Living on next to nought - is that the key?

supersaver1000

NewbieJosh wrote: »

I had a good read of it all last night.
Was an amazing article on the difference between 'frugality' and being 'cheap' which I found fascinating. :money:
I will link it if anyone wants to see it.)

Yes please. Great to see you are starting off early. I wish I'd had this website in my younger days. It's too late once you start making the money, as you don't see any need.

Keep going with the job search. It's not always what you know but can be who you know so volunteering or jobs that you may not want to do forever are worth considering in the meantime. Also learn and study as it may not seem relevant now but you never know when it may give you the edge in future.

Good luck. You'll make it.

Ayeshalush

The beetroot risotto was actually very nice. I (very) loosely followed this recipe: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/12278/creamy-beetroot-risotto


I didn't use wine, just replaced with vegetable stock and I didn't use parmesan as I wanted to use up the feta I had. I just stirred the crumbled feta in at the end. I also added some frozen peas. I roasted the beetroot in the oven, as instructed, but I cooked the risotto on the hob and I didn't bother pureeing 1/4 of the beetroot. I topped with yogurt and dill instead of soured cream. Would def make again, in fact probably tonight so that I can use up the rest of the beetroot and I do love risotto.


It's such a shame that your peaches haven't been very nice. There is nothing nicer than a sweet juicy peach in the summer. I find that the fruit and veg in the supermarkets is, generally, very poor in taste and doesn't keep for any length of time.


Your sushi looks lovely. I really wish I liked it as it always looks so nice and it is a work of art.


I originally ordered 'Olives, Lemon & Za'atar: The Best Middle Eastern Home Cooking' by Rawia Bishara from Amazon but they failed to honour my order (I was not a happy chappy!!) and have since ordered 'Everyday Lebanese Cooking' by Mona Hamadeh. I will let you know what I think of it when it arrives, hopefully, at the beginning of next week.




Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.


Ali
xx

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

... I have some thai sticky rice, that I have had for longer than I care to admit :rotfl: But given it still tastes OK and there are no wildebeasts stomping around in it, I'll carry on using it...

LOL - rice is the one thing in our house that doesn't get forgotten in the store cupboard! We seem to be constantly running out of it in all it's various forms - must admit though that Brown Basmathi is a hard one to deal with - we've taken to mixing it 1:3 with white just to finish it off!

ATM we do have 5 bags of pasta that seem to have emerged from their hiding place - any brilliant ideas on how to use it up & still eat light & summery?

Greying_Pilgrim

Ay up!

Just a quick drop in from me, whilst I'm waiting for his lordship before starting making dinner

*Greying bustles round with the feather duster and arranges the anti-macassars in preparation for visits from Pippi and Mrlittle_sweetie *

Pippi and supersaver - Frugality v's Cheap article on MMM, that NewbieJosh referred to.

Pippi - I had no mayonnaise - only brown sauce...... can you imagine.... :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

supersaver - thank you too for your supportive words to NewbieJosh - mucho appreciated

Ayeshalush - I'm going to study that recipe and your amendments to it - thanks everso for posting

Hey! Rawia's book is FAB! I have had that from the library. She runs a restaurant in NYC doesn't she? I've quite a few recipes from the book to try. I particularly want to try the red pepper paste topped flatbreads, although I think that it probably requires the nifty outdoor oven that her sister has at her home.....:rotfl: Try to see if your local library has a copy. Mind was actually on the shelf - I noticed it before I saw it on the 'new books' section of a certain well-known high street bookseller :whistle: Plenty of scope for meat/fish eaters too.

I'll look out for the other book too - but, yes please, let me know what you think

rtandon - SEND YOUR 5 BAGS OF PASTA TO ME!!! :rotfl: Sorry love, not very helpful am I? Well, Lemon is your friend, so pasta, feta, mint and lemon vinaigrette or pasta, raw tomato and roasted pepper salsa with basil or pasta, brie, grape and French dressing...... or.......

Right, his lordship has descended, I must vamoose...... laters

Greying

NewbieJosh

Thanks for kind comments guys, really helps keep me motivated, at the moment my motivation is pretty high! Managed me 5th NSD in a row which for an impulse spender such as my self is quite a big achievement.

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2012/10/24/frugal-vs-cheap/ this is the hyperlink go the article I mentioned

By the way Greying, the sushi looked very nice. Only checked out the post after seeing the reply from pippilongstocking! Never tried sushi but it does look nice when ever I see it. Anyone reccomend it?

little_sweetie

Hiya Greying, :wave:

*Greying bustles round with the feather duster and arranges the
anti-macassars in preparation for visits from Pippi and Mrlittle_sweetie *

:rotfl::rotfl:tee hee, can you hang onto him for a bit please 'cos he's driving me crazy :rotfl::rotfl:

Anyways, I just realised something that I didn't spot yesterday ( heaven knows why not ...rolls eyes...) but the milk I bought yesterday at Mr M's was exceptionally cheap. I thought it was 2 pints of skimmed for 84p when it's actually 2 litres :T Now I know peeps on here freeze milk but does it have to be unopened plastic bottles? and does skimmed milk freeze well? I ask because 2 litres is too much to use within 3 days but it's such a good price for British milk. Can you offer any advice please, GP? ( can a duck swim?? :rotfl:)

Many thanks in anticipation.....

little_sweetie

PS thanks for the link NewbyJosh and very well done for the NSD's already. Can't comment on the sushi question 'cos I've never eaten it, sorry....

