Clare Macnaughton's Blog, page 26
September 16, 2014
Spice Up Your Life With Old El Paso
I was asked to review some Old El Paso products and although I love hot spicy Mexican food the rest of my family have a milder pallet. We have tended to stick to our family favourites - fajitas because I can temper the taste to suit everyone’s needs without having to rustle up more than one meal. I would never have tried the other products but I am glad I did.
Everyone loved the Toasted Cheese Quesadillas and so easy and quick to cook and cheese-tastic. We’ll definitely be adding this to our family favourites.
Again, this was a great chicken dish, packed with veggies but also quick and simple to cook. A fabulous introduction to some new flavours to my fussy kids.
For me though the casseroles and stews were the dinner winners. There was no way I could tempt my kids to eat them but I thought they were fantastic.
The Spicy Habanero Chilli & Roasted Garlic I literally chopped up carrots, courgettes, and potato and seared the beef pieces. Then covered in a water with the spice mix and slow roasted for over an hour. It was delicious. Next time I am going to add kidney beans. I ate the stew with rice but it could easily be eaten with warm bread and butter. The same with the Paprika and Herbs mix – with this I made a slow roasted chicken pieces, carrots and chorizo dish which was out of this world. I served it with baked potatoes.
These great Mexican packages gave me food for thought and I have added them to my monthly shop as they certainly spiced up my life.
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Time to relax with New Look Bingo
For a mum like me, there is no time to sit and relax. Packing off kids lunch boxes and making sure they have uniform ready for school is not exactly hassle-free at all! Phew, that’s the head start I get every morning except the weekends where I could snuggle in my bed for few more hours.
When the kids are away the only things I like to watch my favourite T.V shows and catch up with friends over coffee. Certainly, you reach a point where even these things get boring enough. One day I was heard a couple of ladies chit-chatting about this new bingo site they have come across. Well, I didn’t want to be nosey at all but wanted to hear a bit more, so dragged my chair closer to them. Their talk got me interested, I made up my mind that I have to check this site out soon.
I switched on my laptop, searched “New Look Bingo”. I definitely hit the score the moment I glimpsed, an attractive bonus that will get any one interested. Up to 900% welcome bonus, *whistle*, yup that was my exact reaction. I didn’t want to fall prey to any wrong sites, checked their credentials out and reviews. This Bingo site definitely looked like my cup of tea. I registered my details and start playing there. This took my fancy and I knew there was no more turning back for me. I have played in bingo sites and I enjoyed every bit of my time whenever I played in these games. I grew up playing bingo with my family and always had that rush feeling when drawing closer to the prize pot. Prize pots is what keeps me glued to the site, and definitely New Look Bingo has got that element right in their site. Lots of jackpots so more chances to win.
With the hassle-free chat games, I never felt out of place with other bingo players present in the same room. What’s more I look forward to playing here. I don’t stick only to Bingo game, I even play casino games. When I feel bit lucky, I try my hand at slots. However varied it could be, it does feel welcoming when I play in these games. Match the lines to win those special prizes. Even after we play these games, we feel refreshed. That’s the reason why we all love this game. I won’t even shy away saying that I do indeed like this site. Fascinating free bingo rooms along with their instant games. They gives us the constant entertainment which even sometime T.V. Shows fail to do.
So, next time friends, when you want to play online bingo for free, remember that I have told you about the fun games that are in store for everyone out there.
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September 12, 2014
Real Life: Latest Book-date and Kids
I am full of good intentions; then the time vacuum sucks up all the minutes, and it’s a vortex of ‘can’t do everything’, but I am slowly wading through treacle and making positive headway.
The kids are back to school – hurrah. I can now try and focus on bringing all the loose ends together. The Grenade, now aged 11, has started a state comprehensive school. My old school no less. He’s loving it. I was anxious because it’s a big school, with around 360 pupils in his year alone, and over 1600 pupils in the school. I think there is so much buzz in the school, and so much energy, that as a child that can’t sit still, he can absorb it all much easier than most. He loves his uniform and he loves coming home at night. So far, the school stimulates him academically; but doesn’t stifle him. During his time at boarding school, he was met with a very conservative facism from the alpha males, who challenged his free thinking and eccentric ways. He stood up to the bullies, but recognised that their arrogance was unpleasant and wrong. He said to me ‘people at private schools think they are better than everyone else, mummy.’ Such wise words from a young soul.
