Living richly; simply and debt-freely

satchmo1

They do, INOD, and those items are offered as "extras".

in_need_of_direction

Thank you. It's just bits and pieces but I know I won't manage to use up all stocks.

Upsidedown_Bear

Smilie of the day.

little_sweetie

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

Do food banks accept donations of items not on their wants list? All have 2016 sell by dates and are unopened. Probably results of bogofs.

Indeed they do INOD. In our area they are also grateful, indeed desperate for, toiletries as well, so any unsuitable gifts are gratefully accepted. I took a load of Xmas chocolate to them to save me eating too much!

little_sweetie

Upsidedown_Bear wrote: »

Smilie of the day.

Smilie seems to enjoy doing that as much as I do ;-)

Upsidedown_Bear

little_sweetie wrote: »

Smilie seems to enjoy doing that as much as I do ;-)

I don't think he's used to it

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Hey INOD - I'm glad satchmo and little_sweetie were here to help you out. I would have said exactly the same. Although our FB has an 'Items in Demand' list, they do categorically say that they welcome all donations of in date, non-perishable food items and toiletries from folk. Although interestingly, for the first time they have stated what they have enough of, and don't currently want donations of - usual suspects; pasta & chopped tommies.

I was half way through eating my black bean chilli last night, when I realised that I'd not taken a pic Still, it was an ok recipe (from the student cookbook again), but I don't think that it betters the Dean&DeLuca recipe that I have for BB chilli already, so I won't keep this one. However, if anyone else would like a bash at the recipe, you can find it; Black Bean chilli

Thursday today, so Buddha bowl Although I have misplaced one of the recipes, and as it's for a new item - this could get interesting...... :rotfl:

Thanks everso for popping in, reading and commenting. Always appreciated.

See y'all later.

Greying

Upsidedown_Bear

Smilie of the day.

starnac

in_need_of_direction wrote: »

Do food banks accept donations of items not on their wants list? All have 2016 sell by dates and are unopened. Probably results of bogofs.

As others have already said yes they do. We also put a little something extra in for a family with children. So at christmas we donated some advent calenders (the ones from the £1 shop so not dear but still appreciated) We are also planning to put some creme eggs in next week as they are on offer in our local shop at the moment. Not much but a nice little extra for a child who might not have much x

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Has someone stolen some hours out of today? Seems to have whizzed!

It has been a pretty ok day though. First batch of 'Kondoed' stuff out of the house and straight to the charity shop I did check if our homeless centre needed the things, but they directed me to their charity shop, saying that they prefer to give clients vouchers to use in the shop (free, natch) to select their own clothing items. Seems eminently sensible and means that they don't get stuck with a load of unsuitable things Plus the clients get to do a dignified shop for themselves, rather than get what they are given. Which, however well intentioned, isn't always the best.

Mind, I did take the opportunity to have a shufty in a couple of chazzers today (not the one I donated in). I haven't bothered for a wee while, a) as there is nothing that we need as such and b) I had been put off by prices going no-where but up..... I was pleased to see that the prices have settled..... a little, but was mega-surprised to see that the offerings were worn. Now, before I get misunderstood, I know that the concept of a chazzer is the sale of secondhand stuff - and if you come across something that you need/want that is unused/unworn, then that is a bonus. No, I'm not getting heebeejeebies over previously loved attire, what I mean is, it was worn. As in, bobbly fleeces and knitwear, tops with faded bits - where they rubbed against someone's jacket, or where their handbag strap had been - that sort of worn. I'm afraid, I began to sigh wistfully at the clothes (mostly m&$) that I had handed over at the other charity shop They were used, but most certainly not worn out. Some of the stuff I saw today, for £6.95 + was the sort of standard that I would donate to a cashforclothes place or to the textile bin at the recycling centre. OK, so some of it was 'Label' - think the sort of labels that teenage boys of the hoohah set go for..... but it was kn*ckered and they still wanted plenty of dosh for it........ I will make sure any of the other clothes that are leaving Greying Towers (mine) will go to the charity that I wish to support, not just to a charity shop. Car boots are probably overtaking charity shops as the way to get good things at reasonable prices. It'll certainly focus my mind on how we use and then *dispose* of our goods in the future. On the basis of today's sample, I'd say our 'lightly used' stuff is too good for chazzers....... Still, my mindset has changed in the past few weeks, so hopefully, in future, we won't have 'lightly used' goods. We'll have - bought with purpose, used up to within an inch of its essence and then sent to be recycled into a garden bench or a vending machine cup - *stuff*

I am officially sad. I guessed, to within £3 the value of the shopping of the couple featured in this evening's shop/don't eat/dispose programme. I guessed £199, DP weighed in with £145.

Dinner this evening was ok. It was a Buddha bowl, made with the intention of trying out a new recipe for mung beans I should have given it a bit more thought really, as I paired pancakes with rice - not my best idea :rotfl: The pancakes were really tasty, but I have to be honest, they were a bit of a faff to make. I don't know whether my processor is not up to snuff and couldn't grind the beans enough (you only soak them, don't cook them) or whether, in India, they have a better system of grinding the beans into a paste, but it was very difficult to get the batter into a 'pouring' consistency. I don't think that I pulled it off! Which meant that you had to be quite deft at smoothing the batter out as you poured it into the pan. Not as easy as it looks - when you see folk doing it on TV! Anyway, I will keep the pancake recipe, and I will try it again. The only thing that I would say, is that you do have to have some sort of cover over your fry pan when you cook the pancakes. If you don't, the already soft batter just doesn't set, and you can't flip the pancakes over - no matter how cooked they are on one side. Ask me how I know this........ Picture here;



The rice is flavoured with lime (I used the empty hulls of the limes after zesting and juicing - DO NOT follow suit - it imparted a bitter flavour and not much lime scent ), coconut and some nigella seeds are mixed into it. I then topped this with some veg curry - actually the curry element of the biriyani that I made on Monday night. The Mung Bean Pancakes are next - I got the recipe from Madhur Jaffrey's Curry Easy vegetarian book. This is all topped off with some coconut yoghurt sauce with lime zest, garlic and sumac.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

space - freeing up more all the time

thanks - makes a difference, but is so easily overlooked

perseverance - meant the difference between a 'Buddha bowl' or an 'empty bowl' 'fer tea ....... :rotfl:

Thanks everso for popping in, reading and offering helpful suggestions to fellow MSE'rs. Appreciated. Always.

See y'all later.

Greying