Mrs. P's Diary

MrsPorridge

Friday

Sold three items on Ebay for the grand sum of £9.98. The items that didn't sell will go to the charity shops.

Jobs for the weekend:

take two bags to charity shop
buy milk and veg and fruit
mow lawn (weather permitting)
make up spare bed ready for Dad next weekend
hoover throughout
clean throughout
change fittings on toilet seats (don't ask):D
put white sealant on back of wash basin in bathroom
clean tiles in shower

MrsPorridge

Saturday

Two bags in car ready for charity shop
3 packages ready to take to post office (Ebay)
Left feedback on Ebay for three items sold
Got chicken out of freezer ready for tonight's meal - HM curry

scrooge2008

Hope you have a productive weekend Mrs P. You look really organised.

I was interested in your plan of batch cooking on the first Saturday of the month and shopping monthly.

Would you mind telling me the sort of meals you cook and freeze. I'm a novice to freezing, but am getting good at the ole cooking.

Think your method could shave a few more pounds off the grocery budget.

Thanks.

MrsPorridge

Hi Scrooge - thanks for dropping by.

Kind of meals I make are:

home made chicken curry - sometimes I batch cook and freeze, sometimes just freeze the chicken portions and then make up the curry
spaghetti bolognaise
cottage pie
meat pies/ pasties
jacket potatoes. I cook the potatoes in the oven with other items and then when they are cold freeze them. You can defrost overnight and refresh in the oven (I usually scoop the potato out and add chopped tomatoes, bacon or beans or chesse mix together with the potato and then spoon back into the skins and then sprinkle cheese over and cook in the oven for about 20 mins or you can just heat them up in the microwave.

Soup - veggie soup I particularly like sweet potato and squash - I batch cook and then freeze in portions - again good for lunch with some bread rolls.

I also cook my own bread in the bread maker and freeze that either loaves or rolls.

Today I've made Bacon cakes which are a scone mixture with bacon lardons and cheese. I then freeze these and they are great for packed lunches, just take them out the freezer the night before and put them in the butty box - don't even need to butter them.

I've also made some fairy cakes, some plain and some with currants on and again they've gone in the freezer.

Check out the old style boards they have some great recipes over there and also lots of information on freezing.

Good luck.

scrooge2008

Thanks MrsPorridge,

I really appreciate your reply. I am very impressed and salivating reading your post.

I think I will take a look at the Old Style Board and set aside first Saturday in November as a shopping/cooking/baking/freezing day.

MrsPorridge

Monday

Well all jobs have been completed - apart from mowing the lawn which the weather didn't really permit.

I did go shopping yesterday and managed a low spend of just under £7.:j

Aiming for an NSD today.

MrsPorridge

Managed my nsd today.:j

Dinner was left-over curry (the third and final night of it):D

Tomorrow its jacket spuds with tinned spaghetti and cheese on top.

Lunches made for tomorrow

Clothes laid out ready for tomorrow

Off to check the forums ......

catspaw

Hi Mrs P, glad to see things are going well...think I will borrow your idea odf the monthly cook/freeze thingy

MrsPorridge

Hi Catspaw - its really saved me a lot of time in the evenings. I'm a bit selfish as I like to get in from work, eat, wash and dry everything up and then watch TV or play on the computer or read!

Its also saved me many a night of "oh lets get a take-away, or go out for dinner". I take the food out of the freezer that morning so its ready for cooking.

I have a chalk board in the kitchen and I list the meals on that for the week (sometimes I do change things at the last minute though).

catspaw

Hi MrsP,
I did borrow your idea.....made spicy wraps for me, dd's and their friend and still had enough left to turn into a bolognese x2 whcih I have just put into the freezer ( so that's 2 extra meals). Might try freezing the homemade bread- does it freeze?