Rhubarb, Almond Milk, Weekend Watching and Scarecrows

 

You're not really supposed to take a harvest from newly transplanted rhubarb during it's first year, but I had no option.  Like something out of The Day of the Triffids it sprawled over most of the woodchip area of the garden getting bigger and bigger by the day.

I pulled most of the stems leaving just a couple behind for the plant and after a good wash and a chop cooked it all up.  I ended up with enough  for a rhubarb and custard tart, two containers that are now in the fridge that can be turned into crumbles in the blink of an eye, and the excess juice from the cooking I poured into the little jug.  This was drunk over the course of a couple of days mixed with sparkling water and was beautifully refreshing.

Literally a week later and the plant is almost as big as it was before ... I'll have to watch it doesn't eat one of the dogs!!

In my ongoing ultra processed foods discovery journey I had my occasional breakfast of Aldi dupe weetabix with almond milk.  Although I didn't have the cereal box to check the ingredients of the Wheat Bisks I could look it up on the Aldi website.  This is what I found - 

Whole 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐭 (95%), 𝐁𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐞𝐲 Malt Extract, Sugar, Salt, Niacin, Iron, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Folic Acid.

 Not too bad  actually, and something that I am happy to keep in my diet.

The almond milk I'm not so happy about ... I think it's time I went back to making my own!!

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Here's some Weekend Watching for you, chosen from some of the channels that I've been watching and enjoying this week. 

 First a new one to me that I only discovered this week - Farmhouse on Boone

https://youtu.be/DWrSk-175Kg

I find it so relaxing watching someone else cooking or cleaning, and it's been nice to take it easy with a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and watch from my armchair.

Next a massive haul for Freakin Frugal, thank goodness there's some food that can be rescued before it ends up in landfill.

https://youtu.be/fwdj9sHyMH8

From Jessica at Three Rivers Homestead there was this lovely video at the start of her canning season.

https://youtu.be/ymeuMLCzy6U

Some shopping from Madelaine Olivia -

https://youtu.be/kHATnMEgm_E

And the follow on video when she uses the shopping bought at Lidl to make meals, is here:-

https://youtu.be/OQJL-6yYbto

I hope you enjoyed a couple of those, I'm always on the lookout for more channels to watch so if there's one that you love do let me know in the comments below.

 It's the Scarecrow Festival here in our little northern town, so it will be quite busy around town and the carparks will all be full.  The theme this year is Films.  On the canal one of the narrowboats near to our house is now the Titanic, I do hope history isn't repeated.  😉

While in the Pizza shop, Laurel and Hardy seem to be tucking into a lovely Italian meal.

Happily, we have had to drive around town twice today so we have managed to see most of the scarecrows and we can avoid the crowds tomorrow and Sunday.

I hope you have a great weekend.

Sue xx

Alan and Eric, A Recipe ... and Spot the Difference - the Food Cupboard Challenge

 I was looking through June photos and found that there were lots that I hadn't shared with you.  I thought this one in particular needed sharing, as I love it so much.

Just us on a nice early morning out with the dogs in Morecambe.  Because it was so early there wasn't the usual queue of people waiting to have their photo taken with Eric Morecambe on the promenade.  So we thought that for once we would be tourists in our own neck of the woods.

Sadly the dogs won't face forward if it's not me taking the picture!!

3rd June

For my own benefit ... and for you if you like to play Spot the Difference.

6th July.

There's not a huge amount of difference, but doing this is stopping me from shopping for cupboard items as I know exactly what I have in.  This challenge has also highlighted to me that at the moment I tend to eat mainly from the fridge and buy replacements for the fridge over and over.  It's proving to be a good long term experiment.

Of course there is a lot more food in the bottom cupboard as well, and in the past week or so I am starting to dip into it for things that I no longer have in the top cupboard.

The two missing cans of chopped tomatoes were used in this pan of Roasted Vegetable and Tomato soup that I made as this weeks bulk cook.

I just roasted all the vegetables that were in the bottom of the fridge drawer when we got back after our weekend away.  Just for half an hour in the oven, while they were roasting I sautéed an onion for a few minutes with some garlic from the freezer, added two tins of chopped tomatoes and then tipped the vegetables into the pan and gave it all a good whizz up.  I like my soups relatively smooth, so this is my preferred way to do it.

I had one bowlful straight away for my lunch, we had one portion between us as a starter with some garlic bread last night and the remaining jars of soup are now in the freezer.

Sue xx

Fluffy, Noisy Neighbours, Partying Bed Springs ... and It's Good to Be Home

Our neighbours at the caravan park.

I have never seen fluffy baby seagulls before, lots of speckled adolescents chasing round after chip stealing parents, but never the very young version.  They were lovely little things ... even if Mum was a bit vocal for a good part of the day.

After a visit to the flat and then on to our letting agents to discuss us not selling it, and a talk about how they had mistakenly given the go ahead for the redecoration and re-carpeting of the flat we drove into Llandudno.

The dogs both enjoyed the return visit to their favourite old stomping ground, and loved walking along the grass near the Little Orme.  The tide was right in and the beach that's usually there was well hidden, there was just a lone fisherman at the waters edge braving the grey skies and winds.

Moody skies but lovely fresh air.

Later after an evening playing bingo and having a drink in the club we enjoyed fish and chips in the caravan.  Then the next day we did a return visit to the flat to measure up for curtains and plan a few things for it's future.

The caravan was advertised a a 'Comfort' version ... it was nothing of the sort, and after two sore nights lying on a mattress with every spring having a party with it's neighbour we decided to call it a day and come home a day early to sort out some things that needed sorting.

 It's good to be home.

  

You only realise just how good home is when you leave it for a while!!

Sue xx

It's the Least You Can Do

 

It's the least you can do.  💖

Exactly!!

Sue xx

Don't Save Anything ...

 

Use the good china, wear your best clothes, read the new magazine.  

And always ...

Sue xx

Brooke at Her Best

 Oh yes!!

It really does all come down to coffee.  ❤

Sue xx

But First Coffee

 

I'm just filling my blog with memes that resonate with me for a few days.

But as always ... coffee comes first.  

Sue xx