He came home from his new school the other delightfully declaring he’d been called a c*nt – as if he had just achieved some glorious senior school rite of passage. Apparently he was looking at the Afro of a black kid – maybe in yr 8 – and the kid said ‘what the f*ck do you think you are staring at you little c*nt?’ Ironically, the Grenade, used to have a ‘fro that he called Steve, which we were banned from cutting for ages. As it happens he is pro ‘fro so I suspect had ‘fro envy. Nonetheless it can’t be ok for senior pupils to call first years ‘little c*nts’. I have reported it and I understand the matter is being addressed.
The Menace, now in year 2, is coming along better. She is still behind her peers, but, she too, hates school. Both of my children are independent spirits wanting to forge their own paths. Education is a privilege and they must suck it up.
Now things feel more settled. We have new routines with less screen time to try and migrate them towards greater self management. One week in and things feel settled and more connected. Long may it continue.
I have started a new series of You Tube videos called – Conversations With My Kids please check them out. I am trying to have conversations with them about things they are interested in and I am not. It’s subtley funny. It’s the nuances of the collision of two very different perspectives that I like, but it may be too slow to be interesting to others.
BOOK NEWS
My next book, now called ‘Looking For Mr Rabbit’ is in edit.
“Looking for Mr Rabbit” based on this poem which I wrote before I met husband and believed in ‘soulmates’ and finding ‘the one’. This poem about men going out on the pull.
Looking for Mrs Rabbit
Beyond the day to day rigors of futile life,
Their souls are searching for the one who is right.
In the darkness of the blackest night,
They hunt and prowl, and seek things that are out of sight.
Around every corner, unsuspecting they lurk.
They are not cautious mostly drunk and bezerk.
With cocks like steel they prowl.
At unsuspecting bunnies they growl.
Poke and prod. No one is safe from their dynamite rod.
These bunnies are naive yet wet.
Do they know what they are about to get?
Erect and eager they need to shunt
Their rock hard penis in her moist warm c*nt.
Post coital. They want to leave.
Get up and go and let her grieve.
” I’m sorry sweetheart it was the grog.
I thought it was you but in fact you are a dog.”
The book is a compilation of my writing over the years combined has developed in an anthology of my life. It’s the before and after A Modern Military Mother – Tales from the Domestic Frontline (available from Amazon in paperback, Kindle and audio). This book is a version of life events that have passed and some of it is guesswork.
On the 9th September 2014 it was the 40th anniversary of my mother’s death on Facebook I wrote this on Facebook:
“An excerpt from my next book #comingsoon in memory of my mum, who died on this day 40 years ago. “I never knew my mother. I have no recollection of her face, her smile, her smell. She died on September 9th 1974 when I was two and three quarters year old. The circumstances of her death were tragic and the tragedy of her death has served to mould me into the misfit that exists today. According to my nana, dad came home from the hospital and told me that mummy had died and was never coming back. I looked up at him and solemnly replied; “don’t worry daddy I‘ll look after you.” #watchthisspace”
The book so far sits at 120,000 words and now needs an edit. After the edit, I need to get some test readers because the various styles grow and change – a lot of it is written at the time of events passing so the rhythm and tempo of the book evolves as I mature as a writer. I think this makes it interesting, but I am not famous and these life experiences that I am sharing are not significant specifically. I think, however, they are entertaining and will resonate with my generation of women because they are shared experiences. The book is simply entertaining – that is all. There is no greater purpose than to entertain the reader. It is not ‘literary’ and it won’t win any prizes but it will make you laugh and I am definitely, truly, sharing my soul with the reader. I am very excited about the book because when I have put the jigsaw together, I can look back t my crazy rollercoaster life and know that I have lived a little and laughed a lot.
