Cheap meals

MATH

Tesco were supposed to deliver today but the van's broken down and they can't come till tomorrow, leaving me with three hungry kidz and Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard A few panic stricken minutes (I may have to go out a SPEND some money!) rooting around and I had the makings of a fantastic tea (more luck than judgement heheheh)

I found:

1 onion
1 bell pepper
8 oz pasta jumble (bows, twists, tubes, snapped spagetti, crushed lasagne)
1 pack of cheepo sausages
1 jar cheepo pasta sauce

Fried off pepper, onion and sausages (cut into 1 inch bits), added pasta (cooked) and sauce, sprinkled on a bit of cheese I found lurking at the back of the fridge and served.

dorry_2

Curry_Queen wrote:

Talking of sausages ... I'm making toad-in-the-hole tonight with cheesy mash and onion gravy

curry queen thats sounds lovely, i was looking for new ideas for meals for
my new menu planner,

thanks

Liz19

Thanks for the sausage casserole recipe Tiff. I can't wait to try it - it sounds delicious!

Sarahsaver

MATH - regarding Tesco's no-show, when that happened to me they refunded the cost of the complete order, hope you are getting the same!?
We had cheapo chicken casserole - iceland frozen chicken portions, tin of tomatoes, 1 stock cube, 1 onion, herbs, some homemade chicken stock, and rice. Cooked in the slow cooker of course!

arkonite_babe

Another cheap meal to add is potato soup, or stir fried rice and vegetables.

I made the rice last night and have done the soup in advance for tomorrow night cos it tastes better the next day.

vanoonoo

chicken and vegetable soup for us tomorrow with toasted sarnies. the chicken is some thigh portions I casseroled in the slow cooker the other night and then took off the bone, I've made more stock with the bones and will assemble tomorrow with celery, carrots, onions to make into soup. might even add some wholemeal pasta to it to make it more filling.

I think I've got about 8 portions and so far its cost £1.95 for the chicken and I'll add about 8 carrots and two onions plus some garlic and all the stock I have saved which is about two litres and I will probably add more water to it once its on the go.

its the kind of thing i would also jazz up with tinned toms and stick on rice or pasta to ring the changes with any left overs. I reckon I'll get about 9 or ten servings out of it for about £2.50 plus the cost of whatever I serve it with.

Ticklemouse

I like the sound of Elona's curry, so on that note I've cut up the last of the brisket (cheap cut, from market butchers and cooked in slow cooker) and bunged it back in slow cooker with assorted veggies - sprouting potatoes, reduced price swede and leeks, carrots, peppers, celery, onion, courgettes, tin toms and loads of curry powder. Don't know what it'll taste like, but will give 6 good size adult portions, so lots to go in freezer afterwards. Reckon it's cost me about £2.60 so just the price of the rice to add.

r.mac_2

tiff - sausage casserole sounds amazing. Going to try it over the weekend. Will it/does it freeze well?

Thanks
r.mac

r.mac_2

Sarahsaver wrote:

iceland frozen chicken portions

well I have just bought tesco frozen chicken breasts and was really surprised at the quality. There are 4 (good sized) breasts in a bag, frozen individually so they aren't all stuck together! Each bag was £3.99, but they were on bogof and are most of the time. Voila 50p a breast.

I had the first couple last night, let them defrost in the fridge over night and I honestly couldn't tell the difference between them and a fresh one. Impressive.

tiff

Unfortunately I've never frozen it because we tend to eat it all! I dont see why not though.

Its dead easy, God knows why I felt the need to use a Colemans packet sauce to make it in the past. You basically throw all the ingredients in the pan once you've browned the sausages and takes no time to cook.