Foodie things

Today for me has mainly centred around food; pennies are extremly tight again at the moment most of the money we have going on heating and electric but you still have to feed yourself so in the first instance I went trawling through the freezer (I am currently trying to use up the contents of the same) to see what I could locate meat wise not having enough pennies left over to get meat only veggies.  I  Came out of the freezer with a pack of mince, some pate, some crab pate, a pack of butter, some turkey kebabs, a joint of pork for tomorrows dinner, some blueberries, some blackberries. (blueberries for some blueberry muffins tomorrow and a blackberry and apple pudding probably a pie as I have some cooking apples to use up in the fridge.   I have also made a jelly for pudding during the week.  I have some strawberries in the freezer and intend to make a sponge flan case and combine everything which should make a change.  A sponge flan case is an ideal base for a baked Alaska and the base itself is very easy to make.

 I might even make some raspberry and white chocolate muffins and also some pear and chocolate muffins as well. I intend to do some baking tomorrow.  I bought yogurt today and also some coconut for making some cocount cheesecakes.  If I get time I might make a sponge cake and some cup cakes as well as some scones. I have some nice home made strawberry jam and some cream so might do a cream tea will see how things go.  A little bit of baking helps pad everything out

I also went to the veg shop and came back with 2kgs of tomatoes, a tray of eggs, a bunch of mint, two hispi cabbages, a cauliflower, 4 lemons, 1kg rhubarb (making OH a rhubarb crumble for tomorrow's tea).  I have carrots, some cauliflower, sweet potato, parsnips, plenty of potato and onions, some broccoli and some sweet peppers already in so plenty to go at. Might make a fritata and some potatos bravos for Monday night's tea.  I try and choose ingredients that can be used for several meals rather than just one meal and that way I get the maximum use out of them.

The mince has been used in home made chilli for tea tonight utilising both tinned and fresh tomotoes with a can of chilli beans out of the pantry; and then cooked in the slow cooker for about three hours or so and then  served with some tortilla wraps, home made mint raita, mixed salad leaves, salsa mix, (I had no cheese) so supplemented dairylea cheese portions crumbled over the mix and they were delicious.  The mint raita was just a pot of yogurt with fresh chopped mint leaves incorporated together with a couple of teaspoons of mint jelly and then chilled in the fridge for a couple of hours.   We then popped the tortillas onto a plate and built each one up with a layer of lettuce, a layer of chilli then the mint raita and the salsa then the dairylea and then wrapped each one securely starting by folding over the bottom and then folding in either side and then folding in half to stop any drips.  It went down extremely well; I have never known a bag of salad go so quickly in this house.

I really needed to buy more stuff but you have to make do with what you have to hand when things are really tight and you have your back up against the wall.  This type of experimentation can lead to creative cooking.

I am hoping to get some salad stuff planted soon so that I can have a fresh supply of salad for use through the summer months. which will all help.  Hopeflly will ge able to get some seeeds sown tomorrow.

I am not going to be late out of bed tonight, I am still tired another snuggle down is required as I seem to be lacking energy again at the moment.

I am hoping to go for a walk in the morning and if it is dry enough collect some nettles to make some nettle soup.

Right I am off to bed

Sweet dreams and take care

Pattypan
xxx