THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

westcoastscot

I've been prepping in the garden today - clearing my bit of ground, moving a couple of fruit bushes so all my fruit is together. Tried to move the chickens but they kept wandering back to where they were, so I've moved the chicken house back again!
I'm trying to stretch my growing season by growing brassica leaves into winter, in pots - outside at the min but into my wee greenhouse when the frosts come hard.
Picked brambles, and blueberries from the garden - I have two bushes, 3 years old now, in half barrels. This year I've had about 3lb of fruit to date, and more coming in. Raspberries are almost over, but should continue to give enough for 2 of us every couple of days until the first frost. Winter is definitely coming here!

[Deleted User]

westcoastscot wrote: »

Edited to add: 4 quarters cake Bob? (am I going to be sorry I asked?? :rotfl: )

You won't be sorry at all.

It's just a very simple, easy to remember, cake recipe.

You start by weighing 4 eggs.

Next, you weigh out the same weight of self raising flour, butter/margarine and sugar.

These four ingredients are then used to make a sponge cake, in the normal way.

westcoastscot

Sounds like an easy recipe to remember!

[Deleted User]

westcoastscot wrote: »

Sounds like an easy recipe to remember!

Yep, that's the idea.

worn_out_mum

As a yorkshire burd (yup proper spelling) the key to yorkshire pudding is hot fat, dripping, lard or oil. The usual pancake batter just hot oil and cold batter. As taught by my grandmother when I was less than double figures. Never had a problem with any type of oven. Now just need to teach my mum...

I don't worry about spiders anymore, we currently have 13 tarantulas of varying sizes, plus a Guatamalan tiger rump which escaped a couple of weeks ago. Ds 1 wants to be Steve Backshall when he grows up. He wants a mantis for his birthday in November.:eek:

ivyleaf

westcoastscot wrote: »

Sounds like an easy recipe to remember!

I've also heard it described very simply as "The weight of the eggs, in sugar, in fat and in flour."

I don't think my cake tin is quite big enough for one using four eggs. I sometimes use three, but often just two.

westcoastscot

We're dairy and egg free for cooking and baking due to allergy, so my go-to recipe is 4 oz dairy free marg, 4 oz sugar, 8 oz self-raising flour and a splash of soya milk to combine. Makes a good cake, heavier than a sponge. You can add anything to this, apple, spice and raisin, coffee, lemon, chocolate, almonds etc.
I love easy bakes, as you're more likely to make them if they're simple, quick and reliable.

pineapple

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

So - fully agree with courses on how to combine basic ingredients into a meal (without having to do a recipe as such) - with the proviso that it will need updating every few years to take acount of whatever has come "onto the scene" since then.

Ready meals do have their uses and you don't even have to consume them!
Sometimes the ingredients give me ideas for cooking as in 'Gosh that's interesting. I could do that!' :j
I once took a look at Sainsbobs 'Crispy Seaweed' and found, in the small print, that it is actually fried spring greens and 5 spice seasoning. Yes that's right ladies and gents. Their 'seaweed' is basically cabbage .
But what a lovely combo imo. I wouldn't have thought of it myself.

pineapple

GreyQueen wrote: »

On the edge of my wider acquaintanceship are a widow and a widower who have a 'relationship'. Neither are looking to replace their deceased spouse but they are friends.

The widow has some little repair jobs and garden jobs which her late hubby used to do. The widower can cook but can't bake and can't really see to do a full roast dinner for one.

He is 'paid' for repair services in fruit cakes to take away and the occasional sit-down Sunday dinner at the widow's house. It works for them.

I had exactly this relationship with a neighbour. He did little jobs for me and as he couldn't cook for toffee, I prepared little meals for him in return. However, hormones started making their presence felt. One night we had too much wine and .......
The following day he declared 'he wasn't ready for a relationship' as he was still hung up an the ex. Thus endeth the 'special relationship'.

pineapple

craigywv wrote: »

thanks pineapple i shall give it a go tomorrow xxxxx

Some people don't add any water and some use a different ratio. Guess I got that from my Mum who wuz 'frugal'.
Remember, fat must be sizzle hot. (but try not to go up in smoke )