I'm back! Trying to spend less on food!

mumtoomany

Forgot to add, DS-i-L1 picked up a bottle of milk when the was in town. £1.45 to add to total. 
Hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

weenancyinAmerica

If your carrots don't grow enough by the time the frost comes, do you still make use of the tops? I read that during World War II, they used dried carrot tops as a replacement for salt. I know the tops are good in salads also. My favorite tops though are radish tops when they just have the first top leaves sprouting or shortly thereafter. Like them on bread and butter sandwiches. Taste just like the radishes. I also used to love my mother's potato soup with celery leaves in it.

ScarletRibbons

Thanks a lot for the info Purpleivy and Sammy_Kaye, sounds brilliant!

Floss

boultdj said:

@thriftwizard I got polycarb window sheets off the big river site when the glass panels broke, would they work for the roof?

I bought mine direct from the manufacturer & they were really reasonable in price.

thriftwizard

Thank you @Floss & @boultdj, we've just bought a clear tarp for now, as there's a bit of a bite on the family finances whilst we sort a few things out. I'll "borrow" DD1's BF, who is a surveyor, and get him to work out the best option over the next couple of months; parts of the actual roof frame may need replacing altogether so it may be possible to use standard size panels. In the meantime, my poor Tigerellas have had such a drenching - inside the greenhouse - over the last 3 days that half of them have split whilst still green; I feel some relish or chutney coming on tomorrow! I have a horrible feeling that the quinces will also have split... certainly a large number of apples have fallen and anything watertight is full to the brim.

sammy_kaye18

I have literally just messaged the husband to ask if we still have a load of bungee cables lurking somewhere (I suspect they are in his van) because I want to try and baton down our greenhouse a bit more after the winds we had last night were howling. I saw a post that said if you can stretch bungee cables between poles then it acts as a brace, I have already used bits of pallet to secure the bottom of the cover to a pallet base so anything I can do to try and help it through the winter will be a bonus. 
I have a thermometer in there at the minute and my chillis are quite happy - I think I might be getting my first jalapeno too. Although trying to find a sunny window to bring them inside to is proving difficult. Hence the reinforcing. 
I think I have a ripening tomato too finally! 

Hope you have managed to salvage some waterlogged things @thriftwizard

Used the first of my dump bags yesterday too to make chicken fajitas - was a success and there was a portion of the chicken and peppers left which I have put into a tupperware tub and I expect my daughter will have that when she comes home in a wrap. 

Want to try and get some pre - christmas baking practice done this year but didnt have enough spread so that was added to the shopping list and is coming on tuesday - just going to try a basic sugar biscuit and go from there since they freeze well too apparently. 
Im feeling the need to be organised this year after last year was a right sh*t show with Asda cancelling our food order the day before Christmas eve, and then not being able to find a chicken on Xmas Eve (i have social anxiety so there was no way I was going to a supermarket!) and Iceland were all sold out - thankfully I had a frozen gammon joint so that was Xmas for a change. But this year I want to be on it - especially with FILs health, things could change at the drop of a hat and I want to be as prepared as possible. 

mumtoomany

Hi all. @weenancyinAmerica, interesting to know about he carrot tops, never thought of eating them. I know beetroot tops are often eaten, same family as chard I believe. The frost should stay off them for a while yet, they are in the tunnel. Only get frost in there when the weather turns really cold, hopefully not till early next year.

Sorry to hear your struggling with your green house, @thriftwizard, hope you get sorted soon. 

Didn't get on here yesterday, internet was playing up. I made omelette for tea, with bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions in it. Served with home made chips and baked beans. Apple pie and cream after. For lunch today we finished off the the omelette. Tonight we've had shop bought stream and kidney puddings, home grown potatoes, beans and peas. Also found some gravy in the freezer. 

Dadtoomany had an appointment in town today, so we did the shopping. Spent a grand total of £6.05. Bought two bottles of milk, bananas, two tubs of yogurt, and (because we both went in) beans and sausage and hot dog sausages. Won't need anything else this week, I hope.

Still focused on emptying at least one freezer. The problem is I take something out, say a small bag of mince, then make lasagne and put half of it back in, takes up more space! 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

Katiehound

Don't you just love predictive text!

had to snigger at : 'Tonight we've had shop bought stream and kidney puddings'
Ah well, go with the flow

button_box

Have you tried Carrot Top Pesto? It's a wee bit peppery but good with pasta.

mumtoomany

Oooo, sounds good. Might have to give it try, thanks @button_box. 

Picked several kilos of tomatoes and frozen them. Just packing now. Going up north first thing. DD2 has just bought her first house, so will be decorating, popping, gardening, for the next few days. 

Be back sometime Sunday. Please chat away while I'm gone, hugs, mumtoomany.xxx