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Reading Jo's blog today I think perhaps I'll give this a try.

I certainly think circumstance forces you to be careful, although certainly doesn't make it easy. We spend more on groceries than I'd like, we're with everyone on that, but we're fortunate enough that we can cope with that expenditure. I think when you have to you do, but that's no reason not to be better.

I do try and shop to a menu on the weekend for the coming week, sometimes it works, other weeks I find the process particularly torturous. I have also had to ween myself out of the habit of what do I fancy tonight thinking, which I am want to do. I would definitely work best, in terms of my culinary output, living in France and shopping daily. Tough on the wallet maybe, but my oh my what delights I'd produce.

This week isn't the ideal time to begin as we've got birthday treats in there on a number of days, but I'll get into the swing and then from next week I'll report back on how I'm doing.

Tonight we'll use a bag of mixed peppers that I picked up from the farm shop near my parents. I'll make a pepporanata with those, tomatoes mum's given me and garlic from my brother in the NE. Geoff and I will happily eat that with cous cous and lots of herbs from the garden. The girls, unfortunately won't eat that, we'll fudge on that part of the day.

The dish above was part of last night's roast chicken. It's a potato, wilted greens and cheese gratin. Thinly sliced layered potatoe at the bottom. A layer of greens (the recipe asked for cavolo nero but I used spinach) sauteed briefly with finely chopped shallots, garlic and lots of nutmeg and pepper. Top layer cheesey bechamel. Bake in the oven till brown and bubbling. Reheat the leftovers and eat for lunch - I just did!