Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

FrankieM

Thanks Lesley I'll make sure I set the family up for it

I've filled in the survey potty

shanks77

I thought the fritters were lovely and filled in a survey at the time both myself and ex would have them as a main meal with wedges as they were filling and tasty. Also simple to make. Havent tried the bean curry as ex wouldnt touch it with a barge pole.
Also the pate seems to go far as i made it with 300g liver and ex has had 6 slices of toast with it and not even used a 1/4 of it. Because it is strong tasting you dont need a lot of it and it spreads well so stretches and the men folk seem happy as they are getting their "bit of meat" even though this is prob a paltry amount. (sorry didnt think to get it weighed before eating)

nopot2pin

Ok, thats me done for now...
Only 5 more surveys to do, then thats the first months list complete

I will crack on again over the next few days if I get a chance.
If anyone has a specific survey they want creating from the list of recipes, let me know, and I will do that first.


Artybear, I wonder if you could do me a favour please ?
When you update your index list, if you could let me know, then I can update the survey list ?
It just makes it easier for me to follow the list you have already created, and saves me having to work out whats being used when
Many thanks :A

weezl74

Murrell wrote: »

2 tsp of herbs was too little to register on my digital scales. I have a refill pack which i will open tomorrow and weigh more to work it out. I have to sign off now. Until tomorrow.

Sandra
x

thank you sandra that's great

lorietta wrote: »

I've got tomorrow off, so might attempt cooking something off the list for dinner- I have no idea what's in the house as I'm back at my parents currently but if I can make anything then I will have a go and give my feedback. In the mean time I'm going to try and read 100 or so pages of this thread!

Have you considered atmepting something like this for a single person with limited space in the future? (Distant future)

Gosh you may be some time if you're going to try to read the whole thread! :rotfl:

Thanks for offering to test some things, that's fab

ariarnia is going to run the month 1 planner cooking for herself with (i think) limited space, so that will be a very interesting experience to read about and learm from. Ariarnia, how much freezer space do you have? xxx

nopot2pin wrote: »

Regarding someone to assist...
That would be smashing
But I think a volunteer would be the way ahead
Ten pressed men and all that...... but if no one volunteers, thats fine too

The surveys are quite easy to set up....
I think a basic knowledge of googledocs, and their forms helps....
If you have a basic knowledge of most of MS office - and can work things out with different applications, then it can be quite easy

That's great Potty, and good that you said what skills were required I wonder as well if there's also another job which could be done by someone with less computer experience than the 'deputy potty'.

this person could read the feedback and summarise anything which particularly stands out and that we need to pay particular attention to... Do you think that might help too Potty, or is that something you were wanting to do... or.... ummmm another option!

weezl74

FrankieM wrote: »

weezl and Lesley This question is in no way meant to add pressure to you..but I was wondering whether we are looking at Plan 1 being ready for 1st April?

Thanks frankie, I don't feel pressured quite excited actually, and very much enjoying working with you all on this project. I notice that just like on other threads I've participated in I have a growing sense of friendship forming, with this one, because we are marching shoulder to shoulder towards a common goal, I am feeling like the frienships seem to grow a little faster somehow. We here are colleagues as well as friends

To answer your question: I'm glad lesley thinks we're close. I still feel uneasy about it being just your family and ariarnia and have been wondering a lot about it.

That would be my main reason to delay slightly.

Can I just check is there a specific reason why people might like it to begin on the first of a particular month? Is that because of when people receive their wages/benefit monies etc? Or is there another reason I'm p'raps missing?

In my head I wasn't too fussed if we started on the 5th of April, say, as long as we ran it for 31 days I think it seems a fair test... Open to any thoughts others have...

One idea to recruit people I've thought of, might be for me to pop over to the March grocery challenge and ask on there if anyone would like to have a stab at it.

I'm a bit nervous about that though, as almost 100 sign up to it each month and I think if more than about 10 people volunteered it could be tricky to support the 'guinea pigs' enough!!! (squeak squeak:p) Like one person might need a hand with brick-like bread and another is wrestling with cooking times for the carrot cake and someone else finds they've added too much chilli to the chilli mince, and it falls on a day where my boys are unwell and need me much more than usual, then I think I might have a meltdown!!!!

So too few and it could be discouraging, too many and it could be overwhelming.

I don't want to be too prescriptive about a solution, but can I softly suggest that frankie and ariarnia (and I hope i've not forgotten anyone there who's volunteered for month 1, if you have then so sorry, please put it down to severe sleep deprivation. Yesterday I cut myself a snack of some stilton. I cut the rind off in order to eat the cheese, and realised halfway thru my sarnie that I was in fact eating a sandwich made of cheese rinds :rotfl:. So no forgetfulness on here is personal, it is all about my mental state!) have some sort of dialogue either on here or via pm or using the chat facility of the windows live thingie, and maybe decide together if you'd feel comfortable running with month 1 even if it's just you guys? (with us cheering you on from the sidelines!)

poohbear59 wrote: »

I have checked with DH ans DSs and DH would like a bubble and squeak with mashed carrot not diced or chopped and DSs say they would prefer it with onion then carrot second choice. I quite fancy fried onion and mshed carrot.

