50p a day til christmas, healthily?!-Weezl's next challenge (part 2)

Frugalista

Have just bought a book from the charity shop on Jams and Preserves. In it is a rather curious (but easy) recipe that makes pickle out of the leftover rind of a watermelon :think:. If anyone is interested I can post it. I know, I always think watermelons are quite expensive for what they are - but if I can actually make something from the rind, I will get more "bang for my buck" :money:.

SunnyGirl

Frugalista I'd be very interested in seeing the recipe for watermelon rind chutney :T I am the same in that I think they are expensive for what you get (and all the faffing with seeds althought the kids just eat them, I can't) so it'd be great to use it all up as it were. Any other recipes that are made out of rinds etc? I often wonder what to do with the apple peelings after making apple pie apart from give it to the kids to eat

Frugalista

SunnyGirl wrote: »

Frugalista I'd be very interested in seeing the recipe for watermelon rind chutney :T I am the same in that I think they are expensive for what you get (and all the faffing with seeds althought the kids just eat them, I can't) so it'd be great to use it all up as it were.

Here we go - let us all know how it turns out .

Watermelon & Lime Pickle
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus overnight standing
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes
Yield: Approx 450g/1lb
675g/1½lb watermelon rind
Salt
4 limes
280ml/½pint distilled malt vinegar
340g/12oz sugar
1 stick cinnamon
2 cloves

Scrape off any remaining flesh from the watermelon rind, then peel off the dark green skin, and discard.
Cut the rind into small squares (approx 2.5cm/1 inch). Place in a shallow dish, sprinkle liberally with salt and leave to stand overnight (or, at least, 12 hours). Rinse and drain well.
Thinly slice 2 of the limes and squeeze the juice from the remaining two.
Combine the lime juice, vinegar, sugar and spices in a preserving pan and bring to the boil. Boil for 5 minutes and then remove the spices.
Add the prepared melon rind and cook for approx 15 minutes, or until the rind begins to look translucent.
Add the lime slices and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Pot as normal into hot, sterilized jars. Seal and label.

This unusual pickle goes well with an Indian meal. Perfect with poppadoms.

SunnyGirl

Thank you for that! The next time I buy a watermelon I'll pick up some limes as well and give it a whirl. I shall report back my results.

Frugalista

SunnyGirl wrote: »

Any other recipes that are made out of rinds etc? I often wonder what to do with the apple peelings after making apple pie apart from give it to the kids to eat

I've got this recipe that I found on an American site. I also saved all the comments as I find them really useful when adapting recipes - hope this helps .



Apple Core & Peeling Jelly
40 min - 10 min prep

I haven't tried this, but love the idea of using that, which would normally be tossed to make something delightful. Cook time is approximate and does not include water bath time.
Ingredients
15-20 medium tart apples, peelings and cores from
6 cups water (for cooking cores and peels)
1 (1¾ ounce) box dry pectin
9 cups sugar
1-2 drop red food colouring (or 1 drop each of yellow and blue food colouring) (optional)
Directions
Cook peelings and cores in 6 cups water for 20-30 minutes.
Strain through prepared cheesecloth or jelly bag.
Add water as needed, to strained juice, to obtain 7 cups liquid.
Add pectin (whisk works well) and bring to a rapid boil.
Add sugar, boil hard for 1 minute.
Note: If desired, food colouring can be added to juice for colour.
Pour into sterile jars, leaving 1/8" headspace; wipe jar rims, adjust lids and rings; water bath 5 minutes.

