What I Have Been Up To..

Morning Folks!

For the first time ever I have a garden. We also have a "lean to" which is coming down this summer to make way for a paved seating area. In the meantime, it is doing sterling work as a greenhouse.

I have always wanted to grow some food, and now I have the chance.

I planted my tomatoes a few weeks ago and they are coming along nicely.

I bought some lettuce plugs from Aldi reduced to 99p, they looked rather worse for wear when I got them, but seem to have perked up for being transferred to a bigger pot and a good water.

I was given to lots of seed potatoes and have planted them in 4 bags. I was not hopeful about these, but low and behold 3 weeks after planting, the shoots arrived.

At the weekend I also planted  the following:-

• Spring onions
• Red onions
• Peppers
• French beans

I thought I had managed to kill the hot chillis I also planted, but was so excited to see a shoot this morning. I forgot to photo it... doh!

To add a bit of colour, I also planted some geranium seeds and so far 4 have come through (though 1 does not show up on this photo), I am nurturing them like they are premature babies.

The Chap and I are not going to be self sufficient in vegetables this year and I still have a long way to go before I can actually eat anything I have grown. But Oh My Gosh, this is so exciting!

And finally, I baked a steak and ale pie this week. I slow cooked the beef in a bottle of Pedigree from Aldi for 4 hours and it was just beautiful. I dumped the filling in a pie dish and used some Aldi puff pastry for the lid. As I had already whisked an egg to gaze the pie with it seemed a waste to chuck it so I cut the left over pastry into circles and lined a tart dish, added a teaspoon of Adi Apricot jam glazed them and baked in the residual heat from the oven whilst we ate our pie.

So yummy and so easy!

A great way to use up the left overs straight away rather than it getting lost at the back of the freezer.

And finally, we had our water meter fitted, which hopefully will bring down our bill significantly. Watch this space!

So I may have been quiet for a few days, but I certainly have not been lazy!

Frugally yours

Abigail

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