Newbie in need of inspiration

1981trouble

I've had a looksie through the board and I'm getting myself bogged down with recipes so am hoping some of you kind people will be able to give me some suggestions and then I will tootle off and find the recipes.

We are on a pretty strict monthly budget for food - £140 including nappies, pet food, washing powder etc. So I do a huge shop at the start of the month and bulk buy all the meat and dry stuff and frozen veggies. we have a monthly menu to follow and have been doing so for about 18mths.

However we've both admitted that we are now really bored of our recipes and disillusioned with food (we can't afford to go out so used to really look froward to meal times as it was the one pleasure) and worst of all are getting loads of takeaways etc to make up for it.

So...I am in desperate ideas of what I can cook for the next 2 weeks before next shop session. We seem to live on pasta bolgnese, chilli, curry type things and freeze half (have got 3 freezers!) but need some inspiration.

We currently have: chicken thighs, mince beef, sausages, pork chops and frozen roast joints (usually left overs into curry). Usual frozen veggies and potatoes and onions, usual dry stuff - pasta, rice, lasagne sheets, chopped toms and baked beans and kidney beans.

Usually we cook for 5 and freeze half (feeds 2 adults and the toddler). We both work full time so it needs to be an easy to cook meal, taste nice and be interesting.

Please help me get back on track!

Penelope_Penguin

Take a look at the Recipe Collection

Penny. x

rosieben

Also, if you check out the Complete Cooking collection, in post #3 there are links to cheap meal threads. Please remember though that the prices wont be accurate now

Jack's_mummy

The bbc food website is usually good for inspiration

here

Butterfly_Brain

These web sites are useful too
www.lowbudgetliving.co.uk
www.mydish.co.uk/landing

freebiequennie

do you eat cottage pie type meals as we tend to have

any beef left overs finely chopped with veggies and gravy with a mash topping

pork with mushrooms in a white sauce with a mash topping

chicken with mushrooms in a white sauce with a mash topping or a pastry topping.

this is done with left overs and the mash is sometimes just lots of root veg mashed and put on top. Then either it gets frozen (have pyrex dishes with plastic lids) or eaten next day for dinner.

Chicken thighs quick meal - debone thighs, cut a mozarella (125g) ball into 6-8 pieces (depending on number of thighs) put in a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of chilli and 1 teaspoon of rosemary then put one piece of cheese in middle of each thigh roll and secure with cocktail stick and either grill or oven cook for 45mins and serve with veggies.

sausages chop them and then brown them off in a pan and add lots of veggies, tin of chopped toms and stock and simmer for an hr and you have sausage casserole (i chop sausages as it goes further and plenty for freezing)

sausages- chop them and serve as meatballs with spaghetti and a tomato sauce

sausages- make a toad in the hole