Living on next to nought - is that the key?

beanielou

Is very glad I am on my own(well most of the time!!) :rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Ay up beanie - I know what you mean, I was only a cheese wire width away from packing up me mortar & pestle, tucking my recipe book under my arm and hightailing it off to sea

Today has been mucho better, and the fact that the hoovering was noticed and commented (favourably) on, upon 'his' return means that things are OK again

So, having got soaking wet this morning, the only thing I regret was having to forgo picking up 2p *roadkill* but it was slap bang in the middle of the road into a little shopping precinct, and having tied my hood up so that I kept dry, I couldn't be too sure that vehicles weren't about to turn into the car-park. I figured no-one died a hero *claiming* tuppence roadkill, so someone else benefitted today

I have got loads done, but I didn't get around to making the curry. Never mind - it'll be a job for tomorrow. DP has checked the weather and seems to think that we will be ok for our walk on boxing day. I guess it depends on what, if any, damage is done in the interim regarding falling trees, flooded roads etc

I can't claim a NSD, although my spends today weren't massive, and did include milk (for the bread sauce :j).

Dinner this evening was Ash-e-alu, or 'prune soup' :rotfl: Really, it was much better than it sounds. I can't find a recipe on the net for it (some of you will not be surprised :rotfl:), but it was cheap to make, very filling and I would certainly make it again. The ingredients list was short; red lentils (but actually the recipe specified yellow split peas), rice, 12 prunes (or use what you have) onion, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, stock, salt and pepper and dried mint (but I used a bit of our frozen mint from the garden). I also added some lemon juice at the end and did a 'sprinkle' of toasted sesame seeds, ajwain and sumac.

Photo here;



I reckon this dish will get an outing several more times before winter is over

Oh, in other moneysaving news..... I bought a bag of mixed nuts and raisins from HB for the nut loaf for Christmas day. It has almonds in the mix, and I figured that I could afford 69p, rather than the high price almonds are currently demanding. Downside was that the mix was only 10% almonds..... anyway, this apparently equates to 15 almonds, so, not too bad. The raisins have been diverted off into the dried fruit jar for DP to have with porridge of a morn and then the peanuts (70%) were both red-skinned and peeled. Naturally there were about 3 times as many red-skinned as not, but again, I sorted them and the skinned peanuts will be roasted and then chopped up to put in the nut loaf. I was pondering what to do with the red-skinned peanuts when I had a flash of inspiration to make the Prashad dish of 'vagareli makai' or spicy sweetcorn. As it is another dish that can be made in advance, it will be good for our boxing day curry feast :T So with the cashews and brazil nuts I already have and the toasted, chopped peanuts and almonds, it looks like we will be having nut loaf for dinner on the 25th tiny tim Plus the contents of the 69p bag have been divvied up and will all be used :money:

Oh, and I forgot to say, I caught up with the F00d&Dr1nk xmas special and if I understood the wine expert correctly, the reason why we didn't get on with our wine choice on Saturday was that there wasn't enough fat in the dish to counteract the tannins in the wine...... who knew? Good to learn new things though

I'm hopeful kj has had surgery and is now recovering with all the best of care that the NHS has to offer.

Today I am most grateful for the following 3 things;

that my coat and my trainers kept me dry in the rain - I've known that to not always be the case ........

that a slight sense of perspective reigned in the supermarket today - and everyone laughed in the cheese aisle when some wag proclaimed (in mock wail).... but it's only one daaaaayy!

for a lovely card, from my letter writing chum - with the promise of a letter to follow :j

Thank you so very much for dropping by, reading, commenting and above all, joining in. I greatly appreciate it. But I hope I can begin to record some NSD's for y'all soon! :rotfl:

See y'all later.

Greying

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :santa2:

Well, we're here, the start (for us) of Christmas DP has to work for part of the day at least. But I can use that time to do all the prep that is needed.

I made yoghurt last night and I've just taken it out of the flasks (it worked :j - I never cease to be amazed ) and set one lot draining to make 'Labneh' (cream cheese) for our Christmas cheese board. The other pot is cooling before I put it in the fridge.

I need to do a quick sort around in the freezer so that I can at least put in the 'sosage' rolls (uncooked) if I get around to making them. They can then be cooked on Christmas day and will be just the thing to take on our walk on boxing day I also need to make the curry and the sweetcorn dish. I'm pretty sure that we have dhal - but I will check. I will also need to make the nut loaf mix.

I was beginning to get a little down the other day, as I knew that the budget has been blown for this month - not hugely if you discount the presents for the youngsters, but it does point up where we need to be savvy about having an emergency fund as well as 'pots' for this, that and the other. We always have tried to do that, but raided from one to the other, when disaster strikes, so that must be tidied up for 2014!

Anyway, I have just realised that we have had 21 'meals' - as set down, out of 23 days on the meal planner, which by any stretch of the imagination is not bad going - and no, I had not pencilled in 'frozen ready-meals' for 17 of those 21 days! :rotfl:I think that we will have at least one more major substitution, but it will not involve buying any expensive ingredients, so we should get to the end of the month without more grocery expenditure - but having consumed a variety of interesting foodstuffs. So - cause for one of these :j I think and I'm feeling a little better about December Food is the one thing that has worked pretty well in budgetary terms since I started this diary. I'm looking forward to honing my approach in 2014, but as you know that I get bored easily, there can be no let up in finding more ideas and inspiration for interesting dishes that keep us within budget

Oh, BoB - lovely to see you around - I've found a Persian turnip soup recipe - those globes are so much more popular than I ever imagined It does use the white turnip, and is purported to be *good* for colds and flu........ Recipe HERE if anyone would like to try it......... I've not done so myself, but it does sound nice, but i'd struggle to get 'with tops' turnips in the UK - especially at this time of year. But I'll get some purple topped turnips one of these days and give it a go

Anyway, better get on. Quite a bit to do today

Ta for dropping in, reading and commenting. You do realise that I appreciate it - don't you?

