January 2011 Grocery Challenge

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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 17,413
    First Post I've been Money Tipped!
    Forumite
    I was so tempted today when I was at the Uni library as the cafe is just next door and I could smell something delish cooking but I am determined not to spend unnecessarily this month.So I kept my money in my purse and came home and had some pate on toast instead which didn't cost me anything.I think I may have to invest in a padlock for my purse.But so far I am sticking to it ,but will have to shop next Monday I think.I sorted out one of the shelves in my freezer today and I have so much stuff in there that I am definitely not buying anything I really don't need if I can help it.I want to eat down some of the freezer first
  • 1 lb or 450 gram pack Lean Minced beef (the best quality you can afford. M&S Aberdeen Angus mince is the best I've found)
    2 big carrots
    2 onions
    2 beef oxo cubes or veg stock cubes
    1 pint of water
    Beef granules to thicken at the end of cooking not too much

    Method

    Brown mince, put in sieve and press with a spoon to get any extra fat from meat, dry pot with kitchen paper and put mince back, add sliced onions and carrots, stir for about 5 min to sweat onions, add stock cubes or oxo's & water, but not the gravy granules.

    Simmer for about 30 min, remove any fat that rises to the top.
    Taste the mince at this stage and salt to taste if liked. There should be about half the liquid in the pan top it up, if your making the dumplings, the gravy will reduce during the last stage of cooking. Plate up the dumplings then thicken what gravy is left now, if it looks dry add a little water.

    I quite often make the mince to this stage and put it in the fridge, then pop it in the slow cooker about an hour before we are going to eat, then add the dumplings. If you do this heat the mince and slow cooker before adding the dumplings. You can cook this from start to finish on top of the stove, just be careful it doesn't dry out.


    Dumplings enough for 4 Good size ones

    1/2 Cup Atora Suet
    1 Cup SR Flour
    Water
    Salt 1 1/2 teaspoon

    Method

    Add suet, salt and flour to bowl, add a little water at a time, till mix binds together, we want the mix to be just bound if you go past this stage just add a little flour.
    Divide mix into 4 and drop the dumplings on top of the mince. (I usually sprinkle a little parsley on top of them.)
    For the last 25-30 min of cooking time.

    You can have these dumplings with any casserole/stew type dishes.
    If you only want one use a smaller measure like an egg cup. 1 of suet 2 of flour.
    If your family are anything like mine they might ask you to make bigger dumplings.

    Serve with fluffy mashed potatoes, garden peas or cabbage.
    Jersey Royals or Ayrshire potatoes are AMAZING! with mince.

    My OH would eat this every day LOL.



    I made Sweet and Sour chicken with boiled rice tonight, I used some of the leg meat from the 3 chickens I cooked for the freezer yesterday. It was ready in 15 minutes, the chicken balls are done in batter and are not greasy like takeaways.
    If anyones interested I'll post that recipe too.

    Took my granddaughter to the park today, never went anywhere near a shop LOL. This is a 1st for me, I usually pop in if I'm passing to see if there's any bargains.
    1st Purse £114.19 Monthly GB
    2nd Purse ££100
    :rotfl::j:wave::j:rotfl:
    Fridge Freezer £300 3rd Purse /£290.94
  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    i just spents another £25 on some clothes and a gift for a friends baby, things aren't looking good considering were not even a week in, but i just sorted my freezer out and we have loads of meat (including 2 chickens and 3 pheasants and about 8 meals worth of mince) so i don't think i'll be spending much for the next few weeks, i'll maybe do a little stock up in iceland on mon, and £47 of my spends in non food items :)
    DEC GC £463.67/£450
    EF- £110/COLOR]/£1000
  • Hippeechiq
    Hippeechiq Posts: 1,103 Forumite
    edited 6 January 2011 at 12:12AM
    :wave: HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone

    Hello & Welcome to all newcomers :hello:

    Am way behind with this thread, so behind I need to start from page 1! Lol

    If I'm not too late MRSMCAWBER could you put Hippeechiq down for £250 please

    I've no idea how I'm going to achieve this, as I was struggling to bring my budget in at £275, but with only 1 wage coming in, I need to skim £25 off my groceries if we are to be able to afford Chr*s*mas this year, and there's nothing else we can cut back on.

    I can but try eh? My month runs from the 1st to the 31st inclusive.

