From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

So we've spent approx £6 more on energy this month than the equivalent period last year 🤔 Whilst I don't like spending more, I'm reasonably pleased with that, as for sure I've used the dehu far more this year (and we've discussed that it's relatively cost effective to use it), and unit prices have risen.  I must get the plumber back though as we need one of those...... non-return valves? fitted that stops the boiler kicking in every time water is drawn off.  I was reading the meter, and the washing machine was on, and the gas meter was whizzing round 🙄   It's a cold fill machine 🙄

Whether our "leap" 🙄 in energy use 🙄 will inspire the energy company to insist our DD goes up (I've only just managed to get them to stick to a £5 rise), remains to be seen 🙄.  We are still in credit, and unless we have a wicked cold snap, should still be in credit by the time of the next bill.  

I have got a wash on - we've driech weather forecast, but the breeze is perfect for hanging out washing.  The washing baskets are getting to overflowing, so I've got to at least try.  I've prioritised the workwear wash, as that takes longest to dry.  But I've got to be mindful of the uniform situation.  The days are flying at the mo.

I'm doing soup & pud for tea tonight.  I am going to try a chickpea recipe.  But I forgot to put the chickpeas on to soak last night 🙄 So rather than break into my tin stash, I have put 500g of YS'd chickpeas (still in date) to 'hot soak' and then I'll cook them in the PrC for a bit longer.  I'm thinking blueberry steamed pudding in the SC for pud.  

DH gathered up most of the beetee bits last night, and they fit in the box he found.  I just need him to sort out the box thingummy on the wall, and they can have that back too.  I'm sure we've got a spare blanking plate here somewhere.  

I don't think I've anything else MSE/MFW to add.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

greenbee

My laundry pile is growing - mostly because there's so little sunshine that I'm not getting enough solar to do them and Agile electricity prices are high (although, ironically, the low prices aren't as high as SVT... I just object to paying for electricity when I consider that I've pre-paid the solar!). 

badmemory

My heating is on exactly the same setting this year as it was last year & I have definitely used it more, so it must have been colder.  Thankfully it hasn't cost more because of the solar so some of it was free & some cheaper.  But if we think about it, the colder it is the colder the water is that goes in the kettle so the more KwH it takes to make it boil, same with the washing machine etc etc, so it isn't just the heating.

What I have been trying is after using the kettle of water, then refilling it with cold so that the residual heat doesn't just disappear.  I think it works but the jury is still out (& I don't always remember).

themadvix

I agree that it's definitely been colder at the beginning of this year than it was last year!

Good discovery with the jam jar GP if you're wanting to make that number of portions - I do love those jars for everything (you can get the large ones at Costco - and they're good for other things, but the smaller ones are a better portion size).

Greying_Pilgrim

Thanks greenbee, badmemory and tmv for confirming that the energy use is 'ok'.  I think in terms of 'kettles boiled for tea', our peak month would have been October/November, when DH was off work.  I must admit, LG has started to want to make hot drinks 😬 and I've conciously made the effort to ask them to only boil (approximately) what will be needed - primarily from a safety aspect, but it does have a knock on effect with energy use, as the kettle is on more 🙄  But I too fill the kettle after use, for the residual heat - particularly if I know I'm going to be cooking within the next half-hour or so.  It doesn't quite work to get water up to blood temp if making pizza, but every little helps!  I think this energy month is a combination of DH putting the heating on in the morning, the price rise/associated VAT, and the dehu use. At least we haven't got complacent, and don't have the heating jacked up whilst we wander around barefoot and in beachwear. 

So I've cooked the chickpeas.  I had 'hot-soaked' them for an hour+ and then cooked them in the PrC on high for 12 minutes.  They've come out lovely, formed, still toothsome and yet cooked - which is fine, as they are nice to eat, will go into dishes that will have more cooking/heating up or will be put in the freezer, so they will only get slightly softer, but without turning to mush.  Win.

The washing is doing well on the line.  Not bone dry, by any stretch of the imagination, but drying, and I shall try to keep it all out for as long as poss.  Rain has been forecast for most of the day, but we've got this far without it falling here.  Every minute in the breeze is a bonus.

Greying X

Jellytotts

I do admire your dedication to getting the washing out.  I admit defeat here from November until March as there’s just not enough sun light in the north facing garden.  A retractable washing line gets brought into play in the spare room.  

Just checked our consumption for January last year and we are under half so far….replacing our dodgy old boiler was very much worthwhile but also due to the weather we’ve not been out much so the car hasn’t needed charging quite so much.

themadvix

Ooh thanks for the chickpea hot soak tip - is that boiling water you use? I have pretty much given up with cooking in my IP without pre-soaking overnight as I just can’t get it right, so will definitely give that technique/timing a go.

Greying_Pilgrim

themadvix said:

Ooh thanks for the chickpea hot soak tip - is that boiling water you use? I have pretty much given up with cooking in my IP without pre-soaking overnight as I just can’t get it right, so will definitely give that technique/timing a go.

Yes tmv - I just weighed out 500g dry weight chickpeas (wanted enough to make the recipe/have leftovers, but not a huge quantity in case they were 'old' and stayed resolutely hard), put them in my large pyrex bowl and poured boiling water over to cover +1 inch or so.  They need a minimum of one hour - more is better, but once the water is cold, it's not as effective.  In my KR 'recipe/method' book it gives timings for different pulses, and it says to add 1/3rd to the timings if the pulses haven't been '8 hours/overnight' soaked.  The time given for chickpeas is 10 minutes, but I usually find 8  minutes (and NPR) is sufficient, so I went for 12 minutes on high pressure with NPR.  I think it's a little bit of a game to get it right - there are so many variables, but today worked well enough with OK chickpeas - they weren't young and fresh, but neither were they ancient, wrinkled and rock hard.  TBF, the hot soak does also give you an indication of how they are going to cook, as if they don't even swell some, in hot water, they're unlikely to transform when cooking - even in a PrC.  

HTH Greying X

themadvix

That's really helpful GP - thank you so much!

beanielou

I have a breville one cup as most of the time I’m on my own. I’m on my second or maybe third. I really rate it.