This one is based on the family favourite shepherds pie, but if like me not everyone in your family likes the texture of mince meat you can switch up the mince for sausages. In a nutshell glorified sausage and mash but this really is a winner dinner.
This will serve 4 people.
Ingredients
8 good quality sausages
2 large onions
Cup of peas or sliced green beans
750 ml of beef stock
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
1tbsp tomato puree
1.5kg of white potatoes
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
150g of cheddar cheese
100ml of milk
4 tbsp butter
To make
Add potatoes chunks to a large pan of boiling water, cook until knife tender.
Heat a pan with olive oil and brown off the sausages, remove the sausages from the pan and add in the chopped onions, green veg and cook until the onions are soft.
Add back the sausages but chopped into smaller chunks and continue to cook with the onion and veg, add in the stock, Worcester sauce and tomato puree and simmer until nice and thick.
Once cooked pour into your baking dish.
Mash up the potatoes, add 4 tbsp of butter and the milk. once mashed stir in your mustard and cheese.
Dollop by dollop add the mash to the sausages. Work from the outside in and don’t push down too hard or the gravy layer will become uneven. Use a fork to rough the top, then place in the oven for 20 minutes at 200 degrees.
I make a point of giving my mattress a deep clean every season, in-between I give it a regular vacuum when changing the sheets on clean sheets Sunday.
Your mattress needs a little TLC because it can harbour dust mites, dead skin, dirt, bodily fluids, and other debris, it is important to give your mattress a regularly clean, particularly if you suffer from allergies or allow your pet onto the bed.
Once a month I will give it a quick steam clean. Steam cleaning breaks down odours, remove allergies and removes surface dirt and will give your mattress a fresh clean feeling.
If you have a mattress that you can flip over, do this every time you change your bedding but if your mattress is non flip, rotate instead and this will help keep the comfort fillings evenly distributed, which will improve the lifespan of your mattress.
A good quality thick mattress protector will also help prolong the life of your mattress, these can be removed and washed easily giving your mattress the best protection from bodily odours and allergens.
Cleaning your mattress may come across as a big cleaning job but it is far easier than you may think.
Start by vacuuming your mattress, use the upholstery attachment and go over the entire surface, including the sides, make sure you pay attention to the seams as this is were hidden dirt may hide and dust will settle.
Next spot clean any stains, make up your own a mattress stain cleaning solution using hydrogen peroxide, washing up liquid and water. ¾ fill the spray bottle with water, add in 20 ml or hydrogen peroxide and a drop of washing up liquid. Shake really well and then liberally spray the stained area. If the stains are bad, leave the product on for a while to work. Use a damp microfibre to gently scrub into the mattress and then using a separate white cloth blot dry. I always suggest using white cloths because this way you can see the stain being lifted out. Try not to use too much water if you have a memory foam mattress as they aren’t supposed to get too wet.
If you have a carpet cleaner with an upholstery tool, and your mattress is not memory foam then use this to penetrate the mattress and pull out all the dust, dirt, and debris.
If you don’t have a carpet cleaner or your mattress is memory foam, then use some bicarbonate of soda. This acts to dry clean your mattress. Sprinkle a layer over the top of the entire mattress and then leave for several hours, the bicarbonate of soda will break down acid and absorb any remaining moisture and odour. The longer you can leave the bicarbonate of soda the better. Keep the room well aired during this process, open the windows, and let the sunlight and fresh air through. The sun’s UV rays will act as a natural disinfectant.
Vacuum away the bicarbonate of soda and then spray with a fabric refresher spray, choose your favourite, or make up your own. I make mine using bicarbonate of soda and lavender essential oil. ¾ fill a spray bottle with water, add in a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and 10 drops of essential oils, shake well and spray all over. I choose lavender as it helps to aid sleep and is a relaxing essential oil.
Cleaning the mattress will extend its life but all good things do come to an end, after 8 years it is time to consider investing in new, body impressions and sagging will indicate that it no longer providing the support you require. Waking up uncomfortable or sleeping badly are signs to move on.
