Living on next to nought - is that the key?

EssexHebridean

Morning Greying - and happy birthday to Dreaming junior too! Hope the cake went well?

Your easy dinner sounds just the ticket - I'm attempting Rick Stein's chickpea curry later - and was pleased to see that the only thing I need to buy specially for it is a small piece of root ginger!

Karmacat

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Good Morning :hello:

Morning :hello:

:bdaycake: HAPPY BIRTHDAY to dreaming's dear daughter. Hope the cake is wonderful and you have fun celebrating together

From me too :bdaycake:

Ay up Karma - you were around and about in the wee small hours. Hope all is well.

All's well, thank you :kisses3: I was in bed ten minutes later

So Jack is on Any Questions? She's strong ... hope it all goes well.

Sorry your sleep went so badly - extra coffee may be called for?
<hops up to heat up a leftover cuppa coffee>

:kisses3:

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

EH - I'm liking that all you had to get for the curry was 1 ingredient - good when that happens isn't it? Although even better - when you're in a hurry and out of inspiration - is a dish for which all the ingredients are in your stores/fridge/freezer

Karma - I was thinking that maybe coffee was the cause as I'd had 2 cups that day - normally limit myself to one, as I find it contributes to making me tired overall. However, 3am this morning - ping - Greying's internal alarm clock screams 'seize the day'. *sigh* :rotfl:Still, I feel ok this morning, so not all is lost.

Sorry for not updating last night. Pizza in front of the woodstove with a cheeky glass of red quickly got very cosy and I'm afraid I didn't want to move after a while Still, we caught up with 3 episodes of Borgen. We've only the last episode to go now. Not entirely sure that I am enjoying this series. It doesn't seem as gripping as the previous 2 series. Everything goes too swimmingly..... although I guess, clearly that could change in the final episode.......... Still, we will of cleared 10 episodes just now.. only to make room for the new series starting tonight on BBC4 - Salamander is it called?

But dinner worked out well, I was particularly pleased with the L*dl mature cheddar I bought - it was very 'melty' and acted a little like mozzarella. Pic of HM black olive pizza and wedges here;



I found 2p *roadkill* yesterday :j Had to extract it from a flower border and wrap it in a tissue, but it was mine :rotfl:And yes, I did keep a very close eye out for dog mess and hypodermics... 2p ain't worth encountering any of those things ...:(

I can't claim a NSD - and I suspect I have blown my chances of reaching my 20 day target for this month. However, I got some bargains with some RTC pulses, YS'd bananas and carrots in mrT, so it was probably worth the sacrifice......And I think having the NSD target at least makes me try to practice 'mindful' spending - if that doesn't sound too up meself...... Everything that I bought will in fact aid our budget maintenance in the long run, so......

I made yoghurt whilst waiting for dinner to cook last night. I have de-canted it this morning, and it is looking good. I am so pleased that I started doing it

Today I have laundry to do and I've got to work out what to have for dinner. I don't want to do what is on the planner, and I am fed up of being stuck in the kitchen when the rugger is on.... so.... thinking cap stuck firmly on bonce and I'm away to ponder.....

Thank you so much for popping by, reading and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

See y'all later.

Greying

dreaming

Thank you everyone for the warm wishes for my daughter (and cake!). The cake was hailed a success, and we had a lovely day just chatting. I also bought her a pot with some winter flowers in as she has a house with a garden for the first time. It's mainly decked but is going to be a real sun trap in the summer. We are having "proper" get-together with rest of family (son, his partner and twin g/sons) next weekend. Back on more familiar cooking territory with lasagne and pizza requested.
Sorry to hear of your insomnia GP. I suffered with that for years. Since I retired I have slept better than ever and rarely have that on-again, off-again sleep pattern I used to get every Sunday night. You have a lot going on at the moment so it's understandable that your brain is working hard to process everything.
Wind is really gusting here and my neighbour's caravan cover looks a bit like a hot air balloon at the moment. He and his 3 strapping sons are trying to secure it - I hope they don't take off.

Busymumofthreeplusdog

Hi(gives wee wave while peeking out from behind the door). I've been skulking about for a wee while and have finally taken the plunge to join. Been soooo enjoying this thread, having figured out yet how to subscribe but I will.......

Anyroad, just wanted to say "hi"!

beanielou

Busymumofthreeplusdog wrote: »

Hi(gives wee wave while peeking out from behind the door). I've been skulking about for a wee while and have finally taken the plunge to join. Been soooo enjoying this thread, having figured out yet how to subscribe but I will.......

Anyroad, just wanted to say "hi"!

