Money Fritters 'Enough Now' DFW Diary - Chapter 2

Money_Fritter

Hi folks,

Well last day in work today and I brought in some nice homemade choc cake for everyone to ward off them end of the world blues!!!!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

beanielou

Happy Friday with chocolate cake :drool:

Money_Fritter

Hi folks,

Just wanted to say merry Christmas to everybody.

beanielou

Hope you had a good one

Money_Fritter

Hi Folks,

Well had a nice few days at my parents, although I did receive a lovely present at Christmas, I got a proper Flu for the first time ever and was really ill for a few days. However, I managed to shake it off after a couple of days.

I am back up in the north east now, spending New Year at home, and then the serious work has to start.

I have got so much to do in the garden this year and I have to start my training for the Sunderland 10K run.

I have finalised my plans for the garden, they are ambitious, but I suppose you have to aim high. I know I will not achieve everything in time for the growing season, but I am hoping by the end of 2013, everything will be ready for the following year. However, I am hoping to grow a few things in pots and raised beds this year.

My overall goal is to produce a garden with seasonal food, so that I can go a whole year without buying fruit and veg from the shops. I know I will certainly not achieve this in 2013, but lets just take little steps and see how I go.

I hope everybody had a great Christmas and has a fab New Year.

Money Fritter

Money_Fritter

[FONT=&quot]Well, that time of year is here once again, a time for setting goals for the forthcoming year, a time for change, a time for contemplation.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]
[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]I always set New Year resolutions, and most of the time they slip away so quickly. However, if you don’t succeed, then try, try again. I tend to set some general goals, but I also set specific goals as well. Here is my list for the forthcoming year.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]1. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Lose weight and get fit. (Lose 2st 7lbs).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]2. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Become more organised.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]3. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Get a new central heating system for the house.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]4. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Try to become more frugal and money saving (Well I had to have this in!!!)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]5. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Eat more UK produced food.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]6. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Eat more seasonal food.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]7. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Try to grow my own fruit and veg.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]8. [/FONT][FONT=&quot]Try to enjoy food more and appreciate it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The last point is a particularly important one. I think, being a student for a big part of my life, I have, and still do, rush my food. I do not saviour it and appreciate the smells and tastes that are produced in the kitchen. Eating was traditionally a family time, were people gathered around the table and enjoyed the company of those who were close. In the winter there was a hearty vegetable stew or soup, to warm the body and soul. In the summer there were fresh salads, with crunchy lettuce leaves and juicy tomatoes. But most importantly, there was family. [/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]When I went backpacking a couple of years ago, Italy, more than any other place, became one of my favourite countries. Italy has some beautiful cities and buildings, wonderful sights and sounds that made me smile. However, another thing that stood out, and made me think of my childhood, was when it came to dinner time. Italian’s believe that dinner time is not just a time for eating; it’s precious time with family. Italian’s spend several hours eating several courses and enjoying the simple life. They eat, but more importantly they build bonds and strengthen friendships and relationships. However, in the UK, with our busy lifestyle we seem to have no room for spending time with family and friends whilst eating, meals seem to be rushed so we can move on and do something else. Taking a page out of the Italian life, is for me, very worthwhile.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]So that is my goals for the year.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As I type this entry, the sun is shining through my front window, a vicious wind is blowing and it is a cold typical north east day. I do love New Year ’s Day, normally I go for a walk in the countryside or the woods, appreciating my surroundings at the start of another year. I don’t care if there is snow, rain or sunshine; it just feels right, a little bit of nature for the start of the New Year. However, this year my partner has to work and we are going to her parents for a late dinner this evening. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]So in keeping with my goals for the New Year, I decided to make a nice traditional hearty soup for lunch. I made a carrot and coriander soup and I made a soda bread to go with it.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The carrot and coriander soup is a simple affair, but I often find simple meals are the best. You slice some leeks and some carrots and melt a bit of butter in a big pan. Add the vegetables and cook gently for 10 minutes. Then add a little plain flour (1tsp) and ground coriander (2tsp) and then stir for 1 minute. Then add 2pts of veg stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Once done, allow to cool slightly and process in a blender. Place back into the pan and add single cream (150ml). Reheat, but do not boil and then serve with a chunk of soda bread.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]The soda bread is simple and only takes 30 minutes. Mix plain flour (500g) and bicarbonate of soda (1sp) and salt (1tsp) in a bowl, add buttermilk (400ml) and mixed together, then bring together with your fingers and place on a lightly floured surface and bring together into a ball. Slightly flatten the ball and place on a baking tray and cook in the oven at about 200C for 30 minutes.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]As I sit eating my simple lunch, the birds are feeding outside the kitchen window on the bird table, the sun shining as the birds flutter back and forth. A smile spreads across my face, at this simple and yet gratifying sight.[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]Happy New Year Everyone[/FONT]

Money_Fritter

2nd January 2013

Not really a lot to report today. The first day back at work has been a boring one, most people start back next week, so it was quiet. As with most starts to a new year, good intentions start intensely, so I cleared my desk and vowed to become more organised. I sorted out my address book and diary and during my lunch sorted out my finances and took stock of the damage done over the Christmas period; it was not as bad as I though actually!!!


