*The Holly and the Ivy* and the You Know What 2013 Chatter Thread.

caitlyn22

fenna wrote: »

A fortnight of meals ready, thats amazing! I feel please with myself for having all the breakfasts and lunches ready for the next couple of days, but a fortnight! I bet you save a lot of money that way. I would love a food calender from you!

I just find that I buy lots of salad and veg that gets wasted if I don't meal plan, plus me and OH both work really long days so if we leave it until when we get in, we either can't decide or just go for something unhealthy. My upcoming fortnight is mainly lots of soups and casseroles. I made courgette soup, vegetable soup and roasted red pepper soup this morning and froze it in portions of two. I had the slow cooker and a pan on at the same time, doing a casserole and curry which will both be bagged up and frozen tonight. I also bag up all my veg - we steam everything in microwave as we like our veg almost raw so can control the cooking better this way. So I bag up the right amount for each of the 3 or 4 meals that we'll have veg as an accompaniment this week. I've also chopped and bagged up the stir-fry ingredients ready to toss in a pan on Wednesday. It takes me about 2 hours but then that's it for the fortnight thankfully, bar putting some salad leaves on a plate or grating a bit of cheese! I love cooking but find it much more enjoyable when you don't have to do it every day when shattered/starving!

FeistyFidget wrote: »

I used to use the easybake yeast sachets like this;



You just chuck it in - admittedly the bread is lovely, but a little dense. Since the shopping mix up, I use this;



Unlike the easybake, this one needs to be activated in hot water first. Whatever the liquid quantity for the recipe is add 1/3 boiling water to 2 parts cold - dissolve the required sugar in the water, stir in the yeast and then cover with a tea cosy (or similar) for 15 minutes. Stir the frothy mix and then add to the mix - beautiful fluffy bread

Ohhhhhh. Chocolate fireguard moment! (my name for those moments when you realise something you've always done or thought is completely wrong...like the time I realised that the saying 'about as much use as a chocolate fireguard' means a guard you'd put in front of the fire, not the little chocolate fireMAN I had in my head!) I alternate between both of these types of yeast but have never noted the actual difference and just chuck it in regardless!! That will teach me not to read the packaging properly! Thank you for resolving that for me! :embarasse

*Louise*

FeistyFidget wrote: »

Not sure if any of you are trying to cut down on your weekly shopping costs, but for those that are (and buy at least one loaf of bread/pizza a week), I have just posted a review on my blog on a budget bread-maker. I also included a cost breakdown and the results spread over the year are shocking!

http://ramblingsofababymakingaddict.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/cookworks-stainless-steel-bread-maker.html

That's uncanny - hubby and I were discussing earlier whether it's worth buying a breadmaker..then I pop back on here and find your post :T So I'm going to have a good read in a minute.



I've missed a fair few pages right after Christmas but everyone keeps going on about fitbits - much are they and where is the best place to buy? You all sound very taken with them :rotfl: My diet *ick* starts next Monday, there was no point starting on the first of Jan with all the goodies still in the house

*Louise*

Typical flipping Argos - No breadmakers in stock around here.

I don't know why I even bother checking them these days, they never have anything!

FeistyFidget

*Louise* wrote: »

That's uncanny - hubby and I were discussing earlier whether it's worth buying a breadmaker..then I pop back on here and find your post :T So I'm going to have a good read in a minute.



I've missed a fair few pages right after Christmas but everyone keeps going on about fitbits - much are they and where is the best place to buy? You all sound very taken with them :rotfl: My diet *ick* starts next Monday, there was no point starting on the first of Jan with all the goodies still in the house

Oooo fingers crossed I have a convert

Well after all of your lovely advice (and cheering up) I took the plunge and bought a new fitbit - sods law is that my one will turn up, but I know that if I didn't buy one then it would remain missing And to cheer myself up a bit more I got the plum version as I really wanted it, but they only had the black option at John Lewis (had to buy from there as had £50 voucher)

*Louise* I have just paid £75 (with free postage) for a brand new one on ebay - plus I will get nectar points You may get it for a few pence cheaper else-where but with postage most places are more (and no points). I went for the new one again just because I really loved my first one - I'm sure one of the other ladies can come along and give their experience on the others.

pinknfluffy28

just been looking at tickets to take dh to see we will rock you in london in may (for his 40th - he doesnt do parties!) but the cheapest tickets are £50 each & so far back in the stalls we probably wont see a thing!! we have never been to see a show before so no idea what the theatres are like, if its worth going if were sat right at the back. i really want to treat him but is it worth paying that when i have to pay for hotel / meal / travel on top???

FeistyFidget

*Louise* wrote: »

Typical flipping Argos - No breadmakers in stock around here.

I don't know why I even bother checking them these days, they never have anything!

None here either - probably should have checked before reviewing :embarasse

It's here though :eek:

dropsofjupiter

pinknfluffy28 wrote: »

i also wanted that baking mag with the cadburys & golden syrup books (wanted 3 actually cos going to use books to make baking hampers) but nowhere had them, not even whsmith. Gutted

I picked one of these up yesterday and was quite surprised to find there is no mag! :eek: It's just the two books with the leaflet on subscribing for the full set - which after umm'ing and ahh'ing about I decided I did not need at £3 a time! Granted the little books would be excellent for baking hampers, they look worth more than 50p.

dropsofjupiter

*Louise* wrote: »

Typical flipping Argos - No breadmakers in stock around here.

I don't know why I even bother checking them these days, they never have anything!

There aren't any in my 10 nearest stores either, nor my grandparents (who live 3 and a half hours away but if that's the only way to get something I have been known to ask them to pick it up and bring it with them when they visit once a year ). I'm wondering if they actually have any in stock at all!

pinknfluffy28

dropsofjupiter wrote: »

I picked one of these up yesterday and was quite surprised to find there is no mag! :eek: It's just the two books with the leaflet on subscribing for the full set - which after umm'ing and ahh'ing about I decided I did not need at £3 a time! Granted the little books would be excellent for baking hampers, they look worth more than 50p.

can i ask where you found them? maybe i missed them in whs then, i just assumed there would be a magazine!!

jem1276

So many pages I have forgotten who has what news so just to say good luck nic with the move,
congratulations OMO,
glad sil sounds on the mend nanamia,
good luck everyone giving up smoking, I tried quite a few times before I cracked it 18 months ago :j

Feisty you converted me :TI have the burgundy one now too

How do I join people on here?