Moroccanish Chicken Casserole

Apologies to the purists and feel free to throw in your apricots, honey, plums, whatever fruit you wish but I don't actually like my sweet and savoury together. I used to think I would never make for a true foodie or chef with this dislike. However on the last series of Masterchef, John Torrode announced he did not like sweet foods with savoury so I am saved!

I'm using the Cooks by Gordon Ramsay slow cooker which I reviewed  recently and its really working well for me still, see the review and another recipe here http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2011/06/cooks-by-gordon-ramsay-slow-cooker.html 


I had plans to start it in the morning and cook for 8 hours on low, but as go my usual days, it was made by 2pm and put on for 4 hours on high, then on the warming button for two hours. The chicken was falling off the bone at four hours on high so I recommend it.

As with most of my meals it is a mix of recipes on a theme, this being Moroccan but as usual feel free to change it again.

If you are on Slimming World eating plans this is 1 syn for the tomato puree, if you add apricots it will need to be synned too.

Moroccanish Chicken Casserole

Ingredients

Chicken skinless breast pieces or thighs (I used about 8 large thighs and 1 quarter chopped)
Fry Light to cook in

2 Large onions chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
1 inch chopped ginger
2 tbsp tomato puree (1syn)
1 tin chopped tomatoes

6 large vine tomatoes or similar

2 tins chickpeas I used 1 and a tin of Sainsbury's mixed beans
1/2 pint  chicken stock
1 tsp turmeric
4 tsp Ras el hanout spice mix
Pinch of chilli powder

1 yellow pepper

salt and pepper optional I didn't add

Optional

1 preserved lemon, chopped into small wedges

Chopped coriander

Method
1. Heat up fry light in a frying pan and fry  chopped onions adding  garlic and ginger after 2 minutes and carry on gently frying for 3 more  minutes.

2. Add  stock, and tomato puree and mix well. Add herbs,spices and     salt and pepper to taste. Finally add tinned tomatoes, tinned pulses then mix well.  Add to the slow cooker.

3.  Brown chicken in a pan with some fry light.

4.  Add chicken to the tomato mix and blend
5. Add peppers. Give it a  good stir to mix everything together well.

6.  Cook on high for about 3 to 4 hours high OR on low for 8 hours. (I cooked mine for about 4 hours on high)

7. Towards the end of cooking if the sauce seems too runny, add a sprinkling of instant mash to thicken until the required consistency, I liked it liquidy for the family who ate couscous,  it makes a nice stew type dish, although I had mine with basmati rice.


8. Serve with freshly chopped Coriander sprinkled on top and either with couscous, rice, fresh flat bread, pitta bread or salads. It is also good  served with fluffy pureed or mashed potatoes or pasta.

CLOSED Win a Hamper of Weight Watchers® Cookies and Biscuits Giveaway 47 ends 11th August

Well I told you there would be another giveaway and I also know this will be popular, all the foodie ones are. Some of you may know I like to enter the odd competition myself and in my top five prizes to win was a wicker hamper crammed with goodies.

I was after a lot of trying been  enough to win one

  I know you will absolutely adore receiving this.

This hamper (and yes you get the hamper for future Famous Five style picnics with lashings of ginger beer!!!) is crammed full with sweet goodies, sweet I say, but not terribly bad for you. So if you are being careful and trying to maintain a healthy eating plan you will be able to indulge yourself, if on the other hand you don't half to watch what you eat, well you can dive in and demolish them all.

I was offered the new Weight Watcher Fruit Crumbles to try how this measures up to your hamper I'll never know!!! Only kidding. They are actually so scrummy,I was more  than happy.

They are lovely with a cuppa, the best ones for me were the  Apple, Blueberry and Raspberry, they are incredibly chewy, taste fruity, they remind me of two of my fave biscuits rolled into one, a jammy dodger and a fig roll.

Only fruitier, they crumble satisfyingly and its hard to believe these are healthy treats. They seem quite sinful to me! Possibly are quite naughty though when you stop for a cuppa and open the packet, making sure you don't  have to share...oops!

