2014 - keep crunching away

DebtFree2012

Morning diary land

:hello:to people that have taken the time to post. You're right, I don't stop but for the most part, that's how I like it as I get bored sitting around. I have an office job at the moment, a good role, quite senior meaning I earn a nice wage for what I do, so I do sit down all day for that, well until 3, 4 days of the week and 5 another. However earning enough money to keep me clearing my debts means I can cope with working in an office for now The day will come when we can both move on to something we love. That means I can stop working evenings too (I do 5 hours a week at home on evenings to deal with our Americans). I do enjoy the role, but hate being cooped up.

Last night saw DD riding around like a little pro on her pony and I was suitable tearful when I think how far they've both come. Love them both to bits. We're not rushing anything - I just wanted her to be a safe rider who enjoys spending time with her pony.

My friend rode the big girl for me to stretch her out after the night before which allowed me to focus on DD without worrying the big girl wasn't out. Very kind of her and she loved it, such a fabulous rider.:p

Tonight will see myself and DH chilling together for a change! We're going to get the kids to bed, put a nice tea on and watch a film together. I will try not to fall asleep. This is something we rarely get chance to do!:T:j

Work is going nicely considering how busy we've become so that's all good and I'm managing to fit a bit of time in to study which I do need to keep upping.

Money wise I'm still ok - overpayment today of £9.64 to CCV, with pay day being Thursday coming. I've overspent on the grocery budget so I will keep an eye on that next month. I think that's from not taking a shopping list with me and not meal planning thoroughly so something to do there.

[EMAIL="Sw@gs"]Sw@gs[/EMAIL] is nearly at next pay out so hope to achieve that before Sunday. Still plodding through with the rest.

Looking forward to the weekend - definitely going to try a quiche, still haven't! Ald1 eggs tho as my girls have gone in until February now it seems! Planning on making apple sauce to be used on variety of things. Might make some mini crumbles as larger ones aren't being eaten. Also need bread (going to try different variety) and making soup. Will add it all to menu plan I think. Plenty to be getting on with.

Oh and cakes - I need to do the McMillan coffee morning ones - the indovidual cupcake holders have arrived but we'll have to set aside Thurs night for that I think. I've decided just to make nice easy cupcakes for the most part and if time a loaf tin cake of some description.

Feel extremely excited about the future today!!!! I can just see us home cooking and baking on our farm, morning hacks, lots of countryside and fresh air!

DebtFree2012

Nice and busy morning, tuna wrap gone (could do with another one!) and now only 2 hours left until I'm done for the weekend.

Had a little look at farms for sale locally - I already know every single one but still like to look. Makes the surveys and overpayments worth it!

TizerCat

Phew Debt free I really don't know how you manage to fit everything in! I don't mange half of what you do and OH says I try to too much. Wish I had your energy!

Hope you had a lovely weekend

TCx

Steerpike88

DebtFree2012 wrote: »

Welcome Steerpike88 well done on reading my diary and sticking with it lol. Thank you for that tho. You sound like you can offer alot of advice for first timers with the flavoured alcohol so any advice appreciated. Love the amount you bake too - sharing a weekly recipe would be fab I shall too

I cook from scratch mostly although we have a lot of stir fry type meals so it may not class as cooking as takes 10 mins! I've started baking again tho trying to keep minimal as I put alot of weight on last time I did that! Who do you make you hampers for?

Hey! I'm happy to share all my recipes. I cost them up as well, as I've seen it on some blogs. Although I'm sure all the prices are well out of date now. This is an insanely easy recipe, I stole of thrifty Lesley's recipe.

Tomato Scones, 3p each

She's priced them at about 5p each, but she makes six big ones and I make 10 smallish ones.

270g self raising flour - 8p
100ml vegetable oil - 10p
100ml water - free
40g tomato puree -10p (I think I use a lot less but we'll go with this)

Set the oven to 220c/200c fan/gas 7 and lightly grease a baking tray (oil will do).

Put the flour in a bowl. Add the oil and water and mix to form a soft dough.

Turn out onto the worktop and pat gently to a square shape about 2cm thick. At this point you can either cut the scones into lots of little ones, or fewer big ones.
We prefer the big ones. I like to cut the dough into 6 by cutting down the middle, then cut each side into 3 pieces, giving me 6 big scones.


If you are making small ones, scoop all the scraps up after cutting out, squidge it together and cut out more, to use up all the dough.


