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

joeck68

lostinrates wrote: »

Make enough rice (any variety, using different rices rings the changes) for the number of people. Put the oven on to a medium heat (or if baking just use the spare space in the oven) In a frying pan, brown lamb mince, then add chopped onion and celery and whatever vegetables are about...an unloved salad tomato perhaps, some left over peppers...carrot,...add spicing to suit...always cinnamon for us, often a little cumin seed, maybe somehting like a ras el hanout mix..and some dried fruit: fr us its pretty much always apricot and prunes. It shouldn't be too dry...so may be a little stck, or a glass of wine or some vermouth...whatever is handy and taste appropriate. Maybe a chop in a bunch of coriander, or flat leaf parsely. Mix all this in with the rice. Cut a large marrow length ways and remove seeds, to make a hollow boat then put the stuffing in the cavity and heap it on top. If you have some, sprinkle with some pine nuts, or nuts. Put it in the oven till the marrow is cooked...don't over cook or it will be muchy yuck and loose its shape. It tastes ''healthy'' because the marrow is an uncompromising vegetable, but we like it with a vague midle eastern or north african vibe, we find it tasty.

Thanks, that sounds fantastic - we grow loads of courgettes as I make a nice courgette cake, however, there are always a few which turn into monsters overnight, and I've never know what to do with them (there's only so much ratatouille you can eat!). Can't wait to try this out. Thanks also for link for potato and egg curry, that's on the menu for tonight will let you know how the troops like it :T

I LOVE the OS forum, I can truly say that discovering it has been a life changing experience, I've made loads of changes based on idea's I've found on here, and its also nice not feeling so alone with money problems, for some reason its not the sort of thing my friends really talk about, maybe they have loads of money, who know's, but its not something I feel comfortable talking about with them anyway, so this is my little bolthole where I can come :T :T :T

Thanks so much, all of you :beer:
Jo

lostinrates

You're very welcome joeck68. I gain more than I give on these forums, so its nice to be able to do a very small something like give recipes. I hope the curry goes down well...it never fails me...every one likes it (sometimes people avoid the egg, but at the potato though;))

mummysaver

Lost in rates - other than the comfy camping mattress which has been suggested, all I can think of are tasty snacks, both treat type and healthy, to keep his energy levels up if he has a light meal. Glad he enjoys his job though, makes it so much easier, and sounds as though his company is appreciative too.

Joeck69 - I think the original beanburger recipe I used was a Linda McCartney one, now I just tend to mash up an assortment of beans, add some mexican flavours (chilli, coriander, cumin), salt and pepper, fried onion and grated courgette and carrot (or whatever I hv a glut of), form it into burger shapes, and coat in breadcrumbs with the same spices added (using an egg to help it stick if necessary), then I bake them or bbq them using a griddle pan, they tend to fall apart if you're not careful! If you just want to try some without all the effort, Mr T's sell frozen ones which are pretty nice!

Have made chocclare's chinese chicken for dinner this evening, kids departed for school in high spirits knowing that they had that to look forward to tonight! Have so much pork in the freezer that think I may give it a go with that as well! Have a good day all x

gailey_2

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

gailey and fedupfreda I live in Bedfordshire and welcome the Council decision
I am disabled and have to use a bus pass and some of my hospital appointments can be at 8.45am or earlier.
What about the disabled who work ?
Do you think that we should only do jobs between 10am and 2pm? Or maybe do nightwork so the likes of you don't have to put up with us

s

Never meant to upset and too be honest was thinking more pensioners rather than disabled people.
Bristol buses privatly run by first bus which is extornionate prices.
Most of people on mybusroute seems to be travel for lesiure plusnot sure you can get on cheap before 9 and its always so packed at busy commuter times in morning and evenings I try and avoid myself.

Thats not to say never considered disabled people as mum with 2young kids and doesnt drive I do use the buses.

I have had to face rude,nasty bus drivers who refuse to lower bus to pavement or help me with buggy.
If theres too many buggies they wontlet people on.
even see one driver in citycentre not let a person on with wheelchair as capacity was too full!
Not all the buses are onelevelsomehave steps and barriers so cant get on those. Have been made tofold a buggy and wake sleeping baby when noneed. Makes me anxious about travelling on buses at times.

They genrally pack too many people on like cattle.
have silly routes which dont makesense.
drivers are rude,dont know routes andsomedrive badly.
because they have monopoly onmost routes we have no choice.
fares constantly going up.
sometimes atnd at bus stop with baby put handout and they deliberatly drive past.

Best not get me started on rant over buses.

Probably take me ages to catch up.

just thourght say still here and no baby!
Had one false alarmother night,hospital not great so glad imhaving a homebirth.

