Showing posts with label experimental food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label experimental food. Show all posts

Monday, May 29, 2017

Heidi learning keyboard skills.

Hello. It's goodbye summer and hello autumn here today. Damp and drizzly all day, now chucking it down with rain. Blow that for a game of soldiers, I'm not going out for a walk today, no sireeee. Twas a bit quiet at Crafty Club this morning, just the two of us, made a change because I could actually get a word in edgeways instead of battling against the banter going backwards and forwards across the table. Last night I machined a few pieces of fabric together to make a book cover to take with me. I added some cross stitch to it. 
This afternoon I made some more shopping bags, now I have 14 to sell on the cat stall next month. Owain the Welsh weather man kept me company, he is now a presenter on BBC Radio York, and his lively chat keeps me entertained.
My lunch today was a big fat sandwich. I am really getting into them now, and they are getting fatter and fatter as I stuff more filling into them. For dinner tonight I made a pan of this whatever you like to call it. A chopped onion, three mushrooms, handful of frozen peas, and broad beans, two pieces of frozen spinach, and some Quorn mince. It's sort of mild curryish with turmeric and vegetable granules for seasoning. Instead of water I gave it a slosh of cranberry juice. Served on a bed of tagliatelle. There is enough for two more meals which I will eat tomorrow and the next day. It's very tasty, and filling.  

Now I am being interrupted, Heidi's nose is two inches away from this keyboard, she is demanding my attention. I'm not going to get much more done tonight so I might as well give up. Perhaps I can get her to write the blog posts in future.


Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Saturday, May 13, 2017

Keeping it under control

Hello. For ages now I have been buying Aldi cheese, the big blocks for £1.45, and always the extra mature cheddar because I like tasty cheese. I was eating too much of it, nibbling it every time I opened the fridge door. It had to stop. The fact that they increased the price, it shot up to £1.75, was another reason to cut down on my cheese habit. I started studying cheeses, prices and different varieties, and found other alternatives, so no more big blocks of extra mature cheddar. 
Last week I popped into the local Spar shop on my way back from the vet, to see if they had any reductions. They never have much here, but worth a look if passing. I found this pack reduced to 80p. The sticker covered the label so I peeled it back to see which kind it was. Luckily extra mature cheddar. I don't like mild cheese at all, might as well eat a packet of lard. 
So, a much smaller pack for 80p. I tried it, and my goodness is it tasty. I thought it would be similar to the Aldi stuff, but it isn't, it's ten times better. I won't be scoffing loads though because it's doubtful that I will find any more like this reduced, and I won't be paying full price for it. Just as well, I don't want to get hooked on it. Hard cheese is now in the same category as chocolate, only buy it when it is on special offer or reduced. A treat rather than a must have. By the way, Aldi have their big blocks on offer at the moment, at £1.50 something. I won't be buying it.  
This is the next stage of my latest artwork, the embroidered circles. I have used a piece of recycled snooker table green baize as the backing. Looking good so far.

The lawns need mowing, it rained yesterday, they might be dry enough to mow today. Last time I did it I raised the blade on the mower, but I'm going to lower it again because I like a close cut. Don't have to do it so often then, it saves me time and electricity.

I'm getting all excited about sandwiches now, thank you for your suggestions. Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your weekend. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Friday, May 12, 2017

Do you have a recipe for that?

Hello. Sometimes it's just so easy to make a sandwich when you don't want to go the whole kabooble and cook a meal. The fillings can be anything you fancy, or anything you happen to have in your fridge or cupboard. Yes, there are the well know recipes for sandwiches, cheese and pickle, ham and mustard, egg and cress, everyone has heard of those,  I find regular sandwiches boring, and like to try new combinations of fillings.

The prepacked sandwiches you see in shops just don't appeal to me at all. They have a shelf life and are packed in boxes so they end up flat with all the filling  squished out and the bread very soggy. Even if I am hungry I can't bring myself to buy them.

I went to town this morning and when I came back I made a sandwich lunch. I eat mine with a knife and fork because I pile so much into them. Far easier to cut them up into bite size pieces.

My sandwich recipe for today is two slices of multigrain bread, spread with cream cheese. Slices of cucumber, two fried eggs, spinach leaves, and a dollop of mayo. It was very filling.

Sandwiches are also called butties and sarnies, I'm sure there are other names for them. If they are made with a bread roll they are called baps or barm cakes, or cobs.

If you want any ideas for sandwiches take a look at this Wiki page. There are sandwiches from all around the world.

