Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

GreyQueen

astispumanti57 wrote: »

Thank You ladies for the welcome. I have an allotment. So at the moment busy collecting and freezing. We have a glut of Beetroot. Does beetroot freeze ?

Thankyou x

There is a brilliant preserve, a recipe which MrsLurcherWalker posted last year and I used.

Cook beetroot, cool, rub off skins and dice. Make up raspberry jelly with hot malt vinegar instead of plain water, and cold malt vinegar instead of cold water. Put the diced vinegar into washed and oven heated jars such as Le Parfait or others which have those wired on lids with rubber seals. Put lid down.

These keep outside the fridge and only need refridgerating once open. I am just finishing the last one from 2014 as the 2015 beets come ready. I gifted several to friends and family and they all raved about it.

Cheap, easy and efficient. Highly recommend it.

[Deleted User]

Morning all, SILVASAVA you can dry any beans that way, runners, french, borlotti(which we've grown specifically for dried beans) broad beans(Fava/Ful Medames), field/tic/daffa beans any of them can be left on the vine to start drying and them brought under cover to finish off. Just pod them, leave the beans you've podded in a warm place for as long as it takes for them to be hard and fully dry, whack them into a freezer bag and give them 24/48 hours in the freezer to kill off any pests that may be lurking and then stored in a tightly sealed glass jar with a screw lid. Gives you beans for chillis, minestrone, soups, stews and if you've got enough home grown baked beans. Easy peasy!

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

I forgot to mention that I did successfully mend my bag yesterday. I've also reinforced the stitching near the shoulder strap so hopefully the problem won't recur.

Floss wrote: »

There's an Abakhan in Preston and I think they may also be online.

They are online--although there is oddly very little selection in their online shop. I've heard the one in Mostyn has a bigger range. There is also one in Bolton NurseMaggie--not sure if that is closer to you or not.


Work this morning and then an early gym visit this afternoon. I'm using some of the leftover chicken in a chicken and veg pie that will also sweep up various bits of veg--a couple of carrots, a leek going spare from another recipe, a courgette from the garden etc. Not sure there will be much other M M and Ming today.

FairyPrincessk

MissTara--I hope you're able to fight it off quickly!

silvasava

MrsL & GQ - thank you both for the info! Will be trying the beetroot recipe - DH loves it!
Misstara - when I get that 'tickle' in my throat I gargle with soluble aspirin. It eases the tickle and often seems to help avoid a cold starting. Hope you feel better soon.

fuddle

Discussions last night with DH came to the conclusion that come what may with the allotment we will have raised beds in the garden. We already have decorative ones (DH has a 'pond' which consists of a large tub and planted around with succulents. I do like his bed. I have a new one that is just for flowers as it's new it's sparse but cool too. The next to be built are two smaller raised items - one for youngest as her fairy garden and second for eldest who wants animals and plants but I think they will be put back a bit now, although there is a little pallet wood left) but I digress. Yes it will probably be 2 slender but long raised areas. I just need to plan and learn now. It's shaded at times but I know how it works through the seasons now. If the new allotment plot comes, it comes.

The day started with hunks of bread and jam and a cuppa while listening to upbeat tunes.

Our rabbit had the peelings from last night's apple and blackberry pie for breakfast. A little brown but she didn't seem to mind. It did get me into thinking along the lines of dehydrating veg and fruit peelings for her but haven't looked into it yet.

Baking today will be a fruit and cinnamon loaf and also ginger bread biscuits. It's becoming an expectation that there will be baked stuffs of an evening but it's a nice feeling and makes up for smaller portions on the plate.

Lovely to read of stalwarts of the hair brush world. My pink number (and now supporting the black electrical tape look) cost 99p about 6 months ago. :cool:

I love to read about the fixing of every day items. Long may your bag be mended fpk

Beetroot and our family don't really get along. We did try to grow it (and failed) but only really eaten super market offerings I expect. No comparison I expect.

[Deleted User]

Hi chums,first chance I have had to post, I'm having a great time on holiday and can't believe we are almost half way through the first week already.DD and tribe have gone sea-fishing ( hopefully to catch enough for dinner tonight) I'm just off down into Cowes for a CS mooch.
Weather isn't too bad and we have been out every day.Bens g/f Katie is brilliant, and cooked dinner for us all the other night which DD appreciated no end.
Right time to get a wriggle on
Cheers chums JackieO xxx

[Deleted User]

Aldi this morning had a great big bin of reduced packets of seeds, flowers and veg all at 19p a packet and all good until 2018, bargainous indeed! They also have in a new range of Mexican/Spanish foods and some really interesting flavoured oils and balsamic vinegars, oils are £1.29 and vinegars £1,99 (might be the other way round) and all look delicious. Very good things to go in Hampers for christmas either to give or for yourselves!

nursemaggie

misstara I hope you're able to fight it off quickly!

I will have a look where Abakhan is in Bolton. Thanks FPK. Have bus pass, will travel. Got a feeling I know were it is and I don't think buses go there. (Pass it up to 4 times going to and from hospital) Pity they don't have time to stop the ambulance. I have got legs. Was a bit stiff yesterday but OK today.

They sell knitting yarn too hope I can get out without any, after spending £25 yesterday on Yarn.

I also need a nice pattern for a hoodie for DGS and a basic Vneck sweater for me perhaps they will have them too. I could only get pretty for DGS yesterday or chunky for us both. I don't like knitting with chunky.

Thanks for the recipe for beetroot GQ I would still like to know if you an freeze as got large pkt from Ald! on Saturday and only I like beetroot. If I had had the recipe I would have bought three pkts. They were only 29p.

Floss

NurseMaggie my DH boils, peels & freezes beetroot from my allotment as I'm not terribly keen. He just pops it into a freezer bag once its been skinned.