It isn`t tough for us. We are OS and we COPE

ChocClare

We also always use Doves yeast in the bread machine without any worries. Are you perhaps not using enough? I tend to use a slightly rounded teaspoon and my teaspoon is a proper 5ml one - in fact I use an old Calpol spoon of which I used to have millions but I think this is now the last one - and as my kids are rising 19 and 15 this is probably why! I have a set of teaspoons whose design is quite "flat" and I know (because I'm sad enough to measure it) that they only hold 3.5ml...

ceridwen

Is that the clue to this maybe - re the Doves Yeast?

Looking at the posts - it can be used either way I guess. My bread is made by hand and ChocClare's in a bread machine - so it should work fine with both ways then.

Kemiera19

kittie wrote: »

I also bought an owl energy monitor the other week and just to say that making a large loaf in the breadmaker costs<7p and using the oven sends it skywards

Be interested to know if you researched this before buying? Is the 'owl energy monitor' the one to go for?

seasalt_2

Have forgotten how to do the multiple quotes thingy but another possibility that occurred to me about the yeast (as well as the date) is that "instant" yeast - the kind that comes in the little sachets I buy, not only doesn't need to be started with warm water and sugar or a sponge method - it actually doesn't work (in my experience) if you do start it that way - whatever your recipe says. (ETA It needs to be added to the dry flour before you add the liquid.) There is another kind of dried yeast that does and, as I can't get them here, I don't know which kind All1nsons or D0ves Farm are but it might be worth looking at the packet instructions to see.

I use chicken stock mostly as soup, sometimes just as is, sometimes with noodles (OH's favourite) or make a kind of asian style broth with a little finely sliced chilli, garlic, ginger, spring onions and lemon zest (lemon grass would be more authentic). Pour over a little shredded meat or prawns in a beautiful bowl - good way of making a little meat go a long way. Also use it in risottos, stirfries (just a splash at the end) and gravies. It really isn't a lot of work if you've already got vegetable trimmings in the freezer ready to bung in - and the meat has to come off the bones sometime!

By the way, those sticks of lemon grass you can buy in the supermarket (slightly bulbous at the bottom like a tough spring onion) will grow if you stick them first in water for a few days until you see roots forming and then in a pot on the kitchen windowsill - it's like magic! I shortened my stick by about half first (and used the rest!) but I don't know if that's necessary. Keep them on the damp side and up here they are strictly a houseplant - don't know about down south!

I am not a knitter but my grandma used to make randomly stripy jumpers for all her small grandchildren out of any odds and ends of wool bulked out with plainer wool - they were lovely.

kezlou

Thanks lambanana for the link, i'll have a look at it later.
I'm not too bad at hand sewing, it just using a machine that's the hardest! But i now attend a quilting class once a week, i'm the youngest one there, but its fab and women who attend are so lovely. Think the second youngest ther is on there 50's but i don't mind. I've got a lot to learn and they willing to teach.
Its only £2.50 a class but thats for drinks, biscuits, discounts and instructions as well. So very money saving and OS at the same time.

Didn't know doves made large tubs of yeast, i've allisons in the cupboard at the mo, so after i use the rest of that, i'll buy some to test.

We have plenty of rice in at the mo, as i bought 10kg (i think) from the asian food store. Its good quality basmati rice. But i heard the manager saying everything is going to go again. The floods in Bangladesh have destroyed huge amounts of rice and bean crops.

So many floods, yet were running out of water.:(

Actually this reminds of a book written by stephen baxter called 'flood', its amazing. Its start off with flooding in low lying lands and carries on with seas rising and how human kind survive. Its a really interesting book. In fact i may start reading it again tonight.

ifonlyitwaseasier

at the moment i use this for my breadmaking, i start it when i use the bm for mixing (can't knead properly, have already done my wrists in!!) and even when i do some by hand once in a blue moon (mrsm's remoska bread gc thread for recipe) it works fine.
i do tend to bake mine in the oven tho as i prefer to shape it myself then have it cook in the bm.

i'm hoping soon we'll be back to two wages again and that would make a heck of a difference, tho i'm hoping we'll be able to move, which means being uber good with my os-ness and frugality.

Justamum

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

I've just started making sour dough bread, which uses yeasts from the air It takes a bit of investment in time and ingredients to start with, but it's then very easy to make chewy, but not dense, delicious bread :T

Justamum - I love your sig :rotfl:

I had a go at making sour dough bread a few weeks ago as it was supposed to have a much nicer taste, but it didn't taste any different from my normal bread and was much more hassle. I usually leave my bread to rise for hours anyway which improves the taste.

I can't remember where I found the sig from originally - I've got it printed out and stuck on my kitchen noticeboard, and thought it would be quite good on here. I'm sure that a lot of us can agree with it :rotfl:

soupdragon10

CrazyNerd wrote: »

I really want to start OSing, the news this morning scared me, and I think even tougher times are coming. I have a huge barrier, my DH.
Any ideas about how to get him convinced its the way to go?

I have the same problem, because we have money in the bank my DH cannot see that this is money for us to live on when I am made redundant in March. He is very much live for today, which is OK to a point, but then you starve tomorrow, metaphorically speaking.

[Deleted User]

Kemiera19 wrote: »

Be interested to know if you researched this before buying? Is the 'owl energy monitor' the one to go for?

being capricorn I research everything and decided the owl was the one for me

[Deleted User]

I just found this site, might be worth a look if you buy various expensive medications eg I noticed today just how much heartburn meds have gone up, I like to have a few in just in case and maybe there is a better alternative route


http://curezone.com/