Good to see you :wave:
To subscribe just go to the top of the page & click on thread tools & you can subscribe from there.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

oooh, we've had a really long lie-in this morning - totally lazy. But the weather is carp, so it's not like we're foregoing 'yard work' for a snooze....

dreaming wrote: »

The cake was hailed a success, and we had a lovely day just chatting.

:j:j:j YAY to cakey goodness and success! I hope this encourages you to make cake again - as that is the way we all develop prowess at things And how nice to have a family get together to look forward too as well

Hello and Welcome - Busymumofthreeplusdog :wave: Thank you for de-lurking and yes, come, join in. The gang on here are lovely

Beanie - ta everso for making Busymumofthreeplusdog welcome and for explaining thread subscribing. Mucho appreciated, as ever

Well, yesterday was another day that just flew. But between us we managed to accomplish quite a bit and managed to watch the Eng v Scotland rugger - pity we missed the Ireland v Wales game - that looks like it may well of been a corker! In need of direction - only one more win for the Triple crown

Yesterday involved spending money So my NSD target is sadly languishing in the doldrums Still, I should be able to rack up a few from today onwards, so all is not yet lost

Funnily enough, when I went outside anywhere, I was concentrating on not getting drenched - as a result I didn't find any *roadkill* :rotfl: I'm not willing to swap pneumonia for tuppence!

Dinner last night worked out well. I prepared most of it in the afternoon, and it just needed reheating during 'half time' - which given we were watching it on time delay record, worked out really well So, what did I make? Well, I've perhaps mentioned that I like to try to make something that matches the team that England are playing in the rugger, so.... I made and ordinary veg & and bean stew.....and..... before you start with, 'and how is that Scottish exactly Greying??' I shall say that it wasn't - although I did throw a small handful of Pearl Barley in But I went to Scotland for my inspiration to top the stew. I made potato scones, but used 'Rumbledethumps' ingredients in the scones. Those were; potatoes, swede (grated and cooked) and savoy cabbage (very finely chopped and steamed in the microwave) I know that folk will ask were the cheese was, but I didn't have any (unfrozen) to grate on the top to melt - however, it would of been an awesome addition I did however, add cooked onions into my 'Rumbledethumps Scones'.

Picture here;



If you look closely at the scone on the right, you may well be able to see the orange flecks of the swede. Its a shame that the cabbage wasn't greener (I'm down to the heart of the savoy I got in Ald* S6 some weeks ago), but I'm chuffed with the results - this is the first time that I've made them.

Whilst I'm sure other folk have made Rumbledethumps scones, I made this concoction up off my own bat. But if you'd like a recipe for Rumbledethumps, then have a look HERE.

The stew - which I pureed half of and left half chunky (although I appreciate it doesn't look very chunky in the pic ) Was just oddments of veg; onion, celery, garlic, carrot, swede, a sweet potato and a tin of red kidney beans and a handful of pearl barley cooked up in water and seasoned/dried herbs added. And the scones were the bero recipe I talked about the other week - but *pimped* with the other ingredients As the savoy was still from the S6 and the swede was the very last quarter from the YS'd swedes I got for 19p each in MrM before Christmas, I'm thinking I can legitimately hit the 'frugal fare' button for this dinner again. Oh, and I should add - that is DP's portion and he had been crazy busy with manual work for 3/4 of the day, so was in need of sustenance

We also watched the last episode of Borgen. Mmmm, little disappointed have to say. The first series was the best. Mind, I think that about the killing too.

Dinner this evening is going to be 'Caribbean One Pot', yellow rice and peas. Which is a dish using sweet potato and black-eyed beans based on a 'ready meal' I saw a franchise company sell one time. I have made it before on this thread

Right, well I'd better go and do something, my coffee cup is empty and I've managed to avoid hard work thus far this day

Thank you so much for popping in to see me. I greatly appreciate it - and love reading your comments here

See y'all later.

Greying

little_sweetie

Oooh....the veg & bean stew looks so tempting as do the scrumptious scones, Greying. Must try Rumbledethumps too, so abundant thanks for the link I love the look of your pizza the other day too. Can I come and live at your house please?

OH is at work so I must try and find some food for when he comes home tonight. I've just had a boiled egg and some toasted stale bread for lunch (there was only one slice left in the bread bin for some reason ) OH was allowed to have the 2 soft yummy rolls that we had left for his snap box:A The cupboards are pretty bare and it's barely a week into February :eek: I think it's going to have to be tinned baked beans and homemade wedges tonight.......although I read a snippet in a mag which said that having the oven on for an hour a day costs about £2.48 per week OMG! I'm going to have to try doing what you do Greying and FILL the dratted oven whenever possible

I'm a fan of Jack Monroe too and I can't believe I missed her on TV. Her banana pancakes (kind of drop scones) have filled our empty tummies many a time and are easy enough even for me to cope with. You would never believe, would you, that I have reared two perfectly healthy, capable-of-cooking children :rotfl::rotfl:

Now I must go and make a sensible planned shopping list for tomorrow's food shop. I really do need to stick to next week's budget but stock up the freezer too.

