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
Sunday, 17 February 2013
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
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
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
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
As promised yesterday a giveaway to say thank you for your lovely comments and for reading my 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
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
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