The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, that pizza looks super tasty :j :j

and congratulations to newly retired Mr RT! :j :j You might well find that you *like* not having to do all the housework... I know when Mr Cheery left work and took over many house/cooking duties I had no problem letting him do that at all

Cheery_Daff

:rotfl: :rotfl: Greying, I have a very amusing image of us all eating exactly the same dinner as you just a couple of days later :rotfl: I do hope that makes you feel a warm, fuzzy inspiring feeling and not like you're being stalked by a load of internet food-copiers :eek: :eek:

Currently reading all of Frugalwoods' blog now cos of you, too

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery_Daff wrote: »

:rotfl: :rotfl: Greying, I have a very amusing image of us all eating exactly the same dinner as you just a couple of days later :rotfl:

*AHEM* ..... Greying clears throat, and steps up onto an orange crate.....

TOMORROW I PLAN TO COOK HUGH FURRY-WOTSiTs 12 BIRD ROAST

........ Greying steps off crate and pootles off to build an oven from scratch..........


:rotfl::rotfl:

Dear very kind MSE'r who asked about plumbing - we've sorted the one bit (boiler service) and will just have to wait with the bathroom, because there is just no way we can be without water/shower/loo etc for x amount of days. Unfortunately, I am not in your bit of Englandshire. But thank you for thinking of me. Very kind.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

We've had a very nice time. Volunteers had clearly worked very hard at the nt place and made it all very festive. Santa was on a flying visit - there did seem to be alot of very stressed parents, desparately seeking santa, before their 'timed slot' passed. I'm sure queues all around the stately home are equally stressing, so there's no real answer to it. Nice to hear children imploring each other, 'not to open your present, Santa said you must put it under the tree......' Quite refreshingly innocent if I am honest. Still think I prefer the 'reverse' grotto idea though. Surely you can still get your photo opportunity with the man with the white beard, and you can actually do some good at the same time. Win Win.

We went to a nearby church/quiet spot to eat our picnic, as the nt place was predicatably beginning to get busy. I made the best version yet of HM spiced hot choc. I used ground cloves, ground cinnamon, 1 green cardamon (removed before putting in flask), some vanilla extract and some orange zest. Ooof.

We did pop into mrAl and then mrL. I'm pleased that I spotted some giant cous cous in mr Al. I had seen it in mrW, and thought 'maybe' but it was....... hmmm, I can't remember, but I know that when I saw it for £1.15 in mrA, it was cheaper, so I was going to buy a bag from there. However, mrAl have it for 89p for a 300g bag - definitely the same size as the mrA bag. So I got one to try.

I resisted bread flour in mrL, but did buy plain flour to enable baking. I also bought some of the 'fun size' pears in the pick of the week (59p 770g), because they are actually Portugese Rocha pears. Ripe, they are so buttery and lovely....... I also checked, and our mushrooms were Irish produce, so I would have been happy to purchase them, had I needed some.

Best get and start making the curries. DH is being entertained by BG so all is well.

rt - I am amused that I prompt conversation in your household - little auld me? :rotfl:I think that retirement seems to be about the initial adjustments and then you fly. I was having a similar conversation with someone the other day. They are in the early stages of having lost work focus, but not having launched into their next endeavours (they have had 'noises off' to contend with too, so they have been distracted). I have no doubt, by this time next year, they are going to be saying, 'I never know how I found time to go to work'. Guarantee it

Cheery - I do feel extraordinarily blessed that anyone finds anything I post about in the least bit useful And yes, warm and fuzzy...... not the other :rotfl:Frugalwoods is ok and reasonably 'normal'. I think she does 'mindful' spending/living, which in the US puts her firmly in the frugal camp. I like her sense of humour too

Right, away to currify an aubergine into edibility

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

What a great day we have had Family activities, doing a favour and having a picnic lunch, slap bang in the middle of nowhere, with only the birds and a flock of sheep for company Spiffing

Tea last night was curry. I opted for simplicity in the end and made Baingan bharta, which is a very simple, very straightforward aubergine curry. I teamed it with some leftover black-eyed bean curry and some steamed basmati rice. Picture here;



Scrummy, and used up 2 of the 3 YS'd aubergines I had got. I will make aubergine kuku with the remaining aubergine.

