Countdown to Freedom

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Hi Peonie, I can recommend a rice cooker BUT I would not buy an expensive one, I have had mine for around 15 years (a friend brought it back from Hong Kong for me). I did buy a more expensive one which also steams but I don't think it is worth it. I tend to microwave veg and fish so don't use the steamer for that. The cheap rice cooker is fab - I use 1 mug rice to 2 mugs of water (just slightly under two mugs) switch it on and forget it. Perfect rice every time.

Really depends on how often you cook rice but I tend to cook it about twice a week so it's a big help as I don't have to watch it. Whether you work full time, have kids, have caring responsibilities etc, I think it is sensible to have time saving options.

Good luck, Tilly

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Evening, I can't believe it is New Years Eve tomorrow - where has the year gone?

This afternoon I have cooked around 8 weeks worth of meals for Mondays-Thursdays. Pie fillings, chillis, risotto bases, casseroles - all cooling overnight in the garage and the stock/gravy are cooling ready for the fat to be taken off tomorrow. It's been a busy session as we only flew back this morning but at least tomorrow will be quiet. I bought a large tub of double cream (19p:eek:) and have made chocolate icecream.

I also managed to acquire 3 flaky and 3 short crust ready made pastry reduced in Tesc@ so they are safey tucked in the freezer.

Some reduced sweet potatoes jumped into my trolley so I liberated them and will be preparing sweet pot mash with nutmeg ready to freeze. Although its been a hectic day, I now know I have a quiet couple of months ahead of me. Menu plans complete, cupboards sorted and tomorrow I am sorting my cookery books - never let it be said that Tilly can't rock with the best of them:j

Night, Tilly x

SJ1

:TWell done Tilly!:T

When you said that you menu planned in advance I believed you but I had no idea you were cooking 8 weeks of it in one night!! I have only ever done this when I cooked for the children when they were babies!! Very impressed. I take it you did a huge shop then!! Intrigued by what you mean by a risotto base - could you expand on that one pls?

I can see how you could get a shop for £30 per week then, what do you reckon your monthly spend all in is, if you don't mind me asking, so I have something to aim for. I have been going at this in the economy gastronomy way of thinking of tumbledown but maybe I need to try out the major batch cooking way of looking at this one!!

Well done again,
SJ x

Marie27lol

Peonie

Ironically, I use pirex bowl and a microwave for cooking my rice = no wastage and no extra costs

Same ratios of rice / water as previously mentioned, add a crumbled stockcube / pinch of salt as required, cook on high for 10mins, stir, cook for 5mins, and then 2/3mins as required until consistency is wanted. I do sometimes add a little bit of extra water if it runs a little dry - same as if you were reheating the rice from yesterday's Chinese.

Have fun cooking
M

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning SJ1, I certainly slept like a log last night.

Anyway, risotto bases - as everyone loves them, I tend to make sure I have some chicken, finely sliced carrots, onions already cooked and in freezer bags, along with home made stock.

Yesterday I poached a chicken, after an hour, took the chicken out, meat off the bone, put the bones and scraps back in and simmered for another 45 mins. That gave me chicken for two chicken pies. I removed bones and veg, all bits of meat and good veg popped into freezer bags and I can then heat that up after thawing to be the base of a risotto. Plus my stock has a good clean layer of fat which I will remove, then portion up. I am sure people will say 'risottos have to be made from scratch' but Monday-Thursday I just don't have the time. This way dinner is quite quickly on the table with minimum fuss. It's not unusual for me to be working (on a call call) whilst making dinner, so anything which speeds things up is required.

The reply regarding microwave rice is good and we do rice for Indian food that way however, in the week, again I need ease and a rice cooker removes any checking etc. when it clicks over to warm then it's cooked and no need for any effort.

My grocery bills are something between £60-£80 per week, not £30 - that's when I do a top up shop. However, for the next 8 weeks, I know the food side of my costs will only be around £30 ish. Thats because all the meat was reduced which I bought. Makes a big difference when you buy in bulk and the best thing for me is I have very little effort to make now.

