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

RAS

ceridwen wrote: »

Holly's cold = off the top of my head I read a tip recently about leaving a cut open half onion by the side of the bed - summat to do with onion "fumes" helping to clear the head as I recall.

SK - it does work. I woke up with a a prickly nose and raw gills yesterday, so grabbed a couple of small onions on the way out the house.

I chew it raw, although I know some people would find that hard; when I have a really sore throat, I struggle as it makes me want to gag.

It tackles the soreness and clears the sinuses.

The old remedies are - bake a cut onion with sugar on top and use the juice or cover with sugar and use the raw juice.

With a little one, I would be tempted to pour boiling water over chopped onion and use very little at first.

MrsBartolozzi

mardatha wrote: »

I have an unusual "ask".... If there is anybody on here who has a subscription to the Times online ?? - could you look up the benefit announcement today and tell me if there is anything in it about Pension Credit or the over 60s ?? I did ask on another board but as usual they are all too busy bickering like school kids to answer me !

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1316724/Bonfire-benefits-save-9bn-Duncan-Smith-wins-battle-Treasury.html

It's not the Times (and I apologise that it's the DM), but this story might be what you were looking for??

gailey_2

Hi guys

struggling bit today with energy.

Did school run in pouring rain

went straight to toddler group in church hall next door , managed to keep coffee down, 1 year old had drink and biccie seemed to enjoy herself cuddled a baby but 2kids upset her by pushing and upset her- cost 1pounds.

Its the year 7cake sale at school didet have time to bake so sent in shop brought cake.
But no one at school said eldest gest to attend cake sale and needs money as they meet their new buddys today in year 6!
So had to take 50p to reception and school secretary took money down to her classroom. Its little things like this as new parents that annoyed me as only found out at toddlers from another parent with older siblings all the leaflet said is year 6cake sale, cakes greatly appreciated daughter would have been so upset if she couldent have afforded to buy a cake and was left out!

Walked home again in rain.

stopped at pub carpark as mobile butcher and his vans there every fri morning until 2pm its very popular and cheap plus they so freindly and give advice on cuts and how too cook.

we reccomended to bil who lives miles away and he spent 70quid last week with him just him and his wife for amonth! Was shocked as meats a treat here these days.
he said he thourght they given him lots of freebies as the more you spend the more dicount they offer its quite confusing as you start going for one thing and end up with tonnes last time he did 35proper sausages for fiver, 30rashes bacon thick for fiver and 4 rump steaks for fiver.

Today i opted for something new belly of pork as saw on river cottage aut other nite as butcher showed all the different cuts of pig and how to cook and the best and cheaper cut is belly . We not big pork lovers as got fairly biig bit for 4.50! Just need to sort out stuffing.

Got chatting for ages where he can and most of what he sells is british and local here he can.

He does do free range and other things of ask for it.

Hes taking names down for xmas and he can get me a free range chicken, turkey, duck, goose or venision so rang hubby said I think we should get all nov/dec meat in one go as be cheaper as he discounts and maybe buy pork and lamb at same time.
Not got prices yet but based on savings on normal stuff probably be huge!
Think we may skip turkey again this year as free range so pricey and have 3birds duck, free range chicken and goose xmas day instead.

He does a few things for restaurants more unusal stuff he said can get if customer asks but average customer does not ask for goose or venision steaks.
Its called bristol meat machine so anyone near bristol I highly reccomend they in different places each day of week.

Got home put baby to bed.
then fell asleep during daily politics.
baby woke up grouchy just had milk.
I need to do some tidying and washing.
did manage bowl of cereal today not been sick today.

just so tired.
got to pick daughter up at 3.10
shes got cheerleading at 5.15 but her mates mums picking her up at 5 and driving her there so no hassle for me.

last nites chicken soup, hubby says was best ever soup I done and wishes I had made more. we then had warmed up chicken pasty and that was lovley filling and warming.
tempted to go down co-op get some more 3quid chickens.

Really need to do something with tomatoes and make sauce as been meaning to do it over a week!

had bad dream told mam about baby not good still putting off telling her.

Flower tot mum you doing fab job I feel like odd one out in my family as dont drive mum and sister always make me feel like burden with lifts.
My eldest baptism was in church in town centre and reception bhack room of pub 10mins walk in town opposite carpark and near bus station.
It coist nothing all we offered was scones, tea or coffee, small snadwiches and cake for afters with squash for kids then bar was open but drinks were cheap was lovly.
No one on my mams sode had kids apart from one cousin and they have lots of help with their twins , very wealthy.

