Not mentioning the T word at all

Kaz2904

Am so going to try this, I have some beef mince in the freezer so had planned to make some chilli soon. May do it this week. I just have to get going on my menu plan either later on this evening or tomorrow morning.
Will be making bread tomorrow for the first time in aaaaaaaages. So pleased to have the kenwood back. Now, I have 3 tins which will take 3 loaves and they all fit on one shelf. I'm going to make some iced buns and an apple braid using pears and D&DD's recipe. What else? Probably a tray bake cake as I think that I will have a space the size of my le creuset lasagne dish spare if I put the 3 shelves in the oven.
Ooh, I'll be baking up a storm

lostinrates

re chilli,

my dh doesn't like it with mince meat, but with stewing steak he's delighted. I play about with spicing my chilli too.....I have it just about right for us now...but I like it hotter than dh, and topped with lovely cold low fat yoghurt. MMMMMM

lizzyb1812

Oh yes, chili has to have something cold and creamy dolloped on top. I must admit that I'm not very adventurous re the spices but I do add cumin and coriander as well as chilis. I've got smoked paprika - you don't live in Spain without it becoming a must-have - but have never put it in chili - I see it as the signature flavouring in dishes. So I might add smoked paprika to the ingredients for a chili, but leave out the chili and beans and get a smoky, warm beef stew dish, or use it in a fajita.

Didn't cook bagels today - had a freezer sort out and discovered a packet of ready made bagels and a home made raisin/cinnamon loaf so plenty of starchy breakfasts there.

Mrs_Chip

'Proper' chlili - is made with beef that has been cut into small cubes rather than being minced, and is very good. We have our chilli with HM yoghurt, salsa and cheese over nachos, yummy and easy to do, it makes the chilli go further than with rice. I love anything with spice, it's the easiest way to make basic ingredients into something really interesting.

Bobbykins

Just popped in to say thanks for the party last night! I am absolutely pooped today as I have been to a party in RL today which involved me travelling 2 hours by train in each direction. Got home half an hour ago and now intend heading off for a lovely soak in the bath.
Love the sound of those extra chilli ingredients. Like KAZ I've always stuck to just chilli in the past but will definately try some cumin and coriander next time, really fancy a chilli now......................!

SDG31000

I add cumin, garlic granules, thyme, bay leaves, paprika, chilli powder, sweet chiili sauce, mixed herbs, cinnamon, lots of freshly ground pepper and a little bit of sugar to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Basically I empty the spice rack into the pot.

Todays book sale was a little disappointing. There were very few books and the rest was mostly gifts that weren't suitable for the people I was hoping to buy for. I did get books for the three little ones I buy for, but none for me We got there at just the right time, as by the time we left there were at least 100 people waiting to get in. We stopped for breakfast around the corner and as we had missed the breakfast serving time, we asked if some toast was possible. So we got 3 teapots of tea, each holding 2 large cups of tea, a large orange juice, 8 pieces of toast and 4 croissants for £6. And DH paid so even better
Tomorrow will be spent shopping for groceries and getting all the Halloween decorations out of the attic. It's not very moneysaving, but we do go all out for Halloween. So far the sweet count is 3 tubs of mixed sweets, 3 bags of lollies and 4 bags of fun size chocs. Chances are that DH will still have to do an emergency sweet run, as he gives them out by the handful.
Now I'm going to dose myself up with some more lemsip and see if I can track down the hot water bottle.
Night everyone xxxxx

Kaz2904

I make really hot chilli! I made it so hot once that my MiL cried the whole way through it :eek: !
My DS is a chilli fiend, he eats them whole. Just as well that we can grow them in the garden . I'm going to get my indian takeaway from the fridge now and reheat it. Everyone else went out to my Aunty and Uncles last night for tea and I consoled myself with the fact that I could have it when I got back in but I was too tired.
Anyone got a decent scone recipe? We like scones. I only have plain flour in I think (other than bread flour) and Asda have put theirs up to £1 a bag. Why so expensive?

grandma247

To get good garlic you need to remove the scape, see here.

rachbc

Hmm I love chilli - I use cayenne for heat, dried ancho chillies for heat and pasilla chillies for sweetness and some chipotles if I fancy it smokey. Cumin and a bit of allspice plus some dark cocoa!! I use mince, diced or have s Thomasina Meirs recipe that used big bits of beef that she slow cook then shred into the sauce. That's my favourite way

Aesop

xx_Jo_xx wrote: »

Another problem I have discovered is that there are mice!! :eek:

The fields next door were burned recently driving all the mice out, and of course they are now just everywhere! We need to wait on someone coming in to show us how they are getting in. Everything looks secure - no gaps anywhere! But every morning, there is evidence of mousy visitors... Any tips and suggestions would be gratfully received.

Hi All

was posting on other thread, but dip in and out when I can.

Am sorry to say am expert on mice and rats :eek:

With mice, MG is right, they can squeeze through the tiniest holes! :eek::eek: and I have watched them do it!!!

Last year we had mice, and we called the Council in, Landlord had to pay them, he wasn't happy. But the man from Pest Control told me they come in through the smallest spaces and to look all around the house for the smallest holes. I found holes behind the kickboard in the kitchen, so DH cemented that over. There were holes were the radiators went into the floor, I put steel wool around and down the holes. He put down poison in boxes and suggested mouse traps too. what happens, if one doesn't come back, more come through. We counted about 7 last year, all different colours and sizes. The pest control man said there may be a mum and dad and babies under the house, so we had to check if there were any holes leading to the house, that they were coming in. Turned out later, my neighbour told me he had mice in his kitchen, think they were coming from his side, under the house to ours! :eek:

This year, we have had the same brown one. I saw it several nights in a row, so I blocked one hole it was coming through, and have put poison down. Think it has had some of the poison and have not seen it since. I have left the poison down, it is hidden behind a sofa, that DS cannot reach, in case anymore come through. I think I have discovered a second hole it was coming through. Also look for signs of "nesting" anywhere, this means they have babies too. I found mine had shredded paper in my cupboard under the stairs, attacked my big bag of pasta had to throw the whole bag out and in my junk cupboard, it had been shredding paper. Last year I put steel wool in the holes that it was coming through, it pushed it through and tried to shred it for a nest :eek:

And it is a myth that mice like cheese. They love chocolate! Put that on a mousetrap and you will catch them!

A friend on another board said she had problems with mice, 12 were caught, and her DH ended up putting down steel plates, over the holes they were coming through to stop them.

So poison and traps and if you can borrow a furry friend. But yes, you need to find out where they are coming from.