What's been happening
Mary's Meals
The u3a talk this month was from Mary's Meals. This amazing organisation began in 2002 in a fish farmers shed in Argyll, Scotland, and is still run there to this day. The speaker, Roy Peachey, was fluent, interesting and compelling, taking us through the start up, the history and the wonderful work done every day.
Mary’s Meals grew out of a charity called Scottish International Relief (SIR), which was set up after Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow and his brother Fergus took aid from their home in Scotland, to Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, during the conflict in 1992.
Mary’s Meals’ vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things. Working together with people who share our ideals, we believe that this vision can be achieved in this world where there is enough food for everyone.
Today, this amazing charity feeds over 3 million children every day, all over the world, using local volunteers to cook food sourced from local farmers.
If you'd like to support them, there are many ways, from a donation, fund raising, through to feeding a child for an entire year for just £19.15
Pink Cabbage
The book group I'm in meets in January to decide what we are going to read during the following year. This year, as the group is just that bit too big to be hosted in members homes, we decided that we will meet in a local brunch cafe, The Pink Cabbage.
Each member has sent the group 3 choices of books that they'd like to read and we choose one from each person. Only trouble is, I like so many of them, I buy a great many more than the one chosen!! I have SUCH a big pile of books to be read!
Cookalong
This month our theme was Light and Fresh after the feasting in December. Each member makes something to the theme, then takes it along to the meeting, where we all taste everybody's. We had some simply gorgeous salads this month. We have a WhatsApp group where the recipes are posted and I always have several that I'd like to make again.
Next month it's Unsung Heroes - an ingredient that is often overlooked. So what to feature? Swede, Pearl Barley, Lentils, or something even more unusual?
Moving
We moved here 19 years ago - 19 years! Goodness how time flies, and how much has happened in that time. I love living here, it's such a friendly place and I've made some lovely friends and enjoy their company in the various u3a groups I go to and at the choir I sing in.
Anniversaries
On a sadder note, it is the first anniversary of my son-in-laws sudden and unexpected death on Thursday, and almost a year since his daughter, my grand-daughter came to live with us. She is doing amazingly well, is 18 now and is going to college to study Art & Design and getting scores of Excellent across the board! She's also learning to drive, so working hard!
It's been a difficult time for all 3 of us, but we're all getting on with it and adjusting to the new shape of our lives.
Recipes for what's left of January
Chicken and Chorizo Casserole
A very tasty chicken and chorizo casserole that doesn’t take very long to make. Freezes and reheats beautifully too.
I first made this with my daughter, in her kitchen in Paddock Wood, where she was living at that time. We were playing and having fun. We invented it for her family to have for dinner that evening. She absolutely loved it, and made it often.
A super simple Sweetcorn Soup
This easy sweetcorn soup only needs 5 ingredients, is ready in under 15 minutes and costs very little for four servings. Ideal for lunches at home, or in a flask at work, this super easy sweetcorn soup recipe is nutritious, warming, filling and inexpensive.
Parsnip Cake with Maple Syrup and Lemon
This is just like carrot cake but instead of carrots, orange and sugar, I used parsnips, lemon and maple syrup. Totally works!
A delicious tart made with peas
I saw something like this pea tart recipe somewhere. I thought I knew where, but when I came to make it, I couldn’t find it, so had to start from first principles. You could just as easily call this a pea quiche as a pea tart
It works really well and you can swap the peas for other veg.
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
0 comments