See y'all later.

Greying

EssexHebridean

*waves* morning all - just dashing by...

Yep, it was lemon & lime curd GP - I must confess that Mr EH is our resident preserves expert here, and it's he who does most of the making. I wander in and out, taste a bit occasionally, making "mmmmmm" noises a lot and help pronounce on setted-ness prior to jarring. Oh, and actually do the jarring too - I have steadier hands! It's utterly delicious too - 2 jars will be going for presents, another will make it's way onto the cheesecake, and the last will land on toast!

I think come the new year I will be focusing in getting eyes "back on the ball " of all things financial - there is more frittering going on than is ideal, and I've been stashing vouchers again a "Frugal Food Cost Neutral February" - will be interesting to see how we do, but my aim is to just buy fresh stuff and dairy so far as possible. We have a larder and store cupboard FULL of food so I will be looking for inspiration - and I think we all know I'm going to find it here!

All sounds like it's going well with Pippi, RG & DS's honeymoon by the way - she's still in one piece at any rate! :rotfl:

Right - there is a cheesecake requiring my attention!

If I don't get back on, then Greying and DP (and everyone else!) I wish you a wonderful, peaceful and relaxing Christmas and very much look forward to continuing the thread-based cheeriness in 2014! :kisses3:

Greying_Pilgrim

EssexHebridean wrote: »

*waves* morning all - just dashing by...

Yep, it was lemon & lime curd GP - I must confess that Mr EH is our resident preserves expert here, and it's he who does most of the making.

'Team Essex Hebridean' at work again

EssexHebridean wrote: »

I think come the new year I will be focusing in getting eyes "back on the ball " of all things financial - there is more frittering going on than is ideal, and I've been stashing vouchers again a "Frugal Food Cost Neutral February" - will be interesting to see how we do, but my aim is to just buy fresh stuff and dairy so far as possible.

That sounds brill - will look forward to following the documenting of that challenge

EssexHebridean wrote: »

All sounds like it's going well with Pippi, RG & DS's honeymoon by the way - she's still in one piece at any rate! :rotfl:

Ah, thanks for the update I was minded of Pippi yesterday - L*dl had Raclette in the chiller cabinet.......

EssexHebridean wrote: »

If I don't get back on, then Greying and DP (and everyone else!) I wish you a wonderful, peaceful and relaxing Christmas and very much look forward to continuing the thread-based cheeriness in 2014! :kisses3:

Thank you EH and it obviously gets sent back to you & MrEH with love from us. I'm pretty sure that you mentioned some travel during the festive period - stay safe. And yes, please report in for *thread-based cheeriness* in 2014 :D:D

Thinking about travel, I do hope that karmacat has safely arrived at her Christmas destination and is having a wonderful relaxing time.

Right, I'd better get on, these chores ain't completing themselves

Greying

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Thinking about travel, I do hope that karmacat has safely arrived at her Christmas destination and is having a wonderful relaxing time.

Have sent KC an e-mail of the enquiring type - will report back when she does!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening (just ) :santa2:

rtandon - bless you for that hun - here's hoping all is well

Well, Dear Reader, I am shortly away to start our Christmas Eve dinner, so I'm 'calling in' early to yatter away to y'all a bit

I'm hopeful that kissjen is wending her way back to the homestead as I type, to spend Christmas with the all the family

I'm also hopeful, that Piquant has called 'time members, please' and that the party is winding down - and a successful afternoon was had by all. Plus, Piq, I hope that your carriage leaves the door on the dot of 6pm and the rest of the evening is yours to spend as you choose.....:D

I hope that Pippi is still having a ball on her honeymoon and that the snow is cold, the vino warming and the fondue hot!

And hopefully y'all know me well enough to know by now that I value everyone who participates in this diary, and if I haven't name checked you in this post, please don't think that you are - in anyway - not included. Because.........

I really wish you - yep, YOU, and yours, a wonderful Christmas time - to paraphrase Paul

Today, I am grateful for these 3 things;

for the roof over my head; heat, light and power; food in the fridge.

that our shared, simple Christmas is not on credit and won't present a hangover in the New Year.

for the friendship and support YOU have afforded me in 2013 - THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

I was going to sign off, but I think DP would probably like me to add a 'fourth' grateful.........

that Ald* had sold out of sprouts by 1pm today..............:rotfl:

Thank you for your support. Thank you for reading. Thank you for dropping by. Thank you for contributing. I continue to be astounded by it, and remain grateful.

Rest assured, I will get the camera out and capture something of the 'essence' of our frugal fare...... but until then......

See y'all later.

Greying

Ellidee

*Lobs sprouts* to GP :snow_grin

Have a lovely Christmas Greying - I very much enjoy your diary even if I mostly lurk ! :xmastree:

EssexHebridean

Hurrah for stores running out of sprouts. "Sold out" is the best place for 'em, I reckon!

tunathe_cat

Happy home grown sprouts & christmas wishes to allyour family x