November 2009 Grocery Challenge

nickynoo08

afternoon everyone
:hello:Welcome to the thread jade and jadek

I had to pop to tesco's today to get my last few bits n bobs. Spent £11 which has put me £5.44 over budget:rolleyes:, first time i've been over budget in ages too but we needed milk and bread and the other odds n sodds i got. Not too bothered tho coz next month should be a fairly cheap month. I've been saving my tesco stamps all year and have £200 worth to get my xmas shop (inc sweets, chocs and alcohol) and last few pressies. Hoping i wont need to put much towards this.

huston_kw

I'd like to declare 129.78 for November, which is 22p under budget:j

I can't decided what to put down for next month, as I'm trying to lower it by a tenner a month so really it should be 220 for December, but as it's December and my turkey alone is about 25 quid (butchers) don't know how realistic that is ... erm...ok decided I will go for the 220 for December as I want next years to be 200 per month so can you put me down for this!

Long_tall_sally

Hi

I've spent a bit more on milk etc so am now at a total of £467.51 against my target of £470 so I am feeling quite pleased with myself.

However there are more things that I will need soon, which although I could easily wait a few days for, I cant decide whether to use my £5 off a £30 Lidl spend at Tescos which I think runs out on Monday. Payday is not actually till Tuesday so really my next month's target should start from there but then of course if I wait till then, I won't be able to use the voucher! I might just go Monday night as physologically (?) that will make me feel better than going tomorrow and I will then include that in December's. Anyway, as I don't actually need anything at the moment, I am going to declare myself (I know I didn't do it officially on here as have only just joined) as just under my target for November (Yeh!) and could I please be put down officially for £450 for December. I have been managing to reduce it by about £50 every month for the last 4 months but although I have some xmas goodies I do still need to get some wine plus of course the turkey, etc.

Thankyou

mark55man

NSD today - going out tonight to watch the xmas lights going on - but that's entertainment not GC

franby64

So..I'm over!

Spent £11.90 today mostly on kids stuff (Dr Pepper - extortionate!) and reduced veg at the Co-op which I couldn't resist. Will just try to limit the damage now.

Cheering myself up by starting my online shop for Tuesday - I'm like a kid in a sweetshop! It will get a good chop down before it arrives though - I know better than that now!

earthmother

I've only just realised I've not posted or updated my sig this month at all - oops I'll try to do better next month.


I'm declaring for November - my budget was £320, and I've come in at £325.82 - a little over, but not bad, especially considering that I lost about £25 of food last week in a fridge door incident (must get an alarm for that thing :rolleyes:).



December is 5 week month for me, so can I go on the list at £400 please.

I already have all my christmas food except a few perishables (don't do a big dinner as we'd rather spend time with the kids, so we just need a few cold cuts and the such), and everything else is fairly well covered right now too, so I have good hopes of having a little money to play with in the sale by the end of December

WelshWoofer

Hi all,
December will be a funny GC month for me - we're on honeymoon (finally) for a week, get back on Xmas Eve, spend Xmas day with inlaws then down to Wales to my family for a couple of days - so we're not actually home much.

Helen can you please put me down for £120?

I hope its more like £100 but I'll include some sweets and booze that we'll obviously need (!) and anything we may need to take as contributions when we're visiting.

November was a bit of a disaster (I forgot one of the weeks and had to go over by a £40 shop) so I'm hoping December will be better!

Thanks!!

rowsew

ifonlyitwaseasier wrote: »

cheers candygirl, it's hit the whole family so we've all been coughing and spluttering, the tissue consumption has been ridculous!

Us too, the smalls have been poorly all week, (DD has now got a chest infection as a result of this flu-y thing) and now I'm feeling really rough and the OH is sniffing. Don't males know how to use a hanky?

So much for my NS week. Blew (no pun intended) my last tenner on 1) hankies 2) 2 lots of paracetemol for the children, because of course we ran out at the weekend and 3) balloons for the smallest's 4th birthday on Wednesday, which ALL popped as soon as they were blown up (NOT HP about this, they were £1.49 for 10 in WHSmiths and I am seriously considering taking what's left of the packet back to them). Poor thing, she had a rubbish birthday, she was only well for about 2 hours of the day, barely ate anything and could hardly stay awake.

On the plus side, I have been given a carrier bag full of cow cheeks - for nothing!!!! But I don't really know the best way to cook them. Never seen them in my cookery books before, so if anyone's got a bright idea, I'd love to hear it! I do have a SC, if braising them is good? They are currently having a lovely snowy holiday in my freezer, but I'd like to book them in for consumption some time soon.

