The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim

EssexHebridean wrote: »

GREYING!!! You're a genius! :T:T:T

Ha ha, sorry to have been awol - we had the builders in. Widening doors. So I could get me bonce through, To say hello :hello: :rotfl::rotfl:

EH i'm thinking that you are going to get away with the whole 'lentils and carrots' again thing, because you are pairing them with S.A.U.S.A.G.E.S Second only to bacon, surely. For making the world a better place? :cool: Besides which, isn't the weather going to go down hill towards the end of the week? Get him to think of wrapping his hands around a steaming, unctuous bowl of casserole..... which has scented the home with a load of piggly goodness..........whilst the wind and rain lashes all around outside. Who'll want to nip down to the TA in that?

Well, the supermercados have it. They are cheaper for the items that I have put on my list to buy for the FB chrimbo list. I'm a little surprised, although I am taking advantage of a special offer and of own brand items, so not exactly a level playing field. Now, do I despatch DH with a list to 2 seperate supermercados for items that we don't normally buy? :think: And hence, have no idea where they are located in the store..... Actually, I know where the mrT things are, but don't know the aisle number and exactly were on the aisle they will be..... Is this a stress step too far :think:

A gentleman actually stepped aside for us to pass in m&$ today. He was of a certain 'vintage' and clearly was a 'gentleman', but it was so nice - I thanked him and he said, 'Not at all my dear,' and smiled Such a change. Normally, people of all ages, seem to want to walk straight through us. And a complete stranger, happened to be a bloke, made nice comments about BG as we made our way up to the high street. Whilst I'm wary of people seemingly wanting to know our inside leg measurements, I have been surprised at the high volume of kind comments we've received.

I did 'impulse' purchase some apples in the marketall today. They were russet apples, which aren't uniformly available, but the overpriced fruit and veg stall does stock them sometimes, as does the competitive on some things greengrocer. They are British and cost 99p for a kilo bag. Love it I had an item for BG on my list, which was on special offer, so I bought 2 and have saved £1.30. However, another item had recently gone up by 89p, so swings and roundabouts......

Right, I'm going to attempt to do the washing up (only from lunchtime, I did breakfast!), and then start tea. But for some reason, I've got a snoozing babs laid on my arm again..... ow and :shhh:, all in one go! :rotfl::shhh:

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Well, I've managed to do it all - not backwards, and not in high heels - but we've been washed, changed, fed and cwtched asleep....... and DH and I have eaten us tea

Sausage & Puy lentil casserole was just the thing, as it seems colder this evening...... It was accompanied by brown basmati rice, as it is *........ with rice* day on the meal-planner and broccoli. Picture here;



I threw in some bits of dried mushroom (rehydrated) that I had kicking about in the cupboard, plus a bay leaf. I didn't have any celery, so chopped up some parsnip instead, plus there is a leek in there. In some ways one of my more expensive dishes - because of the bought veggie sausages, but we always enjoy it, and there is a goodly portion left over.

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

to the growers of Russet apples - they'll never win any beauty prizes, so thank you for still growing and distributing them, as they taste fab!

for a little worn anorak picked up in a charity shop - kept the wind out, the rain off, and BG looked bonny in it (but I'm biased, natch )

that people think to make positive comments to others - can make your day

Ta for popping in, reading and finding use in recipes that I post here. I appreciate it.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

I *think* my conscience won't allow me to pull the lentil and carrot coloured wool over MrEH's eyes a second time in a week...he's been working some horrendous hours this week (as in - he's still there at the time of writing ) so I'm leaning towards asking him what he wants to do for food on Friday - and if the answer is "Stop for a chinese on the way home" then that seems fair. (Generally speaking however, you are absolutely right about sausages!)

I know T***o's smartphone app used to tell you which aisle in a particular store items could be found in, if that's any help?

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Well, here we are Thursday.

I'm being treated to lunch today with a mum chum. Good conversation too. I'm looking forward to it

Dinner this evening will be Lentil Bolognese, heavily based on THIS version from The Vegetarian Student Cookbook. I will be using beluga lentils from stores rather than Puy lentils (used them last night). Thursdays are normally 'Buddha Bowl' on the planner, but I fancied ringing the changes, and as I don't have a 'with pasta' day on the planner, it has rather fallen by the wayside. Whilst it is all too easy to fall into the 'pasta or lentils' at every meal when following a frugal path, I think we've gone too much the other way and don't include it at all. It then becomes a 'default' dish if I've run out of time, which doesn't always mean that I have the right ingredients to hand to make a healthy dish.

