*Stop The Cavalry* It's The 2014 Christmas Chatter Thread

princesskitty29

I remember you too Flowfy! You must be so proud of your children and DD's boyfriend, what great achievements. I know it is still tough on the job front but I do hope something comes up for your DD and her bf very soon. So sorry to hear about your dog, its always difficult even when expected. Enjoy Hank! All that food sounds delicious! Were you batch making the pastys?

One of my biggest hobbies is cooking and I went right off it when I was pregnant, now Wriggle is here i'm so happy that i'm back into my food. Yesterday I watched my first cookery programme in 9 months! I also have about 10 Good Food magazines from my subscription unopened and waiting to be read! Of course I don't have much time to cook at the moment but i'm happy as I feel a big part of me has come back!

Flowfy

morning princesskitty29. I remember you too. I am proud of DD, DD's bf and DS. I am hoping the job market will pick up in September, when everyone is back from their hols. I had a really bad day over my doggy, about 3 days after he died, surprisingly. then I have been quite good. it is just the occasional thing that sets me off Hank is brilliant. Apparently he was knocked over and he jaw was totally hanging off it looked like he has been living on the streets for a while and was emaciated. the accident happened very near the rescue centre so he was bought straight in. the vet put him on fluids and wired his jaw but said, considering his condition he would probably die. anyway he didn't. he had to have the wire in for 6 weeks. after about 6 months though, he was constantly being overlooked for adoption because he has a slightly twisted mouth one side. but I thought he looked like he had a wry smile. he is super cute. there is nothing he can't eat, crunchy treats etc. He is perfect. He is also happy all the time and is a proper inspiration to all in the house. He had porked up in the shelter and was a tubby cat when he had him (march) and he has continued to pork out here He is ginger and white. anyway, I was batch cooking. especially the pasty's. they are 'faux' pasty's as well. made with warburton sandwich thin's. I made some before for DS as he always something savoury when he comes in from his music at 10.30pm and usual try's to have a pasty or sausage roll. this has played havoc on his weight. so I saw that someone was making these false pasty's. about a month ago, I made steak and ale, sausage and bean, and chicken and mushroom. needless to say they were a big hit and less than half the calories of a proper pasty. the chilli is for chimichanga's today. we ate the paella and the freezer is full of beef/liver/carrot/brown rice blended cat food. which they love. it is hard to cook and find time, when you have a baby. don't wear yourself out. mine are 15 and 21. have you had any Annabel karmel cookbooks. I still cook some of her recipes even now. enjoy being a mummy. xx

System

Flowfy wrote: »

, I was batch cooking. especially the pasty's. they are 'faux' pasty's as well. made with warburton sandwich thin's. I made some before for DS as he always something savoury when he comes in from his music at 10.30pm and usual try's to have a pasty or sausage roll. this has played havoc on his weight. so I saw that someone was making these false pasty's. about a month ago, I made steak and ale, sausage and bean, and chicken and mushroom. needless to say they were a big hit and less than half the calories of a proper pasty. the chilli is for chimichanga's today.


Can you elaborate on the pasties please they sound like they could be what im looking for .

Flowfy

CHRISSYG. Certainly. I get a warburtons sandwich thin, open it. Spray a baking tin with frylight. lay the thin on the baking tin, patterned side down. eggwash round the edge of the thin on the inside. put a tablespoon of filling in. get the top of the thin, eggwash on the inside edge of that thin and press it on top of the other half to seal, pattern side up. then I eggwash the top. then I bake until they are golden on top. when cold, I freeze them in sandwich bags of 2 pasty's per bag. I usually make a batch of filling, so it makes 18 or 24 'faux pasty's'. I manage to get about 4 pasty's on a tin and just keep rotating my tins. a packet of thins has 6 thins in it. I have used the thins, opened out as a low cal pie topping, just lay them on top of the filling and eggwash. also, I have rolled half round a weightwatchers sausage. and made a faux sausage roll. hehe. the fun you can have. I am thinking of making mince pies at Christmas, just not eggwashing and dusting the top with icing sugar. xx

System

Flowfy wrote: »

CHRISSYG. Certainly. I get a warburtons sandwich thin, open it. Spray a baking tin with frylight. lay the thin on the baking tin, patterned side down. eggwash round the edge of the thin on the inside. put a tablespoon of filling in. get the top of the thin, eggwash on the inside edge of that thin and press it on top of the other half to seal, pattern side up. then I eggwash the top. then I bake until they are golden on top. when cold, I freeze them in sandwich bags of 2 pasty's per bag. I usually make a batch of filling, so it makes 18 or 24 'faux pasty's'. I manage to get about 4 pasty's on a tin and just keep rotatating my tins. a packet of thins has 6 thins in it. I have used the thins, opened out as a low cal pie topping, just lay them on top of the filling and eggwash. also, I have rolled half round a weightwatchers sausage. and made a faux sausage roll. hehe. the fun you can have. I am thinking of making mince pies at Christmas, just not eggwashing and dusting the top with icing sugar. xx

Thanks for that -i feel a baking session coming on .

pixtotts

Flowfy - those faux pasties sound brilliant! Definitely going to have to give them a go! Hank sounds lovely, bless him having such a tough time before he got to you. I love the idea of making cat food too, ours are such fussy things I do wonder if that may be the way to go. I do hope your right and the job market picks up, I currently do Avon, since graduating in 2011, I did seasonal work, I was a carer for a family member after a stroke, and since then found nothing. It is horrifically depressing, everywhere wants experience which you can't get, or don't want you because you have a degree and think you wont stick around. Sorry that's a bit doom and gloom... I'm currently procrastinating from trying to apply for a job advertised on gumtree of all places, and tells me pretty much nothing about it. So frustrating!




