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

Lesley_Gaye

Avocet wrote: »

Isn't it odd how all the blue/purple ones are jolly expensive? (Apart from the blackberries which are free if you pick them yourself, but entirely unavailable at this time of year.)

I still have 3 Vitalight containers full of blackberries in the freezer, so I could pick more in the autumn than I otherwise would and use them throughout the year, sneaking a few in smoothies for my OH and mixed fruit pies.

And then there are sultanas (or is it raisins? Guess what, he doesn't like raisins! although he loves sultanas)

boredofbeingathome

weezl74 wrote: »

:rotfl:

sorry this is utterly off topic, but I had to share:

DH and I talking about valentine's day tomorrow:

DH: 'I have to confess I haven't got anything. I wanted to get you flowers but I didn't know if you'd think it was a waste of money. (he pauses...) I knew it had gotten bad when I considered walking home via the graveyard and inspecting the roses there....'


:rotfl: Must point out that DH would never steal fresh flowers off a grave.

You have got a lovely DH there. Maybe if he bought you a Rose Bush for your first son- if it blooms twice a year they would be a nice reminder. Then another one after your second is born. That way his love could bloom all year round:D

Failing that he could go down to the allotments and ask if anyone has any free grafted rose bushes. I know my FIL used to do that and they have some nice varieties in their garden. He takes after my frugal heart does the FIL...wish his son was more like him i can tell you.:o

weezl74

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

And then there are sultanas (or is it raisins? Guess what, he doesn't like raisins! although he loves sultanas)

yes sadly sultanas don't count as blue/purple family because they are the dried fruit of green/white grapes.

Avocet, thanks for your considered and considerate post, I shall continue to tweak things and ask you how it affects the overall consumption.

Bob! (But not Bob of Bob and shirley:rotfl:)

Hello. Lovely ideas about the rose bushes

2 batches of honey and raisin cereal bars just cooling now.

after DH has sampled one I may be brave enough to post the recipe.

What have people seen on the planner that they'd like to test next?

xxx

JayJay14

Good Morning all,

Just as an aside - I have made the carrot cake recipe again this morning, but have used up some grated courgette that was lurking in the freezer, instead of the carrot (these were grown in my garden from a free plant given by a friend) - smells good but haven't tasted it yet but I'm sure it wil be fine. I've also run out of OH's tropicana so I've had to resort to the orange squash:rotfl:

I would also like to say that I'm all for the original challenge as this is why we all joined the thread in the first place. Weezl, you are the captain of this ship and while we may adjust the recipies to suit our own circumstances (and I'm having to do this cos I don't have the spare cash to buy some of the ingredients) in doing so we may bring up ideas which can help.

HOWMUCH

Morning peeps
I have just had a leaflet through the door valid from 11.2.10 to 3.3.10
Spar shops have Mince at £1.89 per 500g with 100% FREE so £1.89 per Kilo
if it of use to anyone

canidothis

Im forever trying to reduce my food bill and this morning I cheerily drove off to Asda - not my local supermarket and being 8ish miles away I havent been there for a long long time - Anyway I wanted to say I now have chickpeas and marrowfat peas soaking and have not bought 1 packet of biscuits or sweet snacks but have an afternoon planned of cooking Carrot cake, peanut butter cookies, weetabix cake and enough soup for the week - Weezl please accept a pat on the back for making me think and think hard and change a few things on my list so that I can feed my family healthier than normal for a fraction of the price x

NJW69

NJW69 wrote: »

Corned Beef Hash
5lb bag of potatoes cut into large chunks
1 large tin of corned beef
1 large onion diced
2 carrots chopped into small chunks

Throw all the veg in a pan and boil in salted water until soft, then throw in the corned beef chopped up into chunks. Stir well and then add some gravy granules etc, salt and pepper and a squirt of brown sauce.

Voila!

I serve with steamed cabbage, beetroot (shrink wrapped type) and crusty bread. Home made preferably.

Should serve at least four with healthy appetites.

Shopped in Netto yesterday and their large tins of corned beef were only £1.00 and I got 5 kilos of potaoes for £1.49 and a bag of carrots, swede, parsnip and onion for £1.

So working on the quantities above and those ingredients I reckon you could do it for £2.00.

canidothis

:mad: You are welcome to call my DH Bob for the purpose of this post - after my Asda shop he looked in the fridge surveyed the contents and said you didnt go shopping then!! So tell me how does Shirley conjure up a carrot cake or soup within seconds of coming back from shopping? The recipes are a breeze but coupled with DH's who constantly snack and expect a loaded fridge full of 'nice' things it may be more of a challenge:(

phizzimum

I've been thinking about the menu plan and the struggle to get the balance right every day. personally, I don't think this is worth worrying too much about. I think people are inevitably going to swap around what they eat - for example maybe they don't have time for a roast at the weekend, but do on a wednesday. maybe monday night everybody gets home late so they swap that night's meal for one that can be prepared in advance.

I always menu plan for the week ahead, but quite often I will change what day we eat a certain meal. So even if we spent hours planning the days menu to have all colours present we must allow people some flexibility within the plan. I'm not disputing the importance of a balance of colours, just saying that in real life people will chop and change but will get the balance over the week

shaz_mum_of__2

Weezl

Pasta puttanesca or risotto would be good here as i think i have all the ingredients in

could try one this evening if you post recipe in time

Shaz