Frugal cooking

I had a cooking session this afternoon to avoid throwing out vegetables.  This is not usually a problem but due to some gastric flare-ups so not feeling well some days and not eating so much I needed to deal with some veg promptly.

I froze the 3 peppers then cooked the red cabbage with onion, apple and vinegar etc. Some was eaten with the home made shepherds pie from the freezer and the rest boxed up to freeze.

I then used the rather sad looking leeks along with whatever else I had to make a huge pot of minestrone soup. This has been decanted into double portion jars and most frozen apart from some put in the fridge for tomorrow. So a very satisfying afternoon.

We have had a couple of nights of rain so that is doing the garden good and means I can still sit out there for meals during the day.  I need to do some weeding really and the grass will need cutting too. My bought tomato plants are looking very healthy and already flowering. The gooseberry bush is covered in fruit, likewise the strawberry bed and the blackcurrants. The blackberries have plenty of flowers but I think this year the fruit will be given to a friend who makes jam as they seem to upset my tummy now. The Jonagold and Bramley apple trees look good though and no problem with those. I shall have to put some garden photos up soon.

Simple pleasures

After a morning spent cleaning I enjoyed some simple pleasures. A walk along the river with DD and her two dogs in sunshine but with a little breeze. The new wildflower meadow looked so beautiful. Then home and sat in the garden to enjoy a simple lunch of home made bread toasted with beans and cheese and a pot of tea. So peaceful with the bird song and I counted 20 different type of flowers. Some were on the fruit trees.

I had to do some form filling and paper work so was still able to sit in the sun. Later I made a delicious fish stew using up the white fish from the freezer, some frozen cooking bacon, a tin of canneloni beans, tin of tomatoes, puree, a red onion, red pepper and a courgette that needed using up. I sat in the garden again enjoying the birds bathing.

The first picture shows in the distance a robin in the bird bath. Not very clear but I only had my tablet and didn't want to go in for the camera with the zoom lens.

The simple pleasures are the best.