The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

Greying_Pilgrim · 27 July 2017 at 8:18AM

Good Morning :hello:

How'dya soup turn out Bear?

Tea last night was Fasolada soup - from an ancient Rose Elliot book, which unfortunately I cannot find a recipe link for

It's from a greek recipe and basically is white bean (I use butter beans) and vegetable soup. I always puree mine, but I think the original is left 'whole'. It's a simple and cheap recipe anyway - I used a tin of 29p butter beans from h0me bargins. I teamed it up with Angel Biscuits (otherwise known as scones in the UK). I shoved the TV on for 5 minutes yesterday morning and caught an episode of fresh with Anna 0lson and she was making them. I thought they would go nice with me soup

Glad I looked out the recipe soonest, as it says you are supposed to leave the dough overnight. I didn't. I don't remember Anna leaving it o'night either, I thought she said a few hours in the fridge, which is what mine got. Mine looked like Anna's did on TV - not like the ones in the link

I made a half mix, and it make seven 3 inche 'biscuits'. They were lovely and light and split easily because of the fold over tip. I'd definitely make them again, as they are all the sort of ingredients that I have in store. They only took 10 minutes to cook too - 12 to have them nicely browned. My scones usually stay anemic looking

I acidualted milk with a spot of vinegar - don't have buttermilk, and used b3rtolli rather than butter. I think they turned out fine, what do you think?

009 by Greying Pilgrim

What we have tonight is dependent on whether I find what I'm looking for YS'd. Otherwise it will be a BBQ lentil bowl - based on laura wright's recipe over at the first mess.

I forgot to say - some time ago now, I took round some UHT milk to the community hub for the FB. I received a little bit 'extra' back from m&$ when I made my complaint. It's not in my nature to 'profit' from complaining, so I made a point of directing the excess to something that someone else needed.

Right, BG is getting into all sorts of mischief under my nose. Best vamoose.

Ta for popping in. Appreciated.

Greying X

in_need_of_direction · 27 July 2017 at 8:54AM

I finally got around to making soup yesterday which was yesterday's lunch, will do today and has three portions in the freezer to go into my soup rotation as an attempt to increase my veg intake. I do however need to provide some kinda structure to the freezer contents!

Greying I have been having issues with hmrc since March. These have only recently been resolved following emails to the equivalent of the department's permanent secretary. While you don't want to get people in trouble, sometimes an appeal to the top can make all the difference. Best of luck in getting resolution.

starnac · 27 July 2017 at 1:48PM

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

starnac Hello lovely! We were in your neck of t'woods t'other week! I was thinking of you as we drove down the 'big hill' out of cheese city It was raining, natch....... :rotfl: We were in and around about our old haunts Took in the famous garden to the south of the capital and mooched around seeing how much had changed

Oh you were so close to us, you could have popped in for a cuppa. Cheese City is our nearest town.

All cwtches accepted here Thanks for the offer of help You are so kind. At the minute, it's me and some people who are helping me, against Goliath. We've managed to get Goliath to 'hold their foot up' and think on for a minute. But as yet the matter is not resolved.

Good luck xx

So glad you're back - are the *not so little anymore* starnacs on hols now? I think they probably are, as we were in the principality before term ended.

Lovely to *see* you - so glad you're back

Greying X

Yes first week of holidays here. It's lovely to have them home but we have quite a bit planned (some I can't get out of) I am hoping to get some down time with them at some point too.

It's been lovely to read all about you and your family. BG is growing up now and you sound like a wonderful mum.

Save

Greying_Pilgrim · 28 July 2017 at 6:38AM

Good Morning :hello:

Oh, starnac, I'm not sure I'm a wonderful mum. The stork forgot to add the 'handling manual' into BG's bundle on delivery - so we're somewhat in the dark with all this

BG is loved, fed, clothed, kept warm and amused, but i'm sure we could do better, or perhaps just different? I am somewhat glad my ex-SiL is my ex-SiL, I know she would be critical that we don't buy BG enough 'stuff'.........

Tea last night was BBQ lentil with basmati rice and a dollop of yoghurt. The lentils were based on THIS recipe. Some green ie brocolli on the plate would have been good, but I didn't have any

I didn't take a picture, as it was rather brown...... But tasted good, and was filling, so......

Tea tonight will be pizza of some description. I've not got much cheese left, which is the problem, rather than actually something to top it with IYSWIM. Technically, I have just gone into the red with my budget, by just under £2. If I can stay under £10 - should be doable - I'll be pleased in one way, as I 'took' £10 off my budget for overspending in June. So in 'theory' I would have stayed under my £150 budget (had it been a normal month) if that makes sense. In practice, I have overspent 2 months on the trot - which is not so good

I managed to do some long-standing tidying, sorting and filing yesterday, whilst BG napped. It was but a drop in the ocean of what needs doing, but was satisfying in one way too

It also helped to clear up/sort paperwork associated with my ongoing Dave V goliath debacle. Settled my braincells somewhat

I'm looking forward to the last month of my THT. I know that one of the key focuses is going to be 'health'. I owe that to myself. If we could do some key things in respect of the house - 'something' doesn't have to be the biggies - because, well, we've a small child to work around - I know, excuses, excuses. But I think you have to be practical when you're involving 120+ yr old plaster dust....... Cheery am I classifiable as ancient?

Right, don't think I've owt else :money:to report. I'm half way through my coffee - not sure that's going to last until the end of the month either

(the coffee granules, not this particular mug of coffee :rotfl:) - so best go and see what's happening in today's episode of the flumps

Ta for popping by and offering encouragement. It's very much appreciated. Always

Greying X

maggiem · 28 July 2017 at 7:19AM

Thought of you yesterday Greying as I was in a supermarket which had a large bin for the local food bank. They had a list of what was needed, top of which was UHT or powdered milk. Anyway bought a couple of things on the list.

