Put away your purse & become debt-averse

foxgloves

Hello again Sunbeams,
Enjoyed a productive morning in the garden - lovely & cool first thing, but soon heated up. No pressure though, I just went about everything in a calm way while listening to the birdsong & bees. I've watered & fed all the fruiting veg & strawberries - it does take a bit of time as it can only be done by watering can but it's a chance to have a look at how everything's growing. I also potted up the rest of the apricot foxgloves I grew from saved seed. That's another 23 sturdy little free plants which can be planted into place in the borders in September once I've made both space & a planting plan. Also potted 36 baby lettuces into modules - 18 of a french variety & 18 lollo rosso. It was so hot by then I put them on the wheelbarrow, covered them with a metal grid to prevent naughty beaks getting busy & wheeled them into the shade of our big old apple tree. It really annoys me if I have to buy lettuce in the summer months with them being soooo easy & cheap to grow, but if I do, it's generally because something feathered has helped itself.
Had a general garden-tidy, just walking around picking up pieces of kit, panes of glass, canes, etc, which have been lying around & put them away. Hoed around the squash bed as hot sunshine is the best time to do it if you want those annoying little weeds to wilt. Brought a pile of plant labels indoors for cleaning, as was running out of blank ones. Added a small pile of ice lolly sticks I've been saving to them to boost numbers. 
Tied in sweet peas around the arch leading into the veggie plot & picked enough for 2 vases with a bit of alchemilla mollis as the sweet peas look so pretty with its lime green flowers. 
No effort required for tonight's nosebag as I've defrosted a pot of my batch-made chard pesto, which I will use with the broad beans I prepped yesterday & some grated cheese. Mr F announced this morning that he is expecting to finish work early tonight (he's owed a ridiculous amount of time & now someone has gone down with Covid so it will probably continue to go up rather than reduce) so he put the shopping bags & list in the boot & said he'll call into the supermarket on his way past so that we can just do 'nice stuff' in town on Saturday. 
Well, it seems to be getting muggier here by the minute. I'd love a good thunderstorm but I think we are too far north for the storms forecast for today. We've only had about 15 spots of rain......not even sufficient to fetch the cats in! I think I'll fetch another glass of water & sit & finish my book.
Love to all,
F x

EssexHebridean

We've had a couple of short sharp showers today but nothing that's lasted long - just big splattery drops for a few minutes then stopped again. It definitely feels as though we're going to get a storm - we'll see later on, I guess. (I've just noticed I'm starting a very faint "between the eyes" headache - which is often advance warning of a storm, for me). 

I think I need to plan a full week of super-easy food for next week allowing that we're so busy at the moment - in theory at least the bulging freezer ought to allow for this... 

foxgloves

It sounds as though your freezer stores could ride to the rescue re your busy week, @EH. I do think saving & freezing even just single leftover portions of things are useful when time is scarce. We'll often have jacket potato night or cook some rice then each choose a single portion of something from the freezer to go on top. I think of these as home made 'ready meals'. 
No storm for us. We did have a sharp rain shower, which while short, did mean we didn't need to water the front courtyard.
F

foxgloves

Hello Friday Frugalistas,
A pleasant day of pottering about doing a mixture of chores & baking. Mood (if not exactly hopes) boosted by the by-election results. A no-spend day today. I suddenly fancied crisps....but thankfully not enough to make me go & buy any so all funds intact!
Have changed bed & household linens, cleaned kitchen, then timed my baking to get the most efficient use of the oven as possible. Baked a wholemeal loaf, a garlic & rosemary focaccia & a dozen rhubarb muffins, as our rhubarb is still good & continuing to produce. I've cut the focaccia into squares & frozen most of it & have also frozen a box of muffins, so that we have some quick to defrost, easy to pack picnic items at the ready for outings. We really enjoyed our picnic earlier this week & it definitely saved money, esp as we also took a big flask of coffee.
If anyone else is having a good year for rhubarb.....or not such a good year but could still round up 300g's worth, this is the rhubarb muffin recipe I like to use. I've had it years - it was in one of those advertorial-type local news pamphlets which come through the door every so often:
INGREDIENTS
300g rhubarb
300g plain flour
125g caster sugar (+ 4 tbsp for the rhubarb)
100g butter
2 medium eggs
200ml milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp demerara sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

METHOD
Pre-heat oven to Gas 6. Put muffin cases in a 12-hole muffin tin.
Dice the rhubarb, put in shallow oven dish & sprinkle with the 4 tbsp caster sugar. Bake for 10-15 mins until fairly tender. Plop it into a sieve to drain.
Sift flour, baking powder & spices into a large bowl. Stir in the caster sugar. Now transfer the drained rhubarb into a smaller bowl & add the melted butter. Beat the eggs lightly into the milk & add to the rhubarb bowl. Stir it, then add it to the bowl of dry ingredients. Beat it briefly with a wooden spoon until combined. Divide between the muffin cases, sprinkle demerara sugar over the tops, then bake for 25 to 30 mins until well-risen & golden. I think our oven runs on the hot side as they're always cooked in 25 mins. Leave in the muffin tin just a minute or two to firm up then remove to a wire rack for cooling.

I find these usually keep for 3 days in an airtight tin & they freeze well. Sometimes I drizzle the tops with plain white water icing. 

Now I'm sure everyone on here is perfectly capable of constructing a rhubarb muffin without my assistance, but it's sometimes nice to try different versions even of familiar things & it struck me that this would be another thing for someone to make who might be inundated with rhubarb.....but also possible for people with a not-so-productive plant who won't get a sufficient crop for jam or chutney but might be able to scrape up 300g for a dozen muffins.
Mr F has just declared that he hasn't had enough fresh air today so has taken himself off to weed the chard bed - that was on my job list for next week, so shall happily cross it off! 
Well, I'd better get ready for Cat Teatime - an event we are not allowed to forget in this house!
F x 

foxgloves

Oh, P.S......meant to say....I always resent pouring the drained juice from the rhubarb down the sink after I've made the muffins, but can't usually think of anything off-hand to do with it. I've decided that next time I make them, I will save it, put it in the fridge & see what it's like in a gin & tonic. It's just rhubarb juice & sugar after all, so fairly cordial-like - I think it could be a go-er. 
F x

Cheery_Daff

Rhubarb juice in gin sounds like an excellent idea! Or just over yogurt. How lovely! Not checked my rhubarb this year yet, must do that soon...

foxgloves

Ooh yes, @Cheery_Daff, do have a look at it as it can often start to be past its best by high summer.....though last year, ours kept going for ages. Probably depends on the weather as much as anything.
I like your idea of using that strained juice on yoghurt. Could also be used in ice-lolly moulds.....if I had any. Mine were absolute crud from the £ shop & I binned them because that's all they were good for!
F

Onebrokelady

I love rhubarb and will definitely be growing some when I start growing my own 😊

scandimore

Another one who is overdue a rhubarb check! We only planted the crowns last year so I don't plan to take much but surely can summon up enough for a few buns, thanks for posting the recipe foxgloves

Whatlifeis

Huge thanks for the rhubarb recipe. I’m a muffin enthusiast so I will definitely be trying it