January 2012 Grocery Challenge

Herbyme

Mrs Moneypenny, pplease could you tell mem how to make butter from cream? Bought a pint pot of double for 40p, made LOVELY rice pudd which, said DS, made him feel sick. Huh.
Aberdeensaver, you can certainly freeze them if fish not already frozen, and if it was, then you still can as long as fish has been cooked and then cooled quickly. I freeze pretty much everything, regardless, and nobody gets ill.
Annoyingly will have to top up milk and juice today, it's these small shops that seem to add up so fast and ruin my plans... still, found a job to apply for last night which is a hopeful thing...
Have a good day all, thinking of you Brassic:)

LondonDreamer

Morning all. :wave: Hugs to Brassic, thoughts are with you and your family.

Another NSD yesterday. Had sausages for dinner, would have normally popped to the shop for mashing potatoes but just served it with new potatoes which I already had instead. No complaints!

Today we're going out for lunch, haven't decided whether to count this as a grocery cost or take it out of entertainment. :think:

tigerfeet2006 wrote: »

The only thing was the joint was so well cooked it shreded rather than sliced so I won't be able to use it for sandwiches and will have to use it up in meals.

For those that say they have stuff in the freezer that isn't labeled and they don't know what it is, get yourself a Sharpie pen and keep in on the top of your freezer or in the cutlery drawer. Then it is always at hand and you can write onto your containers what you have in them and it will wash off when you want it to.

This is what I do, couldn't live without my Sharpie! You can get some also cheap masking or sello tape and write on that if you don't want to write directly on your containers/bags.

I would mix the gammon with something wet (mayo with a bit of mustard was my first thought, yum) to make a sandwich filler. Or just use it as is, I use shredded chicken on sandwiches without any issues.

aberdeensaver wrote: »

Just realised I have forgotten to take the bag of turkey and the pot of stock out the freezer for risotto tonight so will have to swap some meals about and have a go at making fish cakes instead. Can someone tell me if these will freeze ok as I can see me making more than we will eat in one meal?

Fish cakes are fine to freeze, just follow the usual rules of meat. So if the fish was already frozen, cook them first then freeze and reheat later. If the fish is fresh or tinned, it should be fine to freeze them raw (although wait for the potato to go cold before making cakes so it doesn't part-cook the fish) and then cook later. Can probably do both straight from frozen, just make sure they are piping hot when you serve them.

mrs-moneypenny

carolinerunner wrote: »

Mrs Moneypenny, please could you tell me how to make butter from cream? Bought a pint pot of double for 40p, made LOVELY rice pudd which, said DS, made him feel sick. Huh.

i followed this link that Woopsiequeen posted in the tesco11+ thread worked really well, was a bit fiddly washing and getting the water out, if you are doing it by hand your hands need to be cold or it starts melting and sticks to you, i used a hand blender

Woopsiequeen wrote: »

Gemini_Jes wrote: »

Really want a go at making butter but, as yet, found no whoopsie cream
In the mean time I have found this link, I like to have the instructions in front of me when making something new so have printed them off ready Hope they help someone else..:)

http://www.allotment.org.uk/allotment_foods/Making_Butter_at_Home.php


This is great..thank you..I've been following the discussions but like you I too need the instructions in front of me. Just need to find some more woopsied cream now!

greent

((hugs)) Brassic - I definitely wouldn't count that, either

Was keeping wonderfully well on the straight and narrow here - then discovered A has Heinz beans and soup at 50p/ can - combine that with a free delivery code and I did a stock up on those and frubes and 2 birthday cakes for DS2 (birthday today and I have a chest infection, so don't feel up to making and decorating a cake for today and his party on Sunday - plus DH and I have had a s&d bug for a couple of days -so definitely don;t want to be making cakes!!) Result of that and a swift trip to Sains (£4 off £20 spend used) = total month's spend to date is £135.47 - also includes a takeaway last night for all 6 of us, as I didn't feel up to cooking after a day spent coughing and running to the bathroom. Oh - and £2.19 on coffee after the inquest into my dad's death. Will need small spend on Sunday of Observer paper and milk and bread for week and some f&v (aldi), but theoretically that should be it until next weekend then - which should bring me basically back in line with budget.