Hope battle against Goliath resolves soon, can be very wearing.

Greying_Pilgrim · 28 July 2017 at 7:55AM

maggiem wrote: »

Thought of you yesterday Greying as I was in a supermarket which had a large bin for the local food bank. They had a list of what was needed, top of which was UHT or powdered milk. Anyway bought a couple of things on the list.

Agreed. Just heard on the news Frank Field MP talking about a little girl in his constituency who had turned up to a children's event, and said, 'I know you are full, I know that I can't join in with the fun, but can you please feed me? I'm hungry.'

I don't think you have to have a child/grandchild to be moved by that.

Neither do I think that it is always down to poverty of money. There are many complex issues, one of which is poverty of education. How very dare we have allowed simple, basic home economics to be axed from our school curriculums. We're reaping what we sow.

Greying X

starnac · 28 July 2017 at 2:58PM

Greying_Pilgrim wrote: »

Neither do I think that it is always down to poverty of money. There are many complex issues, one of which is poverty of education. How very dare we have allowed simple, basic home economics to be axed from our school curriculums. We're reaping what we sow.

Greying X

Agreed! So many 20-somethings can't cook. I know a lot is down to parents but it's hard to juggle everything as parents and those of us that are old enough *cough* we were taught basic cookery in school. The school system is now so overwhelmed with *ALL* the things that need to be taught that the basics are being pushed out. I need to step down from my soap box now before I get pushed :rotfl:

Greying that is exactly what BG needs. Their every NEED met. Wants are a different thing and tell ex-SIL that kids do not need *stuff*. They may *want* stuff but they certainly don't need it. To prove that point you only need to present a child with an empty cardboard box! Hours of fun!

Oh and PS if you do ever happen across a Baby Manual please send one my way

rtandon27 · 28 July 2017 at 4:02PM

If only I'd known about this book...

...it would have been a baby shower gift to several relatives...

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

Greying_Pilgrim · 28 July 2017 at 7:00PM

Thanks starnac & rtandon

With the news that little Charlie Gard has left us, I've only one thing that I'm grateful for tonight.

I was able to kiss my baby goodnight, and I'm hopeful to see them in the morning. For that I remain grateful.

RIP Charlie :A

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim · 29 July 2017 at 8:58AM

Good Morning :hello:

Here we are at the weekend

Something of a slow start at the Towers this morn. Although we've been up for quite a bit of it, not capitalising on that fact, I suppose

BG has spent plenty of time playing with the cardboard inner from the roll of kitchen paper though :j YAY! I'm raising a normal child

They had great fun with a cardboard nappy box (which was empty) yesterday too

Tea last night was cherry tommy pizza with m&$ 'straight cut' oven chips. The oven chips were 'ok' not high on taste.... I made a pizza that was probably about 3/4 of the size I normally make - just didn't roll out the dough as much - which resulted in a slightly denser pizza, which needed less cheese to top

I then chopped the remaining cherry toms I had, in half, and dotted them on the top. I was about 2 tomatoes/4 halves off covering it all. No pic I'm afraid. I do feel now with the fl1ckr a/c not as able to take 'pedestrian' pictures. There are some simply stunning images on fl1ckr and 'us tea' doesn't really compare...... pbucket was better in that respect......

Tea this evening is going to be courgette and carrot jalfrezi, dhal and rice. It will utilise the courgettes I have been gifted and use up some carrots that I have. I don't think there is a recipe as such, I'll just make up the spice mix (jaymee O's recipe) from my whole spices and go from there.

I've been enjoying participating in the UFM-J. Whilst there has been - I think it is fair to say - no *lightbulb* moments as such for me, no parting of the clouds, and *the answer* appearing, vision-like. I have been made to THINK, and for that I am grateful. I have been made to think about all the 'little' things that I have let slip. I have been made to think about how decluttering and organisation is key - and have been able to let more 'stuff' go without a blink of an eye. I have been made to think about how houses full of *stuff* usually cause nowt but a headache for those left behind, and I certainly don't want to burden BG in future years. It is enough that I'm pretty sure the situation will arise with my own parentals, and like Cheery, I have parentals in HA housing stock. There is probably a very short time 'allowed' to clear the house and give it back to the landlord. On top of everything else that you have to do. And will other family members ease that burden for me? Will they buffalo.......

I've also given more consideration to my food budget. We've done quite well this month, all things considered. Looking through what I've bought, there are very few *treat* foods. We had our coffee and cake to support young people fundraising for a school trip, and DH bought some 'budget' ice-cream from mrL to accompany a plum and apple crumble that i made using up the last of the apples in the fruit bowl and the last of the 49p 'plums in a punnet' I got from mrT. That's it, for *treats*

I've decided that I am going to 'up' the budget by £10 for August. I don't want to, but I have to be honest. The only YS shopping I ever get to do is from places like m&$ - where their YS price, is only down to what I would pay for stuff 'normal price' from the discounters etc. It doesn't really 'save' me that much money

I routinely shop at the discounters, HB, h3r0n and more or less only get 'offers' from any of the 'big 4' now. The food co-op I belong to is winding up, so the little we saved buying some items in bulk will go too.

BG is having an impact on the budget - not huge, and I can only think of one food now that I buy more or less for them. We could eat some of it, but don't really. So I've decided to up the food budget by £10, and that £10 will come from the 'family allowance' (CHB to you younger folk......

). And we'll see how we do.

Can't think of owt else MS off the top of my head. Best go and get myself some breakfast I suppose.

Ta for popping in. Appreciated.

Greying X

The Simple Bare Necessities feat. Gratitude & Recipes

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