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

boredofbeingathome

Glad to hear that there is no clot Weezl

Kaz2904

ceridwen wrote: »

as in people struggling to find ways to fit eating into their lives...

WEEZL
- There is a thread running now - over on the Employment, Jobseeking & Training Sub-forum - by torikate (thread no 29915641) in which discussion is going on as to how fit in food & SLEEP with nightshift working.

Rather confirms my suspicions that its very difficult to fit in eating properly for another group of low-paid workers (ie those doing nightshift work). In that situation as well people struggle to eat healthily.

I'm in a low-paid job myself - as you know - but have avoided/will continue to avoid that sort of problem by never even thinking about whether to do night work - I just wouldnt even consider it ever - but I do know a lot of people dont have much choice about whether to do it or no - so we need to bear them in mind too.

Have to answer this as I read it (only got this far lol!). I work night shifts. I am still able to eat a healthy diet and cook for my family. A resource like this would make it far far easier for me because I wouldn't even have to think, it would just be a case of checking the menu plan and getting on with it.
Plus, not all night workers are on low wages- most of us get paid a premium for working unsocial hours.

boredofbeingathome

Kaz2904 wrote: »

Have to answer this as I read it (only got this far lol!). I work night shifts. I am still able to eat a healthy diet and cook for my family. A resource like this would make it far far easier for me because I wouldn't even have to think, it would just be a case of checking the menu plan and getting on with it.
Plus, not all night workers are on low wages- most of us get paid a premium for working unsocial hours.

That's a valid point- my friend often works night shifts as a nurse, she would love to cook more and save more. Something like this would be great for her as well.

Kaz2904

I had to pop to asda this evening and I remembered you saying that you could get your 4 tins for £13. I had a look in the baking aisle as I'm always saying to DH that I could do with more loaf tins. I have 1 metal one (2lb I think) and 1 or 2 silicone ones which are rubish as the sides collapse.
In my asda they have 24cm tins for £2.50. They also had some smaller tins next to them which on the sel said they were 24cm but in the tin said they were 2lb. They were also £2.50. Would the 24cm tins be a good size tin could you tell me please for the bread? If they are then I'll get them. If not I'll wait. I would use them for cakes etc but would rather wait to get the right size as the family are fed up of breadmaker bread (holes in the centre).

Weezl, re your tea, I tried to make pork and apple meatballs a while back but got the quantities wrong. It ended up like a meatloaf/ stuffing (Bleurgh!). Strangely, DH loved it!
bob, snap! I do nearly all nights though.

purpleivy

queen_of_string wrote: »

Hi everyone I am delurking after [STRIKE]trying to keep up[/STRIKE] following this thread for a couple of days.



I now live in Canada, so I'm afraid the quantities are in cups, but that might not be a bad thing for bob and shirley if they have limited cookware.





.

Going to BC with my family in the summer to visit auntie, cousin etc. I don't know why Brits have sucha problem with cup measures. They're so easy!

Cookie recipe sounds lovely, can't wait to try it!

You say that food is very expensive. It seems the exchange rate isn't too great for us at the moment either.

Have OS fun with auntie. But I do wish she didn't just have pappy white bread!

Sian_the_Green

holliegarson wrote: »

Won't tell you what the other things are that I am uncovering.........what on earth was I thinking....never mind I have found some a barbie shoe and a plasic pony in one of the freezer drawers..........

Brilliant! I love that idea
The pork and apple meatballs/burgers will def be on my list of things to do!
I have somehow managed to agree to cooking pancakes tomorrow night, we are in a terraced house with a kitchen and lounge which could accommodate about 8 people in each, I have, at last reckoning, 29 people coming. Not sure how that is going to work out. I know it isn't Weezl-esque in budget but with free range eggs, proper butter and some sauces and organic bananas it is less than £15, should be enough for 3/4 pancakes each, working out at less than 50p per person, not too bad really, could have cut some corners had my shop sold value flour and if I'd got cheaper eggs, can't win 'em all though eh?

Really glad to hear no clot Weezl, great news!

Phizzimum, like the idea of using the oats in the meatballs, great idea

boredofbeingathome

Kaz2904 wrote: »

I had to pop to asda this evening and I remembered you saying that you could get your 4 tins for £13. I had a look in the baking aisle as I'm always saying to DH that I could do with more loaf tins. I have 1 metal one (2lb I think) and 1 or 2 silicone ones which are rubish as the sides collapse.
In my asda they have 24cm tins for £2.50. They also had some smaller tins next to them which on the sel said they were 24cm but in the tin said they were 2lb. They were also £2.50. Would the 24cm tins be a good size tin could you tell me please for the bread? If they are then I'll get them. If not I'll wait. I would use them for cakes etc but would rather wait to get the right size as the family are fed up of breadmaker bread (holes in the centre).

Weezl, re your tea, I tried to make pork and apple meatballs a while back but got the quantities wrong. It ended up like a meatloaf/ stuffing (Bleurgh!). Strangely, DH loved it!
bob, snap! I do nearly all nights though.

I bought the 2lb loaf tin and i got mine from Home bargains and charity shops- The same with cake tins, i make wedding cakes sometimes and found some absolute bargains for next to nothing. I have some beautiful ones- i think the max i have paid for all the tins comes in at about £5 and i have about 8 in total.
Not counting the ones i have used from sweets- to make a hexagonal cake, they are just as good if you line them..they are quite thin though so watch cooking times.

Kaz2904

Don't ever seem to have them in our charity shops, though I do check. At £2.50 per tin it's pretty reasonable. The one I have was £7 odd. That's why I only have 1!

queen_of_string

Purpleivy, I'm sure you'll have fun, it's a lovely place and sunny and warm in summer. If you happen by Mission, maybe we could do an mse meet :-). Mayeb you could learn the artisan bread in five minutes method then stun your auntie with your artisan bread ;-).

ceridwen

weezl74 wrote: »

if we decide to de-egg the fritters we can have HM mayo with the falafels and maybe a HM flatbread, how does that sound to you all?

Sounds good to me:p

*******************

On a different tack - I'm liking the suggestion made a couple of times re substituting apple puree for oil to some extent in things. It would also be useful as a way of "hiding" food from any "Lions Share for me" members of the household who might otherwise snaffle apples as they walked past them (not so easily possible if the apples destined for these recipes had already been pureed and hidden in the freezer).