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Post by brightspark on Mar 12, 2022 17:29:00 GMT
Hi again, Forgot to say that when in France, I bought a pizza base, and added our own toppings - and it was so good, that I bought another. Tonight I shall have that for our dinner. I even had some forethought to buy some mild salami for the top! Still only a small appetite though. OH may have to finish it for lunch tomorrow ! Safe journey tomorrow, Chris.
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Post by ambersparkle on Mar 13, 2022 8:46:22 GMT
Morning all, very dark and Grey here, but only half Eight, so will probably brighten up later. Had a lovely cooked Chicken Meal last Night, Friend, brought a cooked Chicken, and based the Dinner around that, and the good News is, there was enough for me to have a Meal Today, plus, Leftovers for freezing, and Bones for Soup. All in all, Chicken, is a very economical buy. Nothing to do Today, except sit at my Jigsaw. Yesterday, my two Sons, bought me a big Table, so my Bits will no longer fall over the Edge. Am so Lucky to have a caring Family. Got the Fish, Blood, and Bone, yesterday, so SIL can when he has time, he works Shifts, add some to all my Pots, Strawberries, and Raspberries, together with new Compost. And when the good Weather comes, we are ready to plant! Better make a move, have a good Day, safe Journey, Chris, and Love to all. Tina x
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Post by ambersparkle on Mar 13, 2022 8:54:38 GMT
I forgot to say, I make my Spoon Dumplings, by making a thick Batter with One Egg, so the Batter just falls off the Spoon, just a drop of Milk to mix, never measured anything. They are sometimes called Floaters, as they float to the Top, more like a Cakey Texture. Very handy, as a last Minute thickener.
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Post by brightspark on Mar 14, 2022 10:17:58 GMT
Morning all,
On Saturday, daughter met up with some friends and went into town to celebrate getting together - and later on, she sent a message to say that she had been into a Waitrose and when she saw the Craster kippers, she bought them all for us! Of course, that meant we had to get to see her to get them into the freezer. That said, we drove to meet up for coffee at her house yesterday. I had forgotten, but I hadn't seen her since before my birthday, and bless her, she hadn't forgotten, presents and flowers awaited. She had bought three packs of fat quarters, some hand/face cream labelled Grace Lily (my Mum's names), and the flowers were all purple and white, lots of them! We enjoyed an hour or so over coffee, putting the world to rights.
On the way back home, OH decided to go into our Waitrose to sort out any bargains - he's very good at it, too. He bought some ribs; really thick pork loin chops; Craster kipper fillets; and some crumbed lemon sole pieces - they are huge, big enough that we will be having one between us this evening, OH will want chips, but I think some creamy mashed potatoes would go nice with it. We'll see.
On Saturday, I had cooked the pizza with home-made topping, but my appetite was still not right and we only managed half of it, so last night, we had the other half with a crisp salad and a few little fried potato cubes.
In my sewing room, I came across two little motifs of meerkats, one standing as lookout, and the other just sitting, and looking at peace. I'm thinking of putting the meerkats on the window quilt I am making for my niece - she adores meerkats. This will be of course a bit of a joke as it is highly unlikely meerkats would be found by the seaside. If it makes her laugh every time she looks at it, then that's good!
While in the car yesterday (OH driving!!) I started crocheting the poncho for my other niece. It's lovely - pure wool - BUT it is hand-wash only. I didn't think that any yarn nowadays would be hand-wash, but having already bought the yarn, I decided to plod on with it. Though it will be very heavy when washed. If it was mine, I think I would wash it - on cold and on delicates, but that is their decision. (I have the yarn, too, for her sister, my other niece.)
I managed to get two loads of washing done also, so quite a good day yesterday.
Tina, how's the jigsaw coming along? You know, that's what I like about cooking a chicken, it has so many uses to make further meals. That sounds a good idea for the dumplings, if they float to the top, I guess they end up quite light, too?
