The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

EssexHebridean

Greying your Gin comment made me :rotfl: - you're buying lime for heavens sake, sounds like a Mother's Ruin habit is just the thing to accompany it!

Agree totally about daylight/sunshine too - it's one thing where I know I struggle in the winter, that being stuck in an office all week really isn't ideal, in the darker months.

Poppy being worn here too - and £1 in the collecting box in the office. :T

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

EssexHebridean wrote: »

Greying your Gin comment made me :rotfl: - you're buying lime for heavens sake, sounds like a Mother's Ruin habit is just the thing to accompany it! ............



Poppy being worn here too - and £1 in the collecting box in the office. :T

See, now it shows how much I know, I thought that limes were more likely to be paired with vodka? Which I've thankfully never had a taste for really - although when alcopops were all the rage, I did have several moscow mules in my times out on the razz - which weren't very often and were curtailed by finances and needing to catch the last bus home....... :rotfl:

I came across a right fancy British Legion stall that had all manner of poppies in every shape and form. I popped a bit extra in the tin and opted for a .......well, a poppy shape with a clip on it, so that you can clip it onto a zip or a set of keys or something (although it is not terribly robust). I'd be delighted if it lasts more than one year - not that it'll stop me donating next year, far from it, but it does always vex me seeing poppies on the floor that have come adrift from their pins and got lost. I didn't want to give my money to m&$ et al and buy a brooch type thing, but I had considered crochetting a poppy, wearing it, and still donating. Now I've the best of both - having got a BL sanctioned design, and made a donation directly to them.

Tea this evening was indeed mexican black bean, chilli and chocolate soup, and very spiffing it was too I made some changes, to accomodate what I had - but they didn't alter the recipe that much. I used a bit of left over passata (in addition to the tin of chopped tomatoes), I used coriander rather than fresh parsley, as it is what I had (and actually in keeping with mexican cuisine) and as I had some lime zest and juice left over from baking, I shoved that in A keeper of a recipe for me. Served up with flatbreads that had 'fajita style' spicing and coriander in them, made with yoghurt, plain flour, baking powder and a splash of water. Picture here;



And if you are wondering where all the black beans are, they got shy and all hid at the bottom of the bowl! I did use 100g (dry weight) as specified in the recipe - honest!

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

a lunch invite

finding yet another cost-effective, yet tasty recipe :T

my life as it is - not many grumbles, not really :D

Ta for popping by, reading, supporting and encouraging me. Know that you are appreciated. Always.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Mum chum coming around later. Hopefully cake will be scoffed and natter will be nattered

The meal-planner says '......with rice'. I've got something in mind, but it will depend on how much time I have.

Greying X

apple_muncher

If there is any left, could you do 'cake with rice'...?

EssexHebridean

I hope cake scoffing is going on as I type, Greying!

A friend of mine (I fact one who is sometimes active on here!) has crocheted herself a poppy and put some money in the tin for wearing it. A nice idea, I think. I know what you mean about seeing the "lost" ones about the streets, but on the other hand I suppose at least they have got lost whilst being worn, and hopefully the person has subsequently popped another £1 in the pot for a replacement?

I'm now taking it that I can have your share of both the gin AND the vodka. My weekend is shaping up well! :rotfl:

Upsidedown_Bear

Just to let you all know that you can, if you want recycle your poppy in Sanisbury's.

Poppy recyling

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

apple_muncher wrote: »

If there is any left, could you do 'cake with rice'...?

Ha ha cake & rice.....mmm, think I've had my cake quota for the day, but I'm sure it'd be available on the menu some place....... :rotfl:

EssexHebridean wrote: »

I'm now taking it that I can have your share of both the gin AND the vodka. My weekend is shaping up well! :rotfl:

Fill your boots love I'm not going to say I'll never have a G&T ever again, but I'll not arm-wrestle you over one either :D And as for a voddy and anything, definitely no dice

Thanks Upsidedown Bear I didn't know about that. I think my poppy is made from recycled materials - melted together.

Today has been lovely, but I'm bushed. Tea was LO pizza and a baked potato. It was perfect at one point, but was actually eaten about 25 minutes later. The pizza was a little crunchy

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

how children just smile at, and laugh with, each other, just because....

nice cake - a treat

a hot tip on a new picnic destination :j

Ta for popping in, reading and joining in. Very, very much appreciated.

