Budget eating for one

Hello. It's a bit of a mixed bag tonight I'm afraid. There comes a time when I have all sorts going through my head, so I just pick out a few random bits and pieces. People say things, I read things, and I think, oh must write something about that. So, in no particular order.......

Jayne asked for a recipe for garlic mushrooms. My easy way of making them. Mushrooms cut up if big, but small ones can be left whole. Cooked in a small pan in a splash of oil or a blob of butter/marg or both. If a bit dry add a splash of lemon juice, I have a bottle in my fridge. Or you can add a drop of water, or any old juice you happen to have around. I like them quite garlicky so I add a flat teaspoon of garlic powder, or you can use garlic paste. If you don't like a strong garlic taste you can reduce the amount or leave it out. Stir it in while the pan is still on the heat. Then I add some garlic flavour soft cheese spread. two teaspoons should do it. This costs about 45p -55p depending where you buy it. I always have some of this in the fridge because I like it on cream crackers.

Take it off the heat, stir it in, if there isn't enough sauce add a spoonful of plain yogurt. If you want it rich and creamy add a bit of grated cheese. Easypeasy.

Helen asked how many meals do I have a day, and what are they composed of. Thank you Helen for that question. I have three meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is either porridge or bran flakes. Sometimes with a banana and/or sultanas. I aim to have lunch any time between 12am and 2pm, depending what I am doing, and depending when my stomach is telling me to eat. Early lunch if I am feeling hungry, or a mid morning snack of a banana or yogurt if I am busy and not eating till 1pm. I like to have eggs three or four times a week for lunch, either scrambled, omelette, or boiled.  Sometimes on toast, or with mushrooms, or with beans or spaghetti. I will have a salad if I have any in. Lunch could also be noodles, pasta, or cous cous.

Dinner is mainly steamed fresh veg. If I run out I will substitute frozen veg, I have stopped buying tinned veg, frozen is more cost effective. I make soups, stews, and curries with whatever I have in. I like cheese grated on some of my meals. I don't have puddings because my meals fill me up. If I fancy something sweet, which could be at anytime not necessarily after a meal, I will have half a tin of rice pudding, or some tinned peaches with yogurt. I also put ground almonds into my yogurt to eat with fruit or on it's own. I don't eat much bread, but if I do it's wholemeal or seeded. I might have a cheese sandwich for lunch, or a piece of bread with lemon curd on it. I eat brown rice and wholemeal pasta.

When I go shopping for food I never take a list, I know in my head the main things I need. I always have in onions, bananas, cheese, yogurt, eggs, soya milk, bran flakes and porridge. I choose my fruit and veg by whatever I can get on a yellow sticker, if not much is available I try and buy in season, and look for the best prices. If swede is cheaper than potatoes then I have swede. If carrots are cheap I get some. I like to get broccoli, cauliflower, and sprouts, but if they are too expensive I will pass them by. If you go to the food gallery link at the top of the page, there are lots of pictures of my meals there.

I made some more peanut butter today, but instead of using the food processor I used the stick blender, to cut down on the washing up. I used a packet of ordinary salted peanuts and shook them around in a tea towel to get rid of some of the salt. The blender struggled a bit at first until they broke down a bit. Nothing added, just peanuts. I will keep this in the fridge and dip into it when I want some, won't bother transferring it to a smaller container, saves on washing up. I've been looking for cheap peanuts, but the human kind are more expensive than those you buy for the birds. I read the label on a packet of those, it says not for human consumption. Don't know why, they look like any other peanut. Must be different varieties.

I picket up this packet of maize cous cous when I was last in Tesco, reduced from �2 to 40p. A bargain I thought. Not had it before, don't know what it's like, worth a try.

 And here's the dinner I made tonight. The cous cous is buried in the middle of iceberg lettuce, grated carrot, chopped celery, and cooked beetroot out of a sealed packet, (not jar). The cous cous wasn't that nice, not like the regular stuff, no taste and gritty. I didn't eat it all, got fed up with all the chewing, so I will put it back in the pan tomorrow and cook it up some more with a little oil and garlic, maybe some cheese.