As most of you know I do have a bit of a thing for lemons, so it would only be right that my most favourite cake is the classic Lemon drizzle. This is such a simple recipe that makes the most delicious light and zesty sponge.
Ingredients
2 large eggs
Self raising flour
Butter
Caster sugar
1 large lemon
To make
Weigh the 2 eggs and then measure out the same weight in the self raising flour, butter and caster sugar.
Mix all the above ingredients together.
Grate the lemon and add to the mixture
Put the mixture in to a greased loaf tin until the middle sets, approx 50 minutes at 180 degrees.
Whilst your cake is in the oven, squeeze the juice from the lemon and add in 85g of caster sugar or icing sugar.
When the cake comes out of the oven use a cocktail stick/skewer to make holes in the top and pour over the sugar mixture.
A delicious low calorie pork mince recipe that makes a quick and simple midweek meal that the whole family will enjoy. This recipe serves 4 people.
Ingredients
500g lean pork mince
1 large red onion
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper
2 garlic cloves
350g of sweet chilli low fat sauce
soy sauce
3 tbsp of tomato puree
To make
Chop your peppers, red onion and crush the garlic cloves.
Heat up your oil, add the onion and fry until soft. Then add in the minced pork.
Once the pork has browned add in the peppers, crushed garlic and stir into the mince. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add in the sweet chilli sauce, a splash of soy sauce and 3 tbsp of tomato puree. Simmer until nice and thick, approx 20 minutes and then serve with rice or noddles.
If you want to add in more vegetables sweetcorn or peas work really well
Use my easy autumn steps to get your home ready for autumn and prepared for the winter months.
Autumn is such a beautiful colourful season, with its orange and yellow leaves and bright red berries. It’s the perfect time to wrap up for a beautiful walk – and then come back to an inviting cosy home with a tasty hot chocolate.
Prepare your entrance
Cheer yourself up on colder days by creating a warm welcome to your home. Autumn is the perfect time to spruce up your front door, add in an autumnal door wreath and some seasonal decorations.
The rest of the front garden might need a tidy up, too. After all, you’ll probably see more of the front than the back garden during the winter. Remove any summer hanging basket and plant some evergreen shrubs that will provide an attractive structure throughout the cold months, you could also add a couple of winter-flowering plants to boost interest.
Inside as you enter add in a good quality door mat to trap dirt and soak up wet muddy shoes.
Time to get cosy
As the days and evenings become colder, you’ll need to think about keeping warm and cosy. Candles are perfect this time of year, choose autumnal scents like pumpkin, apple, cinnamon and nutmeg, as these scents will bring that extra dose of ambiance your home needs. Incorporate autumnal colours, switch those summer themed cushions for autumnal ones and get yourself some lovely soft throws and blankets. Then attend to the bigger stuff, like making sure your radiators are all bled, clean from built up dust and in good working order and book in for a boiler service to ensure that it’s fit and healthy enough for the rest of the year you don’t want to run the risk of no hot water at 7 am on a Monday morning in January (brrr).
Check light bulbs too, make sure they are all working and knock off that layer of dust using a recycled make up brush.
Little things and small changes to your environment can make a major difference to your wellbeing and mood, so they are well worth your time and effort.
If you’re lucky enough to have a working fireplace or wood-burning stove, now’s the time to prepare and clean it ready for use.
Stock up on firewood and kindling, and invest in a couple of baskets to store the firewood next to the fire.
Finally check to make sure your smoke alarms are all working.
Make way for wellies
The hallway will need a seasonal overhaul, too. Put away sandals and sun hats till the spring and organise space for heavy coats, boots and wellies. Ensure there are enough hooks for all your coats, as well as a space for umbrellas. It’s also a good idea to use a hallway storage bench if you have the room or put baskets next to the door for gloves, hats and scarves.