Have a good day everyone, x
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maxh
Junior Member
Posts: 93
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Post by maxh on Mar 14, 2022 17:21:11 GMT
Afternoon all from a beautifully sunny corner of my world.
Gosh Iris, I didn’t realise the SW had been forecasted gale force winds. Hope nothing was damaged.
I like a chicken too, it’s very economical as well as very tasty. And the stock from the carcass adds a delicious flavour to virtually any soup (I’m a big fan of soup). I’m trying to plan my oven usage more wisely. At the moment I often have it on for hours at a time, putting dishes and bakes in individually. I need to get several things ready and cook them altogether so I need to be more organised.
Hope you’re appetite’s back now, Val. What a lovely gesture by your daughter, and what thoughtful gifts.
Hope you had a good journey, Chris and have a good break.
The birthday celebrations were wonderful although I had a bit of a mishap with the cake. The recipe was for a solid block of sponge in the shape of a figure one with a heavily decorated top. As the sponge was about 5 inches deep I thought it would be too dry so I halved it and filled it with strawberry jam and buttercream. I then decorated the top as directed in the recipe. With the buttercream swirls, strawberries, raspberries, meringue and flower it was quite heavy. I put it in a box on my knee to take it to d’s house. Driving round a corner the top half started to slide off! I did a patch up job when we arrived, placed it on the table with it’s better side facing front and it was fine😂.
Today I made Seville marmalade which doesn’t seem to be setting! Our usually cold kitchen was hot because the sun was streaming through the windows so not sure if it affected the kitchen humidity. I’ll leave it 48 hours and if it doesn’t set by then I’ll re-boil it with some lemon juice. I also made bread in a table top oven I got from Lakeland last week with 20% off voucher. We’re taking it to France as our cooker there is rubbish, well the oven is although the hob is fine. We don’t want to replace it until we get the kitchen refitted so the mini oven seems to be a good stopgap. The bread turned out fine much to my surprise. I didn’t think it would be powerful enough! And lunch today was stuffed courgettes in a cheese sauce with roast parsnips and couscous followed by strawberries, meringue and yoghurt.
I recently got Nancy Birtwhistle’s (previous Bake Off winner) latest book on green living. She gives a brilliant hack for making spreadable butter. Whisk a block of room temperature butter for a couple of minutes till creamy. Then gradually whisk in 100ml olive oil. Pour into a butter dish and put in the fridge to set - it takes 1 - 2 hours. YOu can then use it straight from the fridge - no more rock hard butter tearing bread or toast! I tried it 2 weeks ago and it really works. And it also helps the butter go further. OH was getting through a block a week. The spread has lasted him 2 weeks! And the olive oil doesn’t compromise the taste. So I made some more today as well.
Take care all. Mx
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Post by irist on Mar 14, 2022 20:26:41 GMT
Evening all. A beautifully sunny day here and it felt Springl trying to print out our annual programme for Garden Club which involved doubled-sided pages. I had to print one side and then put the pages back, print side up to arrive at the final stage, ready to be folded into a booklet. I used a thin card/thick paper which the printer did not like and kept drawing several pages together, ending up with part of a page printed on one sheet and the rest on another. I finally resorted to printing each page individually. What a waste of a lovely day but needs must. When I finish posting here I'm on to designing and producing the poster for this month's meeting - and the Chairman says the Club Secretary doesn't have much to do.... To crown it all, the Assistant Secretary doesn't have a printer at the moment so everything is left to me. Grr. Enough. Tomorrow we are off to Carers' Club immediately after lunch so I'm going to make chocolate brownies in the morning in preparation for a visit by our granddaughter J and her fiance C mid morning on Wednesday. This is the young couple who are getting married in September. What lovely gifts, Val and so good to catch up with your daughter. You certainly manage to pick up some good bargains at Waitrose. I never shop at the right time in any supermarket to bag a bargain Hope your appetite soon returns. Luckily nothing more was damaged during the high winds here, Max. I felt sorry for J & C driving down from Northampton but at least they've got a few better days to come before they return home. Glad you rescued your cake. I bet your gd didn't notice there was a problem Hope you get your marmalade to set. Good idea to make your butter go further. Must go and get on with the poster. Bye for now.