One of the few recipes I haven't trid is the fritters as no one here fancied them at all. We eat bean curry in some form every week.

Thanks PB for your thoughts. I too like the sound of mashed spud and carrot with fried onion in it. Nomnomnom Can I ask what all your men folk think of this mad project?

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

we're pretty close, so I am hopeful it will be - not to put words in Weezl's mouth

Oh I'm really glad you think so:), I hope I can maintain focus and enough detail brain to do just that. I have to confess I'm still struggling on the portion sizes out of a big batch of apple curd/pate issue we discussed but that's much more to do with where my brain's at at the moment!

weezl74

nopot2pin wrote: »

A few more surveys will be edited in to this post, as and when I do them this evening.
I will edit the original survey thread, when I have finished for the night

Baked Bean Curry……………………Baked Bean Curry survey results

Chicken and Onion Suet Pie……….Chicken and Onion Suet Pie survey results

Risi e bisi………………………………Risi e bisi survey results

Thrifty Cottage Pie…………………..Thrifty Cottage Pie survey results

Chilli Mince……………………………Chilli Mince survey results

Bacon and Onion Pudding…………Bacon and Onion pudding survey results

Veggie Burgers ……………………...Veggie Burgers survey results

Thanks potty should i link to this from post 4? Or will you amalgamate it with the existing one?

I've filled all of those in now, except baked bean curry which I'll make today I spotted that I haven't updated the veggie burger recipe and the red cabbage had to be axed. Apologies for that. Potty can we briefly 'hide' that survey til I've updated the recipe? I'll do it by saturday

After getting to know you on here I am wondering how I'm going to toilet train Fergie without feeling like I am encouraging my son to wee on my nice helpful friend :rotfl:

shanks77 wrote: »

I thought the fritters were lovely and filled in a survey at the time both myself and ex would have them as a main meal with wedges as they were filling and tasty. Also simple to make. Havent tried the bean curry as ex wouldnt touch it with a barge pole.
Also the pate seems to go far as i made it with 300g liver and ex has had 6 slices of toast with it and not even used a 1/4 of it. Because it is strong tasting you dont need a lot of it and it spreads well so stretches and the men folk seem happy as they are getting their "bit of meat" even though this is prob a paltry amount. (sorry didnt think to get it weighed before eating)

Thanks, good thoughts as ever So 3/5ths of the recipe yields around 24 portions, so a whole batch might be 40 portions? How big are your bread slices shanks? I find we put less pate on HM bread cos the slices are smaller, so I wondered is yours a bigger sliced shop bought bread, or a smaller HM one...?

Interesting ex hates the idea of the curry. Was it the baked beanyness that is offputting?

nopot2pin wrote: »

I will crack on again over the next few days if I get a chance.
If anyone has a specific survey they want creating from the list of recipes, let me know, and I will do that first.

stuffing please potty

weezl74

lesley, Hello

Which column did we try the new formula so it's 1 batch but yielding 48 portions and 15 breakfasts? I thought it was the apple curd, but now I'm looking again it's not.

Hope the Spanish omelette was nice?

I'm a bit unsure about the sweetcorn in that too TBH. Wondering about the BNS that Allegra recommends. Shanks speaks highly of the sweetcorn fritters, so they can stay in as a healthy swap option perhaps?

FrankieM

weezl I have no problem waiting till you're ready. The reason I was asking is that I'm going to need to do some shopping soon and I was wondering if I should go ahead as normal and do a weeks shop or just get what I need until I have to shop for the meal plan.

My DH gets paid on the penultimate day of the month so I do generally start everything on the 1st but it really doesn't matter. I'm happy to go with whatever you're comfortable with.

I'm also happy to give it a go on the quiet if that's easier than having a load of newbies....really weezl I'm completely flexible to whatever is going to help/serve you best.

artybear

Hello.

Of course Ill let you know Potty-yesterday I added the apple curd and chutney not sure if you saw or if you need to do surveys for itxxx

The main problem with me Weezl at the mo testing the months planner is that im going away over easter and so would miss the weeks beginning.

Also I'm really scared about making bread lol!!!

artybearxxxx

weezl74

artybear wrote: »

The main problem with me Weezl at the mo testing the months planner is that im going away over easter and so would miss the weeks beginning.

Also I'm really scared about making bread lol!!!

artybearxxxx

When are you back from your easter break arty?

xxx