A new 'tougher' thread... and so it continues

Byatt

I've been out! Black Dog is still sitting on my chest looking me straight in the eyes, but I ignored him for an hour and popped into town. Admittedly to get my med, but hey...;)

Rewarded for my effort by finding fabulous OS (orange stickers) finds at the coop.(thought of Gailey as they had a lot of "treats" on offer, of which I bagged a few!) They had just started to reduce items when I walked in so hovered a bit and circled around a lot. :rotfl:Much better than Mr T's. Now have to adjust my [STRIKE]Tardis [/STRIKE] uhhmmm freezer to accommodate this lot! Although some will be shared with DD. When you open freezer door are things meant to hurl themselves at you in a bid to escape? :rotfl:

I like the ££oyd Gro££sman sauces and get them when reduced which they are quite often. They are just the right size for me. I will give Katie's suggestion of the Pa$aks curry paste a go as being able to keep it in the fridge for a long time is ideal. Haven't seen it in the shops but then I haven't been looking either.

I always think of that advert for Pa$aks sauces with the voice of the little boy and irritates me because he is grown up and should be using an adult voice. Or is it just me?! :cool:

Just had a crisp butty with reduced price crisps and reduced best roll from coop.

Ladyshopper

Phew, I'm glad I'm not the only one Haribo! My freezer is also jam packed, so no room for any batch cooking to go in. Love Dolmio/Ragu, and got 6 jars for £4.50 at Costco recently, so less than £1 a jar. When I'm too knackered to think what to cook, its so easy to cook up some pasta and empty a jar into it! Kids also love it as a pizza sauce onto which I add onions, sweetcorn and cheese. Dead easy, and probably their favourite meal at the moment!

I understand batch cooking is cheaper, healthier etc etc, but there are plenty of reasons people use jars (including my own that I just like them!) and I do think this board in particular can be a little judgemental of people who do. Each to their own and all that jazz.

prepareathome

HariboJunkie wrote: »

I'm not sure we should be so quick to judge and condemn to being lazy. There are lots of reasons people take short cuts in their every day life.

That is why I didn't say everyone was lazy, I said many. I assure you the people I am talking about are plain lazy in the kitchen, they would tell you that themselves, they prefer to pay more than spend a few minutes longer in the kitchen then they moan how broke they . I was not generalising I was talking about people I know personally. This till last year included my best friend of nearly 30 years, I used to despair over her.

Hugs and Love xxx

prepareathome

Sorry I have obviously stood on a lot of toes - do you all here who use jars moan and groan about how you are broke, no you do not please read my post properly before you see me as judging you, I made a comment about people I know, if you feel it was about you then I am sorry but I do not know what you have in your cupboards nor would even consider anyone here would chose to have a jars of expensive sauces if by doing so they would be short of money for something else.

Where my friend lives she has many neighbours who have always filled their fridges and freezers with pizzas, ready sauces etc. friend had a health scare so i am slowly teaching her as is her daughter how to cook things like rice, pasta, fresh potatoes, fresh veg as everything was tinned, frozen and a few times I have ended up giving a cookery lesson in her kitchen of up to 10 woman. When I make comments its about either people or things I know i never make sweeping statements about people I do not know. To me 10 woman/families is many, but to you that might only be a couple( but I will not presume to know what many means to you), and friend is slowly teaching more and more so maybe now the many could be about 35 woman/families. So please do not jump down my throat when I make a comment without having the decency to ask me why I made it instead of presuming I am saying something I am not.

I do not think I am any better than anyone else on here nor more money saving or OS I am one of many who is trying to do the best she can and is certainly not in any position to make judgements about anyone

Hugs and Love to all those that need themxxx

SDG31000

Can I just say that I didn't mean anything against jarred sauces or anyone that uses them. I have several in the cupboard right now. It was more surprise at the fact that I was treated like I was somehow strange for cooking things from scratch and that they didn't have a clue about how to make something I consider a basic recipe.