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Post by brightspark on Mar 15, 2022 15:56:34 GMT
Afternoon all,
Ha ha - a sign of my age, I'm sure, but my chiropodist arrived this morning - and I had totally forgotten that he was coming! Oh well, that's life! We try not to go out too much, so it was no imposition! With that, like walking on air for the rest of the day, and the spring-like day, gives one a boost !
Max, when I have marmalade that is not setting, I put the jars in the fridge overnight and if that doesn't work, then it's a re-boil with added lemon juice, like you said, and that usually works for me. Making cakes that need to be ferried to another place is always fraught with concern, I find. A few years back, granddaughter's birthday was in a pottery-type place where the children could decorate their own mugs etc, and it was in a unit within a Wyevale garden centre complex with many other units. Difficult to park etc. I had made a toadstool cake - you know the sort, having a pink with white spots top on the cake and the little door with windows underneath, and a few animals made from coloured icing. I have to admit to being quite nervous as to whether it would get there in one piece!
Iris, the technology continues to fox me too. Trying to do two sides to a sheet of paper continually thwarts my efforts, so now, like you, I end up doing one page at a time. What is strange, and I know technology has moved on, but from my earlier jobs before we were married, I have worked with computers, so these things shouldn't be difficult! Yes, we have found certain times are good for picking up a bargain in the supermarkets, but not always, of course. Grab it while you can is our motto ! I hope you have enjoyed your visit from granddaughter and her fiancé - and enjoyed the brownies ! (haven't made those in ages - will have to remedy that!)
Tonight's meal I shall be substituting some pork fillet instead of the chicken in the recipe. It is one of the Simply Cook recipes, and is called Bang Bang chicken, with noodles and coconut milk and peanut butter. Looking forward to trying this, although still eating smaller portions, but I don't think OH will mind cleaning up the dish!
Hope Tina is okay, and Chris is enjoying his short vacation.
Have a good afternoon/evening everyone, x
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Post by brightspark on Mar 16, 2022 9:51:31 GMT
Morning all,
The meal (as mentioned above) last night was excellent, but I'm sticking to a smaller plate, which is suiting me just fine at the moment.
Rainy day here, so indoor chores today!
Chat later, x
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Post by ambersparkle on Mar 16, 2022 16:29:34 GMT
Afternoon all, had trouble with my Stomach again, there's nothing to be done about it. just got to bear it, don't know about the grinning bit. Max, could you put the Butter Idea, into the Hints and Tips Thread that has been created, then everyone can benefit. Remember my Mum, when War broke out, trying to mix a Tin of Fussels Cream, with a Block of Marge, to make a Buttery Spread, not a great success, but it was not wasted, nothing ever was in our House. I still have some Raspberries from last Year, to make into Jam, nothing like a nice bit on everything, so useful. Does anyone remember the big Brown Jars of salted Beans, that half filled the Pantry, no matter how much you rinsed them, they were still salty. Another Staple were pickled Onions, and Beetroot, and Mum made a lovely Chutney, it was called 'Red Indian Chutney', wish I had the Recipe. How Women fitted this in, with cleaning cooking raising Babies, they worked harder than anyone, and the old Man's Dinner had to be on the Table, as soon as he came through the Door! Then he sits with the Newspaper, while she feeds the Kids, and probably a Baby. Happy Days, not! Talking about Dinner, am going to tempt a Baked Tattie, and an Egg Custard. Have a good Evening, all. love Tina x
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maxh
Junior Member
Posts: 93
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Post by maxh on Mar 17, 2022 11:52:28 GMT
Good morning all
How wonderful to wake up to some good news at last, with the release of Nasanin Zachari-Ratcliffe and Anousha Ashoori. I hope they are both left in piece to get to know their families again and heal. And also news that there is a breakthrough in the Ukrainian/Russian peace talks - let’s hope Putin isn’t just peddling what Europe wants to hear with no real intention of following through.