Lunch today was another portion of my carrot and coriander soup I made yesterday; with another generous chunk of soda bread, divine!!!



I wrote a post for my garden blog, hopefully the blog will get more interesting as more progress is made in the garden. The plans are complete now and I know I am setting the bar high, but I feel that I must. As I continue with my green journey, I have decided to keep a note book of the things I learn on the way, scribbling’s of recipes, things I have grown, what works, what doesn’t, etc, a scrapbook of anything and everything.


I am itching to get started in the garden; I am hoping the weather will be fair at the weekend. The next few days I need to decide what seeds to order; I need to make a list. I must confess I love making lists. However, I tend to get carried away, so I need to just pull back on the reigns from time to time to keep myself in check!!!!


As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I have vowed to try and get fit and that includes eating more healthy food. So tonight’s main meal was baked salmon fillet with broccoli and cauliflower and pasta; coated with a small amount of cream cheese.


Firstly the garlic a pinch of salt and olive oil are ground in a mortar and pestal. Once a nice paste has been formed, 2 tablespoons of water are added. I love the smell of garlic, it really gets me in the mood for cooking. The paste is then brushed on the salmon fillet and the salmon is loosely wrapped in kitchen foil and placed on a baking tray in the oven at 180C for 20-25 minutes. Whilst this is cooking I cook some pasta (50g) and boil some broccoli and cauliflower. Once cooked I drain the pasta, broccoli and cauliflower and mix with 2 tablespoons of cheese spread.


Then pile everything on a plate and tuck in!!!!


I didn’t manage a NSD today, as I had to buy some stamps. Hopefully I can manage one tomorrow.


Money Fritter

beanielou

Hope 2013 is your year

Money_Fritter

beanielou wrote: »

Hope 2013 is your year

Thanks Beanielou, the same for you



Money Fritter

Money_Fritter

3rd January 2013

Well another boring day in work, at least it is only a three day week!!!!

The weather forecast is looking good for the weekend, well Saturday at least. I hope to get some more digging done in the garden and general preparation work. I don’t think I will be able to afford a large greenhouse this year, so I will have to make do with a lean-to Perspex one, which costs around £50. I think I will also purchase a couple of heated propagators for my seeds as my house windowsills never seem to get warm enough or receive enough light for germination!!!

I started to make a seed list over lunch, I had a simple lunch today of jacket potato, with beans and a small grating of cheddar cheese on top. I do love jacket potatoes, but making them in work in the microwave just doesn’t cut the mustard, but it sufficed. To make great jacket potatoes you need to bake them in the oven with a generous covering of olive oil and large chunks of sea salt. This creates a lovely crispy outer shell and a lovely baked soft middle. Once cooked, you slice open and add a generous helping of filling; sometimes a simple knob of butter, or melted cheese; other times when something more substantial is needed, chilli, tuna mayo or baked beans fit the bill.

Whenever I eat a jacket potato it brings back childhood memories of my mum cooking. When I was a child I hated the skin on jacket potatoes, as most children did. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t like jacket potatoes all that much. However, this is where the ingenious thinking and improvisation of mums came in. My mum use to bake the potatoes, then scrape out all the inside, mash it with corned beef or some other filling and then put it back into the skin. Needless to say, I loved it, but I still didn’t eat the skin!!!!

I managed a NSD today, my first of the year; let’s hope it’s the start of many!!!

I sorted out my new calendar when I got home from work, I always get a new calendar for Christmas, I guess it is just traditional. I spend 30 minutes scribbling people’s birthdays on it, hoping to do better this year than last; hoping to remember all the family and friends. Once finished, I turned my attention to tea. I had some leeks left over from earlier in the week and I still had some of my soda bread I had baked, I also had some potatoes that needed eating up, so I decided to make another soup; Leek and Potato.

Firstly I melted some butter in a large pan (25g), I added a chopped onion and 1 garlic clove, crushed. These were cooked gently for 5-10 minutes. Then I added the chopped leeks (about 5) and cooked again for 5 minutes. Finally I added the sliced potatoes (200g) and veg stock (2pts) and simmered gently for 20 minutes or until the potatoes were soft. Once done I cooled the mixture slightly before processing in a blender, seasoning with sea salt and pepper, and served with a generous chunk of soda bread, a lovely meal that didn’t cost the earth.