Thursday 6 March 2014

It's a good job I love broccoli !

Hello. Today has been a bit of this and a bit of that type of day. I've been getting on with the rag rug, it will be finished tomorrow so some pics will be posted. I am very pleased with it, definitely  worth all the effort. 
More broccoli eaten today. My goodness will I ever get through it! I finished off the last four burgers from yesterday. Next I chopped up some broccoli, along with five baby carrots, and four spring onions, and added water and zapped it with the stick blender. Then I tasted it, a bit oniony, so I added five big juicy green grapes. zapped again and tasted it. Could be better. So I sloshed in a slug of cloudy apple juice. 
Perfect, just right. It's quite thick so I ate it with a spoon.

For dinner tonight I made a bowl of soup with the broccoli stalk, four carrots, and the tops of the spring onions. I added garlic powder, black pepper, and a teaspoon of beef stroganoff packet sauce mix. Think I went a bit over the top with the pepper, it was mighty hot. Twas very nice though and went down a treat with a slice of wholemeal bread. Followed by a glass of water to put the fire out, ha ha.

This afternoon I went to help my friend in her garden. Luckily the rain held off so I was able to get stuck in. The fence had blown down and is beyond repair, so I smashed it up and stacked it near the gate ready to be taken to the tip. Then I cut up a load of twigs and filled the brown wheelie bin, and made a start on cutting back the massive laurel bush. There will be a few trips to the tip with that lot once the top gets chopped off.

We finished a bit earlier today at 4pm, but still worth calling in at Tesco to look for yellow stickers. They hadn't done the final markdown, I didn't want to hang about for an hour so I just picked up a few items which I thought were a good buy. Not quite 90% off, but still worth having. I spent £2.58, and got more broccoli and carrots, ha ha. Also got lettuce, cheese, and two bottles of apple juice.

I won't go to the big Tesco this week, I have enough food in to keep me going until next week. Might need to get some eggs so I will probably go to town at some point. I think we've got some nice weather coming our way, let's hope so. Catch you tomorrow. Toodle pip.

19 comments:

  1. New commenter i thought i couldn't comment because it was for google accounts. so hi to you now i can. i need a friend like you to attack my garden i'm going to have to pay a gardener to tackle it for me. i know you said don't reply to the other comment i have to confess it made me laugh and made me wonder if it was written by you, i know you have a sense of humour you've made me laugh many times and you said you delete a troll. can i ask you about chickpeas do you soak your own or buy tinned i'm a bit worried about the toxins you're supposed to boil out of the beans too if you soak your own kidney beans.

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  2. I read your blog while I'm at work. Seeing the pictures and description of what you are cooking makes me hungry and I just want to run home and try it!

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  3. Hi Elsie. Anyone can comment here, even a troll. No I didn't write it, I wouldn't write anything as nasty as that, even to myself. I use tinned chick peas and beans, because I don't like planning meals the day before. I like quick to prepare meals which I can make on the spur of the moment, and don't want to be boiling anything for ages. The less gas I use the cheaper my gas bill is. Thank you for reading, glad I make you laugh.

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  4. I was thinking about your problem of exercising in cold weather. Why not meet up with the crafty ladies in the hall you have locally, and pay someone to do fitness classes in a hall? That'll get you moving in winter, it's social, and other people can join in. Split up the cost of the instructor, and you'll be fine. Or old fashioned dancing will get everyone moving about.
    I find your new yellow border a bit bright, I prefer the old one!

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    1. Hi Anon. We have already have exercise classes in the Village Hall, Dancing, pilates, zumba, etc. To be honest it's not my thing to leap about with a room full of women.
      I thought the yellow border would make it look more Spring like.

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  5. Your soup looks delicious, broccoli is one of my faves too. Anyone you know who has a wood heater would appreciate the pieces from the fence.Tip fees are very steep here.
    AussieCheryl : )

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    1. Hi. Thanks for the good idea. Some of the wood is flimsy and wouldn't take very long to burn. The garden needs to be cleared asap, my friend wants tenants in next month. The quickest way to get rid of it is to take it to the tip, which is not far away. We don't have to pay if it is our own rubbish, and we take it in a private car. Anyone going in a van is classed as trade and has to pay.

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  6. More broccoli! Your hair is going to go all curly and green!
    Tana

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  7. I don't comment much on your blog anymore but I do still read it. Even though your savings tips especially on food don't really help me because our food is much more expensive. But your constant frugality helps me to try hard to find ways to save money and I'm happy to stretch my dollars as far as they will go. Have a lovely weekend.

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    1. Hello. Yes, my constant frugality is how I live all the time. I have to watch what I spend, to make sure I have enough for everything I need. It's normal life for me.

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  8. You can never have too much broccoli! I use the stalk in soup (broccoli stalk, potato and onion made smooth by a stick blender is delicious and thick and creamy), also use the stalk in stir fries and I blend it with onion and garlic (and sometimes red pepper) to add to bolognaise. I've paid for the stalk so I'll use it! Have you tried blanching broccoli? I tried blanching cauliflower but must have left it in hot water for too long because it was a bit mushy when I cooked it.

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    1. Hi Susan. No, never tried blanching it. I would rather eat fresh veg. I don't mind carrots, peas, beans and sweetcorn, because they stay pretty much the same.

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  9. Hi hun,

    Thank you so much for your lovely comment and I have emailed you my address, you really are so kind.

    Sounds like you worked up quite an appetite with all that gardening, I am sure your friend must have been over the moon with your help. More broccoli? I love the stuff so would eat it every day if the family let me, plus its very good for you too. That soup looked yummy.

    Hope the rain stays off for the weekend, enjoy what ever your plans are.

    X x

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    1. Hi, It's in the post. Should arrive tomorrow.

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    2. Thank you sweet. Huge hugs

      X x

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  10. Loving the broccoli recipies and the fact that you are using the stalks as well. BTW have you thought of burning the fence instead of taking it to the tip? The ash would be brilliant for the garden. :o)

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    1. Hi. Thank you for the idea. I don't think the neighbours would be too pleased with their gardens filling up with billowing smoke. The house is surrounded by others. My friend is not bothered about the quality of the soil, it will have tenants living there,. The garden just needs to be tidy that's all.

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