I can't remember if I ever came back with feedback on the WoodWick Candle I bought, sorry if I did, but since I promised I would I'm going to risk repeating myself :P
- love the jar and wooden lid, really nice shape jar, and I'm a sucker for wood
- Scent very good, fills the room, and doesn't switch into that generic candle smell they often do. I got Sand & Driftwood, I like heavy scents, little bit musty, it makes me think of man smell, which is a really bad description, but think aftershave and sweat... lol.

Big fall down is the idiotic "+pluswick innovation" which is supposed to make it special .... apparently it gives faster fragrance, better burn, and soothing crackle.
fragrance yes
burn maybe... I kind of like how the flame flickers a little...
soothing crackle... NO it does not sound like an open fire.... it's constant, and the same noises repeating over and over, its sounds more like TV crackle when it's lost signal... it's really irritating, I can only burn this candle when I have music or the tv on to drown it out!

x

Flowfy

Hi pixtotts. I hope they do get something soon. if not, they are going to apply for Christmas jobs I think, when they start coming available. the problem is that her bf, who she met at uni, comes from Norfolk and we live on Saddleworth Moor, between Manchester and Yorkshire. So he is having to stay here for interviews etc. which is no trouble, but his parents are putting pressure on him to apply down there for jobs etc....and my daughter doesn't want to be down there and neither does he, as he has fell in love with the area here. if you would like the recipe for the cat food let me know. I have 4 fussy ones and one that will eat anything. but they do eat this, but I mix it in with the other food. which sounds a bit useless, but I have found out cat food is about 4% meat!!!! and this is 60% so it was worth the fuss.

freespirit66

Evening everyone,

PRINCESSKITTY oh bless you the night feeds were the worst thing for me, luckily my three all slept through the night pretty early seen as some people its a couple of years :eek::eek: i love the nickname Wriggle Isnt it lovely seeing the first christmassy bits appearing here and there? Well i must admit if they werent for christmas i wouldnt have checked either, but i just wanted to make sure they did have a long use by date to put away now, they have been great i got a lovely email response very quickly and my money is being refunded and i am getting a £10 voucher. So glad your foodie interest is coming back, i am just about to sit down and start this months Good Food, cant wait

FLOWFY as soon as i saw your name i remembered your DS playing in a band and doing christmas events, that is lovely news he has got into music college and recorded his third cd, i know exactly how you feel about DD and her BF my DS had a nightmare getting a job after uni it was awful and he was just losing his confidence more and more but he just kept applying and has a fab job now, so it will happen for them. Sorry you lost your dog not too long ago, and Hank sounds wonderful, bless him going through all that in his little life, btw the faux pastys sound brilliant

PIXTOTTS hope you had a lovely holiday and the weather stayed nice for the boat! I have had a giggle at your description of the woodwick candle, i can just imagine you thinking it would be so relaxing but the noise actually blooming annoying, i must try one haha

fluffysox

Thanks for the welcome back Freespirit xxx I can't buy chocolate early, it justs gets eaten lol

Flowfy I remember you too, what talented children you have, and how lovely that your daughter's bf is comfortable staying with you and that they want to stay in the area

Princesskitty, sounds like you're getting your mojo back . I was on here with all the night feeds last autumn. Our little one has slept through since 2 months old, unlike my 3yr old, who woke two times in the night until 2 and a half. He still cries out / shouts in his sleep? This morning he told me he had been dreaming of monsters and aliens but he was shooting spiderwebs at them lol.

Been buying baby clothes on a local facebook page. Baby and toddler items only on there. Some lovely things, toys, clothes, prams etc. A bundle came up today all Next christmas outfits, advertised as 9-12 months. I was very excited and sale was all arranged then seller realised they were actually 6-9. Baby still in 6-9 but he is 10 months nearly so not buying anything in that size. At the same time been selling bits and bobs both on fb and ebay. So covering my spends and trying to declutter. DH and I have been looking on Rightmove and daydreaming about a bigger house .

Anyway, its late now I've packaged everything up. Goodnight all xx

princesskitty29

Flowfy Bless Hank, poor little thing! It's so lovely to know that he's with you now in a loving home. Those pastys sound yummy, thanks for sharing the recipe I'd love to try those. I'm more of a savoury person so it would be good to have these knowing they're a bit healthier. I don't have any Annabel Karmel books yet but I think I should look into getting one!

Freespirit I can't imagine sleeping through the night now! We shall see what Wriggle does. So you're another foodie? I am looking forward to cracking my magazines open when I get the chance. Glad you got refunded and compensated - I should think so too!

Fluffysox Yes it's a waiting game to see what mine does with regards to sleeping through. Although I'm not sure when I'll have time to come on here if I'm not doing a night feed! Love the idea of shooting spiderwebs at monsters!