Love the new thread, Tina. I’ve put the butter hack in. Some good tips already - I particularly like the citrus and apple peel hacks so thank you Tina and Val, and will do that in future. What a nuisance about your tummy issues, Tina. It must be rotten when it’s playing up. Hopefully you’ll be back to normal soon. I don’t remember salted beans in crock jars at all - were they a regional dish?
Ha ha, Val but we’re all allowed senior moments every now and again. And you got an unexpected treat out of your forgotten appointment I can imagine the car journey with the toadstool cake was nail biting! I’d thought the quality of the sponge was going to be the stressful part, transporting the cake hadn’t entered my head! I’ll know for next time!
Your gardening club role is bordering on a full time job, Iris! I think you were very restrained about the Chair’s remarks - I’m not sure I would have been able to keep my thoughts to myself! I can never remember which way round to put the paper in for the backing print and get it wrong more often than not. I hope you enjoyed your granddaughter’s visit, what a privilege to be able to watch her become an adult and to be fit and healthy enough to be part of it.
It’s a gorgeous day today. I’m making a loaf this morning then going for a long walk this afternoon with OH and D, with the dog of course😂. So a nice, chilled day.
Take care all. Mx
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Post by brightspark on Mar 17, 2022 15:21:18 GMT
Afternoon all,
A lovely day here, and watching the birds always a treat, too.
Having had the chicken wings last night, I also cooked plenty of roasted vegetables. This morning I cooked up the bones for stock, and prepped plenty of onions, and made the stock into a soup, adding in the leftover roasted vegetables and onions, with a vegetable stock cube, and whizzed the lot. Very, very tasty.
Then OH brought in the last of our apples from the garage - too many were past it(!), but one of the apples had clearly been gnawed. But the crate had a lid on it. Curious! When OH emptied the crate of all the rotten apples, he discovered that the little blighter mouse(?) had actually gnawed through the plastic side of the crate to get to the forbidden fruit!! There are no more apples so the blighter will either go hungry or go find another source.
OH brought down some carrot jam from our stock of preserves. Has anyone else been frustrated by the searches on the internet - I asked the question "recipes to use leftover carrot jam". All the responses were how to make carrot jam. I changed the questions many times but the same responses came up. How frustrating. Apparently this was made frequently during wartime as a sort of substitute for apricot jam when carrots were in good supply. I'm thinking of putting it in a Victoria sandwich, but will I be wasting a good cake?
Tina, I found a recipe for this Indian red chutney, so not sure if it is anything like your Mum's recipe: www.simplecomfortfood.com/2015/09/28/indian-red-chutney/. Sorry to hear that your tum is playing up again - after last week (when I was having a tum-ache), I feel for you. Please look after yourself.
Max, I have sent an email to you, to show you the toadstool cake - I remember enjoying the process of creating the elements on it, but it was eons ago.