HJ Thanks for the encouragement

Byatt Well done on getting out the house and on the bargains. Thank you so much for the kind offer. I'm actually doing ok at the moment. I just have some symptoms that never really go away. Some of them are stupid like not wanting to use the hoover. Another one is not being able to contact people that I haven't spoken to for a while. I'm scared that they will be angry with me for not speaking to them, so I don't contact them and a vicious circle happens. I hope that your daughter's visit to the eye Specialist goes well

I grew up going to a static caravan in Rhyl for my summer holidays. DH in comparision was jetting off here, there and everywhere. His Dad worked for BA so they got flights for bargain prices. Our monsters have never been on a caravan holiday. I think that's because DH and I couldn't stand the thought of being stuck in such a small space with them both fighting. Also DH is very anti caravans.
We did go on a Haven holiday a few years ago and it was a nightmare. The camp was dirty, the pool was closed, the shop was very over priced and nearly empty and it was chav central in the entertainment centre. The one highlight was Monkey World and the baby Orangutans. I would love to go back there.

Time to go through the shopping list and work out what I'm buying from where tomorrow. I'm feeding the masses fajitas for dinner and want to get everything using the best deals I can. I'm also going to have a go at the lemon torte recipe that was on SuperScrimpers this week. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Take care and virtual cups of tea and butter laden crumpets for everyone xxx

prepareathome

Byatt wrote: »

I've been out! Black Dog is still sitting on my chest looking me straight in the eyes, but I ignored him for an hour and popped into town. Admittedly to get my med, but hey...;)

Doesn't matter why you went out the fact is you did and that if fantastic with black dog in tow, now that is an achievement and a half:T:T:T:A

Mrs_Chip

I think there is a world of difference between someone who buys, and can afford, jars and packet food, but could cook from scratch if they chose, and the generation of people who literally do not have any idea that it is even possible to cook from scratch, that it will probably be nicer, and will mostly be cheaper.

I have to admit there are very few pasta sauces I would choose to buy, an I prefer the taste of home-made (there was one I found a year ago, was new and delicious, was on bogof so bought two but would not buy at £2 a jar). Ditto curry, apart from the Pataks pastes Katie mentioned (I think my dad used to buy that under the counter in the 60's, along with basmati rice. Working on the railway in London, he had lots of Asian and West indian influences, and I have always loved curry.He used to bring stuff home that was not available anywhere near where we lived, seemed very exotic!)

And I have not noticed anyone being particularly judgemental, but have noticed lots of people being really supportive, so perhaps it would be better to focus of the positive aspects of the thread rather than any perceived negatives .

ETA -Well done for getting out Byatt. Perhaps you could visualise the BD trotting by you side with a big sloppy grin on his face, it might help make him into a less threatening beast!

katieowl_2

My experience has been that a lot of younger women (and I guess men too) do not have the confidence in their cooking abilities to cook from scratch. They think there is some special trick to it, and I guess seeing TV chefs making stuff with loads of ingredients might make them think it's difficult to do. (No names mentioned but can I just say DELIA 'why use one cheese when I can use five' is top of my list)

I've bought jars once or twice when we've been on holiday usually but my kids don't like it and won't eat it as they've been bought up on fresh. My friend at work who I've shown how to make Tomato sauces and curries went home and cooked them and HER kids say we like these best mummy, don't get the other stuff again. I guess it's lucky her kids would try new things, as I know lots won't.

I totally get why when you live alone, you might want to not bother and would use a jar...but I do think it's nicer and cheaper to make from scratch. JMHO but I'd rather spend an extra half hour in the kitchen and eat a nice dinner, than flump down in front of Eastenders.

Kate

katieowl_2

Mrs_Chip wrote: »

Ditto curry, apart from the Pataks pastes Katie mentioned (I think my dad used to buy that under the counter in the 60's, along with basmati rice. Working on the railway in London, he had lots of Asian and West indian influences, and I have always loved curry.He used to bring stuff home that was not available anywhere near where we lived, seemed very exotic!)

If your dad had West Indian influences you might be interested to know I've found a local supplier for Goat Meat. Curry Goat. OMG. DROOLING just thinking about it!!!

Kate

mardatha

Which of the TV/famous chefs is the plainest and least frilly? Nothing puts me off more than looking at a recipe and seeing half a page of ingredients or pretenious garbage like "only use organic free range eggs and sun-dried pomodoro tomatoes and crushed wild lettuce". Gimme a break! :rotfl: