make do and mend for tougher times

Popperwell

Have some potatoes dated best before 11th septemeber. They are not rotten, sprouting or going green. should I continue using them or consider as they are a month over their date get rid of them and buy a new packet?

Tawny75

Use them! If they are not rotten then they will be fine

maryb

D&#8517 wrote: »

Ginny I'm still using up my big bags I got from Approved yonks ago and they're still coming out well suet mixes etc I do the same just add a bit of yeast or baking powder depending on the mix I'm using will definitely buy them again

Pops Lettuce Soup
Recipe is from my civil war cookbook..well it would be wouldn't it!
1863 no less lol
cut up the white parts of two or four lettuces as needed,a quart of stock,free from fat and boiling.into this throw the lettuces and a small onion chopped fine and a tspnful of salt.
let it boil about 20 minutes,thicken with 2 tablespoonfuls of flour,first rubbed smoothly in cold water.and a little soup added to it,then strained before putting into the soup.then throw a small bit of butter not larger than a walnut let the soup boil once more and serve.

I usually sprinkle with any fresh herbs I have to hand too its quite a light soup and nice with some crusty bread

Been away for a few days so haven't caught up yet. Just got as far as this and it made me laugh with the references to throwing this and that in the soup. I had visions of you standing on the far side of your kitchen lobbing lettuces:rotfl:

shegar

The cake, so sorry about your poor little puddy cat, hugs to you, its very hard losing a pet.....

I went in to Tescos this morning and a lot of stuff that I have to buy had definately gone up since I went 2 weeks ago, some things by as much as 32 p......

I dont know if any of you have noticed but the tins of roses,quality street, etc have shrunk:eek:but are the same price as last year, I didnt buy any but as soon as I saw the pile of them I knew staraight away that theres less in the tins, take a look next time you go.........

Dog food seems so expensive now it goes up like 40 odd p everytime I buy a new bag, and as for bird food ...:eek::eek:, they cost more to feed than a family of 2 for a week........

It was on the news today that Lidl and aldis car park seems to have more newer and expensive cars in the car park, they say that its because even the more well off people are now shopping in cheaper super markets, I dont shop in either of those stores so I cant say..........

Everybody is feeling the pinch really badly, its quite scary really just how bad will it get?....I really feel for parents with school age children, I know my grandchildren are non stop eat.......

Cameron wants to cut the welfare bill again,:eek: I dont know where he thinks he can do that without hitting poor families even harder......

My dam arthritis is playing up like hell last few days, and I really dont know why, as its not damp weather, Im waking up in the night with no end of painful tight joints:mad:.......Im definately not cold........
Weve got lovely sunshine all day today and the temp at 14 degrees, so thats abit of ok for October..............Catch you all later.....

emalou88

Afternoon all,

Hope everyone is ok, Cake - so sorry to hear that, please be kind to yourself and lovely to hear that in the future you make take in another rescue cat

I've been a bit quiet because I still feel a bit off it, don't want to bore everyone with my whinging.
So I'm doing a Fuddle and trying to enjoy the simple pleasures in life - home baked cake, hot shower, crisp autumnal walk to work etc

Have also noticed prices going up in the SM, I'm making a real effort to go to the SM as little as possible because of the increases and really trying to stretch everything as far as it will go.

We have to pay maintenance for the flat. Now I can't whinge too much as I knew that when I took it on but was told it woud be around £1k a year and £150 ground rent.
However I get a bill in June and one at the end of December, in June they want near on £700 for 6 months! So I'm dreading Decembers bill - we are hoping to be in the house by then but I can't lump my Mum with a bill for that just because I decided to move out. So I'm trying to save every spare penny but we are currently £340 in credit with the gas and electric so I need to ring up and get that back.

Because of how much money my Dad's left my Mum with pensions and life insurance etc if Mum rent's out the flat she'll have to pay that much tax on it that there's no point in renting it out. The financial advisor has told her just to let someone live in it and for them to give her a 'token gift' each month for it.
So we are thinking of letting my best friend and her fiancee have it after they get married, until my brothers well enough for it.
Mind you with that maintence bill it's not going to be cheap is it if it continues to rise.

The goverment's a complete joke!

You can penalised for having no money and penalised for having money!
I know from experience both ends of the story. My best friends Dad died end of last year. He literally left them with no money they had £60 to there name. Now they are saying friend's Mum needs to get a job - she's in her mid 60's and they believe she can work (she has bad health) so they are stopping her benefits!

My Mum's very lucky and been left quite a bit through various pensions that my Dad has worked damn hard for and the government want you to pay for this that and the other. Now she's got to make this money last another 30-40 years which in todays economy isn't going to be easy.

But you really can't win!

Tonight we are having a family pizza and film night with my 2 cousins and partners. I'm taking round all the reduced pizza's I've got stashed in the freezer - we should have quite a selection and it'll be a damned sight cheaper than take away pizza

Popperwell

Tawny75 wrote: »

Use them! If they are not rotten then they will be fine

Thank you:)

You know whilst I appreciate you have to be careful of some dates, I have been using up some milk that said use by 1st October and it is fine and has not gone off!

I think it is not like ordinary milk and isn't UHT either but has been treated in some way so that may be why it has lasted longer than the date on it...

fuddle

Yes, I think there is going to have to be a lot more in the way of contentment and appreciate our lot. I know we do but the vast majority of people out there still 'expect'. Enjoy the simple things in life because we're damn lucky we got 'em!

A simple happy for me today was 1) seeing all the different colour autumnal leaves on one tree amongst the greenery of ones that hadn't changed and 2) the girls decorating a jam jar to put their homework pens/pencils/ruler etc in. A nice chat watching them colour and stick while I sat there with them drinking a cuppa.

I bought a pack of mince from the coop, it's split and in the SC with lentils, onions and gravy ready for a dumpling topping. QUESTION Can I pop the crockpot in the oven to try crisp the top of the dumplings? I worry it might crack. Brocolli and carrot to accompany.

Think we'll have spag bol and cauli cheese tomorrow with the rest of the mince.

The Cake I'm so very sorry to read your sad news.



Me come 9pm ish

Ta1t5mmie

Pink-winged... do your stuff

[Deleted User]

You've the right of it young FUDDLE - look at life and see what is good before what is not good. Feel the satisfaction of making the best of what you have and not feel cheated because you don't have. That is the way to contentment.

Is the crockpot ceramic? it should be OK in the oven if it is but best to stand it on a baking tray just in case. Do you still have the instruction booklet that came with it? they may tell you if it is safe for the oven in there. Cheers Lyn xxx.

fuddle

Thanks Lyn. I'm sure it's ceramic. If I dropped it from a height it would crack. Me and instruction booklets don't like staying together. I look at it, think 'right I've got it' and then dispose. Dafty eh?

DH is at the dentist tonight having a filling. I don't know whether it's going to cost £17 or in the £40's. You have to be on your toes to make sure you budget everything don't you?

Tired tonight. I don't know how I would cope working full-time now