The question is do we try and sell it to a traditional publishing house or do I self publish again? I have an agent, who I think is coming up for air again. I guess, he can look at it and then we’ll decide if we think we can sell it. I’ll keep you posted.
I have learned since I self-published my first book that I can’t do this alone. I need readers to champion the book. I need a fan base to help me move forward. I know I have some solid support and I urge those who will read my next book, if you love it, to help me promote it by recommending it to your friends.
Find me on Facebook
Buy my first book:
A Modern Military Mother – Tales from the Domestic Frontline – Paperback
A Modern Military Mother – Tales from the Domestic Frontline – KINDLE
Follow me on Twitter:
Subscribe to my You Tube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/user/amodmilitarymum
Check out my Pilot TV show – AMMMTV:
Read me on the Huff Post UK:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/clare-macnaughton#
Hire me:
http://www.claremacnaughton.com
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September 11, 2014
Nights in with your nearest and dearest
While a night on the tiles can be just the ticket, so too can an entertaining evening in with your nearest and dearest.
If you fancy spending some quality time with your loved ones, make the most of relaxed weekend routines and consider the following ideas for fun-filled nights in with the family.
Treat the family to a takeaway
Why not enjoy a tasty takeaway from the comfort of your own home? Indulge in your favourite family takeaway and make dinnertime a doddle. Get somebody else to do the hard work with no worries about the washing-up.
From Chinese cuisine to pizza and pasta, get something delicious delivered direct to your door. There are plenty of healthy options available too so you needn’t worry about ruining diet plans or nutritional intakes for the sake of an occasional treat.
Get busy in the kitchen with the kids
You may be staying in, but you can still make a night of it. Why not try cooking together as a family and create the food from your favourite restaurant? Whip up a marvellous Mexican meal or cook up a southern fried storm to combine family fun with a practical activity. You can even make your own pizzas with help from supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s!
Children will love coming up with colourful and tasty toppings for various meals you make and will be in their element when getting to join in the kitchen activity.
Alternatively, you can put together a ‘help yourself’ buffet with bowls of bite-size snacks. McCain French Fries make a tasty side dish to add to your table of treats but you can also provide a selection of cold and hot snacks including salad vegetables, fruit salads, sausage rolls, chicken nuggets and even mini quiches.
Have a family film night
Kick back and relax from the comfort of your couch and enjoy an evening in with a few family films. Each person can pick their favourite film or choose the latest movies of the moment before you all settle back in your seat with some tasty snacks to share.
Get out some games
Most families will find a few forgotten board games hiding at the back of a cupboard. So why not dig around in your games drawer and spend some time playing a more traditional pursuit? Get the whole family together for a mammoth game of Monopoly or create a Scrabble super league.
Add a few prizes and penalties to introduce a little healthy competition and enjoy an alternative and entertaining evening in with your nearest and dearest. For tech-obsessed families, there are plenty of family and group games available on modern consoles – just make sure you have enough controllers to prevent arguments!
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Travelling abroad? Learn Smart Tips to Book Hotels Online
If you are reading this, then you probably are online at the moment and realize the importance of Internet. Well sure the Internet brings you all the information you need and helps you connect with the people who matter but most importantly, it helps you SAVE. Of all the methods of money saving that can be availed through the internet, one of my favourites is booking hotels online.
Holidays can be expensive, especially if you are someone who likes to stay at decent (or better) accommodations and likes to indulge in some exotic local food of the travel destination. But by using smart ways to book hotels online, you can save a lot of your hard earned money. So read on and be a Smart Traveller:
It is best to compare a reasonable number of hotel booking websites before you book your accommodation. Believe it or not, there can be a pretty huge price difference in the hotel booking prices offered by different platforms. Do not settle if you think you are being offered a ‘less than expected’ price but do more research and only then click PAY.
It is best to book hotels during the off-peak season. Most hotel booking providers offer much less rates during that time of the year which is off the charts for most travellers. Make use of this phase and save yourself even on the high end hotels.
Taking advantage of special offers and promotions on hotel booking sites is also a great idea to avail significant discounts. Be Smart and adjust your plans according to the offers, afterall travelling is much sweeter when it doesn’t result in a big hole in the pocket.
