50p a day til Christmas - healthily?! Weezl's next challenge...

jtb2412

Lol bashful ....... I was half way through telling my hubby about you all using lentils and as soon as I mentioned the word 'lentils' he cut me off dead and started spouting "I'm NOT eating lentils .... no way .. never ...... not in a million years" ....... so I'm going to sneak them into a meal one night (not yet, need to let him forget about it for a week or two lol).

naturally_2

Hello all, just wanted to pop my head round the door and let you knwo I'm still following all your antics on here!

My how this thread grows!

I'm not being very Weezl style frugal at the moment, having decided to put my all back into following slimming world, which for me means cook whatever recipes inspire me and (for the moment) s*d the cost! :rolleyes: unfortunately today was a s*d the cost AND the diet day, with a subway breakfast and a frugal free buffet c'est la vie.


Am finally goign blackberry picking this weekend, that's if I can find any that everyone else and the birds etc haven't already had! A friend has an apple tree that is laden with fruit at the moment - do you think you can make blackberry and apple jam, or will the apples not work? Would like to make Xmas pressies for folk I know from my "local" produce. Too scared to use Rowan berries and crab apples because of all the stuff about them being poisonous!! :rotfl:

ceridwen

errr...any info on that bit about "all that stuff about rowan berries and crab apples being poisonous".....anyone got any stuff on that purlease? I understood they were okay and have got my eye on a rowan tree near me...

(just a leetle aside - whats happening to our smilies? Mine duly shows up as per normal on my post - until I press "send" and it went onto the thread - and it went the same as all the others - just a funny leetle symbol?)

carriebradshaw

ceridwen wrote: »

errr...any info on that bit about "all that stuff about rowan berries and crab apples being poisonous".....anyone got any stuff on that purlease? I understood they were okay and have got my eye on a rowan tree near me...

(just a leetle aside - whats happening to our smilies? Mine duly shows up as per normal on my post - until I press "send" and it went onto the thread - and it went the same as all the others - just a funny leetle symbol?)

some info on rowanberries here hon

http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/foraging/rowan.php

I'm sure I've heard that poeple eat crab apples too,or make crab apply jelly of some kind, I don't remember where I remembered it from though

smilies are playing up for me too just seeing crosses

munchki

Regarding crab apples. I remember my grannie making crab apple jam when I was little and I remember it was lovely. I know that you can also make crab apple wine, cider and jelly as well. further note....I also remember when I was little eating far too many of them right off the tree and remember having a bit of tummy ache!! Couple of recipes here http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/glossary/c.shtml?crab_apple

Regarding Rowan Berries, I found this

The Question of Rowan Berries.

There is much debate as to the toxicity of Rowan berries. These are 4-8 mm bright orange or red fruit that appear in dense clusters. Some sources say the berries are poisonous while others state the opposite. If we look at the fact of the matter, both sources are right. The berries contain parasorbic acid in their raw form. In this manner, they are indeed poisonous. On cooking however, the parasorbic acid is converted into harmless sorbic acid, which is quite digestible. Rowan berries are indeed used to make a jelly that goes well with wild game and as jams and preserves. If you still feel doubt about using Rowan berries then for your own peace of mind, leave them out.
Found it here....http://www.safegardening.co.uk/PoisonousBerries.html

hth.....

Kath

jtb2412

I made some crab apple jelly a few weeks ago and it was yummy !

There's a tree just around the corner from me but others have been picking too and they're all too high to reach now !

ceridwen

carriebradshaw wrote: »

some info on rowanberries here hon

http://www.sacredearth.com/ethnobotany/foraging/rowan.php

I'm sure I've heard that poeple eat crab apples too,or make crab apply jelly of some kind, I don't remember where I remembered it from though

smilies are playing up for me too just seeing crosses

Ah...thanks for that....that site duly bookmarked for a good lookround generally...:D

ceridwen

Thanks for those replies....well...re elderberries.....I've found some suitable trees and picked myself a few and been chomping them down raw (as in mixed elderberries and blackberries with my morning porridge).....errrr....maybes I shouldnt have

If I got that one wrong....oh well...so long folks...been nice knowing you:D
(well...I did only have a few - until I spotted summat talking about them being toxic raw).....errrr.....well...lets just say raw elderberries probably function pretty well as a laxative IYSWIM:o - but then I DO have a pretty cast iron stomach.

In_Search_Of_Me

Classic vanilla ice cream

Serves 4

1 vanilla pod (I used essence)
300ml/ ½ pint semi skim milk
4 egg yolks
75g/3oz caster sugar
1tsp cornflour
300ml/ ½ pint double cream

Slice vanilla pod lengthways. Pour milk and vanilla pod into a pan and bring to the boil. Remove and cool with pod infusing for 15 mins and then scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod into mix. (when finished rinse the pod, dry and place in a sealed container with some (a couple of cups?) sugar and vanilla sugar is created after a months infusing, shake occasionally during the month).

Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until thick and creamy and then add the milk mix, stirring all the time. Return to the pan and warm – don’t boil, stir until thickened into a custard. Remove from heat, cool and then chill. Meanwhile whip cream until it is thick but still falls from a spoon. Add to cool cream mix and churn/freeze. Et voila!

Taken from ice cream machine/ Farrow and Lewis

In_Search_Of_Me

Sauces…

Butterscotch (store for up to 4 days in the fridge)

200g caster sugar
45ml/3tbls each of boiling water and cold water
75g/3oz butter
¼ pint/150ml double cream

Put sugar and cold water into a pan and heat gently, not stirring, until sugar dissolves. Then boil the mixture until sugar turns golden and take pan off heat and plunge into cold water (stops sugar browning apparently). Then, standing back, add boiling water – which will spit so protect your hand! Add the butter and leave to cool for 5 mins. Then gradually stir in cream and mix until cool. Serve warm or cold.

Taken from ice cream machine; Farrow and Lewis.


Mars bar sauce.

Chop up and melt a mars bar…yummy and so simple recipe from my mum that we’ve loved (along with many others) since childhood. I have yet to have a nicer recipe…