From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs,

Hoppy Chocolate fest, Easter Day, sleep-in Sunday or whatever you'd like to celebrate - top of the morning to ya!

DH and LG have gone out for the day.  I have prepped snacks, drinks and a picnic lunch.  Slathered them both in factor 50, dug out knitted bonnets and sun hats and reminded DH where his thermal base layers are (to be fair, the weather is somewhat changeable, and DH feels the cold).  Only to receive a hint that I could be vacuuming and cleaning the front room whilst they were out...... 🙄  Happy, blessed holidays......

Two washes are out on the line.  DH's workwear and a towels wash.  There is a consistent breeze, if not sunshine, so I should make some progress with getting it dry.

i've packed a picnic large enough to feed the 5000 for DH & LG, but will put a qu0rn fricasse type dish in the SC this afternoon to eat later.  I will serve with pasta.  

Does anyone have any tips as to how to stop hot chocolate from separating when it's put in a flask.  I used the instant powder, and usually we find - however much/long you stir it before pouring into the flask - when you come to drink it, the topmost drink is always very weak.  It's not easy to recombine, because you can't shake a vacuum flask, without causing an erruption or a very strong seal to form - either way, you risk getting covered in monumentally hot liquid!  I try to pour out a little into cups and then reseal and gently swish the flask - which is OK when you've flat surfaces to put the cups on, but not much good in the middle of a boggy moor...... 

Simply because I was nattering about air-fryers the other day, have you seen the recall notice for a specific number/batch of T0wer branded air fryers, manufactured between a specific time period.  More details on the recall section of the T0wer website.

Right, best shuffle orf, as I have actually got alot to do ☹️ - even without folk making up chore cards for me ☹️ 

Greying X

beanielou

Also a recall on some Phillips air fryers. 

in_need_of_direction

Could you not just use the flask for hot liquid that you add to when pouring.

peb

Sorry to hear of your nasty stressful experiences and sending hugs.

Can't help on the flask issue, as INOD says if I'm taking tea I take hot water and teabags to "make up" but I don't know how practical that would be.   I usually just put coffee in the flask and buy instant for that purpose.

Greying_Pilgrim

beanie - thank you.  I hadn't seen that one.

inod - yes, that would certainly be the way if we were using mugs or cups big enough to make up hot chocolate - just take hot water and the powder separately.    Unfortunately the cups on our current flasks are tiny, so a prepared drink, ready to pour is more user-friendly.  We'll just have to continue with the 'pour a bit - swirl - pour a bit more - swirl' technique, so that everyone gets hot chocolate rather than a cup of watery milk.  I just wondered if there was any 'trick' that I was missing.  

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

No hot chocolate tricks here, sorry. The only trick I have was learned from you - adding a spot of cinnamon or other tasty spices I fondly remember a long walk I did with a flask of spicy hot chocolate and a couple of ginger biscuits for company

Hope you manage some peace and quiet in your day alone!

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks Cheery love.  I was just pondering if there was anything that I'd not considered that would keep the powder suspended - I don't know, something daft like a pinch of salt, or a drop of veg oil or adding in additional milk powder.   We like to take hot choc on winter walks, but also it is a hot drink option for LG as they aren't a coffee/tea drinker.  We've sunshine here now, so I'm glad that I packed plenty of water in the picnic bag too 😊

It is super quiet here. but I've been tidying as I go.  Did just manage to sit down with a brunch plate of scrambled eggs on wholemeal muffins.  With brown sauce..... 😁  It was still warm as I ate it - that's a rare occurence 🤭

Right, best crack on.  The troops have reported in - mid scoffing the picnic, natch 😂 They are having a spiffing time, so that's good.

Greying X

rtandon27

@Greying_Pilgrim - I can't remember the exact proportions, but a bit of cornstarch can help keep the chocolate mix emulsified into the water/milk.  OH makes our hot chocolate mix from scratch using cocoa, milk powder, sugar and corn starch & he whisks the hot water into the mix after making a slurry of the powder and a bit of water.

badmemory

The only thing I can think of is storing the flask upside down, that way the sediment will sink to the top not the bottom.  Try it at home first in case it decides to leak though, because if it can it will, as we all know.

Greying_Pilgrim

Does anyone else start a job with the best intention, only to get de-railed moments in by a completely different problem to sort out?

I finally got around to trying to put all the adventure gear away.  Needless to say, access to the cupboard involves moving 3000 things in the first place, which then means you can't move, because you fall over those things, trying to reach for the things you are trying to put away.... 🙄  Having accessed the cupboard, I was moving things about, to make it easier to put items in.... and noticed that a storage tube (it has dressmaking pattern paper in it) was blue with mildew 🙄  I can't see if it's spread to the rest of the cupboard (it's not obvious if it has).  This is the (supposed) "warmer" side of the house 🙄  I give in.  Whilst yes, in theory, I can ditch the storage tube (it's a postal one, carboard with 2 plastic ends), that won't help with future storage of the dressmaking paper.  Which, although I don't use as much these days, was very expensive when I bought it.  If I store it 'as is', surely it is going to get dusty/battered/mouldy/nibbled by moths or.........  Grrr.

Take a deep breath, Greying.  Let's go and try to find a solution. 

X