make do and mend for tougher times

Mrs_Chip

Morning Everyone!

I cannot swerve a question about chips with my OS name, can I .
I use a deep fat fryer now, but have in the past used a saucepan with a basket, or even a small deep pan without - I don't think it makes a difference to the actual chips, just makes the job more or less awkward. Mum always fried in a deep flat-sided frying pan in lard. Her chips were the best!

If you want consistent results use frozen - we tried loads for the van, and of the big shops the Tesco Value 2.5 kg bags were very good.

Fresh potatoes make variable chips as depending on the time of year and variety, they contain more or less moisture and sugar. The more sugar there is the quicker they brown, and sometimes too fast for them to cook through, and if you have ever had 'sweet' tasting chips from the chippy, that is why (unless like OH you poured sugar over your chips rather than salt:rotfl:).

So try to get a good 'chipping' potato - Maris Piper and King Edward are good. I would follow this method as it makes cooking enough for the family much easier.

Hope that helps!

fuddle

It helps Thank you.

Mrs C, the bread was quite flat but it's ok, it taps hollow so I know it's cooked but it feels very springy inside.



It's made a nice pizza for DD's lunch though.

I'll use that batch up and then maybe 4 cups of plain flour and 2.5 wholemeal strong bread flour. What do you think. I'll get there, it's just trial and error till I do.

fuddle

Sunny skies 'not too far off' as jet stream shifts

It's Northern Ireland but on BBC headlines. Here's hoping.

I just had the flat end of the bread with some butter on, still slightly warm. It's a really yummy tasting bread, very light and fluffy.

mardatha

If I get there fuddle will only get crumbs
Can I ask how you make a steam pud in the crockpot? I love steam pud but just used to get the tinned ones but they take ages of boiling on the stove and I stopped getting them.

elona

Mardatha

I think you just put boiling water in the crockpot, put pudding basin with ingredients in, cover top of basin with foil and cross fingers.

No word from gasman yet so makng DH lunch and hoping we hear soon as need to leave for hospital at 3.

ginnyknit

I was wondering how you did a pud in the Sc, wow its so easy and it wont dry out or bang about in the pan - used to scare the whotsit out of me when I did one on the stove. I may well dig out a recipe for a savoury pud now.

Kittikins

Hope the sun does come back for a while - as then the cost of heating oil should apparently go down again! It's nice and sunny where I am today but annoyingly I haven't done any washing so am 'wasting' the good weather! Will stick a load on when I get home and keep my fingers crossed! I have a fab washing line that is in a great position in the garden so clothes tend to dry pretty quickly, given half a chance!

mardatha

Re dried veg, I have looked and looked but they arent cheap anywhere.
Re steam puds I can do the cross fingers bit anyway - with my cooking skill that's essential. If we were religious I'm sure we would pray as well .
Frozen chips will get dear as well now eh? I forgot about them as we haven't got a chip pan. I boil potatoes in slices then fry them instead of chips.
I got a fab surprise order for 75 thistle soaps for a wedding, in purple and scented with heather. Am enjoying this one but keep losing count.
I think the sunny warmer weather is just for the south, not us. I have never been so depressed about weather before this summer - I thought nothing could be worse than last year , silly me eh.

fuddle

That's exactly what you do. Just make the pud as you would, put on the crockpot, add a bit water to the bottom, an hour and a half later a really spongy pud. Don't forget to lid your pud with greaseproof/tinfoil.

from my grandma's bero book:

2oz marg
2oz caster sugar
4oz SR flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

cream marg and sugar
add flour, alternating with beaten egg and milk
grease pud dish, add mixture and cover.

fuddle

Oh savory pud My grandma did a leek pudding. I haven't had that since I was a kid. If you find any nice recipes, would you share?