2012 Frugal Living Challenge (Part 1)

Frugaldom

Welcome on board, Squinky McFeet ad Arrowlili, thanks for PM'ing, both names have now been added to the list.

I've already forgotten who said what, but whoever was asking about homemade gifts, truffles and marzipans are both really easy and inexpensive. I've made them quite often.

Home made truffles/chocolates



Marzipan Fruits are also really easy. Just shape them, tint them with some food colouring, dip them in some sugar and add a clove at the appropriate spot, depending on what you're making.


Hope this helps someone.

quintwins

those fruits look lovely i might do those next xmas as gifts

i'm doing the grocery challenge so i won't update food spends here til the end of each month i think, so nothing to update here really since i havent paid any other bills or been to any shops in the last 2 days

natnat13

Also, forgot to say, I started reading Imperfectly natural woman by Janey Lee Grace yesterday, very inspiring book, it's about living a more natural life but that kind of goes hand with money saving in a lot of ways, great recipes and tips for skin care, food etc, she does obviously promote organic food which does come with a price tag but I think it's all about balance and personal preference. Right I'll be quiet now!

natnat13

Frugaldom wrote: »

Welcome on board, Squinky McFeet ad Arrowlili, thanks for PM'ing, both names have now been added to the list.

I've already forgotten who said what, but whoever was asking about homemade gifts, truffles and marzipans are both really easy and inexpensive. I've made them quite often.

Home made truffles/chocolates



Marzipan Fruits are also really easy. Just shape them, tint them with some food colouring, dip them in some sugar and add a clove at the appropriate spot, depending on what you're making.


Hope this helps someone.

It was me! Fab thank you, will def give the truffles a go x

COOLTRIKERCHICK

oh this is going to sound dumb:p

I am in the middle of boiling an old chicken carcass for stock..

when it all cools down, do i use all of the liquid, or the jelly type stuff on the top?

going to make potato and leak ( with cream) soup for the freezer I normally make it by boiling potatoes and leaks and then blitz.... but thought i would try it with stock

skint_chick

Hi guys

So I'm finally back - didn't get around to posting more than a couple of times last year as I was so busy with work and studying. Took a sewing course and got a new machine for my birthday so I made stockings with people's initials for Christmas pressies and also some handmade felt tree decorations and spiced biscuits so I spent about a fiver on ingredients and an icing pen, a fiver on Christmas shaped cutters, £3 for cellophane bags and ribbon and £7 on fabric and felt.

Huge change in my diet meant I lost just under 2 stone since October but there's still another 8 stone to go :eek: by sticking to lower carb, all homemade and as much as possible high in vitamins and minerals - mostly vegetarian with a little fish. I've had a few probs with autoimmune disorders that are all linked this year so my aim for 2012 is to tackle this and shift the weight. I'm all Gro*pon'ed up with 16 bootcamp sessions and 10 gym sessions that cost a total of £12 and a free weeks pass to F1tness 1st courtesy of MSE:D

rising_from_the_ashes

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

I am in the middle of boiling an old chicken carcass for stock..
when it all cools down, do i use all of the liquid, or the jelly type stuff on the top?

Not a silly question at all..... let it simmer away for a couple of hours, then:

• Boil the kettle
• Strain the bones/liquid through a sieve into a big bowl
• Pour a small amount of boiling water over the top of the bones (to get the last of the goodness out)

That's it - your stock is ready!

If you don't use it all, you can freeze - and then use straight from frozen (pop into a saucepan and heat on the lowest possible temp until it melts).

HTH:)

seriouslyfrugal

Hi all

Welcome to everyone new to the 2012 challenge :wave:


yesterday and today for me are going to be NSD's :j

Tumpty : thanks for the link to the revolution page - has anyone signed up for this ?

Frugaldom : Thanks for the choc truffle recipe - will be giving those a go for pressies

slow cooker was on yesterday so at least we have some freezer meals :T

COOLTRIKERCHICK

thanks rising from the ashes.....

its only a small chicken carcass, so only done a small saucepan full for now,

but thanks for the tips about freezing...

More4Less

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

oh this is going to sound dumb:p

I am in the middle of boiling an old chicken carcass for stock..

when it all cools down, do i use all of the liquid, or the jelly type stuff on the top?

going to make potato and leak ( with cream) soup for the freezer I normally make it by boiling potatoes and leaks and then blitz.... but thought i would try it with stock

I would use all the stock, even the little layer of fat that floats to the top (wicked but so so tasty)! When I make soup, I tend to blitz half of it only, that way you get a thick soup but with some 'bits' in it.