Get organised
Put away your summer wardrobe and have a declutter at the same time, get rid of things you didn’t wear. I love to use vacuum storage pack bags as you can store so much neatly away.
Don’t forget about the linen closet, either. Switch out those lighter linens with your heavier bedding, linens, and blankets.
Organise home admin and invest in any new storage you think you might need. Now might be a good time to organise your kitchen cupboards, too. Throw away out-of-date food, donate tins that you know you won’t eat and store similar things together. Decant pasta, rice and pulses into attractive jars, and find some useful storage for your spices.
Empty the contents of your freezer and fridge to see what’s fresh and what isn’t. Give these storage areas a good cleaning before refilling them.
Outside
Wash off your patio furniture before putting it away until the spring. Store it in a shed or an out-of-the-way spot in the garage. If it’s staying outside, cover everything with properly fitting covers to prevent rust.
Pick up any garden toys, sports equipment, and gardening tools sitting outside and out them away.
Clear out the gutters.
On a dark evening, arriving home or visiting the shed or dustbins will be difficult if you can’t see where you’re going. So it’s important to ensure any outside lighting is in good working order.
It’s also nice to have some lighting in the back garden to illuminate winter plants and look pretty.
I have joined forces with the UK’s leading appliance experts at Swan, to produce three amazing new products to eliminate bacteria, remove stubborn stains, and offer an all-around floor-to-ceiling clean in the home.
With years of professional cleaning experience getting the home spick and span, as quickly as possible has always been my aim.
I chose the Handheld Carpet Cleaner for my collection as I am aware that not every home is fully carpeted so the need for a full system is not necessary.
The Handheld Carpet Cleaner can be bought out to cope with those accidental spillages in an instant and act as a spot cleaner. Also perfect for bringing your sofas and mattresses back to life after years of usage, and to help you keep the rugs, and door mats, super clean in the muddy winter months.
Not forgetting car interiors! All of these handy time-saving features make this handheld carpet cleaner a model of efficiency – and I know this is the most important thing when it comes to those more off-putting cleaning tasks!
Hyper Plush Light
With its 21.6V lithium-ion battery, you will get 30 minutes of run time, to cover all areas of the family home. From carpets and hard floors to upholstery and car interiors, there’s nowhere this vacuum can’t reach.
Two heads are better than one! The tangle-free Power-Plush motorised-head, polishes as it vacuums, reaching pet hairs and debris while giving a shine to those hard surfaces at the same time. The Hyper Brush head also offers edge-to-edge cleaning, with the help of LED lights for reduced cleaning time.
The Hyper Plush reaches high corners and skirting boards with ease, due to its’ lightweight and cordless features. You can get to those nooks and crannies in no time. Perfect for floor-to-ceiling cleaning and dusting, the detachable handheld size, also adds portability for awkward areas, like staircases, or car interiors. The easy-to-empty, large-capacity dust bin, empties easily with a simple press of the release button. Multiple heads mean there’s something for every area of the home and with a push of a button, there’s a turbo boost to tackle trickier areas of dirt.
Handheld Steamer
My Steam Cleaner comes with a nine-piece accessory kit giving you the option to clean and refresh clothing, coats, bags, and upholstery. Moving onto harder surfaces like grout, hobs, and ovens, all while producing a streak-free shine throughout.
Fitted with a tank capacity of 220ml and 3 Bar of steam pressure. The angle concentrator, grout brush tool, flat scraping head, hose, and window cleaning attachments mean users can select the perfect accessory for the job.
I really hope you love the Lynsey Range as much as I do and don’t forget my discount code will save you 20% – QUEENOFCLEAN
One of my favourite recipes and packed with goodness perfect for a snack or for tea served with salad and Greek yogurt.
What you need
120g Spelt flour (not found in all supermarkets, Tesco and m&s) 1/2 tsp baking powder 100ml of milk 1 egg 100g of finley chopped onion 400g of sweetcorn 100g of chopped spring onion 15g of parsley 20g of fresh mint chopped 1 tsp of cumin.
