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

Yategirl

D&DD - thanks for the step by step photos! am going to attempt pastry today sometime (probably when kids in bed so I can concentrate!) and am very tempted to try the rolls.

Luna - beetroot is EASY to grow! I did baby beet (pronto I think) this year - in pots and it was very successful. If you go to ASDA... ask at the flowerstall if they have any florists buckets they are chucking out - you can have those free. They need holes drilling in the bottom but are perfect for all sorts of veg growing. I got 100's this year! Also agree with D&DD with the carrots - we did round carrots in a shallow old bath type container - they were bitesize but oh so yummy (really concentrated flavour)! DS1 took bitesized carrots and peas still in the pod as part of his lunches - he loved it! Get a free catalogue (Marshalls or Dobies or Thompson and Morgan are online) and have a browse.. choose items that you know you will eat and that the kids will enjoy helping you with and just have a go!


I made a batch of mince pies yesterday... I have a triple batch of pastry dough in the fridge and need to make more mince pies and apple pies for dh (who doesn't like "dead" grapes :rolleyes: ).. need to do a chicken and mushroom pie for tea and then attempt GF DF pastry......... here goes!

Luna69

D&DD wrote: »

Luna I grow a beetroot called Cylindra which is very space saving but has a long root rather than a round one so you get twice as much from the same space Have grown these successfully in pots too.Keep a look out for the coloured carrots too as little'uns love growing these They are great on the dinner table too for those 'fussy' eaters,encourages them to try something new

THanks, will have a look, I really need to write all this down, or I'll forget it all.
never heard of coloured carrots, will keep an eye out.
I dont' get out that much, so do a lot of shopping online, any recommendations?
Also is it best to grow everything from seed and do they take that long? I'm not too patient.. lol.

Yvonne

D&DD

Hope it comes out ok Yategirl
Gardening this morning theres an awful lot to get done out there :eek:
Just picked these...and a bit more!


Redbore curly Kale (I lurve Kale :drool: ) and green curly Kale,Spinach beet and leek..I'm so chuffed with the leeks its the first year I've grown them :j

Luna I prefer to grow from seed as its cheaper and I'm a skinflint lol...I use Dobies and Marshalls mainly for seeds as they always give a good service and often have special offers on their seeds
Think Thompson & Morgan have got a voucher in their catalogue for £5 off *might be posted in the gardening forum bit* For speed try radishes (you can also get multicolours in these) and salad leaves

Luna69

Hi THanks

Will give this a go, when I can. My daughter loves peas from pods too. SHe's a bit fussier now than she was, but still will eat things that a lot of kids won't, like tomatoes!

I must do some baking too.. however because I'm a crafter, I do more along those lines than cooking/baking, even though I like it, there just isn't enough hours. On top of general housework that I'm rubbish at right now too and sometimes helping out with our own business. I need to be more organised really.

But I do want to give some of this a go.

Oh and I'd never heard of a dehydrator, but that sounds great, so need to look into those now! :T

Yvonne

Yategirl wrote: »

D&DD - thanks for the step by step photos! am going to attempt pastry today sometime (probably when kids in bed so I can concentrate!) and am very tempted to try the rolls.

Luna - beetroot is EASY to grow! I did baby beet (pronto I think) this year - in pots and it was very successful. If you go to ASDA... ask at the flowerstall if they have any florists buckets they are chucking out - you can have those free. They need holes drilling in the bottom but are perfect for all sorts of veg growing. I got 100's this year! Also agree with D&DD with the carrots - we did round carrots in a shallow old bath type container - they were bitesize but oh so yummy (really concentrated flavour)! DS1 took bitesized carrots and peas still in the pod as part of his lunches - he loved it! Get a free catalogue (Marshalls or Dobies or Thompson and Morgan are online) and have a browse.. choose items that you know you will eat and that the kids will enjoy helping you with and just have a go!


I made a batch of mince pies yesterday... I have a triple batch of pastry dough in the fridge and need to make more mince pies and apple pies for dh (who doesn't like "dead" grapes :rolleyes: ).. need to do a chicken and mushroom pie for tea and then attempt GF DF pastry......... here goes!

JAMIEDODGER

ive been busy sanding down and painting the inside of my new pantry this morning, so i have only had time to make bread-dough which is in the airing cupboard atm proving.

i took out half a traybake from the freezer which i made on sunday, i shall ice that later as i wont get much done in whats left of today before the kids come home from school.

cant decide what to do for tea, mmm, maybe pizza? thats relatively quick and easy to make

dee - thanks for the GF pasty and rolls recipes and pictures:D wonderful!! i am going to give them a go tomorrow...

Yategirl

ok.. mince pies done apple pies done GF pastry done - i used more water than the recipe stated in order to get the mix to bind... it's in the fridge now and I will try it out later.

Luna - seeds are cheaper and as long as you don't start *too* early they are quick.. but plants can save a bit of time - you may have a local garden shop which sells the plants cheaper than the big stores. Just do what works best for you

D&DD - I have some curly kale in the garden too... and other "stuff" - must go and remind myself what it is called, rather than just say "greens"! We have red chard as well, "new" potatoes ready for christmas , salsify which is ready - never had it before.. was this years experiment and cabbages growing for the spring

Luna69

Thanks everyone, do believe we have a dobies quite near us, so might try and get down there. need some pots and things too and composty stuff (see I know nothing!)

Managed to get some dinner in the slow cooker, so that's good going for me.

Will keep a close eye on this thread though, very inspiring.

Yvonne

lil_me

I must grow more next year, will have to be in pots as I can't dig up the garden here, I didn't know you could grow Kale so will have to look for seeds for that, not a fave of mine and none of the other people in the house will eat it but my lizard loves it! Even if I can save mainly on the extras I have to buy for him (which was a big waste area for us as only me and him ate it) it would be a big bonus.

Unfortuunately gas and electric bill which was £47 electric and £42 gas for 24 days! has arrived so unfortunately that will eat up some of the extra money I had coming in. I went to Lidl's for a few basics and tins and went to the farm shop for some meat for the start of next month.

Yategirl

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGHHHHHH!! D&DD HELP!!!!!!! just tried to roll my GF pastry (since kids were occupied and happy)... just fell apart... like breadcrumbs.... what am I doing wrong??

lil-me - anyway you can reduce your elec and gas consumption at all?

D&DD

Yategirl wrote: »

AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGHHHHHH!! D&DD HELP!!!!!!! just tried to roll my GF pastry (since kids were occupied and happy)... just fell apart... like breadcrumbs.... what am I doing wrong??

lil-me - anyway you can reduce your elec and gas consumption at all?

That was good timing for a crisis :rotfl: DS3 is having his lesson so all is quiet *famous last words...*
I can't think why its coming out so crumbly...:think: wouldn't like to say add any more water as it'll make it like a brick...
What exactly are you using flourwise,brand etc..