Homemade lasagne

Instead of sunday roast I made lasagne (not that I usually make roast, it's too time consuming because even I like to have "a day off" sometimes).
Well, os doesn't eat lasagne, but it's his loss. He then eats something else (like pancakes, or Yorkshire puddings, or tinned tuna and cottage cheese).

I calculated the cost of making my lasagne: 7,76€. Sounds a bit expensive, but it comes down to 1,55€ per person. or 0,78€/portion - 5 people ate it yesterday, and I got three more portions to freezer for my lunches and two more portions to the fridge for hb's or children's lunches.

Euros:

edam			0,99
cream cheese			0,5535
mince			3,15
pasta sheets			0,725
full milk			0,763
flour			0,018
butter			0,49
tomato passata			0,63
salt			0,01
smoked paprika			0,01
pepper			0,01
nutmeg			0,01
garlic			0,1
herbs			0,1
leftover ketchup			0,2

Free: carrots and courgette (about 300g each)

I could have used less cheese, but I really do like cheesy lasagne. Mince was the cheapest without YS. I could have used regular milk (70cents) or used just water (or half water), but that's really all I could have done to make it cheaper.
Cheapest lasagne from shop is about 1€/portion, but because I can't eat it (onions) it's something we don't buy.

So once again it is not "homemade is cheaper" but "homemade is only option". I have never been able to eat lasagne at restaurant. Once I have eaten almost authentic Italian lasagne - almost authentic because there were no onions or garlic - it was specially made for me and my brother! And yes, when I make my lasagne, it is as good as that was.

But now I'm starving!

It's freezing (but luckily not for long)

It was -11 degrees the other day. I don't like cold, and I was to spend whole day outside on the forests works sites at customer meetings. Car's electric heater doesn't work so I had to turn the engine on and leave it running - not so good for the motor and even worse for nature.

It was beautifully sunny day, and it got a bit warmer - never above zero, but at least I had enough clothes with my hi-vis jacket and helmet. But I do need some long johns to wear, thights will not keep me warm. I need to check if hb has some old thermals small enough - he used to be really skinny.

The first snow 27th Oct.

Fallen trees have been cleaned, garage is usable as well as the driveway to front yard. Old man has been (finally) his usual self and they have made a huge effort to clean all aspens and birches that had fallen over root cellar (it would have been a disaster if the cellar itself had crushed - there is all potatoes, carrots, cordials, home wines, jams, pickles etc for the whole year, not only for my parents but to us as well, as well my sister's family). Insurance company will even pay gravel/soil which is needed to fill holes left from fallen tree roots. One villager with forestry harvester has been working on the site with all the big trees.

There is a garage somewhere, before the clear up

We spent one evening (from 5pm to 9pm) to clear out the attic of garage, builders are about to come to fix the roof (including rafters). We had our own bonfire night, my mother wanted to burn all paper and cardboard and clothes (like old cotton tights that had lost their elasticity a long ago). Some of my old toys went to bonfire as well - not many, because I really didn't have many toys. I was more of a reader, I salvaged some old books from recycling. I surely have read my Enid Blytons - at some point I had all of  The Famous Five -books (and The Adventure series). My godmother had a job in a printing house. But my sister - boy she had had toys and stuff! We left about a dozen huge carboard boxes for her to sort out. My brother had about half of that, but he had really big stuff,  like motorcycle parts.

Sys carved a pumpkin - a friendly face, isn't it?

 One of our own pumpkins!

They are really pushing it now, because they will be abroad for some time in November - holiday was booked before tornado. It will be a healthy pause for them.

This sauna is in old man's other property which was also hit by the tornado. Chimney is gone.

We have changed snow tyres to both cars (the royal we - hb and my uncle; I "just" made them coffee and sandwiches, heated the house, took dog for a walk and made laundry, filled the dishwasher, got some more firewood inside), It had been a lot warmer, but roads were so slippery there was no chance I could have driven anywhere without proper tyres.

I might have time to prepare for the Christmas, no building will be done unfortunately.

A sudden storm (and awful photos)

We had a sudden thunderstorm yesterday afternoon. Well we - our village did. We here at Ulvens reis hardly heard some roar after lightnings, no rain, no wind.

But some neighbours weren't so lucky. There was a freak downburst and some tornadoes streched over 30km distance - and about 30m width.

Results were horrible. Fascinating and horrible. Somehow amusing also, because of the freakness  of all.
Really really bad picture, because it was twilight at 8am. And also I don't have my glasses on while I'm walking with 'Suma. And I have always been a really really bad photographer.

