Make do, Mend and Minimise in 2016

fuddle

I'm starting to freeze veg that is about to go a little wobbly. Also shopping in lidl I have found that onions don't last as long as other supermarkets so I'm chopping and frezzing them regularly.

I have been saving punnets seedling growing. Also sowed butternut squash seeds and watermelon seeds from fruit/veg. I dont know if it will work but worth a try as nothing lost.

MrsCD

JackieO, the issue with rice is that if it is kept in the fridge too long, or not cooled quickly enough, rice grows bacteria which can't be killed off with high temperatures, and that's why people get poorly. If it's handed with care, and stored correctly, it's ok. Make sure you re-heat to at least 70c for a few minutes so it's piping hot and don't re-re-heat. Hth.

meritaten

another rice flour recipe!

I have favourite recipes for things I have done so many times over the years I can do them in my sleep. Like fairy cakes and sponge cake (same recipe). I wondered if I could just substitute rice flour and add baking powder..................well half the recipe sites say you can and half say you can't. so, this is todays experiment................

Fairy cakes
I will put the usual recipe and my substitutes and addition in brackets.

4 oz Butter
4 oz Caster Sugar
4 oz SR Flour (4 oz rice flour plus 1 teaspoon of Baking Powder)
2 large eggs
(a few drops of vanilla extract because when I tasted the batter it was a bit 'bland' and not 'cakey').

beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy add the beaten eggs and mix in. Add the sieved flour (and baking powder and vanilla extract if using rice flour).
mix gently but thoroughly.
divide into approx. 12 cake cases and bake at Gas 5 for approx. 15 - 20 minutes.
Cool before icing.

Verdict? very nice taste, but the texture was a just a little bit 'heavy'. next time I will increase the baking powder to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons.

edited to add that the little cakes had a sort of fine 'crispy' top to them - which was really quite nice! my DD and DG both tried them and both took another cake - saying if I hadn't told them I used rice flour they wouldn't have known the difference. The texture was really fairly good - I may have been a bit 'nit-picky' but I do like a bit lighter texture which I normally would have got with ordinary wheat flour. They were definately acceptable - certainly compared with 'shop bought'!

[Deleted User]

Sorry for being so long with the answer JACKIE the rice is fine if it's cooled quickly and frozen straight away as other folks have said the problem comes if it is kept in the fridge for more than 24 hours. I've never had a problem reheating rice that's been cooled as soon as it's cooked and frozen straight away after that.

iamsalt

Evening.

Useful knowledge about rice, thank you.
Today I have managed to minimise and clear two trugs and one of those builder bags full of weeds, overgrown bushes and previous rose bush prunings. It's been a gorgeous day here so I wanted to spend as much time outside as possible.
I have done another 30 rows of a knitted cushion I am making as a thank you gift. I am not the fastest knitter, so I was able to do some in the car when we popped out which helps me get nearer to finishing. Only 60 rows and the sewing up to go. I am classing that as my mending.
Making do, made curry this evening with left over lamb from yesterday. Made my mum a meal from the leftovers too which we dropped off when visiting her. She has a very restricted diet due to lots of health issues so doesn't really cook for herself and tends to eat the same thing all the time. When I can I make more food and take it over to her so I know she doesn't just eat sandwiches. I have really noticed I have reAched that point in life when roles have reversed and I worry about her eating like she used to with me!
Right back to the knitting, I WILL get it done this week.
S x

Elizabeth_Braun

Hi everyone! This is a thread I need to join in to help keep me motivated to keep my stuff to a minimum and cut down further if poss.

We moved in February and downsized quite a bit. In preparation I'd reduced my personal possessions by around a half as well as some surplus domestic stuff and a load of ornaments and nick-nacks. Good thing I did too as we would never have got all that junk in here! Now, however, Sir has said he really does want to move near to his mum when mine no longer needs us, which will be an international move. So, need to get stuff down even more and certainly NOT accumulate.

