Resourcefulness: The budgeter's friend

Moorviews

Wishing you a happy and productive day in the kitchen Foxgloves. I find that it is always amazing how much I can achieve even if I don’t think that I have very much in. The most unpromising and lacklustre odds and ends can become delicious meals. Not that I am suggesting that reflects what is in your kitchen of course! It does happen in mine though, especially if I am deliberately not shopping and am forcing myself to use things up. 

themadvix

Glad to hear your appointment actually happened this time Foxgloves and that you are making a good recovery. Enjoy your kitchen time today.

Suffolk_lass

Just caught up after our few days away in the E Mids. Glad that procedure is out of the way and I am sitting here hopeful that whichever route your treatment plan takes, that it is well managed and not too interventionist. 

I saw a few pages back that you were considering using citronella in the house. I am not absolutely up to date with the latest research but I do know it was regulated against by the EU (maybe 2006) for household products because of the potentially toxic properties for humans (and its certain toxicity for pets). That is why it is only allowed in candles and not other insect repellant products. I thought I should mention it.

I also have static growth in a compost I have used for several years. I bought bigger bags from a builders' merchant instead of the smaller ones from my local nursery and I suspect it was both old stock and it has evidence of weed seed infiltration. I am not familiar with the weed. I might take a pic and pop it on my diary and see if anyone can help. Someone mentioned John Innes compost - I understood all the 1 (seed/cuttings), 2 (potting on) and 3 (final potting) compost formulas include peat, with fertiliser (varying amounts), sand and loam (mostly loam).

Toni'sfriend

I'm so glad the procedure is over now and you're relaxing a bit. I hope you get the results very soon (waiting is absolutely awful) and that you have a positive outcome. xxxx

foxgloves

@all my frugal diary friends.....thanks, yes, I am very glad to have got the procedure out of the way. I was expecting to feel quite a lot more uncomfortable today than I actually do, so maybe they big up the side effects so that many of us are pleasantly surprised.  I don't like waiting for results because I am a planner & for that I require information. But there's also that bit of me that doesn't want to hear. I mostly feel absolutely fine, so there's that part of me that thinks 'Let's just ignore it' but that sort of approach will only satisfy a planner for a very short time indeed.

@Suffolk_lass - So many gardeners are having problems with these peat-free compost blends. It cannot be a coincidence that I am hearing so many times from experienced gardeners that perfectly sturdy little seedlings are being transplanted then just sitting there without any growth, even over several weeks & sometimes even after adding the (almost) cure-all - seaweed solution.
Interesting about citronella. Yes, I have noticed that in all its incarnations, citronella products now say that they should only be used outdoors. I have to admit we do use ours indoors, but only right next to an open window (where the smoke is sucked outside) to prevent flies & mozzies coming in. They seem to have ceased to be a problem atm. I'm sure it's only because we've had such autumnal weather & that they will be back for the next hot spell.
F

foxgloves

Hello Diary Readers,
I've had such a productive day of kitchen witchery today. Have really only sat down for breakfast & lunch, & now to chat to you. I've been listening to my audiobook & the time has passed pleasantly. Today's small frugalista wins:
*Cut a large basket of basil & made a decent sized bowl of pesto. It divided into 7 pots plus a tiny one which I shall use to spread a pizza base next time I make one. All now in freezer.
*Today's other garden pickings: An eye-watering amount of courgettes, 2 cucumbers, tomatoes & coriander.
*Fed a big bowl of scraps to the wigglers. Still haven't harvested that bottom tray of worm compost. Must do it soon.
*Baked a batch of bread rolls & made a sourdough loaf (currently in oven).
*Made tomorrow's packed lunch & breakfast.
*Sorted jars from my recycled jam jar stash ready for chutney making.
*Separated out homegrown shallots into single bulbs & laid out in a basket to finish drying. The smallest ones are in a pot in the kitchen to use up first.
*Prepped the veg for a new recipe I'm trying tonight - it's potato & pea pav bhaji - I clipped it out of a Guardian food supplement 2 or 3 weeks ago. It was billed as that week's low cost recipe - think less than £1 per head, but as I've baked the rolls, used some of our produce & we had everything else in, it feels more like 'almost free'. Hope it's nice. I will freeze the leftovers & that will pay something forward.
*Found an unused red pepper in the fridge. Have sliced & frozen it as can use for fajhitas or a stir-fry at some point instead of buying another one.
*Did next week's meal plans based around what we already have in, a Sunday roast + 2 knock-on leftover meals, and also using our own garden produce.
*Surveys - haven't done any yet, but intend at least to check in & see what is available. 
OK, must go & get that loaf out of the oven & shut the conservatory doors as as are just having our 5th rain shower of the day & judging by the colour of the sky, I think it might be a bigger one than earlier.
F x

MissRikkiC

Pav Bhaji is delicious FG. It’s essentially whatever you have in the fridge, mixed with the spices and served with the ‘Pav’s’. I’m sure you’ve read all that on the guardian however I lived with a lady about 10 years ago who was Indian and who being vegetarian ate this often. The pavs (pronounced Pal btw) are buttered and then pan fried butter side down for a minute or 2 before being used to scoop the bhaji up. It’s really low cost, essentially potatoes, peas, carrots, red pepper and any other fridge scraps made into a chunky textured mash like consistency. We haven’t had it for a number of years and now we’re having it this week! Thanks for the inspiration! 

themadvix

That recipe piqued my interest, so I googled it. It’s here https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/jun/12/frozen-peas-budget-recipes-rosie-sykes-pea-potato-pav-bhaji-green-eggs if anyone else is interested. Looks delicious! Thanks for the context @MissRikkiC

foxgloves

@MissRikkiC - Yes, that's exactly it! I did the recipe to the letter, including the pan of spicy butter for frying the cut side of the rolls & it was yummy. Mr F has already said he'd like to eat it again.....which is good as it made 2 spare portions. 
F

MissRikkiC

Mmmmm i must have it this week. We always made it too spicy and needed yogurt to cook it down! 

I’d be interested in knowing the recipe you follow for your sourdough though! I had a good one nailed but the last few loaves haven’t been quite right and I’m not sure why to be honest.