How to make
Prepare the mixture
Place the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and mix together. Whisk in the beaten egg and the milk until nice and smooth. Add in the onion, spring onion and the sweetcorn. Stir. Then add in the chopped mint, cumin and parsley and mix together well.
Heat a large frying pan with olive oil
Heat a large pan with olive oil, it needs to be hot before frying your fritters.
Fry the fritters
Using clean hands make flattened fritters. From this recipe you should get around 8 good size ones and then fry 3 at a time keeping them well spaced in the pan. Remove onto a plate and add into a preheated oven when they are golden brown and carry on.
Serve
Service with Greek Yogurt mixed with a spoonful of honey and salad leaves.
Cleaning products make up 15% of plastic waste, most of us have cupboards bulging with plastic bottles, me included but what can we do to reduce this wastage. We all want to keep our homes clean and smelling great, but it would also be nice to rethink our produce choices.
Investing in eco cleaning products for your home is one of the simplest ways to move to a more sustainable way of living.
Eco-friendly or green cleaning is seeing a huge rise in interest and instead we are moving back to more traditional methods often using my favourite juicy lemons, bicarb of soda, citric acid and white vinegar using various combinations.
I have spent the last few weeks testing out eco cleaning products and eco cleaning tools from well known brands and super markets and wanted to share some of my top eco finds with you that will have your kitchen gleaming and your bathroom sparkling.
Cleaning tools.
Coconut cleaning scourers and scrubbers, these work so well and are made from coconut husk bristles and natural cotton. The main benefits of having coconut husk, or coir, cleaning bristles is that they are tough, highly durable and sustainable, providing you with long-term cleaning tools.The bristles make easy work of those hard to reach areas. They are naturally biodegradable and free from plastic.
A classic duster for any home, the handle is made out of bamboo which means it’s germ-free and naturally sterile and gives you an alternative to buying a plastic one, don’t forget my range with Addis is made from bamboo too. My bamboo sponges and cloths are naturally anti-bacterial plant source eliminating odours and prolonging sponge life
So soft and picks up dust with ease, you can order yours here
A new innovation in cleaning using the power of Salt, water and electricity to create a natural cleaning power. The 400 ml refillable and removable water bottle enables you make your own sanitiser for floors, surfaces and for taking out and about. By simply using the trigger on the mop handle you can conveniently spray the jets of water onto the floor without having to bend over.
Cleans, polishes and protects, this incredible cleaning clay is made from all natural ingredients. It can clean the toughest off grime from all hard surfaces plus it will protect your surfaces too. Has a hint of lemon so smells so fresh.
Non biological tablets with plastic free packaging, cruelty free and vegan friendly. You can buy separately or part of a subscription service. They are have other products too such as dishwasher tablets, fabric conditioner and cleaning sprays.
Wilton is literally amazing, smells good and cleans to perfection. Packed with essential oils and made right here in the UK. The formula is packed with naturally derived ingredients.
They do a range of cleaning products, including a window spray, multi-purpose spray, washing up liquid and laundry products which are in store in at Lakeland or available online.
Zero waste green cleaning, mix clean cleaning products are so good, I have been using them a few months now and really enjoy them, the added benefit is they take up very little to store and refills fit through your letter box when you order them so no missed deliveries.
Their products are :
Highly concentrated.
Low-carbon footprint.
Single-use plastic FREEEE.
Vegan
Pet friendly.
Family friendly.
The bath mix is one of my favourites and smells super minty. Made from bicarbonate of soda and bio surfactant and can be used on baths, showers, sinks, taps, stainless steel and even white trainers.
These are 100% natural and eco friendly alternative to laundry detergents, which are gentle on all fabrics. Simply add them to the woven bag provided and then add to your washing machine.
