Christmas is Coming

Yes it's true, December is almost here, really really very nearly! No longer do I have to hang my head in shame at the mention of the C-word, my tree can go up without judgement and the festive drinking can commence!

As it is the 1st of December tomorrow that gives you just 16 days left to order you Christmas products from Hazeldines Online. Our order book will close on 16th December online, if you have been away on Mars and have missed our payment plan fun for the last three months, fear not, we do not want you to miss out on Christmas Dinner and you can still order through the shop only - while stocks last! This year has been extremely busy on the Turkey front with our legendary Christmas Meat Packs so don't leave it too late!

Opening Hours for Hazeldines Shop:

• Monday 19th December – 8.30-5.30
• Tuesday 20th December – 8.30-5.30
• Wednesday 21st December – 8.30-5.30
• Thursday 22nd December – 8.30-5.30
• Friday 23rd December – 8.30-5.30
• Saturday 24th December – 8.00-3.00
• Sunday 25th December – CLOSED
• Monday 26th December – CLOSED
• Tuesday 27th December – CLOSED
• Wednesday 28th December – CLOSED
• Thursday 29th December – 8.30-5.30
• Friday 30th December – 8.30-5.30
• Saturday 31st December – 8.30-3.00
• Sunday 1st January – CLOSED
• Monday 2nd January – CLOSED
• Tuesday 3rd January – 8.30-5.30

If you've order your turkey but need a few extras we've got all the yummy pork pie goodness you can shake a tinsel covered stick at!

From baby porkies in packs of 4 or the 1lb Pork Pie to the monstrous 2lb Pork Pies.

Pigs in Blankets, you know you can't stop at one! All pre done for you, in packs of 20 so you can order as many as you like. Stock up here!

Having a party? Our Celebration Pork Pies are a great gift idea! As are our Desperate Dan sized Challenge Steaks! Can you defeat the mighty T-Bone or the gargantuan Pan Handle

Fancy New Years Eve Dinner Party, our Carvery Rib of Beef is perfect! One of the most moist and succulent beef joints, the Carvery Rib of Beef is easy to carve, ideal for dinner parties and special celebrations or for roasting and makes a rather spectacular centrepiece. The natural marbling running through the joint guarantees superb flavour, while the clean bones make it easy to carve

Is our Beef Wellington a little bit of you? Now available to purchase online, it's going to be my Christmas Eve dinner. Presents under the tree, blanket round me, slipper socks on, fire on and some cheesy Christmas film on the telly is my idea of heaven, alongside a Beef Wellington of course! Average weight of 1.5kg with our extra matured Fillet Steak tenderly wrapped in Pate and our delicious Puff Pastry - seriously, you just can't beat it!

BLACK FRIDAY OFFERS FROM HAZELDINES

BLACK FRIDAY

It’s that time of year again, can you believe it is a full 12 months since people were going to war over cut price TVs and trashing shops in the ultimate quest for a bargain?!

I can’t! Although we’ve been preparing for Christmas for a while here at Hazeldines which got me into a bit of a panic the fruit of which meaning I am Christmas Shopping complete, so I may well have missed out on all the wonderful bargains sure to be pushed in our face tomorrow.

We’re no different of course! And for all this week (until Sunday 27th November 2016 Midnight) there is a gigantic 15% off our All Meat Packscategory and Steak Packs

I always think when we run these discounts its a super opportunity to try something you haven’t tried before. Mostly because that’s what I would do, my endless hunger sees to that!

So if you’re a Butchers Wrap fan why not give yourself an upgrade and go for the Deluxe Butchers Wrapinstead? Or if you have family descending at this time of year opt for the bigger versions, either the Ultimate Butchers Wrap or the Family Wrap depending on how many surprise guests you are expecting!

If Steaks are your thing we’ve got you covered there too! One of the ranges we introduced earlier this year is our Dry Aged selection. I appreciate it doesn’t sound very sexy, both dry and aged are not the greatest words to describe it but that is what the process is called and they won’t let me change it.

Typically Steak is aged in vacuum bags, none of this is for your benefit as the consumer, its for us the supplier. That’s partly why its all the supermarkets can sell, because of the volumes they do, packaging has to be quick, easy and cheap. Quality is never top of their agenda. Historically, steak was not aged this way, plastic is so new it wasn’t around in’t olden times. We’ve been around for a while as you might have heard, same family, same shop since 1932. I’ve just looked for historical events from 1932 to give you some reference points, and it seems Hazeldines opening was the highlight, pretty miserable year otherwise by all accounts. Hitler obtained German citizenship so he could run in the election, lots of other depressing things with the only other perks being Walt Disney released the first animated cartoon (gotta love Walt Disney) and Elizabeth Taylor and Johnny Cash were born. Anyway, I digress, my point is that 1932 is a long time ago, in the face of serious competition, being surrounded by various major supermarkets we survive. And that my friends is because quality is important to us.