I was going to wander along to one of the supermercados today, before my lunch date, but as it is already raining, I suspect that trip will be put on hold.

I have now had all quotes in for the work that we asked trades to give us a price for. Naturally, nothing is comparable, and they have been presented in totally different ways, so that you have an idea with one what it will cost, but not the other, as they've not mentioned VAT - and registered they will be, despite their attempts to look as though they've not two pennies to rub together........

So, am I any further forward?

I am absolutely stunned at the ineptitude of people working in the 'service' industry - ie those tasked with 'helping' the general public. I am getting frustrated in my attempt to bring a large organisation to task. It strikes me, that layers of bureacracy - under the guise of 'assistance' are put in your way just to put you off. You get so bored that progress is taking so long that you capitulate. It makes me madder about the whole episode! If it carrys on raining, I'm going to do some complaint escalation activity.

Right, I hear footsteps on the stairs. Breakfast time.

Greying X

EssexHebridean

As someone who is also doing battle with a large organisation currently (Essex County Council, in my case) you definitely have both my sympathy and understanding - all we want is for them to do a job repairing a dangerous stretch of pavement - we've been complaining about and reporting this since March, local councillors have now got involved, and local media, and at least we now have barriers around it - BUT every gust of wind now brings the barriers down of course, and still no sign of an actual repair! :mad:

I think we'll be eating your share of the pasta this week in any event - MrEH is indeed having it two nights on the trot. Not though he'll complain!

The quotes - I can only imagine. we are fortunate to have access to an excellent local builder, who comes highly recommended by everyone who uses him, and whose charges are very reasonable, so we didn't fret about getting quotes when we had the bathroom done. In fairness though, prior to knowing about him, the whole "having to find someone to do it" thing was one of the things that saw it being put off, and off, and off...

Greying_Pilgrim

Essex - I sometimes get the impression that large organisations would rather get tied up in protracted cases of legal action than 'fix' whatever it is that is wrong! I am also sick to death of all these 'policies' and 'studies' and 'working practices' and 'guidelines' and 'reviews'. People take absolutely no notice of them; blithly carrying on as before until the next incident, or accident, or death or snafu. And as for bloddy 'action plans' and 'we're determined to learn from our mistakes'.................... *fume*

Well, I've munched lunch - it was delicious. Pure and simple And the act of being cooked for made it doubly delicious! - if that is even possible And we had a lovely natter. Just wonderful.

The weather is OK now, but I'm very glad I didn't venture off to the supermercado, I would have got damper than a Squib and blown about more than Orinoco holding a City gents umbrella (Wombles Series 1 Episode 1 goggle it, y'all know you want to )

I was going to toddle off and make a start on the bolognese. But it would appear that being social is a tiring business and I have a sleepy babs on my arm...... again....... :rotfl:

I could just do with 40 winks...... :rotfl:

I didn't realise that today is going to be a nsd :j

I'll need to spend tomorrow though as we've needed to make a card as a thank you for a little gift that someone got for Baby Greying, so I need to get a pic printed off. I will also need some cheese, as it'll be a poor mouse's pizza for tea otherwise Plus I need to decide whether to get potatoes or oven chips/wedges. The pre prepped chips/wedges save (oven) energy, but the bag of spuds can do several dishes. Decisions, decisions.

I'm going to make a start on next week's meal plan, as I now run Saturday to Friday. And NOTE TO SELF - do not get seduced by BN Squashes in Lidl, because they are priced PER KILO, not each! You watch, there will be 7 dishes that feature BNS now! :rotfl:

Right, I am going to attempt to move, without awaking Baby Greying - :rotfl:

Greying X

EssexHebridean

Ha - you spotted that with the squashes too! :rotfl: Aldi looked like a better deal for me this week, with swede, leeks and red onions, that's the makings of a cracking winter stew, plus our local one is walkable, from me, so that's my step count boosted for tomorrow, if the weather plays ball.

