It's STILL tough and not getting better - so how are we coping?

Lindy_-_Loo

For anyone who is looking for a slow cooker there is a 'Swan 1.5' stainless steel one in Netto form Monday £10

Mum picked up some of the super six offers from aldi on the way to town for us so we shouldnt need any more f&v hopefully this week until the next month shop comes on 25th.

Kitcaboodle

mama67 wrote: »

Could you not use tuna cans with both ends taken out

Nope, unfortunately we have some tuna cans and the rim around the base is too wide to use a tin opener on, plus the resulting rings would be sharp & I'd risk slicing my fingers open when I greased them!

Found some cheap ones in Wilkinson though as per an earlier post so I'm happy.

Frugalista

Phew!! Finally caught up with this thread!!

Please folks, is it absolutely necessary to keep quoting other peoples posts in their entirety??:( I think (for example) flowertotsmum was quoted in full approx 6 times!! All this achieves is to make the thread more cumbersome and difficult to keep up with - can we not just quote the relevant bits?? It just seems a bit daft to quote half a page and then make a two line comment! OK! Rant over (well, not so much a rant as a niggle ).

Kitcaboodle wrote: »

I've just made a lovely batch of my mocha chocolate cookies - yum!

These sound lovely - any chance of the recipe?

Beccah_3

Hi all, I've been lurking on this thread for eons and hope no one minds me jumping on.

mardatha wrote: »

I'd be interested in that Costco powder - whats it called ?

Its called Kirkland signiture, which is Costco's own brand. I've been using it since last December and find it fantastic, though the first time you open the container, the scent will knock you for six.

Also noticed that you mentioned a light on your volvo dashboard, have you tried an independant Volvo specialist? We've had various probs with our XC90 recently and they've been amazing and sooo much cheaper than a main dealer. For about £50-£60 they should read any fault codes for you, and if theres no issue they'll clear them and the light should go out.

Kitcaboodle

Frugalista wrote: »

These sound lovely - any chance of the recipe?

Sure.

Credit where credit is due, I made these up by using the flour/fat/sugar ratio in these, which are also lovely!:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Big-Soft-Ginger-Cookies/Detail.aspx

Mocha Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 316g of plain flour mixed with cocoa powder. I usually add three large heaped tablespoons of cocoa at the start of the weighing process and then top up the rest of the weight with flour.
• Just a sprinkle of ginger and cinnamon
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 165g soft margarine
• 200g white sugar (I use golden granulated)
• 1 egg
• 3 tbsp strong coffee (that's liquid coffee made up, not the powder!)
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla essence
• ½ bar of dark chocolate coarsely chopped (I tend to use 70% Tesco Finest or Green & Blacks if I'm feeling flush!)
• Extra sugar on a saucer for coating cookies.

Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees C, 350 degrees F.

Makes around two-dozen.

Sift together flour, cocoa, bicarb, salt & spices in a spare bowl and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream margarine and sugar, beat in egg, coffee & vanilla essence & gradually stir in the flour mix.

Once mixed stir in the chopped up bits of dark chocolate.

Scoop out large, walnut sized pieces of the dough mix and drop in the saucer of sugar, turn to coat and place on an un-greased baking tray, leaving space between them for them to spread as they cook.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, best taken out just at the point where the top is forming a crust but still has some give in it. They keep really well and taste better if made the day before so that the flavours have time to spread through the cookies.

They will store well for over a week (I know this as the in-laws went on holiday just after I made some for them!) but they never last that long in this house! The bits of chopped chocolate stay molten & they are fairly crumbly so watch out for mess but oh - they are yummy. Enjoy!

narabanekeater

when we movedi in the old owner left us some lovely gifts. A massive box of sex toys complete with new batteries. I had my friends round to help with the unpacking and had to have them all explained to me. Some of them looked like torture!
oh yes she left us also some balliefs and debt collection agents and several cats

adelight

GRRRRR trying to make a bit of extra cash and got a weeks work, but despite being experienced(unlike all but one of the other people) i've been given barely any hours! On one day I have ONE hour, that's not even worth doing!

mardatha

Thanks Beccah - I think I'll try the Costco stuff then. And somebody else already told us to try a local garage who is mentioned on the Volvo forums, so that was on the OH list to do. The main dealer was no help at all quoting £900. It's an older car so not worth it.

kezlou

Hi all,

Well i have spent the day looking at courses in my local area and guess what i found three computer courses which would have cost me over £1000 in fees being run in the local community centre.So i phoned up and enquired, and i have out that the courses are £44 each, BUT because i receive working tax credit i only have to pay £6:money:.
All the courses are on during school hours, so won't have to pay childcare either! Also the community centre is attached to the school, so if i'm late the kids can come to the community centre as its literally 10 seconds away!
Also on Monday there is a beginners course on dressmaking at the local college form 6-9pm which OH said he'll look after the boys while i go. Guess what its free for me to attend because we earn less than £15,000 with tax credits!

So i've motivated myself, and i'm going to be trying to start a new career. Whether it be crafting or even in administration. Either way it should be good.

Got to do something with my time. Now just wonderring whether i should buy a bottle of wine hmmm. Been sober and only 8 hours sleep in nearly two weeks, so a drink might knock me out. I wish.

AnnieG

OK, things have just got serious. Sainbury's have just put up their petrol prices, but more impotantly they've increased their CAKE PRICES. This is unacceptable in my book.
I occasionally (ok, maybe a bit more often than occasionally) buy 2 custard slices, which come together in a box, usually costing (I'm certain) 89p or thereabouts. I went this evening, and they were £1.09, as well as being in a 2 for £2 offer (to try and make people think they are cheap no doubt).
I'm really quite cross.
I am aware that some people might advise me to get a life or similar, but I personally don't think this is on!!