Monday, September 07, 2009

Saturday Eats and Deals

We had a quiet weekend around the Yellow House. I did some studying and Brit Boy watched his football (soccer). A while back Brit Boy and I came up with a compromise on cooking. He will do the cooking on Saturdays, for two reasons…to give me a day away from the stove and so that he can get some practice in the kitchen. (smile) It’s been working out fine so far. I tell you though, I’m so used to being the primary cook that it has been hard to just relax and forget about meal planning for one day. (smile) I’ve developed this autopilot of running menus through my head for today, the next day, and the day after that. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m getting better at letting that go. I’m really learning to love it ;-) So this past Saturday, for lunch we had potato and leek soup from a can along with a salad and some crackers. It was really tasty. I’ve found that the secret to this soup is mixing the store brand and a name brand and it fleshes it out, so Brit Boy did this when he made it too. Very satisfying. Here’s a photo of Brit Boy’s lovely lunchtime place setting :-) soup and salad We usually have a very basic setup and just have a regular tiny bowl and have the crackers serve-yourself-style and there's no salad usually. But we were excited about our new cheap plates and saucers. LOL. We love a bargain and we're easily amused! So Brit Boy set our table with a couple of our new saucers and nice wide soup bowls. We felt all swanky and stuff ;-) Here’s the thing…we got four pieces each of saucer, bowl, and plate for….wait for it….£3.00!!!!!! We were in the store just buying a few groceries the other day and weren’t looking for dishes at all and we saw these ridiculously cheap plates and things. We figured why not. They aren’t grand dishes, but they are surprisingly sturdy. So we have extras now…can’t be a bad thing. :-)Gotta love those bargains!

21 comments:

JudyH329 said...

Is grocery shopping in England a lot different from the US? From the movies, it looks like a lot of Mom and Pop stores with fresh produce and even an outside market. I would think if that's the case, you would do more daily shopping rather than weekly shopping. Is there a Walmart? I've never had Potato and Leek soup. It really looks good! Judy

tahtimbo said...

That sounds like the perfect lunch. Of course I would have to add a tomato on my salad, since we are being over-run by them at the moment.
That is a pretty good bargain for 4 pieces. It would be around $6.00 for us and they look like good, sturdy pieces. Since we only bring out the fancy once a year, it would be perfect.

Unknown said...

I love bargains. I don't think I've ever had potato and leek soup but sounds like a good meal on a chilly day. I wish I was like you and had meal plans - on a daily basis I am always scratching my head when thinking about meals.

SE'LAH... said...

great lunch. the greens look yummy. potato and leek soup, yum!

by keiara - lampwork beads said...

Gotta love a hubby who cooks.. especially a British boy (cause they're just yummier in general.. lol) Mine makes one of my favourite dishes.. Toad in the Hole! ;) Have a great week! xox

vicy said...

Hello Dori..Yeah hope i'll have pr soon..Nways, visiting here back..WOw that lunch looks good..mmmm

Anonymous said...

I'm so lucky...I only cook when I want to try something different or feel like cooking. John is a great cook and never minds doing it. I tend to be a grazer while he likes a regular meal so our way works for us.

I love potato and leek soup. I have come to love soup whereas before I would pass it by in a minute for anything else.

Mike Golch said...

that sounds good to me.

Dori said...

Judy,
Grocery shopping to me is very similar to grocery shopping in the US. You do have Mom and Pop type stores here and there, depending on the size of the town and they do have market days in what they call the market towns, which are just smaller towns outside the larger cities. The markets are usually once a week and then some towns will have a special market, like a French market or Italian market every once in a while. However, increasingly you have bigger grocery stores like back home. You asked if we have Walmart, yes we do, it’s called Asda here and is very similar to Walmart in the US. There are also other chains such as Tesco, which is very much like Walmart and then you have a few other chains. So it’s kinda like you can do both, either shop in Mom and Pop type places or markets on occasion and then still sometimes shop at the bigger stores. We usually order our groceries from either Asda or Tesco and have them delivered about once every two weeks, sometimes three weeks and it works out good for us. We both hate food shopping :-) It makes life so much easier for us. Then when we happen to be around one of the markets we’ll pick up stuff, but for the most part we just do the delivery thing. I love that you asked this and I was able to share this with you and please feel free to ask more :-)

Tahtimbo,
Yep, it was so good! :-) Mmm, tomatoes would have been great, but we were out of them. We’d love to take some of yours off your hands ;-) Yeah, our new plates and things were a great deal. They are rather sturdy and you’re right…these are good everyday dishes.

Renee,
Yep, getting a bargain is one of my favorite sports, especially when it’s unexpected like that :-)You should try some potato and leek soup…it’s so good and very satisfying. I like to sprinkle a bit of parmesan cheese on top. And yeah, I have that meal thing going through my head along with 90 other things. LOL. I’m a pretty calm person, but I’ve always kept running lists in my head. I need to write stuff down instead and clear some space up there :-)

Se’lah,
Yes, it was a tasty lunch and very refreshing and satisfying. I’m really into soups right now…must be the weather changing :-)

Keiara,
You know what I’m talking about…LOL. There’s nothing better than a hubby who cooks and those Brit boys are a treat ;-) He has an apron now so he’s all suited up :-)Oh, I’ll bet you love the toad in the hole…lol. You have a great week too!

