I'm eating out of the freezer and cupboards challenge

Jelly_Biactol

Welsh_Poppy wrote: »

I make my own bread not every day an by hand I have owned 3 breadmakers and they all fail after a while so gave up on them.Aldi had one £34.99p so OH treated me to one i was a bit nervous due to previous ones anyway ingredients in just awaiting the bread 3 hours later-)

Kirri wrote: »

^ I don't use my breadmaker for cooking it any more, always finish by hand but the other week I accidentally knocked it onto a different programme so it cooked it as well but texture wasn't as good as the oven finished one. I would probably replace my breadmaker with a stand mixer with a dough hook if my breadmaker broke, same space on the worktop but more options for use.

My two have both been secondhand off fleabay, both costing around a tenner. I used to occasionally make bread from scratch, years ago but got out of the habit, so bought the first breadmaker to get me back into the routine of making my own.
I also tend not to use the current one for making bread from start to finish, tends to come out too crusty for me; but it's good for french-type bread, gets a nice open texture. It's more used for the initial mixing/kneading/proving, but I also sometimes do the mixing/part-kneading in the food processor (also off fleabay, cheap), seems to work quite well, and less mess; there's a dough hook, but some people say to use the standard chopping blade, so might experiment with that next time.

Just trying to decide whether to have a completely lazy Sunday or try my hand at making some fresh pasta (got a pasta maker a few weeks ago which I haven't tried out yet - from, yes you've guessed, fleabay).

Kirri

Jam tarts, marmalade tarts and mince pies in the oven, eeked out the pasty and made 18.
Finished up 2 jars

Decided to skip dinner as don't feel like eating one and have a jam tart followed by a bit of toast later depending how I feel. Will get a loaf out the freezer (and put the mince pies in its place).

Hope the mincemeat is ok, was hm Christmas before last - wasn't mouldy though.. There is also hm brandy butter from the same batch been in the fridge same length of time, it looks ok... I won't risk eating either tonight just in case, as builders working in the bathroom tomorrow too!

Florenceem

In to freezer - 2 tubs - HM BPITH.
Out of freezer - HM quiche.
We had HM BPITH + roast potatoes + roasted beetroot, red onion, white onion, green pepper, tomato for dinner.
Black Pudding in the Hole was delicious - enough left for 2 day's dinners. Cost to make - 90p for 6 portions.

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Jelly_Biactol

For tea, Spinach & Ricotta Tortellini with Sage & Pine Nut Sauce, following this recipe
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/tortelliniwithspinac_82375
and making the pasta from scratch (first time making pasta:)).
A word of caution in case anyone else wants to try the recipe - the ratio of eggs to flour seems way off, I made a half quantity (so 350g flour) and ended up using 4 eggs, otherwise it was just like breadcrumbs and wasn't coming together at all. A better ratio seems to be one egg per 100g flour, like this Jamie recipe
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/a-basic-recipe-for-fresh-egg-pasta

I can recommend the butter, sage & pine nut sauce just as it is, on plain pasta (any kind).

I made the pasta with the pasta machine, which was fun for the first time, and it turned out OK. I just made half a dozen tortellini (quite large ones), so there's pasta dough and filling left over, to make some more another day.

Here they are filled and cut to shape
http://postimg.org/image/kye96tpch/
in the pan with the sauce
http://postimg.org/image/sx71mnu43/
and ready to eat
http://postimg.org/image/a6uxmeh8v/

AlwaysHappy

Wow jelly. they look impressive, well done to you. I had a pasta machine (used twice before giving it to someone at work - I just couldn't get on with it, but then I'm not renowned for my co-ordination).

joedenise

Nothing in or out of the freezer today but all meals from stuff I have in:

B - porridge made with water with a yoghurt stirred through with strawberries
L - jacket potato, LO baked beans in fridge, bit of grated cheese
D - spanish chicken - rice with HG onions, LO chicken, chorizo from fridge bought at a County show a month or so ago.

Denise

Welsh_Poppy

Jelly
They look super delicious I will have to try them I too hava pasta machine a friend gave me as she never used it.I used it once and not since!

Kirri

I've always fancied getting a pasta machine - can it be made by hand without eggs? (the dried stuff in supermakets is egg free isn't it?)

How many portions did that amount make, JB?

Florenceem - thought that was courgette till I read the description _pale_ couldn't even eat that when I was a meat eater with the thought of it!


Today, doubt will use anything out of freezer. Can't get in kitchen till late.

Breakfast - very early... toast and marmite
Lunch - will be either bananas, jam tarts, free cereal as that's all I have stashed out of the kitchen for the day. Decided to leave the lentils in the fridge as didn't think I'd fancy them for lunch after all.
Dinner - either the lentils or more probably pesto pasta.

Jelly_Biactol

AlwaysHappy wrote: »

Wow jelly. they look impressive, well done to you. I had a pasta machine (used twice before giving it to someone at work - I just couldn't get on with it, but then I'm not renowned for my co-ordination).

Yes you do feel like you need a third hand at some points, but I'm not that dextrous either and just about coped OK.

Welsh_Poppy wrote: »

They look super delicious I will have to try them I too hava pasta machine a friend gave me as she never used it. I used it once and not since!

Go for it! It's not as tricky as it looks. If I can do it, anyone can! As mentioned, the tortellini recipe on the BBC website is wrong in terms of eggs to flour, I've checked since and 100g flour per one egg is standard - see Michela Chiappi's recipe here ("Add one egg per 100g flour and scale up or down depending on the number of people you are serving")
http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/tv-show-recipes/simply-italian-recipes/basic-egg-pasta-dough-recipe
which has also got lots of helpful tips (eg, using semolina or polenta for 'flouring'); her Simply Italian programe on pasta making can probably still be viewed on 4oD

Kirri wrote: »

I've always fancied getting a pasta machine - can it be made by hand without eggs? (the dried stuff in supermakets is egg free isn't it?)
How many portions did that amount make, JB?

I halved the quantities in the pasta recipe (so, 350g flour) and that made enough pasta for half for the tortellini, and half left over. So the tortellini in the piccies represents about 175g flour. Michela says "100g of flour makes approximately 150g dough - enough for 1-2 people. 400g flour makes approximately 600g dough - enough for 4-6 people".
You can make the pasta by hand without a pasta machine, if you're capable of rolling out the pasta very thinly, watch how here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOsnlFcO748
Argos occasionally have pasta machines on special offer for around a tenner, worth looking out for; or try fleabay.
You can make it without eggs by hand (though I haven't tried)
http://www.food.com/recipe/basic-pasta-dough-no-egg-360234
and also without eggs or wheat (see second comment on recipe page).
Some useful advice here (though the quantities will need adjusting)
http://www.catererandhotelkeeper.co.uk/articles/6/10/2010/335423/fresh-pasta-southern-italian-style-a-masterclass-with-francesco-mazzei.htm
Or watch how it's done
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU4Q-1ai-xs

gunsandbanjos

Nothing in freezer today.

Have taken out some chicken for tonight's stir fry with 1/2 pack of noodles and a lonely tin of pineapple that really needs used!