Availing travel vouchers and discount coupons can be a superb way to get discount on hotels when booked online. There are so many platforms which can offer you discount coupons for hotel bookings and one among them is Voucherbin Vouchers. This voucher website has the best deals and offers for hotel booking websites and can help you limit your spending.
Comparing different hotels before booking is also not such a bad idea. Booking online means having a wide variety of options at your disposal and you must make good use of this luxury.
So the next time you travel, don’t forget to book your hotel online and use these Smart suggestions.
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July 31, 2014
Four Ways To Reduce Food Waste
We’ve all put leftovers in the fridge and forgotten about them, only to discover them few days later looking slightly worse for wear. Nobody likes throwing away food; but sometimes we have no choice. Now, just imagine that if the few bits of food you throw away are multiplied by all the households in the UK. Suddenly we’re talking about mountains rather than morsels.
It’s estimated that the UK generates about 20 million tonnes of food waste every year. All of this goes into bins, is collected by the municipal waste collection teams, is transported around the UK and eventually emptied into landfill.
Just imagine how much space 20 million tonnes of food takes up and how much fuel and man hours it takes to move it. When you consider all of this, doing anything we can to reduce food waste becomes even more important. So, here are four ways to reduce food waste and cut down on what we throw away.
Organise
The main reason we end up throwing food away is due to poor organisation. Things get flung in the fridge, end up at the back and forgotten. Poor meal planning means we buy too much of one thing and simply watch it rot. With a bit more foresight, better planning and a good system of arranging the fridge and cupboards, you can cut back on waste.
Freeze
One way of using large amounts of food is to separate and freeze. If you’re only eating one chicken breast out of a pack of four, then why not individually wrap the others and freeze? The technology allows us to make better use of our food than ever before, and yet we still throw it away in record amounts. It doesn’t make sense.
Of course, sometimes all we can do is still not enough and food gets past its best. However, rather than throw away, food waste recycling presents another alternative.
Composting
Food waste can be composted with relative ease to make great fertiliser for the garden. You can either do this yourself in your outdoor spaces or take part in a wider food composting scheme, if you don’t have your own outside space.
Anaerobic digestion
Food waste contains a lot of energy that can be harvested. When fed into a digestion tank, the naturally occurring bacteria can be used to power an engine that generates electricity and heat. This might not seem plausible on an individual scale, but think how much potential energy there is in 20 million tonnes of food. Again, there are schemes and commercial enterprises that make this a possibility.
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July 24, 2014
How I make the perfect cup of Nespresso coffee – how do you like yours?
I love Nespresso coffee. Hagar bought me a Nespresso coffee machine and now, my morning coffee is pure heaven.
This is how I make my perfect cup of Nespresso coffee:
1.) Fill my mug 3/4s with skimmed milk
2.) Heat mug in microwave for one minute
3.) Put cup under Nespresso machine
4.) Dip hand in jar full of Nespresso pods to lucky dip pod
5.) Put pod in coffee machine
6.) Press button until coffee pours
7.) Zizz coffee with my zizzer
8.) Drink coffee heaven for breakfast
This is how Nespresso think you should do it:
How to Create the Perfect Cup of Coffee
The Beginning
The origin of quality coffee is the key to creating your perfect cup. Nespresso has a strict standard for quality, taste and aroma profiles, and therefore only source from 1-2-% of the worldwide coffee crop which meets this standard
Nespresso ensure their coffee maintains the highest quality aromas and taste by delivering the bean to the cup in their hermetically sealed capsules
Nespresso have a range of 22 Grand Crus to choose from, as well as constantly introducing new limited editions for Club Members.
