As The Workhouse Approaches....How To Do Everything To Avoid It, the Old Style Way

candygirl

FS have you got an asian supermarket near you?They do massive bags of pulses, flour etc dirt cheap.I cook tons of chick peas then freeze em, and use them in stews, curries n pasta bakes:D:DSpices make things taste much better too:D:D:D

mardatha

Elisamoose, go to their website, I think it says on there who can join, no ?

bertiebots

Thanks kimitatsu! I am going to try having a go with the honey/yogurt/oatmeal masks as they are so simple!
Just had a complete cooking disaster as I went off on one after my last post and got my scales out in the kitchen (writing it down gave me some mojo) made 2 dozen buns and a banana loaf..then decided I would make toad in the hole for tea. Now given my track record on yorkshire puddings this was a brave move... But I thaught new oven, must give it a go as it gets hotter than my old rust box and that was my excuse for the past 5 yrs.
Tea was a delighful blend of mixed veg , boiled potatoes , sausages in gooo (in a crispy coating) and gravy. The kids are never going to let me live this one down:eek:.
Two things are now on my simply cannot make list...yorkshire puddings and soup!
As for my request for recipe/meal ideas I forgot to say that my average day during the week is as follows..
7am get up and get kids ready
8am set off on school run for ds1 and dd
8.30am get back from school run and get ds2 to school
9am get back from taking ds 2 to school
Get washing sorted ,housework and dogs seen to!
10.45am go to work
2.30pm get home from work and hopefully grab a coffe
2.45pm school run to pick up ds1 and dd
3.30pm return from school run and collect ds2
5.15pm go to work
6.45pm return home.
Somewhere inbetween I have to fit in the cooking for 4 and this example is on a day when the kids all finish at normal time . Sometimes (actually quite often!)I am out from 3pm till 4.30pm. I know I am not alone in my hectic schedule but once I have finish faffing around doing all the other stuff that needs doing I generally only have about half an hour a day to make tea. Maybe I need to improve my time management skills too!:o

elisamoose

mardatha wrote: »

Elisamoose, go to their website, I think it says on there who can join, no ?

It does and it says businesses! I am not near to one so need to be sure I could join and benefit before driving nearly 40 miles

mardatha

Drat. I know the Edinburgh one has lists of certain jobs who qualify for a non trade membership, but I never read them. Will try to find out when I next go.

suzid

Hi Bertie
When I read your post I thought of this recipe - hope it's of some use.

Spanish rice - Serves 4

1 onion – chopped
1 red pepper – chopped
Clove of Garlic – chopped
7oz (200g) long grain rice (cooks faster with basmati, about half and hour)
1tsp turmeric
1 x 400g tin of tomatoes
300ml chicken stock (I use a cube)
6oz peas
Season to taste
Small bunch of sage (I use a sprinkle of dried)
Sausages

Fry the onion and garlic in 2tbs oil of choice, when tender add pepper, rice and turmeric. Fry for 3mins and make up stock cube with boiling water. Add this and chopped tomatoes, and season to taste. Add peas and sage. Bring to the boil, cover and then simmer until the rice is tender. Serve with cooked sausages. I chop my sausages and mix them with the Spanish rice and serve with warm rolls or ciabatta or any other ‘nice’ bread I’m managed to obtain from the whoopied section.
This meal can be cooked in advance, portioned and then reheated in the microwave. I’ve even frozen it so very useful for a busy Mum.

May be something for you too FS. Feeling rather lack lustre on the culinary front myself today. Seem to have spent ludicrous amounts of time washing up today as my fellers have had different things at odd times throughout the day while I've been gardening. DH offered to do it when he came home from visiting him DM but I wanted the kitchen clear so got on with it. Now all I can think is what can I get that doesn't require much washing up. Bowl of porridge springs to mind but yo, what's that I hear.............DS rattling pans and opening cupboards. Here we go again .

I wish it would rain, smaller pond getting desperate. Weather forcast said heavy rain so we diverted a down pipe from the roof straight into the pond, but nothing's happened. Drat and double drat. Sorry forgetting who asked about tadpole numbers this year, but we've had a huge number. Counted over 100 frogs in the spring, double the number we had last year. Amazing after the hard winter we'd had. So lots of little slug munchers currently growing arms and legs and keeping me amused.

Take care all and (((hugs))) CBHM

ChocClare

bertiebots wrote: »

Two things are now on my simply cannot make list...yorkshire puddings and soup!

Yorkshire puddings used to be my bugbear too - until I discovered dried skimmed milk :rotfl:

I think it was on here, actually - someone said make them half milk, half water and someone else suggested making them with marvel or tesco's equivalent. I tried both methods and they are both BRILLIANT - my Yorkshire puddings rise like they're full of helium (which they aren't - just thought I'd clarify ).

However, I've NEVER understood how toad in the hole works. I cook sausages in one pan and in another one big Yorkshire and cut it into four. Much more satisfactory!

On the eating front, you sound like me a few years ago when the kids and I all had different after-school schedules which meant I never had time to make dinner. I got into a habit (which I really must take up again) of making all or part of the meals in advance, so that it was all done like clockwork. Actually, I really MUST do that again, come to think of it. I'll look up some of my weekly plans and see if any will work for you. Admittedly, it's slightly more difficult now DD is a vegetarian, but it used to work very well...

bertiebots

suzid thanks for the recipe...sounds yummy! We have loads of little frogs in our tiny pond too! Its kept the kids amused this week (and me!) I could spend hours just watching them bob about. I topped my pond up a few days ago from my water butt as we have had loads of rain but as soon as the sun comes out it starts to dry out round the edges! Anyway I hope our little friends survive and come back next year to re populate the pond once more.
And everyone laughed at my "puddle" when I made it ...so glad it has worked (I used an online guide for building a wildlife pond) and its amazing what can be done in a small space!

Re costco I am entitled to membership due to working for my LA but dont know if this is standard practice across the uk. I can join the leeds one. I dont bother because there is still a membership fee (around£25) and this would wipe out what I would save and I can go with my dad who is a member!

bertiebots

ChocClare wrote: »

Yorkshire puddings used to be my bugbear too - until I discovered dried skimmed milk :rotfl:

I think it was on here, actually - someone said make them half milk, half water and someone else suggested making them with marvel or tesco's equivalent. I tried both methods and they are both BRILLIANT - my Yorkshire puddings rise like they're full of helium (which they aren't - just thought I'd clarify ).

However, I've NEVER understood how toad in the hole works. I cook sausages in one pan and in another one big Yorkshire and cut it into four. Much more satisfactory!

On the eating front, you sound like me a few years ago when the kids and I all had different after-school schedules which meant I never had time to make dinner. I got into a habit (which I really must take up again) of making all or part of the meals in advance, so that it was all done like clockwork. Actually, I really MUST do that again, come to think of it. I'll look up some of my weekly plans and see if any will work for you. Admittedly, it's slightly more difficult now DD is a vegetarian, but it used to work very well...

Darn ..and I have a whole bag of skimmed milk powder in the cupboard;) although I am still not sure I could pull it off

[Deleted User]

here we go

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394473/Government-calls-farmers-crisis-talks-Home-Counties-dry-spell-threatens-environmental-disaster.html