Win a Hamper bursting with delicious Weight Watchers® Cookies and Biscuits

So enough of my wicked ways, I'm here to atone by teaming up with Weight Watchers to give away a luxury hamper, full to the brim with Weight Watchers delicious treats, including the full range of Cookies,  Oaty Biscuits, Caramel Wafers, Chocolate Biscuits, Caramel Mallows.

Also nestled within this tasty prize are both flavours of the brand new Weight Watchers Fruit Crumble Biscuits – the indulgent Apple, Blueberry and Raspberry and mouth-watering Apple, Apricot and Peach varieties.

Both have a ProPoints® value of just 2 and are 89 calories or less per Biscuit. Individually wrapped in a pack of six, these snacks are ideal if you’re on-the-go or as a lunchbox treat.

For your chance to win this scrumptious prize worth £45, is as easy as ABC

A. Answer the  question by midnight on the 11th August   
How many varieties of the new Weight Watchers Fruit Crumble Biscuit are there?

1. One

2. Two

3. Three

B.  Follow/Name  follow the blog via Google Friends Connect over on the right hand side and leave a way to contact yo

C. Comment on another review and tell me where

Bonus entries

(Optional)

You can do any or all of the following for bonus entries - just make sure you have done ABC first and leave me one comment per entry so that they're all counted !

1. My favourite reads are the ones that tell me about you.

So tell me  a joke, your favourite treat, a slimming tip what sort of day you are having, anything you fancy just please don't say "Enter Me" it makes me snigger!!

2. Tweet the giveaway, here's one I made earlier or do your own, just let me know.

Win a wicker hamper of delicious treats here http://tinyurl.com/3u3a29w  #GTDOWW

3. Comment on another review leave me some extra comments on my reviews up to 5 and I'll give you a bonus entry for each one !

**Leave a separate comment for each one**

Ends 11th August

UK only

Winners must email their details within 7 days, after which all unclaimed prize will be redrawn.

Redfoot Original Folding Shoe Autumn/Winter 2011 Review

I cannot say I know of anybody who has not at some time complained of sore aching feet. Especially on a night out.

I see a fabulous pair of shoes in the shop that will be perfect for my outfit, raise my minuscule height to average and make me look slimmer. OK so they pinch a little, but  I have to have them.

A few glasses of wine later, a dance or ten, standing to chat to friends and the feet start to complain, well my feet get to screaming level.

Who's had that uncomfortable burning sensation on the ball of their feet? So bad  does it feel, I actually think achy feet have a factor in late night altercations with party goers, not just a few too many!!

Off come the torture equipment, well they do with me. I used to suffer until the end of a day or night out and then suffer for days after, or worse take my shoes off, go barefoot and then inevitably have to put the shoes back on.

The agony is so many times magnified that second wearing isn't it and to really peeve you, all the dirt you collected on your feet is now on the insole of your new shoes.

Arrrrggghhh!

I remember Redfoot coming onto the party scene a few years ago, I remember thinking what a fabulous idea, saw other foldable shoe brands appear, then the cheaper shops cotton on to a trend.

 I have a cheapie pair that really are just glorified slippers and the soles shredded the first outing, a shoe that can be folded, put in a little bag, be comfortable and be reusable is a hard thing to achieve.

Well now I have a pair of Redfoot foldable shoes and they leave the others standing! (Pardon the pun!)

Comfort oooh they are sublime!!

Construction and quality, they are superb!!

Style, wow!!

So to be as impressed as me, you first have to come with me I always do research the beginnings and beliefs of a company.

Stay with me, I know you all like my little history tours.

 

Redfoot is the brain child of The Bacup Shoe Company. Established in 1928 in Bacup (obviously) the town is a lovely little area steeped in a rich history of shoemaking. One of the few footwear companies left, throughout the years the company has successfully manufactured and supplied shoes to many of the leading and famous high street retailers. Then they thought it was time to create their own baby...

OK I hear you yawning lots of folks make shoes.

But Redfoot didn't just churn out some pretty slipper type shoes to make a mint out of sore footed men and women, (although they are extremely pretty) oh no they got in contact with leading designers and technicians, consulted podiatrists and created a masterpiece in flat shoes.

