March 2011 Grocery Challenge

tigerfeet2006

helen_jelly wrote: »

Ohhhh just made Coconut Balls to use up a pack that was going out of date and the bonus is............. kiddies don't like coconut so its just me and DH that need to scoff err delicately munch on them - yeah!!!


Recipe for Coconut Balls


180gr Sugar [I used Castor]
2 Eggs
250gr Desicated Coconut

Beat the eggs and sugar together, add the Coconut and mix all together
Shape into balls [about the size of a Golfball]
Place onto a greased baking tray
Cook in the oven 160.C for 10-15mins
They are ready when they are golden brown

I have a fan oven and used 160.C for 13mins

oooh!! yummy scrummy. we all love coconut in this house, so will try those today. It looks like my kind of recipe, lovely end result for minimum effort, it's why I like my peanut butter cookie recipe. Will be doing these today.

Right, the shopping list to stock up the store cupboard for the month is done, the monthly meat list is done, so will be off to Aldi and Lidl as soon as DH crawls out of bed. I have also done weekly shopping lists as well, so I know what essentials I need to get for that weeks menu plan and I shall just add to it as I need things like yoghurts etc.

As DH gets paid on the 23rd I have decided my month will run from the 23rd to the 23rd and I will start at £500 and see if I can gradually reduce it over a few months.

NickJW

Hi All

Calling into report my spend at Mr T last night - £19.06 after £2 off £20 spend voucher was used.

There were a lot of bargains I couldn't refuse! Including a 1.5 kilo pork crackling joint for £1.89 instead of £7.89! I also stocked up on chicken thights, pork chops, mince, bacon, chopped tomatoes, anchovies and veg. I won't need any more meat for a while for sure!

Last night I made chilli and for the first time bulked it out with a handful of lentils, a handful of oats and some reduced mushrooms. And I couldn't tell ANY difference at all! There is a huge portion left which will be going into the freezer for a quick meal one day after work another week.

Submitted by Mr T receipt onto pricecheck, but considering I got a lot of deals I doubt Mr A will be cheaper. Can always try though...

Have a good day everyone! :T

LittleMissHappy_2

:wave:

I was going to take the money from my DTD shop off my sig, but I might keep it on and not count the voucher money instead Makes things less complicated.

CherryPie

Feel a wee bit disappointed that I've blown the budget yet again, but will console myself with the fact I should have £10 of DTD vouchers heading my way.

Maybe if I was a little more organised I wouldn't go so much over budget? Went to T£sco to but a bottle of wine to take with me tonight (going to friends for dinner) I forgot my £2 DTD voucher I already have!!

So thought I'd "earn" somemore while I was there. Got the comfort exhilirations which is lovely, the mullerice 6 pk which is a great brekkie zapped in the micro for a minute, and a wee treat of the cornettos which will also come with me tonight.

It'll be nice for someone else to do the cooking for a change.

Have a good weekend everyone

CherryPie x

Hippeechiq

You're right jumblejack, the sun does lift the spirits. It's absolutely glorious here today

sistercas wrote: »

i am making this for tea tonight



its CHICKEN AND CHORIZO BAKE
I havent tried it yet but it sounds nommy

Mmmmm - that looks totally lush. I'd be interested to hear what it turns out like, as I'd like to give it a bash too.

I'd just be making it for two though, so would need to halve the recipe......Not quite sure how much a "whole fresh chorizo sausage" weighs though? :huh: Anyone?

I usually buy my whole chorizo from £idls and I've never paid attention to the weight as I chop them up into 50g chunks and freeze them for using in Chicken Chorizo & Prawn Paella and Potato, Chorizo & Red Onion Fritatta, and I can't remember what it weighs to start with or how many 50g chunks I get out of one sausage. Do they all weigh roughly the same?

Just back from £idls - bought 3 packs of the Chicken Breasts, and a box of their 0h So S!mple 0ats. Then some Wild Rice & Garlic Bread from Te$co and 4L of Milk and a tub of Ice Cream from Ice£and.