Dry aged steaks are hung in the air, sounds gross but its much better than being packed and suffocated in plastic – exactly imagine that (I’m imagining serial killer Dexter, don’t know what has got in to me today)! It costs money, space and time so consequently they are a little dearer. However, the joy of open age maturity (tried to make it sound better, I understand it hasn’t worked) is that the water evaporates. Who wants to pay for water anyway? No thanks! The price you pay is pure meat, now it sounds better right? Nothing but quality beef steak. With the water evaporating it enhances the flavour significantly resulting in a perfectly tender beefy beef steak. Not explaining it great I know, but try it you won’t regret it. Top tip – T-Bones & Pan Handles are included in the discount too, got an annoying brother (I have) get him one of these and he’ll be tackling it half of Boxing Day giving you some peace and quiet and kudos for looking like an amazing present buyer, your family will thank you.

Side note – remember our chicken has no added salt, additives or water. Ever put a chicken breast in a pan and watch a puddle form? Peculiar isn’t it, and normal it is not. Supermarkets thrive on their products looking the same, wonky veg is not cool with them (this I do not understand, I love finding a good Buddha shaped carrot) its all about cohesion. Chickens aren’t particular cohesive birds, so to make them look like they are they are pumped with water to all look the same. Then they are weighed and you are charged by weight. You pay for all that added water – ugh! The 5kg chickenpacks are included in the discount offer too 😉 you’re welcome

HELLO Skinny Jeans

Tuesday’s are weigh day for us at Team Hazeldine and it truly does put things in perspective. As much as I thought I really don’t care what people think or how much the scary scales say it does add some pressure and anxiety to the week I was not expecting.

Not that I needed to be worried, last week was quite a revelation. I was a bit worried, not least because I had brought my Mum and Mrs H along to the group (there was a special offer to bring a new member and get a week free, not that I’m tight or anything!). Having told everyone I know how much fun I’m having I did worry I would look a bit silly if I had not achieved any loss. Fortunately I did! A whopping 6lbs no less, to put this in perspective that is 6 of these disgusting yellow blobs <<<<<<<<<

After a somewhat disastrous Thursday last week I’ve been a perfect angel type fatty trying to catch up with myself and I should end the week under my naughty girl allowance which fingers crossed will result in a miracle on the scales.

My disaster was no fault of the plan really more of my own domestic issues. Something is happening inside my bedroom wall. Don’t get excited it’s really not fun. At various times during the night in sounds like a demented woodpecker is relentlessly pecking at the wall. It’s obviously not a woodpecker but that’s what it sounds like, its not pipes or electric or squirrels in the attic, its all a bit of a mystery. But regardless it wakes me up at silly hours and on Thursday morning Mr Woodpecker had his mates around and I just could not sleep! This resulted in me turning the alarm off rather than snoozing, which in turn made me late for work with no time for breakfast or to make lunch. These combination of events, through no fault of my own led to a pork pie creeping its sneaky way on to my desk. I only had half, my lucky dog got the rest when I got home. But it still cost me heavily!

Aside from that, I made some lovely delights to enjoy this week. Breakfast and lunch (when I get out of bed on time) I have down to a fine art now. I’m single handedly keeping Curlywurly in business I’m sure.

Monday was Thyme Lamb Steaks with Swede and Carrot mash and Green Beans

See I’m a total angel like perfect fatty

It was pretty good even if I do say so myself, I picked the lamb steaks up after work and griddled them with some Fry Light spray herbs and a small mountain of garlic. Pretty quick and easy to prepare and so worth it. Plus the lamb steaks are lovely Spring Lamb from just up the road in Furness Vale, there aren’t a lot left but you can get your hands on some here

Typically I’m a jeggings kind of girl. I’m working on reinventing my style for the winter season. Mostly because generally no matter how much I weigh, with the amount of layers I need to put on I end up looking like a giant roly poly person who’s body is about to eat her head. I’m sure you can agree this is not a good look. I have made progress however, the woolly jumper I put on this week actually looks like a jumper a normal person would wear and not a wobbly bouncy castle with extra rolls and saddle bags popping out where they shouldn’t. For some time I have been having a silent war against Jeans. Particularly Skinny Jeans. Convinced they are torture contraptions from a different dimension, I give them evils whenever they cross my path. The ones I own are conveniently hidden at the bottom of the drawer to avoid daily exposure. This week however, the washing may have been put on hold. It is not reasonable that I should have an up to date washing cycle as well as creating such fabby meals and plenty of extra long dog walks. So, the pants front was running a bit low, in sheer desperation I reached for what I actually thought were grey jegginngs, but turned out to be jeans half way down the stairs trying to pull them up. But pull up they did! Maybe its the dressing on the way down the stairs (not recommended), or maybe its the yummy food but I can wear jeans. And not just as a temporary thing to nip out in but for an entire day! Nothing short of a miracle I assure you!

Wednesday I made this marvel which was utterly awesome. Light puff pastry means it is not impossible to enjoy such things! I’ve never made a pie before so it was somewhat of a personal triumph. I even went as far as to put a lovely letter K on the top just to claim it as my own. Once again, I don’t want to brag, but it was simply delightful

I used diced beef from the shop, its available in our Beef Wrap which is on offer this week if you want to try some. Put it all in the slow cooker (Wednesday was a day I was up bright and early!) with carrots, green beans, onions, (not mushrooms, I’m not a fan, but you could if you were) some beef stock and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

When I got in from work, took my wonderful dog on a delightful walk, I’ve hit at least 10,000 steps everyday this week which I know thanks to the Fitbit Flex my brilliant brother got for my birthday. I got back in, transferred everything from the slow cooker pot into a Pie Dish and put over a light puff pastry sheet glazed with some egg popped it in the oven. Felt like good proper home cuisine, made by an increasingly natural domestic goddess!

