Away From The Madding Crowd

Humboldt

louby40 said:

Being outside and enjoying nature is a joy in Autumn isn't it. I walked to our local Aldi on Monday and thought how wonderful nature is with the changing of the seasons. The colours of the trees and the freshness in the air was breathtaking. 

I've only ever lived in the UK but I do wonder how expats who live in other parts of the world  cope with the lack of seasons - I would find it very strange.

Morning @louby40, thanks lots for taking the time to comment. 

I too enjoy the seasons and all they entail.  I would find it hard to choose a favourite, but if pushed, it would probably be autumn. 

I hope that you are settling into your retirement and enjoying all it has to offer.

Today's simple pleasure - Having made a batch of spiced orange marmalade, the kitchen is now filled with the comforting scent of Christmas on this wet, grey day. I just use a tin of marm@de, adding a cinnamon stick, 2 star anise and 4 cloves, which are removed before filling jars. 

Humboldt

Hello and welcome.

Motivational quote of the week.

Fall is my favourite colour – author unknown.

Money saving.

Our monthly grocery budget for me and my DH is £250.  Week 4 spend for October was £50.40.  Total spend for October to date is £222.35.

Last week I took advantage of the half price offer on fresh medium chickens (£2.67 Nect@r price) and bought two. I will use one this week and the other will remain in the freezer until required.

A free fringe cut.  My hairdresser offers these in between actual hair appointments.

Last week I bought 2  ‘ornamental squash’ @ 69p each (Ald! super 6 offer).  They provided the basis for our spiced chickpea stew, the pumpkin, spinach, and coconut biryani, and this week will feature in the vegetable bhuna. 

This week’s main menu.

Monday – Vegetable bhuna (an adaptation of the H@iry D!eter’s chicken bhuna recipe), with naan bread. 

Tuesday – Roast chicken, roast potatoes, swede & carrot mash, cabbage, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Chicken was half price (Nect@r price) and frozen until required. Swede and cabbage are included in this week’s Ald! super 6 offers. Cranberry sauce is homemade and from the freezer.  To fully utilise the oven, I will bake a chocolate and banana cake (British He@rt F0undation recipe).

Wednesday – Ping meal (as above) – cook once, eat twice – saves on time and energy costs.

Thursday – Chicken noodle soup (from one of my recipe scrap books). I will use leftover chicken, homemade chicken stock, and root ginger from the freezer.

Friday – Peppered mackerel and potato bake (from one of my recipe scrap books), with lightly steamed cabbage.  I will use the remainder of the double cream in tomorrow’s meal.

Saturday – Pasta with sausage, oregano, and cream (W@itrose recipe).  This recipe uses just 2 sausages, so I will use the 2 that were leftover from the pack I bought last week and froze.  

Sunday –  Wild garlic pesto and goats cheese pizza.  Pesto is homemade and from the freezer.  To fully utilise the oven, I will bake a whole wheat seeded sourdough loaf.

Healthier lifestyle.

Last week’s step count was 77,871.

Completed 4 free meditations last week.

Completed 0 free online workouts last week.

Simple pleasures.

For the next couple of week’s DH and I are doggy sitting whilst a family member is on holiday.

The spring onions that I planted, have now germinated.

We paid the final balance on our winter sun holiday.  Something to look forward to.

I was gifted a small cross-stitch kit in my Christmas stocking last year, which I have begun to sew.  I will return it to the person who gave it to me in the form of a Christmas card.

Thank you for dropping by and taking the time to read my diary.

QrizB

QrizB said:

We have a recipe we know as "courgette thing" for a savoury courgette dish, pan-cooked with lentils and curry spices.

I don't have access to the recipe right now but it's popular in our household!

OK so I'm three months late and I'm sure the courgettes have all been eaten by now but here's the recipe for "courgette thing" - the recipe book (here or here) calls it Courgette and Lentil Bake.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz red split lentils (no soak)
• 4 courgettes or one small marrow
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 1 oz butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 2 teaspoons curry paste or powder
• Salt and pepper

Put the lentils into a saucepan, cover with water and add the chopped onion. Bring to the boil and simmer until the lentils are soft, then drain. Add the butter and curry paste/powder, stir well and set aside in the pan.

Wash the courgettes and cut into thin slices (if using a marrow, peel and cut into chunks). Heat the oil in a frying pan then add the corugettes or marrow, browning slightly over a high heat. Lower the heat then add the lentil mixture and garlic, and stir. Cover and cook gently on a low heat for about ten minutes.

Serve with rice or noodles.

Serves 4-6 (depending largely on the size of your courgettes).

Humboldt

Morning @QuizB thanks for taking the time to share the recipe.  I wonder if the courgette/marrow could be swapped for squash now that the season has changed....

Today's simple pleasure - a dry, blustery day and the bath sheets are drying outside on the line.