There is a playhouse somewhere.

 Worst hit was at my parents yard and garace as well as their neighbours yard and garage - we keep finding pieces of their garace roof everywhere, all the way 1km in to the woods! or rather what's left of the woods, there is several hectares destroyed forest. Some of my fathers, some of our neighbours.

All of above excuses, and also I was freezing at that point (-3 degrees). This sight continued more than ten miles!

 

 

I spent two hours with 'Suma checking around the village - no people hurt, but sereral roofs damaged, several yards damaged (in our village people have a lot of trees in their yards - some people have no more), some minor buildings damaged lightly and two major buildings (beforementioned garages) damaged heavily. But houses were left mostly intact, tv-antennas were bend etc. Four cars damaged (so far). One outhouse had toppled over, another had lost it's door (we have a lot of outhouses at our village, and in their original use). Greenhouses were damaged.

I continued then to my work, three more hours in the forest at the other end of that disaster (what a coincidense; I had arranged that visit two weeks ago!).

Funny/odd things: All lights my parents have at their yard are unharmed. Lonely post box at the middle of fallen shelters and pinetrees was unharmed. One neighbour lost his wheelbarrow - he saw it flying off iside the tornado. Destruction zone was only 5-30m wide almost all the way 30km stretch this continued, like someone had made lines with ruler, straight and narrow. Several rubbish bins were moved around, people who didn't have one on their yard had suddenly several. I had to learn to use whatsapp (after I had downloaded it to my phone). Disaster tourists were driving all day long along our village road. Local bus route had to be diverted for few hours to our village, because there were much worse situation with fallen trees along the main road - our road was free to drive after an hour because apparently most people here have a chainsaw at the trunk of their cars.

There has NEVER been a downburst  at our village, nor tornado! Well, there has not been a thunder storm at later half of October. We have autunm storms with heavy winds and destroyed forests, but they are different from this. My aunt is very shaken, and my parents have only just started to realize what has happened.
I know what to do on my freetime for the next five years.

A week of plenty

This week has been plentiful.

On Saturday my colleague visited us (late) in the evening, her daughters were at consert at town and she needed a place to stay for tree hours... I made plenty of quiche (feta and broccoli; our family's all time favourite) and 1,5xmudcake. All eaten...
On Sunday I got msg from my (another) colleague, she was about to go get some carrots, did I wanted some? Yes please, even if I had to go and get them from office - at my week off!
She lives in a rural village (a bit bigger than my home village) and her neighbour is a root veggie farmer. He had harvested his carrot fields with heavy machinery and all the rest is free for villagers to gather.
On Tuesday morning I managed to sneak in to the town (on Monday 'Suma had her operation). I was expecting maybe a one plastic bag full to the brim with carrots. Nope. Three big plastig bags full of carrots! I gave some to my other (third) colleague (who wasn't at the office on Monday) and took the rest home. I tried to weigh them, but my kitchen scales showed just error. My human scales is a bit generous with its readings, but I estimate I got 25kg of nice carrots.
Oh boy. My kids will be all orange by mid November!

I harvested one of my red cabbages. I have still quite a many beets and golden beets on cold frame, they do ok even on heavy frosts we have had (below -7). I have 10 plants of kale going strong.

I have been keeping my last three pumpkins on our veranda - it's relatively cool place but no threat of frost. One of them already got frostbite some time ago and it looked like it was totally rotten (not only soft and dark but also moldy). I wanted to chop it before tossing it to compost heap. It wasn't rotten inside, it was firm and fine after I peeled rotten skin off. I got 2kg of pumpkin flesh, seeds, and some stringy bites( to dehydrate for 'Suma). Pretty well considering it was a slimy 3kg lump I was going throw away!

So I have been cooking this week plenty of vegetarian (or even vegan) dishes. My first ever curry! Havin firm roots in Russia curry has never been a stable in our kitchen. Potato-carrot-pumpkin curry, and even hb ate it! It was a bit bland for my taste but then I'm known to have poor sense of smell and that is of course linked also to sense of taste... So I usually add more chilli and ground pepper to my plate.
Second time ever falafels, this time I managed fry them as balls - they were yummy and I have few in freezer to take as my lunches at work. I used broad beans and added some cooked kale I had in fridge. I have never eaten ready made falafels, because they have onions. So this is also new to me.
At the same time i made meatballs in tomato sauce (or veggie sauce - there was a carton of chopped tomatoes, a beetroot, couple of carrots and piece of courgette).