I've just realized, it's all food tonight, how boring, ha ha. There was something else to write about but I've run out of time, so I'll hold that over till tomorrow. I want to catch up with Last Tango now, so I'll say, Toodle pip.

PS. A bag is in the post for Aussie Cheryl, thanks for sending your address. One left for Primroses Attic. I'll hang on a bit longer, but if you don't respond soon, I'll draw another name out.

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Crumbs !!!

Hello, it's a nice day and I have been out . I went out yesterday as well, to visit The Ropewalk Gallery in Barton on Humber. I haven't been for ages so decided to take a look at the exhibitions. I was lucky, there were two extremely talented artists on show, this one was very pleasing to the eye. This is my kind of art, the sort that makes me go 'wow',, innit fabulous. The pictures here are photographed from the leaflet I brought home, there is a bit of blurb about Clive Redshaw below. 

Here is a link to the Ropewalk web site. There are some more of his pictures on the Lincolnshire Open Studios  web site. I really enjoyed this exhibition. 

On a completely different note, I've been getting fed up of clearing away bread crumbs and other bits of chopped and grated food from my worktop. Some of it inevitably ends up on the floor as I try and wipe it up with a dishcloth, which then means I have to clean the floor as well. Grrrr, I hate housework. I've come up with an idea which I am trying out. I don't want to get a bigger chopping board, mine is a normal size one which can be a bit cumbersome to scrub down in the washing up bowl. I thought of an idea to extend the boundaries of the board by placing a tea towel underneath it, then all it needs is for the chopping board to be lifted on it's side, with the bits falling into the tea towel, which is then taken outside and shaken. I haven't got a nice tea towel, mine are all a bit worn, so I have used a pillow case. I will see how it goes, good idea eh!

What do you do with half a portion of chips left over from the day before. I just fancied some yesterday, it was a massive portion, enough for three people. Today I put the last of them in a bowl, topped it with half a tin of baked beans, and zapped it in the microwave. Ta da! a two minute Sunday lunch, no food wasted here. I will make something a bit more healthy for my main dinner in an hour or so.

I'm going to sign off now, I've got more stuff to talk about but I'll save it till tomorrow. Some questions to answer, and I've picked out a couple of ideas for blog posts from your comments. Thank you for joining in, and welcome to the new readers.
Toodle pip
PS. Still waiting for two addresses. Primroses Attic and Aussie Cheryl. You have each won a shopping bag, they are ready to go. Give me an address.

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Psssst, want to know a secret ;o))

'Ello 'ello 'ello, what's all this 'ere then? Food, that's what. A quick rundown of my meals over the last few days. I don't count calories, or add up points, or weigh portions, luckily I like the healthy stuff. I do have a bit of naughty stuff, but I limit myself. Naughty food is for now and again, not every day. 

Regular food for me is porridge, bran flakes, fruit juices, veg, salad, fruit, pulses, nuts, pasta, rice, cous cous, noodles, some dairy, cheese and yogurt. 

I bought a pack of fresh tagliatelle for around �1, I split this into three meals. Garlic mushrooms with grated cheese, love this. 

Salad - grated carrot, iceberg lettuce, spinach, grated cheese, and chopped celery.

A tasty stew made with carrots, celeriac, runner beans, and a tin of tomatoes. Just eaten a bowl of this with a chunk of wholemeal bread, one large pan makes four portions. Mostly I eat it over two or three days, sometimes I freeze it in margarine tubs.

Lunch today was a happy salad. same as above, with boiled eggs.  

Twas a nice day to take a walk in the park, a bit chilly but ok if you are wrapped up. As I walk around our village I see a lot of people just out for a walk. Some of them walk the mile to the park, then around it, and back again. I drive there, because Rocky can't walk that far. He loves it snuffling away in the grass, then his head comes up and he has a dead leaf stuck to his whiskers, it makes me laugh. Sometimes he spots a squirrel and makes a half hearted attempt to catch it, then stands at the bottom of a tree looking up, watching the squirrel make his escape. 

The ducks all came across the pond to see us, hoping for some food. I always feel guilty not having anything for them. There is a notice up saying only feed them with grain bought from the shop, I haven't seen anyone throw bread in for them. 

