Rosehip Syrup
I made some rosehip syrup recently. Just 500g of rosehips made these 2 jars. The hips wouldn't mulch up in the food processor, so I thought I'd simmer them in the water as you're supposed to, and blitz them once they'd softened that way.
The result was pretty thick and no way was it going to go through muslin. So I pushed it through a fine sieve and that seemed to do the job. No noticeable fine hairs, and the resulting 'syrup' is so thick I could spread it on toast, which gives me another use for it!
Cooking Up A Storm
In my cookery group this month, we used Kwoklyn Gok's recipe book of Chinese Takeaway type recipes. We made Hoi Sin chicken, Beef with green pepper and black bean, and Plain chow mien.
They were all super delicious!
This Facebook post has the link for the book - I'm not allowed to link to Amazon in a Newsletter for some strange reason
The Wild Mushroom
I was given a voucher for my birthday to a posh restaurant and Mike and I went there last week. It's called The Wild Mushroom, in Westfield.
Our lunch time feast started off with canapés. I had oak smoked cured duck breast with charred apricot chutney to start.
Followed by pan fried wood pigeon, heritage carrots, crisp lardons, dauphins potato, red wine jus and roasted beetroot
And for pudding, I opted for blackberry mousse with apple textures, blackberry ice cream and liquorice and finished up with a very good de-caff coffee and more little sweet meats.
Oh I do love a bit of posh now and then!
It felt rather vulgar to take pictures in those surroundings, so there are none. You'll just have to use your imagination!
What I've been making in previous Octobers
Soufflé Croûton Slice
One of the members at a Cookalong brought Mary Berry’s Wonderful Soufflé Croûtons, which truly were rather wonderful. I can’t find a link for them that is Mary’s, plenty of people using the recipe though!
They were very moreish and I got to wondering, as I do, if I could make a dinner using them, rather than just a nibble. I decided that if I made them as a slice, rather than cubes, it would work very well for dinner, although a pile of cubes would also be rather luscious.
And here they are all crisped up and gorgeous, crouton sized. Me and my husband had these for a snacky tea and they were flipping gorgeous!
Red Lentil Pate
Mainly red lentils and onion - tasty and versatile – add a handful of any cooked or raw and grated firm veg and whizz them in to ring the changes. So leftover garlicky roasted veg grated raw carrot or swede, fennel or cauliflower, or even finely shredded cabbage.
Make sandwiches and freeze them, ready to grab in the morning. Perfect for packed lunches.
Chow Mein
This is incredibly versatile, and just like the takeaway - we had some this week with chicken and mushrooms added.
Delicious on its own, and you get a big bowlful for not much cash, and you can even freeze it as and those delicate little bean shoots freeze!
An e-book or two
I published an ebook for meal plan 1 in August 2021 and am delighted that many people have thought it was worth getting. I repriced it again in June 2022 and it was still holding on, even in these scary times. Now we are in September and prices have shifted again and
I've managed to get my head around WooCommerce so I can feature it on the blog and you can find it here.
I was busy recooking, photographing and updating the recipes for Meal Plan 2 and putting them into an ebook as well. The meal plan was first written in 2013 and still prices up, which is fabulous and that is finally complete.
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 over 17,000 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.
I've also got a few YouTube videos up, not many yet, but I'm planning to do more. I've done a couple more, need to edit them now. So much to do, so little time!
With all best wishes, until next time
0 comments