Nespresso ensure there is a coffee to suit all tastes and occasions, whether a latte or a strong espresso shot is preferred, there is a Grand Cru to suit all coffee profiles
Keep your taste buds invigorated by mixing it up – explore the wide range of Nespresso Grand Crus to ensure you get to enjoy a broad range of tastes, textures and aromas
The Delivery
The unique extraction process of Nespresso machines coupled with the delivery of high quality coffee in the capsules, work seamlessly together
The machines’ manage the exact balance between water temperature, pressure, quantity and speed to achieve the fine art of coffee extraction
To ensure your machine is well maintained: rinse the machine with fresh water on one empty espresso cycle at a hot temperature to make sure the brew head is clean
ALWAYS follow the blend guidelines, making sure to not over extract the Grand Cru and thus spoil its aroma
Always use fresh, cold milk for any milk recipes
The Presentation
Pick the right cup for your coffee – Nespresso have a range of luxury accessories available to fit all preferred coffee styles and décor tastes
Always preheat the cup before serving for best serving results
When preparing a milk based coffee there are two different methods:
Pour the milk froth first and add the coffee afterwards: the Milk froth first preparation will provide a high quantity of shiny, creamy and not runny foam perfect for cappuccinos or latte macchiatos
Or pour the coffee first and add the milk froth on top: the coffee first preparation will provide a low creamy and runny foam quantity surrounded by a dark coffee halo, perfect for milk foam lovers who enjoy a latte, flat white or a cold coffee
How do you like yours?
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Fifty Shades of Grey Trailer – Buckle Up #Laters #Baby
Fifty Shades of Grey – In Cinemas Valentines Day 2015
Get ready to be tied up in knots baby….
Here are my reviews of the books in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy:
http://amodernmilitarymother.com/book-reviews/fifty-shades-darker-more-pudding
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July 21, 2014
Down @MazzardFarm #Devon #FamilyFun #MiniBreak
I like to live by the seat of my pants and completely over extend myself so whilst Hagar was in Canada I thought I need to get away from the wonderful chateau. As much as I adore living where I do, at the end of the day, I am nomadic and I just love to have an adventure wherever, and whenever, possible. I wanted to pop down to see my friend who lives nr Sidmouth, Devon so I headed on over to Alastair Sawdays to see what was on offer in the self catering department. My friend has had a rough few months as her cousin died recently and rapidly and I wanted to hang out with her, but not burden with myself and my two demanding children.
Sawday’s pointed me to Mazzard Farm and luck would have it, they had some availability for this very short notice weekend. As I can’t keep still for 5 minutes I had to rapidly re-shuffle what I had pending over the weekend. I then took the kids for their swimming lessons, attended a family fun evening at school which finished at 8pm. Once that was over then I rushed home and packed by throwing stuff into Lidl bags – I know, ‘classy’! I popped over to give my pigs some water and noticed that they had been truffling under their fence. I touched it and discovered there was no electricity charging the fence. Aaaargh!!! Panic - I quickly mustered the help of a friend who had a spare power unit and she expertly fixed the problem for me. I bundled the kids into the car and headed to the A303 only to discover that the it was bloody shut. I was beginning to think that I wasn’t destined to go!
Eventually I arrived at Mazzard Farm, Nr Ottery St Mary, Devon at 11.30pm at night. Ruud, the owner, very kindly waited up for me to check me in. The kids immediately fell in love with Quarendon Cottage, (named after the gorgeous Devonshire Quarenden Apple) our home for the next three nights.
The cottage overlooks a central communal courtyard, suitable for playing children that leads down through an orchard, to some woodlands, to a play area with a wooden climbing frame and a large teepee, and fire pit surrounded by log seats. It’s idyllic, safe and fresh air-tastic.
The cottage is on two floors. Downstairs there is a large living room, kitchen dining room which has ample room to cater for 6. Upstairs there is a shower room, bunk room, twin bedroom, a double bedroom and a bathroom. All calmly, stylishly and functionally decorated to provide clean, fresh living. The eco-friendly cottage is well equipped with wifi, TV, DVD player.
There are some lovely touches too – all the bathrooms have local, luscious, handmade soap and shampoo, and downstairs in the communal laundry the freezer is stocked to buy with croissants, pain au chocolat, local butter, and you can also buy Mazzard Farm apple juice and handmade soaps.
After a great night’s sleep, despite a thunderstorm, my local friend advised that we head on over to Escot about a 10 minute drive from Mazzard Farm.