Here's an idea of what to do with an old suitcase. Two pets, both want a bed near the fire. I had an old wooden drawer here but it was a bit cumbersome, took up too much space. This is a much better arrangement. The favourite is the side where Mayze is, so if Rocky is first in he takes it. They swap about and will lie in either side. Good idea I thought.  

And now for a surprise, I like surprises, don't you. I was asked what I do with the bags I make, answer, I give them away. Up to 9pm tonight, 417 people viewed yesterdays post, and 17 people commented. I have had a draw and four people have each won a bag. So, please send me your postal address and I will send you one. You can send it in a comment, which I won't publish, or you can email me, address on the side.

Primroses Attic
Aussie Cheryl
Destemona
Quin 

I like doing secret giveaways. A lot more fun than loads of people trying to win something.
Toodle pip

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Paid in parsnips

Hello, Isn't it cold outside, that wind is chilling to the bone. How are you managing to keep warm? This is my get up for dog walking, I'll start from the inside. A vest and two short sleeved teeshirts. A sweatshirt and a fleece. Pair of kecks, leggins, short pair of socks, long pair of woolen socks. On top, a long thick padded jacket with a furry hood, this was given to me. I like this jacket, it has plenty of pockets for carrying poo bags, dog treats, phone, extra lead, camera, and keys. A hood is a must in this wind, it keeps my whole head warm as the front zip closes it up over my mouth.  To keep my legs warm I wear pair of trousers, and a thick woolen skirt that I got from a closing down charity shop for 50p. A sturdy pair of  boots (charity shop), and thermal gloves (found), and I'm all set to do battle with the wind. It's surprising what a difference that skirt makes, the only bit of me that gets cold is my nose.  

This morning I picked up Ollie and Alfie from the Kennels, and delivered them back to Paul's house. He had just arrived back from his weekend away, a bit earlier than planned. The timing was just right, he was putting the kettle on, a hot mug of coffee was very welcome. 

And this is what I wear in the house. Pretty much the same as outside, minus the jacket and gloves, and instead of the boots I have what I call my granny slippers. Remember those, I bought them in a charity shop in Driffield for a couple of quid. They are snug little bootees with velcro fastenings. If I get cold I put a long dressing gown on, or I might even put the heating on, or the gas fire, if I'm feeling flush, ha ha.  

Lunch today was salad leaves, mushrooms, a quarter of the quiche, some bread with home made peanut butter, and a small garlic dip. I didn't wash the salt off the peanuts, I emptied the bag into a clean tea towel, gathered the edges together and shook the nuts around in it. I did that again with a second tea towel, that seemed to remove a lot of the salt, and it tastes fine. 

Dinner tonight, my favourite, steamed veg with garlic mushrooms. Mangetout peas, broccoli, fine beans, and parsnips. Delishus.

Paul very kindly gave me a bag of parsnips, they had a bumper crop and have plenty left over. So, it will be parsnips coming out of my earholes for the next week. 

There wasn't much to post about yesterday, so I got on with some sewing and watched a couple of programmes on the catch up. It's very handy having everything in one place in the living room. I can sew while I watch. Last night I watched the Meat Loaf story, from when he started to what he is doing now. It was great, I love the energy of Meat Loaf music, especially Dead Ringer, that's the best. Then I watched a documentary about how Rock and Roll started in the fifties, I vaguely remember that. Remember the Quarymen? They are still going, four old guys still doing the songs, and yes, they are still great. I love that era.

Anyway, keep your pecker up and don't let the buggers get you down. Thanks for your comments, especially thanks to Anonymous, who seems to be commenting all the time  ;o)
Toodle pip

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Colour me happy

Hello. I've just found a fab little vid on yoootooob. I was singing Petula Clark's song to myself today, Colour my world, and thought I'd find it. This version is so vibrant. Take a look, it's fun, it's happy, and full of energy. Brilliant.

Has that got you in a happy mood, it certainly did it for me. My colour photo for today is.......

..... my washing. We've had a lovely sunny day, although it has been quite cold. No grey skies, but frosty on the ground. I wasn't sure if it would dry, but it has. 30 minutes at 30 degrees, same as I do all my washing, I never change the dials.

