Reverse Meal Planning

Bluegreen143

Made orange & lemon marmalade this week with the eating oranges I’m getting inundated with in my fruit box. They’ve sent them instead of satsumas the last 3 weeks but the kids don’t like big oranges. The marmalade is very sweet as they aren’t the proper Seville oranges (I did add lemons to increase the bitterness a bit), but DH (the marmalade aficionado in this house) actually has a very sweet tooth so he loves it! I even like it and I’m not a huge marmalade fan 🙂 just as well as the recipe made an enormous amount of jars. In fact I have no jars left so will need to order some extra.

joedenise

Try asking on your local Freecycle page -people often have loads of jars that they don't know what to do with - will also save you some money!

Baileys_Babe

@Bluegreen143 could you put any aside for Christmas presents? I enjoy receiving homemade preserves.

natlie

Hi, I didn't get around to making the dinner I wanted to last night but had veg sausages chips and veg instead, tonight I am having soup I made yesterday for lunch with the leftover baguette also from lunch yesterday I won't need a big dinner as I have been eating a lot today for some reason?
I make loads of jams for xmas presents, last year I also made blackberry vinegar and blackberry liqueur 

Nat

threepenny_bit

natlie - the blackberry liquor and vinegar sound like a great gift; will be looking for some hedgerow berries soon but try with the raspberries I have right now as well. I made sour cherry vodka last year and it went down a treat.
Bluegreen143 - I get a veg and fruit box once a month and lately it has had lots of the big oranges with thick peel. I usually cheat and make the 'mamade' marmalade but could add a lot of the peel from my oranges to make it chunky . I had thought of crystallizing some of the peel in my slow cooker too and using in my christmas cake or as gifts. 

Bluegreen143

Thanks all! If I have the marmalade left at Christmas I will certainly give some as gifts. It is really nice though & I’ve seen a good recipe for marmalade chocolate cake...

It’s got a bit of a softer set to it which I personally quite like (I stirred some through Greek yog and it was delicious!). Not sure if it will keep as long as usual though as my understanding is if your jam has a soft set it does affect the keeping abilities 🤷‍♀️

Bluegreen143

@natlie LOVE the idea of making fruity vinegars. Years ago I used to love buying these but haven’t in a long time. Would be great to make my own!

joedenise

You could make flavoured oils as well @Bluegreen143

natlie

Bluegreen143 said:

@natlie LOVE the idea of making fruity vinegars. Years ago I used to love buying these but haven’t in a long time. Would be great to make my own!

I bought apple cider vinegar in bulk from Amazon and mashed the fruit and sugar into it over a few days it developed and then I strained and bottled into the stopper bottles from Ikea, It tastes better now (almost a year later) 

rtandon27

Last night's dinner reverse planned from the stores - tortellini from the fridge with mushrooms & baby leaf salad greens from the veg box and a jar of Parmesan cheese sauce from the cupboard.  We would have normally used baby spinach but the greens needed to be used up so gave them a go & it worked a charm.

Lunch today was a wrap using up leftover baked Camembert & chicken from the weekend roast with a fried egg, and some lettuce to give it crunch!  Quite the concoction but rather tasty!