…bygones

Money is tight everywhere these days, and with my unemployment (now part-time employment), Kev and I have been suffering the financial strain along with everybody else.

This means that instead of getting a pizza or chinese take away, or whatnot, Kev and I have been cooking meals at home. This is not only a money-saver, but also more healthy. As Kev and I love cooking, it’s not a chore by any means.

At the beginning of the year, Kev and I had a system of ordering our groceries online, without any fresh fruit or veg and would buy what we needed at our local veg shop on a daily basis. It worked well for us because we did not have to depend on a ‘picker’ from our grocery delivery to pack a slightly bruised set of tomatoes; we’d simply pick them out ourselves. And, as an added bonus, we’re supporting our local independent veg shop.

Recently, however, we turned to veg delivery with a company called Grow Wild who delivers a crate of veg to us every Friday. The cost is minimal, and the brilliant part is that we never know what we’re going to get.

Now, this may upset any plans we have for a planned special meal, but what it actually does is force us to find or invent new recipes with the veggies we’re given.

For instance, I made squash soup a couple of weeks back, that I doubt I would have ever made if I hadn’t been delivered a squash in my veg crate. It was beautiful and I look forward to another squash so I can make it again. The point being that I really enjoyed looking over the squash, and then pondering, planning and experimenting with it.

All of the veg comes to us fresh picked, the carrots in particular still covered with some dirt from where they were uprooted. Fresh fruit (apples, satsumas, oranges, and this week: a grapefruit!). Kev and I realised that we don’t eat nearly enough fresh fruit, so this was a way to encourage a more healthy eating habit.

I’ve made carrot cupcakes when I’ve got too many carrots; cabbage soup, banana muffins, everything. Last week we got some kiwis as well, so I made a fruit salad. Brill.

The positive points about Grow Wild is that we’re supporting our local farmers, supporting a local business, and they’re very relaxed and friendly. If ever we’re going to be away and don’t need a delivery, we just phone and they cancel it for the week. We can request additional items for our order on their website, including butter, eggs, etc. Even cheeses and lamb!

Do I recommend them? Hell yeah! I will never ever give them up. I even decided to forgo paying my mobile phone bill in order to keep the deliveries. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love to use my phone, so the fact that I’m willing to give it up for a couple of weeks in exchange for fresh veg is really saying something.

Give them a try, and if you do, please let me know what you think.

P.S. If you’re looking for a good recipe, please check out BBC Good Food. Put the name of a veg in the search engine and it’ll churn out a bunch of different recipes. Plus you can save your favourites in a binder. I find it invaluable.
Disclaimer: I was not asked nor given any compensation for writing this review.

I felt like having cake the other day.

So, I went to the shop, bought a Devil’s Food Cake mix and some icing. But if any of you know me at all, you’ll know that I like making things from scratch. It just feels like cheating to buy an instant mix. For the most part, I abhorr instant mixes of anything. I like making everything myself, and don’t believe in the ‘just add [insert ingredient here]‘ taglines of any instant food mix.

Alas, I was saved from my hypocrasy by learning that I needed 3 eggs for this mix. (3 eggs!? Even ‘from scratch’ cake recipes don’t call for that many eggs!)

Yesterday, my mom asked me to make some Peanut Blossom Cookies, which are a Christmas favourite here at the America household. These are peanut butter cookies, with a Hershey Kiss planted right on top. Aside from an insane mixer which doesn’t shut off, the cookies turned out perfectly.

Then today, my mom asked me to make some Vegetarian Chilli, for this ‘Take it to the Streets’ rally for her Motorcycle Association. I was pleased to be asked. 5 28oz tins of tomatoes, 5 12 oz tins of beans (including black beans) and immeasurable amounts of chilli powder later, the pot is full of delicious chilli.

That being done, and simmering away, I decided, after my success with the Peanut Blossoms yesterday, to make some more cookies. (And win a battle against the mixer that doesn’t shut off.) My dad was complaining (in jest) yesterday that I made the wrong cookies. Even though he likes the Peanut Blossoms, he loves chocolate chip and walnut cookies. Mom’s got a great recipe for them, so, after checking that I had all the ingredients I needed, I quickly set to work.

I must say, they’ve turned out perfectly. And yes, in case you’re wondering, I did win the battle against the mixer-that-won’t-turn-off.

I think now, that the cure to my boredom is making treats. The irony is, I don’t like sweets.