Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

JackieO wrote: »

peppercorns soud an excellant idea if only I had an asian supermarket near to me. I will have a shufti next time I go to my sis-in-laws as Macknades Farm Shop at Faversham may sell them,they sell all sorts of wonderful stuff and I always spent bundles in there.I could spend all day just walking round smelling things in there. Its like Harrods food hall (along with the prices :):))
Nice quiet day watching tv and knitting and generally just slothing out.Weather is really nasty and wet so I'm pleased I didn't have to go out at all

I was wondering if there is one in chatham? There is one in Canterbury, have pm'd you.

I love macknades too!

Morning All,

I'm up shamefully late today but can't think why because the only really energetic thing I did yesterday was baking with the children; still, not to worry, there's no one with a big stick here - so why do I feel vaguely guilty? I suppose it's inculcated from childhood that you don't laze around in bed.

Lynn, many thanks for the recipe - I was trying to think of something to do with my leftover leeks and parsnips and hey presto, like a fairy godmother you produce a recipe for them.

Here's a nice sinful recipe for the warmer weather (when it gets here).

No Bake Berry Cheesecake serves 8

Topping: 8 digestive biscuits, 6 tbsp. caster sugar, 100 grams unsalted butter.
Berries: 300grams blueberries or blackberries, 2 tbsp. caster sugar, splash of crème de cassis or water.
Vanilla Cream Cheese: 400 grams cream cheese, 6 tbsp. icing sugar, juice of half a lemon, split vanilla pod, 600ml double cream. Icing sugar to dust.

For the Topping: Coarsely grind the biscuits in a food processor. Melt the sugar in a heavy based non-stick pan until it begins to caramelise, then carefully add the butter, shaking the pan to mix the caramel with the butter as it melts. Add the crushed biscuits and toss to coat in the caramel. Tip onto a plate, chill for 5 minutes until firm, then break into pieces. Wipe out the pan with kitchen paper.

Tip the blueberries into the pan and sprinkle with the 2 tbsp. sugar and a splash of cassis or water. Cook over a medium- high heat for a minute until the blueberries are slightly soft. Spread out on a plate and leave to cool.

For the vanilla cream cheese, put the cream cheese, icing sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl. Add the seeds from the vanilla pod and beat until smooth. In another bowl, lightly whip the cream to soft peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mixture.

To shape the individual cheesecakes, line 8 ramekins with cling film. Fill with the cream cheese mixture and level the tops with the back of a knife. Chill until ready to serve.

Turn out the cheesecakes onto serving plates and remove the cling film. Scatter the topping over and spoon the blueberries round the plate. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately. And enjoy!!

Just a quick observation about finding ingredients- it is possible to get most things wherever you live - you just have to hunt around for them a little more and ask. Small businesses, I find, want to serve their customers and are not necessarily more expensive. Just keep looking and asking wherever you go. 'Exotic' ingredients tend, on the whole, to be things that you use occasionally and they generally last.

Have a good day, Everyone.

Viv xx

Mistara - I buy peppercorns & spices (like vhalla) and look out for the sweet chilli and soy sauces - they are often much larger sizes and cheaper than the SM
Do let us know how you get on

Evening All

Viv - glad to contribute to your vast recipe collection :-) Y^our cheese cake sounds yum - I might try it next wk.

I am trying not to shop between now and next Monday (week) I am away over the weekend (Thurs to Sun) and have loads of stuff here! In this spirit I went to Mr Ts today only because I needed washing tablets (for the clothes washing). for £7.50 I got 35 tabs (so that = 6 months washing - once a week for clothes and once a fortnight for bedding and towels) and 12 Hot cross buns. But I did not pay for it!!! No, I have not taken up illegal practices - I used Mr T points - built up by petrol purchases!

So my question is - since no money left my purse - does this count as an NSD?

Felt a bit wicked going out without paying! (Although it was quite legal!):beer: Also its worth noting that I dont, as such 'pay' for my clothes washing all year - also I 'buy' my underwear each year from Mr T's points :-) - a good money saving thing methinks :-)
:rotfl: