make do and mend for tougher times

grandma247

For keeping heat in or out. WINDOW QUILTS. I made some a few years ago very simply from an old blanket and a plain-ish duvet cover. Put the blanket inside the cover and pin it to hold it in place till you can get it into your machine and stitch from top to bottom at least three long lines. I made a bit of a loop at the top so I could get a dowel rod through it for the massive dining room window. you could do other things to hang it up. I have one that just has two parallel stitching lines across with about an inch between. Then I made a slit either end and ran a curtain wire through. These sit inside the window recess.

DH was so impressed as he watched the temperature rise on the digital thermometer that he asked me to make some for the other rooms.

I raise and tie them up during the day so any sunlight will warm the room but drop them down as soon as it looks like it is going dark.

You need to reverse this in hot weather by keeping them down while the sun is out to keep the room cooler.

Another tip on keeping cool. Wet a towel and either wear it like a skirt or put it over your legs while you sleep. A wet towel over your steering wheel while it is parked in a shopping centre or work etc is good too.

mardatha

Well you buy pkts of Whitworths dried veg and throw it in stews and soups fuddle, so probly use it just like that. i would get a dehydrator if I had a working kitchen garden, but this year I havent got anything at all and I'm too far away for whoopsies. But I love the idea of not having to depend on the freezer/electricity.

Popperwell

Those gloves Fuddle...If I had an old jumper or found one in a charity shop...I think I could manage something like that...

http://www.wikihow.com/Stay-Warm-at-Home-Without-a-Heater

I don't know enough about using lentils and similar items for meals though I understand about bulking meals out and using pulses and vegetables more than meat etc...if using meat I still think mince is about the most versatile and cheapest type of all...for now...but perhaps not much longer...

grandma247

Pah I put my dehydrated stuff in glass coffee jars. I leave them on the side 12-24 hours then look at the inside of the lids and the sides of the jars. If there is any sign of moisture at all they go back in the dryer for a while then I check again the next day. They are fine even stuff that has been in the cupboard over two years and they are still edible.

Popperwell

Still wondering about getting a dehydrator, bread maker and possibly that oven/grill when it comes up at Aldi...If I have everything I am prepared...even if I never use them or take my time in doing so...even that mattress topper is still a possibility.

prepareathome

Thanks grandma you have made them seem very simple for making window quilts. I have been looking at instructions on the web but they all seemed so complicated to me, not that some were just me. I have plenty of jars including kilner jars so next thing I dehydrate I will do as you say.

Right have just used a good part my shopping money left from hubby's wages to buy a good selection of seeds for next year - not all of them, only had £40 left for shopping after bills but concentrated on ones that will grow in cooler wetter conditions like Kale, parsnips, turnip, peas - they seem to grow here no matter what the weather does......I will just have to get off my bottom and tend seedlings, rather than spend money on buying them, although I don't regret my constant garden I bought for this year and if I can afford will buy another one, but I used to grow from seeds in pots till last year it was only because I wanted to grow more I didn't do many this year.

Next year I will have some in ground(hopefully the constant garden) plus go back to some in pots/bags etc in back. Not as much room out there now as fruit bushes take up a good part of the space but can still squeeze quite a few in.

I have been very lazy this year over preps apart from buying extra for store cupboard so Kittie you have given me the kick I needed.

I loathe kale as I loathe all cooked cabbage but as you say if its all the veg we have I can cook it and hide it in stews. I got kale with the constant garden and gave it all away, along with most of the cabbages except white ones as I can eat those raw. Apart from potatoes I prefer vegetables raw - love turnip that way but can you eat parsnips raw?

Popperwell

I haven't worn a watch for ages but see Alsi are selling some cheap ones from Sunday so if I delay my visist until then I can perhaps shop for ordinary stuff and some of the specials...what does anyone thjon about getting a hand held steam cleaner? What do you use them for? Anyone use one?

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/offers_week34Sunday12.htm?WT.z_src=main

grandma247

Green leaves Spinach, Kale etc. dehydrated can be crumbled into a stew or soup about five minutes before serving so they do not have time to develop a strong flavour.

[Deleted User]

fuddle wrote: »

T I wondered how you store items that are dehydrated? What kind of 'shelf life' are we looking at with dehydrated food? Do you add water to make the food edible again?

I have dehydrated foods that are over two years old and as good as new eg I did porcini mushrooms about 3 years ago and kale, orange slices peppers and onions two years ago. Key is cooling and then packing quickly with spotless dry hands. I use lock and lock boxes all the time now, in fact I ordered (again) just last week from `spices of india` as they are cheapest with super brilliant fast delivery.

Dehydrated foods kept airtight and in the dark will last indefinitely. To rehydrate I just throw into casseroles or cover in water or poach gently or the children eat my fruit leathers as they are ie strawberry and banana, they turned out like crispy pieces and not leathers and they went down a bomb as did my thinly sliced sweet potatoes, salted like crisps. A whole litre box disappeared in one day

prepareathome

What is the best size to buy in Lock and Lock boxes.......there are so many sizes but cannot work out what the equate to, sorry been awake nearly 24hrs so head not working properly.

Thanks

Lock and Lock on Amazon

Would this set be good to start with?