make do and mend for tougher times

[Deleted User]

Love the doggie on the book!!!!!

Maybe try the crock pot in the oven on a slightly lower temperature than you normally would and give it a little longer to crisp up the dumplings?

stiltwalker

Cake - so sorry to hear your sad news, but glad you had that last little bit of time for catto cuddles.

Well I have finally got to the end of my not making for revision - just need to read it through a couple of times and I should be all set for my exam on Monday. Kids and OH collected from nursery and work (respectively) - DS has obviously had a good day - he's flaked out fast asleep in the middle of the rug! and DD is having second snack - she gets snack at nursery but seems to think she ought to also get her snack at home too! so I just give her something small to keep her going til tea. My Westin Gourmet order arrived today (bought with intro offer and £10 off code) so whereas I'm sure I could have got more in Mr T for the same money, although probably not much more, it's really top notch stuff so will make some lovely tasty meals. Going to have half of the burgers for tea tonight with HM chips and salad, I have put the 2 steaks in the freezer for the night the kids are staying at my parents and we will have our special meal. It's what OH made for our very first valentines (except I cooked the steaks as OH says I'm better at it) We have sirloin steak, jacket potatoes where you take the middles out mix with garlic and chive philly and put back then grill and peas and sweetcorn - not exactly posh but he did cook it on a little counter top oven with 2 electric rings on top in a little studio flat without a proper kitchen.

Also got a corn fed chicken, 2 pork loin steaks, a kg of steak mince, and 24 cumberland sausages so will need to decide what is going in the freezer and what we are eating this week.

born_blonde

I think most slow cooker pots are not supposed to go in the oven.

I was made more aware of this by reading up on crocpots and that they said that unlike most slow cookers they could.

It might be safer to transfer to an oven safe pot, though difficult with dumplings.
Or use a chefs blow torch thingy and no I don't have one either!

katieowl_2

Not sure I'd risk the crock from the slow cooker. I'd tip it into an oven proof dish to be on the safe side. Only because you probably can't get a replacement for the slow cooker....

Kate

Popperwell

shegar wrote: »

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.....

I find that sleeping is often difficult or getting comfortable and pain killers do not always work.

Prices are going up for sure but a few of us have noticed(and these may be things we are not buying so don't benefit from them but...)recently they have dropped prices on quite a few popular branded goods sometimes by half or to a £1 but we are wondering if they realise that Lidl's and Aldi are stealing their business and are trying to do something about it or they realise that they can get business they have not bothered with before.

It is duly noted and has been mentioned in the media but I am trying to remember what the response was...no doubt it was skirted over...I know they look nice in the tins but you'd probably get more buying the same items in their normal packaging.

I don't know where this country is going either and it is scary whichever side you come down on and whatever party you support.

emalou88 wrote: »

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.

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!

Don't see it as whinging Emmalou, we've all got troubles/worries and I believe those who don't are few and far between.

Simple is best and free, what a good job so many of us realise this but it is nice when it is done by choice rather than having to do it!

Yes plenty of trying to make things stretch further. Not using the heating ismore of a problem here(probably because single people such as myself has one income but it still must be difficult running a family on one income too so I'm not sure that is valid anymore)as wages are often low, benefits are not always assured, people find themselves suddenly unemployed and often single mums/dads have struggled(TBH they usually still have to be helped by their parents and grand parents if they are still alive...)It's hard and it's scary.

I wish I owned my house and could do something similar but I don't but then as you know if you own a house there is usually some repair work that needs doing and that costs money often difficult to find.

I am fortunate in that I am led to believe that even if I am getting help benefit wise or work I may be allowed to let out a room to a lodger even though I rent from a HA but then will it be enough to cover the new changes coming in and too much as you say I'll pay so much tax it may not be worth it.

I bumped into someone who is working but isn't in great health and I suspect isn't on a great wage. I suspect his wife is dead(I dare not ask)and his son still lives at home and yesterday he said if it wasn't for the extra £40 a week his son gives him he would be in serious trouble. he is scared about the future and tries to live for the day.

If I was 7 years older I might not be affected by some of the changes that are coming but what happens between then and now? And after the next election they could bring even more austere measures for us all...

I may have said this somewhere else but a volunteer in a charity shop reckons this will last for the next ten years. And the increase in discount SM and the fact that even those who may be seen as well healed are using them says a lot.

born_blonde

Great minds think alike Kate.
Sorry posted at the same time.

Popperwell

Nice picture Fuddle!

Agree with what you say about the simple things being important.

Your question about the crock pot...I have heard of some that you can put in the oven on to a hob but whether it would be ok I am unsure...

Could you transfer the contents into another oven proof dish to finish it off? Would it be worth it? is that difficult?

Looks like I thought the same as others. Oops!

maryb

If it's a Morphy Richards then you definitely can't put it in the oven. Ask [STRIKE]me[/STRIKE] my sister how I know this:D

[Deleted User]

My slowcooker is a really ancient TOWER one and the ceramic pot does go in the oven, I've still got the instruction book which says it is OK. I don't really know about modern ones so the more up to date advice is probably right. Good point in that you might not be able to replace the crockpot. Safety and sense to put it in a conventional casserole dish and avoid loosing the slow cooker for good, even if it does mean extra washing up!!!!! Cheers Lyn xxx.

Popperwell

I noticed small fresh chickens on sale in Tesco's for £3 yesterday or their everyday value chickens starting slightly higher in price but I think they were slight larger so whether is is better to have one that may be seen as better quality or go for the others...

I'm going to the SM just because it gets me out of the house for perhaps an hour but I really should not go there...and I certainly should not spend anything...

Been looking at the replacement for DLA(the new PIP)even that is a worry and frightening for many...I believe if you are over 64(tyhey'll leave you alone)under 16 the same but if you are in the middle years...hard luck!

A lot of genuine people will suffer...