Greying_Pilgrim

NewbieJosh wrote: »

By the way Greying, the sushi looked very nice. Only checked out the post after seeing the reply from pippilongstocking! Never tried sushi but it does look nice when ever I see it. Anyone reccomend it?

NewbieJosh - if you are talking about *proper* sushi (ie that made with raw fresh fish) then I rather think that Pippi is going to be your guide Properly prepared, using good ingredients, I see no reason why sushi wouldn't be good As for veggie sushi - it's L.U.S.H But then I would say that wouldn't I.......

little_sweetie wrote: »

:rotfl::rotfl:tee hee, can you hang onto him for a bit please 'cos he's driving me crazy :rotfl::rotfl:.....

Oooooo, um, er..... is he good with taking folk how he finds 'em......????? :rotfl:

little_sweetie wrote: »

Now I know peeps on here freeze milk but does it have to be unopened plastic bottles? and does skimmed milk freeze well?

I'm hoping that milk freezing supremo satchmo is going to duck in here and help me out, but I THINK I am right in saying that opened milk can be frozen - assuming it has been kept at optimum fridge temp, is not days old, hasn't been out on the counter during the heatwave etc etc etc And as for skimmed milk.... well, milk separates on freezing - the fat from the *water* (sure there's a better tech term, but can't think of it at the moment, whey?) well, in skimmed milk, there is less fat, so less separation, soooo..... I'm going to have a punt and say GO FOR IT And remember satchmo's tip for de-frosting when you need to - put the frosted carton in a bowl of room temp water - it'll de-frost quicker.

HTH

Greying

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

I forgot to mention that after I had posted on here last night, 2 great things happened I wandered out to check on the tomatoes, to find that the [STRIKE]blisteringly hot weather [/STRIKE] little bit of sunshine suited their disposition wonderfully. More tomatoes are now beginning to show the first signs of changing colour And when I came back in, my phone was lit up with messages, as one of the tradesmen was trying to get hold of me to set a *start* date in concrete :j

I am a very blessed individual

Well, today has gone marvellously well for me - and I trust that it has for you

I didn't achieve a NSD, but I am pleased with what I bought. Most especially, a little bit of an impulse purchase of some cherry tomatoes from the greengrocer. Unfortunately, our green grocer isn't in the 'traditional vein' of grocers that - because of bulk buying/selling in season/less packaging, can offer veg and fruit at affordable prices. It's a bit of a artisanorganikfroufroufoodie outlet. However, occasionally, they offer loss leaders and today that was cherry tomatoes You could buy a punnet (no weight given) for 75p or 2 for £1. I armed myself with 2 Pippi would be delighted that the punnet contents were poured into a recyclable brown paper bag for the customer, so that the plastic punnets could be re-used by the grocer :j When I got back, I found that my £1 had bought me 510g of cherry tomatoes. Cheaper than aldee, lidlee, farmfoodz, the local market.......... :j

So, dinner this evening was........ Grilled peach and bulghar salad with feta and cherry tomato salsa...... pic here;



Although the idea and execution was sort of original, I did find huge inspiration from THIS blog post. The vinaigrette/dressing (in my case, minus the peach flesh) was LUSH My peaches weren't easy to cut up - they clung to the stone like anything, despite oozing juice! You need ripe but firm peaches when you are grilling. Next time I'll get them from a green grocers or market Not a supermercado

The recipe/idea is a keeper. Totally summery and the kitchen smells of grilled peach - d.i.v.i.n.e


Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

That I was not working outside this afternoon - as it was, I caught the sun walking home

for food-based discussions - my passion

when seasonality and supply/demand economics are allowed to work in the consumers favour -

Thank you so very much for popping in, reading, commenting and supplying links All good

See y'all later.

Greying

satchmo1

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

I'm hoping that milk freezing supremo satchmo is going to duck in here and help me out, ... opened milk can be frozen - assuming it has been kept at optimum fridge temp, is not days old, hasn't been out on the counter during the heatwave etc etc etc skimmed milk.... well, GO FOR IT And for rapid de-frosting when you need to - put the frosted carton in a bowl of room temp water
Greying

OOO, I got quoted by GP!:j Quite right. Go for it. Here's a thought, you could even freeze it in an ice cube tray and just pop out a few cubes at a time :rotfl: