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Thursday 28 February 2013

Tired and hungry.

Dear reader,

You know that hair dye advert where Cheryl Cole swishes her hair and says she got her Mojo back? Well mine is definately on holiday. Is it just me?

I work about 10 hours a day which involves getting up at about 0530. Not terrible you may think but I am totally not a morning person. It just knackers me out for the rest of the day, no matter how early I go to bed.
I come home and do a dinner which I don't mind as I love cooking. It's never a major cook fest for example, last night was pre made faggots (by me, not packet ones) roast spuds and roast carrots and peas.
I usually watch tv and go to bed about 2200 ish. I don't do housework in the week but may do a wash, that's all and obviously a bit of washing up.

I'm hoping the longer nights may help as it feels I have been getting up and going out in the dark and coming home the same. I suppose we all feel like this in the winter.

I have been cold in the house and despite me absolutely loathing the thought of paying them, we have had the heating on. Just for a couple of hours morning and evening. I know the bill will be huge and I will turn it off again.
Money just seems to be going going going this month. Home insurance, two car taxes. Big mans is £135 and mine is a huge £280. I wouldn't mind but consider pot hole dodging to be a daily sport!

I scoffed my way thought today as follows: (please don't think too badly of me)

One toast with tea at home
One sausage and fried egg sandwich at work
One huge cream slice at work
One homemade roast beef sandwich at work
A large bag of Tangfastics
My bosses left over chips
Half a glass of wine at home

How bad is that? No fruit, no veg. Bad bad bad girl. It happens when I am tired, I get hungry!

The food supply in the house is running low which is just as well I suppose. Will endeavour to get more healthy food this weekend.


I really don't know how working mothers do it. I admire you.

How do you cope with a busy life? Does your Mojo go in the winter. Please say its not just me.

Sarah. X

Wednesday 27 February 2013

What is a girl to do?

Dear reader,

I am asking for your help today. It's about weight loss, money saving and waste.
No, not all about food but about clothes.

This morning I eventually pulled two massive bags of clothes out of our loft. They are in various sizes depending on the weight I was at the time.
I bundled them all away while we decorated and moved into our new house which as it type I have realised is a year today! 27/02/2012. How weird.

I have sizes 12,14 and 16 squirrelled away. I am a 16 now (but a bit of a squeeze) and you know how some shops vary the sizes so much. Take for instance, Karen Millen. A 16 in there is a small 14 everywhere else.
If I am ever out at the shops, which is rare now, I do pop in if I am passing, just to have a look.
I can see the thin and snooty sales assistants peering at me, thinking.... Nothing in your size luv.
I actually now say, "it's ok, I'm just looking at the bags and shoes" before they get a chance.
What I really want to say it, "At least I have tits and these bad boys are real!"

My dilemma is what should I do with all the lovely clothes. They are classics and won't go out of fashion. I'm loathe to put them on ebay for a fraction of what they cost but then again they are shoved in the loft, probably got a Glis Glis nesting in something expensive as we speak. (See post "A lodger called Cous Cous)

What is a girl to do?
Discipline myself and diet back into them?
Pros-will look better, feel better about myself and be healthier.
Cons-Have no self discipline and love my grub.

Sell on Ebay
Pros-will clear space and get some money.
Cons-will be miffed about how much they really cost. Will have the hassle of buyers and their questions. The wrapping, weighing and posting.

Please, dear reader, what do you think is best?

Monday 25 February 2013

Blasted well got lost, again!

Dear reader,

Had a busy cooking day yesterday. I realised I use an onion in nearly every meal. Curry, faggots, stir fry. I buy a big sack from Lidl every month which is much cheaper than buying a few here and there.
Yesterday I peeled 6, which was all I could manage at 0830 in the morning. Onion hands first thing is just not a good smell. I put them thought the food processor and after using some for faggots and some for shepherds pies I decided to freeze the rest.
I wanted the right amount for each meal not just a big block so made little onion muffins in my silicone muffin tray which I then froze to have the right amount for cooking.

After my cook fest I felt like a bit of fresh air an excersize so me and Big Man took the fat dog at the end of the road out to Wycombe Hill. It's a lovely National Trust village with a huge hill that goes up to Hellfire caves which were the meeting place for Francis Dashwood and the Hell fire club.
I think there were some notorious parties there.
Have a look here http://www.hellfirecaves.co.uk/


Up a bit higher is a lovely church


And a mausoleum


We went off through the wood which are full of deer and wildlife with the Red Kites circling overhead. I took charge of the route which is not my strong point and was certain it was right. Sadly 3 hours later I admitted defeat and we got back to the car. Still, the little dog had a fab time.
Do go here if you get a chance it's a good day out and our walk was free!

Are there any good walks near you? We may pop by one day.

Sarah x


Sunday 24 February 2013

Sunday cooking.

Dear reader,

Haven't had a chance to blog as have been at work every day since last Sunday, 10 hours plus a day.
Did manage to get to Asda one night and stocked up on a few things. Spent £50 and got a reduced organic chicken for £7. I roasted it and let it cool then stripped it yesterday and used it for the hoisin duck wrap packs I got from Approved Food for 50p with some onions and plum sauce in wraps and it was lovely.

I only have today off work and didn't want to waste it so got up at 0830 and cracked on with some cooking and washing.
I set my food processor to work and diced a load on onions to freeze as I seem to use a chopped onion in most meals. I also did the same to celery and carrots and used half of these to fry for a shepherds pie. I then added two packets of Quorn mince. These are on offer in Asda, x3 for £5.
Added a couple of beef stock cubes and some onion gravy and have a large pie and 2 small ones.

I also tried some Quorn sausages and Big Man reckoned they were more sausagey than meat sausages. As you know, the meat/horse saga has really put me off and I can't even look at the mince in the shops anymore. I was really surprised the other night to see people buying processed ready meals still. Mind you they had been greatly reduced.
I am always surprised that people buy a curry or a shepherds pie when they are so easy to make yourself.

I then made bread crumbs from the ends of a few loaves. I always keep the unused bread end and put the in the freezer. When I need breadcrumbs I just put them in the toaster and the put in the processor for instant breadcrumbs and no waste.

I also minced some pork chops, liver and added to the breadcrumbs and onion and made 20 faggots.
I will cook these later when I do our dinner. I will then bag the fagotts in an onion gravy and will have instant dinners for a couple of weeks. They taste very good and you must try them. They are not really livery and you can always just say they are meatballs if the faggots word puts anyone off.
They would be nice in a rich tomato sauce on some buttery noodles

For dinner I got 2 organic lamb steaks and will fry these later and serve with some roasties, carrots and peas.

We have a smattering of snow here this morning and it is cold so we have the heating on. Will be walking the fat dog later and may go up to Hughendon and take him in the woods there. It's a lovely National Trust property which we can visit free since we joined last year. It was only £66 for the two of us and I reckon we saved nearly they in just 2 visits. Have a look at their website, there are some fantastic places to go to and I reckon we save loads by doing this rather than mooching round the shops.

What are you cooking this week?

Sarah x

Sunday 17 February 2013

Giveaway winner.

Dear reader,

Good morning to you all. Hope Spring is in the air where you are. It's a little misty here and I am off to work.

I have just done the draw for my very first giveaway for the Shirley Goode cookery book. Big man picked out the winner from the comment you have left and K2D is the winner.

Please get in contact and I will get the book posted to you.

Have a lovely day wherever you are.

Sarah. X

Saturday 16 February 2013

What's in your box?

Dear reader,

Am doing a food stock take today and going to top up for packed lunches and dinners for next week.
I seem to have a lot of dried, packet stuff but need some fruit, veg and meat.

My Approved Food order arrived yesterday, I get excited as I never remeber what I've ordered and unpacking it is like getting a present. I like AF as it gives me a chance to try things we wouldn't want to pay full price on. I usually get Big Man a few little treats for his packed lunches too which he enjoys.
These are some of the things I bought,
6 boxes of Arnotts baked BBQ shapes RRP £15 AF price £1.20
Case of 18 Belvita breakfast bars RRP £10.62 AF price £.99p
3x275g mix for choc chip cookies RRP £3.54 AF price £1.00
3x320g mix triple choc muffin RRP 4.47 AF price £.99p

If you haven't tried Approved Food yet, it's really good. They sell reduced price, discontinued or just past it's best before date food. However a lot of the items I just purchased expire in 2014.

I am off to the local butcher to check where his meat comes from and then the farms shop for eggs with a final trip to Lidl for fruit and veg.

If, like me you bulk cook in advance, you probably use mince in some of your recipes. Lasagne, cottage pie, bolognaise, shepherds pie and chilli. Please try Quorn mince or a similar vegetarian mince. I got some a while ago and honestly we couldn't tell the difference. I even tried it out on my stepdad who is a real meat, two veg man and thinks vegetarians have hairy armpits and wear hessian clothes etc. he couldn't tell either.
A lot less fat, no worries about it being swept up off the abattoir floor and no animal welfare worries.

This is a quote from the chief executive of Tesco which I just received.

Where changes are needed, we'll make sure they are made. And let me be clear that this doesn't mean more expensive food - it just means doing things the right way, and accepting nothing less than the highest possible standards in the supply chain."

My question, "Why on earth, as the largest retailer of food (don't they say £1 in every £9 spent in the uk goes to Tesco?) weren't you doing this in the first place?"

Readers, have a good day. Will be doing the draw for my giveaway tomorrow. Do leave a comment so I know you have dropped by.

I would be interested in any new ideas for packed lunches as I seem to be stuck on sandwiches.
What do you pack for lunch?
Sarah x

Thursday 14 February 2013

Is eating out still on your menu?

Dear reader,

Caution: references to stuff found in food that shouldn't have been there and other nasty food stories.

I have come home to 89 new emails. Nearly all of them are after my money, be it deal websites, that, yes I am signed up to, PPI claims, insurance deals and a Russian Bride who wants to marry me as its Valentines day!

Big man and I don't do Valentines in a big way. He got a card and I got a card and a bar of chocolate.
That's it for us, no expensive flowers, no meals out, no bottle of anything fizzy. I love him every day anyway.

Tonight we ate from the freezer as stocks are low. Homemade huge burgers, never did shop ones anyway, chips and veggie sausage. Not very healthy but too tired to be inventive.
I am trying to use up my AF supply of cous cous so I have been taking this to work with a few vegetables and a bit of salad dressing.
Have another AF order arriving tomorrow, another website that can be so tempting, although 18 Belvita breakfast bars will not make me look like Lisa Snowden I fear!

I am finding myself a bit fearful of what we are sold in the shops now and was even worrying about what's in the water the other day! I don't trust take away shops anyway, having seen the kitchens of some of them. Is paranoia an age thing?

I lived in India as a child and remember seeing some of the chefs, particularly at the street food stalls, checking the heat of the cooking fat by spitting in it to see if it sizzled enough.
We didn't eat there but lived at a 5* hotel. It was the lates 70's and I remember my mum seeing a rat. She screamed, the waiters came running and shouted "No problem madam." Followed by one of them stamping on it. (Sorry if I've made you feel ill from the above two delightful stories)

Still, I've had my fair share of the delights of British fast food, the fried chicken, the greasy strips of greying meat carved from what looks like an elephants leg, the shinning curry with layer of gee, the burger, the pizza (Italian peasants food, now yours for £15.99 to your door) the sneezed on salad cart.
I've had a lot of extras in my food too, a nut and bolt in a stuffed pepper, a plastic microwave bag in a curry, a wire cable in a chicken shop, blood on an airline sandwich, chipped my tooth on a piece of tandoor oven in my naan and a piece of glass! I would like to add, I have only ever eaten at what I thought were decent restaurants. Yuk, listing it sounds gross.

