My mission ... and I have chosen to accept it ... is to use up as much of my outdated spaghetti as I can over the coming few weeks.
I tend to eat between 80g and 100g for a simple spaghetti meal, so every time I cook any sort of pasta I cook up twice as much as I need. Cooling the half to be saved under running cold water in a colander before storing it in the fridge.
The first day with this batch was with a simple pesto from the fridge.
Two days later I thawed out one of the tubs of my homemade pasta sauce, it was very good, and to save on washing up I ate it out of the storage box after zapping it in the microwave. 😁
A couple of days ago I did exactly the same, but this time I decided to use a jar of bought pasta sauce from the cupboard. In a fit of time saving enthusiasm I emptied the whole jar of sauce into the whole double portion of spaghetti in the pan, and put half of it to cool while I ate my tea.
Big mistake, the sauce was awful, anyway I persevered and ate the portion in my bowl, but then thinking about it later, still with a nasty taste in my mouth, I decided to throw the rest away.
What a waste of good spaghetti, I mean I know I have lots but I still do not like wasting food. I will not be buying that particular Marks and Spencer pasta sauce again for sure.
In other news ... my middle grandson Kyle, had a milestone birthday on Saturday, reaching 21 on the 21st. He partied with family and friends before hitting the town with more friends to keep the celebrations going into the wee small hours, oh the stamina of youth. He spent a good proportion of his family party teaching his younger brother Oscar, on the far right of this photo, how to dance.
In renovation news, the gaping holes that were the two gable ends of the bungalow, have now been bricked up securely and all the windows of the bungalow now have proper concrete lintels, ready for new windows to be fitted in a couple of weeks. So no more drooping and cracking of the brickwork below.
If you are interested here is the latest walk-through, it's just a quick one this time.
This shows the newly laid footings for the wall that should hopefully be going up this week, which will separate the bedrooms. This is a supporting wall that we needed to move over by about three foot to equalise the bedroom sizes a bit, thus the Acro props and standing pieces of wood that you can see in the video that are temporarily supporting the joist in the loft above. The bathroom walls are non-supporting so do not need their own little 'foundations'.
Alan has been really impressed with the progress this week, he is still loving it ... luckily. 😄
Oh Sue I do love your rockery - I’m sure all the “influencers” will be copying your idea now 😂 I would be interested to see a new floor plan as I am intrigued as to how you have changed the old layout. Well done to you both, Country Cook
I'll try and get hold of the two floor plans, we have scribbled on so many of them with our plans and changes, but I'm sure there will be a clean before and after somewhere. ;-)
Indoor and outdoor rubble, it seems to be everywhere. Alan has to shift all the rubble that is not being used for infill to the front garden ready for it to be picked up, and the daft man is loving it!!
Just cooked up a huge amount of pasta, added veg, beans, tinned tomatoes and then split into ten boxes for future meals. Each box does 2 meals, Filled up a space in the freezer. Not a spaghetti fan. Prefer pasta with a bit body.
I definitely wouldn't want to be 21 again, on my 21st birthday I was eight weeks into four hourly feeds with Kyle's Dad as a baby, I was a sleep deprived zombie. :-)
It was disappointing to have to throw food away, you know how much I hate that. Yes, there are just three parts of walls left inside at the moment. The only thing that we have not had to redo at all is the roof.
It looks like Kyle had a great time, oh to be 21 again. Your renovations are coming along well and with speed. It won't be long until you are moving in. What with dental problems, car problems and mother problems our decorating is just not getting done! Thank goodness we don't have to renovate our house first, only decorate.
We don't expect to be in for a long time. The kitchen is due to be installed in September, hopefully there's a chance we may be in before Christmas IF everything goes to plan.
I have rented on quite a few occasions in my life, but with rents being at an all time high I am very glad to have been a property owner for the last part of my life. Yes, you get the property looked after if it needs it, but it really is dead money, with nothing left to pass down the family. But it really does suit a lot of people and I understand that.
So frustrating when supermarket sauces are not nice, at least you’ve got plenty of spaghetti left. Good progress on your bungalow, in by Christmas sounds a good goal. Alison in Devon x
I think it's partly because I have been eating so many more homemade sauces and simple tasting things, all the UPF are not tasting 'right' anymore. Which can only be a good thing really. :-)
Have read often but rarely comment. Bravo on your house adventure . I live alone since my husbands death , and the thought of moving makes me want to lie down in a dark room I seldom cook now , but enjoy cold pasta ( any type ) with cottage cheese ( I know you either love it or hate it ) , spinach if I have it and black pepper . It’s delicious Marianne
I'm just taking each day as it comes ... but a dark room sounds very good. 😄
That simple pasta recipe sounds good. I used to love cottage cheese but I have yet to find a good dairy-free version. I tend to replace it with the fake 'feta' instead, it sort of works. 💚
Happy belated birthday to Kyle! That's a lovely photo! Acro props, I remember the days of living with those very well. I've just read Marianne's comment and am salivating over her pasta dish! xxx
He's suddenly turned into a very good looking young man, although his tanning obsession is getting a bit out of hand, he makes his Dad, Grandad and brother look very pale by comparison. I only have to read a pasta recipe and I feel the urge to eat some, happily I am reading Stanley Tucci's book at the minute.