They are independently tested by Intertek Plc. footwear technologists. Only then, after these final tests are passed with flying colours, do they sell them to us.

They have the 'split-sole' folding technology, meaning they are durable, hard working and comfortable, yet fold completely in half. In layman's terms, they are not poorly made and end up slitting along the fold as my last pair did.

 

So you know they are well designed,  but do you know they have put a lot into the comfort.

The new Autumn/Winter 2011 ballet pumps featuring revolutionary new technology OnAir. OnAir is a hidden 1cm wedge concealed within the sole of the shoe and is unable to be seen from the outside. The wedge provides support and comfort responding to podiatrists recommendations that 1cm is the optimum healthy heel height.

My explanation though not as succinct, is that if you put these on after partying or if you are travelling, they feel so dreamy on your feet, you won't want to take them off. In fact after certain shoe wearing you wonder why you did not start in the Redfoot's.

Finally all this is very well but any shoe, especially in my collection has to be cute, attractive, even my walking boots have style so I wouldn't want  grannyish slippers on my feet especially when still wearing the party dress.

Redfoot triumph again, the closest I will ever get to feeling like a ballerina is in a pair of these shoes. ( I had dreams I tell ya!)

They are so adorable, very Audrey Hepburnish, just have a look on their site at the new styles. Some are so gorgeous, bejewelled, leopard print, 1940's vintage, then some definite hat tips to the punk era , Union Jacks and distressed looks, all manner of styles.

Each pair arrive exquisitely packaged, in a pink box with a rope handle, the shoes also have a little pouch to carry them in, they are so thoughtfully made.

In fact I have a dilemma now, these are the shoes you put on after a night out to save your heels and save your feet, but where are the shoes to help protect the Redfoot's and keep them looking good?

As the heady days of summer draw to an end and we wave goodbye to sun, sea and sand for another year the designers over at Redfoot have created a gorgeous range for A/W 2011 that will be sure to turn that frown upside down.

Premium – lovingly crafted using the finest materials, the premium range is both luxurious and fashion forward.

• Coco - a quilted leather driving pump with gold cushioned insole, created with the highest quality leather (RRP £45.99), these delicate pumps are reminiscent of the revered Parisian designer Coco Chanel and are available in Camel and White.
• Blair - perfect for any Upper East Side princess – these canvas pumps are heavily embellished with diamante and pears and are available in pink or black. RRP £56.99
• Bo - Made from the softest leather and finished with an elaborate suede bow, Bo is available in camel and black and harks back to the 1940’s, perfect for AW11. RRP £40.99.
• 
• Paloma - a foldable shoe with pony skin upper section and a shocking pink trim, this pump retails at £45.99 and fits perfectly with the ongoing trend for animal print. Also available in a textured leopard print design, the Paloma ensures you will be putting your best fashion foot forward this season
• Garbo - The Garbo has a distressed metallic finish and is decorated with large, multi-coloured pebbles – making it the perfect statement shoe. RRP £56.99

Carnaby Street – a collection emulating the style, culture and individuality of this shopping street icon. The Carnaby Street collection features an eye-catching Union Jack sole and new additions ‘Alexandra’ and ‘Leigh’, which celebrate the innovation of British design. RRP: £34.99

Disney – bringing back the magic and adding twinkle to your toes, these exclusive retro-style ballet pumps feature diamante and stud embellishments ideal for Disney devotees. RRP from: £48.99

Glitz and Glam – The Glitz and Glam range ensures your feet are ready for the dance floor, the perfect range of evening shoes, you can be sure to remain stylish when the dreaded heel burn strikes.

• Dolly - Available is sleek textured fabric or soft faux leather, these stylish pumps feature a patent floral embellishment and delicate bow and are available in black and mink. RRP £35.99
• 
  
• Monroe / Hepburn / Hayworth / Onassis - A long time favourite with young starlets dashing from party to party Redfoot have also been inspired by the elegance of old Hollywood this Autumn – naming many of their range after screen goddesses such as Rita Hayworth and Audrey Hepburn. The sleek shoes are made from timeless materials such as suede and silk and are certain to be a classic in any fashionista’s shoe closet. RRP £35.99

Essentials - No female should be without this elegant essentials range of chic ballet pumps and sandals.