Would like to set the December budget for £275 please , hopefully this will get us through 2 weeks of no school for the smalls, and a few days of the dreaded outlaws at Christmas time. I will do my final sums for November this weekend, and hope I didn't go too far over.

rosieben

Microwave Recipes

Main Meals & Side Dishes (Soups now listed separately, below)
Bacon and Cheese Fritatta with Tomato Salsa
Bacon and potato salad -Warm
Baked potato pizza
Baked Beans (home made)
Baked Bean Tart
Bean Curry (Slow Cooker)
Beef - Brisket
Beef Casserole
Beef Curry Dopiaza (Delia recipe)
Beef Stifado (Jamie Olive recipe)
Beef Stroganoff
Beef and Root Veg Curry
Belly Pork
Bolognaise (Remoska)
Broad Bean Burgers
Burgers
Cheese and Onion Flan
Cheese Pie - School days recipes tread
Chicken Cannelloni
Chicken - Cheat's Chicken Cassoulet
Cheat's Chicken Lasagne in the S - Here and Here
Chicken - Parmesan Chicken
Chicken - Sticky Chicken
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken, leek and bacon pie / pasties
Chicken with Cannellini Beans
Chicken with Garlic, Cider & Cream
Chicken and Potato Curry
Chicken and Vegetable Slice
Chilli
Chilli (Remoska)
Chilli Bean Tortillas
Chilli Cheese Crostini
Chilli chicken with jasmine rice (BBC food)
Chinese Pork Balls & Sweet & Sour Sauce
Chinese style cabbage
Cobbler (topping) see below for Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Coconut Rice
Coleslaw
Corned Beef Hash - MrsMCawber's recipe
Corned Beef Pasties
Courgette Fritters (1) Courgette Fritters (2)
Courgette Pie
Courgette and Tomato Layer Bake
Cranberry & Soy glazed cocktail sausages
Creamy Chicken and Potato casserole
Creamy Lentil and Rice Dish (Khircheri) (BBC website)
Curry Sauce
Diet Coke Chicken
Duchesse potatoes
Faggoty Pea Stew
Falafel burgers
Fishcakes
Fish Pie and Fish Pie
Fusilli with Broccoli
Ham Hock (slow cooker)
Ham Salad (sandwich filling) external link
Hummus and Garlic Pitta Breads
Individual chicken pies
Lamb curry and paratha
Lamb Hotpot
Lasagne
Lemon Chicken
Lemon chicken with basil and tagliatelle
Lemon potatoes
Liver and onions stir fry
Macaroni Cheese
Marrow - Veggie stuffed marrow
Meatballs
Meatloaf (1) Meatloaf (2) Meatloaf (3)
Mediterranean Mince and Potato 'Pie'
Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta
Mince & onion pie
Minced Beef Curry
Mince - Mexican Style Mince
Minced Beef with Cobbler Topping
Mini Goat's Cheese, Pear & Walnut Quiche
Monday Pie
Moussaka
Naan bread - see 'Bread' below
Onion Bhaji
Open top 'pizza' pie
Pasta with Tomato Sauce
Pasta Cheese and Onion Bake
Pizza / Pizza Base Recipe
Pork Burgers with Salad
Pork and Beef Meatballs
Pork Steaks in Mustard and Cider Sauce
Potatoes - Slow Cooker Jacket Potatoes
Potato Kebabs
Potato layer bake
Potato Layer Bake
Potato layer bake (Teisen datws)
Potatoes - Lemon Potatoes
Potatoes - Twice Baked Potatoes
Potato Wedges, Home Made
Quiche Lorraine
Refried Beans
Russian Salad and Russian Salad
Salmon and Dill Fishcakes
Sausage and Rice bake
Sausage and Stuffing Plait
Sausage and Tomato Spaghetti
Sausage Bean Stew
Sausage Casserole or Sausage Casserole
Sausage Meat Patties
Smoked salmon soda breads
Smoked Salmon - Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon
Spaghetti Bolognaise
Spaghetti with courgettes, tomato and brie
Spicy Bean and Lentil Loaf
Spicy Bean & Sweet Potato Stew
Spinach pancakes
Steak and Kidney stew/pie filling
Steamed Oriental Buns
Stifado - Beef Stew With Tiny Onions Recipe
Stuffing - MrsMcawber's recipe
Suet crust pie with quorn
Super Tasty Bacon, Bean and Sausage
Sweet & Sour Chicken/Pork
TexMex Skillett
Thai green curry
Toad in the Hole
Tofu burgers
Tuna Fish Mousse
Tuna Fishcakes
Tuna Lasagne
Turkey and Bubble and Squeak Pie
Turkey Pasta
Turkey Pasta Cacciatore
Vegetable Casserole
Veggie Haggis
Yorkshire puddings

Soups
Bacon and Carrot Soup
Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Carrot, parsnip and lentil soup
Chicken & Sweetcorn Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
Curried Parsnip Soup
Gammon and lentil soup
Ham and Lentil Soup
Iced cucumber soup
Leek and Lentil Soup
Leek and Potato Soup
Moniker’s Leek and Potato Soup
Leek and sweet potato soup
Moroccan Chickpea and Broad Bean Soup
Onion Soup
Oxtail Stew + Oxtail Soup
Parsnip & Apple Soup
Pea & Ham Soup
Real Tomato Soup
Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
Soup - Red pepper, carrot & lentil soup
Spicy Carrot and Tomato Soup
Spinach Soup
Split Pea and Courgette Soup
Vegetable Soup

