May 2012 Grocery Challenge

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  • Hello! Not been around in April at all as I completely lost track of ALL of my spending. I don't think it was great from my bank balance, but it doesn't seem to have been a complete disaster. We spent over £300 in GC's March which I'm not very happy about as there's only 2 of us and a puppy/young dog. I know that it's not generally recommended to lower the budget until you're comfortable with the one you've been setting yourself but I found myself thinking 'I still have x for this month' and spending 'x-a little bit' on the previous months :(. So I'm challenging myself and setting £200 for May (I'll just update my sig Helen, thank you!). I've found out we have a lid* nearby so I'll be popping in there rather than relying solely on Mr T and I'm considering having a 2nd purse as well but this may not happen till June. We'll see. I found out I'm pregnant a few weeks ago and have been very tired so may not be able to post regularly but will try to read the thread regularly and will definitely report at the end of May (I find that doing these help me keeping on track so thank you all!). Good luck everyone and thanks to everyone who keeps this thread going!!
    :jBaby girl born 3rd October 2012:j
  • jumblejack
    jumblejack Posts: 6,599 Forumite
    edited 28 April 2012 at 9:43PM
    chelseabun wrote: »
    Evening! :)

    First spend of the month, although I don't actually get paid until Monday! Went to Mr M's, spent more than I hoped - £49.64. It should cover at least a couple of weeks for freezer and store cupboard, so next week all we'll need is milk, fresh veg and fruit. It also included two bottles of wine, which bumped it up a bit!:o

    I went through the freezers and did an inventory today :eek: Let's just say that last time I did it was in 2008, and some of the meat was still there! :o I'm guessing it won't all be edible :D but if it looks and smells ok when it's defrosted, we'll give it a go!

    Jumblejack's bread looks fab - is the recipe on here somewhere?

    Have a good evening all! :beer:
    CBx

    Here you go:


    JJ's Herby Cheese Bread:D

    Mix ingredients together in this order below with a fork until it forms into a ball, then finish with clean hands:


    8oz SR flour

    1.5oz fat (any will do: butter/marg/suet/spread/reserved fat from cooking joints, etc)

    4oz grated cheese

    Handful of herbs (I prefer chives:))

    1 egg

    Up to 1/4 pint of milk (add gradually as if making scones. You may not need the whole amount;))

    1 tsp mustard.


    If too wet add more flour, if too dry add more milk.

    Method for bread to accompany a soup:


    Pat/roll it into a circle on a tray.

    Cut it into 6 wedges and slightly part them.

    Glaze with egg or milk.

    Looks like this as they go in the oven:
    photo-64.jpg?t=1335546246
    15 mins or until golden around 200 degrees
    Then it should look like this (mmmmm, smell that!):
    photo-65.jpg?t=1335546854
    Verdict: Nom!
    photo-66.jpg?t=1335548045

    Method for dumplings:

    Roll into 6 (or more if you want smaller ones) balls and add to a simmering stew.

