From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Actually, I have found the R1ck Ste1n Sri Lankan curry powder recipe on a blog, it is THIS one, and the same blog also has written out the RS beetroot curry recipe, which I've cooked before, but never been able to link to (I copied it out of R1ck Ste1n's recipe book), so I shall link to Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry recipe too, just in case any gardeners have a surfeit of beets, or your vegbox has been over generous in the roots dept 😁 The beetroot recipe uses the curry powder too, so worth making extra 😁

HTH Greying X

kayannie

GP - if you're not looking for a bowl to match up with your existing ones, what about trying charity shops? I broke a small milk jug a few weeks ago, one I'd had for years & the handle just parted company from the rest of it - luckily no milk in it at the time! I looked in several shops for a replacement without success but found just what I was looking for in a charity shop at a fraction of the cost of a new one & it's a good quality 'vintage' one.
KA

lucielle

Many thanks 
L

Greying_Pilgrim

Good afternoon MFW'rs

Well, I have been on quite the nostalgia trip this morning, after reading about Harmonioums on Cheery's thread.  I recall we had one in the sunday school room of my youth.  It was old then (and I ain't no spring chicken!), was dusty, wheezy and half the keys didn't work - you had to pedal like heck to get the thing to make a sound.  Then I got to thinking about how - even though it was a little Methodist Chapel, in a tiny hamlet - how they used to put on a Fete each summer, which was all about the HM 'tea' and lots of games on the (huge) lawn at the back of the shed.  And how every summer - without fail - there would be a Sunday School trip, by bus that I'm sure was free.  There wasn't alot of money sloshing about the hamlet.  I mean, for sure, there were some folks who had property, but the majority of folk were working class, and not well off.  And yet all this was laid on.  Add in the events of the 'connected' chapels, in nearby villages, and we did have quite a ready made social life - even if you didn't really throw yourself into the religious side of things and attend chapel regular.  

I then decided to look up when the chapel was built - 1840's - and read that all the money required for the building was self-raised by the community, which was very rare, and then i read that in the very early 1900's the congregation fund-raised to replace the organ - which again they achieved.  I would have thought that the organ that was in the chapel when I was a little girl was probably this 'crowd-funded' replacement, so goodness knows how old the harmonium that was consigned to the Sunday School room was......  Again, with reading, there were actually far more 'big houses' about than I actually realised (I recognised the names of many of them, as I read - but as a child, I don't think I realised the sheer number), but of course, whilst the congregation would have been made up of folk who worked in them places, we're not talking 'D0wnt0n Abbey', and a whole brigade of staff, particularly after WWI, and again, pay wouldn't have been riches.  So i'm just amazed that the congregation were so generous - and remained so.  This chapel is now a private house, and the land that the Sunday School  (a former military prefab hut), was on was sold for a building plot.  

Anyhoo, onto money saving.....  Energy meter readings submitted.  We are in credit again this month - although again the standing charges and  VAT  make up nearly half the cost of the bill.  We are in credit, but not by much, so it may well be worth putting some money into our account before we put the central heating back on (fingers crossed that won't be for a while yet).  

I'm having a bash at making an (American Style) 'casserole' for tea, but rather than making it in the oven, i'm winging it and trying to make it in the slow-cooker.  Wish me luck, as I am in no way an accomplished 'slow cooker cook'.  It's going to be a tomato rice 'meatball' casserole....... Oh yes it is.......... 😬🤣 Will the rice be cooked after 6 hours or so????  

EDIT: Note to self, slow cookers work best if you...... remember to switch the blessed thing ON!!!  I despair of myself, I really do......... 🙄🤣

Tea last night was black olive pizza and wedges.  Clean plates all round and some pizza stowed in the freezer for another day.  

The weather is supposed to be rainy and windy here.  The computer was telling me a few moments ago that it was raining, but I don't think so much as a rain-drop fell on the ground.  In fact it's brightening up - which isn't what was forecast.  But never mind.  LG is amusing themselves playing in their room.  There is much bumping and banging going on, I am trying not to be concerned....... 😬

Yesterday's washing dried well on the line and has all been stowed away.  I'm caught up for a nano-second, which is just as well, because the weather outlook is mixed this week - although if the rain would keep off, the breeze would be good and drying.  

