Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

vhalla1478

Hello again, you see I can't keep away, but I must get on with sewing my youngest granddaughter's pinafore dress and leggings after lunch. However I have been meaning to post this delicious and cheap recipe for ages. I have to tell you I don't like tomatoes, but this is so yummy if we're allowed to use that word.

Tomato sauce for pasta.

Quarter a pound of tomatoes, or use a medium sized tin of peeled/chopped tomatoes, chop a clove of garlic finely, together with a chopped onion, a couple of chopped up bacon rashers - or a couple of handfuls of bacon bits, fresh basil or dried, a teaspoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt. You can also throw in remains of a stew etc. Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and leave to simmer very gently until it has reduced and most of the liquid has evaporated. Put the sauce through a sieve, and if you like, add a little butter before serving and enjoy

jackel

celtic moon - vets fees are beyond a joke these days -hope puss is feeling better. jac.xx

loopy12

good_advice wrote: »

Hello everyone
Just braved the cold outside to hang the washing out in the sunshine. The frost is just lifting. The clothes may dry a little and have a good airing.
Came back in and made a hot chocolate with milk.

Mending today - we have builders around to fix a tile on our roof.
It came out with all the strong winds we have had.

I have almost finished sewing my second drawstring bag out of a set of x4. Just got to put the rope bit through the top.

Loopy12 - I have a feeling you may live in the same town as me?
we are not in the army though.


Quiet possibly good advice. We are not an army family. Just live here because it is a reasonably good place to get a descent sized house for your money in the south! i certainly wouldn't get that where I grew up in Camberley. But i quiet like it here. no traffic jams or crazy school run rush hours. all the major supermarkets in easy reach and lydl. As a singleton i was scared off buying my first house here and bought elsewhere but when we moved into a 4 bed when we were married (which my husband had bought for the price of my 2 up up the road) it was a no brainer! we have since moved within the town and our children have just started school here. I best not big it up too much or the money savers will put the prices up!

keeponlearning

Hello!

I've been reading the mse forums for a few years now - love picking up all the tips and advice but have never got around to signing up officially. I've been reading this thread since it started and have loved seeing and hearing about everything you've all been up to! It's inspired me to finally get on and try making new curtains for my boys bedrooms...they're very excited and can't wait for them!

The last few posts in this thread have finally pushed me into signing up though as I'm sure I also live in the the same place as you loopy12! I'm over the other side of the blackwater valley road though!

Anyway, thanks for all your interesting posts..and now I have an account I will try to post more!

celtic_moon

Didn't get to do the album, decided to have a look at the getting paid for questionnaires thing (any tips gratefully received) I signed up for a couple but not too sure if they are too good to be true..... Still it's something I will continue to look into to boost our income.

Thanks for the get well wishes goodavice and Jackel - we are lucky that the vet didn't charge us for the overnight stay and fluids he gave her - could've doubled the fees for us! It's the blood and protein tests that cost a fortune!

Well, off to see what we have in the freezer for tea before heading off to Aldi to use the Mirror voucher on the monthly big shop - I don't mind eating it, but shopping for it........

loopy12

keeponlearning wrote: »

Hello!

I've been reading the mse forums for a few years now - love picking up all the tips and advice but have never got around to signing up officially. I've been reading this thread since it started and have loved seeing and hearing about everything you've all been up to! It's inspired me to finally get on and try making new curtains for my boys bedrooms...they're very excited and can't wait for them!

The last few posts in this thread have finally pushed me into signing up though as I'm sure I also live in the the same place as you loopy12! I'm over the other side of the blackwater valley road though!

Anyway, thanks for all your interesting posts..and now I have an account I will try to post more!

indeed you do. have fun making your boys curtains i'm sure they will be fab.

Luvplacebo

I'm not doing very well with making do, apparently repetitive movement triggers my HG (epic morning sickness) on the plus side I've been spending almost nothing as I can't leave the house much so managed to pay a lump off the credit card which I normally wouldn't have managed so we should be better off on maternity as it'll be cleared.

Does anyone have any tips on the best way to freeze milk in portions? I'm lactose inintolerant so drink coconut milk but I'm only using it for hot choc and its £1 a litre and keeps getting wasted as I won't fancy it for a few days. I hate hot choc with water but its so frustrating having milk go off before I can drink it. Soy milk also makes me ill so I can't switch to that either :-(

tooties

Hi everyone,

I like the look of that recipe vhalla thanks i will give it a go.

Regards

DollyDabbler

Luvplacebo

Does anyone have any tips on the best way to freeze milk in portions? I'm lactose inintolerant so drink coconut milk but I'm only using it for hot choc and its £1 a litre and keeps getting wasted as I won't fancy it for a few days. I hate hot choc with water but its so frustrating having milk go off before I can drink it. Soy milk also makes me ill so I can't switch to that either :-(

What about ice cubes trays, or ice cube bags or for bigger servings a plastic beaker/cup?

I have lurked for a while, but I'm north west too, sending a wave :wave:

cheerfulness4

Luvplacebo- I don't know how coconut milk works but if I'm trying to freezer liquids in smaller portions I pop a plastic bag in a plastic jug and pour some liquid in and then freezer in the jug. I take it out once solid and seal the bag properly to keep the air out.
With wine I just freeze in little plastic containers, making sure to allow room for expansion.


Hope the poorly people and poorly pets start feeling better soon.


vhalla - I use a base like that and also use it as a base for HM pizza. I little spoon of chilli jam gives it another twist, too.
Loved your comment about the fact we can't do anything about the past but we can learn from it. I totally agree with you.


Joedenise- does your greek yogurt come out consistently thick? Some have thought it hit and miss but can you control the thickness as you get more experienced?
I'd very much like to add that skill to my list in 2015 if I could make decent yogurt as we eat a fair bit of it.


I might have a little look at my scrapbook albums this weekend. I've realised that the old organiser shelf ( a cardboard thing from Argos bought years ago) is exactly what I need to divide my drawers up. There's loads and its the right thickness.
I'm whittling down the albums but what to do one of my grandkiddies now I'm a proud Nan.
I had such a beautiful, expensive kit bought for me by mum years ago and I've never used it because it was so special. Well now its time has come!
So on my break times from those confounded circulars I shall relax with a bit of papercrafts. Might organise my stash and minimise the space it takes.

My foods stocks under the stairs are going down alarmingly fast. I've found 3 sacks of bread mix after going searching. 3 bags of tiny pasta which I forgot about. The idea was to bulk out soups with it but I guess I could use it in pasta salads, too.
Looks like I'll finally be able to see under my stairs for the first time since we moved here last summer.