If you can read upside down you might be able to make out the logo on the front of the red and yellow teeshirts, this gives away the age of them. I started the Lady Truckers Club in 1986, we couldn't afford teeshirts at first so a company sponsored us and provided them. Once we had enough money in the kitty a couple of years later, we were able to afford our own, without company advertising on them. So these teeshirts are about 25 years old. That's good going isn't it, they have hardly faded at all. I wear them all the time, usually two or three layers in the winter, and singly in the summer. I wear teeshirts every day because I find them so comfortable, and best of all, I don't have to iron them. Ironing is banned in this house.

I had more of the pasta for lunch, but still had some left, so I made up half a mug of veg gravy in the microwave, cut up four nutty patties into small pieces, put it all in a pyrex dish, grated some cheese over it and microwaved the lot. My dinner for tonight. Eee by 'eck it were greet.

Are we all back to normal now? All decs put away for another year. I was going to get mine out but in the end I couldn't be bothered. All done and dusted, yeah, great. Now lets get on with this new year we have ahead of us. I'm off for a barf. Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip.

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Nuts about nuts

Hello. I'm getting lost with the days, what with having the holidays mid week, I thought it was Sunday today. Not a very nice start, it was very dull, and raining. 

I know some of you like to know what I eat, sorry I'm not good with the recipes, I just make it up. If you read my blog regularly you will see lots of photo's of vegetables, because that's what I like best. I don't care if it doesn't look like a meal from a posh restaurant, I know it's going to taste delicious, well most of the time, ha ha. You can't really go wrong with steamed veg, all you need to do is prick them with a fork while cooking, and removed them from the heat pretty sharpish before they turn to mush. I don't usually have any anything else with them so as soon as they are ready they are eaten. A sprinkle of grated cheese is lovely. Occasionally I might make half a mug of veggie gravy in the microwave, if I can be bothered. Or as a treat I might buy some dips, or mayo. The taste of slightly crunchy sprouts is divine, oh, and broccoli is just scrumptious. My dinner from two days ago. 

A while ago I bought a box of Caffe Latte, I fancied something a bit different to plain Nescafe. I used some of the single sachet's, but the taste didn't excite me, not enough coffee in them.These three have been in the cupboard for ages. What to do with them. Empty them into the jar, and mix ordinary coffee in with them. Nothing wasted in this house.

I fancied some pasta yesterday. I never buy sauce in jars, always make my own, it's simple enough. I chopped a large onion into a medium size pan and added a portion of frozen home grown runner beans. Cook them in a slug of oil until they start to soften. Add whatever spices you have. I used garlic powder and turmeric, and a shake of this and that, ha ha. Chuck it all in. Then I added a tin of chopped tomatoes, and simmered a little while longer. When ready I zapped it with the stick blender. It was lovely. I made three portions of pasta and two portions of sauce. I ate one last night, one tonight, and the rest of the pasta I will eat with cheese and mayo tomorrow,

I had some packets of chopped nuts which needed using up, I eat a lot of nuts, so I thought I would see if they would turn into nut butter if I pulverized them in the food processor. I also have some linseeds so I put them in as well. It was a fairly stiff consistency so I added a slug of olive oil. Then I tasted it, yuk, not great. What to do next. 

I had to divide the mix in half because there was too much for the mixer to cope with. I opened a tin of chick peas and added that, plus some spices, and a squirt of tomato ketchup. Much better consistency now. 

Next I fashioned it into small patties. The mixture was sticking to my disposable gloves, I prefer to use them rather than use my bare hands. Under the grill they went. I got 18 out of it. They taste quite nice, an improvement would be more curry powder, a bit more spicy would be better. They are fine hot or cold, and would be a great addition to add to a snack box.

I wanted to top up the pet food so I went off to a small retail park this afternoon, not very far away. A few years ago most of the shops closed as they went out of business, but new companies have moved in to take their place. It's a nice place to shop now. Not too busy, and plenty of parking. Yes it's out of town, but it's an old established park, not like the brand spanking new ones that are springing up everywhere. It's got shops where I can actually afford to buy things. Poundstretcher, Home Bargains, Dunelm, Pound Shop, Iceland, and Matalan. If anyone needs sugar, it's still 49p in Poundstretcher. I got some Quorn burgers, sausages, and roast from the freezer in Iceland, all half price at �1 each.