Also included in my A's spends were a few £s on cake bits and pieces - some pretty cases, decorations and edible glitter (on offer) - DH bought me a Kenwood as part of my Xmas pressie. All I've done with it so far is make dough, as we've been using up Xmas goodies and junk. As my mum also got me a cupcake book I feel some 'playing' going on next week

janiepopps

Big hugs Brassic x

We had an... unusual... meal last night which was a great big leftover concoction. I shredded the last of the sprouts and fried with 1/2 an onion, then sprinkled some sultanas in and a dash of balsamic vinegar. Then put the lid on and turned the heat off to let them sweat. This tasted amazing (yeah, it does sound awful now I've written it down bu it was yummy I promise!)
LO chopped, steamed root veg got roasted in a bit of butter & oil till crispy and the veggies were served with some chicken burgers OH bought for when his kids came down and we forgot to use.
Also roasted some tired looking peppers whilst the oven was on to have with houmous in sarnies.

I checked my store of pumpkins and squash that I grew last year and some have sprouted mould so need to use them up next. Seriously, at this rate we'll never get to the next 'planned' meal, due to all the leftovers getting in the way!

Oh, and my mum bought round a melon yesterday, I think it's a Galia (yellow skin & yellow flesh) they're not my favourite tbh, so any ideas how to use it up quickly..?

I'm off to the hospital today to have a CT scan & other tests as they found a shadow on my lung before Xmas. Will be glad to get it over and done with.

quintwins

morning all today is a nsd

i was so tired yesterday i went to bed at half 5 and just had cereal later, so i have some mince to use up i'm gonna make a spag bol type mixture and i'll have some in a pitta for lunch with some cheese and freeze the rest, ds can have the last 2 pork pies for lunch, we're having cooked chicken for dinner

my budget doesn't look great for a week in but when you consider i'm sorted for the next week it's not too bad (thats how i'm gonna chose to look at it anyway)

Meadows

carolinerunner wrote: »

Could you tell mem how to make butter from cream? Bought a pint pot of double for 40p.

You can use a bread-maker that churn cream (pan comes with lid so it does not splatter and has a cream setting)
or use a food processor!

Pour 1-2 cups of cold cream into food processor and turn it on.
Cream will start to thicken and become whipped cream.
Keep mixing in food processor until the whipped cream starts to break apart and then start changing into a more yellowish colour.
You will be left with butter (the liquid is buttermilk).
Scoop out the butter, sieve to drain out the buttermilk.
Add salt or flavours to taste.

raphanius

carolinerunner wrote: »

Am dismayed at how i think I have everything I need then almost every day, something else becomes 'necessary' for whatever food I've planned, or at the very least bread and milk.:o.

thats so me and why i joined the GC. I sit here thinking I can have a NSD at last then the imp on my shoulder says 'do we need bread' or 'i fancy chip shop chips for lunch' :eek:

Edit: just sent OH out for milk (DS had a tooth out yesterday and has switched from his usual toast to porridge and is drinking more milk rather than eating anything crunchy. he wont eat porridge made with water either) and jam for our morning toast. so not a NSD grrrrr.

jedi82

Morning, spent an accidental £5 last night on 16 toilet rolls from c0-op. I think this is a bargain as in my reckoning my normal mrT value ones cost approx 1.40 for 4 so 16 would cost £5.60 and the ones i bought from c0-op were nouvelle. Hope this is a bargain cos it felt very strange spending a fiver on loo rolls!

Online shop coming later so will update then too xx

SueP19

jedi82 wrote: »

Morning, spent an accidental £5 last night on 16 toilet rolls from c0-op. I think this is a bargain as in my reckoning my normal mrT value ones cost approx 1.40 for 4 so 16 would cost £5.60 and the ones i bought from c0-op were nouvelle. Hope this is a bargain cos it felt very strange spending a fiver on loo rolls!

Online shop coming later so will update then too xx

I just saw them and they are cheaper per roll than the supers value