July 2008 Grocery Challenge

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  • Moniker
    Moniker Posts: 626
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Mortgage-free Glee!
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    Well, I have survived the day so far but think I may have closed my eyes for five minutes during the lunch time news! OH is having a nap as I write. I have finished cleaning out the bottom kitchen cupboards so am feeling very virtuous!

    We had the soup from the slo-cooker for lunch with hm bread. There was enough to do for tomorrow's lunch too and some for the freezer. I took a lamb stew out for tonight's dinner though and made the vegetable casserole for tomorrow. Here's the recipe as I promised:

    Moniker’s Vegetable Casserole

    You can make this with any combination of veg you like but today I used:

    About ¼ of a cauliflower (2 large pieces) broken into individual florets
    I medium courgette thinly sliced
    2 tablespoons frozen peas
    1x198gm can of natural sweetcorn, drained
    4 small potatoes peeled and ‘parboiled’ till just soft
    1pt semi skimmed milk
    3 level tablespoons plain flour
    1 ½ oz (35gm) butter
    Ground black pepper
    Pinch of nutmeg or mustard powder
    3 – 4 oz (100-125gms) of grated cheddar


    First cook the potatoes and then drain and allow to cool before slicing fairly thinly - I do mine in the microwave for about 5 mins with a little water. Then put all the veg except the sweetcorn into a shallow ovenproof dish with a little water and cover and microwave for 3-5 mins until they are just soft. (You can also do this in a saucepan on the hob - cover veg with water and bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 mins). Drain the liquid off and reserve. Melt the butter and then gradually stir in the flour until you can’t get the butter to ‘hold’ any more. Gradually stir in the veg liquid and then make up to a pint with milk. Cook until the sauce thickens stirring to avoid lumps (I do mine in the microwave but a pan on the hob is fine too). When sauce thickens, stir in about ½ - 2/3’s of the cheese and season with pepper and nutmeg or mustard to taste. Add the sweetcorn to the veg in the dish and then pour the sauce over until the vegetables are covered. Layer the sliced potatoes over the top of the dish until it is covered and then sprinkle with the remainder of the cheese. I like to add about a tablespoon of wholemeal breadcrumbs as well to make it crunchier!

    I have never done so, but I think you could freeze it at this stage (let it cool first though) and you could probably reheat from frozen –just allow a bit longer in the oven. Or, you can keep overnight in the fridge to cook the next day which is what I am doing.

    If you want to eat it straightaway pop it into a moderate oven 180C Gas mark 4 for 20-30 minutes until golden and crispy on top. Serve with crusty bread and a salad (or just on its own!).

    The above quantities will serve 2-3 adults (4 if you have the bread and salad with it). I will be freezing the leftovers afterwards. I had about ¼ pt of the cheese sauce left which I will also be freezing to use another day.

    I got this recipe from a magazine when I first got married in 1976, but I am sorry I can’t remember which one! The original recipe had baby onions in it, but as I said you can use any combination you like. I usually use strong cheddar in cooking as you can get away with using less, if you use a mild one you might like to adjust the quantity to compensate. My OH really loves this dish and it is really good for using up the end of the week veg which have seen better days. Enjoy!

    Off to put my feet up. I think i've earned it!
  • winniepooh
    winniepooh Posts: 943 Forumite
    moniker that sounds lovely. That will be on next weeks meal planner

    Well have stocked up for next week.

    Been to the butchers and ordered from tesco. I've just got to pick a few salad bits up on wednesday and bits and bobs. but so far so good.

