Using The Store Cupboard

The weather here at the moment is atrocious, rain on rain.  Even the soak aways are flooding, which is not good, we must dig some more out once we get some dry weather.  The stove is lit and it is warm and cosy in our little cottage.  I am thankful that we don't need to go out and that we have plenty to keep us occupied.  I have some Christmas music playing in the background, a little early I know but good for the soul.  I have just finished making my Christmas cards so that is another tick off the list.

We went into Stornoway Monday to do a shop, we had run out of fresh fruit and vegetables.  We had managed for a few days using frozen and the store cupboard but nothing beats the taste of fresh.  I made an amazing spaghetti sauce using the store cupboard, passata , sweetcorn, mushrooms, dried basil, dried garlic granules and frozen minced beef.  It made for a very tasty meal, along with some cheesy garlic bread from the freezer.

A little dried parsley added to the top added to both the flavour and the presentation.

Another store cupboard and freezer meal was a steak pie using tinned stewed steak and frozen puff pastry.  A apple pie was also made with cinnamon and raisons added to the tinned apples.  The remaining pastry was used to make some cheese straws to go along with some soup.

A few tasty meals to get us by until the shopping was done again and for that I am truly thankful.  There was enough apple to make a little pot of apple sauce to go with our  roast pork dinner on Sunday.

The sage and onion stuffing was out of a packet too.  I usually like to make my own but no onion or bread so that was a non starter.  It is quite amazing how using the store cupboard can make great meals.  It is just a matter of experimenting with different ingredients and making the most of what you have.  I have found that herbs and spices can really enhance any meal.

I would be interested to know how you use your store cupboard.

I thank you for your lovely and uplifting anniversary wishes, it was so kind of you and added to our wonderful day of celebration.  The stores in Stornoway are starting to decorate their windows for the festive season so it will be nice to share them with you the next time I go into town.  We are keeping close to home as much as possible there have been a couple of cases of Covid in our area and people isolating due to close contact.  My heart goes out to all those affected, it is such worrying times.  There have been so many mixed messages about Christmas gatherings that we finally took the decision to cancel our break away this morning.  We were supposed to be renting a log cabin in Aviemore in the Cairngorms along with our middle daughter and her little family.  There is always next year...

Hope all is well with you.  Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Another Magical Tour

A mixed few days weather wise, the sun shining one minute the next a downpour.  How quickly those darkened clouds pass over.  At least we can judge a little when to go out for a walk without getting too wet.  Although we have been caught out on occasion.  This time you might need a thin jacket or sweater but put on your walking shoes and I will take you on a little tour of the beach off the main road at North Dell. 

We took the car down a single track road that was very steep and full of pots holes, quite the experience but well worth it when you got to see the view at the end of the track.  It was quite rocky to start but then once you had navigated the water there was a great expanse of sand.

It was fun to sit awhile and take in the air, there is nothing quite like the deep breaths of sea air filling your lungs.  Once again we were the only ones there which made the experience even sweeter.

Hope you have enjoyed our little walk out and are beginning to feel the magic of this little Island. As always I thank you for your visit here to this blog and to your uplifting comments.  Thank you Vee for your little ditty on my last post it made me smile.  I also thank Amalia for your suggestion of magnets on the clothes pegs I think that is a wonderful idea.  Sustainablemum asked for the recipe of chive vinegar.  I literally pick chives with their glorious flowers and pour over distilled vinegar and leave it to stand for about 21 days before using on salad or as a base for dressing.

The enormous egg turned out to be single yolk but very large...I must admit I was half expecting it to be a double yolker!  Sadly I can't welcome you indoors but I can offer you a seat outside and some fresh cheese straws straight from the oven.

Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.

Weekend

How are you all doing?  Are you managing to keep yourself occupied?  I must admit that life is much the same for us here, we have been very lucky thus far and for that I am thankful.  I do worry about my daughters and their little families but so far they are doing well and again I am thankful.  There are a few shortages here and there as there is only one freight ferry coming over with essential lifeline goods but we are managing.  Our medication is delivered by volunteers so we are well looked after.  Another week of listening to our Church service online and setting the Sunday School children craft tasks to do.  Once again we have a lot to be thankful for, technology keeping us all together.  We have a lot to be thankful for and sometimes it is worth writing it down so that we can fully appreciate what we do have.  The past few days I have been feeling a little negative and this one paragraph has made me feel a whole lot better.

For those who didn't know what a rag wreath was I have taken a few photos of some of the ones I have around the cottage.

This is the one I am working on at the moment in readiness for the front porch.  I just need to add a vibrant red heart ribbon.

 Yesterday I had a baking session using up some oddments languishing in the fridge.  There was some cheese that was on its last legs, a couple of sausages left over from the day before and half an onion.  This was the ample eggs from our girls quickly became, sausage rolls, cheese straws and a 2 quiches for lunch today.

I also cooked the roast beef for dinner along with yorkshire puds. eight of which are now in the freezer for another time.

Cauliflower and broccoli cheese.

Cherry crumble topped with almonds.

Finally a strawberry trifle which will be a great sweet treat for a few days.  It was made using tinned strawberries but it still tasted good.

Its amazing how food lifts our spirits.

Did I tell you how grateful I am to all of you who visit this humble blog?  I am, I am also thankful for the new followers and for all your uplifting comments.  It is a strange time we are living in but technology is bringing us all closer together.  It is wonderful how our different backgrounds and countries don't matter we are all fighting this pandemic the best way that we can.  A united world, long may that last.

Take care and stay safe.

See you soon.