So, what's your recipe for a tasty sandwich? What kind of bread do you use? How often do you eat sandwiches? Do you buy them out or make your own? Share your ideas.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon. Toodle pip

Monday, January 2, 2017

Eight years old today.

Well hello, how are you, welcome, come on in. We have a little celebration going on, the 2nd of January is the anniversary of the very first blog post, eight years ago, so Happy Birthday blog. 
After an operation when I was 59 I had 12 weeks off to recover, and when I was ready to go back to work, they announced they were closing the depot. I didn't have a job to go back to. And so I became unemployed. I didn't have much money because I had been reducing my hours at work, which reduced my pay. I had also been living on a pittance, my JSA had been reduced because I was receiving a little bit of insurance money. Those were hard times, but some of it was of my making because I scaled back the driving. It was just unfortunate that I had to take sick leave for a while. 
So this blog was started in the January, and I survived on little money until my 60th birthday in May. It was a big sigh of relief when my pension kicked in. Things are much improved now, my thriftyness and penny pinching has helped me to pay off my mortgage, change my car twice, and have holidays and days out. Now I am ticking over nicely living within my means, and happy with my lot.  
I think I have had all the mileage updates for the 2016 walking challenge. Counting up, 21 people have passed the 1000 mile mark. I think that's bloomin great, you should all be proud of yourselves. Some of you have come very close to it, also a great achievement, and a lot of you have done so well by sticking with it. As I always say, having a go and doing what you can, is better than sitting on your bum and doing nothing. So well done everyone. 
The challenge was not a competition, not a race, but I've picked out two names at random for a prize. So step forward Helen D and Vicki. Big cheer. Send me your addresses and I'll send you a little surprise in the post. 
Up to now there are 50 names on the list for 2017. Wouldn't it be good if we could get half of them to the 1000 mile mark. It would be chuffin great. 25 people fitter than when they started at the beginning. I know December is a long way off, but as you can see, it is achievable Good luck everyone. 
Right, what's next. My lunch yesterday. Not much food left in the fridge. A spud in the microwave, grated cheese, a tomato, and sliced beetroot. A nice simple cheap meal. 
 The other day I made this, enough for two days of lunch and dinner. Two smallish onions chopped, handful of Quorn pieces, carrots, Brussels Sprouts, frozen broad beans, sweetcorn, and frozen cranberries. Start it off with a slug of oil, add water and splash of fruit juice. Curry powder, turmeric, vegetable granules, coriander, Danish blue cheese, and cream cheese. Simmer till veg is soft, add water if needed.

I cooked plenty of wholemeal pasta, enough for three meals, and the fourth portion was a topping on a microwaved spud. I didn't bother freezing it, kept it in the fridge, and microwaved it before eating. My goodness it was ever so tasty. I will need to go shopping at some point this week, seems like ages since I last went to the shops. Not much left in the fridge.

Find the cat. Heidi has a new hidey hole, ha ha. Isn't it funny, just when you think they have found the ideal place, they move on to somewhere else.

That's it, all blogged out, nowt else left to say. Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Jade, a lovely lady

Hello. And life goes on. I'm holding off going to the shops, though now is probably the best time to go, there will be stuff marked down. I don't need anything at the mo, cat food stocked up, freezer stocked up, and I've enough Brussels Sprouts, potatoes, and carrots to last another week. I had a plate of veg this afternoon, never get bored with that. Sprouts and broccoli drizzled with toasted sesame seed oil, deeeelishhhh. 
Caught a glimpse of a fantastic sunset the other night, view from my bedroom window. A few minutes and it was gone. Twas a beautiful deep red, the colours never fail to amaze me. 
This was my lunch yesterday. The last of the yellow sticker mushrooms and chopped onions, half a tin of chick peas, and an egg scrambled into it. Spices, Danish blue cheese, and cream cheese with garlic. I had it on a microwaved spud. There was enough for two portions. Cheap and bloomin lovely.

Doggy walk this morning, this is Jade. She is a sweetie though you wouldn't have said that if you knew her when she first arrived from a rescue. She had a rough start in life and was very wary of people, leading to bouts of aggression. Both the gardener and the handyman were bitten, but her new owner persevered and she calmed down when she realized that she was safe in her new home.

I am walking her on alternate days for the next three weeks while her regular dog walker is away on holiday. He takes her all over the place, down tracks, across fields, she is allowed to run free with him. I won't be letting her off the lead, although she knows me I don't want to take the chance of her running off. We have a very fast march around the village, stopping to talk to any other dog owners we meet on the way. She is fine with people and other dogs, no sign of aggression now.


