternut squash that needed using up and having had risotto the night before (and not in the mood to make pastry for tomato and butternut squash pies), I decided to make a lasagne using the bizarre orange vegetable.

Chop up the butternut squash, boil for 10 minutes until starting to go tender, strain and add a tin of chopped tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Stir through.
Amendment (22/04/12): Chop up the butternut squash and add to the slow cooker, with a tin of chopped plum tomatoes, two tablespoons of mango chutney and a generous teaspoon of wholegrain mustard. Leave it to simmer away on low for four hours. The butternut squash will be tender but retain it's shape and the mango and mustard will have infused into the sauce creating a mix of sweet and sharp.

The ingredients for the bechamel sauce are the same as for any, however when melting the butter, add spinach to it to wilt. To this, add a spoonful of cornflour, stir together and then add the milk, mixing everything with a balloon whisk. Once it starts to thicken up, add a handful of cheese; goats cheese is the obvious one for me with spinach, but cheddar works well if you haven't got any.

Place a lasagne sheet (I use fresh egg pasta as it cooks quicker) on the base of the dish, then spoon over half of the tomato and butternut squash mix. Add a pasta sheet on top, a layer of spinach sauce to cover this, another pasta layer, the remainder of the butternut squash mix, another pasta sheet, more spinach sauce to cover, another pasta layer and cover the top with spinach sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top and place in the oven for 20 minutes.

I remember watching This Morning while on maternity leave, and Gino d'Acampo said you should let lasagne rest for ten minutes or so once out of the oven. I agree, it solidifies a little more and is easier to serve, retaining its heat well.

Serve with lollo rosso or another curly lettuce.

—

I'm linking this up to Reluctant Housedad's Recipe Shed, click below for more vegetarian recipes.

Recipe Shed

I'm also linking it up to Slow Cooker Sunday on Mediocre Mum

Friday 24th February 2012 – 'WMC' (55/366)

February 24, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 3 Comments

The Open Road (Guest Post)

February 24, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe Leave a Comment

Within the past eight months, we've started to make longer car journeys with The Boy, the first was in June when we went down to Winchester for my father-in-laws birthday, the most recent was to west Wales for a weekend break, the longest was to Manchester (eight hours to do 190 miles!) to meet some friends. Trips before last June saw The Boy falling asleep in the car after about thirty minutes and sleeping happily for an hour or so. Then the moment hit when he stopped doing that and just became bored very quickly. Now when we set off, we have a plethora of things we take in order to make the journey more comfortable.

In this guest-post, Sainsbury's bring you some more ideas.

Long Car Journeys: The Ultimate Survival Guide

Not many people relish the thought of spending hours in the car, but there are a few simple tricks that can make long journeys slightly more bearable. After all, the trick to getting through endless hours of driving is good planning, and if you’re well prepared then everything should run smoothly.

Start by checking out your car before you go – and leave plenty of time for a last-minute visit to the garage should you need anything. Make sure your oil and water is topped up and that you have plenty of washer fluid. Check out those tyres too – not just for wear and tear but for pressure as well.

Next you need to plan your route, not just in terms of directions but also for fuel and comfort stops. There’s nothing worse than being stuck on a motorway with miles to the next service station if you’re busting for the loo or running out of fuel, so be prepared and plan your stops in advance.

Remember to get your paperwork up to date. Getting stopped by the police, especially when you’re away from home, can be a stressful experience. Avoid any unnecessary hassle by checking that your car insurance and MOT is in date, and that your insurance covers your needs for the journey.

Be prepared for the worst. Yes, that might sound a little dramatic, but having a few provisions on board is only sensible if you’ve got hours of driving ahead of you. Make sure you’ve got a few pillows handy for passengers to avoid sore necks, pack enough food and water for the journey, have a blanket and a torch ready for emergencies and carry a working mobile phone just in case (but don’t use it while you’re driving).

Make sure you take regular breaks, or swap over with another qualified, insured driver on a regular basis. Driving can be really draining, and just a small lapse of concentration can be potentially fatal on a busy road. Avoid the risk and stop every few hours, even if it’s only for a few minutes.

Ensure that there’s plenty for the kids to do. Bored children can be a nightmare on long journeys, so have plenty of activities planned beforehand. In-car games are always fun, or if you fancy a bit of peace and quite then download some audible stories for them to listen to on their headphones. There are also some great in-car entertainment systems available if you run out of inspiration.

And finally, keep your cool. Long car journeys can be stressful and troublesome. Make sure you’ve got some great music to listen to, or tune in to an interesting radio show. You could even use the time to teach yourself another language with an educational CD! Just try to make the most out of your long journey.

Thursday 23rd February 2012 – 'Now, Where Is It?' (54/366)

February 23, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 5 Comments

The Gallery: Landscapes

February 22, 2012 by TheBoyAndMe 18 Comments

And so travelling Tara has set us the challenge of showing off our landscapes this week. Proper photography required.

This week's theme is: Landscapes.

Go and take a photo of one that inspires you, dig one out of your archives or get creative. Trees (ahem), sea shores, beach, skyline, fields, roof tops, pylons, mountains, snow whatever. Let's show what a wonderful and diverse place the world is.

Mr. TheBoyandMe and I have travelled to some rather amazing places and for that we've been lucky. I can't handle a flight longer than eight hours so I'm not talking anywhere tropical, but there are some amazing treasures around the world and we have been fortunate to experience some of these, before The Boy was born.