Today's colour is.......blue. I didn't have far to go to take this. The daffodils are coming up in my back garden, near to the back door, and I keep stepping on them. A plastic ball on a stick does the trick to remind me to walk round them.

Hey, it's Saturday night, chill time. Thanks for looking in. Have a nice Sunday. I think it's going to rain again ;o(( Toodle pip.

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Aaaah, there she is.

Hello, nice to see you. No snow here yet, guess we are lucky going by the pictures of disruptions in the transport systems caused by an arctic blast sweeping over the country. It has yet to reach the east coast. We've had a dry day, but it's raining now, I am snug back in my own house tonight. 

Has anyone got cats that love to play hide and seek? Mine seem to find hidey holes all over the place and sometimes it takes me ages to find them. When it starts to get dark I like them in. They are in the habit of popping in and out all day, but at about 5pm I start looking for them. If after several attempts to find them, walking around the garden with a torch calling their name and still no sign, I make another inspection of every nook and cranny in the house, just in case I missed them first time around. Can you see a cat here? No, I didn't at first, but looking closely there seems to be a bulge underneath the cover on the settee. 

Ha ha, she's made a little tent. Mayze you are supposed to lie on top of it, not burrow underneath it.

Henry choc lab is with the other sitter tonight, when I left the house I went to make a check on my friends rental house on the way home. All was ok, I picked the mail up, and made sure everything was secure. The new tenants move in next month, luckily the previous tenants have left it in good order. They have papered some of the walls, not my choice of design but the new people are ok with it.

While I was passing I thought it would be a good idea to check out the three shops for any reductions. I haven't much food left apart from frozen and a few tins, and I can't be bothered to do a full shop. I was lucky to find enough to keep me going until after the new year. Half price mince pies from the Co op, at 50p. I'm not that keen on them to be honest, wouldn't buy them unless they are reduced.

Also from the Co op, reduced diced chicken and cooked sliced chicken for the cats. Brussel sprouts reduced to 29p at Tesco, and I also bought cauliflower and broccoli, not reduced but at 49p a good price. The Spar shop had six eggs for 50p, have to eat them in the next few days. Also a pack of 8 scones 50p, milk 30p, and sliced ham 50p.

Well that's it for another year. Christmas has been and gone. I get more excited about the start of a new year. A brand spanking fresh new year. Love the idea of leaving the old one behind, and making plans for the new one. There will be no New Year Resolutions, just oodles of optimism that things are going to turn out fandabidozi brilliant. No if's, but's or maybe's, it will be chuffin brilliant.
Catch you tomorrow. Have a nice weekend. Toodle pip.

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Starting an art project

Hello. Can you guess what this is. It's an A4 plastic pocket, with an outline of a landscape picture of Sugar Loaf mountain, it's on the front cover of Country Walking magazine. I wanted to draw it on a sheet of greaseproof paper, but I couldn't see enough detail, so I copied it onto the plastic with a marker pen, then onto the greaseproof paper in pencil. The original picture is here. 

Then I transferred it to a piece of A4 paper, and marked out a grid of two inch squares.

I wanted it twice as big so I stuck two pieces of A3 paper together, and marked out a grid of four inch squares, and copied it across.

Now I need to transfer the design onto a piece of fabric, so I used a much bigger piece of greaseproof paper for that. I penciled it in on both sides so it would be the right way round. 

My piece of fabric is an offcut from the Scrapstore. It's a brown hessian, the type they use on the underside of three piece suits when they make them in the factory. It's got to be pretty tough because of all the stitching it's got to take.

So, my idea is to make lots of these cords and couch them onto the fabric to create the picture. Making the cords is simple, cut lengths of fabric about one inch wide, start twisting at one end and trap it under the foot of the machine. Then sew the length in zigzag stitch, twisting as you go. I don't know if this is going to work, but I fancy trying it. It could be a complete disaster, or it could be really exciting. I've got an itching to give it a go, if I don't try I'll never know. I'm going to use the original picture as a colour guide, it won't be exactly the same, but my interpretation of it.

