It's getting tough out there. Feeling the pinch?

Rosa_Damascena

joedenise said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

OrkneyStar said:

Woolsery said:

timehastoldme said:

EssexHebridean said:

A pinch of salt in the water (a good big one for pasta) also helps to reduce the cooking time as it slightly lowers the boiling point. 

* Raises the boiling point, meaning slightly hotter water so faster cooking (in theory, it's been tested and is mathematically negligible).

Not lecturing, but reducing salt in the diet is something many Brits ought to be doing for health reasons too.

 I don't use a lot of salt in my cooking, but I do use it with things that require it to taste better, examples being chips (with vinegar), a small amount in pasta, and with egg or tomato.  Reducing salt in the diet doesn't mean not using it, it means thinking about how we use it and what alternatives there are. We grew up not really salting our foods much, and as a result myself and my sister prefer very little salt - I wouldn't want to live without it though!

I am known for disliking any salty tastes. I bought a load of spinach the other day (75% off of course ) with the intention of turning it into saag this morning. My Mum put her foot down and told me in no uncertain terms I was not to do so on account that my food lacks salt so it would be a wasted effort. She sent my Dad out half an hour ago to collect it from me 

Should have made the saag without telling your mum until after.  I certainly wouldn't have told my mum if she'd been like that!

She did me a favour as she knows I hate cooking smells.

weenancyinAmerica

During World War II, the recipe books recommended drying carrot tops and powdering them as a salt replacement. don't know how it tastes though.

sammy_kaye18

Afternoon all 
 

Well husband woke me up at 5.15 this morning so he could go bike riding (well appreciated as you can imagine on a Sunday) and the car read -4! My initial reaction was I hope my seeds that I’d literally planted the day before were ok! 

Checked this morning and they all seemed ok but I’m hoping they will be alright and that that is the last of the really cold weather! 

Still refusing to put heating on. 

I did check my gas meter yesterday though to see how much was on there and it said £2.63 - husband has had a bath and I’ve done one load of dishes since so I will check it in a minute and see how much we have used. 

Did talk to boy child about taking his charger to college and work and charging things there. Husband the same. 

I did make the most of hanging washing on the line this afternoon and the sun felt lovely through my jumper so I managed to sit out in the sun for a bit. 

I really will have to try spinach. 

euronorris

Well I defrosted the big freezer today. Has to be the job I hate most (even more than cleaning the oven!!!). That should help shave some more of our energy usage.

I've also done a stocktake of what was in there. I did the same with the little freezer the other day, so will now get onto some meal planning.

Oh, and made a chicken casserole in the slow cooker today, with two extra portions left over. I usually use a packet mix for it, but fancied trying one from scratch and then added some cream to it (that was leftover in the fridge and needed using up). It was delicious and daughter liked it so much she was slurping up the sauce whilst she waited for the chicken to cool! So, winner, winner, chicken dinner! Lol

Spendless

I'm also pleased I got washing dry on the line today. I veteod Mr S's plans to 'put a load on' as this means he finds a selection of items anything including 4 odd socks, and bungs them in. I said I wanted more logic to this and sorted thru first! 

We have unpacked DD's items from her digs and put them in the conservatory to work through them going in their rightful places next week. She's at work tomorrow, I've just made her a packed lunch. No Quorn ham or chicken in (she's vegetarian and loves it, I can't abide) and stupidly I forgot to buy a block of cheese, no idea why, I remember looking at it in the shop! Was going to go out and buy but thought would compromise instead. I have cheese slices in, some mozarella and frozen quorn pieces, so have stiry fryed the latter to add to the cheese with her salad. Quite pleased I haven't gone out.


Does anyone know how much phones cost to charge up? I'm seeing several posts on the suggestions of the MSE guide to include how much items cost to run and think that would be a good idea. I know my phone that charges quickly, it's a waste to do it overnight as it just sits there overnight fully charged whilst I'm asleep. Think since I'm at home during the day I change things round and charge in daytime instead then I turn off when fully charged. Something else to consider is to just charge the powerbank and then let that charge any phones.    

Woolsery

euronorris said:

Well I defrosted the big freezer today.

That was us yesterday. Found a couple of rabbits deep down we'd forgotten, so chop, chop, quick brown and into the slow cooker today.

Might be OK. The frozen stew pack was 2020, but I pretended my eyesight wasn't!

wondercollie

Spendless said:

-taff said:

Because parents know best, always, mothers especially. So there...

Lol, as much as my own young adult offspring (19 & 22) drive me nuts with their food shopping/eating and disorganisation and lack of planning, by the time they're old enough to shop independently buy in  the reduced section plan what to make from it I'd be tempted to leave them to it even if I thought it'd be inedible. Unless of course I really wanted said ingredient. Then I'd tell them anything at all so I could have it, even if they were 52 hahahha.

Shopping in your offsprings cupboard needs to be a trend. 

I'm already cheesed off this morning that I left peanut butter in my daughter's food cupboards yesterday instead of brining back as a recipe popped up for biscuits that just needed 5 ingredients and I have the rest. 

When we go on holidays, our sons look after the house for us.

I come home to a restacked pantry.   Everything in order by most recent best buy date.   Anything expiring within two months has been rehomed by them and used.

It appears that I have enough jam and tinned fruit to do me for at least 18 months.

Slinky

We have economy 7 meters despite not having storage heaters (legacy from previous owner) and have just been dumped back onto E7 rates by our supplier. I bought some plug in timers (2 for £3 from Ikea) and have been plugging mobiles and laptop in to charge overnight. Another option is to charge in your car whilst driving if you have a USB port.

I have just set up my washing machine ready to turn on in the morning when I'm still on cheap rate. I'll fill with 10 litres of gas heated water from the hot tank via my watering can.

I read somewhere about boiling water on the gas hob being cheaper than water being boiled in the electric kettle (doh, why hadn't I clocked that previously) even though the gas is less efficient, it still works out cheaper due to the high price of electric, so when I made soup earlier I put cold water in and let the gas do the work.

basketcase

Slinky said:

 Another option is to charge in your car whilst driving if you have a USB port. 

If you don't have a USB port, there's a gizmo (technical term!) you can stick into the cigarette lighter that provides a USB port for your phone.

otb666

The only time I use my table salt is when i have tooth ache (brush teeth with salt and stops hurting)  My table salt container is 10 years old as too lazy to add it when cooking.