Escot is a unique experience for all lovers of nature and the great outdoors, and offers a great family day out. Set in 220 acres of stunning private parkland in the heart of East Devon, Escot is a refreshingly uncommercial, award-winning visitor attraction that you will want to return to again and again. Home to the Kennaway family for over 200 years the Escot of today is setting new standards in recreation with its exciting open access red squirrel encounter where we were up close to these adorable creatures, world-class maze, birds of prey displays, otters and wild boar, unique (and scary!) woodland drop slide, saxon village, indoor playbarn and woodland play areas. Known as the natural place for good reason, there were peacocks and guinea fowl roaming free and chickens! The magnificent champion trees and woodland paths through daffodils, bluebells and rhododendrons were truly beautiful. We stayed for hours and it was a fantastic day out.
We headed back to Mazzard Farm for the night and the kids fed the goats and hung out in the grounds until darkness fell.
The next day we were beachward bound to Sidmouth, about 10 minutes drive from Mazzard Farm. Despite the terrible weather the forecast, the weather did that Devon thing and shone all day over Sidmouth Beach. I met my friend and her family, equipped with kayak and BBQ. Forewarned that it was a pebble beach, I made sure that we all had suitable footwear so that we could stumble with wobbly knees across the rocky shore. We set up base and the kids, paddled, swam, dug holes, counted rocks and played all day overlooking a flat calm sea and a perpendicular horizon. It was magnificent.
At 9pm we headed back to Mazzard Farm for hot drinks and baths before bedtime. It was an early start on the Monday to get the kids to school on time and yes for the record I was 30 minutes late. But we all agreed that we had the most marvellous weekend and mini-break at Mazzard Farm, nr Ottery St Mary, Devon.
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July 17, 2014
Coffee is the New Business Currency in the UK
It’s the Small Perks that Make a Happy Workforce
At a time when employees are working longer hours and feeling more stressed, new research shows just how much small perks play an important role in improving the daily work life of employees. Nearly nine in 10 (87%) UK workers state that small perks in the office (such as high quality coffee, fresh fruit and snacks), are crucial to retaining good staff.
The research, commissioned by Nespresso,reveals that coffee lovers expect quality coffee both at home and in their workplaces – even with a growing cafe culture in the UK, where quality coffee is not only more available but more in demand than ever. The recent research findings reinforce the UK as a nation of coffee connoisseurs, with more than one quarter (26%) of UK workers stating that they assess the quality of a company by the standard of coffee it provides. Could this mean coffee is the new business currency in Britain?
With a quarter (25%) of UK workers explaining that high quality coffee at work would improve their daily work life to a great extent and a staggering one in nine (11%) stating they would reject a job offer based on the coffee provided at an interview; it reinforces quality coffee as a ‘must have’ in contributing to a happy UK workforce.
Findings show that in a world of corporate email communications, where one in ten (10%) UK workers say that they do not feel valued at all by their employer, the provision of small perks such as quality coffee in the office encourages employee interaction and increases employee engagement and are therefore more important than ever.
1. 7 in 10 (68%) say that they find out more about what’s going on in their company from conversations around the kettle
2. Three in ten (28%) have made an important business decision on a coffee break
3. One in nine (11%) would reject a job offer based on the coffee provided at an interview
4. The provision of high quality coffee (70%) ranks highly – second only to ergonomic office equipment (81%) in terms of the perks most likely to help workers feel valued by their employer to at least some extent
5. One in four (26%) say that they assess the quality of a company by the standard of coffee it provides
6. One quarter (25%) say that high quality coffee at work would improve their daily work life to a great extent
7. Nearly nine in ten (87%) say that small perks are important in retaining good staff
8. Two in five have had a creative idea (41%) or solved a difficult problem (36%) on a coffee break
9. Three fifths (61%) say that having a coffee is an important part of British business culture
10. Four in five (78%) say that it is important to offer good quality coffee to visitors and clients
Research was conducted by ComRes and commissioned by Nespresso. For full research findings, please visit: www.comres.co.uk
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