OS Daily Mon 10th Nov

tim_n

Because I have a yogurt maker triftlady I use UHT - it's so easy to pour out, organic and can sit for a couple of months under the sink until I'm ready to use it. Last year when we were doing this the UHT organic was 1p cheaper than fresh - quite handy! And our council recycles tetrapak but not milk bottles (they do now however) so it was slightly more enviromentally responsible I suppose! Unfortunately the other milk is still the same price and the UHT has risen to 94p (20p more dearer) so I may have to start my own heat treated variety. May also try it just with normal unheated milk to see what happens.

I want to have a go at doing naan bread which requires 425ml of yogurt... that'll be a fair chunk of my current stockpile!

EDIT: Whole point of that was to say 'I put a tsp in each of the seven pots - it's a bit difficult to freeze like that, but I guess if I use an old yog pot and spoon seven bits out of one it'll be OK.

Last lot of yogurt was so sour, but after three batches it was lovely. Odd eh?

wannabe_sybil

Nothing OS done today

Today I plan to empty and declutter and clean as much as I can of the room formerly known as the dining room. It involves many hours of ironing.

Next door's leaking roof, that has been leaking into our house and making our house damp, is being fixed. In a howling gale, driving rain, they must be mad! It may be something to do with an enforcement notice from the local council. The men working for the landlord knocked on my door and said I needed some slates sorting out, which I knew. He offered to do it, and knowing the type of workmen that the landlord employs, who look about 19 and are in an unmarked van with 'speak to driver for details of what we do' on the side - well, would you? He actually said, and I cannot believe it, 'we can do it for you now, really cheap'.

Hugs to all.

Churchmouse

Good morning! My, the site is being slow and horrible to me today:rolleyes: Keeps chucking me out, and pages are taking forever to load

It's a really miserable day here and we're supposed to be helping DS move from one flat to another one. Not looking forward to all that lifting, especially getting soaked to the skin doing it. Still at least the wind has dropped. Good job I had a nice casserole stashed in the freezer, that's thawing nicely for a quick reheat tonight;)

Aussie, good to hear the road is about to be finished. Glad you like my avatar, I nicked it from Gingham Ribbon:rotfl: Amazed myself that I was able to do it properly:D

Pink, enjoy having DD home:D It's true, but a ridiculous situation, that it's cheaper to fly then take the train or bus/coach often these days:rolleyes: Glad you're getting the benefit though;)

thriftlady, enjoy your opportunities to take DD to activities and watching her improve, before you know it she'll be all grown up and won't need you to any more;) ( well she'll probably still want lifts, but won't want you hanging about to embarrass her:rotfl: )

Well I'd best make tracks, DS has just phoned to say he's almost packed, and fingers crossed, and say it quietly but it's stopped raining and there's even a hint of sunshine :T

Hope you all have good days.

RosyRed

Morning everyone.Hope everyone is well.
Churchmouse- I am having similar probs with site too,so I've not really caught up with the end of yesterdays thread.Perhaps its the weather!
It has rained here this morn,but quite bright now.I had to get up in the night to switch the security light off-it kept going off with the wind,and lights our bedroom up.
Had a good tidy round in the kitchen,collected all the old mags andpapers for recycling,dogs been out,washed all his bedding and blankets- I don't really notice eau de dog but I suppose visitors do so now we should be nice and fragrant.
DS2 is off sick today-he has had an eczema flare up which has got infected.When that happens all the skin on his face and upper half looks sunburned and he feels shivery and starts peeling.He managed to get an appointment on Friday after much ado with the nurse,who said she has to prioritise appts.I suppose when he said he had a skin prob she thought he should be way down,but when its happened before the doc said he should be seen right away as its like he's got hypothermia,he was nearly hospitalised last time.Anyway he's got oral and cream antibiotics and various other stuff.He has to ring the doc tomorrow if no improvement and he will speak to the consultant ,but he's nowhere near as red this morning,just looks like his face is flaking away.I feel so sorry for him sometimes-not a good look when you're a young man trying to socialise with the young ladies .So DH has to go it alone today,but the dust on the job won't do DS any good.Oooh sorry,that was a bit of a moan.
Going to make some more spicy veg soup for lunch,then the duck for tea-think I'll try it in the Remoska,I'm guessing I'll need to keep pouring the fat off to get it crispy.Had the roasties in goose fat from Aldi yesterday-very nice too.
Twink -good to know PP is more comfortable,please send my good wishes.

sistercas

thriftlady wrote: »

for days like today when I have to sit watching dd swim when I should be getting tea:rolleyes: That makes me sound like a mean old mum -but I hate taking my kids to evening activities, I think my time is better spent cooking them a meal, anyway she can swim now -why can't we stop with the lessons?