How deflating is this - the window quilt I have made for my niece is 42" wide. My bro told me that there is a half-landing, then the stairs turn to two more steps at his daughter's house. I measured our half-landing and two steps and it is 46" wide. Bro just phoned me and said it is 37". Oh poo ... the quilt is too wide to hang there. What a shame! Hope Iris and Chris are fine! Have a good rest-of-the-day, x
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Post by ambersparkle on Mar 17, 2022 16:07:40 GMT
Just missed you Val, been dozing, put that down to the Heat, needed to warm the House. Am going to try a small amount of Dinner, some mashed Potato, with something digestible. I know not what yet, but have plenty to choose from. Love Meercats, Val, think everyone does. Will have to stop Cheffie Son, getting my Groceries, as he just gets what comes to Hand, and it is always the dearest Item, really noticed the hike in Prices last Week. Have started getting in Sugar for Jam making, Hope I have enough Strawberries this Year for Jam, last Year I did not, but that could have been constant thieving, by Persons unknown, but suspected! The Lemon Idea, is great Max, particularly good with Fish and Salad. Trying to dredge saving Money Ideas up, as we all do. Have always been thrifty, as that is how I was brought up, and good Job too, as had to bring up a Family of Four single handed. Luckily, I love all things cooking, more so Baking, and used to make Wine, till I lost the use of my Arm. My Damson Wine, was better than Port! Youngest Son, was down today, he brings my Goat's Milk, he folded Towels, and did a few wee Jobs for me, have not got him properly trained yet, but I am working on it! Better away and make that Mash, have a good rest of Day, love Tina x
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Post by irist on Mar 17, 2022 19:58:25 GMT
Evening all. I'm fine - thanks for asking, just somewhat busy. Had a good afternoon at Carers' Club on Tuesday. Yesterday we spent a lovely couple of hours catching up with gd and her fiance - they polished off some of the chocolate brownies I'd made and took some back with them. The rest of the day was taken up with yet more Garden Club business - getting the posters out for our next meeting, helping the Chairman fill in an online application for a grant, etc, etc. But today Spring has sprung here. It started misty and cool but gradually developed into a sunny day. So I couldn't wait to get outside. I've washed all the glass in the remaining greenhouse and the spare panes ready for refitting. I phoned our odd job man but he's broken a rib so unable to help. Weather permitting on Sunday, SiL will be over to replace the missing panes. Fingers crossed it won't be too windy and he can manage to cut 2 triangular pieces to fit. Once complete then I'll be able to get on with seed sowing. OH has already started. He sat in the toolshed before lunch and sowed some veg seed which are now on heat trays on the wide windowsill in the utility room. I also tidied up in the shed to enable us to move around more easily as OH needs his rollator to get to and into the shed. Such a shame about your window panel, Val. I do hope your niece can find an alternative place to hang it - meerkats and all Could you use some of the carrot jam mixed with your apples to make pies or add to a fruit cake mixture or even your morning porridge? Would adding some citrus zest give it a lift? As for little blighters, I seem to have controlled the ones that had invaded our tool shed using traps baited with crunchy peanut butter (sorry to anyone who doesn't like the idea of dispatching any living creature). Sorry you are still suffering tummy problems, Tina. Sending best wishes for a speedy return to normal appetite to you and Val. I guess Chris is enjoying his trip away and some good weather. Bye for now.
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Post by paperman on Mar 18, 2022 9:57:44 GMT
Good morning Ladies, I hope this finds you well.
We got back yesterday afternoon; whilst the journey down on Sunday had been everything you dread (main road A13 closed with long diversion followed by M25 closed at Junction 1a which meant a long tail back over the Dartford Crossing bridge) the journey home was everything you could wish for, no hold-ups at all. Although of course it is quite a way from Portsmouth to home but hey, we had a super time and it was a lovely way to spend my birthday. Lots of retail therapy, some super meals and on the only day it rained, Wednesday, we went to see some friends who, in their 90’s, bravely decided to move from Suffolk down to Portsmouth to be near family. It’s a lovely modern apartment overlooking the Naval base and the marina. So, whilst we were house or apartment bound due to weather on Wednesday there was plenty to talk about and see, so the time went by speedily.
This morning, like yesterday, it is a clear blue sky and we have to do some shopping as the cupboards need restocking although we have the fish for our fish & chip supper tonight. This Sahara sand which swept in on Wednesday’s rain has covered my terrace, table and chairs, otherwise I might have had breakfast outside this morning, albeit a trifle fresh, so I’ll have to do some clearing up later today. I notice the days are certainly getting longer, it is light in the mornings by the time I wake, around 7, and it is still almost light just gone 6:00pm when we think about our evening meal.
I am intending to stand down from being a trustee for our village hall, it is time for others to step up to the plate……(I just hope I have more success Iris than you had with your club) and I intend writing to confirm this as we have our AGM soon and I want it done and dusted then.
Val, I noticed there was some discussion about pizza base, I usually make mine, but interestingly Nigella has come up with a low calorie suggestion of using a tortilla as the base and at some point I am going to give that a try.
