January 2011 Grocery Challenge

supersally01

Love all the ideas, gonna try the pizza bagette idea for DD, as she is always starving after school, yet needs independance , so this will suit, and the ribs sound yummy.
I noticed that a lot of people are buying liquid paracetamol for their children, not suprising as there is 'a flu epedemic' apparently, but do Engalnd and Wales run the Minor Ailments service that we have in Scotland? This involves you registering with a pharmacist, and you can obtain free advice and stuff like paracetamol/ibuprofen etc for free, without visiting your GP. I usually phone with the problem, then collect my product 30 mins later - so no wait!!! I too am registered, as I have an excemption certificate, and can get stuff free for women conditions too. Not much, but it all helps!
What are people doing with all the offers that the big supers are throwing at us? Both Mr T and Mr M seem rammed with 1/2 price or less stuff, are people stock piling, or is it just another ploy to get us in???
Just a £9 shop for me today, as working.

redkids1972

Supersally01 I think its a ploy however if the budget allows it may be an opportunity to stock up for later months

LittleMissHappy_2

:wave:Hello:wave:

I have been lurking for a while and have decided on a budget for the month - is it ok if I join you all? I normally spend around £100 pw at Mr T's and am planning on spending half of that, so £200 for January. This is for 2 adults and three children (10, 8 and 5) a dog and two cats :cool:

I know this is doable as have done it before, but just can't be bothered to meal plan This has to change as I am doing a major overhaul of our finances this year and groceries are the thing I have most control over!

So far no spends on groceries this year :D:D:D:D

Have to go and get milk and bread tomorrow, though :rotfl:

nattyt

Had to buy toilet roll as well as my kitchen roll and DD1 informed that she'd eaten the last of the frozen chips just before tea:mad: so had to grab some of them. Would have made my own but hadn't the time. So £7.22 that also includes some parcel tape! Trying for a NSD tomorrow!

happycrafter_2

Mothership wrote: »

230g Mashed potato (with milk & Butter)
50g Flour either will do.
Salt & Pepper if liked.

Method
Put your frying pan or griddle (Flat based) on low heat and dust with flour (No oil or fat).
Mix ingredients with your hands.
Divide mix into six pieces about the size of an egg, flour your hands and roll into balls, flatten mix between your palms to about the size of the top of a cup, drop into pan, cook on either side for about 5 min, or until the scones start to have brown speckles on them, put them on a piece of kitchen paper.

You can serve them with a little butter or fry them in a little sunflower oil and have with a cooked breakfast, or poached eggs yumdiddlyumptious! Thats if your family don't get them first LOL.
I made six half an hour ago and three are gone already.

these sound yummy and I can make them on my planc my mam bought me for Christmas to make welsh cakes on, those are easy to make and the kids stand and eat them as I cook them!

happycrafter_2

supersally01 wrote: »

I noticed that a lot of people are buying liquid paracetamol for their children, not suprising as there is 'a flu epedemic' apparently, but do Engalnd and Wales run the Minor Ailments service that we have in Scotland? This involves you registering with a pharmacist, and you can obtain free advice and stuff like paracetamol/ibuprofen etc for free, without visiting your GP. I usually phone with the problem, then collect my product 30 mins later - so no wait!!! I too am registered, as I have an excemption certificate, and can get stuff free for women conditions too. Not much, but it all helps!
What are people doing with all the offers that the big supers are throwing at us? Both Mr T and Mr M seem rammed with 1/2 price or less stuff, are people stock piling, or is it just another ploy to get us in???
Just a £9 shop for me today, as working.

In Nuneaton and Bedworth we have the minor ailments scheme but not in the rest of Warwickshire, I have used it in the past for the kids.

rosieben

Mothership, your potato scones recipe in now in the index

Mothership

I good size onion (finely chopped)
Fry till translucent in a little oil or butter.

2 Ripe Avocado's (Mash well).

250g bag of Fresh Spinach (frozen or tinned would do as well)
Chop it finely if you don't have a blender.

1 litre of water/ milk.
800 ml of water and 200 ml of milk works well. If you want it creamier just add more milk less water, (add the milk near the end of cooking.)
2 Vegetable stock cubes.

A swirl of cream to finish, if liked.

Method
Fry onion in butter, add mashed avocado, stir around for a few min, add spinach. water, stock cubes.
Bring to the boil turn the heat down and simmer and stir for a few minutes, add milk, warm through, take off the heat.
Blitz for a few seconds with a stick blender, or blend in blender, if you have one. Season to taste and serve.

This soup is addictive, its great served with crusty or garlic bread, a wee grating of nutmeg before serving is nice, along with a swirl of cream.

If I'm freezing soup, I place it in bowls in the freezer then remove from the bowls and stack in bags. All you have to do is pop the frozen soup into the same bowl, defrost and heat.

Everyone I've given this soup to couldn't guess what the secret ingredient was (the avocado), I find spinach a bit bitter on its own, the avocados go really well with it.

Could someone put this recipe with the others please? I don't know how to do it, many thanks!

MRSMCAWBER

Evening everyone...

Hello to all the newbies joining in :T


Well I have been productive today :A:rotfl:... I:-

• made a big batch of baguette dough
• made hubby a pizza for dinner -complete with the home made tomato sauce from yesterday
• made a large calzone
• made 2 "calzone" with leftover cornedbeef hash in (hubbies Idea not mine ) -he is taking 1 tomorrow to heat up for his lunch -the other 2 will be wedged into a freezer if I can find space *wish me luck* :rotfl:
• prepared lots of veggies and got them into stay fresh bags -to use up this week
• turned the veggie "off cuts" into 1lt of soup for my lunches for a few days...

AND THEN.... we went shopping - I was going to hold off, but then realised we needed water as we were down to 6 bottles and hubby is back at work tomorrow ... so whilst I was there I topped up on the milk, fruit, yoghurts and some other bits n bobs .... so €30 spent....

I can't remember who asked *sorry* but I have a recipe for spanish pork, chorizo and potato casserole that is :drool: -I did mine on the stove, but Im sure you could adapt to slow cook it.. I will post it in the morning when Im more awake

Right -bed time for me I reckon... sleep well everyone..

Winchelsea

Was sitting waiting for the bus at the hospital with DD4 this evening (after visiting my DH) - she suddenly opens her bag and pulls out a pack of cheese and gives it to me! She remembered she'd got 2 packs as a bargain earlier, and chose to share! So I now won't have to buy cheese tomorrow, which I would have done. So, might manage another NSD!