August 2008 Grocery Challenge

[Boomdocker]

Just catching up so a few days behind I am afraid. Sorry to hear abour Archie and Annie.

[OrkneyStar]

Hi there,
Just thought I would share a pic of my first home-grown courgette!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3105/...b8702e30de.jpg
Its about 4 inches and looks quite nice! Proof that small veg can be grown in the cold north! Am gonna have it in my tacos later in the week (beef from another days roast, pepper, mush and courgette tacos mmmmm)
There are now some red toms too
x

[angelnikki]

congratulations IOIWE

I've got a MrT delivery booked for tomorrow which should come to about £80 but includes nappies (again) as the big packs of Pampers are 2 for £13.50 at the moment. They normally do them 2 for £16 so this is a good saving

Other offers ATM:
Princes (orange/apple/pineapple/tomato/grapefruit) juice BOGOF @ £1.09 cheaper than value
500g Utterly Butterly £1
Kerrygold butter 250g 2 for £1.60 cheaper than value (ends Tuesday)
red gem lettuce 2 pack 50p
Farm Pride free range eggs box Of 15 £2
loose peppers 50p
4 large burger buns 50p
kiwis pack 50p
Cadbury's choc mousse 4 pack 48p
Dairylea triangles 46p

Dinner tonight was spicy bean & sweet potato stew, v yummy and 17p per portion (or 30p per portion with tortilla chips & grated cheese )

Take care everyone

Nikki x

[SavvyStudent]

Just doing this MrT shop and i've noticed how rubbish all the BOGOF offers are! There's not a single thing in there I'd normally buy! Wish they would do BOGOF on tesco value... x

[Sian the Green]

Ooh, Nikki that sounds delish, I love sweet potato and butternut squash (think it's because I have a sweet tooth . Is that on the recipe index?

[OrkneyStar]

Originally Posted by angelnikki

congratulations IOIWE

I've got a MrT delivery booked for tomorrow which should come to about £80 but includes nappies (again) as the big packs of Pampers are 2 for £13.50 at the moment. They normally do them 2 for £16 so this is a good saving

Other offers ATM:
Princes (orange/apple/pineapple/tomato/grapefruit) juice BOGOF @ £1.09 cheaper than value
500g Utterly Butterly £1
Kerrygold butter 250g 2 for £1.60 cheaper than value (ends Tuesday)
red gem lettuce 2 pack 50p
Farm Pride free range eggs box Of 15 £2
loose peppers 50p- I nearly bought these but then saw the 3 pack of peppers was £1.38, so cheaper per pepper if you use a reasonable amount and/or freeze some- the multi packs currently have red, yellow and orange (my faves )
4 large burger buns 50p
kiwis pack 50p
Cadbury's choc mousse 4 pack 48p
Dairylea triangles 46p

Dinner tonight was spicy bean & sweet potato stew, v yummy and 17p per portion (or 30p per portion with tortilla chips & grated cheese )

Take care everyone

Nikki x

Thanks for this nikki, I just added a wee comment re the peppers- hope you don't mind x

[OrkneyStar]

Originally Posted by SavvyStudent

Just doing this MrT shop and i've noticed how rubbish all the BOGOF offers are! There's not a single thing in there I'd normally buy! Wish they would do BOGOF on tesco value... x

I often think BOGOF's are not really worth it tbh. Often value works out cheaper, not always of course. I think they are trying even harder to get us to buy stuff we don't actually want but they want to sell!! I also think that more stores have the same BOGOF's now too. Our Tesco seems to be selling all the 'Healthy Living' range cheap just now, although not sure if this is every store or not. Shame I have no room in my freezer for anything else! :rolleyes:
OH and congratulations IOIWE

[SavvyStudent]

Originally Posted by OrkneyStar

I often think BOGOF's are not really worth it tbh. Often value works out cheaper, not always of course. I think they are trying even harder to get us to buy stuff we don't actually want but they want to sell!! I also think that more stores have the same BOGOF's now too. Our Tesco seems to be selling all the 'Healthy Living' range cheap just now, although not sure if this is every store or not. Shame I have no room in my freezer for anything else! :rolleyes:
OH and congratulations IOIWE

Furthermore, the 'offers for kids' section is shocking!! It's all crisps, sugary drinks and ice-creams! The healthiest thing in there is a few tubs of frozen fruit! MrT you should be ashamed! xx

[angelnikki]

Originally Posted by Sian the Green

Ooh, Nikki that sounds delish, I love sweet potato and butternut squash (think it's because I have a sweet tooth . Is that on the recipe index?

It will be in a minute...

Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew

1 tsp each of cumin, coriander and chilli powder 5p
1/2 onion, cubed 5p
1 large sweet potato, cubed 35p
2 carrots, cubed 10p
handful of cubed butternut squash 10p (optional - I had some in the freezer)
1 tin kidney beans 14p
1 tin pinto beans 33p
1 tin chopped tomatoes 21p
tomato puree 5p
3/4 pint stock free

Fry the spices and then add the onion, sweet potato, carrots & squash and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30-40mins. Total cost £1.38 for 8 portions, cost per portion 17p

Can be served on its own or with tortilla chips (2 bags @ 18p each) and grated cheese (100g @67p) Total cost per portion 30p

OrkneyStar - I shop online and knowing my luck the delivery driver/picker would choose the pack that had all green ones in so it's better for me to get them loose when on offer and slice + freeze

Nikki x

[MRSMCAWBER]