LOVE the Orinoco reference. He was always my favourite Womble - and in fact I have a little tiny soft-toy Orinoco in my car, he's lived there for years! :T

I could do with 40 winks, as well, now you come to mention it...

joeyjimbles

Thank you for the sausage and lentil casserole - had completely forgotten that tasty dish and it is now in the slow cooker for tomorrow. Smells gorgeous despite the random freezer-foraged sausages of various vintages. I've deliberately overdone the veg and lentil element so that there will be loads leftover to adulterate with paprika and beans and have with flatbreads and yogurt and coriander over the weekend.

Cheery_Daff

Evening :wave:

Pah to bureaucracy :mad: Tis indeed designed to make us mad and give up whatever we're trying to do. Be strong!

I think at the grand old age of, er, 30 something, I am going to give up officially on meal planning I have never done it, and all the signs are that I never will :rotfl: My meals are hit and miss, and we often don't eat at the same time as each other. Maybe my attitude will change when we have a lovely kitchen table to sit round in our new house :j

Still, I Have just had a lovely tea, cooked by Mr Cheery and waiting for when I got in Potato wedges (he's clocked the fact that they're my new favourite thing and is serving them at every opportunity - he's also clocked that you can put them in the microwave and while they're not *quite* as crispy, they're not actually too bad and only take a few minutes :rotfl: )

Er, where was I? Oh yes - potato wedges, and then a mix of onion, peppers, garlic, green lentils, cabbage and olives, with a bit of spinach on the side :j So tasty, but I didn't have enough the first time round so I'm just having seconds (with a sneaky bit of goats cheese mixed in)

Have a good evening Greying and chums!

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Visitors, how absolutely luverly

EssexHebridean wrote: »

LOVE the Orinoco reference. He was always my favourite Womble - and in fact I have a little tiny soft-toy Orinoco in my car, he's lived there for years! :T

Me too, me too :j

joeyjimbles wrote: »

Smells gorgeous despite the random freezer-foraged sausages of various vintages.

:rotfl::rotfl: It's only on MSE that you can make comments like that, and everyone thinks that you are fabulous :T:T In RL, everyone would deem you batty, and start edging away :rotfl::rotfl:

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

Evening :wave:

Pah to bureaucracy :mad: Tis indeed designed to make us mad and give up whatever we're trying to do. Be strong!

I think at the grand old age of, er, 30 something, I am going to give up officially on meal planning I have never done it, and all the signs are that I never will :rotfl: My meals are hit and miss, and we often don't eat at the same time as each other. Maybe my attitude will change when we have a lovely kitchen table to sit round in our new house :j

Still, I Have just had a lovely tea, cooked by Mr Cheery and waiting for when I got in Potato wedges (he's clocked the fact that they're my new favourite thing and is serving them at every opportunity - he's also clocked that you can put them in the microwave and while they're not *quite* as crispy, they're not actually too bad and only take a few minutes :rotfl: )

Er, where was I? Oh yes - potato wedges, and then a mix of onion, peppers, garlic, green lentils, cabbage and olives, with a bit of spinach on the side :j So tasty, but I didn't have enough the first time round so I'm just having seconds (with a sneaky bit of goats cheese mixed in)

Have a good evening Greying and chums!

S0d meal planning - all jump on the bus round to Cheery's gaff - tea sounds gorge!

So, we had the lentil bolognese. I just managed to time it quite well - pure luck, I assure you. And it had had just long enough to 'meld' flavour-wise if you get what I mean. I didn't have any mushrooms, so I stuck a few more of the (re-hydrated) mushroom bits in - gave it a lovely depth of flavour, for actually not much mushroom (try saying that 10x fast! ) I didn't have any courgettes either, so the veg was limited to onion, garlic, carrot and red pepper. No matter, tasted good I served it with the last of the cassarecce pasta and some green beans. I topped it with a little grated grana padano cheese - actually more than is in the pic - I didn't see the point of showing you a bowl of cheese gratings, as there would only be Cheery, oh, and EH, oh, and then there would be Pippi.... oh and not forgetting joeyjimbles who would be interested Picture here;



Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

A true friend and a truly scrumptious lunch

Action - felt better when I took some! :D

Nudges to try things - boosted my confidence . Thank you

Must get out and about and moving tomorrow. One or two items to pick up on the High Street.

Right, I'm away to meal-plan, as I've come across a new recipe....... BNS must NOT be involved :rotfl:

Thanks for popping in, reading and joining in, and prompting the conversation. very, very much appreciated. By me. As always.

Greying X