Family of 5 'shop from home'food storage challenge...

marrbett

boredofbeingathome wrote: »

With regards to house being a tip why not give the children an internet research project? they can come on the old style cleaning thread and test drive the tips and rate them for effectiveness, practical, fun and sneaky as well. You could reward them with some nice food, from recipes on here though. On a less flippant note-It just adds to the educational side, learning how to produce a cost effectiveness chart, and rating value of product vs effectivenes. Even younger ones may have opinion on how easy cleaning windows is with x product as opposed to y product. Be wary though of chemicals and everyone should be able to contribute, which may take pressure off you a little.

Thanks for this,alot of the problem is there is so much 'stuff' everywhere, cleaning becomes an impossibility in some rooms!!! I'm a real hoarder,and have so many things that will come in useful one day.....
We have made progress with the girls' room and chucked 3 bags of rubbish and got 2 bags ready to carboot, so that does feel like progress.
I've finally got my chest freezer back on as we have been re-doing the car-port roof (where the freezer lives) and I need to start re-stocking it. I have got alot of veg that came in my veg box that might not get used straightaway,so I thought I'd put it in the freezer. My question to you lovely ladies(and any men,sorry!!!)is wether I need to blanch them or freeze them as is.
I've got leeks, parsnips, curly kale (does this freeze??), swede and a green cabbage. Any suggestions?
On the cooking front, we made some gorgeous choccy biscuits today, they just don't last though do they!!!!

minimooch

marrbett wrote: »

T
I've got leeks, parsnips, curly kale (does this freeze??), swede and a green cabbage. Any suggestions?

cant offer any suggestions on freezing veg (make soup and freeze that?), but I've got the same problem, so if anyone has ideas on using them up (other than soup, which we've had LOTS recentlly) I would be interested and grateful.

One suggestion for you marrbett - cornish pasties (use up some suede and leek in the pasties) with roasted parsnips & garlicy cabbage, my ds & dd love making pasties:rotfl:

morwenna

marrbett wrote: »

Thanks for this,alot of the problem is there is so much 'stuff' everywhere, cleaning becomes an impossibility in some rooms!!! I'm a real hoarder,and have so many things that will come in useful one day.....
We have made progress with the girls' room and chucked 3 bags of rubbish and got 2 bags ready to carboot, so that does feel like progress.
I've finally got my chest freezer back on as we have been re-doing the car-port roof (where the freezer lives) and I need to start re-stocking it. I have got alot of veg that came in my veg box that might not get used straightaway,so I thought I'd put it in the freezer. My question to you lovely ladies(and any men,sorry!!!)is wether I need to blanch them or freeze them as is.
I've got leeks, parsnips, curly kale (does this freeze??), swede and a green cabbage. Any suggestions?
On the cooking front, we made some gorgeous choccy biscuits today, they just don't last though do they!!!!

I tend to blanch - it's a habit from childhood when Dad had an allotment, I was always happy to stand in the kitchen chopping & blanching things... These days it's RTC items and improvising with a chip basket - Mum had a "proper" blanching one.. But freeze in small (one meal) quantities, otherwise you feel like you are antiqueing the worktop as you smash it with your huge bag of welded together veggies!

And no, HM goodies don't last - half a batch of rainbow cakes have mysteriously vanished from the cooling rack today... Alien activity? Sunspots? Or just half term hands...??

marrbett

morwenna wrote: »

But freeze in small (one meal) quantities, otherwise you feel like you are antiqueing the worktop as you smash it with your huge bag of welded together veggies!

And no, HM goodies don't last - half a batch of rainbow cakes have mysteriously vanished from the cooling rack today... Alien activity? Sunspots? Or just half term hands...??

LOL, I hadn't thought of freezing in small portions, can just picture the scene you describe!! Have you frozen curly kale?

morwenna

marrbett wrote: »

LOL, I hadn't thought of freezing in small portions, can just picture the scene you describe!! Have you frozen curly kale?

it freezes, but is like spinach - wet when you reheat IYKWIM - yummy though :-)

purpleivy

What are rainbow cakes? Ppl keep talking about them.

mhe

OH god - the shame - i dont know if i can post it on here!! Im obviously not NIgella or Delia cos im in the middle of making apple braid (i know its 12.05!!).
I have just looked at the dough and its gloopy and sticky and def can not be rolled out!!! Ive checked i wrote the recipe out properly and i had - what can i do i cant plait it where did i go wrong? Youre all eating tonns of the stuff and ive just got a sticky mess on the workside instead:o :eek:

PS purpleivy - im not stalking you honestly - obviosly we both have better things to do than sleep!!

D&DD

I'm sat here watching Spongebob with DS3 as he's decided he doesn't need any sleep tonight...
mhe just chuck a bit more flour on it and knead it in,it does sometimes come up a little soft it'll be fine honest!

morwenna thats twice I've had to clean my screen now...what with the 'bad hair day' and now 'halfterm hands' :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Glad to see everyones busy baking Mama that bakewell looks fab!

I managed to catch up with about 9 episodes of Jamie at home tonight I've only got 3 episodes of Jericho to go then I'm about up to date with my tv must see's

Got a busy cooking day planned tomorrow so will post piccies hopefully,lots of gluten free goodies for his nibs

ravylesley

Dee your post so reminded me of the horrors of having a newborn and the sleepless nights.

Thankfully those days are pretty much over I do get regular wakeups with YD but she does go back to sleep

Hope you finally managed to get some kip

Got a full days baking planned here but somehow with my kids all at home and hubby at work I somehow cant see it happening.But I must get some done as my freezer has one sorry plain sponge in it

I'm going to do 3 plain sponge cakes and 3 chocolate ones and then freeze them so I can decorate them later when I want to eat them.Might also make a couple carrot cakes and some buns.I have to make some bakewell tarts as I have told the kids I will serve it for pudding tonight

Lesleyxx

mama67

purpleivy wrote: »

What are rainbow cakes? Ppl keep talking about them.

My version was a basic victoria sandwich recipe and just before putting in the tin I stirred in some sugar strands, (couple of handfuls) the colour leaches into the cake mix.

HTH