Living on next to nought - is that the key?

Shortie

Afternoon all

Apologies for the radio silence - I was in a bit of a grmup and didn't want to reply in a grumpy tone, yesetrday flew by, and this morning my fast-failing mobile died on the train, lol

Right, I have my lunch on hand - chicken and veg pasta bake leftovers from DS2's party last month and I have some time spare to type while I'm at work - like feels good again

So the plums - there were 6, lol. The rest were apparently too high up or super-overripe which is a shame. But still, 6 plums are better than none :-) We'll go blackberry picking this weekend

I've been getting more and more naffed off at work so I quickly booked yesterday off to do the first school run to big school for our eldest (our youngest went back today). I have big plans for lots of housework but we nipped to Wood Green Animal shelter in Godmanchester to chat tot hem about a pud they had and we felt sorry for. Turns out that pud wouldn't suit our house with young kids but they suggested another pud that came in very recently and is still undergoing last health checks for an ear infection it came in with (hopefully being given a clean bill of health tomorrow). When I heard that the 11 week old pud (found stray at 4 weeks, bless it) seems to have been left with a permanent head tilt following the ear infection / absess, I couldn't walk away from the poor mite, knowing he'd be hard to rehome. So..... all being well tomorrow with the vets, and us visiting him in the foster home on Saturday.. it looks like we have a new addition to the mad house

We then also had some lunch up there, went to their thrift shop, petted the ferrets, had a wander round their farm animals.. it was a packed day but such a tonic. It was great

However, it did mean that I spent money I didn't really have to spare so I now have to be extra frugal for the rest of the month (get paid on 20th).

I'l be having a good nose around your recipie links later for some lunch inspirations - I have lentils, dried chickpeas etc... just lacking some inspiration for quick and easy, tasty and reheatable - I don't ask for much do I? lol

Shortie

Oh and back to my unplanned Thrift Shop spend - we got a couple of lovely egyptian themed bits - then popped to my folks house in the evening to pick up spare balnkets they were getting rid of to find that they were also getting rid of a framed papyrus painting that they bought when we whent to Egypt when I was in my teens.

So that was a rescued memory that also happen to go very nciely with the bits I bought that morning

Oh and amoungst other buys.... a decent pair of wellies. A size too big but nothing that extra socks and a funny walk won't fix :rotfl:. At least it'll stop me worrying about getting chicken p00 stuck to my shoes when I clean the chooks out :rotfl:

And I'm going to justify my spend by reminding myself that all the bits I bought have a use, and it's money gone to charity too!

I can actually see us taking odd days out over there for a family munch, walk around the outdoor animals (ferrets, rescued chooks, horses, donkeys, goats...), pick up some pet bits and a sneaky nose around the thrift shop But next time without a potential new pet in tow

maddiemay

Shortie, bless you for (hopefully) adopting puddy cat with head tilt. Miss MM is our 6th adoptee woofer, ages varying from 8 weeks to 8.1/2 years when they came to live with us.

I am still on my "getting ready for winter" phase, to date have made 15 lbs Damson jam, 11 lbs Plum, 5 lbs chutney, 1 batch Damson gin and now just have sloes to make sloe gin and I have found another source of sloes, so providing someone else does not pick them, there might be more sloe gin, hic! On a very :money: note, I read that when the fruit is taken from the gin, it can be added to apple and used to make fruit jelly:j

Busymumofthreeplusdog

maddiemay wrote: »

Shortie, bless you for (hopefully) adopting puddy cat with head tilt. Miss MM is our 6th adoptee woofer, ages varying from 8 weeks to 8.1/2 years when they came to live with us.

I am still on my "getting ready for winter" phase, to date have made 15 lbs Damson jam, 11 lbs Plum, 5 lbs chutney, 1 batch Damson gin and now just have sloes to make sloe gin and I have found another source of sloes, so providing someone else does not pick them, there might be more sloe gin, hic! On a very :money: note, I read that when the fruit is taken from the gin, it can be added to apple and used to make fruit jelly:j

When we make plum brandy we keep the fruit after brandy is decanted and freeze it in batches. Stew it a wee while with some cinnamon add a dollop of icecream and it makes a fantastic pudding. :T Posh enough for dinner parties if you wish. Just don't try to drive after consuming! Yum!

So far I've done a batch of plum jam and a batch of plum brandy. Think it will be chutney making at the weekend....who has a good recipe they would like to share?;)

maddiemay

THIS is my go to site for preserves, everything that I have made from here has been ace.