Place scones on greased tray for 12 minutes for diddy ones and 20 minutes for my huge ones.


You could brush them with milk and sprinkle crunchy salt flakes on top if you have any, or grind some pepper over.


Too, too moreish warm from the oven


Variations
Make cheesey ones by leaving out the tomato puree and adding 100g grated strong cheese, a heaped tsp grainy mustard and grinding black pepper over the moistened top
spread with soft cheese for a delicious treat, with maybe a smear of garlic paste


I just butter them with a bit of cheese. They're not crazy adventurous but I have it with soup in the middle of the week, or a before bed snack.

Cheerio!

DebtFree2012

Good Morning diary land!!!

TC - you do simply fabulous as you are

Steerpike88 - thank you for sharing - love it. I shall print it off and make during the week on soup night. I don't suppose you have a recipe for easy HM garlic bread? We're having lasagne this week and I'd like to make my own to go with it.

So where did the weekend go? I'm sure I remember it being Friday and now Monday but the bit in between went too quickly! Though it means we're a weekend closer to being DF and to be fair, we did enjoy it and make the most of it so I'm certainly not wishing our lives away

Well on Friday DH and I managed to snag a movie night as we hoped to We watched a film....erm...with a man in it and I can't recall the name LOL but I did enjoy it and it was 3 hours long!!!! Goodness my memory is dreadful (doesn't bode well for the looming exam!).

Saturday was spent dashing around the yard as we had to get over to a kids party 30 mins the other way and needed to shower and change before hand. I rode the big girl and jumped some fillers (sorry non horsey, you know I can't resist talking about them) and then jumped them with poles on which she was great at. Really enjoying it - was around 90

Dashed over to the party then home. DH was tiling the downstairs look and when we got back I opened the door and heard a few choice words, it wasn't going well!! Anyway since then he's almost finished and it's looking amazing - he's such a fabulous man!

Sat night he went out for a few drinks and DD and I watched [EMAIL="H@rry"]H@rry[/EMAIL] P which we've never seen and thoroughly enjoyed. sunday saw us go to the farm on the morning and watch some of the affiliated show which was fab then home.

I made some meals for the week and got organised so I'm really impressed with myself (lol!). Tonight is panaculty, then we have chicken in gravy, shepherd's pie, lasagne and something else which escapes me. So takes the pressure off this week.

I've managed to go through Chapter 1 of the BHS revision guide for the November exam (it's more interesting than the work one looming). I also met my target on swags so have taken another £5 out and ~350 points into the next 999 so that's going well. Today is meetings, studying, school run, tea, make bread, parcel ebay, yard (ride * 2), packed lunches and collapse. Love it.

A good weekend and hoping for a productive week.

DebtFree2012

£7.10 to CCV

Steerpike88

I do actually. Although its not really a recipe.

You buy a plain baguette, or other rolls, mix softened butter with garlic puree or crushed garlic. Slice into your baguette or rolls until about half way down, 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart and place a lump of garlic butter in each slice. Pop it in your oven with your lasagne for the last ten minutes. Or when you take your lasagna out and turn the oven off, it's hot for a while just bung it in then for 10-15 minutes.

I used to do this when I ran out of garlic bread. But I actually found that you can save a bit of money this way.

I always have garlic puree, as I love garlic but I find it a faff, you just need to grab some rolls or something.
It might not be what you had in mind.

DebtFree2012

No that's perfect thank you - and quite obvious when you think about it lol. I shall make the roll in the breadmaker - how frugal!

PinkPoppies

That's how we make garlic bread too Steerpike- we usually make it with part baked baguettes from Lidl, so yummy!!

Mmmm now I am fancying lasagna and garlic bread!

DebtFree2012

Afternoon diary land

Goodness me what a busy morning I have had.

I have asked if I can sit my work examin January instead of October as I am not ready for it. Simples. Takes the pressure off too if Ic an.

£9.75 overpaid to CCV this morning. Having a great month of overpayments, long may it continue!

We've had a card through the door saying people are wanting to buy a house in our area that matches our house and do we want to get valued. If only I was in a position to say yes! I know what it's worth anyway and can't sell until DF as I've said before - but it's nice to know we should be able to.

Sooo what can I do to get this debt gone more speedily. I think I am doing everything I can but then someone somewhere will have a solution that I've not though of!

Ebay and surveys are making me the most money - ooh the rug - I have a pony rug to sell - new too.

Looking forward to seeing my new total on pay day (Thurs) - I hope it's going down well!