The OS Doorstep - a helpful and supportive thread in these tough times

cornishchick

Quick post as shattere after work, but wanted to say hi to the new posters .
Get better soon to the snifflly ones.
And well done to Monna for posting the pics of those amazing stocking, I'm still trying to learn to crochet!!!!!
Anyway , I did an experiment today, I really fancied one of those part backed rolls for my breakfast, but didn't want o put the oven on. So drop one into my small slow cooker on high while I showered and got ready. 30 mins later, yummy crusty warm bread rolls , browned a little where they touched the side,. Delicious and no big oven wasting heat. Working all day tomorrow, but plan on making a big batch of leak and potatoe soup Thursday, so looking forward to more yummy rolls .
Ok night night,,
Hugs and hot toddies to those that need them x
CC

Softstuff

ginnyknit wrote: »

Hello Soft stuff - :T:Tmortgage paid off - WOW!

It felt like a bit of an achievement and a reward for hard frugality (family cloth anybody?? )

With the mortgage paid off we then got a new car (it got to the stage the old one, just to keep it drivable, was going to cost about a quarter of a new car), a lovely yellow fiat 500, named Stuart (the car is minion yellow). But I still can't bring myself to renovate the kitchen, I've gotten used to having only 1 working hob :rotfl: Maybe next year...

Very cute stockings Monnagran, they're lovely. And I had a look at your FB Ginny, very nice and duly liked.

NurseMaggie, best of luck with your new CPAP machine, I know my MIL can't go a night without hers now - she feels so much better with it.

I have made no inroads to doing anything for Christmas, which is very unlike me. Can't get my head round it this year.

Anyhoo, a nice recipe for you folks:

Not so Dopiaza (adapted from a Rick Stein recipe)

500g of cheap meat chunks (doesn't matter if it's lamb, beef, pork or chicken, I've done it with all of them, they all work fine, pick the cheapest)
1kg rough cut onions (quarters will do, they cook down)
4 tsp lazy garlic (or the real stuff if you're being posh)
3 tsp lazy ginger (or ground ginger, you won't notice)
500g greek yoghurt (not the low fat kind, it matters)
4 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground chilli/chilli flakes
1 tsp black peppercorns
6 green cardamom pods (bashed)
50g butter
2 tsp salt
250ml water

Stick it all in a big pan, pop the lid on, bring to a boil. Give it a good stir so everything's mixed in, pop the lid back on and simmer for a couple of hours, stirring every so often. By this time the meat should be falling apart and the liquid a fair bit lower. Take the lid off. Now is where you can add in a bit more bulk, drain a can of chickpeas or chop 500g button mushrooms and throw them in. Give it another 20 mins simmering with the lid off, stirring regularly until there's less sauce.

Eat with rice, thank me later.

It's a lot of spices and they're all whole, but it really works so well in this it's like a restaurant quality dish. It freezes like a dream, I tend to make this and freeze it, then make something like a dhal or potato curry and serve up the cheaper curry with the meat one. This isn't the cheapest recipe I've got, but it's the one I bring out to impress people with little effort.

Possession

Just got a letter re. DD's school trip - £30, and just before Christmas. Not impressed. I know schools are between a rock and a hard place about these things but it seems a lot to ask at this time of year.

ivyleaf

Oh dear Possession, where are they (DD's class) going? Good news re your OH's contract at any rate:)

Softstuff that curry sounds gorgeous - I've bookmarked it and will look out for cardamom pods as i don't have any of those. I've got cardamom seeds but i expect they wouldn't taste quite the same? How many portions does it make (-ish)?

As for "family cloths" :eek: You brave people! Did you find it was a big saving? Must have been worth it though, to get rid of the mortgage.

Mrs LW glad you're so pleased with your new slow cooker. Mine is a "Rival Crockpot" (American brand) and has "High", "low" and "Warm" - the latter is for when it's finished cooking but you're not ready to eat it yet. It keeps it hot for an hour or so without it drying up. There's no "Auto" setting. I've never tried dumplings in it, as the manual says every time you take off the lid it adds 15 minutes to the cooking time. I was surprised your dumplings only took twenty minutes, as mine take twenty minutes in a pan - then realised that of course it's the heat and steam from the food that cooks the dumplings, so of course it wouldn't take any longer

[Deleted User]

Hi IVYLEAF yes the stew was bubbling away merrily when I popped the dumplings in and I stood and watched them expand and puff up then left them to cook as normal, they turned out softer than they would have done in a saucepan cooked stew but were very nice and cooked right through.

Possession

They are going to the National Space Centre Ivyleaf. Half of the cost is for the Challenger team challenge, not exactly sure what that is but I expect it will be fun.

nuttyp

morning everyone, well I have finally woken up feel better. I even had a fruit tea loaf in the oven by 8am!! Have done quite a lot already, cut some felt out and will do some hand sewing at work tonight as its another late shift.
DD hands the keys in today for the rental house, new house had to have the boiler repaired already this morning. The electrican was there before 8am, sorted it and then managed to make another £35 as he is installing a socket in the cupboard for the freezer to go in. It is starting to feel like a very cozy home, we are looking for nice but not expensive blinds with blackout linings. We are going to visit dunelm or the range next week - any other ideas??


New staff member is ok, sort of no sense of humour but not really anything else to say. I am just going in doing my work and going home - not my problem when I am not there. And you what I feel better for thinking it. The extra £500 a year for the responsibility - they can keep it. In a way I wish I hadn't taken on any of the extra hours. Some days are getting too much.

I for got to mention, all this talk of slowcookers so I got ours out and in there for tonight for OH and DD is sausages with veg in gravy. Will be nice and filling for later on. Me I have a cheese toasty x
Well time to do another wash load, take care all x

Softstuff

ivyleaf wrote: »

Softstuff that curry sounds gorgeous - I've bookmarked it and will look out for cardamom pods as i don't have any of those. I've got cardamom seeds but i expect they wouldn't taste quite the same? How many portions does it make (-ish)?

As for "family cloths" :eek: You brave people! Did you find it was a big saving? Must have been worth it though, to get rid of the mortgage.

Just use about half a teaspoon of the seeds Ivyleaf. The pods are just what the seeds come in, can't imagine it'd affect the taste at all. For us it makes about 4 servings with rice, but my husband does eat rather a lot more than is a sensible serve (yet is the size of a rake the b'steward). Chuck in some naan bread and maybe a simple potato curry and you'd easy do 6.

And the family cloths... hubby thought that was a step too far, I persisted longer than he did. Bear in mind we did this for 1's not 2's - I'm not that brave. That experiment went way better than homemade reusable sanitary towels though (ew). I think of some of the ways we've softened up and frankly wasted money recently though and think it's time to harden up and have a stocktake again. There's very little, apart from food, that you actually need to purchase. And as for food, you should only buy ingredients (if you can make it yourself, it's usually cheaper.... even as far as vinegar and basic cheese).

Softstuff

I just had to share this "cooking" video with you all, hubby found it and it really gave me a giggle:
http://youtu.be/B7UmUX68KtE

Possession

We've received an offer on our house. Half of the couple is Chinese, and it's an auspicious number apparently. They want our lovely American fridge included! Sadly it probably won't fit anywhere we're going anyway. Plus they're first-time buyers and are willing to wait till we find somewhere as they are living with family at the moment anyway. So relieved, although with houses I don't count my chickens until contracts are signed...