Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

janb5

Floss wrote: »

We've had all sorts from our local tip - 2 lovely wicker chairs, a dresser, 2 chrome bar stools, a Lloyd loom linen bin, 2 ottomans, a high back chair and best of all a 3-piece bedroom suite of wardrobe c.o.d. and dressing table in birds eye maple

Wow - you are so lucky. In our local area( Bromley) you aren't allowed to take anything from the tip .

jinny

BOTTLE TOWER GARDENS: http://youtu.be/K9vN2eudWcQ

I loved this y toob video so inspiring. I have a small space on my south facing juliet balcony to do this. I normally grow red trailing geraniums they do very well there and are well well admired.
However a neighbour sucessfully grows vegetables in pots. With tomatoes behind the glass inside the sun room.
Im thinking of something I can grow to eat. Another neighbour has bird boxes and feeds the birds though so I will have to proctect my crop I suppose.

Bubblesmum

vhalla1478 wrote: »

Apropos drinks - make some lemon (or orange) barley water; Wash 3 tbs pearl barley in sieve under running water. put two pints of water in a saucepan with the pearl barley, bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into jug, (but don't throw out the pearl barley, put it into soups or casseroles), add juice of two lemons or oranges or a mixture and sugar or honey to taste. Delicious in any case and very comforting warm if you have a cold.

I am a lurker....l upto page 16 - this did make me :rotfl: this morning recovering from the noravirus.

I was introduced to a well known make of lemon barley water on my first trip into hospital aged 4 over 40 years ago, and now wishing I had a bottle.... The thought of making my own was a great idea until I read about putting the left over pearl barley into a casserole....:rotfl: on my goodness this reminded me of my mothers lamb casserole, now I was never a fussy eater and I love lamb and casseroles, but my heart would sink when my I asked my mother what was for tea and she would say lambs knuckles and pearly barley........

Thank you for bringing back happy memories of mums cooking... Can't share the memories with her, so I hope sharing here is acceptable

vhalla1478

Good Morning All,

I've had an early start today and have tackled the ironing and am waiting for the steam cleaner to get up to speed so I can give the kitchen a good once over, and the cooker - what is it about cleaning cookers and windows that is so off-putting, I wonder?

Cheerfulness thank you for the details of the 365 blog; it was a very interesting read. As all our circumstances are different, we can cherry pick what will work for us individually. And thanks also for the key lime pie recipe; I'll most definitely have a go at that once I've hit the shops (not until next Tuesday - I'd forgotten about half-term and there isn't room in the car for me, daughter-in-law and six children).

Bubblesmum - it isn't compulsory to use the leftover pearl barley in a casserole - I was just saying that it's still perfectly edible after a ten minute simmer, if you want to be really frugal. But happy to hear it reminded you of your mum.

Here's a great recipe if you have to feed a crowd and want an affordable succulent joint that is relatively reasonably priced.

Brisket of Beef (serves 8)

Vegetable oil for frying, salt and pepper, mustard powder, 2-3 pounds rolled and boned brisket, 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme, a clove of garlic, slivered, 1-2 tbsp. wine, cider or water.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan large enough to take the joint. Meanwhile, heat a deep pottery casserole in the oven at 170 degrees/gas mark 3. Mix salt, pepper and mustard powder together and rub it firmly into the meat, pushing it down into the cracks. Insert thyme and garlic into cracks. Put the brisket into the frying pan and turn until browned on all sides, top and bottom included. Stand the joint on end in the casserole dish. Put the wine, cider or water into the frying pan, stir to scrape up residual bits of meat and pour over the joint. Cover the casserole with foil or greaseproof paper to make a tighter seal, put on the lid and cook in the oven for 2-2 and a half hours depending on the weight of the meat.

After cooking the meat will have shrunk, but be very tender and sitting in a pool of meat juices and hot fat. Pour this off into a cold bowl, let it settle for a few minutes (you can return the meat to the bottom of the oven), then spoon off the clear fat (keep it) and bubble up the remaining meat juices with a little more water, cider or wine, for a rich gravy, which needs no flour or other ingredients. Serve with baked potatoes, carrots or spring greens and lots more freshly made mustard. Use the dripping to saut! leftover potatoes, or add a sprig of rosemary to it, leave to solidify, then spread it on hot toast for a snack.