Lunch today was another salad. Only had half the tub of potato salad this time, with two boiled eggs, and spinach, radishes, spring onions, and lots of beetroot. 

Tonight I made a big pan of lumpy soup with two packs of chopped onions, sprouts, potatoes, carrots, and spinach. It's loverly. Some for lunch tomorrow and some for the freezer.

Tomorrow I'm going to see Elvis, there may be several of him, at the Arts Centre. Should be fun. Over the next three weeks I'm going to be doing some house and dog sitting. My friend has gone on holiday and I shall be staying at hers. Not the whole time, but sharing it with another sitter. I will be posting on here, just the same. I will be commuting back and forth as it's only three miles away. Central heating and a big tele to watch will be a bonus. Hope I don't get too soft. :o)

Catch you tomorrow.

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Need some stuffing

Hello. Thank you all for your responses yesterday, it made for some interesting reading. I see there are some new people visiting, forgive me for not welcoming you earlier. I do take note of what is happening on my sidebar, honestly. I'll go and have a look at your blogs as soon as I've finished this. 

I have made a couple of cushion covers out of men's shirts, started at college, finished at home, but I don't have any cushions for them. The easy way would be to go to a cheapo shop and spend a couple of quid and buy them, but you know me, have I got anything in the house that would do the job? Yep, surely have. A garden recliner that I just don't recline on any more. The frame is metal with some elasticated panels, and is not comfy at all. Must be some stuffing inside the cushions. Let's have a look. The fabric is faded anyway, so it looks a bit dull.

Aha, lots of foam crumbs. Just the jobby, now I need to get a big bag and empty it all out.

Turn my back for a minute and a cat takes up residence. Ha ha.

Once it was emptied I discovered that the inside is still quite colourful. I shall remove the plain backing and this will come in useful for another project. 

Remember this cover, the photo's I took previously turned out a strange colour. Yes, it is blue, now with a cushion inside. Barry gave it to me as a shirt, now he has it back as a cushion.  

I bought a shirt from the Age UK shop for �1, to make the second cover. This one didn't have pockets which makes the job a lot easier. I suppose you could leave the pockets in place, but they would be on the back of the cushion, and as you have to cut the shirt across the width just under the armpits the pockets would get in the way. If you are going to do this choose a shirt without pockets. Doesn't matter if it has short sleeves or long sleeves. 

I'm not sure that sewing a lot of buttons on a cushion cover is a good idea, it might be a bit uncomfortable against your back. I think this one is more for decoration purposes, it's pretty but not very practical. 

You know me and rooting in bins, ha ha. There is a big one in the sewing room at college. Look what I found. One of the students is making a fancy dress costume. This will come in useful.

They have been making pompoms, I'll have the offcuts, thank you very much.

This week the teacher showed me how to make a corsage out of teeshirts. There was only me who wanted to know, everyone else was doing their own thing. Two ways, you can cut circles in different colours and different sizes, and layer them with a button holding it together. Or cut long strips, fold in half lengthways and cut into the open edge all along the length, then roll it up like a catherine wheel in a box of licorice allsorts.

Sew a pin on the back, if you want to fasten it onto your clothes.

What did I have for lunch yesterday? Salad, ha ha. A big plateful. I ate the whole tub of  lentil and bean salad. They put it in a big plastic container to make you think you are getting a lot, but the container is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top, and it is only half full. The cost of it is �2.15. Even if I split it in half over two meals, it would still take the cost of the meal over my limit of �1. Glad I only paid 1p for it. 

For dinner yesterday I made a pan full of veg curry stew with the chopped onions, potatoes, and carrots. I ate one portion last night, froze two portions, and had the last portion for lunch today. Tonight I have had another salad, instead of lettuce I had the spinach, and in the middle I had potato salad. Boy was it lovely. My pee is now red with all the beetroot.

It's very cold and windy here. I am treating us to a bit of heat. Bugsy gets a hot water bottle underneath the duvet, he is camped out on the bed. I am working on an idea for another picture. I fancy making some cording, where you cut long lengths of fabric, twist it, and machine over it with a zigzag stitch to hold it together. Then sew it onto a canvas. Never tried it before, should be interesting.

Must go, I've got a cat still out, need to go and look for her.
Toodle pip.

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