Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

vhalla1478

Hi there, Everyone,

I hope you've all had a satisfying day and welcome back, celtic moon, so pleased that your business looks as if it's going to be ok.

I'm only posting one recipe tonight as I'm a bit exhausted - I'll do the other tomorrow morning when I've hopefully had a good night's sleep. I went out with DDil today and after our appointments we went to the antiques centre in Louth and I found her and my DS a lovely collection of local 18th century engravings for £50 for seven and a Laura Ashley wing chair, second hand but in really good, clean, condition, with no sags (!) which is in the new catalogue for a minimum of £900 with the cheapest upholstery fabric, for £65. Ddil left the negotiations to me as I know most of the dealers so they were both good buys. I'm trying to stop myself from buying a wonderful bellarmine jug which is in great condition there for £65 and I'm proud to say I haven't (yet) succumbed! All I bought was some marked down pansies from the garden centre as my friend gave me an old metal gutter, so after I've painted it, I thought they would look pretty in it.

The reason I found this recipe was because I had a somewhat withered parsnip (from a stew pack) languishing in the bottom of the fridge. I normally would have made parsnip chips with it, but am determined to try a few new recipes - this one is from an early Jamie Oliver book. I used the cheapie offcuts of bacon instead of pancetta and it was really delicious. I'll give the recipe for 4 although I did about a third of the ingredients.

Parsnip and Pancetta Tagliatelle with Parmesan and Butter - serves 4

12 slices pancetta, or bacon pieces, handful fresh rosemary/thyme, leaves picked, 4 knobs butter, 2 cloves garlic, peeled, halved and sliced lengthways, 455g dried tagliatelle, 3 handfuls grated parmesan, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

In a large, non-stick frying pan fry pancetta/bacon and herbs in half the butter for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and parsnips. Cook for a further 3 minutes on a medium heat until the pancetta/bacon is slightly golden and the parsnips have softened nicely. Cook the tagliatelle in salted boiling water, the drain, reserving a little of the cooking water. Mix the pasta with the parsnips and pancetta/bacon and stir in the rest of the butter and the parmesan, adding a little of the cooking water to loosen the mixture and make it creamy and shiny. Season to taste.


Have a pleasant evening, All.

Viv xx

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

We've been promised the heady high temperature of 20 today, so I'll be working on washing again. OH is working late tonight and tomorrow, so after I finish work I'll find some film or other on catchup and work on my rather tall mountain of ironing. The rest of today will be devoted to work tasks, and maybe a few quick cleaning tasks here and there. There is a possibility that if it is warm, quiet and still enough I may be able to do some work tasks in the garden. I'm sure Maggie the Cat would love this.

Celtic_moon it sounds like you've been full steam ahead! Let us know what you're making for xmas pressies! I've done handmade in the past for the little ones in our family and they were surprisingly well received--but I think that is easier when they're very little ones.

vulpix

Hello chums,very quiet on this thread of late, I am missing everyone.

FPK I have a small piece of hessian.Just need to get it to you,maybe through my daughter who lives in south Manchester.

Pheeeeeew,daughter back at school yesterday,got in trouble for her trousers being too tight.Luckily I had saved last years and let down the hem.Forgot to say I made her a pencil case last week.She liked one in a shop which was a crocodile but £8.I unstuffed a toy shark and sewed a zip saved from a broken bag down the seam.Voila groovy pencil case.

Things moving at a snails pace here,though the buildings regulations man came yesterday and relieved us of £200.Step son coming for a couple of days so will set him to work on taking the boards up in the loft and taking the side walls out.Will get him to hang me some giant pictures and mirrors (I tend to go for oversize stuff at the mo) and put some curtain rails up.He is much handier than his Dad.The 4 of us are off to the Theatre tonight to see a Jeeves and Wooster thing.Press night so free.

Eldest Daughter came last night and we went to my Mum's and sorted/took away all the carboot stuff.At this moment 2 cars are stuffed.We/I will sort it and send as much as we can to a collection DD's friend is organising at work for the recent refugees.We will do 1 more car boot this week where i will sell everything for 10p or free and the remains will go to the charity shop or as a last resort,landfill.