On dads side just 1cousin has kids as attended her sons baptism other month.

was small rural church with reception in village hall so free buffet and drinks were cheap but if hubby had not come I would have gone as was sunday and village in middle of rural wales

None of my close freinds have kids so feel different there.
Its annoying me latly when freinds and family say they broke the booking hols for next years alwasy out or shopping very odd.

Im most oldstyle out of family, one of mums sisters can cook but dont think she does that often. My grandapernts rarly cook now as quite elderly although granddad still does mean sunday lunch. My dads very oldstyle and thats bonded us slightly.

Sammy k-hope jobs sorted soon and hollies better theres not lot you can give baby under 3months for cold all i got was snuffle babe like baby vics, karvol on pillow or sheet and this pippete thing next to dummies in boots that sucks out snot from their nose. As mine was huge did get permission from dr to give 2.5lm capol as medices based on weight more so then age but most meds say not suitable for under 3months, defo take gp if intrestested and keep her wrapped up warm.

Anyone watch rc everyday last nite inspired me to do more fish but think where independant fishmonger is will have to research normally go counter at morriisions or sainsburys.

accidentally discovered baby likes kitkat as shes found one and has it all over her face and looks pleased with herself!

electricity bills do empathise ours was high last year, we had arrears on dd and had to up it want to change suppliers and get cash back at same time.

I still need trip to ikea to get bits to prepare for winter plus was going to try primark in town for cheap fleece blankets.

mardatha

Brilliant mrs B - THANK YOU !! I asked in another forum and got toally ignored, rotten sods. LOL x ty

BitterAndTwisted

gailey wrote: »

Today i opted for something new belly of pork as saw on river cottage aut other nite as butcher showed all the different cuts of pig and how to cook and the best and cheaper cut is belly . We not big pork lovers as got fairly big bit for 4.50! Just need to sort out stuffing.

Is that piece of pork belly a largish, flat piece or chopped into cutlets? My dear old German Ma used to spread out dried fruit onto the meat, roll it up like a swiss roll, tie it with string and give it a good long roast in the oven. It was then carved into slices. The tartness of the dried fruit used to cut into the fatty meat a treat. I'm a veggie these days and haven't eaten roast belly pork in many decades but my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Fruball

My Mum BBQs belly pork and its fab - goes really crispy - personally i am not a fan of fatty meat at all but this is really good

gailey_2

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Is that piece of pork belly a largish, flat piece or chopped into cutlets? My dear old German Ma used to spread out dried fruit onto the meat, roll it up like a swiss roll, tie it with string and give it a good long roast in the oven. It was then carved into slices. The tartness of the dried fruit used to cut into the fatty meat a treat. I'm a veggie these days and haven't eaten roast belly pork in many decades but my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Its a large pice flat so will need to be tied.
got paxo to go in middle.
planning on roasting for 2hours now just preheated oven
brought some more potatos from spar as family love roasties.
Im hoping its yum looked nice on tv im awful see things on tv then crave it, it plays on my mind until I have to try it.

I reckon its quite a lot of meat for 4.50.
Hubbys not huge pork lover but hes loves bacon and ham.
get exited doing different things.

will let you goys know how it turned out later.

glooomy here got soaked on school run, dark andf cold hope weekend improves.

seasalt_2

Hope it's delish, gailey.

If anyone has any hints on best way to cook pork belly strips, I'd be very grateful. I've tried grilling them which makes fat nice and crispy but tends to overcook meat and I've tried cooking them slowly in covered roasting tin for about two hours and then uncovered for a bit more and maybe brushing with some kind of glaze - this way meat is lovely and tender but fat not cooked enough (imo). What am I doing wrong?

anguk

For belly pork strips I put them in a roasting tin, fat side up, dry the skin with some kitchen roll then rub some oil into the skin and sprinkle with salt. Then I just roast them until the fat is all crispy and crackling. I use a smallish roasting tin so the meat is quite snug together, then the skin side stays up to crisp and the meat underneath is protected from overcooking.

If I've got one big piece I don't roll it, I put it flat on a roasting/grill rack in the roasting tray and cook it just like the strips. The fat all drips away and the skin is lovely and crackling.

I love belly pork.

seasalt_2

Thanks, anguk. Will try your method next time. The strips they sell in the co-op don't have skin on though. But I have usually laid them on their side so will try them fat side up.