Anyone got a nice spaghetti and meatballs recipe?

savingfortravel

Hi everyone!!! What an inspiration you all are to me!!! Sometimes i think we are a pretty rare breed and every so often I get dishearted by the odd comment by friends and family regarding my frugal ways. The irony is that we always spend lavishly on presents, its us that live simply.

My DB however is 110% behind our efforts, obviously motivated by the fact the money we save goes towards our 2009 Central American Adventure.
It really seems to be working too. We saved £130 in January and yet strangely February has required greater thought and organisation it seems, despite it being a shorter month for us!

Today we went to buy our veg from our usual supplier-who grows them in her garden and sells them at a stall along a country lane. They are cheaper and much tastier than supermarkets. We know we're very lucky. £1.10 spent
We did succumb to our favourite pasta sauce from M&S- 2 jars for £3.50.
We do like our food and despite trying haven't found a similar sauce that compares. Then it was off to Sainsburys. Only picked up some sandwich filler for DB in reduced area but we did take advantage of their 8 cans of Heinz Tom Soup for £3 and Princes OJ for 50p (much cheaper than Supermarket brand).
I looked at what we'll need for rest of month and hopefully we'll spend just only half of budget set so i'm really pleased. :j

Great work everyone. I am a reformed spendaholic and i know the courage it takes to change and stick to a budget, to see the bigger picture and give up the unexplained pleasure in the shop. Anyone who is working towards clearing their debts are superheroes-well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :T

Frugaldom

To all who are really starting to notice the difference in hard cash, I salute you :beer: It is inspirational reading about savings and seeing how many people really do benefit from home cooking, homegrowing, budgeting etc. I, too, take heart from the fact that this is the one place you are guaranteed to be supported rather than seen as some sort of Scrooge (or just another mean Scot ). It's great seeing debts disappear, knowing you won't be caught short on a general household bill and watching savings grow. :j I thank this site for making frugal living appear normal! :T

Today's spend - £5.95 for

2 x 100g Rapport coffee (BOGOF)
2 x Elmlea (BOGOF)
2 x macaroni pies (reduced to 50p)
Milk
Diced chicken (reduced from £3.49 to £1)

I don't often buy pies but I succumbed to the glowing "reduced" sticker!
I did set out to buy Fairtrade coffee but the Rapport worked out twice as much for the same price and as for the Elmlea - I was planning on making a trifle this week, so now have enough 'cream' to do far more than that. Long shelf life on this, plus it can also be frozen when whipped. Hope this excuse suffices :rotfl:
The chicken just seemed too good an opportunity to miss, so it's gone in the freezer.
Signature updated, must stop spending, must stop spending, must stop spending!

Becky_2

I just wanted to say that I have just discovered this thread and after having read them all I feel really inspired to try to reduce my monthly budget on food. Currently I spend £110 per month on food for one person, next month I will try to reduce that to £100.

Well done to you all!

Becky

miecherox

mhe wrote: »

My Dc love fruit loaf but i dont have a bread maker YET. How would i cook this without a panasonic BM?
Thanxs

Hi MHE, I don't use a breadmaker - but when I try this loaf i'll mix all ingredients together, knead, leave it to prove for usual time then knead in the mixed fruit and cinnamon before second proving.

HTH

M x

TurnaroundSue

Am still within budget - spent nearly £240 of £250 budget with 13 days to go!!! Mind you am at mums for the next 3 days, so No spends there - have enough food in freezer, bread and milk when I get home. Only really need to buy cat food and sugar and that should see me through. I was trying to get to end of the month, but seeing as we both get paid on 23rd, it makes sense to stick with this date. Never got this far in the month and still been under budget!!!

mikeD

Well done Olliebeak, mrstittlemouse and EC12345 (you weren't in Star Wars were you? ). You're doing great.

MrsMcawber, you are an absolute treasure, I don't know how you do it. "Respect" Madam!!.

I have one, cooked, smallish pork steak left over from todays dinner. What could I do with it to provide a meat dish for one tomorrow. there is only me and my DW here at the moment and she is quite happy with a veggie dinner. So come on girls, tempt me!

I quite often see "Pasta Bake" mentioned on this thread, what is this please? I know you can buy prepared "Pasta Bake" from the supermarkets, but I try to avoid ready meals if I can cook them myself.

Went to the convenience store today and was seduced by "Tiramisu". We both love it but only as a treat . What is this and can I make it please?

Have updated siggie and have spent £115.89 so far.

