No T Words mentioned at all - a fresh start

katep23

ScottishMinnie, I'd probably use the turkey in risotto with a little chilli.

Busy day today, garden is looking good but still lots of tidying to do, latest batch of wine bottled, just watching an episode of criminal minds on DVD (I don't really know why we pay for a TV licence as we never watch live TV and hardly ever even watch catch up!) then early night and back to work tomorrow.

Ho hum, I know what you mean SM about time disappearing! No housework done but will do that this week during the evenings.

v1ckyt

Morning all, where did that month go???

Had lovely day yesterday, first day of hubby not working Sunday's in 3 years, so had a proper Sunday Lunch, followed by a nice long, if slow walk. Found a tree laden with apples, so kids had a munch, and then spent rest of afternoon searching the house for dd1's school book bag, which seems to have disappeared into thin air, Hope it show up before Wednesday morning. :eek:

Off to work this morning, feels like time to get some normality and routine and vegetables back into our lives.
Have a good Monday all.
Vicky

ditsykitchen

Can someone please tell me what no T words means? I asked in the quick qs thread but didn't get a reply.

fletch3163

Hi

T is for TOUGH:D

There were loads of threads over time and they all had tough in the name. I don't know what happened but that word was dropped, then splinter groups arose

So, I think it's homage to the tough threads

charlies-aunt

Still busy slicing, blanching, picking and freezing in this neck of the woods. the courgettes have slowed down to a manageable amount although we are still finding the odd lurking "big baby" which are a meal in themselves.

Does the rain forecast for the weekend herald the end of summer? It will certainly herald the feverish picking of yet more runner beans and harvesting of the potatoes. We have our best crop ever of big blemish free spuds this year from the seed potatoes that we bought in Aldi. We will be definitely be buying them from there again next year

Does anyone have tried-and-trusted recipes for caramelised onions (to eat hot) or a recipe for caramelised onion chutney that will keep well please? DD1 has put in a request for sweet pickled beetroot - I've never done sweet pickles before so I'd be grateful if anyone could let me have a recipe/advice please

The nights are starting to draw in here and I am sewing new dog beds made from an old duvet as a starting project but its a bit tough going as my old sewing machine threw its hand in this summer - it wasn't economic to repair so I am hand sewing until I can get hold of a basic second hand one...I do miss the old girl though especially on the long straight seams I have enough stuff left to make a couple of "sausage dog" door draft excluders for HM Xmas presents will be project No 2.

I am also having a go at making some HM wreaths for Christmas presents - I have started the first one, I picked some long frond-y willow branches, stripped the leaves off and wound the branches round a bucket, wiring them in place in a wreath shape as I went. Its been dried out in the sun for a few days and will finish off drying out inside this weekend ... I am hoping (cos I haven't done this before) that once the branches are dried and gone from green to brown that they will be fixed in place I will be able to remove the wire without the whole thing falling to bits! Next job will be to forage some leaves, acorns and small pine cones from the local woods to spray paint gold to decorate with.

The budget this Yuletide is going to be small but I love giving presents so just it will be good if all projects turn out ok

katep23

I think Mrs L said it best about courgettes that you know when autumn is coming when you go from thinking "oh good courgettes" to "oh god courgettes"!

We have loads, I spied several more when feeding the ducks but forgot to pick them so they will be marrows tomorrow. We water them with the water out of the duck pond when we empty it each week so they are getting well fed as well as watered

Has anyone heard any more from FTM?

Wine is bubbling away upstairs, smells like a brewery in there

Can anyone recommend anything to use as a fruit press other than a fruit press? I really want to make cider (even though I don't drink it). I have a passata maker but OH thinks it will break if I try pulping apples through it. Could I chop them in the food processor first?

We're getting half a pig from our friends in the west country. Will pick it up next weekend when I'm visiting the folks. Taking the new-to-me car as it is huge and economical so will be picking up coal as well at local farm shop where it is much cheaper than up here.

OH spent most of yesterday processing the decking we got given then we stacked it all up last night. We still have all the decking we got from a friend over the summer to process so hopefully that will give us a good few fires although it is very soft so burns very quickly. Am tempted to get some more logs from the guy we bought a load of last year as they were very hard wood and burnt for ages but were hard to get going.

Rambling now, sorry

Charlies aunt, you sound very well organised! Re onions, I made some lovely red onion marmalade a few years back which was lovely:

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/making-most/red-onion-marmalade_9067.html

Red Onion Marmalade

6 large onions, thinly sliced
3 cups sherry or red wine vinegar
3 cups sugar
2-4 bay leaves
20 black peppercorns, cracked (mixed ones work too)

Place all ingredients in a non-reactive, thick-bottomed pan over low heat. Simmer until almost all liquid has evaporated and onions are translucent. Set aside to cool. Place in sterilised jars and seal. Will keep for up to six months.

If you dont have red onions, normal ones will do just as well.

[Deleted User]

KATE she has a broken computer and can't get online. I'll drop her a line in the post and make sure all is well and post as soon as I get a reply, she was fine a few weeks ago, very busy with the homeschool but all was well, Cheers Lyn xxx.

Kate when we make cider we chop the apples into quarters and then blitz them in the food processor before pressing them with a tiny fruit press I found at a boot fair years ago. I've seen Heath Robinson devices using a couple of planks and a car jack to press the pulp but that involves making a real apple 'cheese' in a cloth before pressing and is really pfaffy!!! I think the best way is either to use a press or an electric juicer if you have one, still takes a lot of effort though, but worth it in the end product, Lyn xxx.

charlies-aunt

Thank you for the recipe and the link to the website Mrs LW I'm going to give it a try soon.

Getting to the stage where we are having to take shop bought frozen goods out of their boxes and decant into freezer bags (with the bit of card bearing cooking instructions!) to cram more home grown veg in!

Mentioned the dehydrator to DH, who thought it was an excellent idea but can you dehydrate pretty much everything? Please could you Toughies post up what you do (and don't dehydrate)???

Thanks

squiggles

fletch3163 wrote: »

Hi

T is for TOUGH:D

There were loads of threads over time and they all had tough in the name. I don't know what happened but that word was dropped, then splinter groups arose

So, I think it's homage to the tough threads

I preferred the title that had the word tough in it then at least it did not confuse new members or infrequent visitors to the old style boards.

v1ckyt

katep23 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend anything to use as a fruit press other than a fruit press? I really want to make cider (even though I don't drink it). QUOTE]


I know someone who does :p:p.

Well nearly the end of the first weekend back into school routine, pile of ironing being ignored, lunches to do, meal planning too. Have a glut of apples and plums and runner beans at the moment. Feeling a bit brrr here, I am half tempted to lay a fire up for this evening.
Can't believe how early and quickly it is getting dark these days.


Some successful entries into the village flower show yesterday, DD1 got second prize in the adult section for her sunflower, DD2 got second prize for her homemade bookmark, and I got second prize for my scones! Very surprised as am not much of a baker, but they did taste and look pretty good if I say so myself. I also entered a carrot cake, which I'd never made before, not being a fan. For some reason I think that vegetables and cake should not be mixed, but its actually quite tasty.

Hubby off playing some stress-relieving cricket this afternoon, I am successfully avoiding doing any work by being on here. I ought to crack on, and then won't feel so guilty.