Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

princess_loki · 9 February 2010 at 4:35PM

just to let everyone know that morrisons onions are 70p for 1.5kg (not smartprice ones these are big ones). realise that i could get cheaper at asian supermarket but i was in mr m's anyway and i used all my onions in the tart - i hate not having any in the house :rotfl:

vandanfc · 9 February 2010 at 4:50PM

My Mr M's pack had 8 decent onions in it, also got 1.5 kg of value red onions, mainly small in size and some skins a bit mouldy, so will need to check the bag more carefully next time.

phizzimum · 9 February 2010 at 6:15PM

follow up review of onion tart - DH had last piece cold for lunch today - with a piece of cheese! so maybe reducing the cheese wasn't a good idea for my family.

carrot cake has all gone now. girls liked it just as much cold as hot - in fact DD1 scored it 10/10 cold as the sultanas were firmer

weezl74 · 9 February 2010 at 7:07PM

well hello there one and all

SunnyGirl I look forward to your chutney...

I had a little tinker with one myself today:

Chutney round one:

220g carrot chopped into little dice
400g apple chopped
100g raisins
100g sugar
All of the liquid and half the cabbage from asda red cabbage SP jar
1 can chopped tomatoes
dessertspoon garam masala

carrots still a little al dente, but DH will report back shortly

recipe and photos originally taken from weezl's blog, my mse homepage if you click on my name!:)

SunnyGirl · 9 February 2010 at 7:49PM

Hi

Didn't get chance to do the chutney today as my Mum isn't well. She had surgery to remove her gall bladder 2 wks ago & has a urine infection and one of her wounds is also infected :eek: I went up to her house to dust & vac and do some ironing & kitchen cleaning

BUT...... tomorrow is a free day & I'm at the supermarket in the morning so am hoping for great things :rotfl:

princess_loki · 9 February 2010 at 8:10PM

SunnyGirl wrote: »

Hi

Didn't get chance to do the chutney today as my Mum isn't well. She had surgery to remove her gall bladder 2 wks ago & has a urine infection and one of her wounds is also infected :eek: I went up to her house to dust & vac and do some ironing & kitchen cleaning BUT...... tomorrow is a free day & I'm at the supermarket in the morning so am hoping for great things :rotfl:

:grouphug: for you and your mum sunnygirl x

homegrown_life · 9 February 2010 at 8:14PM

So I made some meatballs and tomato sauce tonight, served with spaghetti and it went down really well :T

I only had 250g of beef mince and all other recipes I saw on OS mentioned 500g so I was wondering if it would be enough. Last night though I was thinking about kidney bean burgers and figured I could use some mashed up to bulk out the mince. Of course the mythical family didn't have any kidney beans, but they did have chickpeas which I also had in the fridge awaiting being turned into houmous so I used them instead. So first I blitzed an onion and one carrot in the food processer, added about a slice of bread worth of breadcrumbs and then 3 dessertspoons of cooked chickpeas. Mixed it all together, squished into ball shapes and baked in the oven (Gas 6 for maybe 15 - 20 mins? can;t remember now!). I should have probably seasoned them, but I forgot

I made 14 meatballs, probably could have made 16 (so 4 each) but a couple were a bit bigger.

Sauce was just 2 tins of toms, onion, a bit of red pepper, S&P and basil reduced down to make it a bit thicker.

Everyone really liked it and hubby even said I could make it again so it must have been ok.

I must point out that I never make up my own recipes and normally follow recipes to the letter in case I get them wrong, so I was pleased to have managed to come up with something here. Sorry it's all a bit vague though.

princess_loki · 9 February 2010 at 8:28PM

homegrown_life wrote: »

So I made some meatballs and tomato sauce tonight, served with spaghetti and it went down really well :T

I only had 250g of beef mince and all other recipes I saw on OS mentioned 500g so I was wondering if it would be enough. Last night though I was thinking about kidney bean burgers and figured I could use some mashed up to bulk out the mince. Of course the mythical family didn't have any kidney beans, but they did have chickpeas which I also had in the fridge awaiting being turned into houmous so I used them instead. So first I blitzed an onion and one carrot in the food processer, added about a slice of bread worth of breadcrumbs and then 3 dessertspoons of cooked chickpeas. Mixed it all together, squished into ball shapes and baked in the oven (Gas 6 for maybe 15 - 20 mins? can;t remember now!). I should have probably seasoned them, but I forgot I made 14 meatballs, probably could have made 16 (so 4 each) but a couple were a bit bigger.

Sauce was just 2 tins of toms, onion, a bit of red pepper, S&P and basil reduced down to make it a bit thicker.

Everyone really liked it and hubby even said I could make it again so it must have been ok.

I must point out that I never make up my own recipes and normally follow recipes to the letter in case I get them wrong, so I was pleased to have managed to come up with something here. Sorry it's all a bit vague though.

excellent! normally to bulk out mince for burgers or meatballs i buy sosmix or burgermix (supermarket own) because i know that it will bind well - did you have to add an egg or did it 'stick' on it's own?

if no egg required then in my 'very skint days' this would have helped me enormously and even now so much cheaper than buying a 'mix' to add so it sticks together :money:. will be trying this after finishing other stuff that needs using :j

In_Search_Of_Me · 9 February 2010 at 8:35PM

just popping in to say i'm in (how could not!!)...back to read from the start...
how bout placenta weezl?!

HowlinWolf · 9 February 2010 at 8:35PM

This might not fit into the challenge moneywise because of the balsamic vinegar and wholemeal flour but Ceridwen this one is for you.

Pastry
7oz wholemeal flour
3.5 oz butter or hard marg
1tsp english mustard powder
2 medium carrots grated
2oz strong cheddar grated
1 egg, beaten

Topping
6 ripe (plum) tomatoes
1 onion diced
2tsp soft brown sugar
3tbsp balsamic vinegar

line the base of a 9 inch flan dish with baking parchment

rub the fat into the flour (or use food processor). Stir in the remaining pastry ingredients.

Fry onion gently in a little olive oil until soft. Slice the tomatoes into medium-thick rounds. add the toms to the onions and cook gently until just softened. Increase heat and add the sugar and the vinegar.

Arrange tom slices and onion over the parchment. Turn up the heat in the pan and reduce the juices until thickened. Spoon over the tomatoes.

Roll out the pastry to fit the flan dish. Place over top of the toms and onions and tuck the pastry in around the edges.

Bake at 190/170 fan until golden.

delicious with a bit of salad

Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

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