What's been happening
Every few months we learn new songs at the Cake and Wine Club Choir. We have many gigs throughout the year, but especially in the lead up to Christmas. This year we are due to sing at the Wealden Hospice In The Weald and partly because of that, this week we were learning the lovely song In The Living Years. About a third of the way through I thought, oh-oh, I'm in trouble here, as my throat closed up and my eyes started stinging. Looking around at my choir colleagues, I could see that a third of the choir was struggling and many, including me by now, were in tears. We all hugged our neighbours at the end!
I think I'll sing it over and over to try and take the sting out of it!
This month, in book group, we are reading Colm Tóibín's Long Island. I have just finished it and am still a little immersed in the lives of the characters. Gently melancholy throughout, it's a wonderful read and I was invested in what happened to everyone.
The love story of the century
Long Island by Colm Tóibín, the author of Brooklyn, is his masterpiece: an exquisite, exhilarating novel that asks whether it is possible to truly return to the past and renew the great love that seemed gone forever.
The instant Sunday Times bestseller and the sequel to Brooklyn
A man with an Irish accent knocks on Eilis Fiorello’s door on Long Island. In that moment, everything changes. This stranger will reveal something that will make Eilis question the life she has created.
For the first time in years she suddenly feels very far from home and the revelation will see her turn towards Ireland once again. Back to her mother. Back to the town and the people she had chosen to leave behind.
Did she make the wrong choice all those years ago? Is it too late now to take a different path?
My granddaughter had her very first driving lesson this week. It was two hours with someone that came highly recommended. It went very well, and it sounds like she's a natural! She was very matter of fact about it and said if I got stuck I just worked out what I had to do. If she can keep that going, she'll be a safe driver. Go to sort her out a cheap little run about now!
Then after that, we went to one of my friends who helped her learn how to use a sewing machine. I can sew basic stuff, but I just don't have time or energy right now to teach her that. So it was really lovely to sit in a calm and sunny garden for a couple of hours, admiring the view and reading my book while someone else took it on. Very grateful to her for it
Char de Crabbe
This recipe is one that I use when I have crab apples. The local Tesco car park has a little tree that is covered in crab apples every year and when I pick a big carrier bag full it barely makes a dent. People are always intriqued as to what I am doing and ask what I am going to make. Not many people even realise that crab apples is what they are. A shame as lots of people could make lots of things with them if they only knew.
When I first found the tree, I Googled crab apples recipes as I didn’t want to make jelly, we had loads of jam and up popped this recipe – Char De Crabb. It is a 15th Century English recipe, flavoured with anise, which must have cost an extraordinary amount then. I have frugalised the recipe a bit here. It is a lovely, flavoursome tart, using foraged fruit and possibly leftover bread made into crumbs, so appeals to me on that level.
I used the anise the first time I made it, but the apples make a lovely citrussy puree, so I don’t bother now.
I have reduced the sugar in this version, by all means use more if you would like to. The recipe is vegan if that interests you
Peanut Oat Cakes with Roasted Onions and Green Pea Hummus
This recipe came about when I was challenged to create an 8th day on Meal Plan 1 using remaining groceries. It was indeed quite a challenge trying to come up with a days eating from this and that. I’m really quite pleased with these!
Chicken and Mango Salad
I made this salad with chicken and mango in one of the Cooking Up A Storm groups that I do with my local u3a. It was very simple, quick to make too, and very delicious!
This is one of the more expensive recipes on Thrifty Lesley, so if funds are short, maybe something for a special occasion.
Sweetcorn Fritters
Now these sweetcorn fritters on the other hand are extremely cheap, and no less delicious for that!
This recipe for sweet corn fritters is made with very basic ingredients, is very quick and easy, and a very cheap meal. The sweetcorn can be swapped out for many other vegetables and changed around in many different ways.
This particular sweet corn fritter recipe is naturally vegan if that interests you.
That's it for now, have a great week and I'll see you soon!
Do come and say hello on the Fantastically Frugal Food Facebook group, or the Sensational Slimming Sustenance group. I'd love to see you. Lots of useful tips, recipes and ideas. The nearly 19,000 membership are brilliant, brimming with talent.
And don't forget Thrifty Lesley, where there are 800+ recipes of fantastically frugal food and many weekly meal plans. And Cheap Family Recipes where you can find all kinds of delicious things that don't cost much, with two family monthly meal plans.
With all best wishes, until next time
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