Bugsy is still eating, but getting a bit picky. It's good that he chunters and moans about not having the right food, at least he is interested in it.

Thank you all for commenting on the previous post, a lot of  opinions, and stories on how you spent your Christmas, and what it means to you. I think it's a topic which will emerge year after year. As people grow older and families grow up, ideas of what Christmas is about are bound to change. I liked it when I was young, but stopped liking it when I was in my late twenties/early thirties.

I had a very late lunch today, so I'm just about ready for a small meal. Don't need a full dinner, so spaghetti hoops on toast will be enough.

The computer is playing up a bit, I uninstalled Skype because it was slowing things up and I don't use it, but I must have done something wrong because now I can't access my favourite sites from the top bar. Will have to look into it, or get the little computer out. Bloomin pain.

Thanks for popping in. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Controlling my blood pressure

Hello. The weather has turned cold today. I took a dog for a walk this morning, I haven't walked Jade for a long time because she has a regular walker, Ken, but he has gone on holiday, so I said I would help out. I told the owner that I don't want to commit to a daily walk, but would help at odd times, and let her know. I said I would do it on Thursday and Saturday, and let her know after that. I don't want to be tied to a routine. Jade is lovely, a rescue dog that walks nicely on the lead and is happy to meet other dogs and people. 
Lunch today was a salad, under the grated cheese is a microwaved spud. I had some houmous with it, which was reduced to 25p. 
Not a very good picture of dinner tonight. I fancied some pasta, haven't had any for ages. I am using up yellow stickers, so in the topping is onions, butternut squash, mangetout peas, broccoli, and mushrooms. And the secret ingredient, Danish Blue cheese. I've made enough for lunch tomorrow, and there is enough pasta for dinner as well. Looks a bit yucky, but it tastes fantastic.

I've been doing a bit of sewing today, have changed the white bits on the picture and coloured them blue. It's looking good. I checked in with Stan on the library this afternoon, returned one book and took two out. He won't be coming for the next two weeks, that's ok, I have plenty of reading matter.

I wasn't going to mention this, but I feel terribly sad for the people of  Germany. What is this world coming to. I try not to write about politics because it won't make one bit of difference to what is going on. It only raises blood pressure, and I don't want lots of people piling in with their views and turning my comments into a punch up. I would rather it stay neutral.. However there is one thought in my head which I will share. 'That bloody woman'. That's it, nothing more to add. Anyone wanting to air their political opinions, do it elsewhere. Thank you.

Thanks for popping in, we'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip.

PS. Bugsy has been scoffing tuna fish.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

1000 miles - finished.

Hello, This is me on my last three mile walk which takes me to the magical number of 1000 miles. Yes, I've done it, and boy does it feel good. 
I was a year younger when I started, and felt pretty much ok then, and now I feel even better. It's right what they say, exercise is good for the body and the brain. 67 is just a number, I don't feel any different to when I was forty something. I want to continue feeling good so I will be carrying this on and starting again on Jan 1st 2017. I can feel the benefits, and I want to stay mobile. It would be such a shame to stop now, I will keep going. 
This was my lunch yesterday, potatoes, watercress, and mushrooms. All yellow stickers. 
I cooked a pan of veggie stew yesterday, ate one portion for my dinner and froze three and a small portion. It was bloomin lovely, my secret ingredient is Danish Blue Cheese.

Tonight I have cooked another pan, eaten one, and there is some to freeze.

 Bugsy update. A week ago I thought he was ready to keel over and die. He was scrawny and didn't have any interest in anything. He refused all the food I offered him. He had three injections from two vet visits, they didn't seem to make any difference. A day before I was due to take him back for blood tests he suddenly became interested in food. I had removed most of it as it became dry having been out for 24 hours, and replaced it with fresh out of the pouch. He was in it like a shot scoffing like he was starving, he almost was starving. Since then he has been eating small amounts regularly. When I come down in the morning he is sitting up asking for food. It seems his appetite has returned. Sometime he is picky and refuses what I am offering, but if I poke it around the bowl with a knife, tell him how lovely it is, and hold it under his nose he usually decides he will eat it. I'm completely baffled. So it seems we have a reprieve, how long for I don't know.

Thanks for popping in. Enjoy your Sunday. We'll catch up soon.
Toodle pip