Cooking from scratch...

Baggy_3 · 3 April 2005 at 4:20PM

I've just gone through and found some fab recipes posted here - can't wait to try them!!

I just wondered if anyone cooks things like chicken nuggets/fish fingers etc from scratch?
Is it cheaper?
How about potato croquettes/hash brown type things?

Karen x

Ticklemouse · 3 April 2005 at 4:42PM

I sometimes cook chicken nuggets from scratch, otherwise I use the chicken breast nuggets from Costco. They are really easy to do - chop your chicken breast into pieces, roll in beaten egg, roll in breadcumbs, fry quickly, or part fry and finish off in oven if worried about fat content.

Don't think they will be cheaper than buying frozen nuggets, but haven't bought them for so long, couldn't tell you. What I do know is that I wouldn't eat standard nuggets again. Even pre-Jaime Oliver, I was worried what [email="cr@p"]!!!!!![/email] they put in these things, so stopped getting them. I'm going to make my own burgers for the BBQ season - we don't usually eat them otherwise.

Haven't done fish fingers or croquettes yet. Have thought about croquettes though, but my 2 don't really like them, so would be for me.

IMO, even if home cooking isn't cheaper, it's far healthier. Then again, would be cheaper in the long run from a health point of view. I don't have a lot of money, but would rather spend it on decent food and make things from scratch than have a new pair of shoes etc.

Ask Sarahsaver about recipes for HM things, she's the guru on that type of thing.

Off to serve up my latest slow-cooker meal now.

Baggy_3 · 3 April 2005 at 5:24PM

Not sure how to directly quote you but I agree with what you say about the !!!!!! in the bought one's which is why I want to make my own stuff.
Thanks for the nugget recipe - sounds rediculously (sp) easy...don't know why I haven't tried before!

Karen x

Sarahsaver · 3 April 2005 at 9:06PM

Ticklemouse wrote:

IMO, even if home cooking isn't cheaper, it's far healthier. Then again, would be cheaper in the long run from a health point of view. I don't have a lot of money, but would rather spend it on decent food and make things from scratch than have a new pair of shoes etc.

Ask Sarahsaver about recipes for HM things, she's the guru on that type of thing.

Off to serve up my latest slow-cooker meal now.

oooh thanks!
Go on, any questions, fire away!

Today homemade things we had were bread pudding, sage and onion stuffing (LUSCIOUS if i say so myself) does porridge count as it wasnt instant stuff!, and I am making some stock from todays chicken, the rest of which has been sandwiches, and tomorrow will do a biryani with the stock im making now, then MORE stock with the leftover bones:)
Also a very nice iced coffee, which i wanted vodka in but held off. WHY? I think i'd better make another one just to make sure i did it right.

xxbutterflygirlxx · 3 April 2005 at 9:41PM

I have made 'chicken' nuggets with turkey mince to keep costs down, they probably come in about the same price as bought ones. Just shape the mince into nuggets and dip them in egg and breadcrumbs. They were lovely although not as good as the ones I make out of the ready cut up chicken chunks that are meant for curries etc.

Baggy_3 · 4 April 2005 at 2:58PM

What sort of recipes do you have? We're vegetarian apart from oldest DS (And he doesn't eat that much meat) Would love the stuffing recipe please!!

Thanks,
Karen x [/COLOR]

Sarahsaver · 4 April 2005 at 3:15PM

Sage and onion stuffing
a couple of thick slices of bread - homemade all the better
one onion
a handful of sage leaves
salt
pepper
an egg
bung it all in a food processor minus the egg, until the bread is in crumbs and the onion and herbs are finely chopped
put into a bowl and mix with the beaten egg
roll into balls and bake in a greased dish for about 20 minutes
It shouldnt be too mushy, if it is you need more breadcrumbs
you could bulk it up with sosmix to make it more nutritious

I like madhur jaffrey and ken hom for vegetarian recipes because I find the westernised veggie recipes a bit too puritanical at times;)
Speaking from experience, I used to be a vegan but now will eat anything that moves (except snails)

Queenie · 4 April 2005 at 3:28PM

I don't even try and replicate Hash Browns, but, I do make Potato Rosti occasionally. Fish fingers would be made in the same way as the chicken nuggets mentioned above (cut your fish into strips, dip in egg, roll in golden breadcrumbs, fry). With the price of fish, I'm not so sure they would be economical to make from scratch, unless you were making them from leftover raw fish. Now, fishcakes ... mmmmm, scrummy! Bit of leftover mash, some leftover flaked cooked fish, mix it together, form into rounds, dip in egg, roll in golden breadcrumbs and lightly fry until heated and cooked through D-lish!

Potato wedges are dead easy to make at home; I've now joined the bands of other breadmachine owners who makes homemade pizza's - much, much nicer than store bought/takeaway!

For flavour, you can't beat homemade foods. My dd drools over my coleslaw LOL yet it's soooo easy and speedy.

We never, ever buy burgers, I always make my own. In their basic form it's simply minced beef, shaped into balls, flattered then grilled. Sometimes I eke out the mince by adding some fresh breadcrumbs and then binding the lot together with a beaten egg. I've stuffed them with brie/stilton; wrapped them in bacon before grilling (gives a great crispy outside too). I alter how I serve them so I ring the changes there too. If they are plain, I'll top with ... a slice of cheese plus a pineapple ring; served w/out a bun with a cheese and onion sauce poured over the top; sometimes I add different herbs to the mince to give a different flavour, ie: chilli. I've made them with pork mince, breadcrumbs and a dollop of apple sauce for pork and apple burgers. Lamb mince with some mint sauce added before cooking gives us lamb and mint burgers. Ahhhhh, humble minced meat, sooooo versatile

mink35 · 4 April 2005 at 10:59PM

Can't beat homemade burgers can ya Queenie

They're also a great way to hide veggies. Finely chopped mushrooms or carrots or even courgette can be hidden easily and kids are eating much healthier than they think

Galtizz · 5 April 2005 at 9:44AM

Queenie wrote:

We never, ever buy burgers, I always make my own.... I've stuffed them with brie/stilton;

Hmmm, these sound delicious, going to have to try these, never thought of stuffing burgers - will be experimenting, poor old DH

Baggy, I posted my fish cake recipe HERE, if you want fish fingers, just make em finger shaped

Lucie_2 · 5 April 2005 at 10:10AM

Galtizz wrote:

Hmmm, these sound delicious, going to have to try these, never thought of stuffing burgers - will be experimenting, poor old DH

I do stuffed meatballs too - push a cube of cheese into the middle before cooking. Better if you chill well before cooking so they firm up & don't fiddle with them too much during cooking or they fall apart. Mozzarella is nice, but any cheese would do.

Home made burgers - I find cheaper mince with a bit of fat in it makes nicer burgers - otherwise they are too dry. I add a squirt of tomato puree, squirt of garlic puree, splash of tobasco, some dried chives, salt & pepper. They are yummy.

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Cooking from scratch...

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