Have a lovely afternoon everyone x

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

little_sweetie wrote: »

Oooh....the veg & bean stew looks so tempting as do the scrumptious scones, Greying. Must try Rumbledethumps too, so abundant thanks for the link I love the look of your pizza the other day too. Can I come and live at your house please?

OH is at work so I must try and find some food for when he comes home tonight. I've just had a boiled egg and some toasted stale bread for lunch (there was only one slice left in the bread bin for some reason ) OH was allowed to have the 2 soft yummy rolls that we had left for his snap box:A The cupboards are pretty bare and it's barely a week into February :eek: I think it's going to have to be tinned baked beans and homemade wedges tonight.......although I read a snippet in a mag which said that having the oven on for an hour a day costs about £2.48 per week OMG! I'm going to have to try doing what you do Greying and FILL the dratted oven whenever possible

I'm a fan of Jack Monroe too and I can't believe I missed her on TV. Her banana pancakes (kind of drop scones) have filled our empty tummies many a time and are easy enough even for me to cope with. You would never believe, would you, that I have reared two perfectly healthy, capable-of-cooking children :rotfl::rotfl:

Now I must go and make a sensible planned shopping list for tomorrow's food shop. I really do need to stick to next week's budget but stock up the freezer too.

Have a lovely afternoon everyone x

little_sweetie - thank you so much for your post. Whilst I am writing my diary primarily to keep myself accountable, to motivate myself and record what works and what doesn't, you can bet that if someone very kindly mentions that a recipe link, or a thought or an idea has been useful for them, that it really makes my day. After all, I have learnt LOADS from contributors to MSE, so anything that I can do to contribute back just fills me with joy.

Yes - of course you can move in - just for pizza night, or full-time if you'd prefer :D And well done you for letting OH have the nice rolls for snap - I'd of done the same, and I get paid back for such thoughtfulness many times over :A Oh, by the way, the calculations for the oven sound about right - depending on how much you pay per kWh for leccy, natch. But I worked out some time ago that our oven used about 1 unit per hour, so 7 units per week would be something of the order of £2.50 - yes, I agree, hence the need to rationalise oven use

Well, we've done quite a bit today. We've been over to the parentals to check how they are fairing. OK, I think, but the weather is hampering the gardening parental's efforts around the estate, so I think boredom has set in Still, this time last year Shingles had set in, which although was a light dose, in turn has lead to a whole series of issues, so we must be grateful for small mercies. I'd take a little boredom over ill-health anyday of the week.

The non-gardening parental was amazed at news reports that hard pressed families are resorting to coupon clipping to afford groceries. And wanted to know why this was news, when it had ever been thus at parental towers :rotfl:

We caught the rugger this afternoon. I had high hopes of Italy. However, France have really marshalled themselves this year, and were worthy winners.

Oh, and I forgot to say yesterday, that whilst I support England in the rugger, I also want to see fair play. Why on earth Owen Farrell saw fit to shove Chris Cusitter for no reason was beyond me. I hope he's not getting beyond himself. Danny Care showed that Owen is not indispensable......

Also, we enjoyed some Scottish beer - Fraoch heather ale from Williams bros brewery in Alloa. A light beer - possibly suited to summer drinking? But glad that we tried it, as it was on special offer in mrM, and we were able to toast the Scottish team 'in kind'

Tonight dinner was sweet potato and black-eye bean 'stew' with Caribbean flavourings. I made yellow rice to accompany, but didn't bother with the 'peas' (red kidney beans) as there were enough beans in the main dish. There is no recipe as such. I saw something similar as a ready meal and just used Caribbean seasonings - primarily allspice and thyme.

Photo here;



Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

a lie-in - especially one that you don't feel guilty about

for catching the Food Programme interviewing Claudia Roden - very interesting

for making the time to visit the parentals - I think they appreciated seeing someone different for a little while and it got us out of our 'bubble'

Thank you so very much for popping in, reading and commenting. I greatly appreciate it.

I'm away to watch Hugh F-W's prog 'Scandimania' - he's interviewing 'Torben' off 'Borgen' tonight

Edit: Doh! what am I like - I can claim a NSD today! I'm now at 5. Pretty poor out of 9, but i'm trying...:o

See y'all later.

Greying

beanielou

Oooh that brewery is fairly near to me