    Good Luck with this months challenge everyone :)
    Aug11 £193.29/£240

    Oct10 £266.72 /£275 Nov10 £276.71/£275 Dec10 £311.33 / £275 Jan11 £242.25/ £250 Feb11 £243.14/ £250 Mar11 £221.99/ £230
    Apr11 £237.39 /£240 May11 £237.71/£240 Jun11 £244.03/ £240 July11 £244.89/ £240
    Xmas 2011 Fund £220
  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
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    Keybilly wrote: »
    Hi booskyeboo,
    May I ask what you are going to make with your dried fruit?
    I was given quite a lot of dried fruit in a Christmas hamper. In my bid to be healthy, I'm eating it on its own but I know that I'll get bored of it very soon.
    Many thanks for everyone's helpful suggestions.

    Kx

    wat about a nice tea cake? i hate dried fruit so not really much help, bread and butter pudding is yummy with raisins in it tho
    DEC GC £463.67/£450
    EF- £110/COLOR]/£1000
  • Welsh cake recipe

    8oz self raising flour
    1/2 tsp baking powder
    4oz butter
    3oz sugar
    3oz currants
    1 large egg and a little milk
    good pinch of mixed spice or nutmeg

    rub fat in to flour, baking powder and spice
    add sugar and currants, bind with beaten egg and milk to a stiffish paste. roll out 1/4 inch thick then cut in to 2.5 inch rounds and bake on a greased griddle, 3-5 minutes each side until mottled with golden brown sprinkle with sugar and eat while warm.

    These look Yummy! I will wait till OH eats the stuff I made yesterday, then I'm going to have a bash at these. Can you ask your mum where she got the planc? I'd love to get one I've been looking for a griddle for 25 yrs LOL.
    1st Purse £114.19 Monthly GB
    2nd Purse ££100
    :rotfl::j:wave::j:rotfl:
    Fridge Freezer £300 3rd Purse /£290.94
  • rosieben
    rosieben Posts: 5,010
    Combo Breaker First Post
    Forumite
    Mothership, Mince n Totties n Dumplings are in the recipe index
    ... don't throw the string away. You always need string! :D

    C.R.A.P.R.O.L.L.Z Head Sharpener
  • Mothership wrote: »
    These look Yummy! I will wait till OH eats the stuff I made yesterday, then I'm going to have a bash at these. Can you ask your mum where she got the planc? I'd love to get one I've been looking for a griddle for 25 yrs LOL.

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cast-Black-Steel-Baking-Stone/dp/B0001IWYFA/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1294269029&sr=1-2

    this is the one she got me from amazon and its great, and she got me the little book of welsh bakestone recipes to go with it.
  • I'm looking for something to make to use them up, any suggestions? I've also got nearly a whole jar of cranberry sauce , that one has me stumped LOL.
    I've also got a jar of olives and a quite a lot of rosemary, any suggestions for them, I will use some for rosemary & garlic potatoes.

    I was wondering if anyone knows if you can freeze rosemary?

    These last few days have really taken me back to my childhood, I can remember my granny in the kitchen teaching me how to cook and not waste anything. I'm the granny now LOL my wee darling GD is only 4 months old.
    I'm ashamed of the stuff thats been wasted from my kitchen, I vowed last year I would change my ways, I was waiting to join this years grocery challenge this month, so glad I have , I feel it has grounded me. Thank you so much everyone.
    1st Purse £114.19 Monthly GB
    2nd Purse ££100
    :rotfl::j:wave::j:rotfl:
    Fridge Freezer £300 3rd Purse /£290.94
  • quintwins
    quintwins Posts: 5,179
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    Mothership wrote: »
    I'm looking for something to make to use them up, any suggestions? I've also got nearly a whole jar of cranberry sauce , that one has me stumped LOL.
    I've also got a jar of olives and a quite a lot of rosemary, any suggestions for them, I will use some for rosemary & garlic potatoes.

    I was wondering if anyone knows if you can freeze rosemary?

    These last few days have really taken me back to my childhood, I can remember my granny in the kitchen teaching me how to cook and not waste anything. I'm the granny now LOL my wee darling GD is only 4 months old.
    I'm ashamed of the stuff thats been wasted from my kitchen, I vowed last year I would change my ways, I was waiting to join this years grocery challenge this month, so glad I have , I feel it has grounded me. Thank you so much everyone.

    all i can think of is lemmon curd, or lemon sponge
    DEC GC £463.67/£450
    EF- £110/COLOR]/£1000
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