    Pop back into oven with the lid off and allow to cook in the liquid.
    Cooking time depends on the temperature I'd oven and size of the dumplings. I usually leave em in a good 20 mins. :)
    :A Every moment is a gift. That's why we call it the present.!:A
    Grocery Spend Weekly Challenge (Sat-Fri):£30.50/£40
  • Florenceem
    Florenceem Posts: 7,819
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    craigywv wrote: »
    FLORENCEEM coooeeeeeeeee whats for dinner? ..............waiting on the photos !!!!!
    Sorry - I was watching Casualty and the news - all the TV I watch on a Saturday.
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  • Florenceem
    Florenceem Posts: 7,819
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    Hello! Not been around in April at all as I completely lost track of ALL of my spending. I don't think it was great from my bank balance, but it doesn't seem to have been a complete disaster. We spent over £300 in GC's March which I'm not very happy about as there's only 2 of us and a puppy/young dog. I know that it's not generally recommended to lower the budget until you're comfortable with the one you've been setting yourself but I found myself thinking 'I still have x for this month' and spending 'x-a little bit' on the previous months :(. So I'm challenging myself and setting £200 for May (I'll just update my sig Helen, thank you!). I've found out we have a lid* nearby so I'll be popping in there rather than relying solely on Mr T and I'm considering having a 2nd purse as well but this may not happen till June. We'll see. I found out I'm pregnant a few weeks ago and have been very tired so may not be able to post regularly but will try to read the thread regularly and will definitely report at the end of May (I find that doing these help me keeping on track so thank you all!). Good luck everyone and thanks to everyone who keeps this thread going!!
    Congrats on the baby news! Healthy diet now please.
    Decluttering Achieved - 2023 - 10,364 Decluttering Target - 1277/2024 March - 1895/171
    GC NSD 2023 - 242/365
    2023 Craft Makes - 245 Craft Spends 2023 - £676.03/£400
    Books read - 2023 - 37
    GC - 2024 First 4 Week Period £11.75/£100 2nd £33.71/£100 3rd £57.13/£100 4th £3.01/£100 NSD - 55
    2024 Craft Makes - 104 Craft Spends 2024 £186.95/£500
  • Florenceem
    Florenceem Posts: 7,819
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    jumblejack wrote: »
    Here you go:


    JJ's Herby Cheese Bread:D

    Mix ingredients together in this order below with a fork until it forms into a ball, then finish with clean hands:


    8oz SR flour

    1.5oz fat (any will do: butter/marg/suet/spread/reserved fat from cooking joints, etc)

    4oz grated cheese

    Handful of herbs (I prefer chives:))

    1 egg

    Up to 1/4 pint of milk (add gradually as if making scones. You may not need the whole amount;))

    1 tsp mustard.


    If too wet add more flour, if too dry add more milk.

    Method for bread to accompany a soup:


    Pat/roll it into a circle on a tray.

    Cut it into 6 wedges and slightly part them.

    Glaze with egg or milk.

    Looks like this as they go in the oven:
    photo-64.jpg?t=1335546246
    15 mins or until golden around 200 degrees
    Then it should look like this (mmmmm, smell that!):
    photo-65.jpg?t=1335546854
    Verdict: Nom!
    photo-66.jpg?t=1335548045

    Method for dumplings:

    Roll into 6 (or more if you want smaller ones) balls and add to a simmering stew.

    Pop back into oven with the lid off and allow to cook in the liquid.
    Cooking time depends on the temperature I'd oven and size of the dumplings. I usually leave em in a good 20 mins. :)
    JJ - Did you use ready made or mustard powder please?
    Decluttering Achieved - 2023 - 10,364 Decluttering Target - 1277/2024 March - 1895/171
    GC NSD 2023 - 242/365
    2023 Craft Makes - 245 Craft Spends 2023 - £676.03/£400
    Books read - 2023 - 37
    GC - 2024 First 4 Week Period £11.75/£100 2nd £33.71/£100 3rd £57.13/£100 4th £3.01/£100 NSD - 55
    2024 Craft Makes - 104 Craft Spends 2024 £186.95/£500
  • Florenceem
    Florenceem Posts: 7,819
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    NSD here.
    We had roast potatoes, beef/onion slice, carrot, onion,swede and baked onion for dinner.

    7122491079_1faebd720d.jpg

    While the oven was on I cooked some chinese style chicken ready for tomorrow. Just have to cook rice and do peas in the MW.
    Decluttering Achieved - 2023 - 10,364 Decluttering Target - 1277/2024 March - 1895/171
    GC NSD 2023 - 242/365
    2023 Craft Makes - 245 Craft Spends 2023 - £676.03/£400
    Books read - 2023 - 37
    GC - 2024 First 4 Week Period £11.75/£100 2nd £33.71/£100 3rd £57.13/£100 4th £3.01/£100 NSD - 55
    2024 Craft Makes - 104 Craft Spends 2024 £186.95/£500
  • jumblejack
    jumblejack Posts: 6,599 Forumite
    Florenceem wrote: »
    JJ - Did you use ready made or mustard powder please?

