How to Get Through The Tough Times The Old Style Way.

joeck68

GreyQueen wrote: »

Choc-clare Your fab chinese chicken recipe has clearly gone global cos I couldn't find a single pack of chicken thighs in L!dl yesterday and I want to cook it again.....now! I used to have a fab and even easier recipe which involved chucking a jar of Sharwoods Hoi Sin and Plum Sauce over pork chops in a casserole dish and baking on a slow oven. It was lush and seemed to pass itself of as "difficult" even among sophisticated friends (got a couple of 'em ). Alas, I haven't seen the product for over a year.

GreyQueen - It was me who has cleared the supermarket shelves of chicken thighs!! my daughter loved chocclares chinese chicken so much that she keeps begging me for more (and they are also lovely cold, my daughter took a couple of chicken drumsticks to school today, coated in the lovely sauce - yum). I bought loads of chicken portions on special offer and filled my freezer. At this rate, we'll all start sprouting feathers and clucking :rotfl:

purpleheather2810

jediteacher your neighbours sound truly awful - something should be done about them - but maybe your husband is right about taking a step back from it just at the moment..?

I'm in real need of some new clothes - I wear the same ones, day in, day out and they are wearing out. It's difficult to get clothes to fit on a budget because I'm plus size (22-24), so it gets very depressing! Anyway I thought I'd look in my local charity shop. I am often in there on a Monday picking up bits and pieces for the children (trying to build a summer wardrobe for dd who is in age 7-8 atm) but I never really look in the adults clothes because I assume that there won't be anything big enough that I actually like. Anyway I had a look today and I got some M+S smart wide leg brown trousers and a purple/pink floaty kaftan-style top. Both in excellent condition for €7. I have tried them on and they are both a bit tight though. Would it be wrong to try and get my money back??!!

Frugalista

A few questions on ChocClare's chicken dish -

Is the wine red or white, sweet or dry? We don't drink wine so I'll have to buy a bottle specifically for this recipe.

Will cheap and cheerful do?

How long will the remainder keep for?

Can I use anything else (instead of wine) without compromising on the taste?

I can't wait to try it as everyones comments have been glowing.

GreyQueen

Frugalista wrote: »

A few questions on ChocClare's chicken dish -

Is the wine red or white, sweet or dry? We don't drink wine so I'll have to buy a bottle specifically for this recipe.

Will cheap and cheerful do?

How long will the remainder keep for?

Can I use anything else (instead of wine) without compromising on the taste?

I can't wait to try it as everyones comments have been glowing.

I cooked it with red wine, a RiverView Merlot-Cabinet Sauvignon which is "dry". All my wines are cheap ones but I certainly wouldn't use a quality product.:rotfl:It's lush and I shall probably dive into L!dl again on my way back from the lottie to see if they've restocked on chicken thighs.

joeck Idiot Boy d*mn near got a 10 lb lump hammer thru his skull last summer, courtesy of moi. I am a redhead (but greying fast) and have the temper to match. Only lose my rag once every few years but it's not a pretty sight. One of things I do in the local authority call centre where I work in answer the anti-social behaviour hotline and I hear things that'd curl your hair....only thing that surprises me is that more people DON'T murder their neighbours. The housing officer had an email from me first thing this morning and emailed back to say he is going to visit him this afternoon. I'm home now and there's no sign of life upstairs, will be going to the lottie after 4 pm to plant beans.

joeck68

GreyQueen wrote: »

joeck Idiot Boy d*mn near got a 10 lb lump hammer thru his skull last summer, courtesy of moi. I am a redhead (but greying fast) and have the temper to match.

will be going to the lottie after 4 pm to plant beans.

My daughter is a strawberry blonde, and she's pretty feisty too

enjoy the lottie, I find its the perfect place to de-stress, and work out some frustrations with some hard digging (though we do have an idiot boy of our own on the plot next to us, and he drives us nuts with his endless commentary!)

helen_jelly

Frugalista wrote: »

A few questions on ChocClare's chicken dish -


How long will the remainder keep for?

QUOTE]


You can freeze wine - just pop it in a bag and into the freezer [make sure its a good bag - don't want it to leak!!] that way next time you need wine for a recipe you've already got some

HTH

Helen x

the_cat

Would red wine vinegar work for the Chinese Chicken? I have a vat of it due to a misreading of the size bottle at App Foods!

TIA

modern_millie_2

Mardatha, sorry you are feeling blue - you have had such a long winter up there and always seem to cope - surely you must be due some sunshine soon. Could you possibly plan a trip out for when you finally do get some better weather?

GQ - can only hope IB is extra stroppy because he's been told he's got to go. What a pain he is.
Jedi (and anyone else with nasty neighbours) you have my sympathy.

Fairly quiet day here, took DD for piano exam (fingers crossed), resisted posh coffee temptation, realised I paid less in Mr Ms for 8 eggs, 12 rolls,pack of choc biscs (I know) and some carrots than my coffee would have cost. Came home and made veg chilli for tea (cheap and filling GQ, can make it a bit fancier with sour cream on the side, some nice bread etc) and welsh cakes for snacking. Just as well I've had a thrifty day as just paid £600 for oil and water bill of £480 has arrived today - does it never end?
Wore my new CS jacket for the first time, black and white sort of tweedy affair, smart and comfy - worth £3.99 I think.

modern_millie_2

The cat, I also have the red wine vinegar - mainly using mine for cleaning purposes, think it will last forever.

Ellidee

A good tip I got (from Nigella I think) if you don't usually drink white wine is to buy a cheap bottle of vermouth and use it instead in recipes - it keeps for ages once opened. I got my bottle from Aldi - I forget how much - maybe £3 or £4 I think. She also suggested you can use Port to replace red wine in the same way, not so MSE I guess but would last ages if you could resist just drinking it ! HTH