Total spends of £11.53 so new total stands at £114.37. A$da shop tomorrow is going to bring me up to best part of £200.
IF I manage to bring this month in at £45 less than I was doing 6 months ago, and £20 less than the previous 2 months, I am going to be seriously chuffed with myself. It is a big IF though, and I wouldn't want to have to try and bring it in at £230 every month.

I will have to reduce my budget from £250 next month though, as in April, my Broadband package is going up, and prescriptions are going up and there's nowhere else to get the money from.

It's certainly a challenge having to manage on less and less money when everything is going up more and more

pepsi-kins

Hi All,
Just spent another £33.30 in Mr. A, really disappointed I can't do better at this. I was hoping my total for the year at the end of March would read £665, but thats been blown. Never mind I haven't bought anything that wasn't or wouldn't be needed in the near furture. I'm making oat crusted mackerel for tea tonight, which I've never had before, (the mackerel was whoopsied) so hopefully that will be nice.

I've got to really be as frugal as possible now, something is afoot at work, and the future is uncertain, as it is for many other people I know, I never really thought that I would be in that position, so I need to be as careful as possible, so that I'm in a good position if the worst comes to the worst.

Have a good week everyone x

Candy_Belle

Yey!!!! it's the weekend!:j

I'm going to declare my March total as £226.16!

I'm very pleased that I've managed to come in under budget for another month, but don't want to jinx it by lowering my budget for April so can I please be put down for £235.00 for April?

Thanks again to the wonderful ladies who look after this thread and everyone else posting for the tips, recipes and encouragement. xxxx

karmachilovething

OK, I had intended to catch up on the thread today, but it's just too beautiful outside to sit staring at a screen, so I'm going to update and then catch up another time (or not, maybe I have to learn that it's not necessary to read every post and I'm allowed some non-forum life as long as it's MSE :rotfl:)

So Wednseday I found myself in town at lunchtime, and it was market day. Veggies are super cheap there so thought I'd get a few things. I was craving japanese food so bought some oriental flavours (ginger, corriander) and a bream from the fishmongers, and then a rabbit from the butcher. So got a little out out control really. And on the way home I walked past the British Red Cross appeal for Japan so they got my change. £20 spent in total.

So anyway, I had steamed bream fillet with ginger and spring onion, sushi rice and steamed broccoli and carrot. Yum. And the bunny is boiling on the strove as we speak to make rabbit ragu for tomorrow dinner.

Anyway as I said I over did it - didn't really need any of what I bought, and now going to have to be pretty clever with my meal plans to eat it all :doh:Not helped by the fact the freezer really, really is full and so I can't even cook and freeze double :doh::doh:

When will I learn . . . ?

Long_tall_sally

Adding on £4 today for some gluten-free chocolate brownies & carrot cake that I just spotted whilst in town for something else. Also noticed when I got back that the bananas are quite brown looking & I know that the kids won't eat them if I put them in their lunch boxes this week which probably means a trip to the Co Op later or tomorrow.

sistercas

Hippeechiq wrote: »

Mmmmm - that looks totally lush. I'd be interested to hear what it turns out like, as I'd like to give it a bash too.

I'd just be making it for two though, so would need to halve the recipe......Not quite sure how much a "whole fresh chorizo sausage" weighs though? :huh: Anyone?

I usually buy my whole chorizo from £idls and I've never paid attention to the weight as I chop them up into 50g chunks and freeze them for using in Chicken Chorizo & Prawn Paella and Potato, Chorizo & Red Onion Fritatta, and I can't remember what it weighs to start with or how many 50g chunks I get out of one sausage. Do they all weigh roughly the same?

the chorizo i bought was from mr T was a 'spanish chorizo ring' £1.97 225g
when i looked on my superm@rket they had some for a £1 but i couldnt find it
i will use less than half of the sausage ( and freeze the rest) for this recipe and thats for 4 adults
(i havent got all the cheeses it asks for either i shall just use chedder)

will report back later and let you know what its like

the chicken , chorizo and prawn paella sounds lovely do you havea recipe please