    Tesco value english mustard :)
    :A Every moment is a gift. That's why we call it the present.!:A
    Grocery Spend Weekly Challenge (Sat-Fri):£30.50/£40
  • jumblejack
    jumblejack Posts: 6,599 Forumite
    edited 28 April 2012 at 10:09PM
    Florenceem wrote: »
    NSD here.
    We had roast potatoes, beef/onion slice, carrot, onion,swede and baked onion for dinner.

    7122491079_1faebd720d.jpg

    While the oven was on I cooked some chinese style chicken ready for tomorrow. Just have to cook rice and do peas in the MW.

    Loving the look of the baked onion!!!!!!!!!!

    Do you just peel and pop in the oven as it is whilst the rest of the dinner is cooking? I bet it is really sweet!

    My kids and OH have gone to a Jamaican 'do' so will be having a Jamaican buffet there. I am too burnt out to accompany them and have really enjoyed trawling the threads tonight:)

    As it is just me, I have had similar to your pic today: cheese n pickles!

    It was on crackers though and the
    pickle I had is my only vice: Brinjal Pickle. It is to die for!!!!!!
    I had rather a lot though as once you pop you can't stop where this is concerned. It was certainly not worthy of a photo :o
    Dinner was a simple salad with new potatoes as I needed to use up some stuff.
    :)
    :A Every moment is a gift. That's why we call it the present.!:A
    Grocery Spend Weekly Challenge (Sat-Fri):£30.50/£40
  • Florenceem
    Florenceem Posts: 7,819
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    jumblejack wrote: »
    Tesco value english mustard :)
    I used fresh mustard and utterly butterly for the first time - wondered if that made my scone mix wet.
    Decluttering Achieved - 2023 - 10,364 Decluttering Target - 1277/2024 March - 1895/171
    GC NSD 2023 - 242/365
    2023 Craft Makes - 245 Craft Spends 2023 - £676.03/£400
    Books read - 2023 - 37
    GC - 2024 First 4 Week Period £11.75/£100 2nd £33.71/£100 3rd £57.13/£100 4th £3.01/£100 NSD - 55
    2024 Craft Makes - 104 Craft Spends 2024 £186.95/£500
  • Florenceem
    Florenceem Posts: 7,819
    Homepage Hero First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Forumite
    jumblejack wrote: »
    Loving the look of the baked onion!!!!!!!!!!

    Do you just peel and pop in the oven as it is whilst the rest of the dinner is cooking? I bet it is really sweet!

    My kids and OH have gone to a Jamaican 'do' so will be having a Jamaican buffet there. I am too burnt out to accompany them and have really enjoyed trawling the threads tonight:)

    As it is just me, I have had similar to your pic today: cheese n pickles!

    It was on crackers though and the
    pickle I had is my only vice: Brinjal Pickle. It is to die for!!!!!!
    I had rather a lot though as once you pop you can't stop where this is concerned. It was certainly not worthy of a photo :o
    Dinner was a simple salad with new potatoes as I needed to use up some stuff.
    :)
    I peeled the onions and parboiled them in MW tub with the potatoes. Then they went in the oven wrapped in foil - so delicious. They take too long to cook/soften if not parboiled first - you must get a cheap MW.
    We got Mil a really low price basic one - did all she needed.
    Decluttering Achieved - 2023 - 10,364 Decluttering Target - 1277/2024 March - 1895/171
    GC NSD 2023 - 242/365
    2023 Craft Makes - 245 Craft Spends 2023 - £676.03/£400
    Books read - 2023 - 37
    GC - 2024 First 4 Week Period £11.75/£100 2nd £33.71/£100 3rd £57.13/£100 4th £3.01/£100 NSD - 55
    2024 Craft Makes - 104 Craft Spends 2024 £186.95/£500
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