Few minutes ago I took pumpkin muffins out of oven, ys has been asking them whole week. They smell lovely!

Our neighbour has got his first elk of the hunting season, we saw the hunt going on in the morning. I'm always sad about hunting, but I still eat meat we get with gratitude. If the animal has been killed, it has to be eaten whole and not wasted.
That's why I can't keep chickens - I can't bear to think kill any of them (if they are sick/hurt and suffering).

Last big expenditure this year?

I just called the vets and made an appointment for 'Suma. 700€.
That's the price I'm willing to pay for not to have puppies in this house - it would be much cheaper with male dog.
I might have had the procedure done cheaper some other place, but I trust this place. We have been using them since 90's when we had Ace, the first Giant Shnautzer. Then it was important that the vet wasn't afraid of him (one vet was so nervous around him he vaccinated me by accident!), we did visit several vets.

But this money has been reserved since January - when we got 'Suma. We knew this coming so no suprices.
The IPCC report on climate change has made me thinking about having pets. I might not be able to justify keeping big dogs just because I like big dogs. I should get smaller dog after 'Suma (well, she is smaller than Blackie was) but I don't actually like small dogs. First world problems at its worst...
Cats I can justify because they eat mice and voles, and in Pretty Boy's case he just decided to live here.
(nobody is questioning about my choices but me)

Need to change winter tyres soon, should be ok with ones we have already, no need to buy new. Or maybe two tyres to hb's car, because it's heavy and eats tyres more than I eat doghnuts.
Polytunnel is nearly empty, only herbs staying. need to take down the poly-part (covering) so last years disaster could be avoided. Need to build frame for garlics (have few days off next week). Need to empty compost bin. No need to buy anything fot the veg plot or polytunnel or greenhouse.

Found wintercoat, paid only 11€. It doesn't have a hood, so i have to knit one myself, if my old scarves won't do. Haven't found wellies yet. Bikers calfs don't fit narrow boots (I had this problem when I was a underweight kid, 10km a day minimum with old bike did it, never had weak legs).

No idea of dinner once again. SYS will bake buns today, a school task. Omelette?

The first frost of autunm

Oh my how cold it was this tuesday! We had frost monday also, but it wasn't nearly this freezing...
On sunday I thought there might be a cold night ahead - full moon and clear skyes and all. I didn't cover my courgettes, beans or corns - corns are miserable this year (too little watering, I suppose) anyway and I have had enough courgettes and beans. And I also have three courgette plants in the polytunnel as well as few beans. Enough is enough!
Yesterday I did however pick all rest of courgettes (over 5kg I think), and last two strawberries (there is still more on plants, but they will not ripen anymore). Today I'm going to get all corn cobs (there is only few) and runner beans.
At the moment I have too much vegetables to handle, I got a cardboard box full of brassicas (brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower (purple and green) and cabbage heads. And I have my own red cabbages and kale. I really should be making sauerkraut.

It's been a busy week, d has been doing her work experience internship at a funeral parlour - she originally wanted to go to local art museum, but they weren't interested. Their loss I say. D has been thrilled to bits, she has been cleaning windows and dusting coffins and has told me "This was the best day ever!" every day... She has also learnt how to use local trains, so far she hasn't got lost. I'm sorry, but my children are different.

Next week I'll be off for few days (a work trip) and I have no idea how os is going to manage with 'Suma and cats. Hb is of no use, he has first ever night sifts in this millenia - last time he did night sifts it was 90's and he was 20 years younger... Actually I have done night sifts more recently.

I have lit a fire in the dining room stove three last evenings. Good thing we have loads of fire wood ready, most of it stacked already. I load wheelbarrow to the brim and push it to the shed and kids stack logs. Only one load a day, slowly but surely they will be stacked.

Foraging and other autunm stuff

I have mentally given up summer. September is here, and even though temperatures exceeded 25℃ last week, nature is turning to autunm. (But on the bright side - no frost so far, last summer we had first frost on July!) Yellow leaves all around.

Autunm means foraging. I don't pick wild berries, it takes too much time and requires too much effort to clean, conserve and store the haul (lazy me). I've run out freezer space already! So foraging means mushrooms. Chanterelles, horns of plenty, ceps (porcinis), other boletes (mostly orange birch boletes), albatrellus ovinuses, hedgehog mushrooms  etc. They are eaten right away of dried (chanterelles don't dry well, so I freeze them).

