Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2015

[Deleted User]

evening chums, a quick post as my 'puter may disappear at any second it keeps playing me up so when I post its gotta be a quick one
Eldest DGS arrived with his GF and took me for a lovely lunch and I'm just off to dinner at youngest Dds I hope to snaffle a pair of too small jeans to make a couple of drawstring bags for xmas wrap with the cut off legs :):)
I made a big box of choc chip biscuits and a lemon meringue pie to take with me tonight, so biccys for the boys and lemon meringue for the grown-ups
Also did a good few squares over the weekend towards the charity blanket so a productive weekend for me
Right time to get a wriggle on
Cheers chums
JackieO xxx

celtic_moon

Hi All!

Thanks for the tips on the surveys - will be doing a few more I think I have copied and pasted the recipes into word for future use too - thanks!:D

I have had a very expensive weekend! Another £40 to the vet, £24 on the local market (closing bargains means 1 fresh loaf, 1x6.5kg gammon joint, 1x1.6kg fillet of tenderloin beef and 1.5lb steak mince - I decided against the 10lb turkeys for £4.....) and then the BIG shop at Aldi (with the Mirror vouchers) £119 - :eek: All on the CC for transferring over BUT I have a day full of cooking tomorrow.

Beef Wellington that will end up being at least 8-10 portions and uses up a YS pack of puff pastry out of the freezer. The mince will be 3xlasagne following the hairy bikers recipe using leek leaves instead of pasta cos I have a HUGE problem with wheat......

We are about to tackle the gammon - it is HUGE! We will make several joints, steaks and then the 'bits' that appear during the chopping process will be used for pies/stews/stir-frys etc - the freezers are groaning and I think DH will have to take some up to work to put in the freezer there!

I have bought all of the laundry stuff and several reduced things for next Christmas (xmas puds for 19p!!!!). I do not need anything other than fresh milk for the next 6 weeks or so at the very least.

My DH business is quite seasonal and we spend every weekend from April trading at various events around the country, staying in our small caravan and a lot of money can be spent on meals cos we can't be bothered cooking at the end of a 10+ hour day. A lot of these will be our meals during these weekends and will save me looking like a beached whale at the end of the season cos everything has wheat in it!

I am very interested in how you're making your own yoghurt if someone wouldn't mind posting a recipe.... ta muchly!

Luna cat is still rather 'meh' There are lots of cuddles and fave mousey is never far away. I am hoping that she starts to pick up soon cos she really is my baby!

cheerfulness4

Oh WOW Good advice, that Cake!! I just want to lick the screen. It looks both beautiful and delicious.

And Princezz, aren't you the clever one mastering DPNS. I'm highly impressed. Well done.

I feel so lazy listening to all that you others have been getting up to. Cooking, repairing, making, planning. I've been so tired I've just been relaxing. I don't think winter agrees with me these days.
In the spirit of Make do and Mend I shall be making some more flannel cleaning cloths tonight. I love making those and can't get enough. They are so relaxing to make.

Spends today were £7.43.

DAY 25

Money Spent Today - £7.43 Vouchers Spent - £0
Money Spent in Total - £74.38 Vouchers Spent in Total - £5
Money left in purse - £0.62 - Float left- £0/£15
Jan non-foods left- £0/£15


We got naughty with the savoury snacks. £2.06 on those, pk cashew nuts @ 60p, YS diced steak @ £1.99, YS apricot fool @ 29p and 48 'weetabix' @ £2.49.


We've been quite frugal with our meals this weekend. The leftover Spag Bog made a lasagne on Saturday, using some YS 15p wraps from freezer stocks for the layers and 2 thirds of a YS tiger French loaf to make HM garlic bread. Was delish and fed 6 of us. :T

Today I pulled a packet of turkey from the bottom of the freezer and simmered in thick gravy. Made a lovely roast dinner with it with HM yorkies. We had apple sauce, too. The packet was labelled Pork. (Must do better with my labelling in future)

We're supposed to be having pancakes for supper with a 10p Greens kit and some leftover lemon drizzle cake syrup but we're still full from dinner. Might have to wait until tomorrow.

Right, out with the sewing basket and relax as Call the Midwife is on.

