THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

Cheapskate

Elona, bone broth is a good idea, sounds like the sort of thing I need for my joints, despite being a few years younger!

I'm making a start on autumn/winter press this week, by crocheting blankets, and harvesting/freezing the few bits of fruit that have grown. Posted on the Fence thread about DD's sad state of affairs re debts etc., which has focussed me on our finances a bit, too. Got a reasonable amount of cash in the house, need to shop today (restocking staples in the pantry/fridge), and going to pay off some of the mortgage with some of the money recently received from mum's estate. DH is changing how he works from Christmas, so every penny I can shave from our outgoings will lessen the impact. We worked out that knocking off £25K will save about £140/150 a month, which is not to be sniffed at. Will put half of that in savings immediately, maybe more, which are sorely depleted after house renovations.

Also on the lookout form some decent storage tins for dried goods like cat food etc., couple of neighbours have reported field mice earlier than usual, so want to get prepped for that. Sign of a bad winter to come or just a thing?

A xo

mardatha

I've got loads of wee mouseholes (and some bigger ratty ones) along the fence between my back garden and the field. Many more than usual this year.

[Deleted User]

Mouse broth???

Cheapskate

Would the bones crunch up like in tinned fish, Lyn?!

[Deleted User]

I am splitting my sides laughing and have visions of Mar with an old stocking at each hole, ready to trap her dinner every night and standing there in the dark with a rolling pin at the ready. Lol, I can`t help it

Yes, age is just a number, no point getting maudlin. Been so busy, again, painted special oil on garage and one end of shed, then decided that the large water butt needed maintenance ie full of gunk and tap getting clogged, anyway I could not reach behind it to the shed. All done now and another maintenance job done, should be ok for three years. Prepping is, for me, not really thinking too far ahead for `what if` but it means when things need doing, then they get done right away. This isn`t titivating stuff but solid maintenance. Think I will write a log for my house file, what I have done, with what and the date and the next revision

Yes now I have spent good money, got fed up of having large loaves in my bm and then having to use valuable freezer space. Am keeping the panny, in the shed but have ordered a top notch 1 lb bread machine. The panny does make smaller loaves but too squashed for me and not worth the worktop space as it is out all the time. If one of the dds craves it then they can have it

[Deleted User]

Absolutely, don't think mouse think calcium supplement!

I've just tried an experiment to make Icelandic Thunder Bread (the bread they cook in the hot earth near the geothermal areas) having found a method that uses a slow cooker and the resulting bread is absolutely amazing and exactly the same in taste and texture as we had in Iceland. It's a bicarbonate of soda raised loaf not yeasted and slightly sweet (molasses in it) but goes equally well with cheeses, cured meats, liver pates as it does with preserves. Easy to do, no kneading just a mix and into a tin , cover tightly with foil and 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. Will be my go to in emergency choice in future.

moneyistooshorttomention

elona wrote: »

:eek:

Just weighed myself and I am the heaviest I have ever been.

Will double check later with a different set of scales but need to get myself sorted out.

Noted the weight in my diary so I can't ignore the facts. and mentally kicking myself.

Good plan:T

Though I think the single best thing I have is that I made a mental note years back of what my weight and figure were at the time. So I know what I have to get back to. That's 36-26-36 and 8.5 stones. With that - and the fact that I have two size 14 jackets in the wardrobe (thats 1970s size 14) that I intend to fit back into, rather than having to wear 2010's size 14 clothing (which is 2 sizes bigger) then I know exactly where I stand.

Currently - can wear some 2010's size 12 clothes - so that means I'm nearly back to size 16 then.

MisterPym

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

Absolutely, don't think mouse think calcium supplement!

I've just tried an experiment to make Icelandic Thunder Bread (the bread they cook in the hot earth near the geothermal areas) having found a method that uses a slow cooker and the resulting bread is absolutely amazing and exactly the same in taste and texture as we had in Iceland. It's a bicarbonate of soda raised loaf not yeasted and slightly sweet (molasses in it) but goes equally well with cheeses, cured meats, liver pates as it does with preserves. Easy to do, no kneading just a mix and into a tin , cover tightly with foil and 8 hours on low in the slow cooker. Will be my go to in emergency choice in future.

Would love it if you had the recipe?

[Deleted User]

For the mouse broth or for the bread??? DON'T GO THERE!

Thunder Bread

150g dark rye flour
75g strong wholewheat flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
75grams molasses/muscovado sugar (the dark stuff)
1 tablespoon of molasses/black treacle
320mls buttermilk

butter a loaf tin /cake tin that will fit in your slow cooker. Combine all the ingredients in a big mixing bowl, scrape into the prepared loaf tin/cake tin and cover well with 2 layers of foil (shiny side down) slightly tenting the middle to allow for rising. Turn slow cooker to low, put prepared tin in and add boiling water to come 1" up the side of the tin. Lid on and cook for 8 hours. Check from time to time to make sure the water level stays the same and after the 8 hours check for crookedness with a skewer, it should come out clean, if it doesn't check every 15 minutes until it does. Take tin out of cooker and leave bread for 5 minutes. Run a knife round the edge and turn bread out onto a cooling rack and cool under a clean tea towel. Tuck in and enjoy it's YUMMY!

mardatha

Baked Mouse Alaska
Mouse in Aspic
Mouse Moussaka
Sauteed Souris en Beurre