August 2008 Grocery Challenge

ifonlyitwaseasier

Orkney - i like mixing a little incing sugar into the marscapone, getting a round(ish) biscuit and spooning some on top then top with chopped fresh fruit, kind of a quick cheesecake i suppose. have a good holiday btw

SueB

I'm so cross!
I've just had my Asda ordered delivered and instead of it being £66.60 it's £75 odd. Delivery man in a rush as usual, blocked the road and cars now piling up behind. I've signed the little machine only to glance as he was taking it away it said £80.00 (I'm fairly certain of this). Just got off the phone to Asda and they agree it should be £66 but they can't tell me how much I actually paid because the delivery driver hasn't updated his machine. They said they'll call me tomorrow.

If they don't I'll certainly be calling them.

Moral of the story... Check everything!!

Moniker

EagerLearner wrote: »

We are now making our own yoghurt, putting the slow cooker that had been in storage to much better use. I use a 600ml milk/4 tablespoons live yoghurt/2 tablespoons powdered milk recipe. This costs the £0.55p for the starter yoghurt, around £0.30 for the longlife milk and say 5p for the powdered milk = 90p. Makes enough for the original 500g batch, then I use 4 tablespoons of that and start again - this time it costs £0.35 total. Third time, £0.35 again. So 1.5kg yoghurt costs £1.50. I must be saving compared to the supermarket, plus it tastes yummy and has no packaging!

That's a great idea - how long do you leave it to 'cook' for? Do you use the low setting? I never thought of trying to do it in the SC before.

Moniker

gillaman

First big shop for August - £67.38, just a few pence under budget of £67.50 for a fortnight. However, about 14 or 15 items were stock and I think I should be able to survive for at least 3 weeks without buying anything other than milk and f&v. NSD yesterday.

KAAT_LADY

mumoffour77 wrote: »

Boiling water with some washing powder!!!
leave it to soak, then scrub it with a brillo pad or scourer!!
I hope this helps KAAT!!( I take it that it is the curry pot?)

Thanks Mumoffour77,,,,,,,, I am just trying that now,,( and it is the curry pot)


Thanks


KAAT

OrkneyStar

Moniker wrote: »

Hi everyone. Sorry I have been out of contact for the last two days as I have had the DDs home for the weekend and today I accompanied DD1 on the bus to London to try out the route to uni for September which took up the whole day. (I know she's nearly 25, but the underground is confusing if you aren't used to it and she did ask me to go with her!) We were very MSE as we took our own sandwiches for lunch and drank water - though we did pop into a coffee shop for a coffee so we could use the loo! Unfortunately, despite the good forecast it rained and we shared our sandwiches under a brolly in Russell Square Gardens!

I have popped in to update my signature but haven't had time to read all the posts I have missed - will try and catch up this evening if I can.

Anyway, as far as the GC is concerned I have had two NSDs so far and should manage to avoid any until Weds or Thursday when I will only need the usual milk and F&V! We are off for a week to enjoy the Brecon Jazz Festival on Friday and although we are self catering I am not counting the food spend then in the challenge as it comes out of the holiday fund. The freezer is full so I am hoping to manage with few top ups till 29th August - so although I have spent more than half of my budget for the month I am optimistic.

I have also started the £1 a day for Christmas fund which is going well, and the Pin Money Savings are looking good this month too.

Hope everyone is feeling good - hugs to those that need them. I'm off to catch up on all that I have missed.

Love Moniker

Adventurous day then ? The underground used to terrify me- all those lines going all over the place. I once managed to travel round the line at Heathrow about 3 times before I managed to work out where to get off . Ah those were the days when I had an exciting city jet set life lol
May I ask, what is 'Pin Money'? I have seen it on a few sigs now :rolleyes:
thanks

KAAT_LADY

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Afternoon all

Well my NAFFI whoopsie hunt went rather well :T Got:-

1. 2 X 1.5 kilo potatoes
2. 4 blocks double gloucester
3. 9 bags bread flour -got 2 -went through check out and it came through at half price -74c -so i grabbed a basket and ran round and emptied the shelf :rotfl:
4. 80 tetley teabags with 100% free -so 160
5. 2 bags sweet potatoes
6. 4 tubs longley cottage cheese
7. some sliced roast beef
8. 6 litres whole milk
9. 2 kilo nectarines

right im off to x stitch again
Have a great afternoon all

hi there..MrsMcawber,

,, there must be a run on double Gloucester as I got 9 blocks at Netto last week:rotfl:
for 29p each


See ya later

KAAT xx

OrkneyStar

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Thanks MrsM for the reply.
I am waiting to see if anyone comes up with/I can find a recipe to use the mascarpone in (which I can freeze) and failing this will freeze the tub as it is.
I would only be using it to cook anyway after defrosting.
x

Just to say I have now found a recipe for Mascarpone ice cream, using just mascarpone, sugar and milk. First whisk done and its in the freezer now. Will post on how it tastes, and recipe if its nice. A very indulgent treat !
Am watching with interest making yoghurt in SC- I may have to try this when we return from hols. Fruit puree that I make for DS could be used as a sauce a la fruit corners! I just need live yog and a SC that goes on low (as well as the milk and milk powder)- is this right ?
x :wave:

sandy2_2

OrkneyStar wrote: »

Can you freeze mascarpone ? If not has anyone got any recipes with mascarpone in (ideally that you can freeze ?)

Yes you can freeze it

EagerLearner

Moniker wrote: »

That's a great idea - how long do you leave it to 'cook' for? Do you use the low setting? I never thought of trying to do it in the SC before.

Moniker

Hi Moniker & OrkneyStar - I have tried and failed a few times now experimenting with quantities, so you can hopefully learn from my final, final recipe... this is what I follow (now adjusted to use up a whole little tub of starter yoghurt so there is no wastage):

Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Should make around 600g or so

• 150g pot of yoghurt (the little Yeo Valley ones work well and are £0.55p) - this seems to equate to 5 tablespoons
• 750ml milk (£0.35p, I use longlife semi skimmed)
• 2 and a bit tablespoons powdered milk (£0.10)

1. Make sure slow cooker inner pot is very clean and dry
2. Whisk all together gently in slow cooker.
3. Cover slow cooker with a cloth, then the lid
4. Leave on LOW setting for 1 hour.
5. Turn off and leave to set for at least 2 hours (I leave it overnight).
6. IF you like it thicker, in the morning, sieve it through some muslin into a bowl (1.5 hours) and pop into fridge for yummy breakfasts, desserts and to add to curries. (Muslin can be bought very frugaly from ebay in large sheets for around £6ish.)

Then the next time you make yoghurt, you need to use more - 6 tablespoons of this batch #1 yoghurt, and say 2.5 tablespoons milk powder. This way you will hopefully get a tasty 2nd batch. Strengthen even more for batch #3 to stretch it out and keep the live culture strong. Then you need to buy the little pot again and start over.

I love to add my Aldi honey to a bowlful and then sprinkle pine nuts in... or walnuts... or strawberries... folks at work were amazed you could make it at home and loved the taste when I took it in to prove it could be done!


If you want to make Quark (a type of soft cheese) leave it sieving for 24-48 hours with a jar on top, to squeeze aaaaall the liquid out. See Rhonda Jeans recipe in this section of her site:
http://down---to---earth.blogspot.com/search/label/Home%20Cooking
This can then be a savoury soft cheese (homemade Philadelphia imitation anyone?) or a sweet version with say honey and jam... :T

So not only are you saving cash, you are bringing the slow cooker back to life, being healthy, reducing packaging and travel miles and you know exactly what has gone into what you made...