You can also boil them into a foam that can be used as a hair and body wash which is also great for healing skin conditions. (in mu insta highlights there is a little demo of this process)
Soap nuts come from the Sapindus mukorossi tree—a unique species of trees found in both the eastern and western hemispheres, but native to the tropical conditions of Nepal.
They are sticky to touch and a bit unusual but I really enjoyed testing them.
Hope some of my favourite choices will be of use you in potentially changing some of your cleaning habits.
White trainers are a sitting target for dirt. The good news is, like most of us, they ‘scrub up’ well. With the right products hand cleaning your trainers is effective and doesn’t take too much effort at all.
When coming back from a muddy walk allow your trainers to air dry especially if they are wet from the rain. Trying to clean them straight away could actually make them much worse. Once they have dried knock them together outside so the mud falls off or alternatively use a soft natural brush.
Fill a bowl with warm water and add in either a drop of liquid laundry detergent or washing up liquid. Dip your brush and scrub away using a circular motion, start with the upper part of the trainer and then finish with the sole.
Wipe clean using a clean dry cloth. (I tend to save up old tea towels for cleaning our trainers)
If the soles and hard rim are still not looking quite as clean as they could be then use a magic eraser with a little bit of water, the generic term for magic eraser is MELAMINE SPONGES. They work their magic by physically removing stains and dirt from the bottom of your shoes and may even work on some suede and cloth type parts on your trainers. The eraser works a bit like sandpaper and will help to get your trainers looking brand new.
Miracle sponges are available in my QOC range. Get Yours Here
Trainers and the washing machine.
Should you put your trainers in the washing machine ? I am often asked this question and I always advise this is personal choice, I DO sometimes wash our trainers in the washing machine but i DO so with care.
Washing trainers in the washing machine can weaken the bonding agents and could also damage your machine.
If you do decide to use the washing machine then choose a low heat setting no more than 30 degrees, a low spin so they are not chucked around too much and use an old pillow case or a laundry bag.
Remove the laces as there is a chance that these could get stuck in the machine and if the shoe liner comes out take this out.
Use a liquid detergent and mix into the detergent a big spoonful of bicarbonate of soda, the reason I recommend this is because bicrab is a whitener. Do not add in any bleached based products as this will strip the colour.
DO NOT ADD ANYTHING ELSE TO THE MACHINE.
Tough stains
In the course of a day wearing your trainers you going to come into contact with threats such as accidental spillages, but thankfully there is a great inexpensive solution to get rid of these stains.
Toothpaste, white toothpaste is such a great alternative to expensive trainer cleaners, just add a generous amount of white toothpaste to the stained area and rub in using an old recycled toothbrush (toothbrushes are a must for your cleaning caddy as they can come in so handy)
Once you have scrubbed away use a damp cloth to remove any foam or residue and your trainers will not only be minty fresh but bright white too!
Laces
A really easy simple quick solution to brighten up and revitalise your trainers is to replace the laces, laces can be inexpensive and will give your trainers a new lease of life.
Cleaning laces takes time but the best solution I have found is to put them in a saucepan of boiling water and add a heaped spoonful of bicarbonate of soda. Never bleach your laces as this will strip the colour and turn them an off yellow colour making them look worse.
Drying
When drying your trainers what ever you do, do NOT put them on a radiator as this can crack them, weaken the glue, meaning the soles could start to unstick and shrink them.
Always air dry your trainers, trainers can take a while so be prepared to be with out them for 24 hours.
Protecting
If you really want to keep your trainers box fresh it is worth investing in shoe care products such a suede protector or a leather protector, use as soon as you get your trainers and after a couple of wears.
We all want a happy, clear mind and this starts at home. If you are living in messy, cluttered rooms this will have a negative impact on you and could slow you down.
I challenge you to chuck away items that are not needed. I have created a list below to give you some ideas of items that you no longer need you and will be surprised at how good this makes you feel.
Remember not all items need to be thrown in the bin. Some can be taken to the charity shop or you can have a carboot sale so organise two boxes one for rubbish and one for charity/carboot.
