Watty's Awakening

Greying_Pilgrim

Watty - I always use Nig3lla's crumble recipe out of her 'How to Eat' book.  I chop up whatever fruit I've got, and put it in a pyrex bowl, I either use my 8"x6"x2" (LxWxD) oblong one, or the 8" round one (probs about 1.5" deep).  The crumble recipe is;

120g plain flour
90g fat (butter, margarine or baking fat)
3 Tablespoons of sugar - or to taste.  

Method - rub the fat into the flour, stir in the sugar.  Done.

The ratio makes a reasonable topping for the size dishes I use, and of course you can add in spices/chopped nuts/almonds etc to the mix, as is your preference.  

HTH - I found when starting out cooking the cookbooks didn't have anything as 'ordinary' as crumble mix - that's where Nig3lla scored with her H2E tome.  

Greying X 

KajiKita

Greying_Pilgrim said:

HTH - I found when starting out cooking the cookbooks didn't have anything as 'ordinary' as crumble mix - that's where Nig3lla scored with her H2E tome.  

Greying X 

That's why D3lia's thick tome, 'How to Cook' always has a place on my bookshelf

I notice everyone has that 'one cookbook that teaches you the basics' ... My dad's is Constance Spry - a generational thing I think.

KK

Slinky

I found a cheats way of making crumble. I melt the butter in the microwave and stir it into the flour with a fork, stir in the sugar and let it cool down so the butter hardens again. Saves getting crumble mix under your nails. I also use 50/50 flour and coconut flour to make it less carby. Needs to be covered with tinfoil for half the cooking time or it will burn.

badmemory

Personally I do not like crumble, no idea why - but - I do like batter pudding.  Similar to toad in the hole.  My absolute favorite is rhubarb batter pudding.  The hard bit is finding the rhubarb.

Watty1

Greying that is super helpful as online suggestions seem to involve a lot of things I did not have!   Slinky's tip is too as my finger nails always need a good scrub before making anything that needs "rubbing in".  That is apple crumble on the menu this week. 
  
I realised looking in the cupboard how much I have been struggling as there are things in there I can barely remember buying and stuff I was in the process of using up on a budget drive.     I need to get back to that and feeling so much better today I used a bag of mixed nuts, some seeds and some oats that I think PPH might have left behind to make granola.   That is now safely stored in one of my charity shop kilner jars and a redcurrant puree has been made and frozen in large ice cube trays. I wasn't eating the redcurrants as they have been in the freezer for some considerable time so this way they can defrost and be eaten with yoghurt and granola.

I feel so much happier today, more so than in a long time and able to do a little more other than just work for the first time in what seems like months.

Greying_Pilgrim

I always use a fork to incorporate the fat into the flour.  It works quite well, and as long as you're not hoping to get your crumble judged by the WI, is "good enough" sand & clinker for domestic consumption.  Then just stir in the sugar.  Crumble topping made, no need to get sticky fingers - anyone else remember having to have a bowl of hot water in the sink in domestic science class on the days you were making rubbing in recipes?? 😁 It helps if you turn the bowl as you fork the fat into the flour.

Greying X

Watty1

Curtains arrived and were indeed the wrong size so took them to a local store yesterday evening for refund and purchased the right size.  The joys of shopping at 7.30 pm meant store almost deserted.   Hope to find time to shorten soon.

Today work looks busy, but, also want to clean out the fridge.  The weeks of feeling less that on top of things mean that it is somewhat "blech"   Removed 4 half bananas that were not even fit for banana loaf this morning so fridge needs a clear out and then I can make a sensible meal plan moving forwards.  I'm not actually sure what is in there I admit.   We have been living on meal boxes and whatever VNM can mix up.  I hate waste but I'm going to forgive myself. The state of the kitchen very evidently indicates how much everything has been sliding.

Appointment with hormone specialist this morning to follow up on the blood test results as first consultation suggested I speak with her on basis I have already gone privately for that and my GP thinks hormone specialist might be able to help with a couple of adjustments to HRT.  

Suffolk_lass

An American I used to watch uses a top-bar potato masher to rub-in crumble. Just saying!

150g flour, 100g fat, up to 100g sugar and a pinch of salt. I keep it in the freezer in a ziplock bag and sprinkle over fruit with no sugar added (though we have custard with it for a bit more sweetness). I only freeze rhubarb now (that needs closer to 100g). When I cook apples, they go in hot pop top screw-top jars using my jam funnel, then the tops pop and they provide fresh fruit through winter out of my pantry, costing me nothing but space to store. Topped with crumble, or on top of porridge or yogurt. Sublime, free food!

PS that is my dream refurb and I am older than you. A static caravan while you refurb it to make it habitable then bring in the volunteers - film it and post on social media for others to watch and follow for a "Chateau-DIY" type series and payment from followers, affiliation links and sponsors.... just saying

themadvix

Delia’s book for me too, although I’m sure the ancient (standard 1970s) Dairy Book of Home Cookery contains a recipe too (don’t everyone have one of these?!). It also has batter pud recipe, so maybe I’ll give that a go. One of my best wins was Sam Stern’s student recipe book - well past when I was a student. It has all the basics in it and loads of ways to adapt and jazz them up. I use it all the time.
 Hate rubbing fat in - always use my food processor. My nan had a wire thing with a wooden handle for rubbing in - was very good, but I think wooden handle meant it wasn’t kept in the house clearing.

Cherryfudge

At this rate you may find yourself bidding against a consortium of MSEers who have all fallen for the charms of Lamb Paddock!       

Do forgive yourself for the necessary fridge clear-out. When you feel rough and exhausted, we all understand things will slide in the food department, and I think most of us have been there. It's a fact of life. I'm reminded I still have a melon in mine that's gone spotty and is probably inedible - a big shame but also a waste of space. And I love melon, too.

So work through the fridge - even just one shelf will help.

Do you have a folder for your favourite recipes? When I'm too tired to do whatever was planned, DH is very good at either finishing the cooking from the recipe or running to the shop for something 'instant'.

I hope the hormone specialist is helpful.