Lovely day,need to get out in the garden.

Laters Vx

vulpix

ps forgot to say,had all my xmas stash out yesterday,just need a few bits for the girls and I am done.I am making a giant selection box for the youngest.I made the box yesterday from the new tv box.Will wrap it in xmas paper and glue the chocolate bars inside.

vhalla1478

Grr,

Just hit the wrong key and wiped out all my post. Anyway, Morning Everyone!

Up early today to take advantage of the nice weather and have been painting the metal gutter that is going to be filled with the pansies I bought yesterday and some variegated ivy filched from my DS's garden.

I intended buying Hamerite paint in a sort of dark American colonial red/brown colour, but Wilko's only had black and it was £17+ a tin so bought some red oxide primer at around £4 which has done the job nicely so far and also have painted an old oil can which I use for winter flower/foliage displays, found in DS's garage, and the metal sides of a 1930s bench given to me by a friend a couple of months ago in a very rusty state. I love repurposing things!

Here's the other recipe I intended to post last night. It is for the days when even the most conscientious and assiduous cook just can't be bothered, but delicious none the less. You don't have to add the tuna but it does make more of a square meal if you do.

Cannellini Beans with Rosemary - serves 2-4

2 tbsp. olive oil, tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, zest and juice of one waxed lemon, small clove of garlic, peeled, 2 x 400g tins cannellini beans (or other beans of your choice), drained and rinsed, salt and pepper to taste, tin tuna (optional).

In a non-stick frying pan placed over a medium to low heat, warm the oil, then add the rosemary and the lemon zest and let them sizzle aromatically as you stir, for about 30 seconds.

Now grate the garlic into the pan and stir for another 30 seconds, making sure that the garlic doesn't colour. Put in the beans with some rinsing water still clinging to them (and the tuna if using), stirring gently but thoroughly enough to coat the beans and tuna with the fragrant oil.

Squeeze in the lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste, then cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture is hot through - this shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes. Taste for seasoning.

Decant to a warm serving bowl and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, if wished.

Right Folks, I'm off outside again to see if I can turn my new garden 'trough' over and paint the other side.

Have a great day.

Viv xx

candlelight_2013

Hello all,

Went into town this morning looking at kitchen paint in Wilkos. I had looked on their website and the prices seemed very reasonable.

One of the reasons I needed this was because Himself spilt a mug of coffee down one wall. Needless to say it stained it and no amount of scrubbing would remove it. If I am totally honest I never actually liked the colour which we did last year, a pale green. We have now chosen a light sage and we are just going to try it on 2 walls to start with. One wall is tiled and covered with cupboards so no need to do that one, we will just see about the window wall. The price was £12 for kitchen emulsion which I thought was good after comparing it with some others.

I also bought some large clear plastic containers with coloured lids. I am trying to tidy my kitchen cupboards, particularly baking ingredients and breakfast cereals. I bought 4 but I am going back tomorrow to see if they have any more, I am on a roll now :)

I am not cooking this evening, OH NO!!!. I have decided we are having some nice bread, ham and different cheeses with a bit of salad. It is a glorious day here, DGD1 isn't expected home until late after her 2 day course and I feel like having a day off. Himself won't mind, DGD1 probably won't want anything, but if she does no doubt it will be scrambled eggs or pasta but I think she will be too tired. She has only lived with us for 3 months but I have missed her. She works all day and like all young people either watches DVDs in her room or is out, but it is nice knowing she is here.

The dustmen have emptied the garden rubbish today so Himself has filled it up again with conifer cuttings . I am looking forward to planting my tulips bulbs but that won't be until towards the end of this month, I am trying to hang on to the bedding plants for as long as possible.

Have a good day all, and Lyn (MrsLW) I hope you are feeling better today and how wonderful that you are going to be a doggy walker. I know how much you have missed dear Docky.

Candlelightx

misstara

Made beef fajitas for tea - OH had wraps from the freezer but I made gf pancakes to have instead of wraps. They were yummy and saved me the £3 that it would have cost to buy gf wraps.

Need to catch up on the ironing tonight and then I'm going to do a bit of knitting in front of a film.

