August 2008 Grocery Challenge

angelnikki

Money_saving_Diva wrote: »

I have actual 'cup' measurers but an american friend of mine said a cup is about 8 oz so hope that helps. I think as long as you keep it all the same then you can't go too far wrong.
1/2 cup butter or marg (4oz)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (4oz)
1/2 cup brown sugar (4oz)
1/2 cup peanut butter - I use crunchy (4oz)1 & 1/4 cup sieved flour (I have used self raising but don't think it matters much) (10oz)

I cup = 8fl oz so your weights are wrong

1 cup of flour weighs a different amount to 1 cup of sugar List of conversions

1 cup flour = 140g
1 cup sugar = 200g

Might be easier to just leave your measurements in cups. HTH & thanks for the recipes

Nikki x

PS I just made MrsM's Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies I missed out the cranberry sauce(and salt) and added 25g chopped nuts. Yummy yummy :drool:

Brighton_belle

EagerLearner wrote: »

Houston, we have a problem... My first batch always goes well and is very yummy, but last night for the first time I tried to make batch #2, with 4 tablespoons of yoghurt from the 1st batch. Same recipe, just no 'new' yoghurt.

It didn't work - any idea what I did wrong?

Sorry, no! I have had a batch like this too and couldn't work out why. I added more dried milk to that batch and re did it and it was better but still a little to thin so strained it. What can I use the whey for ? I'm sure someone will have good ideas.
Thanks alot for the muslin tip - wouldn't haver thought of ebay.
Re what to include in the grocery challenge. It seems everyone is slightly different. I have chosen to do just food because I want to reduce food costs, so don't want to get confused by toilet rolls or cleaning products. Still trying to reduce costs on them too obviously.(Just stocked up in somerfield £2 for 9 offer and half priced PGtips:D )

KAAT_LADY

fluffysox wrote: »

Hi KAAT I make chicken pasta bake using Campbells condensed chicken soup- very cheap in Home Bargains. First brown the chicken (or add to mushrooms mid way through frying). Cook pasta and add chopped carrots, broccoli and sweetcorn for the last few minutes- then drain. Add chicken and mushrooms to to pasta then add soup. You can bulk out the sauce by adding milk and cornflour or even a splash of water. Its really creamy and tasty.

Chicken Curry: I have big tub of Garam Masala spice from Kwik Save(now Somerfield). All you do is gently heat a chunk of butter ( I cut about a cm off block) with a tablespoon of GM spice, a teaspoon of chopped chilli, teaspoon of garlic, half a tube of tomato puree and a finely chopped onion. Stir the mixture gently on medium heat until it browns/ turns darker colour. Then add chopped chicken (recipe based on 350g) and chunkier chopped onions and stir together until chicken takes on colour and is browned- don't worry if onions aren't done yet. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, some chopped peppers and carrots and either 250g of natural yogurt or a tin of coconut milk. Leave on a low heat, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes. Serve with rice and/or naan bread.

Thanks fluffysox ,, ,


its just what I need..we are going to start this evening as I will get the chicken out now,, well when i have finished this post,,,I have everything except the natural yoghurt but I dont think that will matter will it ,I have coconut milk so will use that


Thanks so much

KAAT

KAAT_LADY

hi guys
just back from gardening and DH has picked all the onionsthat were left,, we already have a sack of onions,,I have been hoovering the pond as there seems to be straw in the bottom and a load of snail shells that DH has thrown in for the fish to suck out,, they make some noise while they suck,,Its a laugh watching them ,,, i had to feed them as I was hoovering just in case they went up the pipe ,,, they are so curious,,

well I will get off now as I will be cooking soon

KAAT

Barneysmom

Hello everyone, just popped in to update my sig.
Spent £32 in Netto today, that does include 2 huge packs of Andrex (32 rolls in house now) that were a tenner. So we're ok for loo roll for ages now.
Got the sandwich stuff for work and sausage rolls/pork pies that hubby takes with him.

newmoneysaver_2

Yay! A NSD today. Yesterday I went around he local town and spent:
£6.32 in Mr M
£1.98 in Wilkinsons on light bulbs
£4.64 in Mr A - I only went here as Mr M didn't have any puff pastry left and I have just seen that an item has been scanned twice - Grr!
£4.73 in B&M
and £3.46 in Quality Save
I picked up a teflon baking sheet, 2 x 6pk plastic containers, t-bags, 3 bags of flour and veg oil. Things that will last a while.
Total = 21.13

Edited to add: I will need to pick up fruit to last the week in the morning on my way to work.

SueB

Been through my freezers and thought while I'm about it I'll clean the drawers. I found so much loose stuff in the bottom I could have made the mother of all stews.. if it wasn't for the fact that there was also quite a lot of yuk in there too
Anyway found 2 sausage meat tubes that were left over from Christmas so dinner tonight is pork burger type thingies. I've added some pork spice found in the cupboard (don't ask about the bbd :rolleyes: !) and some sweated onions (theres that lovely word again:))
Completed my Asda shop online which came in at just over £66 all in (free delivery voucher used) Not bad considering my weekly shop is usually double that (not including extra bits in the week... shocking!)

KAAT_LADY

SueB wrote: »

Been through my freezers and thought while I'm about it I'll clean the drawers. I found so much loose stuff in the bottom I could have made the mother of all stews.. if it wasn't for the fact that there was also quite a lot of yuk in there too
Anyway found 2 sausage meat tubes that were left over from Christmas so dinner tonight is pork burger type thingies. I've added some pork spice found in the cupboard (don't ask about the bbd :rolleyes: !) and some sweated onions (theres that lovely word again)
Completed my Asda shop online which came in at just over £66 all in (free delivery voucher used) Not bad considering my weekly shop is usually double that (not including extra bits in the week... shocking!)

SueB
what lovely word,,, sweated,,, I dont think its a lovely word

Its nice to clean your drawers out occasionally

Bye for now

KAAT

Anzac_Biscuit

Hi all,
Is it too late for me to join too? :j I've been lurking for a little while and think this challenge would be great for me too:) I've been working with a rough budget for groceries etc but would like to get a better idea of what I spend in personal spending a month... I'm also trialling a new system of having a monthly food budget rather than withdrawing a certain amount each week. That worked fine, but only if it was a 'normal' week, ha ha. So the new idea is to have a certain amount in my account, which I can spend as fast or as slow as I want/need to.

My other downfall is forgetting/not bothering to bring lunch to work and buying it - I'm sure it's costing me a fortune!! Hopefully the GC will keep me on track. I'll be aiming to cover *all* food in my weekly shop, do a menu plan and if I run out of money at the end of the month it'll be chickpeas for me:rotfl:

Wish me luck!

Please put me down for 140

This is to cover everything including meals out, snacks* etc. It should be way too much but I'm taking this month as an experiment month:D

*snacks should really be brought with me anyway as I'm wheat free and it's a nightmare to find anything to eat on the run!

*BigBird*

Made cheese scones this morning - thanks for that recipe Susan946 :T OH and I ate most of them for lunch. There are 2 left, but I very much doubt they will still be here by the end of the day!

Just made gingerbread dinosaurs - the only cutters I have other than plain round ones. The cutters were a birthday present a couple of years ago, bit random for a 30-odd year old, but they have finally been put to good use. Tempted to make twinks too, but will probably just pig out on goodies if there are too many in the house so probably safer to wait til the dinosaurs have all been scoffed