Vicy,
I know that you’ll have pr soon :-)And yes that was a wonderful lunch! Thanks for visiting me :-)

Gifts of the Journey,
I guess we’re both lucky then :-)I cook full on only when I really want to and other times it’s something simple and quick and then other times it’s every man or woman for his or her self :-) I really enjoy cooking as an art and it’s just another way to express myself, so when I’m in the zone it’s a pleasure, not a chore. Brit Boy is enjoying his step into cooking since he’s an adventurous fellow, so I’m reaping the rewards by having a good sit down on Saturdays :-)

Glad to hear you like potato and leek soup too. I’m like you, I eat more soup nowadays. Before I ate it on occasion, every now and then. When I was growing up, my mom always made homemade soups and corn bread and I loved that. So maybe I’m returning to my origins. Hey, tell John to keep up the good work :-)

Mike,
Oh yeah, it was a good Saturday :-)Thanks for stopping by!

Metz said...

Hi Guys,

Dropping by to say hi and to see what is new over here on your side of the world and things seem great as always :) Will just be reading here for a while :)

In the mean time come and visit my virtual streets :)

Empty Streets 1027 http://emptystreets27.blogspot.com
1027 Music Central http://1027mc.blogspot.com
Metz's Secret Garden http://metzsecret.blogspot.com
Call Center Life: http://bpo27.blogspot.com

Hope that your week is continuing to be a fabulous one and stress free.

Take care always,
Metz

Unknown said...

A tasty bargain, indeed! Looks like a comfy setup, with the hint of autumn in the air.

peace,
mike
livelife365

jacqueline said...

Mmmmm...soup is always sooo satisfying. I've never had Potato and Leek but I'll definitely try it in the future especially with the nice chilly weather about to roll in.

Not only do I dislike food shopping but shopping in general. Since my husband doesn't cook, I usually leave all the shopping to him.

As always, thanks for sharing. :-)

Unlikely Oilfield Wife said...

LOL We had a salad with our meal (jambylya, we're in Louisiana) the other day for the first time lol. You're so right, it definitely feels swanky. Great bargain, plain white plates are the best, they show off the food so much better in photos. :) BTW, thanks for the comment on my blog. As for the flat ironing, it literally takes me 15-20 minutes at most, I can suggest a flat iron if you'd like :)

Erin said...

Grateful to see I'm not the only crazy person taking pictures of food! :)

Erin

Dori said...

Empty Streets,
Yep, doing fine over here ;-) Have a great weekend.

Mike,
Exactly, nothing says autumn like soup :) I may make some from scratch soon. And yeah, I love those bargains! Have a great weekend!

Jacqueline,
Yes, it is. I love trying all the different varieties of soup and it's always filling. You should definitely try potato and leek...it's yummy. We are so alike on the shopping..lol. We have got to hang out one day :-)

Unlikely Oilfield Wife,
Ooh, I'd love some jambalaya right now :) And yeah, adding that salad just definitely feels swanky ;-) The white plates are always a hit in photos..it's so true...a clear canvas. I'd love to hear your flat iron suggestion...I could definitely get into the 15-20 minutes thing :) Thanks so much for stopping by...have a great weekend.

Erin,
Oh yeah...I'm all about the food photography...LOL. And hey, didn't you know that crazy is the new sane in our world today ;-) I'm glad to find my tribe with you. Have a fabulous weekend! :)

Unknown said...

Hi Dori,

Just to say hello. I cook 4 days a week and ronald does the cookinf in the weekends and on wednesday.

Lucky me.(LOL)

Thanks for visiting my new blog and leaving a comment Dori.

Deana

Jennifer said...

What a lovely lunch! I should convince Mr. Trinkle to take over the cooking once in a while. It does get tiring to have to think about it all the time (and do all the prep work). Sorry that I've been MIA for so long. I hope to be a more present blogging presence.

Dori said...

Mail aka Deana,
Thanks for stopping by :)Hey, I guess we're all some lucky ladies out here ;-) Love your blog and I'll definitely be a regular around there :)

Jennifer,
So glad you stopped by! Yeah, I'm still remembering that lunch :) No soup this past Saturday, but it was good too. I hope Mr. Trinkle gives you a rest from cooking soon. I'm glad to see you back. I totally understand though...sometimes you have to take a step back. I'll be dropping by your place today :)

Unlikely Oilfield Wife said...

Hey Dori! I use the Bed Head brand of flat iron ($50 on sale) and it works really well. My hair consistency is a little strange, as my mom is black and my dad is white, from Germany. So it's sorta fine, but really curly, and can definitely frizz. My sister's hair is much coarser, and thicker, and my flat iron doesn't do nearly as much for her as it does for me, unless she has a light relaxer in it first. The Solia brand is really good for coarser hair, though a little pricier, around $90. There is also the CHI, which many women swear by (they are upwards of $110 and more). I personally don't like that brand so much, but that's just me. Folica.com is where I buy most of my hair products, and they do ship internationally. Check out the reviews of different produtcts there, they may be more helpful than me. Hope this helps, have a great week! :)

Dori said...

Unlikely Oilfield Wife,
Hey thanks for your suggestions of which one to buy. I will have to look into them. I have sort of in-between hair too, due to my varied heritage, so I can relate. It's like one of my sisters has really straight, fine textured hair and me and my other sisters have varying degrees of wavy hair and it's very thick. I can relate to those variations you and your sister share :) I think flat ironing could be right up my alley in order to provide a bit more versatility. Thanks so much for your assistance. Have a fabulous week! :)

The Silver Age Sara said...

I love the plates. They look lovely and a perfect backdrop for your delicious meal.