Weezl and friends Phase 3 - sitting pretty with Kitty

VenusFlytrap_2

QOS - hmmm naughty puppies are a pain but at least they're cute! And they won't be little for long, so enjoy it!!

Ohhhh how I wish I was at home in my dressing gown, even with puppies causing mayhem! Still got backache and now gotta wait for bus in the rain (of course, the bus stop has no shelter :mad:) then walk 15 mins to get home! Mustn't complain though, things could be far worse and I'll be fine once home and dry. A bottle of cheap plonk from Asda sounds rather appealing right now too! :beer:

See y'all later xxx

queen_of_string

For the frugalising recipes person. I often substitute apple juice for wine in recipes, it adds that edge you get with wine but is cheaper. Also, if a recipe calls for ouzo or pernod ( not often I know!), use chinese five spice powder for that aniseed hit.

MadDogWoman_2

SusanC wrote: »

Alice loves olives too. She'd raid the fridge for them if I let her. Don't know where she gets it from - I don't mind them cooked in things but I hate them straight from the jar.

I have no idea either, neither DH or I like them cooked or raw. I buy the pots of olives in oil so that there in the fridge for her to pick at.

Had Toad in the Hole tonight, 10/10, big hit all round. I served it with mashed potato, broccoli and peas, as Katie doesn't like wedges, and none of us like sprouts.

I halfed the recipe for the onion gravy and still have half a pan full, it's going in the freezer as I don't like wasting food.

Tomorrow it's Stuffed Tortillas, need to make the mushroom soup first.

SusanC_2

MadDogWoman wrote: »

I have no idea either, neither DH or I like them cooked or raw. I buy the pots of olives in oil so that there in the fridge for her to pick at.

I tried buying the pots in oil but she didn't like them so I ended up giving them away.

MadDogWoman wrote: »

Had Toad in the Hole tonight, 10/10, big hit all round. I served it with mashed potato, broccoli and peas, as Katie doesn't like wedges, and none of us like sprouts.

I traumatised Alice today by putting too much chilli on our potato wedges.

MadDogWoman_2

Oops Susan.

With Katie if it's an olive it edible, she especially enjoy garlic stuffed olives!

ANY_CHANCE

Hi,

Just wanted to to say that i recently found CFR and have been following option one. It has been brilliant to have the shopping list and weekly planner for such an affordable amount.

So far i have made the porridge, pasta carbonara (i love this), onion pie, leek and potato soup (i love this too), HM pizza which my 16 yr old made, boodle biscuits and raisin biscuits, HM bread.

The spicy pea soup didnt work out well and i wasnt keen on the flavour but that's my fault as i forgot about it in the pan and it burnt on the bottom!! And im not keen on the garam masala so i may leave that out of recipies in future.

I have ordered more bread loaf tins and a couple of other kitchen things but because my food shop is so cheap i can afford to do that.

I think the christmas planner looks great so far and i am looking forward to using it.

There are some recipies i like more than others but i enjoy trying all of them and then i know what i like for next time.

You have done a brilliant job of this and i will definitely be using the planner next week x

queen_of_string

So pleased you're enjoying it Anychance. I have been experimenting with the xmas stuffing today, as I wasn't keen on the original.

Experiments were successful. I was aiming to make a stuffing that was reminiscent of the stodgy goeyness of p*xo.

I used the original quantities of 150g bread and 160g onion. Cut the bread into 0.5cm squares. Finely chop the onion. Fry the onion in 30ml of the oil with 3tsps of garlic powder until golden and soft. Make a stock cube upto 225ml with hot water. Add a small pinch of chilli powder. Pour enough of the stock onto the bread cubes to thoroughly wet them when stirred, without completely destroying their structure. Mixture should be firm enough to hold its shape when placed in a blob on a baking sheet. Add the onion and garlic mixture to the bread mixture and season with plenty of salt and pepper. If you have them, add upto 20 sage leaves, shredded. Stir these things into the bread gently with the remainder of the oil.

Shape into balls with your hands or two spoons and place on a baking tin or cook as a slab. Can be made ahead of time and cooked in the oven on the day. Also freeze well cooked or uncooked, if cooking from frozen increase cooking time.

I really liked the result, the balls developed that sticky, gooey roastiness on the bottom, adding flavour. The sage looses a lot of its flavour as it cooks so you need lots, if you dont use sage, you still end up with a flavourful, garlicky accompaniment. ( I did half and half with and without sage). This made 12 balls.

VenusFlytrap_2

queen_of_string wrote: »

Experiments were successful. I was aiming to make a stuffing that was reminiscent of the stodgy goeyness of p*xo.

Glad the stuffing turned out well in the end though. Never made my own, always used the packet stuff, but might experiment next time I do a roast...

Need to get to bed now, up way past my bedtime catching up on the Skype chat (which I missed due to a busy evening), very interesting stuff guys, hope to join in tomorrow if you're around.

ETA - ANYCHANCE - LOVE the Ali quote in your sig, what a legend that man is! He could certainly teach today's "sporting heroes" a thing or two about character and integrity. They don't make 'em like him any more, sadly.

VenusFlytrap_2

OMG, how dumb am I, just realised QOS that you meant Paxo stuffing in your post, not poo!! :rotfl:Feel free to all point and laugh, will be in the corner wearing the dunce cap.

Actually, make that a nightcap - and also make a note to self not to post at 1am after a busy day and a glass of wine! :o:o:o:o:o

Going to bed now, blushing furiously!

Yours in total embarrassment

Venus xxx

weezl74

MadDogWoman wrote: »

Oops Susan.

With Katie if it's an olive it edible, she especially enjoy garlic stuffed olives!

Katie and I have lots in common I adore olives in all forms. New eschelons for katie to try are anchovy-stuffed and sundried tomato stuffed ones.

Droooool, slurp. Nomminesss. Drool.

Ahem.

And I have a favour to ask, steel yourself MDW!

The majority of the leftovers from the christmas day meal are incorporated into other dishes. The soup and pork go to the tortilla meal and the veggies go to the spanish omelette.

Would you be kind enough to write a paragraph (a titchy one really!) on what shirl might do with any leftover gravy, roast onions etc?