I've been on a complete No Buy of physical books and make up since January 2015 and of arts and crafts stuff since last summer and have been very good. Only things that are needed are allowed, else I have to use something I already own or borrow from the library.

Now that the initial move has taken place, my cutting down motivation has waned, so I'm looking for more!!!

pinkypig

I love this thread and have worked my way through the previous posts. I've popped into OS on and off as a lurker but haven't followed religiously or contributed for over two years :eek:. Life's taken some funny turns, some good, some not so good but here I am a bit battered and bruised but ready and motivated to re-establish priorities and to get the most out of life.
I'd forgotten how inspirational this forum is and I've found it has really renewed my resolve. In short, I'm newly single after 25 years (which I'm readjusting to better than I'd hoped), two kids, a roof over my head with a manageable mortgage and a reasonably secure job. All in all it could be far worse. My priorities are to minimise my day to day outgoings so that I can help my eldest a bit as she goes through University, to be able to have a holiday with my youngest in the few years I have left before he starts to do his own thing and to save for my retirement.
Today's plans include
Minimise - Mum's old bread maker was dug out of the garage but is tripping the electrics so needs to go to the tip.
Make do - We will be eating what we have in stock as I'm not going to shop until next weekend. Breakfast will be banana smoothies as i have 4 pints of YS milk (5p:money:) to use up and poached egg on toast. Lunch will be HM chorizo and chilli bean soup from the freezer and dinner will be toad in the hole, veggies and onion gravy.
Mend - the door curtain needs rehanging on new hooks which I have in the junk drawer.
Wet and windy here so a cosy day in doors making the most of an extra day off work and getting ready for the rest of what is going to be a busy week. Hope you all have a good day:)

angela110660

So far today have Minimised by offering unwanted logs from our garden and they have already been collected! Great.
Making do - using up freezer chilli for tea
Mending - got a couple of buttons to sew back on trousers and shirt.

[Deleted User]

That reminded me, I minimised my breadmaker to my history tutor on Friday afternoon.It had never been used and I stopped eating bread about 18 months ago. I did ask on here if anyone wanted it, and one lady said Yes, and I pm'd her where we could meet as I think she only lived a couple of miles away, but she never got back to me so it sat in its boxed unused for another year, then I lent it to my DGS g/f and off it went to Norwich Uni. A few months later they broke up, so back down the M11 it came :) Sat in my conservatory since Christmas, and then I had a brainwave and asked my history lady at the History club if she wanted it, and she said yes please, so off it went on its travels again.She has quite a large family, and enjoys cooking so I know its got a good home at last :)

Can't even remember why I bought it in the first place I think it was one of those 'Oh that looks a good gadget ' and I'm sure we all have those sitting somewhere in our kitchens :):)

I know she was delighted and she is such a lovely lady I was happy to give it to her.

Still making do from the cupboards.Cereal for breakfast and HM soup for lunch and something with mushrooms for dinner tonight as I seem to have a good few in the fridge.I have a feeling I have some steak in the freezer so I will dig that out. I know I have some frozen asparagus in there as well, so steak,mushrooms,asparagus and sweet potato wedges sound like a plan for dinner tonight, all of which I have in the freezer or my stocks. Weather looks dry at the moment but a bit cloudy so perhaps feet up and some knitting and the whole of The Night Manager to watch back-to-back on my TiVo box will sort this afternoon out.
Hope everyone has a good day what ever you are doing
Cheers chums
JackieO xx

HOWMUCH

Pinkypig I freeze YS milk then there's no rush to use it up, I have some 1 pint and 2 pint containers and use it as it defrosts, I managed to get 14 pints last week it's blue top so I'm adding water to it. I read it on here somewhere that someone did it to eek their milk out.
Well the weather is very very blustery today and cold.
Make do I collected a bundle of little boys clothes yesterday all from next 19 items for £10 so padded out our little mans wardrobe.
Mending nothing to be done today I've already done everything that's cropped up.
Minimise just the food in the fridge and freezer.
Hugs to all those who need one and working people enjoy your extra day off x