Well, foraging might be a bit grandiose term. I get out of the house, walk about 50m (or less) and bend my knees to reach 'shrooms. Longest trek I take is to find porcinis and that's about 200m from my back door. I don't use nice baskets, usually I have some old plastic bag stuffend in my jean's pocket to pull out when needed. Last week I used IKEA's plastic cover for a pillow, basically a long tube, it didn't even had a handle. 'Suma bit into it yesterday, so I have to find another bag.

I pick mushrooms very carefully, I clean them before I drop them to my bag. At home all I have to do is to slice them and rinse off remaining gunk. Of course boletes are always a gamble, you have a beautiful white speciemen and then you cut it half and find maggots have eaten most of it... But most of work is already done while picking. I have a knife in my pocket ('Suma ate it yeasterday, too - we were spending too much time with plenty of horns) or I just use my nails. That's why you have to have long nails!

We only pick mushrooms that don't need boiling before use. Kids like mushrooms fried in butter, and sometimes I make stir fry with mushrooms (usually with winter mushrooms or yellow foots, but any will do). I crush dried mushrooms with mortar and pest and use as a seasoning in soups and sauces - although now that hb can't eat any mushrooms I can do that only on foods he will not eat.

I have been picking mushrooms all my life. As a child I didn't like mushrooms (because they were always cooked with onions and yes, I have been allergic to onions all my life - I just didn't know it then, I was just sick and miserable all the time) but I loved to pick and clean them! I can recognize dozens of mushrooms - learn to know poisonous mushrooms, pick only mushrooms you know... But I forage only about a dozen different mushrooms. I have thought of that and I realized I don't have to pick anything else.

If our survival depended on mushrooms, I would pick milk-caps (I like them, but I don't care to add another step to my cooking, some of them requires boiling before consuming), russulas (well, they don't need boiling but I prefer other mushrooms because there is about a hundred red russula species and some of them are not edible and I don't want to taste every mushroom I pick), and in springtime false morels - I don't usually pick them with kids because they are highly poisonous without thorough preparation (boiling two or three times with plenty of fresh water at least 5min at the time, I boil them three times) but sometimes it grows in our garden so we pick it then.

I found out there's something else 'Suma loves more than dehydrated courgettes. Dried parsley!
I might move my dehydrator to porch so 'Suma can't reach it.

Fire wood have been stacked. So far I have piled about 4 or 5 cubic meters of wood withs kids help. It's not nearly enough, but better than nothing. If we have a very mild winter, we might be ok, but I suppose we'll have Blast from Siberia or something like that - this summer has been too warm, so winter has to be mean.

I harvested my garlics last weekend, they were already split so won't preserve well, but I'll freeze some. I let two plants to grow scapes (we ate rest of scapes while young and tender), I just have to build a frame for them to grow. Here in north I have to plant garlic in autunm, preferably in October. If I wanted to be self sufficient on garlic, I'd need about 70-80 bulbs to eat and then about 20 bulbs for antoher years crop. So about 100 plants. Oh dear, that's quite a big frame I need... (not really. garlics can be planted only few inches apart).

Courgettes have been eaten and dehydrated (mostly for 'Suma), as well as herbs. I have made another batch of nasturtium capers, they were suprisingly nice.
I got a big bag of apples from my co-worker, who got them from her neighbour. I'll freeze some to be used in pies, some I have already dried...
For the first time ever I have had cabbages, first one I gave to old man's sister, but I made tasty coleslaw out of one half head (another half went to wild board stew). I'll make cabbage casserole (or bake) soon.
I still need to blanch and freeze some spinach and kale and swiss chard, but as I said earlier my freezers are too full. Oh, I got some common sea buckthorn berries. Because no-one else in the family likes them, I froze them - I'll have some luxorius smoothies! That is a plant I might be able to grow in my field.

I thought courgettes are finally giving up. Yesterday I tried to find a small courgette to add to my tomato sauce (made Nigella's meatballs in tomato sauce, well, it was the inspiration anyway...) and checked the last frame I have one courgette plant. Jep, found one. More like a marrow - or a pumpkin, couldn't weigh it on my kitchen scale! So used ordinary scale which isn't very accurate. About 7kg, maybe a bit more...
But still perfectly edible, I took seeds and springy middle part in big pieces and put them to dehydrator - 'Suma loved them! So nothing goes wasted. 

Today: wood stacking, laundry, 'Suma walk, no idea what to make for dinner.