Cleggie's frugaltastic journey to financial freedom!!

Herbyme

Cleggie, sorry if you've said about this already but I hear a lot of mums beating themselves up about whether they are the 'perfect' mum or how they 'fall short' of that - is the full food cupboard thing maybe enything to do with that? Do 'perfect' mums always have full food cupboards? We are fed a lot of messages from various people/places about what you have to do to be a 'perfect' mum and most of it's neither helpful nor true. Can't recall now who it was who said their kids didn't bother if they ate jam sandwiches every day, but they minded cos it didn't feel like being a 'good' mum if they did. (hope I'm not misquoting, sorry if I am)

Anyway, re pancakes, have you tried the fruity ones in the recipe list in the GC thread? You could weigh out the ingredients the night before and just put the water in in the morning, as they're Scotch type ones, they take no effort to cook and you can churn them out much faster than normal pancakes and I reckon they contain a portion of fruit per person (dried, but still counts) so you can be a really 'GOOD' mum as well, lol!

ETA: Gosh, this thread has moved on while I was typing this, sorry to duplicate much of the above!

cleggie

carolinerunner wrote: »

Cleggie, sorry if you've said about this already but I hear a lot of mums beating themselves up about whether they are the 'perfect' mum or how they 'fall short' of that - is the full food cupboard thing maybe enything to do with that? Do 'perfect' mums always have full food cupboards? We are fed a lot of messages from various people/places about what you have to do to be a 'perfect' mum and most of it's neither helpful nor true. Can't recall now who it was who said their kids didn't bother if they ate jam sandwiches every day, but they minded cos it didn't feel like being a 'good' mum if they did. (hope I'm not misquoting, sorry if I am)

Anyway, re pancakes, have you tried the fruity ones in the recipe list in the GC thread? You could weigh out the ingredients the night before and just put the water in in the morning, as they're Scotch type ones, they take no effort to cook and you can churn them out much faster than normal pancakes and I reckon they contain a portion of fruit per person (dried, but still counts) so you can be a really 'GOOD' mum as well, lol!

ETA: Gosh, this thread has moved on while I was typing this, sorry to duplicate much of the above!

Hi caroline.
No i havent seen them, i'll pop over in a min and have a look, thanks for that!
Maybe you are right about being the perfect mum. My own mother wasnt the best, so i have always tried to be as good a mum as possible, so that i feel like i am not the same.

As a kid i remember my mum and dad sometimes having to share a portion of dinner as they didnt have enough to feed everyone and maybe i am worried about the same sort of thing?
I dont know.

Linz4383

cleggie wrote: »

Hiya Linz, thanks for the post!

I am the same in regards to the fact that i dont talk about my money situation to people in 'real life', so its nice to have this forum to chat on about it and get support from.
What is the tesco double up deal? I desperately need a new DVD player and maybe i should look out for it.

last year they did one around spring and one just before xmas... its pretty similar to there rewards but they let you double they value of your vouchers and spend on like clothes, finest food, baby products and things like that.. it tends to change each time they do it! i normally get all my daughters clothes from there as i work there so get discount as well so if i use my vouchers then its a super bargain!!! about a yr and half ago i got £60 off my laptop on the double up so fingers crossed theyll do it again!!

valerie57

cleggie wrote: »

Valerie, i dont suppose you have a recipe, or a link to one, for those HM muffins (both sweet & savoury ones) do you?

Hi Cleggie
For savoury muffins I use
360g plain flour
2.5 tsp baking powder
220ml wholemilk
1 egg
salt and pepper
What you add to that is pretty much dependent on what you have in but could include;
1. half a chopped onion and 80g chopped mushrooms fried off together, with 80g ham chopped small and 250g grated cheese
2. half a chopped onion fried off, 250g grated cheese, 1tsp cayenne pepper, 130g spinach leaves
Method
Put flour, baking powder and cheese in large bowl. In separate bowl mix egg and milk together then slowly pour into flour mixture beating until ingredients are well mixed. Stir in other ingredients. Spoon into paper cases until two thirds full and bake in oven for 30-35 minutes at 170C. This makes 12 American style, more if you do them smaller.
Great for breakfasts or in lunch boxes for those who need something at elevenses.
Sweet
360g plain flour
1.5tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 egg
375ml buttermilk (could use full fat if you don't have)
70g melted butter (unsalted if you have it)
For blueberry or raspberry
370g caster sugar, 250 g fruit
For banana and cinammon
2 tsp ground cinnamon with extra to sprinkle before baking, 160g caster sugar with extra to sprinkle, 400 g peeled and mashed banana
For maple and pecan
160g caster sugar, 240g shelled and chopped pecan nuts with 12 halves to garnish, 200 ml maple syrup
Method
Put flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon (if banana ones being made) and bicarb into big bowl and mix. Put buttermilk, egg in jug and mix. Pour into flour mix slowly and mix until combined. Pour in melted butter. Stir in bananas or blueberries or 100ml of maple syrup and chopped pecans depending on which recipe you are making. Mix gently and spoon into cases until 2/3 full. If doing banana sprinkle a little extra sugar and cinammon on top. If doing maple and pecan drizzle remaining syrup over the top and finish with pecan half in middle.
Cook for 25-30 mins at 170C. Makes 12 big American style or more smaller ones.
Hope this helps. It is a long post but these are very easy and yummy.

valerie57

Spiggle wrote: »

Hiya Cleggie,


I have subscribed by the way and am loving reading your enthusiastic posts. Good luck and keep up the brilliant work.

See you later,
Spigs

Ok I admit failure. How do I subscribe to a thread? I have tried but just can't fathom it out. Sorry if its obvious to everyone else.

scotmumof3

valerie57 wrote: »

Ok I admit failure. How do I subscribe to a thread? I have tried but just can't fathom it out. Sorry if its obvious to everyone else.

Hi Valerie at the top of the page where it says post reply click on thread tools and then subscribe and it should take you to the page.

Piquant_2

Hi Cleggie

This is a wonderful diary! If you find the fruit pancakes would you be a darling a post a link. I've been looking for ages and can't find it. I think I have a Sunday afternoon head on!

Piq

Linz4383

http://www.cheap-family-recipes.org.uk/recipe-breakfastfruitypancakes.html?opt=rbreakfast
the fruity pancakes, im assumin its these ones ive just found them on the grocery challenge thread

Piquant_2

Thank you Linz, they look delicious and not just for breakfast, I'm sure they'd be nice with a dollop of ice cream....By a wonderful coincidence I have all the ingredients in to try them!

Piq

cleggie

Thanks Linz, i will have to keep an eye out for that deal, but i dont have many/any vouchers yet. I dont tend to shop at tesco too much. And thanks for posting the link.

Thanks for the recipe Valerie, i think i will be trying them this week and did you find out how to subscribe yet?

Piq- i agree, a nice dollop of ice cream, or cornish clotted cream (or dare i say it- BOTH!) sounds perfect with the pancakes for pudding.


The kids didnt want fishcakes for tea tonight, so i had a root around the freezer and found some chips and sausages. Blimey, i wont be winning any perfect mum awards, jam sandwiches for lunch, and chips for dinner