Today's recipe is THIS one, I made a few minor changes, but kept the total weights etc the same, it is rather hot atm, but hopefully it will mellow a little. People have noted a few variations in their comments. It took me quite a long time to make, as I only simmered it gently, so that I could get on with other things, stirring it every few minutes.

muddywhitechicken

Busymumofthreeplusdog wrote: »

Think it will be chutney making at the weekend....who has a good recipe they would like to share?;)

I used Delia's recipe for spiced damson chutney with plums last weekend and it's delicious

in_need_of_direction

Maddie May, thanks for posting your go to site. I've just bookmarked it for this weekend

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

... so nice to know that this thread has a life of it's own without me.... :rotfl:

VISITORS!!! Squeeeeeeee :D:D

JackieO - I'm sure that I knew that Danny was an assistant producer, but I think that I associated 'runners' with young folk just starting out in the biz. so he came to mind Can you not persuade him to get knocking on Jaymee's door though? Thee and me could do guest slots then - you with frugal feed a family fare and me with the veggie version

Hopefuljoy - so far so good is good enough for us - them kiddos will lap up that learning tomorrow - you'll see Thanks for popping in when you've a zillion things going on in your life

wishus - you are brill!!! I wanted to do chappatis with the tiffin box, but run out of time, and figured with 2 new recipes, I was taking on quite a bit already. But you are right, chappatis are easy to make and frugal too - PLUS I bought wholewheat flour to make 'em!!!!!!!! So, I WILL make chappatis this month :D:D Love that you are converting your fella over to this side...... :rotfl: (you know I'm pulling your leg - right?)

mrsinvisible - hotpot is on t'menu 'ere later on in the month - great minds and all that The York excursion sounds fab - when is that? Now? YAY to grandsons looking fab in their uniforms :j I see mr Roo knee did the proud papa bit on social media too today.......

Karma - :wave:

shortie - I'm loving your happy tales from the animal shelter. Well done you for seeing the value and grace in a lob-sided putty-tat. Bet you are repaid in spades with love and affection

And thanks for sharing about the chuck po0....... :rotfl:

And whilst I agree 6 plums are better than nought - frankly, were your chaps really trying??????? :rotfl: Hope the scarce six get transformed into summat yummy Ta for popping in

maddiemay - are you needing QC on that there sloe gin perchance????? Thank you for helping Busymumofthreepludog - mucho appreciated

Busymumofthreeplusdog - you've done it now, the recipe floodgates will open Have you checked out Fortune Smiles thread on MFW? She is the Plum recipe Queen

MWC - :wave: Thanks for your recipe contribution too :D


So nsd today :j

Early start, late finish

Lots of lovely banter by text though

So, on the whole...........


Dinner this evening, was, thankfully, a soup I'm not too sure even I could have pulled off a 16 course Mongolian vegetarian banquet tonight.......... :rotfl:

I have yet again dipped into Leanne Brown's Good and Cheapand had a bash at the Corn Soup (sweetcorn) on pg 36. In addition, I accompanied the soup with some Jalapeno and cheese soda farls - adapted from THIS recipe - which were in direct homage to the jalapeno and cheddar scones that Leanne makes on pg 22 I hadn't got an egg and didn't want to put the oven on, so made farls on the stove top instead. Picture here;



As it was our main course, I made the full volume - and I have to say it was about right for 2 greedy gannets - but the recipe is for 4 - 6 'normal' servings It was a nice soup and I liked it. But was it the best sweetcorn soup I had ever tasted? Nope. I think that if you have a stick blender, you can make a soup so much better by blitzing half of it and then recombining it. I will stick with my sweetcorn chowder recipe that does this. But if you've sweetcorn to hand, or you've not tried sweetcorn soup before, then by all means, try this recipe - it is a good introduction to sweetcorn soup And if you have shucked sweetcorn cobs - DO make broth out of them. They are SO packed with flavour - flavour that at best, usually ends up on the compost heap..........

I now know that jalapeno's are very hot - even those in jars........ :eek: But the farls were good. Again, a 'keeper' of a recipe suggestion I did use the remaining grated hard cheese (parmesan 'like') that I had left over from the aubergine pasta dish. I have got some cheddar, but chose to use up ready grated rather than open up the new pack of cheese. When I've the oven on, I'd like to try the scone version - good to have in the freezer for soup weather I think

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

for larfs and good banter via text - made me smile, mucho thanks guys

that my first thought each day is how can I be of help - the alternative is just .................... mostly what I encountered today..........

for more vegetable bounty left on the doorstep - :j:j:j

Ta so very for popping in. Mucho appreciated. As Always

See y'all later.

Greying

DawnW

The soup (and the farls) look gorgeous x

Greying_Pilgrim

DawnW wrote: »

The soup (and the farls) look gorgeous x

Aw, thanks hun - how nice of you to pop in and say such a nice thing

Aw, I'm touched

Greying