A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

lizzyb1812

Another Wizard of Oz watcher here with the rain falling steadily outside.

Lovely suprise to see you posting Taurus. :T

7WW - you have hens that lay dark chocolate eggs? Is it you who has started stocking Mr M with Easter stuff then? :rotfl:

wen - are they going to be New Year's day babies then? Wow - and two of them as well :T

GQ - whips and chains on the walkway? This you have to tell us about

I got weighed this morning - aaargh! Took a longer than usual walk this morning and have been trying out a couple of websites with a view to logging my food diary. It has worked for me in the past and although I've put 20lbs back on I did lose 40lbs when I used a food diary before. Looks like nutracheck will be the site for me - there is a cost but it comes to less than the price of a bottle of wine a month so overall I'll save money and I know I do need the support. Luckily today's menu plan didn't have to be tweaked to fit my calorie target - just got to stick to it now.

bupster

Lizzieb - have you looked at MyFitnessPal? It's free and lets you put in your own recipes, and there's an app if you have a smartphone. It has a huge range of food. Also lets you put in exercise - I lost two stone when I first started using it.

lizzyb1812

bupster wrote: »

Lizzieb - have you looked at MyFitnessPal? It's free and lets you put in your own recipes, and there's an app if you have a smartphone. It has a huge range of food. Also lets you put in exercise - I lost two stone when I first started using it.

Ta - I'll definitely have a look at that. Have only signed up for free trials so far with the others.

bupster

Just kneaded some bread and left it to rise - much more fun than a bread machine but blimey, that gets you warm. Still, used up old flour and seeds and butter so effectively free!

katieowl_2

prepareathome wrote: »

Can I ask how you did it, I know it has been posted on here before but admit to lazy to read back. I got 4 600g whoopsied double cream on Thursday for 29p each which we have had in coffee with tot of whisky in it twice a day since then ( well we both keep feeling a bit bunged up and slight sore throats so it is medicinal :rotfl::rotfl:) by next day feel ok then back by the evening and I want to have a go at butter before its all gone and before it goes off but keep forgetting to ask.

Thanks

This is the thread :
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/129491

But basically the instructions were make sure it's really cold. Tip 1 x 600g cream at a time into the food processor - mine's a magimix and I was told the ordinary metal blade was the one to use and whizz for a couple of mins, you may need to scrape it down once or twice, it goes thicker and thicker, and then suddenly separates and goes yellow with milky water. At that point I mushed it all together, and squeezed as much liquid out as I could with my hands/the potato masher, then had a big bowl of ice cold water in the sink with the tap running, and kept squeezing it in the water, and rinsing until the water runs clear. Keep the 'buttermilk' in the processor to use for baking. I didn't salt mine, as I'll probably use most of it for baking, and I've now cut it into roughly 100g chunks and frozen it. It was easy peasy and bl**dy magic! I'm beyond impressed

We've just had some for tea with HM drop scones, which had the butter milk and one of our eggs in, and a dollop of hedgerow jelly on top, which was made from the foragings from the lane where I walk the dogs usually. Feeling VERY SMUG and OS!!!

I don't usually buy cream, but I just checked the lid, and it was £1.60 original price...I got 12oz butter out of one of those, so any kind of reduction in price (not just down to 40p) and it's probably quids in the price of butter?

Kate

Hobsons_Choice

Taurus: wonderful that you got home for Christmas, not so wonderful that you're still not 100%. Wishing you well for 2012.

Well, the weather out here is frightful
And the rain is NOT delightful
But I really really want to know
Where's the snow ?
Where's the snow ?
Where's the snow ?

prepareathome

Thanks Katieowl, will dig out the food processor, can't remember name but has all the bits and bobs and can't complain as son bought it for me 3 years ago for Christmas when I realised my days of doing everything totally by hand were past and it is brilliant especially for making mincing fish, why on earth did I put up with the old hand mincer for so long. I noticed people on here use it for pastry, never thought of using it for that I still make mine by hand so means have to wait till hands not sore to make it, so going to take out the processor and find a place for it on the side and use it ( it lives in corner cupboard which has a wooden trolley with butcher block on it on which the bread machine lives as kitchen is small so tends to be forgotten about till I want to mince fish). What other things can it be used for?

Right will have a cup of tea and then have a go, thank you

katieowl_2

prepareathome wrote: »

Thanks Katieowl, will dig out the food processor, can't remember name but has all the bits and bobs and can't complain as son bought it for me 3 years ago for Christmas when I realised my days of doing everything totally by hand were past and it is brilliant especially for making mincing fish, why on earth did I put up with the old hand mincer for so long. I noticed people on here use it for pastry, never thought of using it for that I still make mine by hand so means have to wait till hands not sore to make it, so going to take out the processor and find a place for it on the side and use it ( it lives in corner cupboard which has a wooden trolley with butcher block on it on which the bread machine lives as kitchen is small so tends to be forgotten about till I want to mince fish). What other things can it be used for?

Right will have a cup of tea and then have a go, thank you

I always make pastry in mine these days, makes it the work of seconds, I can knock out a quiche in no time flat, certainly less time than it would take me to do it by hand, or drive to T*sco and buy a packet of shortcrust! LOL!

I do crumble toppings in it too, although I must admit it makes it a bit fine for my liking. Use mine for grating carrots for carrot cake, and also for grating potatoes for potato pancakes, and making coleslaw and grating cheese. Also blends soups, makes hummous, sometimes cake mixes (cakes without bits...) I use it for batter and for scones when I'm feeling lazy.

I keep it out, I do use it a lot. I keep the kenwood chef in the cupboard now, as I finally managed to sort the space out when the bread machine arrived, but I only use that for cake these days.

Kate

Mrs_Chip

I also use mine for making bread/pizza dough.

I put the flour/salt/yeast/fat into the bowl with the normal blade and turn it on a slowish setting, and drizzle in the liquid gradually until it starts to ball up. Continue to process, the machine might fight back a bit but if you continue for a minute or two, it should be enough to knead it (otherwise a bit of gentle kneading by hand will finish it off). Prove and finish as necessary.

For pizza dough I add olive oil rather than butter and drizzle it in before the liquid, and it can be shaped straight from the machine.

katieowl_2

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

I also use mine for making bread/pizza dough.

OH GOD why did you have to mention pizza? Here's me struggling to give up eating bread, and you say pizza and instantly I am sitting in a puddle of cheesy doughy wistfulness...nom nom argh....

I. Could. Officially. Murder. A. Slice. Of. Pizza.

Kate