The Sun eventually and Pantry Pottering
Came out to play for a while today. Thank goodness. I do not do "grey" too well at all. Life is and always has been for me absolutely full of colour. It is a little warmer today too. I feel less tired than I was, but am still taking things steady.
G has a check up at the Doctors to go too shortly and whilst he is out and about, I shall start sorting the Pantry again. I have all afternoon to play and try and get jars filled and items sorted out a bit better than they are. Whether it will be complete or not is another matter but more effort will go into getting it just how I would like it and jars will slowly get filled up in readiness for use. I am not sure I am going to get everything in here in any event, but I shall endeavour to do what I can. Any excess will have to go under the stairs. One of the main reasons for going through the extra tubs that I have found is that I do not know what is in there. There are certain items needed in any event like Desiccated or flaked coconut which I use in both Granola and baking. Loads of nuts. We like nuts here. Also different seeds. I have Sunflower and Pumpkin seeds but need to add to these. I have been looking at a lot of Vegan recipes of late as well as no bake items. Also need Dates and Golden Sultanas. Cooking chocolate and also Chestnuts and Chestnut puree. Also need some more mushy peas. Do need some Coconut oil.
One of the things we have been doing recently is buying in a box of broken biscuits for about £4 which works out cheaper than buying loads of packs of biscuits. A lot are broken but a lot are not. If there are loads of broken bits leftover I have taken to keeping them in a separate container and intend to use them as a base for cheesecake. Waste not want not. I do have a lot of home preserved fruit on the shelf and with cream cheese/curd cheese think could end up with a lovely homemade pudding somewhere down the line.
For tea tonight we have a rack of ribs each accompanied by a homemade Banana milk-shake. Accompanied by Apple Pie and Custard for pudding. Just to make a slight change up to the meal repertoire. I love puddings but often will go without as G does not want one. Now if I had my freezers I would be batch baking so that I could drag an individual pie out even if he did not want one.
As have said have been in the Pantry. Getting things sorted out very nicely. Bit more organised with the addition of the new items. I have emptied one box this afternoon and underneath that found another one! I shall never go to heaven. I suspect very strongly that a lot of things are going to end up under the stairs. I have loads of preserving to do too. I have a massive pumpkin, and two medium sized pumpkins to make Pumpkin chunks to ultimately add into stews, casseroles, Pumpkin pie. I also have Lemon Marmalade, Seville Orange Marmalade and Strawberry jam to make. I then may end up buying some Squash in for soup. Looks as though am going to be doing a lot of bread making, baking and general cooking with what I have to hand. It might be an opportunity to make some items I would not generally make. I will carry on adding a few things each month to the Pantry especially if I am going to be doing a lot more cooking in due course.
It's early afternoon over here. That's a lot in your pantry and it looks very nice. My baking is limited to bread. I don't have a sweet tooth and I also don't need the calories, so I rarely bake, other than bread. I sure don't have your energy, not only for all the work you are doing, but all the preserving and prepping you do. Somewhere along the way I wore out!
ReplyDeleteHi Sandra, sorry for wearing you out. I just love cooking, preserving, going foraging all that sort of stuff and doing something with it. My Grandparents had their smallholding, my Uncle his dairy farm, other relatives had large gardens and life revolved around the kitchen and the garden. I was in two minds when I was at school about what I should go into for a career. I had wanted to go into the Forces, but was not allowed to go in due to the epilepsy as it was not as controlled then. Then I thought about going into cooking of some sort but yet again thought well I really love this and it is one of my hobbies if I were to work at it full time it would spoil it for me. So I went and did secretarial ending up being a Secretary at Director Level in private business for 11 years and then after that in the Legal Profession as a Legal Secretary/PA mostly in care/family working for Solicitor/Partners which I did for about 33 years all told. I have always been on the go, bit like my Nan and my Dad. Can never sit for long and if I do I usually have something going on in my hands. I am trying to moderate things. In the past I would spend all day and all night preserving. Am trying to do in this quieter season one type of preserve a day. I am conscious that the fatigue when it strikes puts the carbosh on things. This way round I stand a chance of my kitchen being tidy when I have finished doing whatever. I am really just carrying on a long-standing family tradition. I am quite chuffed with how the Pantry has come along. I also found more sugar today which I think is going towards making some Ginger wine in readiness for Christmas this year. I just really am passionate about cooking and preserving and feeding people. At the end of the day we each do what we can. My intention is not to make anyone feel inadequate at all. I am just sharing my joy. Each of us has a part to play and "something to bring to the table". I struggle with bread but am just about to have another go at making Sourdough from scratch! Wish me luck. Hugs Tricia xx
DeleteThe pantry looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Marjorie. Still very much a work in progress but I am pleased with how it is coming along. xxx Tricia
DeleteYour pantry looks wonderful and very full. I love my small pantry - it's a hall closet with shelving similar to yours on one side and a free standing metal shelving unit I've installed on the other. In between I have a rolling cart full of jars of rice and pasta. My baking supplies are in a cabinet in the living room and there is another metal shelving unit in the dining room. It is covered in a lovely "curtain" set that hides the bins - mostly dried goods. I had a good cleanput and re-org last month and, like you, found many items I'd forgotten about!
ReplyDeleteThis is a long weekend in Ontario and I plan to do some baking as we are due a couple of snowstorms. I try not to eat too many sweet treats but my office mates always appreciate my efforts.
Hi Margie, thank you. It is still in the early stages. I am grateful for it. No matter what space I have I think I will always end up filling it up to capacity. It is just good to have somewhere to keep stuff safely. Hope your weekend was a good onexx Tricia xx
DeleteHi Tricia, doesn't it feel lovely to be so organised as you are in that pantry.
ReplyDeleteMy Hubby once said to me, ' you have too much stuff for too small a home' I knew he was right and set to, 39 bags and boxes went to either the tip or the charity shop, the house felt so much 'lighter' (its the only word I can think of) everything has a place and I know where everything is, the only thing I missed from those 39 bags was an ice-cream scoop.
But my pantry shelves are still not as tidy or organised as yours are, so no wonder you're so pleased with it. It's certainly an achievement , and something to be chuffed to bits with
On another note, do you read The Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm blog, it's a lady in Australia who is so like you with her cooking and preserving - apart from different continents, you have so much in common.
You take care, I hope Hubby's Doc app went well. Best wishes, CraftyNan xx
Hi Crafty Nan, yes am pleased I can find things easily again it is making a big difference. I still have stuff to get in the Pantry or in the cupboard under the stairs. It is slow going but part of that is down to the fact that I am creating a Master inventory list so that I can keep tabs on when to buy stuff and also what I use. Will look out for the Bluebirds are Nesting on the Farm blog. I do not think have seen this one. G's appointment went well. He has a couple of ancillary appointments which are routine as a result of his Diabetes but they tend to fix these after his main appointment. You take care sweetie hugs Tricia xx
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