Store cupboard challenge

lynzpower

Does anyone here have a food processor or mixer? I am seriously thinking of getting one now. I have knackrered my hand so long beating/ whipping/ kneading isnt really an option for me ( I think thats why the other cakes I made were slightly greasy too) Add into the mix that we dont ahve central heating so butter being at room temperature/softened is a tricky one! We also dont have a microwave and am trying hard to resist buying one.

I would love to whip up a quick coffee cake or that polenta cake sounds yum ( a lot better than those empanadas!) but my hands just arnt up to it.

Would love a recommendation ( on a budget) didnt know whether to wait till after Xmas for sales or ask Santa to bring me one? :beer:

Confuzzled

nopot2pin wrote: »

Is that not your moral duty though Jinky, to embarrass your children ??;)

and also her moral duty to take pics so she can embarrass him again in front of countless love interests in the future MUAHAHAHAHAHA


oops did i 'say' that out loud? :whistle::whistle::whistle:

purpleivy

jinky67 wrote: »

Lyndz....how about this one


450g unsalted butter, softened
450g caster sugar
450g ground almonds
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 eggs
Grated zest of 4 lemons
Juice of 1 lemon
225g polenta
1 tsp baking powder
Half tsp salt
Gluten-free flour for dusting

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 160C/300F/Gas 3. Butter and flour a 30 cm (12 in) round cake tin. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and light. Stir in the ground almonds and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Fold in the lemon zest and juice, polenta, baking powder and salt. Spoon into the prepared tin and bake for about 5O minutes or until set. The cake will be brown on top.

OOoh, this sounds like a big cake. I 'm pleased it's been posted. When I went to Erddig National trust house last month I had a gluten free bakewell type cake, no pastry though. This sounds a bit like it. It was delicious.

ellemm

Been keeping on track and using up wee bits & pieces from cupboard and freezer, however..........read on another thread last night that from today Lidl are doing 7 slices of unsmoked bacon @69p (think half price can't remember it was late )...........so will have to pop to Lidl in lunch break and add to the other 5 packs of bacon still in the freezer :rotfl:(OH is to bacon what some on this thread are to tinned tomatoes!)

Will try not to buy anything else though

missychrissy

I tried polenta once. The instructions on the packet said to fry it, which I did, but it was horrible. I'm willing to try again if any of you have a good recipe.

CCP

Good morning everyone

I'd forgotten how fast this thread moves - I didn't come on the forum yesterday and I've got two and a half pages to catch up on while drinking my coffee (what a pity, eh? )

lynzpower wrote: »

Does anyone buy loads of random struff like me?
On my using up list over the next few weeks I aim to use

Dumpling mix
Cherries in Syrup
Rib marinade ( i bought the ribs for this)
Mole sauce
Carribbean orange marinade
Wraps

Why do I buy this stuff!

I know exactly what you mean! I'm particularly bad at picking up stuff from the clearance shelves - I tend to think "if it's only 50p it doesn't matter if I don't like it" - then, like you, I end up with lots of random stuff. My last 'bargain' was a bottle of Bombay-style brown sauce, which I thought might make a nice change from ketchup. Unfortunately it's too spicy even for me, and it's now sitting at the back of the cupboard waiting for me to think of a way to tone it down a bit!

I'd be intrigued to know what the mole sauce tastes like - I've never tried it. The Caribbean orange marinade might be good on chicken - perhaps parcelled up in the wraps with a bit of salad for lunch?

missychrissy wrote: »

I tried polenta once. The instructions on the packet said to fry it, which I did, but it was horrible. I'm willing to try again if any of you have a good recipe.

I adore polenta, but I know it's not to everyone's taste. I'm guessing the stuff you had was the ready-made stuff in the packet, rather than the dry stuff you have to cook yourself? If so then this recipe is lovely - the polenta absorbs all the flavour of the chicken, tomatoes and herbs, so it's not bland at all (as polenta can be).

For the dry polenta, like lynzpower has got, I've got (somewhere) a recipe for an almond and lemon drizzle cake made with polenta, which is just :drool::drool::drool::drool::drool:. I'll dig it out tonight if anyone's interested?

And finally (in a post which seems to be going on a bit ), last night I used up a cheese and tomato pizza from the freezer - it was meant to be toad in the hole last night but I was just too tired to cook.

Right - I really must go and do some work now...

hex2

My third attempt at posting this!

Lynz I use my cheap hand mixer for cakes and whisking eggs/cream, etc. Makes a big difference on volume against hand whisking and seems to incorporate the ingredients better. Argos have one on a stand on offer for £12 here which would keep the strain off your hand. The food processor makes cakes just as well but is harder to clean than two whisks and a bowl. Most waste as well with the blade etc.

Nicki - I used to hate sprouts but since we got a steamer insert I really like them. The boys even fight over who has the most :rotfl:.

The remains of the chicken got used in a risotto last night with the end of a butternut squash and the last of the peas. I did end up buying another two chickens for the freezer though. Seems daft not to at that price though.

misscousinitt

CCP - you are right about this thread moving fast!!!! Just caught up.

Lynz / Hex2 - the mixer on the stand looks good...I've use a Mr T's Value Hand Mixer that I picked up for just less than £4...it even has a dough hook!

I've got cherries in syrup too! Was given them 2yrs ago for Christmas - suppose could use them for a dessert with some vanilla ice cream?? I've got some of the Carribbean Sauce too!!! Brought it back from Barbados 2 years ago and haven't used it yet...I'm thinking Chicken Skewers marinated with the sauce served with rice and salad, won't get round to it for ages yet though.....or maybe save it for Christmas and make some spicy chicken wings for buffet food when friends come round!

Things didn't go completely pear-shaped yesterday, managed to use up some frozen breaded fish and 2 prawn skewers from the freezer and a packet of flavoured cous cous from the cupboard...fish pie will have to wait!

Tonight we are going out for something to eat - got a £5 off voucher for Chiqittos!

[Deleted User]

Cheers Confuzzled I have copy and pasted that to my online recipe book

purpleivy

On a roll with the freezer clearance. Once Morris dance day is over and all that soup and stock are out then should be looking good. Christmas out of the way and will defrost. Wooo hooo

FOund that the chorizo in the fridge needs using by beg dec. Got dying peppers from Super6 last week. sounded like the beginnings of Delia's Chicken basque, Found one breast in the freezer, then remembered there were a couple of pork slices there somewhere, ys sundried toms, so made more space.

(editing...Ha! checked the recipe, so got 2 tubs stock out as well. WHile I was there saw some soup for my lunch. Definitely on a roll!....)

Dish will make for us 2 tonight, a three for when dh is here and probably some extra for ds to take for lunch. He's really got into leftovers warmed up in the 6th form microwave! Means I don't make as many sandwiches and he doesn't go to the bakery and by loads of pastry carp. everyone is happy.

Just got tomatoes to use up. Don't feel like they're telling me what I should make at the moment. Wotcha think?