Runner beans

Picked another 4lb of beans yesterday and 6 courgettes.

Our house cat

Equally cute and feeling left out after I posted a picture of the allotment cat.

Courgette Glut

So far I've made courgette burgers of various descriptions, courgette crisps, courgette lasagne but today I had so many courgettes I made relish.  It tastes fantastic I'm not sure I can wait the month - it says to leave it for the flavours to develop.

I'm now running out of jars.  Sainsbury sold lemon curd last year for 22p I still found it hard to throw the curd away but it's the cheapest way to get jars.

Making Money

Using Shop and Scan each week, scanning in bar codes and then uploading with receipts, pays off if you are patient.  I have just converted points to a £30 Amazon e-code.  My purchase - a bias binding and an overcasting foot for the sewing machine (spent £10).  I still have another £100 in points.

Union saving

Remember to tell your union you are reducing your hours.  From September it will mean a saving of £9 for the 10 months I pay subscriptions each year.

Allotment cat and freezing beans

Our allotment cat - very cute and incredibly friendly.

At last there are enough beans to begin freezing for the winter. 

This morning ...

This morning everything looked lovely.  I had a wheat grass Nutribullet - not quite so lovely and decided to tackle the attic pile to put on ebay.

I won't share the photo of the dead mouse.  However, I thought I was most ingenious taking a picture of underneath the bed so that I could find the source of the smell that kept me awake last night.

ebay started well but took the whole morning.  Unfortunately I can only list 20 items for free.  I shall have to stack the rest I can't justify 35p a listing.  I'm trying to save money don't you know.

Blackberries

Lots of blackberries at the bottom of the allotment.

5 grolsh bottles of blackberry codial made and crumble with custard on top - eat cold.

We also had a savoury chicken in blackberries with garlic and ginger.  Not too sure about that one.

Catch Up

Had trouble uploading photos straight from the computer to the blog today - guess it's Windows 10.

So quick update:

The allotment is finally beginning to produce enough food.  Aztec broccoli heads are forming.  We are now harvesting the main crop potatoes but only a few can be saved so far.

Bread

Three artisan breads to choose from - wholemeal soda made with natural yeast, a white and a brown using no knead peasant bread recipe below

Peasant bread

• 4 cups (484 g to 510 g) flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• 2 to 3 teaspoons sugar 
• 2 teaspoons active-dry yeast
• 
  
• In a small mixing bowl, dissolve the sugar into the water. Sprinkle the yeast over top. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit — this step will ensure that the yeast is active. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. When the yeast-water-sugar mixture is foamy, stir it up, and add it to the flour bowl. Mix until the flour is absorbed
• 
  
• Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for at least an hour.
• 
  
• Punch down and put in oiled loaf pan.  Leave to rise. 
• 
  
• Bake for 15 minutes at 220,  reduce the heat to 375º and bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer.  Remove from tin and wait 10 mins before cutting.

Storing Garlic

Cut off roots and clean up. Dampen stalks 30 mins ready for plaiting.

Time is money

The old saying time is money attributed to Benjamin Franklin doesn't actually mean what I'm using it for but £26.30 from Amazon Trade-in received today.  Well ethical or not we're going to need to find ways to make money.

What is wrong with using Amazon?

The start of the Good Life

Instead of running away to Portugal I have reduced my hours to three days a week.  This still equates to four days once you include planning and marking but that's better than 6.

Today I actually feel like I have changed my life and things will be better.  I think it was the long walk in the sun yesterday which made a difference, coming home to a beer soaked lamb joint on the BBQ and chilling watching the house martins and clouds.

Yesterday I ran out of Kahlua probably just as well as it was at least two Christmases old.  So in true Good Life style I have made my own today.

Homemade Kahlua

500 ml spring water
100 g Rapadura sugar
300 g caster sugar
100 g Carte Noire coffee
375 ml Vodka
1 vanilla pod cut in half lengthways

1.  Heat water and sugar to mix then simmer for 5 minutes.
2.  Add coffee (cool slightly before adding or it may boil over) bring back to boil.
3.  Cool.
4.  In a large jar - vodka and vanilla pod, add coffee mix when cool.
5.  Leave for 2 weeks, swirling daily,
6.  Strain in muslin to remove vanilla then bottle.