Evening all

Hubby still not back from the leaving do -but at least he rang to let me know -they are on a mini bus so they have to go with the majority :rolleyes: ..plus point is that they have gone back to the house of the guy whos leaving do it is and it seems he has a huge apple tree in his garden and they don't use them -so tomorrow -when they are both sober hubby is going to see about me collecting some at the weekend and most surprising of all -it was hubbies idea -by heck i think hubby is seeing the light .. that and any blackberries i get at the weekend are just meant to go together nomnomnom

Well I have just had my chicken canelonni and its a hit ... i roughly weighed stuff out as i concocted -just in case it was any good -so i will post it -just in case its of any use to anyone i created it according to the veggies i needed to use

I only did it for 2..and the amounts sound mean -but im amazed at what it made and somehow the balance was perfect

CHICKEN CANELONNI

• fry 1 chopped onion in a drop of oil
• add 60g mushrooms and 60g peppers -mine were frozen
• then when softened I added 1 chopped patty pan -about 60g courgette is the same and 120g fresh baby tomatoes chopped -just because that was what i had from outside that needed using and plenty of seasoning then cook slowly to allow the veg to soften down
• add 120g leftover roast chicken and a dollop of cheese/white sauce -just enough to bind it
• Leave to cool then use a tsp to fill the tubes

That was enough to fill 10 canelonni tubes (the ones the size of brandy snaps) and there was a bit leftover

i put 5 tubes in each dish and the leftover sauce over the top, poured over some cheese sauce (hm from the freezer ) then i put red liecester and lancashire over the top and baked -well they were the 2 cheeses that were open

It was stunning ....i should have used the rest of the filling to fill more tubes -didn't realise it would be soooo filling -little oinker that i am i still ate it.. next time i will do 12 tubes and only have 3-4 each with salad not 5

Right off to let my dinner go down..could be some time

[OrkneyStar]

Originally Posted by angelnikki

OrkneyStar - I shop online and knowing my luck the delivery driver/picker would choose the pack that had all green ones in so it's better for me to get them loose when on offer and slice + freeze

Nikki x

Hmmmmm, I don't think I could shop online (not that we have the option here anyway!) as I like to choose my peppers lol! The multipacks looked really good this time, some times they are cruddy! The somerfield cheap ones (Basics I think) were 1 red and 5 green normally, which is fine if you like green peppers I suppose but I prefer orange or yellow, followed by red, then green! 50p is cheap though as loose peppers can cost up to 90p!! Lets hope the delivery people pick you nice fresh, round, sweet yummy ones
Edited to say, MrsM, your recipe sounds so good we are going to have chicken lasagne made with your canelloni recipe (we've no canneloni tubes but have lasagne sheets!) and will just also interspace with a tomato sauce. Will give me a chance to use my homemade courgette (was going to put in tacos but they will have beans instead. Mouth watering already

[Flylady_Flower]

Originally Posted by ifonlyitwaseasier

well today has been a nsd! however its also been a GOT A JOB DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

i am soooooooooooo happy, and so relieved

BRILLIANT! WELL DONE YOU!

[ifonlyitwaseasier]

thank you den

[JayJay14]

Just started on BBC 2 - The Hairy Bakers - Bread, cakes and pies - could be fun

[perrywinkle]

Hi all,

just a small spend of 1.12 for some bananas today so have updated signature. Hoping for a NSD tomorrow as no plans to go shopping as remoska arrived this afternoon and want to do a bit of playing with recipes.

Bree - sorry to hear about Annie

Ifonlyitwaseasier - congratulations on the new job - that must be a weight off your mind - you can now focus on the big day!

Happy moneysaving everyone
Perrywinkle

[ifonlyitwaseasier]

oh i'm loving the Hairy Bakers, (must set sky+ for next weeks episode) i'm getting hungry again!!!

thank you my friends, i'm so relieved , and i'm going to really enjoy myself on honeymoon now, no worrying and i've been scouting for restaurants in sorrento? any recommendations?
think i might wander to the travel board for a look.

[EagerLearner]

Just used this and it works!

XX-TKCR - £5 off a £35 spend at Tesco

Noticed Tesco now have their own 'eco' versions of bicarb (500g) and Borax (400g)... bought some so that I use less of the 200g tubs of bicarb (less packaging) and also curious as to the Borax - Rhonda Jean from the Down To Earth thread seems to use it alot and I've seen it mentioned for household cleaning...

I got the longlife milk (semi skimmed, 18 litres) and 6 of the Cheerios BOGOF (600g) as Mr EL likes them. Plus a few staples like Marmite (250g for £2), Tesco tuna in springwater etc.

[Chell]

Originally Posted by EagerLearner

Just used this and it works!

XX-TKCR - £5 off a £35 spend at Tesco

Noticed Tesco now have their own 'eco' versions of bicarb (500g) and Borax (400g)... bought some so that I use less of the 200g tubs of bicarb (less packaging) and also curious as to the Borax - Rhonda Jean from the Down To Earth thread seems to use it alot and I've seen it mentioned for household cleaning...

I got the longlife milk (semi skimmed, 18 litres) and 6 of the Cheerios BOGOF (600g) as Mr EL likes them. Plus a few staples like Marmite (250g for £2), Tesco tuna in springwater etc.

Thanks, I could do with using Tesco.com as I can't drive but didn't want to have to spend £50 to get a code that covers the delivery charge. Fingers crossed that my Clubcard vouchers come tomorrow as I was hoping to use any extra point coupon codes that come with them too.

I often find that I spend more shopping online as I make the order up to £50 so I have a code to cover the delivery charges.

[galacticgreen]

just updated my totals. Just under £45 left till the end of the month. Fingers crossed we'll do it!

[AlwaysHappy]

Another £7.57 spent for me (already) - packed lunch for holiday club partly to blame - I'm finding the recording all my sins on the forum useful though - it certainly focuses the mind. Some of your monthly amounts are amazing!