One of my favourite things (it’s mandatory for people working in the Butchers Shop) is BACON SARNIES!!

I mean just look at that

Go on, take a second to appreciate just how good that is.

I’m allowed 3 slices of this very clever crustless bread, you don’t get the end crusts either so I use the whole loaf. It seems I’ve inadvertently put the garden birds on a diet also as they normally clear up the leftover crusts for me. Each layer has some grilled onions and tomatoes with the fat cut off the bacon and the egg fried in Fry Light it is an epic free meal. It also means that at no point do I feel deprived! And I don’t get funny looks from the Butchers drinking them revolting green shake things super health conscious people do.

I have eaten a Curlywurly whilst writing this. I have 4 and a half hours left to be good before I hop on the scales – wish me luck!

If you wanna get slim but don't like the gym

The start of my Slimming Journey!

This is a bit more of a personal post and my relationship with food rather than special offers just to warn you!

Yesterday was not so bad, you can have unlimited amounts of “free” food on the plan so I can legitimately eat as much fruit, vegetables, potatoes, rice, pasta AND lean meat as I like. It’s fairly certain that this is a diet I am not going to starve on! And lean meat?! I have a lot of that at my disposal so I thought I would share what I’ve been doing with it!Ok, so I have admitted it to myself and my lovely new group, I may have over indulged in some of the Hazeldines loveliness, it really is hard not to! But alas the time has come where my jeans are too tight and my bra is digging in to the point that I detest the damn thing. Therefore I have taken the decision, along with a whole load of other beautiful people to join the infamous Slimming World. I’ve never done anything like it before and yesterday was my first full day “on the plan”, look at me down with the lingo 😉

Breakfast was Scrambled Eggs for me, Hazeldines eggs are all the way from gorgeous Disley free range and scrumptious. I had 3 eggs (they are free too!) with some peppers and some spring onions some lovely herbs and seasoning

Lunch for me is all always a bit of a downfall, the pies (ohhhh the pies) and the sausage rolls (mmmmm) are all baked downstairs underneath my office, so gradually throughout the morning culminating at around lunchtime my office is full of these incredibly freshly baked smells. It is amazing, and the food so delicious but it really isn’t a sustainable plan for every single lunch, once a week for a treat will do nicely 🙂

For lunch, I opted for a sandwich, yessss sandwiches!! I’m allowed bread (it makes me want to do a happy dance) 2 slices of wholemeal loaf (the smaller one admittedly but who cares, I LOVE BREAD) with some home cooked turkey (so good!) lots of healthy and speedy salad, lettuce, onions, more peppers and some sweetcorn. There was butter so I have used up a tiny bit of my naughty allowance for the day but totally worth it. It was an epic sandwich to be perfectly honest.

After work I went downstairs to say goodbye to the boys and peruse my evening meal choices, its staggering how many options I suddenly have when normally I am uninspired and end up waiting for my Chinese takeaway to arrive. Gammon, Bacon, Lamb, Pork Steaks, Chicken, Steak…and I ended up with Mince.

Aside from my not checking the values of Vimto (3.5 oh dear me) and the butter on the sandwich (1.5) I also did not realise that the innocent looking Drifter is a whopping 11.5 (dear dear me) so it wasn’t the best day oops. However it was only the first and now I am a bit more prepared with Curlywurly’s and no added sugar cordial I’m feeling good!I bloody love Mince, it’s just ace. You can do all sorts with it and I just think that’s awesome! After some umming and ahhing about which chosen miracle mince dish I would make I settled on Cottage Pie and I can tell you it was EPIC. I made plenty so I have a spare portion free. I got very giddy with the veg, I’m a bit of a geek so after I came home with a shedload of health stuff feeling very smug I prepared it all and everything has its own colour coded tupperware box in the fridge. It makes cooking very easy, just grab a tub and add a bit so I’m not constantly chopping all the time. I had carrots, peas, courgettes, onion all thrown in with some stock (also free), I like the freeness, makes me feel like I’m saving loads of money or running around the top of some picturesque hill burning that evil bra. Anyway the point is, Hazeldines mince is less than 5% fat and you can buy it here if you’re not a beef lover (I am, I can’t wait for steak night) then don’t worry you can also get your lamb mince here too.

Luxury Christmas Turkey Wrap

The ultimate in Luxury this Christmas

Available now: http://www.hazeldines.co.uk/product/hazeldines-luxury-christmas-wrap-festive-turkey-food-hamper-meat-pack/

Deluxe Christmas Wrap

Deluxe Christmas Wrap is back - £65.00 payment plans available



http://www.hazeldines.co.uk/product/deluxe-christmas-wrap/

Christmas Wrap from Hazeldines