Whilst we were away we had breakfast in the hotel (which is right on Gunwharf Quay) and at around 11:00 went round the corner to Patisserie Valerie where some of the best cake and coffee can be found. That company had a near disaster a few years back when it was discovered that their accountant had misappropriated around £100 million and they went into administration; fortunately, the company survives and whilst much smaller than before it still does what it always did and very well too.
Which brings we nicely on to my morning coffee.
Max, you are right it is good news indeed that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been freed, perhaps if the UK government had repaid the £400 million they had held onto inappropriately in the first instance Iran may never have been forced to hold that poor woman and others hostage……or maybe it is oil talking now, who knows.
I see the Covid numbers are the highest they have ever been, yet the government seems to be keeping a low profile, Mr Johnson must be grateful that Ukraine seems to have put everything else on the back burner and may even prove to have saved his premiership much the same as the Falklands saved Mrs Thatcher. War seems to be good not only for arms companies but for politicians too but sadly the real price is paid elsewhere in other peoples families etc.
Enough, in fact more than enough, sorry about that. Now where is my coffee and my medication?!!
Have a nice day and please take care xx
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Post by brightspark on Mar 18, 2022 11:16:11 GMT
Oh Chris, you kept that quiet - Happy Birthday for whenever it was ! Sounds like you had a love relaxing time with your friends, which is what we all need at some point. Spending time overlooking the sea is just so beneficial and an opportunity to wind down. Very therapeutic.
Re pizzas - I have found the white bread mixes - in fact I have used the ciabatta mix in the past - are excellent for making pizza bases. Although I often find a pizza for dinner is because I have forgotten to prepare something else! On one occasion while in France (apologies if I am repeating myself), and our family with us, they decided to go out to get pizzas but unfortunately they have to be ordered, there's no similar idea to here. So when they came back empty-handed, and I happened to have some of the ciabatta mixes with me, we made pizzas all-round. Daughter and granddaughter spent time cutting up veggies and making bowls of toppings to share with us all. This was so much better than grabbing a pizza from a shop, as it was an all-round family effort!
Normally I would be going to quilting this morning, but I decided after the news from my bro last night that I have made the window quilt too wide, I have decided to unpick one whole side of the quilt to re-make. Very disappointing as I thought this was perfect for them. (How deflating is this - the window quilt I have made for my niece is 42" wide. My bro told me that there is a half-landing, then the stairs turn to two more steps at his daughter's house. I measured our half-landing and two steps and it is 46" wide. Bro just phoned me and said it is 37".) However I finished the baby quilt last night, with the frill (ruffle) around the edge, and I am very pleased with that.
Fully understandable that you intend to give up on the village hall trusteeship, Chris, and also Iris on her Gardening Club - it's the same story always - 'a willing horse' and we all think it's a good idea to help out, then find that we are put upon. I remember volunteering to do the weekly church newsletter, but when I found an error, so phoned the vicar to ask advice, his little boy answered and said 'Daddy's too busy to talk to you!'. That was it, no more newsletter from me.
By the way, I hope that the accountant for Patisserie Valerie got his just desserts. Talking on desserts - Iris, your ideas for using the carrot jam are good - particularly the fruit cake, as I did add some spice to the jam, and that would fit in nicely within a fruit cake. It has a lovely flavour actually, but being a little reminiscent of a Christmassy flavour doesn't really work on toast!!
Tina, thinking about you bringing up your four children reminded me of my very hard-working Mum. There were five of us children, plus my paternal Grandma, so there were eight of us in a 3-bed house, and, Mum worked in the factory too. She would get on her bike and go via the shops for our dinner each evening. Yet, I can only remember having a wonderful childhood, a lot of it outside with my big brothers, going fishing or playing cricket.
Max, it looks like the weather is good for a couple of days, ideal for your dog-walking in the park. Enjoy.
Well, that's it for today, I'm off to do some unpicking...
Have a lovely day everyone, x
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