The progress is good! I look forward to seeing more! That's such a shame about the pasta! I've also been trying to use up old pasta! I found some really old pea pasta recently! Happy birthday to Kyle! What a nice brother!
You will all be getting fed up with progress reports by the end of the year!!
He was and is a nice brother, someone had asked Oscar to get on the dance floor and he admitted he just couldn't dance. By the end of the night he was doing Russian dancing, worms and all sorts of moves.
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Oh Sue I do love your rockery - I’m sure all the “influencers” will be copying your idea now 😂
ReplyDeleteI would be interested to see a new floor plan as I am intrigued as to how you have changed the old layout.
Well done to you both,
Country Cook
Haha, I hope they do!!
DeleteI'll try and get hold of the two floor plans, we have scribbled on so many of them with our plans and changes, but I'm sure there will be a clean before and after somewhere. ;-)
What a lot of rubble-no wonder you were being careful! Catriona
ReplyDeleteIndoor and outdoor rubble, it seems to be everywhere. Alan has to shift all the rubble that is not being used for infill to the front garden ready for it to be picked up, and the daft man is loving it!!
DeleteJust cooked up a huge amount of pasta, added veg, beans, tinned tomatoes and then split into ten boxes for future meals. Each box does 2 meals, Filled up a space in the freezer. Not a spaghetti fan. Prefer pasta with a bit body.
ReplyDeleteI'm coming to the conclusion that I much prefer penne to spaghetti, which no doubt is the reason that I have such a backlog of spaghetti. :-)
DeleteWhen you are living in your bungalow, you will look back at your videos in disbelief at what you will have achieved.
ReplyDeleteIt will be such a relief to look back at the end of the year and see that we survived the process ... if indeed we do. ;-)
DeleteHappy birthday to the birthday boy, Kyle on his 21st year. Ahh I don't know if I'd want to go back to that age again. Been there/Done that.
ReplyDeleteI definitely wouldn't want to be 21 again, on my 21st birthday I was eight weeks into four hourly feeds with Kyle's Dad as a baby, I was a sleep deprived zombie. :-)
DeleteLots of work being done, and it really is moving along.
ReplyDeleteHappy Belated Birthday to Kyle.
God bless.
Seemingly he had a great party, he was finally recovered enough to thank everyone by Sunday night. :-)
DeleteSo sorry that the second batch of pasta didn't work out as expected! Looks like you are completely rebuilding your new house from the inside!
ReplyDeleteIt was disappointing to have to throw food away, you know how much I hate that. Yes, there are just three parts of walls left inside at the moment. The only thing that we have not had to redo at all is the roof.
DeleteIt looks like Kyle had a great time, oh to be 21 again.
ReplyDeleteYour renovations are coming along well and with speed. It won't be long until you are moving in.
What with dental problems, car problems and mother problems our decorating is just not getting done! Thank goodness we don't have to renovate our house first, only decorate.
We don't expect to be in for a long time. The kitchen is due to be installed in September, hopefully there's a chance we may be in before Christmas IF everything goes to plan.
DeleteNow I know why I have always been a happy renter. Been lucky with the renting mind. Life's too short to be a responsible house owner.
ReplyDeleteI have rented on quite a few occasions in my life, but with rents being at an all time high I am very glad to have been a property owner for the last part of my life. Yes, you get the property looked after if it needs it, but it really is dead money, with nothing left to pass down the family. But it really does suit a lot of people and I understand that.
DeleteSo frustrating when supermarket sauces are not nice, at least you’ve got plenty of spaghetti left.
ReplyDeleteGood progress on your bungalow, in by Christmas sounds a good goal.
Alison in Devon x
I think it's partly because I have been eating so many more homemade sauces and simple tasting things, all the UPF are not tasting 'right' anymore. Which can only be a good thing really. :-)
DeleteHave read often but rarely comment. Bravo on your house adventure . I live alone since my husbands death , and the thought of moving makes me want to lie down in a dark room
ReplyDeleteI seldom cook now , but enjoy cold pasta ( any type ) with cottage cheese ( I know you either love it or hate it ) , spinach if I have it and black pepper . It’s delicious
Marianne
I'm just taking each day as it comes ... but a dark room sounds very good. 😄
DeleteThat simple pasta recipe sounds good. I used to love cottage cheese but I have yet to find a good dairy-free version. I tend to replace it with the fake 'feta' instead, it sort of works. 💚
Happy belated birthday to Kyle! That's a lovely photo!
ReplyDeleteAcro props, I remember the days of living with those very well. I've just read Marianne's comment and am salivating over her pasta dish! xxx
He's suddenly turned into a very good looking young man, although his tanning obsession is getting a bit out of hand, he makes his Dad, Grandad and brother look very pale by comparison. I only have to read a pasta recipe and I feel the urge to eat some, happily I am reading Stanley Tucci's book at the minute.
DeleteThe progress is good! I look forward to seeing more! That's such a shame about the pasta! I've also been trying to use up old pasta! I found some really old pea pasta recently!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to Kyle! What a nice brother!
You will all be getting fed up with progress reports by the end of the year!!
DeleteHe was and is a nice brother, someone had asked Oscar to get on the dance floor and he admitted he just couldn't dance. By the end of the night he was doing Russian dancing, worms and all sorts of moves.