Right, Folks, I must go and give the kitchen a good going over. Have a good day.

Viv x

jinny

Vertical Recycled Bottle Balcony Garden: http://youtu.be/sWe6QcUdAbw


Sorry about the waffle at the beginning and his singing to his gorgeous little girl. But he gets down to the tut eventually. No harm in him really.
This man shows how he adapted the bottle garden idea for his balcony.
This is the same set up I have on my tiny balcony.
I'm so excited to try this im sowing my window sill propergator at the weekend. I will miss my flowers but you cant eat them. The dig for victory spirit.:T

We dont drink pop in this house but I know who does......

jinny

VIV
Thanks for the brisket recipe.
My Dad was a butcher and brisket was his favourite joint of meat.
So thanks for the reminder of my Sundays growing up. I can almost smell the gravy now. With Two way family favourites on the radio BBC light programe. Then the Billy Cotton Band show
Wakey wakey!
Only people born in the 50s with have a clue what on earth I'm talking about!
Just ask grandparents they will smile knowingly. Lol

good_advice

Morning everyone.
Washing on line
Dog has dug up the raspberry canes oh planted yesterday, so now out of favour.
I have been in the kitchen this morning making a steak and onion pudding.
Now in the slow cooker for 6 hours on high. Serves x4 so we will eat it the next 2 days.
I have my small slow cookr on as well. The left over beef and onion I added more vegetables to and will cook all day then cool and freeze for a dinner next week.

Every one is liking the fruit pots I made yesterday and left in the fridge.
Family like grab and go food for snacks.

Right! off to see if I can tidy the conservatory a bit. Minimise some stuff. It gets used as a dumping ground.

vhalla1478

Hello again, Everyone,

As I'm onto the home straight of my month's challenge, I thought I'd give you a bit of detail about what I'm eating now there's not that much left in the freezer and fridge. And just in case you think I'm a little old lady with a sparrow's appetite, let me disabuse you. I may be old but I'm horribly fit (and tallish) and I love my food.

I haven't needed any cleaning/beauty products this month as I always keep three of everything in, so we're just talking about food here.

I am most definitely going to run out of coffee, but that's ok because I have tea in, which I drink black - just as well really as I'm down to less than half a pint of milk; I might have to dip into my £10 -less the £1+ I spent earlier in the month - and ask my son to get me some in. But I have three lemons left so will make up some lemon barley water later today and drink that instead.

I made two portions of broccoli/cauliflower cheese today and put the saddest of my remaining vegetables into a soup (I also have two boxes of home made soup in the freezer), using the vegetable water from yesterday's evening meal. Not counting the food left in the freezer, I have the remains of a hot meat loaf and some carrots from yesterday - half will stuff my remaining pepper for a meal and the other half can be re-heated for tonight with a few more veg. And then it will be back to the freezer again for perhaps fish and chips with mushy peas (tin in cupboard) tomorrow and then I really will have to start being inventive with my remaining food. Will report back on this towards the weekend.

A great way to do carrots if you love garlic.

Buttered Carrots

Parboil prepared carrots gently for 5 minutes. Drain (reserving water to add to home made soup - think of all those vitamins in the water) and add a knob of butter and a clove or two of crushed garlic, a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Cook very gently, lid on saucepan, until the carrots are carmelised. They are gorgeous this way.

Right, off to make some lemon barley water before watching 'Father Brown' whilst I do my rug. I'll look for ward to reading all your posts later.

Viv x

vhalla1478

Hi again,

jinny, how about the 'Navy Lark' and 'Round the Horn' as well?

Viv x

Bigjenny

I seem to remember, The Clithero Kid, Life with the Lyons, Hancock's Half Hour, Educating Archie, and I'm sure there was one called The Huggets,