I picked up a pack of leeks today in HB for 69p. I haven't weighed them, but guessing they are between 500g - 750g. I also picked up another brick of brown basmati for £1. As there was a mrS in the vicinity, I went to get a net of garlic (10 for £2), and some bananas. they didn't stock the garlic (relatively small store), so I came away with bananas, some cake cases (£1) and a tub of ancho chilli flakes (£1) - how does that happen? :rotfl:

Right I'm away to brave the shed that the potato bag is in, and start prepping tea

Greying X

rtandon27

Wow GP - your curry night offering looks delicious as always! Wonder if I print out that recipe & leave it strategically on the kitchen counter if OH might 'surprise' me with it for dinner at some point this week?:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

...I resisted bread flour in mrL, but did buy plain flour to enable baking. I also bought some of the 'fun size' pears in the pick of the week (59p 770g), because they are actually Portugese Rocha pears. Ripe, they are so buttery and lovely....... I also checked, and our mushrooms were Irish produce, so I would have been happy to purchase them, had I needed some...

We too have ventured to MrL...picked up the pears, two bags of the clementines (one for work) & a punnet of mushrooms as well as a couple of the meat specials...these are all items we would have normally sourced from MrS but at the bargainous prices it was worth popping in on the way home. Also picked up a few other weekly staples for the same or less than we usually pay at MrS. Combined with a yellow (orange actually) sticker bargains from our local c0-0p & our weekly shop has been a :money: success.
:j:j:j

As a bonus, a small potted xmas tree made it home from MrL, for less than the one we had been planning on sourcing from h0mebase. Used the decorations that came with last year's tree as well as the potcover so a bargainous & recycled start to the season!:D

I must say that the trip to MrL & it's scents of orange, cinnamon, mint & pine left me feeling more festive than the small town xmas market we went to this morning which was quite crowded & sadly did not smell or feel of xmas!:( We may have scoffed a butty & piece of cake from the stalls but no real xmas treats to be found! The wreaths though pretty did not smell like pine & not even a pot of mulling brew with wafts of clove to be found! just lots of vendors selling lots of plastic "stuff" - no handmade anything! Next week we are off to a large city xmas fair that we have enjoyed wandering around in the past & will be heading straight to the mulled wine upon arrival:D;)

Must be getting old & grumpy - is it my imagination or was everything better in the good old days?:rotfl::rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

rtandon27 wrote: »

W
We too have ventured to MrL...picked up the pears, two bags of the clementines (one for work) & a punnet of mushrooms as well as a couple of the meat specials...these are all items we would have normally sourced from MrS ..........

........Must be getting old & grumpy - is it my imagination or was everything better in the good old days?:rotfl::rotfl:

rtandon - I allowed myself to smirk today. Not something I make a habit of, as it is somewhat unattractive. However, I was in mrS and noticed that they were selling bags of Rocha pears, produce of Portugal at £1.50 for 6. They were highlighting the fact that they were 'Rocha' pears, and therefore were a premium price....... mrL on the other hand, are marketing the same product as 'funsize', and you're paying 59p for more than 6 pears And no love, you ain't getting grumpy. I don't necessarily believe that things were better in the 'old' days. What I do believe is that much has been watered down, or spread too thinly if you like. In the 'old' days, Santa came to your house (if that was your familial belief), possibly came to your school, and if you lived in a town/city big enough to have one, he may well have paid a visit to the local department store. Nowadays, Santa is everywhere - he's driving ever blooming bus in Greying Town for a start! But every attraction, shop, club, group, garden centre, stately home, zoo and shopping mall has to have a version of Santa. I suppose it is fine where the event is free. I heartily endorse it where children are encouraged to think what they can bring for Santa to give to others....... But where you are paying a fee to get a pressie and see Santa everywhere then it becomes a matter of quantity over quality. I rather think the same thing has happened with Christmas fairs and markets. It's not about Christmas, it's about 'the market' and how much it can be milked at each setting........