HOWMUCH

littleowl wrote: »

I live in Doncaster and was told by a local that HOW MUCH???? was the Barnsley war cry!!!

Must be a northern saying then cos I'm about 15 miles south of Barnsley

maryb

Sewing bee - next series does indeed get going on 5 February but there is a "prequel" this Wednesday when they see what last years competitors are getting up to these days. Might be interesting - the first series launched Stuart, Tilly and Sandra into new sewing related careers

The chap in my local sewing machine shop said if you need your machine serviced do it now before the series starts - the last two years they were inundated the week after the first episode with machines that were thick with dust and they had a big backlog

[Deleted User]

cheerfulness4 what a great idea to use the wraps from the freezer for 'lasagne sheets' I have at the bottom of my freezer some 'frozen-at-some-point last year' wraps which I will dig out and use instead of the sheets, as it will make some much needed room in my freezer.

Just got home from Dds and had a lovely late dinner around 8 of roast beef and all the trimmings.
DGS forgot I might want his outgrown jeans and binned them !!! but he has another pair he's going to dig out for me :):)

Brought some LO carrots and broccoli home with me which will be 'nuked to go with tomorrow nights dinner .not enough left for DDs tribe but more than enough for me :):) I have some mashed spuds in the freezer so I will drag out some salmon from there as well and thats tomorrow nights dinner sorted already :):)

Found out why my computer may be playing up,apparently if the CMOS battery is dead (thats the one that works the clock on the bottom of the screen ) it will give you a lot of 'security certificate errors' which stops you from logging into chosen sites .I have temporarily fixed it by adjusting the time clock and leaving my 'puter on standby until I get to buy a new battery tomorrow :):)So far so good and I am able to use mu 'puter a lot better at the moment (touch wood )
Right off to have a shufti at some other forums on here
Cheers chums JackieO xxx

Lynplatinum

Hiya All

Many thanks for the comments and thoughts re my scrapbooking - you are all so right - it is about living a fun but frugal life!! Not about depriving ourselves!

In the spirit of that I went shopping in Tescos - my is it expensive!! WOW! Phew - I couldn't wait to get out of there - I m usually a Lidil girl! However, I have to say there are somethings L doesnt do such as wholemeal pasta, low fat creme freshe et al.., spent 11 pounds 99 :-) and came home with 2 bags full thanks to reading the 'how much per kg' labels. Made a cake that I haven't made for YEARS - its a Dorset Apple cake and it can double up as a desert! My friend who came round for coffee and consolation today had never had anything like it and asked for a second bit!!

I had n't planned tea but made a quick (and cheap) pasta dish thus:

Saute leeks/onions/shallots. Add a finely sliced clove of garlic. Add 6 cubes of frozen spinach, half a mug of water, salt, peeper, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Put a lid on and allow to cook until almost dry (takes about 10 mins - same time as your pasta!). Add 2 desert spoons creme freshe. Chuck over drained pasta. Serve either with lots of Parmesan or toasted seeds (you can buy mixed packs at many supermarkets but sometimes health food shops are cheaper - you need ones WITHOUT sultanas etc in!!)

Enjoy folks!

babyblooz

Dorset Apple Cake sounds luuuuurrvvvvly!

:D:D

[Deleted User]

Lynplatinum sounds gorgeous any chance of the recipe please :):)

silvasava

Wow - doesn't this thread move on quickly! Everyone is doing so well & its lovely to see all the varied skills that people are trying.
HOWMUCH I had a chicken for dinner yesterday to - its was an Aldi one -2kg & I think it was £4.99 (don't often get the chance for YS stuff) but it will certainly be doing more than 4/5 servings! 2 yesterday, 2 today,frame cleaned & mixed with chopped mushrooms & either a condensed mushroom or chicken soup & made into at least 2 pies (2 x 2 servings) & frame simmered for soup base. I could probably eke it out further but DH has a hearty appetite!
Prinzess Your Owl look fab - & your 'feather' pattern looks really good - nice & even. GOLD STAR that girl!!
Thanks too to whoever posted about the 'prequel' to the sewing bee
Lynplatinum Yes please to the Dorset Apple Cake recipe as I've got loads of apples in the freezer still