• Wanda and Taylor- embracing the ongoing trend for animal print, both the Wanda and Taylor feature a striking leopard print design and are available in gold, silver and purple. The Taylor has a satin finish and a pretty bow detail whereas the Wanda has a distressed metallic upper. Both shoes retail at £35.99.

Whether you are a Haywarth, Coco or Paloma, the latest range from Redfoot will guarantee your feet look and feel their best this Autumn.

To view the full Redfoot range, order online and find your nearest stockist, visit

 www.redfootshoes.com

Parissa Winner

My thanks go to Parissa for the lovely prize, a bumper summer set  of their lovely hair removal products. My personal favourites are the warm wax and the Azulene oil.

I hope you find them as good as I have and a hairfree summer.

So now just to tell you who has won, all my winners are chosen by a random number generator

http://www.psychicscience.org/random.aspx

@happymandz

Congratulations, please make sure you contact me via my email (found under my photo) within 7 days or the prize is redrawn.

PhotoBox Canvas, Photobook and Lil-Lets WINNER

A fabulous amount of readers entered this competition, its such a good prize and I'm most jealous of the winner already so useful, the winner gets a lovely large premium A3 canvas is a prize worth having all on its own. What a lovely keepsake or present, worth getting a lovely photo to use it for.

Lil-lets have partnered with PhotoBox and me as they really wanted to treat you though so they also have added a photo book and a years supply of Lil-Lets.

There is a lovely offer on with Lil-lets too at the moment/

They're  giving away 70 free photos with every pack of Lil-lets, worth over £7

For your free photos, simply click on the ‘Claim now’ button here.    

http://www.lil-lets-click.co.uk/

 

You’ll then need to log in or create a Photobox account and enter your unique code which can be found on promotional packs of Lil-lets

Well I'm late in posting today, so I won't keep you in suspense any longer

So

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Drumroll!!!!

 Inside the Wendy House  aka @wendymcd83

CLOSED Sea - Bands Review and Giveaway 46 Ends 31st July

As you may or may not know I was pregnant with twins, it took me a long time to have them, I had them by the miracle of IVF, it was the dream come true, my ultimate joy, but marred by morning sickness. For the first few weeks I was upbeat,  poorly but still elated with my luck, within literally 19 days of the embryos being implanted I was being violently sick and after a few weeks, there were moments when I hated being pregnant and bemoaned my lot.

For it wasn't just morning sickness, nausea and actual sickness plagued me afternoon, evening, middle of the night, there I'd be clutching a toilet or bowl and groaning, by the time I was five months and had a 40 inch waist this was unbelievably uncomfortable.

It continued throughout my second trimester, despite being told it generally passes after 12 weeks, into third and my very last day of being sick was as I was wheeled into the delivery room that last journey before birth had me heaving.

How I wish I had known the miracle of Sea-Bands as I do now. I know they work as pregnant friends have confirmed, alas I was not on the Internet then, few were so it was mags and word of mouth. I never came across them.

I can wholeheartedly guarantee these work though, Paige suffered from travel sickness from early on. We managed to lessen the chance with dry toast before a journey, an apple really does help, we even found it was less likely to happen if she sat on the left hand side of the car, don't ask me why and this was when she was a baby so it was not imagined by her at all. All these things did not always work though.

We had some horrific pulp fiction moments in the car, she was also known as (hope you are not eating while reading this, if so turn away now....)

the 'Vomit Queen' by the school. Nice name for my gorgeous girl I  think not.

When Paige was sick I was sick, I'm the worst Mum in the world when it comes to this cleaning up after a sick bout, give me any other disaster, I won't go on too much, but I can deal with most things life throws at me bar sick and mouldy potatoes.

It even got to the stage where we bought Febreze for the car to try and hide the smell from my nostrils, I now smell it and associate it with upset tummies and mine starts to go, told you I was bad.

Then we discovered Sea-Bands, Paige was 6 at the time and we never looked back, her age meant again it was not all in the mind.