I'm away to my bed.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

I am amazed as to how fast today has whizzed. I seem to have looked after Baby Greying, accomplished a few chores, had a wander about to see how far it is and buy bananas and made tea!

I did have a potter about in a couple of charity shops and a couple of high street shops that I've not been in before - specifically to look at their baby ranges. Cor, kiddies clothes are dear....... I did spot a lovely little knitted top in a charity shop, it had been worn, but it was still nice looking, and only £1 - the skill that had gone into the knitting (including cables) and the putting together was amazing. I might get it if it is there tomorrow. Difficult to judge sizes though with HM garments - and too much faff to strip Baby Greying down to their indoor wear to try it on!

I had a peek at some christmas tree decorations in a high street stationery shop - I'm always chasing papers and writing materials..... there was one that was made from felt, and was (almost) a lifesize replica of a carton of french fried potatoes from a fast-food outlet. I don't know about loving it. I ain't getting it.......... :think:

I think that the curry on Saturday night will be highly likely to be aubergine based, as I dropped on a couple of aubergines for 10p each, courtesy of mrW :j I also got some YS'd parsley, which I used up in tea tonight

I kept to the theme of 'buddha bowl' for tonight's tea, simply because I had some recipes that I [STRIKE]wanted[/STRIKE] needed to try out I think if it is a 'structured' BB, it will have to remain on a weekday night, but if it is a genuine 'use up' BB, then it will fit in nicely on a Sunday night - daft as it sounds, this may actually need some manipulation!

I made mudardarah for the 'base' - the recipe I link to is the one I based mine on (but I used basmati), but as you will see, there is a 'wet' version and a 'dry' version. Clearly for the purposes of a BB, you need to make the 'dry' version. I used Anissa Helou's version of 7 spice in mine, but there are plenty of versions available. I then wanted to use up some of my 29p Parsnip stash from mrL, so I made a version of Parsnip, yoghurt and date salad (second recipe down)- a Moro (Sam & Sam Clarke) recipe - although I left my parsnips as batons and lightly steamed them in the microwave, before allowing to cool. I cooked up some frech beans (frozen) and then made some falafel, from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan with a Vengeance. I pan fry mine, rather than deep fry, and coated them with seasoned cornmeal. It used up more of the [STRIKE]awful[/STRIKE] kala chana that is lingering about, and the falafel worked fine it was topped off with my usual tahini, citrus, miso dressing and some sesame seeds. Picture here;



The parsnip salad and mudardarah were both recipes out of my copious 'food notes' notebooks. They are both keepers for me I love the taste of the rice and lentils, and the parsnip recipe is an unusual way to serve them, so is nice to have as something a little different

I noticed that a gal in m&$ (member of staff) had a knitted or crocheted Poppy on It looked very nicely made I think I do also feel sorry when poppies get crushed on coats and go all curled up

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

the glorious sunshine - made our walk all the better

YS'd aubergines - just what I needed. Now, do I try a new recipe???

some cheerful comments directed at Baby Greying - makes me smile

Ta for popping in and reading. Know that you are appreciated. Greatly.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

Evening!

10p aubergines are a bargain indeed- well found! :T that Anissa site you linked to looks like it has some really interesting stuff - I might have to have more of a browse. I also got a reminder of the recipes of Elizabeth David from browsing there - and more specifically a reminder of how good ED's books are just to read - I must re-explore my copies.

I might take a wander up the road tomorrow to Home bargains to acquire some of that brown basmati rice.

Greying_Pilgrim

They Fell. That I Might Soar.



Good Morning :hello:

EH - I got the actual recipe from Anissa's book 'Levant' (from the library :j), she writes in a style of anecdote/story/article with recipe attached. She doesn't seem to update the blog though, so I'm not too sure how many recipes are on it.

I've read ED's biography, but not so many of her recipe books. MFK Fisher is another favourite of mine.

Cold start here at the towers. But dry and bright.

Tea tonight may or may not be pizza. We had LO pizza and baked potatoes on Wednesday night - might get a bit samey. We'll see how the day pans out though.

Must get in touch with a plumbing company to get the boiler serviced. Hopefully someone will want to take our money.......

Will need to go up the high street to get a couple of bits and pieces.

I think I will put the last of the kala chana on to soak too, forcing my hand to use them tomorrow night in a curry plate with the aubergines

It never ceases to amaze me what 'appears' in pictures that I take. And how often it is hearts.......

Greying X