.

thriftlady swimming only gets worse as they get better! I spend most tea times and some early mornings sitting at the side of a swimming pool. It must be one of the most labour intensive sports. However DD2 loves it and while she does I am 'happy' to take her. I agree though it certainly disrupts 'normal' life we now tend to eat tea very early 4pmish or 8ish neither is ideal. but we manage in fact DD tends to have a small tea before training and another one when she comes home:D

ravylesley

Afternoon Everyone

Twink - Its nice to know that PP is ok and should have her op soon.Please send her my best wishes for a speedy recovery to her

Its Monday and tbh thats the best thing I can say about it.I was stood shivering in the school yard as the kids lined up to go in.I'm digging out my feather filled coat for the pickup as it doesnt look any warmer now!

As its Monday its a case of shovelling out the detritus that my little darlings have left around the place over the weekend.I am constantly amazed at the mess they can create.But ho hum I've tidied and vacuumed the house right through.I'll start the indepth cleaning tomorrow
Yesterdays chicken carcass is now in the process of becoming todays Chicken and Veg soup.With the addition of a few leftover veggies,an onion and a leek.Its simmering in the slow cooker and should be ready for teatime.

WM has been on 3 times and so has the tumbly.Its too cold and damp to peg out today.BM been on once and will go on again in a minute

Chicken and Veg soup with crusty bread for tea and either lemon or jam sponge and custard for pud.I cooked both sponges yesterday so they can choose a chunk of either

Lesleyxx

Money_saving_Diva_2

Squiggly hon

Thought I would post this before I go back and read yesterday and todays thread. (fell asleep yesterday afternoon after being up til 0730 chatting to america so didn't get back online...:rotfl: )


OXTAILS
1 large oxtail, cut into joints (butcher will do this)
a little flour, for dusting
1 tsp ground chilli
1 heaped tsp dry mustard powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
40g butter
a little oil or fat
2 large onions, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed or thinly sliced
5 large mushrooms, cut into 6 or 8 pieces
2 tsp tomato pur!e
1 red chilli
slosh of worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 pint of flavourful red wine, such as Rioja or you can use just rich beef stock
1 tin chopped tomatoes
Later
1 tbsp grain mustard
1 tbsp smooth Dijon mustard

Method

• Turn the oven on to about 150/160 degrees C/Gas mark 2.
• Put the oxtail into a plastic bag with the flour, ground chilli, dry mustard powder and a good grinding of black pepper. Seal it and shake it gently until the oxtail is covered.
• Warm the butter and a little oil or fat in a heavy-based big saucepan.
• Place in the oxtail peices and let them colour on each side, turning them til they are nicely browned.
• While it is browning... peel the onions and carrots and roughly chop them, then cut the celery into similar-sized pieces.
• Lift out the meat and set aside, then put the vegetables in the pot and let them colour lightly.
• Peel the garlic, slice it thinly, and chop the chilli and add them to the vegetables, along with the mushrooms.
• Squeeze in the tomato pur!e. Continue cooking until the mushrooms have softened and lost some of their bulk.
• Return the oxtail and any escaped juices to the pan, tuck in the bay leaf and then pour in the wine or stock and the tinned tomatoes.
• Bring briefly to the boil, season lightly with salt and cover with a tight lid. Transfer the dish to the oven.
• You can now leave the whole thing alone for a good two hours. stirring once.
• After about 60 - 90 mins, check the meat for tenderness. It shouldn't fall off the bone, but it should show willing!! Depending on the oxtail, it could take as long as two or three hours in total.
• Set the oxtail aside to cool, then refrigerate, preferably overnight.
• The next day, scrape off the fat that has set on the surface, then reheat the casserole slowly on the hot plate, stirring from time to time.
• Stir in the mustards. Once they are in, you should cook the casserole for no longer than 10 - 15 minutes, otherwise you don't get that 'tang' of the mustards.

I serve this with mashed potato and a nice green veg like broccolli or cabbage.

Back later with my 'proper' post

Diva.x

purpleivy

Sounds Yum lesley, can I come?

domestic_goddess

Morning everyone...

Its horrible weather today isn't it?

I am having a late start at work today and OH is off this week so we have been packing and cleaning all morning. I have moved the tumble drier into the garage so that I am not tempted to use it all of the time. I think I will have it in the garage in the new house as well.

My roast beef yesterday was really chewy and DD and OH have asked if we can have chicken from now on:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: On the plus side my DS who is the fussiest eater alive agreed to eat mash yesterday and said it was tasty..... He's only 3 and would live on plain pasta, yorkshire puddings and toast if I let him.

Both kids are off school today with a cough and snotty nose, was quite glad really as neither me nor OH fancied going out on the schoolrun this morning. They were both upset not to be going but they looked really rough and they have been up loads through the night.

Anyway off snuggle for a bit before work

twink

Thanks to all who have put a message for penny-pincher in my pm box, i skim read posts sometimes so some might have missed me asking

i have finished doing the last of the apples for the freezer, some stewed and some pureed for apple sauce, got blown down to the post office but a bit of a struggle getting home against the wind lol uphill all the way