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I add apple juice instead of water. I also strain through a sieve so just the finest amount of pulp gets through. Somehow it just looks more like homemade. If you boil for 2 minutes, you will get a firmer jelly. I find the colour to be pretty enough with out adding any dye. I agree this is an awesome way to use the cores and peels. I have been making it for a couple of years now. Great Christmas presents.
The phrase "Waste not, want not" comes to mind. Tried this after canning a bunch of apples. Hate waste, so this suited me just fine. I also boiled for 2 minutes and omitted the food colouring. Canned it up in pretty little jelly jars for Christmas presents. A canning keeper!!
On my first batch I added water to equal 7 cups and the jelly was a little runny and seemed to melt quickly on a piece of hot toast. My second batch, I used undiluted apple juice concentrate to equal 7 cups and the jelly was much more flavourful, set up to just the right consistency and the colour was that of a dark honey. Thanks for this recipe, I love it that I can make something so delicious with what used to go in the wastebasket!
This was my first attempt at jam and jelly. I used the leftovers from my jam to make this jelly, and it turned out yummy! It was very easy to make. I did boil it for 2 minutes, but even then it's not quite as thick as I like. Next time I may reduce the juice by ½ a cup or so? Other than that, I LOVE this recipe!!
This recipe is awesome, I just started canning this year and got a bushel of apples, I did half before I found the recipe. The second half I did with this recipe and I almost tripled my jar count. So instead of only getting 14 quarts of applesauce I got 14 quarts of sauce, 15 pints of jelly, 8 jelly jars of jam(jelly + pulp)... It is so easy, If I can do it trust me so can you. If you like more of a jam than jelly add the pulp that you press out of a sieve, got all the pulp but no seeds or peeling..
*Simply Wonderful!* Can't beat thrifty & tasty eh. I have been freezing my peelings and cores for about 2 weeks. Ended up with just over half my stockpot filled. Added 10 cups of water and after cooking, was left with just over 7 cups juice. Used the 7 cups and 9 cups sugar and it was perfect. I did boil for 2 minutes as suggested by other reviewers. The colour was so beautiful there was no need to add colouring. Yield was 12 half pint jars.
This was my first jelly & it tastes delicious and not too hard to make. I used apple juice instead of water. I thought is a little to sweet, so next time I may cut back on the sugar (depending on the apples). I also found that it was a little too liquidy. Next time I will try with only 6 cups of liquid in all.
I am giving this recipe 5 stars, the apple flavour is delish. It was very sweet, next time I will cut back on the sugar or use a tart apple. I made cranberry apple butter in the crock-pot and use the peels/cores to make jelly on the stove. I too, love the idea of using the waste to make this wonderful jelly!!

SunnyGirl

:T :j All I can say is WOW It looks brilliant thank you so much! My neighbour gives me loads of apples from his tree in early autumn so this will be brilliant. You are truly an :A

boredofbeingathome

Guapa1 wrote: »

Hiya all, hope everyone is well!

I didn't end up going to Home Bargains as we had a bit of a nightmare in Manchester.
I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

@BOBAH, someone from freecycle has offered me a blender jug, so thanks for the suggestion.

@ISOM, yes femme cup is a moon cup. I have lots of period problems so I can't use it all the time, but it's a great product.

I've suddenly developed a sweet tooth, which isn't good when I need to lose weight. I'm going to make a sorbet tomorrow so I can have the sweetness without the calories.

Glad to hear it Guapa, not about the sweet tooth bit:rotfl: SORBET sounds perfect in this weather.

Cazzdevil

I've spent quite a bit of money today (haircut/colour and a set of hair straighteners) so I need to redeem myself tomorrow. I found a recipe for chocolate and marzipan cookies which, when costed using mysupermarket work out at about 5p per biscuit (£1.17 for a batch of 24) so I'm going to knock up a batch for my OH to take on his "road trip" on Sunday.
I'll report back tomorrow as to how it went. OH eats biscuits like they're going out of fashion so I'm always eager to tr out new recipes.

Frugalista

Cazzdevil wrote: »

I found a recipe for chocolate and marzipan cookies which, when costed using mysupermarket work out at about 5p per biscuit (£1.17 for a batch of 24) so I'm going to knock up a batch for my OH to take on his "road trip" on Sunday.

They sound yummy! Care to share the recipe?

queen_of_string

It's rare that I do anything frugal enough to warrant posting in here, so I lurk mostly, however today is one of those rare days I did :-).

I like to drink commmercial fruit cordial, the high fruit sort, but it's expensive and in Canada ( where I am moving to in 10 weeks) is not very available and even more expensive. Was getting a bit worried as I get through gallons of the stuff in summer usually.

Stumbled across the lemon squash recipe on the grocery challenge and then googled "fruit cordial recipe" which then gives you Rhondda's always wonderful "Down to earth " blog. Once again Rhondda comes up trumps with a variety of recipes for home made cordials.

This week so far I made blackberry, using some of last yrs frozen foraged berries and adapting the raspberry recipe. OMG it is the most nom thing ever. Total cost for about half a pint was 1 cup sugar and 1 lemon ( I had some frozen slices in the freezer) and a tiny bit of citric acid, which I think has got to be cheaper than commercial stuff with the added benefit of no nasty chemicals. I have also now discovered that it is nom on yoghurt, and I am wondering about swirling some through yoghurt and freezing it nomnomnom I suspect.

Tried making some grapefruit tonight using bought juice, it's ok, but I need to tweak it I think so will fiddle and post a recipe if I can get it anything like the commercial one I love.

I'm sure lots of us have frozen berries from last year and I thought this could be a new way of using them up, providing gorgeous refreshing drinks in this warm spell many of us are enjoying atm.