:T:T
Best wishes Tilly

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

My next Cc bill is due on 2 January so I will be switching money from the CC pot to cover it. It is quite high as it covers car servicing, repairs, tyres etc but money has been taken from car maintenance and popped into CC pot, so it is all there. Plus cashback CC used so I know we have achieved maximum cashback in the first 3 months. Excellent.

I have decided to track all 'free' money in 2012 and shift it into a separate pot. I want to understand how much money I can make that way, so that in 2013 I can reduce saving for Christmas 2013. I think I can probably make it cost neutral and will have a stab at it this year also. However I am not prepared to stop my Christmas saving until I know it works. That would result in a further £100 per month off the mortgage. Fingers crossed it works.

Best wishes and Happy New Year, Tilly x

Hurdler

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS wrote: »

My next Cc bill is due on 2 January so I will be switching money from the CC pot to cover it. It is quite high as it covers car servicing, repairs, tyres etc but money has been taken from car maintenance and popped into CC pot, so it is all there. Plus cashback CC used so I know we have achieved maximum cashback in the first 3 months. Excellent.

I have decided to track all 'free' money in 2012 and shift it into a separate pot. I want to understand how much money I can make that way, so that in 2013 I can reduce saving for Christmas 2013. I think I can probably make it cost neutral and will have a stab at it this year also. However I am not prepared to stop my Christmas saving until I know it works. That would result in a further £100 per month off the mortgage. Fingers crossed it works.

Best wishes and Happy New Year, Tilly x

You've inspired me to limit my CC spending (with exception of things that can largely be claimed back from work) to whatever is left in Vernon after I have overpaid into my mortgage. I need to go back to the dark old days when I was getting myself out of debt, when I first moved into the flat - and you know what? I was disciplined enough to do it then, and I will damn well do it now!

Happy New Year to you x

Tilly_MFW_in_6_YRS

Morning Hurdler, I think we seem to get into a habit of spending, so we can keep an eye on each other. For the next two months I will have minimal spends so I am hoping to make another sneaky OP by the end of February, on top of my normal OP. No idea whether I will achieve this but it's worth a go.

Happy New Year to you, Tilly x

SJ1

Hi Tilly

You really are an inspiration.

I think that the thing that I struggle with a little is that I menu plan so I know that this week I am going to have beef stew for example so I need some beef. But when I get to the supermarket I know it's unusual to find that the beef will be reduced. Do you shop at a particular time of day to get these good reductions or do you keep your eyes open on mys**ermarket? I never seem to get the good reductions although quite happy to do a big batch cook if there is a reduction as I could work around that.

Your method would suit me (as long as I could convince the littlies to eat everything!) as I work quite long hours and travel really far to get to my work, it's over an hour in the car. It is very useful to be able to put something together very easily and I have a day off so I could cook like a demon that day

Really inspired by your way of tackling things. I easily spend £120 a week on food and am determined to make it less as it's an obvious one to tackle.

Well done on the CC as well, this is my other major problem area!

Thanks for all the great advice, trying really hard starts now!

SJ

Polly_Wolly_Doodle

Morning Tilly and gang,
Well Hogmanay has dawned wet and dark up here but i'm having a lovely time catching up with all the slow cooker and batch cooking receipies!
My DH does the cooking here and he cooks really well, we love Nigel Slater and Jamie Olivers stuff. I'm longing to try some of Hugh F-W's veggie things but DH is not a fan of cheese, so we differ there sadly. His problem is portion sizes and he dishes out far too big a plateful. So we're not doing ourselves any favours with our weight and health. This needs a NY's resolution as does the menu planning as again there is no idea what's to be cooked and it's a stress for him every night. NY resolution number 2!

Right Tilly 'fess up, what are your NY resolutions??

PWDxx