Struggling along as best I can

nannygladys

I can't believe it's a week since the wedding, it's gone so quick.

It's been snowing on and off this week and I've only been out to walk the doggo who quickly got over his excitement of playing in it as he kept losing his balls in snowdrifts and got fed up of having his snout get cold!!! well that's what I think anyway. He doesn't really like the rain much either preferring the inside warmth I think lol!!

As I haven't been out shopping I've been cooking warming hotpots etc and having lots of fruit and veggies to keep the vitamin levels up, oh and plenty of hot drinks as well. I've got yogurt on the go today and yesterday I had a go at making a basic granola in the airfryer that I can add to so  I can ring the changes each time I serve it up. I've also been eating quite a lot of rice and pasta dishes this week so next week I'm going to mix it up and have more potato dinners. 

The wedding really tired me out and it took me a couple of days before I felt myself again and to be honest I'm pleased I didn't have to go out shopping etc, but I'm ok now but still holding back from going shopping as I have enough fruit, veg even milk in to last me another week at least, so it will definitely be a very low spend until the next pay day. Mind you the weather has meant I haven't really wanted to go out especially as the road I live on was deep under snow and I only have a small car!! a few neighbours have big 4x4 cars and they went up and down the hill without much effort. Yesterday I had to cancel fat club and going to sit my youngest dgd  as it had started snowing again but today it's raining and the snow is slowly disappearing so I'm feeling much happier now - yay!!!

So plans this week are just to carry on as normal, doing the usual chores and looking after dgc. Besides the yogurt I'll dig the bread maker out, make some butter, ice cream and sorbet for Xmas as I have the cream etc that's needed, so perhaps I should tidy the freezers out, I keep saying I'm this but only tidying what I can see lol!!! and I suppose I should be more efficient and do an inventory of what's in the small chest one at least and start using what's in it at long last, I think I have the mindset that it's my survival food, but as the freezers are both full I can't pack much more in there, I'll have to pay freezer tetris to put the ice cream and sorbet in there! I'll let you know how I get on and if I find anything exciting 

So back to x-stitching a few Xmas decs, freebies off the front of old magazines and perhaps stitching a picture I have had on the go over a year, it's an old fashioned Santa that I started with next Xmas in mind, but it's quite big and intricate so It'll take months at the rate I sew!
Nannyg

joedenise - I'll look the recipe out for you

Moreviews - I'll try blitzing my rice and sugar as well, then reducing the wattage and see what happens, I may have a go this week as I'm making butter. Thanks for the advice.

nannygladys

Sun_Addict - The lads that came and did the work were very helpful, cleaned up after themselves and explained what they were doing and we had a bit of a laugh, so can't fault them

nannygladys

Cherryfudge - I started the permanent Xmas cards some years ago when I started being more frugal and getting fed up with amount of Xmas cards that ended up in landfill, as there's only so many gift tags you can use  I also started giving to charity instead of giving them to work mates as we had a charity box there and as it was a small place everyone thought it was a good idea and most people started doing the same. Most of my neighbours do the same now as well, but I still send cards to my middle daughter, brother, sister and friends that don't live local to me.

nannygladys

Makingabobor2 - Thank you, it was truly a wonderful day, but I am biased of course

nannygladys

Lord_Mattenly - Thank you for reading my ramblings 

Makingabobor2

Ooh, how do you make your own granola?  Sounds interesting. I have an airfryer, but never realised you could make granola in it. 

joedenise

Thank you.  I look out for the shortbread recipe and the granola one that @Makingabobor2 has asked about - that also sounds good.

nannygladys

Makingabobor2 - I actually followed a recipe from the internet, BBC food. Its like  basic mix that you can add what you want to and I halved the quantities as I wasn't sure it would work, but it fine and I will make another batch wen this one has gone. I tend to use it to op my fruit and yogurt and I did stew some 'past it' fruit and use it on top for a quick pudding!

Recipe
200gs porridge oats
60gs mixed nuts, chopped
approx 80gs honey/maple syrup. I use maple syrup as I had some that needed using up
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 x egg white

1. in a large bowl combine oats and nuts.
2. melt honey/maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract and pinch of salt and mix well
3 add wet ingredients to the dry mixture until well combined
4 whisk egg white until frothy and add to mixture and combine
5 spread mixture in an even layer on a baking tray ( I put mine on the bottom of the air fryer) and cook 170 for about 15 mins, stirring it around every 5 mins. it will become crunchy as it cools. 
I added mixed fruit to mine after cooking, as the fruit can burn and go rock hard, I also added seeds to it at the same time.
Put into a air tight container when it has cooled down. 

I found you have to keep your eye on it because it goes from done to burning very quickly!
I think next time i will lower the heat a little and see what happens, I find all cooking is trial and error until you find the correct temp, time and how you personally like it. 

Hope that helps
Nannyg

nannygladys

I will see I can find the shortbread recipe

Makingabobor2

nannygladys said:

Makingabobor2 - I actually followed a recipe from the internet, BBC food. Its like  basic mix that you can add what you want to and I halved the quantities as I wasn't sure it would work, but it fine and I will make another batch wen this one has gone. I tend to use it to op my fruit and yogurt and I did stew some 'past it' fruit and use it on top for a quick pudding!

Recipe
200gs porridge oats
60gs mixed nuts, chopped
approx 80gs honey/maple syrup. I use maple syrup as I had some that needed using up
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 x egg white

1. in a large bowl combine oats and nuts.
2. melt honey/maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract and pinch of salt and mix well
3 add wet ingredients to the dry mixture until well combined
4 whisk egg white until frothy and add to mixture and combine
5 spread mixture in an even layer on a baking tray ( I put mine on the bottom of the air fryer) and cook 170 for about 15 mins, stirring it around every 5 mins. it will become crunchy as it cools. 
I added mixed fruit to mine after cooking, as the fruit can burn and go rock hard, I also added seeds to it at the same time.
Put into a air tight container when it has cooled down. 

I found you have to keep your eye on it because it goes from done to burning very quickly!
I think next time i will lower the heat a little and see what happens, I find all cooking is trial and error until you find the correct temp, time and how you personally like it. 

Hope that helps
Nannyg

Ooh, thanks. I will try that. Sounds tasty & much healthier than bought granola.  I have some cheap museli I bought & wasn't keen on. Wonder if I could use that up instead of porridge oats. Might make some tomorrow when I have the oven on for dinner, as not sure it would spread thin enough on bottom of my air fryer.