Pay off mortgage and start having fun!

themadvix

I think you need French flour (different varieties of wheat) to get the true French baguette effect - Skipton Mill sell it (and this was a recent discovery for me - I'd long thought there must be something that makes it taste French, but none of the recipes mentioned actually using French baguette flour, even Mr Hollywood!).

greent

You do indeed need a different flour  
Shame on Mr H for not saying this in his recipes!!

newgirly

Oh that explains it! 

I’ve had my first flour from the supermarket today, unfortunately it’s plain not bread as ordered, we still have quite a bit in the shed though from the local cake shop. Asda delivery collected and I managed to reduce it to £53 with an Iceland shop coming tomorrow of £71, more than I should have spent but as it’s our first Iceland delivery for a long time I thought I’d buy a load of frozen “takeouts” , so they have non made by me curry for perhaps Thursday and a full huge Chinese takeout for Saturday plus pizzas tomorrow night that need to be eaten on the day as we don’t have room in the freezer, naughty stuff but it makes a change! 

Mum dropped a Victoria sponge on the doorstep this afternoon, she’s not normally a baker but it was amazing, we had cake and loose leaf tea in the new Xmas Emma bridgewater teapot, very nice 😊 

South_coast

Cracking out the Christmas teapot already NG 😀?

themadvix

I’ll swap your plain for strong! 

Cake and proper tea sounds lovely 😊

newgirly

Vix what shall I make with the strong flour please? 😁
Hi sc, it’s the biggest teapot I have (at the moment) although I wont lie, I am thinking about what I need to buy for this year already, the Xmas shop nearby opens august bank holiday - fingers crossed, so it’s not that far away 😆

themadvix

Bread? Pizza bases? You can mix some with plain to make the plain stretch further - 1/3 strong:2/3 plain.

newgirly

Cheers Vix, am making pizza bases and bread at the moment but hadn’t thought of mixing flour , that’s a good idea! 

Just did an unplanned approved food shop after getting a promotional email, we have whipped through our t@ssimo pods on lockdown and only have a few left. They are doing packs for £1.50 each (usually £4) 2 per type limit but I got 8 and then a large box of cat food that I paid £36 on amazon at the start of lockdown which was £24 , plus I had a credit on the account although I don’t know why, so it was basically free delivery! Very pleased with that but will need to trim the next few weekly shops. 

newgirly

A busier day finally today, did lots of ironing, quite a few calls and video chats and made a nice picky dinner of Greek salad houmous etc. plus homemade makeshift flatbreads as we can’t get pitta bread, they were so good , just like the ones you get in Turkish restaurants. I now have flatbread related belly ache 😬

My new fleabay placemats have arrived, 6 placements in a box about four ft high 😱 they are prefect though, Woven water hyacinth and only £12.99 for 6 as opposed to about £10 each in posh online shops. I wanted to check they were ok before ordering the full 18. Sounds a lot but with often 11 for a Sunday lunch (in normal times of course) plus a few for the dishes to go on... 

Dd is keen to come home soon, depending on what Boris says Sunday. Not sure what will happen with her partner though as he’s still working from home but if he starts back in the city - Piccadilly Circus - then we don’t want him here for a while yet. Ds2 is worried about catching it if they go between houses or are not as careful as us. Have said they are welcome but am a little worried about 7 adults here 😱 plus ds2’s girlfriend moved her rats into dds bedroom and they can’t stay if she comes back (she’s scared!) so they will have to go in the shed during the day and the conservatory at night shut away from the cat. I’ll be very glad to have dd back, but it’s a lot of people!  plus dds boyfriend will be working with loads of laptops in the dining room mon - fri , well it’s one big room downstairs except the kitchen. I’m hoping he may do weekends isolated in her room instead, but ds2 is not keen as it’s more risky, I think I’m going to end up stuck in the middle here upsetting everyone. This house is really the reverse of the term “isolation” 😂

£1 mortgage op made as a tiny gensture 😊

themadvix

😂😂 to the flatbread-related stomach ache!

I feel for you though re family. Is there a particular reason DD wants to come back? I think you might all drive each other crazy if you’re all in the house together - and you didn’t mention DD’s BF’s daughter, would she be joining you too? I think I’d be tempted to tell her to stay put for the sake of DS2. It looks like we might be able to meet up with people outside of the house from Monday - so would that contact with you be enough? I completely understand that she’s probably missing you! I miss my mum too - but sadly that’s the way it is when you’ve moved out and there’s a lockdown (said as if this is an everyday occurrence! 😂).