Bread
Bagels
Baguettes
Bara Brith (Welsh Tea Bread)
Basic white bread recipe (makes a 2lb loaf)
Bread - Mrs McC's recipe for Remoska
Breadsticks MrsM's / angelnikki's (No Salt Recipe)
Chapatis
Cheese & Potato Bread
Cheesy Bread Rolls
Chewy Soft Flour Tortilla
Chocolate Bread
Courgette Flatbread
Focaccia
Garlic Dough Balls
Herb Quick bread
HM Bread
Lahmachun
Naan Bread .. see also .. Curry Queen's ...... Mrs McCawber's ...... OrkneyStar's
Oatmeal bread
soft bread rolls
Super Seedy Bread

rosieben

Dips, Jams & Chutneys and Drinks
Alioli / Traditional allioli
Bean Pickle
Beetroot and Apple Chutney
Chilli Jam
Elderberry cordial
Feisty Rhubarb Relish
Jams & Preserves
Lemon Squash
Miser's Marmalade
Onion - Caramelised Onion chutney
Onion Marmalade
Pineapple Salsa
Riata - Mint, yoghurt and Cucumber Dip
Tomato/Chili Salsa
Red Tomato Chutney
Tomato Chutney
Mango Chutney
Xmas Chutney

Cakes, Biscuits, Snacks & Desserts
Apple Braid
Apple delight
Apple Charlotte
Apple - Microwave Autumn Apple Cake
Apricot Flapjack bars
Bakewell Tart
Banana and Honey bread pudding
Banana Cake (bread)
Banana and lemon drizzle cake
Banana Muffins (wholemeal)
Banana Muffins
Banana and Walnut cake
Banana Ginger Parkin
Blackberries - Grated Blackberry Bake
Branflake cake
Brownies
Bounty Balls
Bran Fruit Loaf
Bread & Butter Pudding
Bulk pancake mix
Buttercream topping
Caramel Shortbread (Millionaire's Shortbread)
Caramel Shortbread (2)
Cheese n marmite twists
Chocolate Biscuit Thins
Cheesy Biscuits
Chocolate Concrete
Chocolate Coookies - Cheap and Easy
Chocolate fudge
Chocolate Fudge Cake
Chocolate Krackolates
Chocolate yoghurt cake
Chocolate pudding
Coconut Cake
Coconut Flapjacks
Cookie Dough
Cornflake Tart
Courgette Tea Bread/Muffins
Cranberry And Chocolate Brownies
Currant Loaf
Custard Cookies
D&DD’s Apple Braid
Date, Nut and Oat biscuits
Easy Syrup Sponge Pudding
Eggless Chocolate Cake
Fifteens
Flaky Bars
Flapjacks and Flapjacks
Fruit and Mascarpone dessert
Gingerbread Men
Ginger Raisin Crunches
Golden Syrup Tart
Healthy Snack Bars
Honey Frosted Buns
Iced Buns
Impossible Coconut Pie
Jam Buns
Jammy Buns
Key lime pie
Krispie marshmallow bars
Lemon cakes
Lemon Curd Cake
Lemon Curd Ice-Cream JeniD's / MoneySavingDiva's
Magic Lemon Pudding
Malt Bread
Marshmallow Squares
Mascarpone and Lime Torte
Mascarpone Ice-cream
Millies Cookies
Mince Squares
Muffins: Basic Recipe / Chocolate Orange Muffins (1) / Chocolate Orange Muffins (2) / Gingerbread Muffins / Kiwi Muffins / Sticky Date Muffins / Strawberry Muffins / Toffee Apple Muffins
No fat sponge
Oaty Pancakes
Oaty Shortbread Biscuits
Orange and Poppy Seed Cake
Peanut Butter Cookies
Pineapple, Fried
Rhubarb and Orange Jelly
Rock Buns
Scones
Scotch pancakes
Spiced Apple Bars
St Peter's Mud Pie (no cooking required)
Sticky gingerbread
Sticky toffee apple crumble
Teacakes
Twink’s Hobnobs
Weetabix Brownies
Weetabix Cake
Weetabix Fruit Loaf
Wonderbites
Yoghurt: Homemade yoghurt, Slow Cooker Yoghurt
Yoghurt Cake (the easy way)

Pastry
The best mince pie pastry ever
Pastry economics
Making pastry
Basic pastry
Flaky Pastry (BBC Food)

Home Made Dog Biscuits
Home Made Dog Biscuits (2)


Top Tips (OS threads)
Batch cooking ideas
Complete Menu Plans Collection
Cooking for the Freezer
Meal building blocks for the freezer
Grocery Challenge Top Tips
Laundry Washing Gel/ Gloop, Fab conditioner, vinegar.....
Cheapest recipes? links to various OS threads, thanks Pink!

External links
Batch Bake Minced Beef Recipe
Easy and Cheap Biscuits (DowntoEarth forum)
How to feed your whole family a healthy, balanced diet... (Webook)
List of conversions
Love Food Hate Waste website
Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest