It was getting tough in 2006 and the workhouse still threatens us in 2011

hex2

Very recent dramatic change in income/DH has quit job to finish the house/focus on what matters has really made us think and change what we do.

We went for a nice long walk over the fields this morning instead of people gawping at the boring TV. Getting into the discipline of taking a bag and collecting wood for kindling is really paying off and I am stashing it in recycled boxes to finish drying out. I itch to take the pruning knife and chop up some of the bigger stuff that has fallen in the hedges. Also found a couple of sweet chestnuts and cobnuts in one of the less well walked bits so marking those on the calender for the right time to go back. We have seen some cherry plums, lots of blackberries and field mushrooms too.

DH is muttering about rabbits - I hope things dont get that tight :eek:

Lots of green toms, quite a few chillis and a few baby cucumbers in the greenhouse. The toms in the dehyrdrator sound good stiltwalker

The boys were asking why we are collecting wood and it was quite good being able to explain that the same bag size is £3 in the farm shop, and explain the carbon footprint of how it got there.

aplaceinthesun

Hi all

I have read parts of the other threads before but dont remember joining in at all .... but since Ihave managed to read this one from the start I hope to keep up! Thank you so much to all of you that share such fabulous hints and tips!

ChocClare

stiltwalker wrote: »

I dehydrate toms fom the whoopsie shelf and then rehydrate in a jar of olive oil with some dried herbs for a couple of days before I use them and they are yummy. I keep the same jar of oil going for several lots of toms too for extra MSingness. I've not bought sun dried toms since I got my dehydrator.

This sounds both scrumola and a brilliant idea.

Could you talk me through the process in words of one syllable, do you think? I have just bought a dehydrator but haven't had a chance to use it yet but am off work for the next couple of weeks, so when I get back from France next week I could have a go at this. I was planning to make and bottle pasta sauce as I spend a ridiculous amount of money on this (price of tinned toms means Tesco's sauce has been cheaper than making my own this year, as last year's tomato crop failed ) Hopefully, I will be able to do both.

lizzyb1812

stiltwalker yes, I'm planning on having home made sun dried tomatoes from the dehydrator - just did a few last year and they turned out very well Thanks for the tip about the oil

hex2 you lucky thing - finding a sweet chestnut tree - I've been looking around here for weeks and haven't found one

calleyw

In a good mood looks like I managed to salvage three tops from the dreaded arm pit stains. One was really bad as it was white and stiff. With products I already had in the house.

So no need to get new tops or spend money on expensive cleaning products:jout on the line now. See what they are like in the morning.

Also tided up under the sink and cleared a lot of rubbish out. And then cleaned out one food cupboard. Again gettting rid of out of date food and items will never seem to use and washed up my storage jars and wiped down the shelves.

Also did 4 loads of washing all nicely dried on the line.

Yours

Calley

jaxx46

Lollyfin I believe you can use apple puree in baking as a substitute for marg/butter, hth

stiltwalker

ChocClare wrote: »

This sounds both scrumola and a brilliant idea.

Could you talk me through the process in words of one syllable, do you think? I have just bought a dehydrator but haven't had a chance to use it yet but am off work for the next couple of weeks, so when I get back from France next week I could have a go at this. I was planning to make and bottle pasta sauce as I spend a ridiculous amount of money on this (price of tinned toms means Tesco's sauce has been cheaper than making my own this year, as last year's tomato crop failed ) Hopefully, I will be able to do both.

Thanks - it's dead easy, just dehydrate your toms as per destructions with your dehydrator, I cut cherry/baby plum ones in half and slice bigger ones. Just store in airtight containers until you need then pop some in a sterilised jam jar and pour on oil to cover you can add dried herbs or dried chili flakes for more flavour. Leave for a couple of days to plump up and then use as normal. I like them in pasta salad or just as they are on a plate of antipasti.

HariboJunkie

Nice to see you posting aplaceinthesun :hello:
Well done on sorting out the tops Calleyw.
Hope you enjoy your night out Kittie.

Stiltwalker your tomatoes sound lovely :drool:. For those of us without a dehydrator I do something similar but it probably doesn't produce such good results. If I have a low oven on for something else (usually baking or meringues) I put quartered tomatoes with some garlic and thyme on a baking tray and cook on the bottom shelf of the oven. When cooled I pop them in the fridge in olive oil in a sealed jar and use in pasta sauces or in salads.

OH only managed to catch one trout which has gone in the freezer until some more join it so I defrosted some whoopsied FR pork chops to have with my little garden harvest today.

lollyfin

Thanks for that tip Jaxx I will give it a try, that will bring down the cost of baking a bit, dont know how much as i cant even remember how much i paid for the jars it was soooo long ago but bound to be cheaper than butter

aplaceinthesun

Thanks HJ for the tip about using the low oven for tomatoes/garlic/herbs , will definitely give that a try as theres no chance I can afford a dehydrator at the mo!