Tuesday 12 August 2014

Something for Nothing

Some easy ways to make a few bob or receive free things!

Paid surveys

There are plenty of sites offering money or entries into prize draws, however in my opinion some are quite frustrating as they ask loads of screening questions before deciding too often that you don't quite match the profile for who they are wanting info from on this occasion.

My favourite is YouGov as they only seem to invite you to take surveys they do actually want you to take, you typically get 50p - £1 per survey and usually get invited to a couple a week so it quickly adds up (you do need to remember to click at the end of each survey to say you want to be credited with the cash and not convert it to a prize draw entry though). Once you get to £50 you can get the cash transferred to your bank . The surveys are usually to do with current affairs/news/politics and usually take 5-15 minutes, and are easy to do when travelling or half watching tv.

You can join YouGov here

Panelbase seems quite reasonable too


Free Things
There are lots of websites which notify you of offers for free samples. Personally I only register for things I am genuinely interested in, like toiletries (I do quite well for little tubes of toothpaste particularly, which are handy for travelling), food things and cosmetics (because I don't think it's fair to either take something I'm not that bothered for the sake of it, particularly if it is costing a small company, a not-for profit organisation or something limited availability where it will deny the opportunity to someone else).

My favourites are Money Saving Expert and Free Stuff

Blogging

If you have something to share that other people might be interested in, you can do worse than have a blog! There are plenty of free to use blogging sites (like Blogger) and on many you can add things like Adsense which will display adverts determined from the reader's own internet use and if they click on any that interest them to find out more it will earn the blogger pennies.

Loyalty Cards

Even if you don't shop at a particular store often or at all, it can still be worth having their loyalty card.

For example with Nectaryou can get points for ebay purchases, supporting Oxfam, using their internet search engine (up to £1's worth a month), then spend them at places like Argos without ever having set foot in Sainsbury's!

I also use Qmee which sits quietly in the background and occasionally when I am searching for things (either through the usual search engine or on sites like ebay or Amazon) will politely offer via a sidebar some pennies if I am interested in looking at their suggested alternatives. You can get the money paid whenever you like (no minimum) to a paypal account.

Free Postcode Lottery

Free daily competition - register your postcode, check the site and if it is drawn you can claim a prize. Free to enter with winnings paid from ad revenue generated - good luck!

Free Daily Draw

Register, check daily, you may win £50 : )

Street Lottery

Register, check daily, good luck

GeoLotto

There is a free version of this treasure hunt game. Register and you get 50 free digs a day. Choose where you dig and the pennies add up. (Update - free game does not always run)



None of these are going to bring you life-changing riches, but it all adds up : )


You might also be interested in Easy Ways to Support Good Causes


For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas



Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )

Wednesday 9 July 2014

Favourite Things


Some of my favourite sites (with absolutely no local bias whatsoever!) - will add more as I remember them... (and feel free to share yours)

Wensleydale Creamery
Home of Real Wensleydale Cheese. My favourites are the garlic and chive, and the ginger. Well worth a visit too!

Northumberland Sausage Company
Sausages!

Northumberland Cheese Company
Cheese!

Boulevard Cuisine - North Shields
Smoked Oils and Peppers

British Beef Jerky
Jerky and Biltong from Northumberland

The Garlic Farm
On the Isle of Wight. Was recently given some smoked and elephant garlic : )

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Traditional and independent

Eat the Seasons
UK seasonal food information and tips


For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas





Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )

Saturday 5 July 2014

Carrot and Cucumber Ribbon Salad

light and simple


Chop some red chilli - about a quarter. (I usually stick my hand in a sandwich bag, cut the stalk off, cut in half lengthways, scrape the seeds out and then use a rocker-chopper (mezzaluna) to chop without getting covered)

(If you don't want it hot, see below for an alternative)

Add 2-3 tablespoons of wine vinegar (red or white), about a teaspoon of white sugar and a grind of black pepper. Add more sugar and pepper to taste (or fish some pieces of chilli out if it's getting a bit strong!) after it has stood for about 10-20 minutes.

Peel one or two carrots and then use a potato peeler to cut lengthways into ribbons. Add to the dressing. 

Then cut a cucumber in half and slice it lengthways using the potato peeler (up to you if you cut the half in half and scoop out the wet seeds with a teaspoon)

The carrot can be left to soak in it for a little while, but the cucumber (especially if you leave the seeds in) is best going in just before serving.


(I was asked on Twitter after posting this if there was a more child-friendly version. I suggested red pepper instead of the chilli, either chopped up, or long thin ribbons along a cut edge. I have made this without the chillies or sugar, and adding fresh basil leaves)

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Nice with salmon, grilled chicken or burgers

You might also like:







For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas





Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )

Saturday 28 June 2014

Burgers

Not so much recipes as ideas...

I make burgers for flavour not bulk, so leave out breadcrumbs and egg. (I don't care whether this means I make patties or whatever, not burgers!)

I tend to just use mince without adding breadcrumbs. As far as I can tell, while breadcrumbs add bulk, they just absorb the fat and I would rather have smaller meatier burgers!

Since I don't use breadcrumbs, I also don't need to add egg to bind everything together either.

My basic burger mix is just oregano/basil (dried or fresh), and black pepper (and maybe some parsley).

This is tasty in itself, in a bun (either soft white or ciabbata) with mayonnaise, or relish or with tangier sauces on the bun like Reggae, peri peri or sweet chilli...