Had lots of stuff planned and everyone said take it easy.
sadly my intentions never live upto reality.
Havent done much all week as been so poorly.
Its common for me to be poorly in runupto birth so hoping baby arrives soon so can do normal things like cook,go for walk,lift again.
Weird things you can take for granted simple things become difficult.
hate being dependant onpeople for help especially when my best freind and mam have proved unreliable so far.:(

Find it odd that when babys born im overrun with vistors but its now I need more suppport.sadly people rather part with gifts than time.
Time means much more! But sadly materialistic society we liveit.

When I lookback at my childhood,smallwelsh town my mam always had support just think soceity has changed. My freinds have such busy lives have to schedule in diary just too have a cup of coffee.
just feels sad how sense of community has faded.

Permamnatly cranky and impatiant at moment.
last pta meeting just was hard work requests for money but someweird requests that wouldent add value to the kids.
realising public sector think differently at times.
All we asked for was receipts for expenses and that seemed huge issue.:mad:

Feel so sorryfor japenese looks devestating.:(
So much unrest/bad news on news makesme feel un easy.
hubby finds it odd how often we rarly hear about news in other countries.

Not been very oldstyle this week as cant face eating or cooking.
Hoping hubbymight make aroast this weeked.
still not done a food shop.
hes off thisweekend so hopefully get things done then.

Huge thankyou to margreat.
got package andcard today-you so sweet and kind.

rachbc

lostinrates wrote: »

A roll up mattress is something we have never thought of that really would enhance his life. I think he's finding floor sleeping less comfortable in his thirties than he did in his 20s. In fact....sleep comfrt all round is more important. For a while we shared a single bed, and he used to say he never wanted a full sized bed because he always wanted us to be squished up together.....we're considering a kingsized bed when we buy a new one:rotfl:.

He has access to kettle, coffee machine, microwave and his food is delivered to him in the evenings...he has a large choice but food delivery choices are either very honestly healthy, but not terribly sustaining on a long night, or a bit junky or just a bit un home cooked. He ends up eating a lot of Japenese food because he doesn't want to over do it with red meat and tries to avoid options like pizza. About once a week he'll have something like kleftico or steak and chips and salad. He eats a lot of raw veg and herbs through the day.

Thanks for the mattress idea. I'm going to suggest that to him later.

get a 'self inflating' camping mat - they are brilliant, much better than air beds or the roll up matresses, and even comfier than a futon type one I'd say. easily roll up small enough for under a desk too.

Winchelsea

Shegar - if you let the car get fairly empty, THEN put your £35 worth of fuel in, you should get more mpg. A full tank weighs quite a bit, therefore taking that extra weight for a ride means less mileage for your money.

In the same way, people always say you should make sure the boot is empty unless deliberately taking something from A to B.

I've put £20 worth in my car this week, and my challenge is to make it last as long as poss. I'm lucky though - I do live on a bus route, and don't have to drive to work or anything.

I do all the things like driving in the highest gear possible, switching the engine off at traffic lights (particularly the ones that I know have a long cycle), and taking my foot off the gas in plenty of time to slow down for a junction or roundabout (don't want to burn up fuel only to have to brake to dissipate that power.) Oh, and I won't go above 50 or 60 when out on the open road (yes, I am an old granny!)

gillst_2

We are having chocclare's chinese chicken tonight, really looking forward to trying this following all the rave reviews. It's a bit strange being home today. I normally work full time five days a week, but am trying compressed hours, fitting 35 hours into four days and having one day a week off. Hoping that it works as it will free up time to spend at home during the week rather than having to spend all weekend doing housework!! Saves on petrol one day a week as well.

floss2

HariboJunkie wrote: »

There are two sides to this story.

The Foreign office is saying that

"the team did not have logistical, transport or language support and the Japanese government had made it clear they could not supply it."

....while the team say;

"We have been doing this for a long time. We had permission from the country, we had a translator, we had sourced vehicles, we are completely self-sufficient. We had registered with the UN. All we needed was a piece of A4 paper to continue, and we couldn't get it,"

I suppose it just depends which one you choose to believe. I would prefer to have all the facts before naming or shaming anyone.

Full BBC coverage here.

I had understood that it was the Japanese who said that the team could not stay as they did not have the necessary transport, and none could be provided as what was available (i.e. not wrecked / swept away / damaged) was already being used.

HariboJunkie

floss2 wrote: »

I had understood that it was the Japanese who said that the team could not stay as they did not have the necessary transport, and none could be provided as what was available (i.e. not wrecked / swept away / damaged) was already being used.

That was my understanding too but there seem to be conflicting versions.

None of us know the full facts I'm sure. I just hope that the relief effort is as efficient as it can be.

LannyLee

mrswive wrote: »

OH was given 2 butternut squashes yesterday so I've made my favourite pasta sauce, enough for tomorrow and the freezer, and a spicy soup, which I haven't done before, and has turned out really well.

mrswive, can you post that recipe as I have a butternut squash staring at me from m,y last veg box & it's not really big enough to make soup with - thanks