The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

rtandon27

All this talk of tradition vs. not tradition is making me smile! It's amazing how we all now do our own version of tradition.

Growing up my Grandma did the full Xmas spread for us every year & was very much appreciated by the whole family! We all have such fond memories of the big day & my sweet cousin across the pond tries to replicate it every year.

I've found of late that OH & I can't even be fussed to make any sort of meal on the day it is supposed to be eaten. The 'doctor' was in direct competition with dinner time. (This year it might be different since 'she' will be appearing on the 1st instead).

Instead, we now nibble on cheese & crackers & spreads for most of 'THE' day & if we happen to find some bargain (cut-price) Xmas treats in the week following 'THE' day, then we get around to a festive meal sometime around New Year's.

Any week I'm not at the office, we usually do a store cupboard challenge and try and eat down the stores. This seems to be the only tradition we've come to rely on!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: We are of course very thankful that many of the folks I work with are only around for two to four year stints so gift us with the remains of their kitchen stores when they move!:D:D:D

(Anyone know what to do with a jar of dulche de leche, a tin of mussels in tomato sauce, or a tin of braised organic tofu?):rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim

rtandon27 wrote: »

(Anyone know what to do with a jar of dulche de leche, a tin of mussels in tomato sauce, or a tin of braised organic tofu?):rotfl:

I was going to make Alfajores when I got given a pre-loved copy of G00d H0usekeeping magazine earlier in the year. But then decided that I couldn't warrant buying the dulche de leche and will make good - bero recipe - shortbread biscuits for what i have in mind.



Greying X

rtandon27

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...Alfajores ...

OOOO those look lush! - I love love love carnation caramel so these might be quite the treat - I don't bake much, but GP, I think you've given me a holiday project! :D:D

greenbee

Pasta with the mussels in tomato sauce.

Braised tofu can either go in a stir fry or with salad.

apple_muncher

Dulce de leche? You just need a can opener, a tea spoon and somewhere quiet to sit for a little while...

greenbee

apple_muncher wrote: »

Dulce de leche? You just need a can opener, a tea spoon and somewhere quiet to sit for a little while...

Perfect

rtandon27

greenbee wrote: »

Pasta with the mussels in tomato sauce.

Braised tofu can either go in a stir fry or with salad.

Thank-you Greenbee - those are both very manageable meal options - OH will be happy to do something he knows with our gifted groceries - somehow 'exotic' ingredients just throw me for a loop!

apple_muncher wrote: »

Dulce de leche? You just need a can opener, a tea spoon and somewhere quiet to sit for a little while...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Apple - you must have a very sweet tooth:D:D - I associate quiet corners with family bags of chips/crisps - I'm of the same opinion as little BG - the only way to eat a potato is if it is crispy! :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:


rtandon - we've all but had to stop eating crisps (what you may term chips) because BG will eat and eat them if allowed (BG is not allowed), and also likes 'fries' (chips) if they come out of a packet, but won't eat mumma's HM wedges, featuring 'real, unadulterated' tatties


Mmmm, apple - I couldn't even try a spoonful of DdL 'neat' - I am a demon around savoury pies and breads, but don't have much of a sweet tooth - although i think I've eaten more since having BG. I didn't used to hardly bother at all.


Well, I had the weirdest dream overnight. It was one of those really detailed ones - which I was actually in for a change, not just 'viewing'. Me and DH - younger versions, not the current wrinkly, tired versions - were invited to Sat Bains 'house' - invited to stay and watch him 'create'. The thing is, whilst I know who Sat Bains is (famous chef), I've not been watching anything, or even reading anything about him, his cooking or his restaurants lately, so why on earth.......



It was a really complicated journey to get to him (we were walking), through built up industrial areas that you'd find in any city. The 'house' was huge (big rooms), but not at all grand . The inside was very very basic (the walls just painted brick - much more like those warehouse conversions inside - but not with high ceilings), and there was a stream (fast running) along 2 sides of the back garden - I was looking out of the window, thinking, 'Sat must be very brave to not worry about flood risk' ?????????? and then an alsatian dog (sitting up) came floating down the stream and no-one batted an eye-lid!



A lass who said she was Sat's daughter (?), was showing me - in great detail - the hot water system (????), which looked like something out of a nuclear power plant; and took up two rooms......... The kitchen Sat was working in was very, very basic and small (with no equipment????) and me and DH slept in an undecorated room on a futon! everything at the property was set up to take gorgeous pictures (think instA) of the food that Sat created (which appeared from nowhere, as there was nothing to cook with/on!) and whilst we saw Sat overseeing picture taking of food floating in a swimming pool, we got to eat nowt.....



OK, wot's THAT all about???? :rotfl::rotfl: Totes ran-dom!! :rotfl::rotfl:


In other news........................ :rotfl:


Tea last night was HM curry plate. Everything sourced out of the store cupboard. BG loves to eat lentil dhal now :j so that was certainly one positive thing I was grateful for.


I managed to write, address the envelope and put a stamp on ONE (count 'em! :rotfl:) christmas card yesterday................. I have done some more writing and addressing, but only completed one I always make everyone in the household sign their own name/put their mark - so it does always take a wee bit longer than if I was just signing for all.......


Tea today will most possibly be boxed fish or scampi with oven chips and mushy peas, although I ought to bear in mind we may need 'cheat' options in the next few days as DH is undertaking some decorating/tidying and de-moulding


I've got to get a start on more crafting, otherwise Christmas day will come and go, and the recipient won't have what I intended to make for them. And given it is supposed to complement something that G'ma & G'Pa are giving, I best get a wiggle on. I'm stalling because I'm sort of making it from scratch, possibly without much of a pattern/instructions, and I'm scared of lousing up. Which given it mostly centres around stitching a straight line is a pretty lame excuse...... :rotfl:


Right, I'm away to do some tidying and sorting. May clear my brain-cell enough to take the plunge to start summat - even if it's just pattern drafting for what components I need.


Ta for popping by. Appreciated.



Greying X

Grumpelstiltskin

GP Look at an aerial view of Sat Bains restaurant on Google maps. It's sandwiched between the river and an elevated by pass, not the most salubrious part of Nottingham.

Greying_Pilgrim

Grumpelstiltskin wrote: »

GP Look at an aerial view of Sat Bains restaurant on Google maps. It's sandwiched between the river and an elevated by pass, not the most salubrious part of Nottingham.

:eek: I've got to admit - I've never been to Nottingham, never mind anywhere near the restaurant. But this stream, whilst gushing was a wee bit smaller that the River Trent.... :rotfl: But how bizarre!



Thanks Grumpelstiltskin Wonder what it all means? So, so very random........



Greying X