At first glance on Friday our cupboards and fridge seemed a bit bare…panic…
My menu planning had become a bit out of sync with having mum to stay recently and we only did a part shop last Monday in Sainsbury’s to cover a few days, expecting to have to go again at the end of the week to top up.  But I didn’t really want to go down to town to Sainsbury’s again just for the weekend and I am watching the pennies so I decided to make what we had stretch over to next Monday when I would usually shop. We had run out of milk completely but we can get this from the local village Co-op and once I had assessed the meagre offerings laying in the fridge and devised a menu plan to get us through the weekend I asked DH to bring back a carrot too. 
The sum total of the veggies leftover from last Monday’s shopping trip were a few large old potatoes and a handful of small new potatoes, a number of tiny tomatoes, a little gem lettuce, 2 leeks, 2 onions, 2 courgettes, a few bits of celery, most of a swede and 3 pointed red peppers plus 2 very small avocados.
We also had a block of mild cheddar, a piece of Jarlsberg, 5 eggs; and in the freezer I keep peas, broadbeans and nutloaf. In the store cupboard I had a packet of chickpeas and plenty of brown rice.
So I worked out a menu plan to incorporate all these bits and bobs and tide us over
- Friday evening meal – *chickpea and rice with 1 onion, 1 courgette, the leftover mushrooms (not at their best but salvageable), and the 2 small stalks of some celery,
- Saturday lunch – a ploughman’s lunch of bread, cheese, tomatoes, pickle and the avocado
- Saturday evening meal – omelette with tomato, red pepper, courgette and herbs, small roasted potatoes and peas. Also a small cherry crumble each from the freezer.
- Sunday lunchtime – Leek and potato soup (I can add a carrot to this and the remaining lettuce), bread with avocado and cheese.
- Sunday evening meal – Nutloaf, mashed potatoes with swede, carrot and broad beans and we have a pack of small Yorkshire puddings in the freezer if we want to turn it into more of a Sunday dinner. I also serve the Nutloaf with apple sauce (also in the freezer).
- Monday lunchtime – rest of the Leek and potato soup and bread
* The chickpea and rice concoction – I kind of invented it myself one day and it has been a winner here ever since. Quick and easy and you can throw most things in it.
Cook a chopped onion and celery in a little oil to soften, then add chopped courgettes and finally add a packet of pre cooked Chickpeas and some chopped mushrooms. It works with most vegetables so a good way to use up those little bits and pieces. Once the mushrooms are softened I add some stock – about 200ml and leave to simmer so the flavours infuse. I add some parsley at this point too. Meanwhile cook some brown rice about 3-4oz (usually takes 30mins). Once cooked add to the chickpea mix and combine. Cook for another 3-5 minutes and serve.
It is always amazing how far you can stretch the leftover veg when you need to and it is a good way of saving a few pounds. We have a few standby things in the freezer like Nut cutlets, Pizza and some dried pasta in the cupboard but it was the veg I was interested to use up completely so there is no waste. The frozen Pizza will save for another day or another emergency.
With the 2 remaining eggs I might just be able to make some chocolate buns or brownies.
A day of purposeful prudence and penny-pinching…with a positively perfect outcome for the cost of a carrot.
Spend £0.45p (DH actually bought a bag of carrots rather than just one…but hey you can’t win them all!)
We have had the icy cold days with a frosting of snow recently and then we had the rain… but it brought slightly milder weather with it, which has been quite welcome…today it is cold once again but very sunny. Â Â Although I like the winter months the cold has got to my bones a bit – I must be getting older. 
The full force of the winter weather can be seen further afield out on the moors above us where there are wonderful and ever-changing vistas to capture – I love the bleak atmosphere that surrounds this expanse of wilderness – there are no trees, no buildings and no people. Even the sky can seem quite dark and foreboding at times. Only days ago this road was closed to a heavy snowfall and ice and we had to find alternative routes on lower ground – yesterday as you see it is quite passable with only a light dusting over the hills. The beauty of this untouched landscape is breathtaking no matter when you pass through.
Around the garden there are plenty of delightful things happening at the moment despite the weather. I haven’t ventured outside very much but I have noticed little pockets of colour and a show of buds here and there. Sometimes everything looks deceptively still and quiet beneath the carpet of leaves but on closer inspection there are shoots appearing and the bulbs I planted only a couple of months ago and these Snowdrops are beginning to push through the earth – a sign that spring will be here soon. 