    59.67 at tesco ( couldn't find a code that worked:mad: )
    5.39 in the butchers


    must go and change my signature now.
    I'm trying so hard to be thrifty, but it doesn't come naturally. You lot are an inspiration!
    JUST LOVES THE O/S BOARD
  • betterlife
    betterlife Posts: 897
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    hi everyone, im not in the grocery challege officially, but still watching the pennies, had to let you know about my great bargain at coop today. they have vine tomatoes at 1.99 a pack , buy one get one free. anyway the packs where reduced to 1.00 each so i asked are they still bogof so 1.00 for 2 pks, she said yes so i picked up 4 pks, anyway when i got home the free pack had minused 1.99 so i got all 4 pks for 2p!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a bargain! will be making hm tom sauce tonight me thinks.
    One day I will live in a cabin in the woods
  • searching_me
    searching_me Posts: 18,414 Forumite
    hey everybody not had chance to catch up in the last day or so through work and being at alton towers (got soaked by rides and weather but had a brill time :rotfl: ) but i havent spent much out my gc although ive got £15 or so to last time next friday dont think its gonna work but im hopeful hope your all good and ((hugs)) to mrs M thinking of you xxx
    :)Still searching .....:)
  • hev_2
    hev_2 Posts: 1,397 Forumite
    Haven't updated sig - spent 94p on loaf.

    Last night it was me that sabotaged the meal plan - couldn't face food.

    What we are having tonight is anyone's guess - but it is coming out of the cupboards or freezer - no way am I spending more money!

    So far, since the start of the meal plan on 28 June, we have not had one single meal that we should have. Sigh. Well, tomorrow we are definitely sticking to the plan - it says fish & chips from chippy!
    Always another chapter

  • newmoneysaver_2
    newmoneysaver_2 Posts: 2,374
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    Phew, just caught up on all the posts - I've not been on for two days. Thanks for the people who wished me luck being back at work. It wasn't two bad but I have had two short days and I am starting at 10 am tomorrow. Next week is going to be hell though - back to the 9-5. Hugs to all thos that need them.

    I'm just about to make another batch of HM tortillas - some for lunches tomorrow, the rest for freezer and I need to add choc topping to a choc sponge and then portion and freeze most. We are having HM quiche from the freezer for tea with new pots.
  • jackk_2
    jackk_2 Posts: 288
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    Just updating sig from my Mr A visit.

    1 kg pack of Basmati rice has been rolled back to £1.13

    I also noted that the organic sunflower oil is cheaper than the non-organic @ £1.08 per litre HTH.

    Jackie x
  • Flylady_Flower
    Flylady_Flower Posts: 2,855
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    Hi all,
    thank you all for your good wishes - feeling much better today after a long lay-in - didn't get up until 11.30am, and that was only because my mum came round, so maybe I needed that!
    Anyway, picked up DS from college and went straight to Lidls - got megga bargain on their grapes - 65p per kg - went into Tesco after and their grapes are £4.49 per kg :eek: also got some beechams cold & flu capsules for 99p :D - hubby paid 4.59 from the garage the other day, although that was for 16 and these were only 8's, but even so...

    Went to Mr T's after and got some woopsied f&v - strawbs [STRIKE]£3.99 [/STRIKE][STRIKE]£1.99 [/STRIKE]59p, 4 small advocados 45p and celery sticks for 29p - not much else there...

    Hope everyone else is having a good day, take care x
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  • mrssnowy_2
    mrssnowy_2 Posts: 403
    PPI Party Pooper Mortgage-free Glee!
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    Got water from cooking vegs up left, used for gravy but loathed to throw the rest away, can anyone give new and old uses for it, let's see how many different options you all can come up with:T :T :T :T :T

    So many great ideas appear on this thread I know your imagenations will work over time, and I will be waiting with baited breath:D

    Making bread with,just gives 'another dimension'.

    J
    You can't stay young for ever,but you can be immature for the rest of your life.
  • dink1
    dink1 Posts: 197 Forumite
    Hi guys,

    Just to show my memory has totally gone, i have seen an advert on the tv for 50p sausages, 50p chicken drumsticks etc all for £4 is that mr T or at mr M...... By the way who am I? LOL

    DINK1
    JanGC £250/£82 far:weight loss 1lb cc250/£86/cm40/£9.50 :A
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