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

ginnyknit

Saw Kitties post re - green veg whose name we shall not mention and it inspired me as I had some whoopsied cream to use up. Nipped out and picked the last few kale leaves, layer of spuds and onions, stock, bunged it in the oven (with biscuits baking of course) sausages ready cooked out of freezer and had a very nice luxury tea!:j

Was wandering round the Down to Earth forum and spotted a biscuit recipe but it used condensed milk - too expensive for me Im afraid - then I saw another post, homemade condensed milk :T nah won't work in a million years... Oh yes it does and its just like the tinned stuff. Powdered milk, dab of butter, bit of sugar, warm water zuzz in the processor. We now have 30 very moreish biscuits. i will copy the recipe and post it tomorrow.

Still cold and damp here and the weeds are really high in my garden but its just to wet to strim. Flowers starting on the courgettes and squashes so am hopeful of a harvest. And I have 3 flowers on my raspberries - result! Am going to plant some kale and chard so hopefully will have a decent plant, the spinach, peas and broad beans are still quite small but if we have a summer later in the year, I can dream can't I, I will have some veggies.

[Deleted User]

ginnyknit wrote: »

Saw Kitties post re - green veg whose name we shall not mention and it inspired me as I had some whoopsied cream to use up. Nipped out and picked the last few kale leaves, layer of spuds and onions, stock, bunged it in the oven (with biscuits baking of course) sausages ready cooked out of freezer and had a very nice luxury tea!:j
.

oh did I say kale and not chard? I meant chard but am very glad it is also good with kale

yes please re the condensed milk recipe. Dh had to go and buy some yesterday for a fruit cake to take on his weekend away

ginnyknit

No you said chard but I guessed it would work with kale and it did - thanks.

froogs

Does any body use soap nuts as shampoo? I'm thinking about whether to boil a proportion of my laundry stash up as opposed to buying a bottle of shampoo.

I've read online that you can use it as shampoo I was just hoping for a couple of comments about how it leaves hair?

scottishminnie

Just back from Costco (where we dined out for a change - all for less then £6)

I noted some of the prices in case anyone was interested (mostly baking ingredients)

400g Douwe Egberts coffee £6.99 no vat (had a voucher off) - this came to mind as so many people had mentioned the jars for storage

Dried Cherries - £5.39 for 567g
Dried Plums - £4.99 for 1.42kg
Dreied Blueberries - £6.79 for 567g
Sunmade Raisins - £6.29 for 2 x 1kg
Sultanas - £3.99 2kg

Manitoba Flour £10.99 16kg (was VERY tempted)
Plain Flour (Marriage I think was the brand) 5 x 1.5kg - £4.75

Caster Sugar £5.29 for 5kg
Granulated Sugar £4.79 for 5kg however a much better buy was
15 x 1kg bags of granukated sugar for £9.98
Icing Sugar £3.59 for 3kg
Demerara Sugar £4.29 for 3kg

Glace Cherries £3.65 - 1kg
Belgian Choc Chips £4.69 - 750g

5litre malt vinegar £2.35

John West Tuna Chinks in Brine 10x185g tins £6.39

none of the above had vat.

I didn't write anything else down but if anyone has any questions I will try to remember and I'll be back there in 2 weeks as OH needed reading glasses so will have to go back and pick them up.

charlies-aunt

Ascot - fascinating to see the great & good, the bad and the outstandingly ugly being done up to the nines in gravity defying hats, frou-frou frocks and vertigo-inducing skyscraper heels . . . . and as for the women . . . . :rotfl: . . .

Popped in the Approved-Foods-Type shop today - 15 "Geo" or flapack bars 15 for a £1 or a box of 50 for £2.50 were a bargain - I bought 3 x 6 packs of Walkers Crisps for £1 (a month out od date but what the heck) :T

Heavy rain here last night and again this afternoon with a wet weekend forecest :j this will bring on our prupleflowering brocolli, pointed cabbage, cauli's and brussells . . . will plant a few extra for Mardatha's care parcel - a nice brassica or bit of kale can set a girl up for the day :rotfl:

Just going to browse the Aldi/Lidl/Sainsbury websites for this weeks offers to plan my shopping tomorrow

Have a great weekend everyone x

Pink.

froogs wrote: »

Does any body use soap nuts as shampoo? I'm thinking about whether to boil a proportion of my laundry stash up as opposed to buying a bottle of shampoo.

I've read online that you can use it as shampoo I was just hoping for a couple of comments about how it leaves hair?

Hi froogs,

This might help: soapnut shampoo That thread has lots of advice on using soapnuts.

Pink

Charis

Broomstick wrote: »

If we have things that we have to look after (not just jars but, say, anything we have hand-made, or saved for, or someone has made for us) then we put attention on the moment, the here and now, while we are using the objects. It changes the perspective on having 'stuff'.

Taking the time to paint a jar so that it is a beautiful thing in its own right, and even more beautiful when the light catches it, that can be used to store foodstuffs to keep people alive, but needs to be carried with respect, I suppose - seems to sum it all up. It celebrates creativity, nurturing, respect and living in the present - and all of that comes free. You can't buy those things.

Writing this has made me cry. I've obviously hit something that's really important to me and I'm not sure what. It's an ok kind of crying though - you know the sort that moves you forwards in a positive way.

I think you have beautifully described the Spirit of Homemaking, until recently almost a lost art. Thank you.

EstherH

We dined out at Costco yesterday for free. It was their summer preview and there was a free buffet.
You had to put up with balancing a plate in one hand and a drink in another, no tables or chairs but hey, it was free food and very nice too.

Mrs_Veg_Plot

It has taken me forever to catch up, but have enjoyed most of the reading.

Belated happy birthday to Jediteacher, hope you enjoyed it.

Welcome back Delamo. I hope you enjoy your visit.

Scottishminnie my spring onions do not seem to br doing much either. I had a really good crop last year but this years are a bit of a failure.

On an OS note I made chicken noodle soup yesterday from noodles, HM stock, the bits of chicken in the stock very finely chopped carrotts, soy sauce, chinese five spice and just to use it up some left over gravy. The family want me to make it again but its hard to replicate made up dishes.