March 2010 Grocery Challenge

rosieben

scotdebs wrote: »

Hi all looking for a couple of receipes from the more experienced GC folks to stop me heading into MR M&S Foodhall
- potato rostis ...

We have a couple of potato rosti threads here and here - never made these so don't know about freezing them, but I'd chance a couple to find out

rosieben

NJW69 wrote: »

Got my ASDA delivery all in order.

Made a new dish for tea last night and it was lovely;

400g minced steak
2 carrots diced
2 onions chopped
Spinach
Steamed basmati rice with red lentils stirred through
Squirt tomato puree
Curry powder
Cumin
Coriander
Salt and pepper

Dry fried the mince with the carrot and onion, when cooked I added the spices and the puree and simmered with a lid on for about 30 minutes, add the spinach and then stirred the cooked, chilled (left over) rice and lentils into it and serve.

sounds lovely NJW - does it have a name please, I'd like to add it to the front page recipe index

ragz_2

Abel and Coel delivery arrived. I'm dissapointed with the potatoes, there's only enough for one meal. Huge parsnips that I know will be all woody. A few elderly carrots and THREE Globe Artichokes, which I haven't a clue what to do with???

The Pork I ordered looks ok but I won't be getting a veg box from them again. Especially not at that price, that's taken a huge chunk of my weekly budget for not even enough veg for a week.
2 NSD so far though

ragz_2

rosieben wrote: »

We have a couple of potato rosti threads here and here - never made these so don't know about freezing them, but I'd chance a couple to find out

As long as the potato in them is cooked or at least blanched, it's fine, if it's raw it will go black.

Kornishkat

Just a quick question, do you all count NSDs only as days when you spend nothing on groceries or when you part with absolutely no money at all. For example if you pay extra money off a debt or buy somthing like essential oils or a pushchair or petrol (unusual items to put together I know lol) is the day no longer a no spend day? Just curious.

scotdebs

for me on this board I am counting NSD when i dont spend anything on something I would have bought from the supermarket ie cleaning products, dog food, wine, snacks etc as thats what i have based my £450 on- however if I need to get shoes for the boys etc im keeping a note of it but its not part of my GC and so doest count - but you will find everyone does it a little bit different depending on what they are trying to achieve.

for example i will include takeaways inmy grocery budget but not eating out (thats in my "entertainment budget") its just about finding something that helps you work out where your money is going

ragz_2

I count NSD as no grocery spend days, if I buy stuff online for example I only count it if it's things like the Abel and Cole delivery or Tesco online.
My best mate just told me the inside of the globe artichokes are poisonous/barbed!!! Glad I haven't tried to cook it, off to google...

Moniker

NJW69 wrote: »

Monicker what do you put in your mince as that seems to have really stretched?

I used the batch mince recipe that I got from another poster here (can't remember who posted but I am sure it must be on the front page some where). Basically, I add onion, carrot, (I used a small tin of baby carrots lurking in the back of the cupboard but I usually use fresh), a couple of leftover sticks of celery, a large tin of tomatoes and an big handful of porage oats plus tomato puree and herbs and seasoning. I vary the veg according to what I have in/leftover.Sometimes I use mushrooms as well or substitute the oats with lentils. I find that if you put the cooked mixture through the food processor to make it a bit smoother it is then easier to fill the small cannelloni tubes and you use much less meat. I allow 4 tubes per person and about 3/4 pt white sauce for covering 8 tubes. It makes the meat go further than doing a lasagne or spag bol.

Just got back from the weekly Sainsbury's shop and have updated my sig. I have just under £100 to last for three more 'big' shops. I spent a bit more this week as I have visitors this weekend so I think it's still do-able. I didn't buy the jelly crystals as the only ones Sainsbury's had were Weight Watchers and they were full of artificial sweetners. So I have bought some arrowroot instead and will use the fruit juice from the tinned peaches and make the trifle jelly with that. I'll let you know haow it turns out!

Moniker

taffy1969

Hi All

Can I be added please for MARCH £280. Not totalled Feb yet but will do that tonight and update Feb and sig.
Good luck everyone for March, can't believe that it's page 12 already!

guccigoo

hi all im new but have been reading the forums alot and there really inspirational. i would like to join this one and set my budget for £200 this is for me and 3 kids plus a cat and rabbit . ive already spent £69 this week from tesco delivery yesterday:eek: but my cupboards and fridge and freezer are well stocked up:o