GROW YOUR BLOG time

...but I almost forgot! How stupid am I?! Luckily I saw that a couple of the blogs I now follow, through last year's Grow Your Blog party, have posted, and that reminded me.

So, here is the bit where I'm suppose to introduce myself, and tell you a little more about my tiny corner of blogland. Well, the fact that I almost forgot I was involved tells you something about me - full of good intentions then panicking to get them fulfilled!!

This is me:
 Fat Dormouse (but hopefully, getting thinner!)

I live in a tall house in the middle of a small village in France:


Here it is, decked out in 2012 for the Queen's jubilee!

We moved here in 2005 and now Mr FD is working as a Web Master for a French company and I am teaching English in various places and for various companies and to various ages. We live in the middle of Les Monts de la Madeleine. 


Here is a photo that Mr FD took of our village - you can just see our house. If I knew how to add arrows I would, but I don't. There! More info about me: I'm a Techno-Idiot! It's Mr FD who keeps me on the straight-and-narrow!
We have no children but we do have 4 cats. I'm a cat fanatic.

 This is Bib, when she arrived here in 2012 - a tiny kitten rescued from the Michelin R&D site where I was working. That box that she is sitting on is truly no bigger than 15 cm x 10 cm. She was only about 6 weeks old when I rescued her!

This is George, squeezing through the banisters to come and see us. He's a hunking great piece of cat now.
And here is George, his sister Millie, and Pomme all sharing a little Entente Cordiale.

I have two blogs: this is mostly about food, (and cats!) what we eat, our menus for the week, and my efforts to stick to the 5:2 way of eating. I also add rather too many LOL cats photos here too! I love food - I enjoy cooking and I am a true Gourmande - that doesn't really translate into English, but basically means "Someone who enjoys their food"! I love sharing recipes, and links to other sites, and hope that I might inspire others who are not so enamoured with cooking to give it a go.

I'm not very techno-minded (see above) so it's not all flashy-whizz-bang recipes with photos of every step. But they are recipes and menu plans that anyone can follow - I'm a rather busy working person, who enjoys trying different food. We don't often eat the same thing because I'm always trying something new! I am a great fan of the Hairy Dieters
and use a lot of their recipes.

So, in order to give you a flavour of what my blog is about, here are my menus for this week:

TODAY: Hairy Dieter Beef in red wine - I ca't find a link to this, but here's a link to the ingredients. Basically, brown the meat, add the shallots and bacon, then other ingredients. Then cook slow and long!

MONDAY: Sweet potato and bean cakes:

  • 1 sweet potato (about 200g), cut into cubes
  • 400g can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 spring onions, finely sliced
  • small bunch of coriander, chopped
  • 1 tbsp chipotle paste
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • juice 1 lime
  • 1 Little Gem lettuce, torn
  • ½ cucumber, halved lengthways and sliced on the diagonal
  • 1 carrot, halved lengthways and sliced on the diagonal
1.      Microwave the sweet potato on High for 6 mins until tender. Lightly mash the beans, then add the potatoes, 2 spring onions, coriander, chipotle paste and seasoning. Mash a little more until the potato is combined. Shape into 4 cakes.
2.      Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, then fry the bean cakes for 4-5 mins each side.
3.      Meanwhile, mix the mayo, lime juice and seasoning in a bowl. Add remaining onion and salad ingredients and toss well. Serve alongside the bean cakes.


TUESDAY: (5:2 day) Spiced chicken and cous-cous Because it's a 5:2 fast day we won't have so much couscous, and I've got less chicken than is specified. I may bulk out with more vegetables.

WEDNESDAY: I have fairly recently taken up line dancing, on a Wednesday evening, after I've finished teaching. I get home late, so it's up to Mr FD to prepare dinner. Sometimes he will prep something, sometimes it's from the freezer. But tonight, I'm thinking I might support local entrepreneurs: on my way home I pass a new pizza van that has set up - so I think this week I will buy a couple of pizza on the way home!
SOURCE: fornobravo.com

THURSDAY: Hairy Dieter's Home Made fish fingers - basically 600g salmon fillets, dipped first into a mix of 1 tbsp flour + mixed herbs + lemon zest, then into yoghurt (NOT beaten egg), then into 50g breadcrumbs and baked ( 600g salmon for 4 people. 300g for us two) We'll have these with chips and homemade coleslaw.

FRIDAY: It's another 5:2 day. I'm teaching and don't get home until 7.15 so Mr FD is in charge of cooking. However, if I have time & feel generous, I might prep the meal beforehand. Today it is Hairy Dieters Coconut Prawn Curry
SOURCE: goodtoknow.co.uk


So there you are! A flavour of what this blog is about - food and cats.