I mix it up, divide into however many and cook (usually on a george forman grill).

Other variations include (mix and match!)

grated onion
crushed garlic
chopped chillies
coriander leaf

dash of Worcestershire sauce
dash of Tabasco

pinch of cumin
pinch of ground coriander seed

Adding a little pocket of cheese or crunchy mustard in the middle of the burger. (Make two small burgers, push a dent into the centres, add filling then squish together)

You might also like:

Citrus Cake

Barbecue Ideas

Chilli Beef Stew

Beef in Beer

Kofta Curry

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Stuffed Peppers

For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas



Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )






Sunday 8 June 2014

Chocolate Mousse


This is from a Jackie Magazine recipe from the 80s.

Serves 2 (but quantities increase well)

Melt 4oz of milk chocolate in a bowl (either microwave or over a pan of hot water). Can be cooking or eating chocolate.

Separate two eggs. Beat the yolks and add into the melted chocolate (mix fast and thoroughly).

(Fun way to separate eggs here)

Beat the two egg whites until they are stiff (do the 'upside-down bowl over head test' at your own risk), then fold into the chocolate mixture. (Use a metal spoon to fold: cut and lift it -not stir- to keep it light and fluffy)

Put it into whatever you are serving it in and chill for an hour or two.

Good to serve with some cream on and a bit of grated chocolate, or slices of kiwi fruit

Although it won't set quite as well with, this is also nice with a bit of rum mixed into the chocolate and yolk mix (NB Rum not included in the original recipe aimed at pre and early teens!)


You might also like:

Citrus Cake

For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas



Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )





Citrus Cake


If you already make nice cakes, this isn't the recipe for you!


Baking isn't really my thing, you have to be too precise, and it always seems a lot of time and effort for regrettably disappointing results but this simple recipe for a loaf cake produces consistent and presentable results for even reluctant bakers like me - foolproof! 

Whisk an egg, 4 fl oz of milk and 4 tbsps of vegetable oil in a bowl.

Grate in the zest of an orange or a lemon and whisk in 2 oz of brown sugar and 2 oz of white sugar.

Whisk in half a teaspoon of salt, 2 tsps of baking powder and 8 oz of plain flour and beat to make a batter.

Line a small loaf tin with greaseproof paper and pour in the batter. Put it in the oven heated to about 160c/GM4.

While the cake is cooking, add the juice of the orange or lemon to a pan with about 2 oz of white sugar (if you are using lemon juice, add a couple of tablespoons of water too, you need a total of about 100mls of liquid). Bring gently to the boil then simmer for about 5 minutes to make a syrup.

After about 25 minutes stab it with a thin knife or skewer. If there is wet batter stuck to the knife, put it back in and keep checking every 5 mins or so. (Don't worry about leaving holes in it.)

When the knife comes out clean, take the loaf out of the oven. Prog lots of holes down into it, then pour the syrup over to soak down into the holes and leave to cool.

(If you don't have any citrus fruit, this is still okay without any zest in the batter and using orange or lemon juice for the syrup or using just sugar syrup (100mls of water), or putting a few spoons of marmalade or lemon curd over the top)


You might also like:

Chocolate Mousse

For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas



Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )




Saturday 7 June 2014

Potato Cake

Like a Potato Rosti or Hash Browns


Great with a traditional British Breakfast 

How many potatoes you do really depends on whether you are doing this as a small side for a full breakfast for a few, or as the main staple for one or two with an egg or a bit of bacon or a sausage instead of bread. One decent sized potato (what I would call a medium size for baking) will do this as a guide.

Grate the potato (I use Maris Pipers) and then squeeze the liquid out.

I just squeeze small amounts at a time and use my hand, but you can also put it in a (clean) tea-towel to squeeze. (But I reckon I'll be washing my hands anyway and I don't want bits of potato in my washer! You can use kitchen roll instead of a tea towel, but you may end up picking bits of paper out of your mix.) I would recommend squeezing it over a bowl, otherwise you can clog the sink up (to say nothing of losing half the potato down it if you try to do too much at once). The starch in the water is quite interesting for kids to play with later too

Put the potato in a bowl and sprinkle on a small pinch of salt and grind on some black pepper and mix it in (If you can see the pepper is well distributed, you can assume the salt is too).

Lightly oil a frying pan and then press the potato into the pan. Push it down firmly and go round the edges pushing them in and down.

Cook gently for about 5-10 mins (depending on how thick the potato layer is) pushing it down all over and in and down at the sides again a few times, until you can see no more raw potato on the top. Have a quick check underneath that that side has gone crispy, if it hasn't turn up the heat for a quick blast and keep pressing it down.

Turn over to crisp off the other side. This will only take a few minutes, as the potato is already cooked through. (If you have thicker layer, you might want to quickly turn it back over to the first side to give that another quick recrisp)

This is a basic potato cake, and while good as is, you can add any herbs, seasonings and fillings you fancy. Parsley and/or thyme is good, so is garlic, chillies and/or onion (onion does make it a bit wetter so takes slightly longer to cook and crisp) or chop in some cooked bacon, ham or gammon (probably won't need any salt)

You might also like:

Spicy Chicken Drumsticks

Mushroom Rice

Burgers


For more ideas, follow me on twitter @Tyne_Teas



Please visit my Intro post for more about my blog and me - I hope you enjoy my recipes : )