To prevent the local cats doing their business and scratching around in the bare patches of earth where the bulbs lie beneath I pushed a few twigs, from the hydrangea prunings, into the ground as a deterent and to protect them and I noticed they are starting to bud and have actually taken root. Anyone want an hydrangea there will be far to many to keep!
Whilst it is so cold I find the best thing to do is stay warm indoors in the kitchen making those nourishing winter comfort dishes. Cauliflower and Broccoli Cheese bake is always a favourite here and plenty of nut roasts with root vegetables.
Making plenty of soup is still on the menu too – I have found a pack each of white and chestnut mushrooms mixed together make a very quick soup for lunch – add a leek and a stick or two of celery and a generous handful of fresh parsley for flavour…
…and use up any leftover large ripe tomatoes to make a very warming Tomato Soup with red pepper and a little carrot and a touch of paprika, run through the blender and sprinkle with a good spoonful of parmesan cheese….
On those days when we only have enough soup left for one we share it and I serve a mini bowl of soup with a ploughman’s lunch to use up the thick crusts of bread.
For some reason I always feel January is a good month for home life and a little housekeeping – not a deep spring clean and certainly nothing too strenuous but just enough to freshen the place up once all the Christmas decorations have been taken down and packed away.
My daughter bought me this lovely glass showcase perfect to display little bits and bobs. I chose this lino-cut print with the red fox and the little red bird to go with my hand carved wooden robins – the bold black and white with a splash of colourful red seems quite appropriate for now.
In the corner of the dining room the yellow tulips from Aldi for £1.89 are so wonderfully vibrant and cheerful – and very reasonably priced – I will certainly be visiting the store for more flowers in future as they have lasted so well.
Another small but new pleasure in my life is this desk calendar on a gold metal stand – Sadie over at 
We have done very little shopping so far this year as there is not very much that we need other than a new kitchen.  During the sales I got a great deal on the Neal’s Yard items – the face cream and serum I use was being offered at a discount in a gift box so not only did I get it cheaper but there is a free eye cream with it. I also love their sturdy boxes and reuse these for all kinds of things.
Mum must be getting more forgetful as for the first time in years (and I mean years) she didn’t buy me my usual slim handbag diary for Christmas so I looked for a cheap one in Poundland – I should be able to spot this colourful one easily in my handbag – I carry one about to jot down appointment times, phone numbers or anything I need to make a note of whilst I am out (most people would probably use their phones but I am not a phone user – I still like paper – you don’t have to remember to charge it!). Whilst out shopping I also took advantage of the reductions on Christmas cards and bought a couple of packs with 50% off to put away for next Christmas.
Day 17 – I swapped my Advent task today to make the mince pies – after all Christmas would not be Christmas without them even though I can only eat one or two as they don’t really agree with me now. I often bake these tiny ones as they make a lovely token gift and this batch was to take in to my old workplace for my former colleagues.
The thickness didn’t affect the taste though, the pastry was ‘melt in the mouth’ with no soggy bottoms. After a dusting of icing sugar I packaged them up onto these little white trays (I collected during the year from Chocolate Mini Rolls) lined with a doyley and added a sprinkling of confetti – green metallic holly leaves. 
I also took in a tray of the chocolates. Well it is Christmas.
A nice quiet Sunday spent baking my Christmas cake whilst singing along to my favourite CD of Christmas Carols to get me in the mood. DH had gone to the final concert in town and I had the afternoon to myself so once the cake was parcelled up and in the oven I had another go at my Christmas card. I have so many varying Robins now but none are quite right and I am in two minds as to whether to ditch the idea and do something else.
He has done a fantastic job – plenty of hooks and shelving and the melamine from the old wardrobe will make the shelves easy to wipe down (and I am so pleased we could repurpose the wood and we didn’t have to take it to the landfill). All I have to do now is put the contents back – but that will be another day – as will painting the outside as it is still too damp for the paint to stick.
I spent the day taking stock of what I have done and what I still have to do. After a few hectic days I needed to check up on our finances and other bits and pieces and generally have a little time to think.
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