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

anguk

bertiebots wrote: »

Dont know if anyone watched 2 Greedy Italians on bbc 2 tonight? Its was a lovely programme and despite the fact that it wasnt money saving they talked a lot about families eating together and the culture of passing recipes down from mother to daughter ,teaching cooking skills etc . I would imagine its available on bbc iplayer if anyones interested.
It made me think of o/s and how we pass recipes round like a little virtual family ,which hopefully we can pass on in turn to our own families and friends.


heres a linky

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0110c5x/Two_Greedy_Italians_The_Family/

I loved it, I'm definitely going to try some of the recipes. I was very jealous when they visited the deli, we have nothing like that here, if we want any continental food it has to be pre-packed from the supermarket. Does anyone know of a proper deli in the north-east?

I'm always envious when these food shows visit proper food shops or markets, with the exception of a veg stall and butchers van our local market sells cheap tat.

ceridwen

Oooh...how did I manage to miss that? Answer - I still keep forgetting I've gone and bought a tv again...Must watch that programme..looks good.:)

GreyQueen

Morning all!

Yesterday evening I was doing a credible impersonation of a zombie, I was so blimmin' exhausted, but I decided that as today is going to be a busy one, I wanted to get ahead of myself by having the major part of my supper pre-cooked with some batches for the freezer so I made.....summat.....not sure what you'd call it.......

There's T.V.P mince, and 2 cans of tommies, puree, onion and 3 chopped peppers and some frozen chilli peppers. There were no canned kidney beans and I was too knackered to remember the dried ones until I was part way thru so chucked in a can of chickpeas and another of mixed beans (it's the thought that counts, eh?) and packet of chilli con carne mix. Looks and tastes good but not sure it qualifies as a chilli and there's no meat in there. Any witty suggestions for a title, gang?

I used to have a recipe I called Hard Times Soup, which was everything which needed eating up, basically, and varied day on day. One thing I did learn was that although you can cook broccoli stalks, if you add too much, it gives the soup a strange gelatinous texture and doesn't taste very good. Someone in RL told me that they cut the stalks into bits and stir fry them, but then, they stir fry every blessed thing. Anyone else use the stalks and how?

I agree with Mardatha and Ginny and others, does feel a bit like hunkering down, digging like crazy and eliminating wastefulness will be our watchwords from now on. Love bertiebots's comment that we swop recipes like a virtual family up here; good recipes love to travel and make new friends.

Gordon Bennett, just jumped out of my skin as something went KLUNGGG!!! outside; seems a neighbour is changing a wheel and dropping the tools on the tarmac every few seconds right outside my bedroom window. If I didn't happen to be awake already, I would be, now!

Have a good day everyone.

silvermaid

Hi,
MIA for a while as at work lots. Good for the bank account so not grumbling.
Ginny - good idea about having a box for the soup bits - I put bits like the stalks from broccoli & cabbage and elderly salad in the freezer, but I haven't been organised enough to have a box. Thanks for the idea. x x
Good luck to all for saving and weight loss - I need to do something about reducing my generous dimentions - so that I don't have to replace my complete wardrobe!!!!!
Silver x

redlady_1

I am another cleaner for anti stress methods. I always clean when stressed...all those jobs you normally put off like the cooker. Failing that crisps and a shed load of swear words seem to work

My knees are hurting today from the gym on Tuesday. I went to aqua aerobics last night just to try and stretch off a bit. Perhaps I will have a night off tonight and then go again tomorrow night.

ceridwen

Hmmm....thanks gals for the "stress responses". Must admit that it will make me think on a bit on this - as I go "the other way round" to dealing with "stress situations".

In my case I either seek the company of peeps of the non stress-causer variety - ie nice/rational/generally likeminded or, if thats not possible at the time, then will "blank out" the "stress causer" concerned (as I much prefer to forget that there are peeps like it as far as possible...).

Will think on on "using other routes" - like channelling surplus energy towards constructive causes instead. I'm finding one strategy thats ensuring I'm getting this house springcleaned and completely decluttered throughout is the "15 minute bouts" at mini-tasks towards this - so if I add the two together.

mini stress causer = 1 mini task
major stress causer = several mini tasks:D

Goes off pondering on this strategy....:)

I certainly had quite a clearout of the house at the time I had junked several part-time jobs I had on top of my full-time one - but I have a long way to go still on that and my incentive is "the clearer the house = the less housework there is to do". I keep reminding myself that if a room had absolutely nothing in it whatsoever - then I would be able to springclean a whole house full of empty rooms easily inside a day - therefore the emptier the better...

(needs to bear in mind that Old Style being well stocked-up with things of course - and work out the balance on that...)

ceridwen

Mardatha

YOu should have mail today - Post Office doing its job as per plan okay.

mardatha

Reading a book about the great Victorian country house kitchens - and they had a big pot where all scraps were thrown every day , boiled up and made into stock.
Ok C, ta

jamanda

Makes me wonder what we are coming to. Many of us squeaking every penny, trying to lose weight without excessive spending on diet fodder, wondering how much essentials are going to go up further.

On the bright side, I have lost half a stone (taken me nearly five weeks mind). It doesn't come off as you get older. Think I must be eating glue in my food so the flab sticks.

I'm currently taking a salad to work every day, made mainly from salad leaves, spring onions, spinach, watercress, etc. which have grown in pots in the cold greenhouse. I'm getting a bit sick of taking a meadow to work every day though.

Very proud yesterday - wombled the entire car full of wood for the fire. I popped a note through the door of the unit at the back of where I work asking if it was scrap. (Was very embarrassed, but managed to overcome it). Got a note back saying "take all you want". I was really excited all day.

Garden is planted to every square inch we can fit things in, and I'm picking up recipes off this board - for which I thank everyone who has posted them.

This is serious now, not playing at it. I'm going to try bottling this year as I have also picked up some posts on this. May need a bigger house.

Keep fighting ladies!

Kleopatra

ceridwen wrote: »

My downfall is if/when:cool: anything stressful happens I have a tendency to have a glass or two of wine to try and relax and forget the stress incident. That usually works for the purpose - but I'm then annoyed with myself about the calories and cost I've just consumed. So - if anyone has any tips for quick/easy stress relief after a "stress incident" that dont involve said calories/cost I'd be pleased to hear them:)

I have started to dilute wine and am now at the same ratio as you use with milk or maybe slightly less. I don't seem to miss the alcohol so it may be just having a wine glass full of coloured liquid that is the habit.