Now I may be entering dangerous territory here, but I notice that some members do not indicate where they come from. It helps to compare costs from region to region and within regions. It isn't a requirement I know, but surely it can't hurt to post which County one comes from, can it?
Steels myself from Ticking Off from all and sundry :eek:

Good luck to every body and have a good day tomorrow.

Love the FM

funkyfunkymonkey

mhe wrote: »

My Dc love fruit loaf but i dont have a bread maker YET. How would i cook this without a panasonic BM?
Thanxs

The baking programs section shows 30-60 minutes 'rest' once the ingredients have been added, followed by 15-30 minutes 'knead', then 1 hr 50 - 2 hr 20min 'rise' and 50 min 'bake'. The raisin beep goes off after 42-72 minutes when you should add the cinnamon and dried fruit (previously mixed).

However, I would only be guessing if I was to say how you would mix the ingredients to get the same result.

I have an old recipe book which has a recipe for Currant Bread:

1 1/4 lb flour
1 oz butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb currants
2 1/2 gills tepid water
1/2 oz yeast
1 tsp sugar

Method - sieve flour and salt. rub in butter, add the currants and make a well in the centre. Cream yeast and sugar until liquid, add tepid water and pour this into the centre of the flour. Sprinkle a little of the flour over the liquid, cover basin, and set to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes. Mix to a soft dough, turn on to a floured board and knead well. Put into greased tins, having the tins about half full. Allow to rise 1 to 1 1/2 hours, according to size. The bread should come to the top of the tins. Bake in a hot oven for a few minutes. Moderate the heat and cook more slowly 1/2 to 1 hour according to size. When ready the bread should feel light and sound hollow when tapped underneath.

Set regulator at no 9 reduce after ten minutes to no 6.

So, you could try using that method with the earlier ingredients and see if that works. But, I am only guessing. Perhaps a real baking expert could offer advice?

FFM

annie123

annie123 wrote: »

DH has enjoyed it so much he wants to help!
:eek: is my first thought followed by:j if he can cook and:rotfl: will probably be the results of his efforts!

I tried in vain to convince him not to come shopping with me tonight but he wouldn’t have it.

So in order not to have an argument in Sainsburys our first weekly shop (this is a 5 week month for me) came to £95.86p:eek:

He is now under pressure to produce a lot of meals from all that stuff. There was no washing power, loo rolls etc, it was 99% food! I have left him putting it away whilst I type here:D
I will redo cupboards and fridge/freezer tomorrow after work:rolleyes:

wonder if I should join the flylady challenge...he might fall for it:rolleyes:

HE CAN COOK:j :j and its tasty:j

This challenge has given me so much more free time:D

He is in the kitchen preparing his and DD's lunches for next week as I write, we have taken it in turns this week to cook using the basic principle of always cook more than 1 meal so there is always something for the freezer,

I will be able to have a cook free week soon:D , whilst I hoped to save money, and boy have we (well down on our old spend of £400-£500pm) I was not expecting more free time.

This had enabled me to spend more time decluttering our home.

Has anyone else had this happen?

MRSMCAWBER

Thankyou MikeD

I do pasta bakes -great for using up all those odds n sods in the fridge;)

Hubbies fave is:-

• some slices of salami -only about a dozen as its so strong in flavour (lidl do a good whole salami that will last ages)
• Drop it in a dry frying pan, and wait for the oil to start to appear,
• then i drop in a sliced onion, peppers n mushrooms (i keep frozen ones for this-defrosted) cook for a few mins,
• then i add a handfull of frozen peas, about 250ml of passata (but you can use chopped tomatoes), plenty of seasoning and i add a dollop of low fat cream cheese...it gives a lovely creamy taste without loads of fat n cals...
• cook for a couple of mins and then add some cooked pasta and mix to coat and then tip into an ovenproof dish - i do it into 2 individual ones as it seves messing about serving it...
• oh and a quick grate of parmesan and then into the oven for a couple of mins to heat through

You can adjust it to use what you have... sweetcorn, broccoli (i chop it into small florets and then cover with boiling water until i need it to get it started;) ) Ham, bacon, anything really.. stick mozarella on top etc

With the pork how about slicing onions and chunks of carrot into an oven proof dish, sprinkle with dried sage, add a drop of water, stick the pork on top and cover with foil until cooked - then just add gravy granules...

hope it helps

tattycath

Help help. I know this is the grocery thread...but you're all my trusted friends-my DDs lovely lilac and white duvet cover has come out pale green and lilac and she is not a happy bunny, any idea how or if I can rectify this without buying her a new one please??? thanks in anticipation