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

I ve been v busy past few days - all good stuff but tiring! Lots of work has come my way - given that Im back in OD - having paid the tax man and for some damp work in one of my houses!! So am pleased as it will mean a quicker return to the black! finished with one student (of 11+ so just done exam) and Grandparents were so pleased with what I had doe for the boy that they put me a bonus in of £30 which was incredibly kind of them!! And a lovely surprise!

therefore, as I have been so busy I have treated me self to a Cotst! coffee and cake one day and a chicken wrap for lunch another day and a pack of chicken breasts (on offer for £4) to cook quick and nutritious meals with. I have split the surprise monies 50/50 into treats/paying to get back in the black. So treats are now over and the rest goes into the bank - along with other savings form working tomorrow!

I have been out every night this week - Monday was a CAMRA social - where I wanted to support our social sec because one of the pubs he was going to has a notoriously grumpy landlord and we were trying to prove that we do visit pubs in his area!! Tuesday was a meeting; Wednesday was Writers' Group (where my latest offering was well received and I got valuable pointers on where it could be improved!); Tonight was the launch of the Good Beer Guide at a pub the other side of the city and I had to do the presentations! Phew!

All good but, as I teach till 6 or 7 I then go on to these activities - having not eaten and eat about midnight - not good for me! Diet completely out of the window! But, as I have given folks lifts - finances have stayed with £10 for treats per week LOL - all good deeds come back to you - Karma (but in beer form?? I'm not sure that is supposed to happen! :rotfl:

Tomorrow is a quiet day - no work - no meetings! Bliss!!! Can sort out my flippin pig sty of a house - paint that flippin bathroom - and maybe answer more than just the urgent e-mails!!
Also can frugal as am gonna finish up some jam by making another 'Bakewell style' cake!

Liked your pasta recipe Valhalla - the Jamie one - I might give it a go! Also gonna have jacket spud for lunch - as it turns colder I always fancy those - they re like a great big cuddle to me!!!
Celtic - you certainly sound busy!! I dislike landlords that hound previously OK tenants they give the est of us a bad name - - I always give mine time to sort it out - most folk are honest and want to do it right but life happens sometimes - I dont mind so long as they keep me in the loop! And its lead to me having good reliable tenants with whom I have good professional relationship!
Frugaling on folks

vulpix

Hello all

Forgot to say that i bought a new vacc.Decided to buy new as it has a 6 year guarantee.I used car boot money and £100 from selling the smeg.Yes £100 for a broken fridge!!!!!!!!!!Started it at 99p so it found it's own price.

The builder came yesterday and filled in the trench on the drive,woohoo.A joiner and the boyband plumbers will come soon and build walls and fit the sink and loo.Seems to have taken an age to get to this.

Tidied the back garden yesterday and got Mr V to put stuff on FB,pots and edging etc and free gravel of course!Sold stuff which paid for us to have a chippy tea.

I am ashamed to say that I fell asleep at the theatre,a first for me.It was a noisy play too.

Me and the boy are off to have a root through the shed at my Mum's for tools n stuff that we need.Then we will get cracking,new toilet seat,curtain poles,light fittings,bed heads,mirrors,pictures et al.

The cycle race comes through the village later.

Have a good day Vx

FairyPrincessk

Morning all,

Vulpix that would be grand. It is lovely of you to think of sharing it. I'm leaving the country for a week at the end of the month and work is keeping me rushing until then so there is no hurry if you won't see your daughter for awhile. Not sure whereabouts she is in S. Manchester, but could arrange to meet her somewhere. Alternatively, I think you said she works at the Uni--perhaps she could pop it in the free internal Uni post? I'd offer to collect it, but it is a mad time of year for most people so might be easier for her to do it at her convenience. Let me know and I'll get you my details.

Lots of work on here at the moment. Half of my ironing got done last night, will try to do the other half tonight while OH is at school late again. I'm off to a conference for a week at the end of the month and I'm starting to feel the pressure to get everything ready in time so most of the MMM is on the back burner. That said, we've thus far had a very economical month--the utility bill was less than we thought, shops have been under budget and we haven't had the energy to use much other money. It is a gym day today, and I'm doing washing again in anticipation of the change in weather forecast for tomorrow.