And I hope you'll be back sometime again soon. Please also go and visit my other blog: The View From the Teapot (I'm about to write my Grow Your Blog post for that too!)
If you've read this far, you'll be pleased to know there's a Giveaway too! I have a jolly pop-up book about cakes (it's in French, but it's fun)


If you leave a comment, with some way of contacting you, then I'll enter you for the draw - I'll draw it on Feb 14th - just right for Valentine's Day!

Comments

  1. Hello, we have been partnered in Mad About Bags Send a little love swap, please contact me joy@treetopsystems.co.uk xx

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  2. Love your sweet kitties! Those recipes sound interesting--I've never heard of the hairy guys--I will be checking them out!

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  3. I had read about the Grow your own Blog party but didn't think how to join ( another techno-idiot??) Anyway, I do visit your blogs when I have the time ( which tends to be in winter when I can't be outside). I'm sure I'll be back from time to time.

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  4. Your village looks SO charming! My stepdad is in London and he said a lot of his friends are moving to the French countryside to get out of the craziness of the city.

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  5. Hi, I am visiting from the GYB party. I lived in Caen in 1977 as a student, and I've always wanted to visit again. Your blog is so cute ... love your voice in your writing. See you again!

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  6. Hi, I visited from the GYB party last year and am still following your adventures...

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  7. Hi! Lovely to know more about you and see a rare picture of you!!!
    I love the tale of your cats- they are so cute!
    By the way, if you want to add an arrow, you can use a cool website called www.picmonkey.com click on the edit tab and then it will allow you to choose a file from your computer. Get the one of your village and then you can click on the tab that looks like a butterfly down the left side of the screen. This will give you the chance to add an overlaid image to yours. Arrows aren't far down. Just click on the one you want (don't click royale ones with a crown as you have to be a paid member for that). You will see it appear on your screen. Great, so far. Now, you'll see a little box on the right appear and you can change the colour of change the size by pulling on the tabs or move it around where you want it! Then click on save at the top of the screen. I promise it is really easy. I am not technically minded but this is simple!xx

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  8. I meant to get around to join in with GYB but never mind....x

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  9. Bonsoir from the sunny Riviera, lovely to "meet" another blogger from France, and another gourmande. I'm visiting from the wonderful blog hop GYB and look forward to reading more of your tales/recipes.

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  10. Your cats are adorable!
    I might have to try that salmon fingers recipe

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  11. On behalf of Vicki at 2 Bags Full, and myself, welcome to the Grow Your Blog hop! We apologize for the late welcome, as your assigned greeter didn't show for the party. You have a wonderful blog, great recipes! I'll be back later to look around more.

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  12. A great post!! I did have a laugh over some of your comments. This is a return visit and I will be back!! - Kerrie B at channelbankcreations.blogspot.com.au

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  13. As always I am enjoying your posts And getting my kitty fix. I am in Berlin now but I am scheduled to return to France next year.

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  14. Food and pets... such a loving combination......Enjoyed browsing your site. Have a great year!

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  15. I clearly love food and cats as well. :) Your cats are so adorable! My cats want to say hi! :)

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  16. Your photos are beautiful! Love your cats. I always enjoy your blog.

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  17. We've just bought one of the Hairy Biker's Diet books as Mr GBT is doing the 5:2 diet aswell. We borrowed it from the library at first but the recipes looked so fab and to out taste that it made sense to have our own. Another cat lover here- am in feline servitude to Humphrey. Arilx

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  18. How nice to meet you! I can use all the food tips I can get. :)

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  19. Lovely to meet you!
    You live in such a beautiful spot!

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  20. Nice to meet you. I'm visiting via GYB from St. John's, NL Canada. Interesting blog.

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  21. Aww your cats are beautiful! :D And i LOVE the hairy bikers :) <3 xx

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  22. I so envy you your feline friends - I've had at least one all my life but can't have them now because DH has developed a severe allergy. Our Cosmo now lives with our son and his wife so at least I get to visit him once in awhile. Thank you for having us over to visit!

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  23. Your cats are really cute - especially like the kitten photo! The prawn curry sounds delicious. Enjoy the blog party! Susan

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  24. Hello again GYB friend. Loving the cats! I have two here in Van and we had one, dearest Theo in OXON, but he passed away. Wondering if our his and her's countries life styles are really good for our cats, but we love the companionship so very much. I was reading your prawn curry and then thought prawn vindaloo...Mmmm!!! I've never read the hairy bikers, but used to love the two fat ladies something rotten...although it's a bit of a guilty pleasure, because actually, I'm pretty "good for you" and organic...(West Coast life style). X

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