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

kidcat

On my way to an early night having been baking solidly.
Sheila thank you for the reminder, I think I may need to change my breakdown cover as its a minibus, so I need to check tomorrow.

Possession - really sad that you lost the job, but its experience and you may find you are able to get into lunch time work at a school easier now

pooky - am so jealous, the new kitties are adorable

Sorry for not replying more, am exhausted. DD8 school PTA contacted me earlier and asked me to provide the cakes for the cafe at the fayre this weekend, they had originally planned on buying them all in from costc@ but there have been issues. So I have been baking steadily today and will carry on tomorrow - am running out of storage boxes to use though. I have the kids play house covered in plastic containers with cakes inside to stay cool.

silvasava

Fuddle - Anchor do a spreadable butter. I havn't seen the Norpak (not been looking!) but I will have a go next time I'm in Aldi's

Nargleblast

If you would rather stick to real butter without additives then you could estimate how much butter you need for the task, cut that amount off and put it on a saucer. Give it a few seconds in the microwave (5 to 10 might be enough) and you will have softened butter. Of course, if you don't have a microwave you're snookered!
Having said that, some OS creative thinking might solve the problem...

mardatha

Nargleblast, I heat the knife in the gas on the cooker lol and it cuts the butter easily.

Nargleblast

There you go, fuddle, a very simple solution from mardatha - must try that one myself.

ivyleaf

I use Country Life Spreadable atm. It's currently £2 for a big tub. OH uses the one that is supposed to be good for the cholesterol levels, so my tub lasts ages Anchor Spreadable is nice too but about £3.25 atm so I buy it if it's on special offer.

I do have "ordinary" butter in the freezer for baking. If I put previously frozen butter on toast or, for example, cooked potatoes, it doesn't seem to melt properly. Weird.

kidcat - it seems a bit much for the PTA to expect you to provide all the cakes for the cafe at the fayre :eek:

FairyPrincessk

Very stressful and busy time for me, but wanted to pop in with a tip--

Fuddle, you can make your own spreadable butter. You need around 2 parts butter to 1 part oil. You can use any oil you're happy with--obviously olive oil will give it a slight flavour. You just whip them together and it should stay soft even with a cooler room temperature. That said, I'd probably only leave a few day's worth out at a time. If you use butter for cooking, remember that the oil may change its smoke-point.

SDG31000

Try one of these http://www.lakeland.co.uk/1496/Insulated-Butter-Dish fuddle

Hello everyone, I've been reading along with everyone's highs and lows while knitting elves in time for them to go to Santa and then to various small people for Elf on the shelf. Then DH decided to pass on his viral infection, so I've spent the last 5 days sleeping, coughing and generally feeling like poop. Not how I wanted to spend DH's week off :mad:
We did go out for a very posh afternoon tea on Wednesday using a gift voucher that my lovely friend gave me for my birthday. It was wonderful, I just wish I could have tasted things a little better.


DS2 has been wonderful and making sure that we have at least had dinner, while doing his revision for his mock GCSE exams. Mr T's is delivering this afternoon and hopefully I'll be up to doing some of the cooking. I've promised DS2 a trip out for dinner and gelato before Christmas as a thank you.


I'll post more later, but the coughing has started up again, so I'm off in search of yet more throat lozenges.


Much love to all xxxxxx

Softstuff

As regards butter, I also just cut off what I'll use and give it 5 seconds in the microwave.

Bloody knackered, it's my own fault. A week out of surgery and a visit to an open home then a grocery shop all seemed like a great idea at the time... in my defence, I didn't lift anything heavy :rotfl:

Time for bed I reckon.

Kidcat, asking you for an entire bake sale worth of cakes... are you sure it was the PTA and not the PITA?

Knit_Witch

If you don't have a microwave, then a small bowl of boiling water with a saucer on top (and a small piece of butter!) will have a similar effect