Hello there.....
its been a sort of 'just everyday' .. sort of day here.
The garden is looking damp and dismal .. the greenery slowly fading away.
This 'Gardeners Gaiters' ... an ornamental grass ..
is looking very pretty with its leaves faded ..
bleached almost ...
bleached almost ...
Hubby P spent the most part of the day working in his shed ...
he is busy cleaning up and restoring vintage tools to their former glory.
he is busy cleaning up and restoring vintage tools to their former glory.
We sell a lot of these old tools ...
they are always good as a present for a Gentleman ...
they are always good as a present for a Gentleman ...
And its amazing how it draws the Gents in .. .
just to have a good look and reminisce about their working lives .. the tools they used ....
just to have a good look and reminisce about their working lives .. the tools they used ....
how they 'don't make um' now as they use to' ... 'its all rubbish ... cheap materials they use' ..etc
I've been painting the bathroom ...
such a boring job ...!
don't bathrooms soon get grubby looking ..
must be all that steam ..!
Anyway boring or not it had to be done ... and it gave me time to think.
I've been sorting through my cupboards ...
having a bit of a stock take ...
ready for the cold weather ... and possible snow ..
power cuts etc ...
like you do...
I've always kept a good stock of this kind of thing ...
just as my Mum did and my Gran before her ...
and don't they look pretty in their jars ....!
But thinking about it ...
if we do have a time of difficulties with weather or power restrictions ...
these dried goods would be the last thing I would be able to cook .. they need such long and slow .
These days we have the same thing already cooked in tins ...
and these Value ones are a reasonable price and will sit nicely in the cupboard until needed ..
not as pretty as the dried peas in the kilner jars ...
but a darned sight more useful ...
bit like me really ....
not quite pretty ... but I make one hell of a dinner ..!
So I will cook up the last of these pulses ..
they will not go to waste ...
and I will get a few tins in ...
the space in the dried goods cupboard is always useful for extra sugar (buy it when its cheap ready for jam making time).
Talking of dried goods ..
I found some semolina at the back of the cupboard ...
its a while since I had any so I made a little in my new double boiler ...
isn't she sweet..!
Who remembers School Dinners ... ?
Semolina with a big dollop of jam in the middle ...
and you just had to stir it all up making it all pink before you ate it .!
And for tea .... Hubby P's all time favourite ...
A steaming plate of Shepherds Pie ....
Hope you are keeping toasty warm ...
Bye for now x
I use the tinned kidney beans i have always been put off by not cooking the dried ones long enough , My husband likes tinned peas of any type , its what he grew up on , we had a shepherds pie for Sunday dinner last week , lovely comfort food , Now i know what my ornamental grass is called , you are a mind of information , thank you xxx
ReplyDeleteYou are so right - the dried beans look so ornamental but the convenience of the tinned version is so much more versatile. In years to come they will be saying the same when comparing potatoes to frozen mash!
ReplyDeleteI still use the old dried pulses for many of my working lunches, always soaking them on a Friday, then cooking them on a Saturday to mix with cooked veg, then to make 3 large portions of working lunches for the 3 days I`m at work. I don`t mind eating the same stuff 3 days on the run. I love my dried pulses and always will have jars full of those sitting on my kitchen shelves. I don`t use the tinned varieties often, but they do come in handy when we have unexpected mouths to feed on occasions.
ReplyDeleteLovely grub! I am just looking at this pie while the advert is on for M& S posh Christmas food and do you know I would rather have a plate of your pie than any of that rich stuff full of additives. Tins of beans and peas are always found in my cupboards, they're great on there own or for adding into soups and stews. Occasionally I will steep a load of dried peas then when cooked freeze into portions, sometimes its nice to have that old fashioned taste the tinned ones don't have.
ReplyDeleteWell done on painting your bathroom, you will be able to have a nice relaxing bath knowings its all done and sparkling clean. Xx
Definitely toasty warm as we forgot to turn the central heating off before we went to auction today at Brecon! I have serious double-boiler envy as I've been looking out for one of those for a while now! They are promising us a touch of Polar Vortex again this winter. Deep joy . . . The tinned kidney beans are so cheap, that's what I use these days (from Lidl). As for that grass, THAT grass! It grows everywhere and I even have it as a POND grass now . . .
ReplyDeleteSemolina... noooooo, but I'll take the sheperd's pie, it looks so delicious. As always, I'm comforted by your post, you and the Mister know how to live. xoxoxox
ReplyDeleteI could not even look at semolina pudding, whatever the colour. I cook my pulses in the slow cooker, a good overnight soak, into fresh water in the big pot, bring to boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Tip into the slow cooker and high for 5 hours and then down to low for a bit, each batch is a bit different. For white beans I but cheapo baked beans and wash the sauce off. Shepherds pie and bangers and mash are the best.
ReplyDeleteSo happy it is Shepherds pie weather! Glad to hear what you are up to. I am way over due to put the porch furniture to bed for the winter....
ReplyDeleteTasty pie! Do remind me what the sharpening wooden tools are called, begins with 'c' I think. My Dad had some in his shed too! He used to sharpen the kitchen knives and scissors with them.
ReplyDeleteI love semolina, tapioca, rice.. you name it I just love milk puddings. Cooked in the slow cooker when the family are round and in the oven when there is just the two of us, when we can fight over the skin !
ReplyDeleteKeep warm
Gillx
Semolina - no thanks. Shepherd's Pie - yes please with seconds.
ReplyDeletexx
I have a good store cupboard in the garage, I also have a box of Semolina I bought a while back, I haven't had it since being at school and I am 47 now, so I must try it.
ReplyDeleteLove shepherd's pie. My Mum always makes one when she visits. Just the best kind of comfort food. Thank you for your kind comment on my last blog post. I always get terribly excited when someone new decides to say hello!
ReplyDeleteLeanne xx
Oh yes I do remember semolina at school lunches. I loved it. Unfortunatly I cant get it here, or don't know the equivelent in USA., I should look at British stores online. Now I want some
ReplyDeleteJanice