make do and mend for tougher times

Mrs_Veg_Plot

Fuddle I thought that the £1.20 my local library charged me for a book from elsewhere inthe county was a bit steep but £11 :eek:. I read a lot of science fiction and find that lots of them are a series of books but the library does not seem to stock all of the sets. I wonder if this is one of the ways they make money?

Forgot to mention what my DD's are calling my mad lady episode. I love peppers in chilli and stews etc in the winter but they are usually expensive between £1.19 and £1.99. Alid have them as one of their super 6 for 69p for 3. Last week I bought 6 lots of them and again this week. Busy slicing and open freezing them now to use over winter. I have tried to grow my own with very little success and find this is the cheapest way to keep using them over the winter months.

Got the shopping done and the washing on the line then it rained. Have brought all of the washing in and now its cleared up again. Can not decide wether to put it back out again or just keep it all on the clothes maid.

Popperwell

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

POPS - if you cook the things that need using up and pop them into the freezer in individual portions, you will save on fuel as you can re-heat in the microwave and it will give you ready done things on the days when you are tired and don't feel like making the effort to cook. Keep drinking the champagne, each time you do you'll be toasting Mum and she'll be sharing it with you, it will be a lifelong link which you'll be able to grin at eventually. Hope you're feeling a bit brighter today, Cheers Lyn .

So I may be able to freeze those chicken thighs after all(even if there is nothing to say its ok on the container.

I can manage to get the fish into the freezer and I could wrap the thighs in foil and then squeeze them into it. If I use some roast potatoes I have that will create extra space...

Thanks I am feeling brighter and though not a big drinker, if I can afford to buy an odd one I will. I did get intomaking cocktails perhaps I will again. I cannot afford wine(may start making my own again as I did years ago)and I'm not a beer drinker but I quite enjoy a cider or a larger...

I think it does you good in moderation...mind if they add a levy as proposed us sensible drinkers will be penalised.

Popperwell

I was going to go out but I don't have to so may delay my trip until tomorrow. Especially as Mrs VG says...there are some really horrible looking rain clouds out there...

mardatha

Oh god Jeyes fluid - my second job ever was in Boots the chemist (after I got bored to tears and left the lawyers office that my mother forced me into) I was left in charge of ordering - and madly ordered Jeyes fluid instead of Dettol... It came in huge 5 gallon tins and we had the bloody stuff all over the storeroom for months. The manager couldn't give me a row for laughing :rotfl::rotfl:and told us we were on a bonus if we managed to sell any

Fervent37

Popperwell wrote: »

The mackerel has no instructions on it regarding the freezer just a date. It can be eaten hot or cold. So it's obviously been cooked. It is in shrunk plastic. The chicken thighs are also cooked and can be eaten cold or heated in an oven or microwave but no mention about freezing.

I'm not sure how to warm the mackerel if I decide too. I don't know if it's a boil in the bag type...so may eat it cold.

I'm still a bit confused about defrosting meat and fish(I keep seeing that you should put it in a fridge for hours to defrost)and yet they say you can defrost in a microwave(which I have never done)

It helps wghen it is a bought product in a box and says you can cook straight from the freezer without defrosting...

Morning Pops have just been catching up on the thread and am pleased to read that you are having a better day today. I echo everything Lyn and the others have said to you.

The moneysaving way I defrost meat is I take it out of the freezer on the day I want to eat it and leave it in cold water to thaw out. I use a small round washing up bowl (which I don't use for anything else!) I leave the bowl in the kitchen. I have also defrosted fish this way in the past.

I have defrosted using a microwave but prefer to do it the way I've just described.

You might want to give it a go it won't cost you anything in electricity!

Popperwell

Fervent37 wrote: »

Morning Pops have just been catching up on the thread and am pleased to read that you are having a better day today. I echo everything Lyn and the others have said to you.

The moneysaving way I defrost meat is I take it out of the freezer on the day I want to eat it and leave it in cold water to thaw out. I use a small round washing up bowl (which I don't use for anything else!) I leave the bowl in the kitchen. I have also defrosted fish this way in the past.

I have defrosted using a microwave but prefer to do it the way I've just described.

You might want to give it a go it won't cost you anything in electricity!

Thanks Fervant,
When I start talking about food you know that I am feeling more like myself, I wasn;'t a bad cook and liked to give Mum and myself nice meals when she was alive so I am trying to continue doing so for myself. I hope that I can even if on a budget and sometimes use value/own brand goods.

The other night I worked out that my tomatoes, scrambled eggs and ham, garlic bread followed by desert though a simple meal probably only came out at costing 70p-80p:eek:and did not take a lot of cooking...

grandma247

Pops we never went on holiday when I was a kid because my father was in the army and we travelled with him so we lived abroad for most of my childhood.

ginnyknit

Pops I zap my mackerel for half a minute in the micro and serve it with brown bread and butter as the very famous shrimp shop in Morecambe recommended to prevent indigestion. There should be a little snowflake logo on the pack of chicken which shows it can be frozen, then you can pop a couple in a bag and freeze for a later date.

Am patiently waiting to find out how DS can get to the post offece tomorrow to pick up his parcel with my new keyboard in that I missed elivery of yesterday. He has to pick it up with proof of id and just hoping he can get there. This sticky old keyboard is driving me daft :rotfl: note to self 'do not have a glass of vimto anywhere new keyboard!!

Also waiting for Docs and chemist to finish lunch break so I can go and get organised. Had no painkillers for a few days and really really need one. Hoping to get some cheap meat in Mr A on way back. Must pop tater hash in sc before I leave so the lentils can dissolve.

Popperwell

ginnyknit wrote: »

Pops I zap my mackerel for half a minute in the micro and serve it with brown bread and butter as the very famous shrimp shop in Morecambe recommended to prevent indigestion. There should be a little snowflake logo on the pack of chicken which shows it can be frozen, then you can pop a couple in a bag and freeze for a later date.


Also waiting for Docs and chemist to finish lunch break so I can go and get organised. Had no painkillers for a few days and really really need one. Hoping to get some cheap meat in Mr A on way back. Must pop tater hash in sc before I leave so the lentils can dissolve.

That's a good idea GK...always something else to know. When I missed the delivery of my Dressing Gown they came bac the next day and before 8.30am.

Chicken is in the slow cooker now.:)

[Deleted User]

Fervent37 wrote: »

Morning

The moneysaving way I defrost meat is I take it out of the freezer on the day I want to eat it and leave it in cold water to thaw out. I use a small round washing up bowl (which I don't use for anything else!) I leave the bowl in the kitchen. I have also defrosted fish this way in the past.

I have defrosted using a microwave but prefer to do it the way I've just described.

You might want to give it a go it won't cost you anything in electricity!

Oh that reminds me, about 20 years ago I bought a defrosting tray fom qvc and I use it almost daily. It is just a piece of aluminium with ribs on the back and it stands in a tray. It works very very fast. Maybe someone clever can make one, perhaps to stand on crumpled aluminium foil. One of the best things I ever bought

I noticed that many of my herbs are on the turn, if you want to dry them then perhaps now is the last time and the forecast good weather would be a good time. Bunches hanging upside down

http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetablepatch/a/DryingHerbs.htm

I did a last lot today, lemon balm, oregano, sage, thyme

I am loving the sun when it pops out but have put shade up in front of my tomatoes as I don`t want greenback. Pretty intense sun when it appears. Also seen a cabbage white and there was a caterpillar in a cage :eek: so it is from slugs to caterpillars now