Cynical, moi?

No, just not yet wholly embracing the 'Christmas' vibe......

Tea has been munched. I based my recipe very heavily on Yotam's version of aubergine kuku. I used dried cranberries in place of the barberries, because I just don't have access to them - I'm going to see if I can camp out in EH's window box and if she'll take me shopping to her Turkish supermercado, where such items may be found I was going to use Persian Advieh/spice mix, but ran out of time to make up a batch, so I used some Zanzibar spice mix I have made up previously. It contains the 'sweet' spices prevalent in persian cuisine. I have to say, the resulting dish was the best kuku that I have made My 'improvised' version is definitely a keeper oh, and I didn't use breadcrumbs, because I had none, so my version was probably more like quiche/omlette than 'bake'. Still tasted good though. i served it with the most mahaoooosive baked potato that I have ever seen - one tattie feeding 2 of us (well). Also some carrots and green beans made it onto the plate. Picture here;



Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

the joy of spending time together as a family - a new chapter in our lives, but one that we are relishing

OS maps - why not 'follow a road' to see what you can see........ sheep, trees and wonderful views, in our case, today

peace and quiet - especially when you're in good company, and it is punctuated with giggles and laughter............

Ta for popping by, reading and sharing your conversation. I enjoy it immensley and appreciate it greatly.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Afternoon :hello:

Slight change of plan today. an event I was going to got cancelled, so I made use of having access to the car and went to mrS. After all, no one goes shopping on a Monday, do they......

:eek:

I specifically went to MrS because JackieO had mentioned over on the food & groceries thread about UHT milk being £3.50 for 6 x 1Litre cartons. Whilst I normally only pay 55p for a litre of the m00 brand; these came ready boxed, so no need to buy a bag4 life, and I decided to buy all my december donations in one fell swoop and take them around to the community hub on my way back. I can only just carry 6 cartons under normal circumstances, so to get 3 weeks worth in one go was actually worth it. The FB is going to be busy, so better that they have their resources available to them to allocate as needed.

I suspect that I will be messing with the meal planner and probably having soup tonight, as I will have to go and get DH from work...... or I could perhaps just leave him there....... :rotfl:

Right, best shift-a-tail-feather and get some lunch on the go. I'm feeling decidedly discombobulated, what with changed plans and Christmas crowds......... Need to get a grip!

Greying X

beanielou

I hate the Christmas crowds.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning :hello:

Well, I've already ordered a christmas pressie for BG this morning - I remembered to look for a voucher code (found one) and went through a cashback site :j Let's hope it all works out and the items fit/work etc

Tea last night was Harira soup (made it before) - it was still warm when we ate it (bonus) but we didn't eat until past 8pm I've made tonight's tea already (last night). It is a veggie version of Staffordshire Lobby - using mushrooms (mrL) in place of the beef.

We've a few bits and pieces that are needed at the homestead, so will wander up the high street later to try to pick those up. Hopefully the crowds will still be in mrS, and not in Greying Town centre and we can potter about easily (just kidding )

I've the last cards to finish off (didn't get round to it when I last wrote that ). Mind, I'm starting to get a complex, as we haven't had any cards through the post since Thursday last week...... Is Christmas cancelled? December is already whizzing, but I'm afraid I have yet still to find the chrimbo vibe

It did strike me last night that thinking about my visit to mrS - nobody was smiling - with the exception of the the till-assistant, who managed a smile at BG. I think it was fair to say that the category of shopper was in the older age bracket - perhaps they weren't Christmas shopping, or perhaps they were getting lumbered with *having everyone round* to theirs for the whole Christmas period. Everyone looked harried, or just not happy. Perhaps they were just concentrating, I don't think I crack a smile when I'm concentrating, so perhaps that was the answer.

We have already had smiles and giggles with BG this morning. They are currently snoozing - which allowed me to place my pressie order :T .

Right, I'm off in search of a cup of coffee and to see if there will any more smiles and giggles on offer I aim to smile today whilst up the high street. Hope it won't P people orf......... :rotfl:

Greying X