November 2008 Grocery Challenge

bigsmoke

well i don't get paid until friday and only have 2.77 left to last me. however, i think i should be able to scrape through with just buying some fruit, will hit the market at lunchtime (if they've braved the cold!).

i am cheating a little as i'm going to a friend's for dinner on wednesday, where we cook together but, obviously, i haven't got any of my grocery budget left. however, i underspent by £10 at a birthday celebration so i'm going to class it as entertainment instead and use that. fiddling the figures i know, but my 'groceries' have ended up including christmas wrapping paper and kitchenware this month (a lakeland has opened up near my parents'!)...

will report in with my final figure on friday, well done to everyone who's managing to stay within their estimates in the run up to christmas!

sharronej

frazzmunch wrote: »

aaarghh!! okay, lost the plot....too much stuff going on....decided my new year resolution is to make sure that i complete at least one of these challenges without completely messing it up half way through!!!! i have no idea what i have spent for november...so i am opting out....have started my december challenge but can't find the thread....so will declare that my target for december is £250....although i have already spent £118 of that!!!!:mad:

It's definitly not easy is it? I've managed (I think) but unexpected bills have come in at just over £200.00 :mad: which makes you feel very frustrated indeed

sharronej

PurpleSkies wrote: »

Hoping to do my last shop of the month on Wed so confident about being under target this month.

Made some lovely soup yesterday so have stuck the extra in the freezer for future lunches on cold days!

Anyway I'm looking for some inspiration for what to do with some chicken breast. I don't really fancy curry and since winter is well and truely here I was thinking more along the lines of a casserole or chicken pie, although I think I'd be too worried about making my own pastry!
Anyone have any good recipes?

HI,
I'm not sure why you would be worried about making pastry and I don't know wether we are allowed to post links but if you are worried because you are not sure how then you can go on you tube and type in making pastry and there are quite a few videos/clips showing you step by step.

My tips would be to put a glass of water in the fridge beforehand so that it is icy cold and to alway sieve your flour first, my mum never did this so I didn't see the value in the extra work but it does make a difference to the lightness of the pastry, so it's worth doing. If you want a really quick and easy 'sauce' just tip in a tin of condensed cream of chicken - the one that begins with C (are we allowed to give brand names on the site?)

hth

MRSMCAWBER

Hi purple skies... I posted this on another thread..if its any help

The chicken pies are simple.. the original "concoction" I came up with was actually a chicken cobbler for the remoska....but Yesterday it became pies

• melt a little butter/marge in a pan
• add 2 chopped leeks and cook until soft
• then I add some frozen peas, about 1/2 tin sweetcorn and the leftover chicken-about 200g (or whatever you have)and some chunks of steamed boiled potatoes
• then I make a white sauce by melting about 2oz butter/marge in a pan and stirring in 2 oz flour to make a roux then slowly adding about 1pt warm milk and cooking until smooth(you need the sauce rather thick)..then I add a good dollop of English mustard -but you can use wholegrain if you want it a bit milder
• stir the sauce into the chicken, leeks, sweetcorn and peas..check the seasoning and alow to cool whilst you make the pastry cases

I normally add about 40g really strong cheddar to the sauce (but hubby finished the block off and forgot to tell me so I could get another out of the freezer :rolleyes: -but to be honest it didn't make any difference ) -so less cals and less money spent there :T

The base is lovely topped with savoury scones and baked... and any leftover is good in a jacket potato

This weekend I used a "whoopsed" chicken -€2 I think it was- and have got a roast dinner for 2, 3 pies, another of the breasts in the freezer and a batch of chicken n sweetcorn soup off it :j..

will just go and get the pastry recipe
ok Im back..hope this makes sense The following should make a decent sized pie... or at least 2 made in the 7" victoria sandwich tins

1. 300g plain flour
2. 1/2tsp salt
3. 75g lard
4. 75g butter/marge

tip the salt and flour into a bowl
add the lard and butter and rub in until it looks like bread crumbs...(pastry doesn't like getting warm -so if you have a silicone spatula... I use one of those to cream in the fat -sounds mad -but it works)
then add ice cold water -6tbs to start with (you might need a drop more)and use a dinner knife to stir it together..then use your hands to finally make it into a ball..stick in a plastic bag and put in the fridge until you want to use it (cooling makes it easier to work with)
This pastry should be quite soft and smooth.. so you will need plenty of flour to roll out with -but its easy to handle :T

When it comes to use it -weight the dough and cut 1/3 off and put on one side to make the lid..then roll the rest out to line the tin/plate...
then you have the other 1/3 to roll just for the lid -it saves rolling it all out and having to re-roll the lid

If you have a machine -you can do it in there... but use a little less fat
and i find it easier now I have decided you need 2tbs ice cold water per 100g of flour for shortcrust

mummy2mygirls

ive been to mr T and prob still spent far tomuch and could get it down but normally would of spent soo much more so i can see my budget going down and can see ways for it to go down some more. I also got some bits for christmas. Also went to the £shop in town and got 10 tubberware boxes that can be frozen and used in the microwave, they are portion sizes so great for some of the extra freezing ive been doing.....
anyway spent £64 and got loads! so quiet happy also £2 in the £shop....so £291 so far so think i should come in just under target for this mth!!yeah....

PurpleSkies

Thanks for the recipes!

MrsM - does lard keep well? I've never used it before and probably won't be using it very often therefore I don't want to buy it just for the rest to go to waste. Is there anything else I could use as a lard substitute?

MRSMCAWBER

Hi purple....

you can use just marge/butter but I prefer half lard in mine and lard lasts ages..just checked and mine is ok until 17th may 09 ..

just added to the pie recipe as I forgot to put potatoes in it ..only when as a pie filling though

jackiegibbo

Went to lidls today and spent £35 and £5 of that was for a turkey breast for christmas so not too bad.I have updated my signature accordingly.
Hope everyone is well:D

blondy24

Maman - this money is just for food does not include wine/beer etc.

Barneysmom

Hello everone. I have to update my sig, even though I still haven't had my refund from Mr.T for the delivery on 14/11/08 :rolleyes:
It looks like it was £94.00 and I also spent £7.00 in Aldi, though that did include a new belt for DH.
I'm really struggling this month.