While the cat's away the mice will play!

So my Mother's long awaited trip to Europe begins tomorrow so I will be house sitting, cat sitting and fridge raiding for a little less than 3 weeks with the Boyfriend. Even at the old age of 27 I still get excited about the prospect of a "free house" and my friends and I are still using that term regularly should we want to invite people over; with no shame!

As the weather has suddenly turned horrible and rainy and freezing cold I went out today to buy a few pick-me-ups as well as trying to decide what shmancy things to cook for the Boyfriend now I have the WHOLE kitchen to myself.

Firstly and completely unrelated to food I purchased a few little things to add to my Autumn wardrobe...

Racing green Soft Skinny Jeans from New Look (£20 - Bargain!!)

Barry M Nail Paint in Cappucino

Studded Suede look boots

Next onto the food and as this was more a spur of the moment shop than a considered trip with a list etc it shows more what I fancied for lunch rather than any sort of planning for the week ahead!

Firstly I bought some Nutella so that I could make Miss Glamorazzi's Nutella hot chocolate which you can see HERE! I would normally have the Hotel Chocolate Caramel hot chocolate but with the weather as it is the supermarket alternative would have to do!

The honey is because of my sore and croaky throat. After the Boyfriend's fancy dress party at the weekend my voice has gone and I sound a little "Macy Gray" today. I like honey in or on anything but as it's cold I'm going to make honey and lemon tea and NOT HAVE ANY MORE CIGARETTES!!

I've picked up some veggies which aren't terribly exciting (hence the use of Instagram!) but it does mean I'll be able to make Jamie Oliver's Butternut Squash Soup which is my all time favourite and a Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato mash a la the Good Food website HERE.

I am on the hunt for some more Autumnal recipes especially if they go well with a glass (bottle) of wine! Obviously just as a hot toddy ;)

Birthdays, Dinner and Chinese Poker - never a dull moment

After trying to stick to the Marine Commando Diet for the last week (and losing 4lbs - hooray!) There was no stopping me at the all you can eat buffet for my Step-Mother's Birthday. Nothing says support from your Boyfriend like being snapped at the buffet. Trust me, I was a lot more excited than I look here!

I don't normally eat Chinese but my Step Mother is Chinese so only fair we have her choice, I have to say the desserts were a highlight. Not traditional Chinese offerings but scrumptious none the less; lychees and mango, blackforest gateau and a chocolate fountain with foam bananas and shrimps!! Yum!


 Seeing as it was my Step-mothers Birthday and my Dad and her had just returned from China after spending hours playing cards over late night drinks there were a few rounds of Flight played. If you haven't heard of it I can honestly say it's the MOST COMPLICATED card game I've ever played!

There's some info on it here although this was quite hard to track down on the net. Seems it goes by a few names but apparently lots of Chinese women play this kind of Chinese poker (羅宋牌九) and win hundreds of pounds! Not too shabby although after playing it a couple of times I still have absolutely no idea what's happening or who the winner is.

The Mr seemed to be enjoying it though...

The hand above is a winning hand?! You must make a 5, a 5, and a 3 and lay them down on the table not changing any cards and not moving them once you've decided. A colour run is the highest you can get and goes at the bottom, then 2 pairs, a triple,  pair etc with an Ace being 1 or 11. You are then awarded or penalised points against each other for rows 1, 2 and 3. Sound complicated?! IT IS! Thank god we're not yet playing for money!!