'supporting each other through really tough times'

2tonsils

The reasons no one in Greece uses solar panel are many, but mainly cost. The average for enough to supply a small house would be 37,000 euros. The Greek government have stopped buying excess electric produced by them and now insist on a licence to run one in a home which will probably cost 2000 euros to get the licence. I have complained to the EU about it as they provided money to do a campaign to get people to buy the solar systems. It's most annoying, especially since I know they are cheap systems being sold at huge profit and the cells tend to burn out in the extreme heat in the summer months. We have changed our minds about getting one fitted and we are thinking of a wood fired back boiler on the fireplace.

Please be alert that they are forecasting the extreme cold in the UK to last for quite a while...I saw at least three weeks being talked about on one site. If its anything like the cold hitting here at the moment I send you my utmost sympathy, it was Baltic this morning and expected to last till nearly the end of the month! I feel so sorry for the ones with no money for fuel and food, they are really going to suffer badly.

Right, off to make a big pan of soup so we have something hot waiting for us if we have to go out. This morning the people had so many layers on in town that you could just see their eyes. My OH is threatening to get out his Russian fur trapper hat with ear flaps to wear and I say I will not be seen in public with him wearing it...but if it gets any colder than this I want one of my own LOL

Molly41

Tonsils - please could you post your recipe for Corned Beef soup?

[Deleted User]

HI fuddle - Potato Gnocchi are really easy to make and very cheap too.

3 medium potatoes cooked and mashed
2 medium eggs beaten
1and a half cups of plain flour (185g)

mix eggs with mashed potato and then gradually add the flour until you have a dry dough. Knead the dough on a floured board for a couple of minutes until it is smooth. Cut the dough into 4 pieces and roll each piece into a long sausage. Cut each sausage into 2.5cm pieces. Press each piece with the back of the tines of a fork to mark it. Bring a big pan of boiling salted water to the boil and drop in the gnocchi. They will rise to the top of the pan when they are cooked, it takes about 1 minute. Remove them from the pan with a draining spoon and drop onto kitchen paper to drain them. Serve them with your sauce of choice, my book suggests cheese sauce but I usually make a nice italian tomato sauce and serve them with grated cheese, Cheers Lyn xxx.

mardatha

Fuddle - I don't know if England is the same as us, but up here the rules are that they will provide free transport if the nearest school is more than 2.5 miles by the route you would normally travel.

This is from the Scotish Govt website-
Maximum distances which children can be expected to walk to school:

• children under 8 years of age - maximum 2 miles; and
• all other pupils - maximum 3 miles.

2tonsils

Molly41 wrote: »

Tonsils - please could you post your recipe for Corned Beef soup?

Of course I will....I use up any veg at all that I have in, but this is the basic recipe I made this time

One large tin corned beef
About four pints of stock (made mine with gluten free stock cubes but veggie stock cubes are nice in this )
Leeks or onions
veggies
Corn flour for thickening the soup

I put the stock in the pan then add the chopped veggies, I used carrots, leeks, the stalks off a bunch of rocket, a little cabbage, celery leaves, garden peas that had got freezer burn and some chopped turnip lol...but you can use whatever veg you have, even frozen is good. I let it simmer for about ten minutes then add the corned beef chopped into cubes. I give this a few minutes then add the corn flour mixed with a little water and simmer till it thickens. It freezes very well. I also add a little sage because I love the taste of it but mixed herbs work well. It's lovely with home made dumplings in! Don't season it till its finished as sometimes the corned beef adds enough salt to it for some tastes.

#

kidcat

Fuddle - its worth pushing, just because they are not taking other kids doesnt make their responsibility any less for yours. You could maybe price bus passes up for all of you and offer that if they pay for them you will take them yourself. Will work out cheaper than taxis for them, which is the back up plan for transporting children in small numbers.

Softstuff thank you she is thrilled with the info.

Where is Kittie? Has she posted and I have missed it? Hope she is ok.

Katie -once a job has been offered and agreed I am sure there is employment law covering your DD. ACAS are usually reliable for providing info. If you believe this relates to your DD pregnancy then there is a case to be fought - I had a similar issue when pregnant with DS8 and there were solicitors queuing to fight it for me, so I assume its lucrative !

I have been really busy in the kitchen today, OH is not impressed, but there is now a white loaf cooling, some granary rolls ready to go into the oven, two dozen muffins, a coffee cake and a batch of twinks all done.

fuddle

They're easy Lyn, thank you so cheap too.

Mar I bought an packet of instant powder to mix with water. Yuk! I will be buying on of those tins to mix with sugar and milk.

The jam roly poly was so filling and really nice! I am actually surprised because I thought it would be stodge but surprisingly baked like. Really enjoyed even with a watery excuse for custard.

Walk home was much better, they managed well. It was me letting the side down with hurty knees and hips. I just have to get used to it. Going out shopping with my sister tomorrow, she'll meet me at mine to pick be up... Crying inside 'please will you pick me up from the school and take me back it not giving her the satisfaction

Yes I know 2t. At least I can come home and have a warm bubble bath, put the heating on and have A cuppa with stout a second thought. I was ironing to this morning, this morning, and heard the consumer part. Alice Beer commenting on the rice in food and said something along the lines of people don't have to budget with food, its just a given, holidays take priority but that may soon change with wages only rising 1% and food rising 6%. I was spitting feathers when I heard her spouting off. Darling, the food budget is THE only 'expense' people have that is spare money. When people struggle it's the grocery spent that gets hit. An embarassment to this morning she was. Anyone hear it/get annoyed with me?

Molly41

2tonsils wrote: »

Of course I will....I use up any veg at all that I have in, but this is the basic recipe I made this time

One large tin corned beef
About four pints of stock (made mine with gluten free stock cubes but veggie stock cubes are nice in this )
Leeks or onions
veggies
Corn flour for thickening the soup

I put the stock in the pan then add the chopped veggies, I used carrots, leeks, the stalks off a bunch of rocket, a little cabbage, celery leaves, garden peas that had got freezer burn and some chopped turnip lol...but you can use whatever veg you have, even frozen is good. I let it simmer for about ten minutes then add the corned beef chopped into cubes. I give this a few minutes then add the corn flour mixed with a little water and simmer till it thickens. It freezes very well. I also add a little sage because I love the taste of it but mixed herbs work well. It's lovely with home made dumplings in! Don't season it till its finished as sometimes the corned beef adds enough salt to it for some tastes.

#

Sounds yummy and will make a big pot up - will keep me warm. Thank you x

kezlou

Thanks for the recipe lynn
It sounds very easy to make, do you think it would work well as a side to?

Fuddle - oo that road is particularly nasty, we drive over that way quite a lot. I would hate to walk it even on a nice day.
In M'boro, you can get assistance but you have to really push for it, especially in primary school. It all depends on how far away you are and in they words how the crow flies. We were very lucky as we are only two days away from the limit.

I'll have a look into for oyu.

Possession

Fuddle I wouldn't put stout into your tea ...