We did our first trip to Cornwall without the sick bowl coming out, the first time ever and I can honestly say we never used it again. She is nearly over it now, they come out for long journeys and she puts them on herself.

We use them for any feelings of sickness, I have used them when just feeling decidedly dodgy and pop them on and rub the stud until the  nausea feelings subside.

I will leave you to read down and find out from Sea-Bands just how they work how to apply and then if you stay until the end, two of you will win a set of the Adult and children's Sea-Bands

The natural way to fight morning sickness!
Sea-Bands have been clinically tested and proven naturally remedy any type of nausea including morning sickness.

The Sea-Band is an elastic wrist band, which applies pressure on the Nei Kuan acupressure point on the wrist when you experience nausea. This is an effective drug free solution to alleviate even the worst morning sickness.

Clinically tested and a drug-free, natural remedy, Sea-Bands alleviate morning sickness, motion sickness, anesthesia, chemotherapy, and all other conditions that induce nausea.

Sea-Bands work by applying acupressure to the Nei Kuan pressure point, which naturally soothes the stomach and eases nausea. The Sea-Bands have a plastic stud on the inner part of the wrist band, which applies pressure while being worn.

Since Sea-Bands are all natural and drug-free, they can be worn at any time with no adverse side effects.

Sea-Bands Features

• Acupressure wrist band for the relief of morning sickness and travel sickness
• The only clinically tested wristband
• No drugs, no side effects
• Used by doctors and in hospitals

How to wear Sea-Bands Place your middle fingers on the inside of your wrist with the edge of your third finger at the bottom of your hand, at the crease of your wrist. Underneath your middle finger, you will find the Nei Kuan pressure point, in between two wrist tendons. You will be able to feel it by pressing down in this spot.

Place the Sea-Band on your wrist, with the plastic stud toward your skin on the Nei Kuan pressure point. Do the same with the other wrist band.

You should begin to feel relief within five minutes. If nausea worsens, apply pressure with your finger to the plastic stud.

Two followers will each win an adults and child's set of Sea-Bands  to do this is as simple as ABC.

A Follow my blog

B Comment on another review and tell me where

C Most important leave a name.

Bonus entries

(Optional)

You can do any or all of the following for bonus entries - just make sure you have done ABC first and leave me one comment per entry so that they're all counted !

1. My favourite reads are the ones that tell me about you.

So tell me anything, a joke, a tip for ladies anything you fancy just please don't say "Enter Me" it makes me snigger!!

2. Tweet the giveaway, here's one I made earlier or do your own, just let me know.

Win Adult and Children's Sea-Bands and stop travel sickness, morning sickness enter here http://tinyurl.com/3dfr5ce
  #GTDOSEABAND

3. Comment on another review leave me some extra comments on my reviews up to 5 and I'll give you a bonus entry for each one !

**Leave a separate comment for each one**

Ends 31st July

Winners must email their details within 7 days, after which all unclaimed prizes will be redrawn.

GOSH Mini Nail Lacquer Winners

I have a big thank you to all the tips for nail photography, some I already do so at least I'm on the right track.

GOSH a lot of you entered loved the jokes, the tips, the comments, best part of my day is first thing in the morning sitting with a cuppa and reading the last days comments.

 

Wish I had a prize for all of you, alas 10 lucky people get a mini lacquer from GOSH who are still giving prizes away on their Facebook page on a regular basis, so if you don't see your name here, try your hand there.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Gosh-UK/137224756349645

funkiichiicka via email

Lo-Lo aka @Morrighani

Bruce aka @essexgirlSE emsmiff aka @emmiloam

 littleboo21 aka @littleboo_21

meetjosmith aka @meetjosmith

kemo_2002 aka @kemo_2002

Julie aka @juliebarrett62

Mummy C aka @mummylion

 emma aka ekitt1001

Congrats you lucky people.

Please do send me your details via my email address found under my photo on the top right.

You have 7 days to respond, prizes not claimed will be redrawn.

Two giveaways still running and both large prizes.

http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2011/06/win-photobox-canvas-photobook-and-years.html

http://given-to-distracting-others.blogspot.com/2011/07/win-parissa-goodies-to-celebrate-canada.html