We eat at home now and save a fortune. How about you, what takeaway food do you enjoy.
(Probably none now I've put you off-sorry)

Hope you have eaten and sweet dreams.

Sarah x

Wednesday 13 February 2013

Meat scandal-have you made changes?

Dear reader,

It is day 2 of the non smoking. I have a patch on and a spray to use in the mouth.
Have not sprayed but the patch seems to be working despite my sticking it on my thigh and it attatching itself to my knickers earlier.

Am feeling a bit snappy, which was an excellent excuse when the "lads" in the office were annoying today.  They always wait for me to make the tea and then hold our their mugs as if saying, "We'll, you're a woman, you make it." This was met with "Bleep, off and make you're own bleeping tea you lazy bleepers." Enter your own appropriate wording as you see fit.

I have been doing well on the "less but better" approach to meat. Since before the horse meat scandal I was aware of the type of stuff they are using in food, especially fast food and processed meat.

Have a look at this docakilah.wordpress.com/.../can-you-guess-what-mcdonald’s-food-it...

Are you shocked? No, me neither, not really. I wonder just how long they have been using horse and other cheap meat in meat products?
I had an email from Waitrose today, which was very nice of them especially as I don't shop there.
They have checked all their meat and found no horse. Oh Great.
They did have an indication of pork in the meatballs but they then said there wasn't any.

I dread to think what some of these slaughterhouses are like and definately believe all the cheap, nasty rubbish goes into the processed stuff.
As you know I am only buying organic meat now. At least that what it says on the packet but I wouldn't be surprised.........

How has this latest meat scandal changed your shopping? What do you buy in the meat section?

Let me know and don't forget to comment for the giveaway book from yesterday.

Sarah. X

Tuesday 12 February 2013

Giveaway-Shirley Goode book

Dear reader,

As promised yesterday a giveaway to say thank you for your lovely comments and for reading my blog.

I read about this book on Sarinas Allsorts and ordered The Shirley Goode Kitchen.



Shirley has some great ideas on frugal cooking and the recipes in her book embrace money saving.shirleygoode@bolgspot.com and this is her blog.

I have read it now and would love to pass it on to one of my readers. So, please, leave a comment  and I will enter all names into a draw on Sunday and will contact the winner.

Have had a good talk to myself and am pleased to report 22 hours, 36 minutes and 14 secs without a cigarette. Feel a bit tense but have just watched Taken 2 with Liam Neeson which was excellent.

Cooked organic lamb steaks for dinner with loads or roast potatoes, mash, greens and veg.
Will have the left over veg and mash tomorrow with homemade faggots.

Sarah. X

Monday 11 February 2013

Snowy walk in Buckinghamshire.


Dear reader,
Have just returned from making a little dog very happy. I thought I would share some pictures of where we went today. You can just see him in the last picture which also shows a snow sculpture. Maybe a snowman but I'm not so sure! 





Long time no blog

Dear reader,

I have been quiet for a few days and have missed blogging but found myself distracted by a busy life, rushing to work, staying late, you know the routine.

I would like to say a huge Hello and massive thank you to my new followers, Emma Watts, Frantics Antics and Sylivamcilmail. I had a nice comment today also from K2D who jolted me into action, so a big thank you to them too.

We have had overnight snow which started getting heavy last night about 2200 hours. I got home first but poor Big Man had to abandon his car at the top of a hill and then rang me to say he was going to walk home through the lanes with his torch.
Being the devoted girlfriend and having a Volvo with all wheel drive I went and collected him. It was horrid though and I was a bit scared but I didn't tell him!

We will be braving the snow today and taking our neighbours fat terrier out for a walk, he loves the snow and goes mad.
I always feed the birds anyway and put water out for them too. I confess, I leave a bit of bread out for Jingles the dormouse (he's a rat really but it sounds better)

I have missed you all and your comments so will be doing a giveaway tomorrow.


Sarah. X