Right, I had better go and make a bit of snap.  I have got some of the YS'd wholemeal rolls from MrT out of the freezer, so it needn't be an expensive munch!  Will give the rice a stir too, and hope it is beginning to cook..... 😬

Can't think of owt else to add at the mo.  So orf to make butties I go.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

You've reminded me of our Sunday school sports days behind the church hall 😊😊

Wind has picked up considerably here. We had a spattering of rain earlier but that's dried off, but my hair is definitely looking like a birds nest having been outside for a while 😂

Hope that bumping and banging is cheerful and not ominous! 😂

Greying_Pilgrim

Ha ha Cheery - love the thought of Mother Nature whisping up your barnet into a beehive! 😁  We've been slightly lucky with the weather here - it certainly hasn't rained as much - nor as heavily as was forecast, and the winds have been noticeable, but again, possibly not as strong as forecast.  Having said that, the sky has gone a slightly weird/stormy colour now, and the wind has noticeably strengthened.  Maybe the rain will follow.

I would rate tea as a success.  I did compensate for forgetting to turn the slowcooker on 🙄by putting it on high for an hour.  This was probably unnecessary and low for a few hours would probably have been enough, but I'd not cooked rice in the slow cooker before, so it was all a learning curve.  The rice did go mushy - not in an unpleasant way, but I suppose I had expected it to act a bit more like basmati.  However, the taste was great, and as a dish for a not too warm, and a bit dreich day, it was spot on.  I used HM tomato pasta sauce, so the taste was great, and yes, it appeared a bit claggy - I wouldn't win any prizes from the WI - but it worked.  I can refine and finesse, and with the (gifted) HG french beans, made a really spiffy tea.  I also grated some Grana Padano to sprinkle over (in the inspiration recipe, mozzarella and parmesan were used, but LG isn't a fan of mozzarella, so I omitted as I didn't have any, anyway).  Clean plates all round, and a bit of a 'dump & leave' recipe, so what's not to like?

In hindsight, I could probably have got some washing pretty dry today, but I went with the forecast and didn't put a wash on.  I should have got on and sewn a button back on DH's work trousers, but by my own admission, we've had a bit of a lazy day today.  

Today I am grateful that we could have the luxury of a 'do-little' day, and that we could stay inside cosy and dry.  That's luxury in and of itself.  

Ta for popping by.  Appreciated.  

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Money spent today, as I made a trip to MrS and HB.  I had some extra n*ctar points that could be earnt on a £20 shop this week - which i wouldn't ordinarily claim, but I needed some washing powder, so figured I could make the spend work.  In addtion, I stocked up on non-food household items in HB, so my totals are;  £14.93 for food and £18.95 for non-food.  Although I am officially a clown and have forgotten kitchen roll 🙄

A couple of things i noticed - which you may already be familiar with;  I noticed in MrS that their 'Stamf0rd St' brand has got more herbs/spices now, and there are 'bigger' pots as well as the 55g pots.  The prices didn't seem too bad.  I got a 55g pot of cinnamon - which I think was possibly price-matched? 71p anyway.  Quite good for building up a collection of flavourings for cooking.  I suppose many student cooks will be kitted out with these come September 😁I realise that it's generally cheaper to get bigger bags of flavourings from world food outlets, but sometimes we don't need masses.  Anyway, the pots reminded me of the range that MrT used to carry - in the valoo range, just after they changed the packaging from blue and white stripes to little pictures of veg/fruit etc.  I still have 2 herb pots from that time, for my dried basil and dried thyme 👍

Also, in MrS, Ka110 brand of stock cubes were on n*ctar price for £1 a 6-pack.  I don't normally buy these, but they do have 'interesting' flavours, and I was only thinking yesterday how the slow-cooker dish i made could make good use of the tomato stock cube.  So I indulged in a pack of the tomato herb and a pack of the mushroom stock cubes.  They will be utilised over the autumn/winter in casseroles and risottos.  

Finally in HB I noticed that they had bags of (granulated) sugar in their 'RusAna' brand for 99p.  This compares favourably with Wh1tworth for £1.09 a bag.  I have no idea about the origin/quality of this brand, although I do have a bottle of the sunflower oil in my cupboard that i picked up last week for £1.69/L.  

The weather is bonkers here and we have already had more rain than was forecast, and almost more than fell yesterday - when we were supposed to have had heavy rain 🙄It is supposed to remain dry now though, and i do have a line of washing to peg out.  If the breeze continues, it should dry OK.

LG has just asked if we can take our lunch out somewhere, so I will give that some thought.  I really should give some thought about what the heck to have for tea too.

Right, can't think of owt else interesting, so will push orf.

Ta for popping by.  Greying X

EssexHebridean

Ooh an unplanned picnic lunch out with LG will be a bit of fun won't it - hopefully you have the weather we have here today - generally bright and breezy, but without being too warm... 

Those stock cubes are a good shout at that price - I tend to avoid cubes as a rule in favour of the pot type, but I have a feeling that brand are better in terms of added salt etc... 

Cheery_Daff

Currently bright and breezy here too although it was raining this morning - I might also sneak some washing on - I've got some stuff that wants washing before going to the charity shop. Have cheerful day

beanielou

Been coming down heavens hard here.