meal plans

ET03

I never go food shopping without writing out a meal plan,
and I try to stick to it and only buy off the plan
unless I see a good offer and then will try to adapt my plan to take this int account,
I work out what leftovers i'll have and how to use them in further meals,
at end of week if there is still food or meals I can use I'll put off next shopping trip until really necessary, so save in that way too

Magentasue

I do this but ... it's often sabotaged by changing circumstances! The good thing is that when you get back from shopping, you know you have the makings of seven (or however many) meals, at least.

Lucie_2

Meal planning is one of the golden rules of MoneySaving Old Style.
I usually write mine up on the whiteboard in the kitchen, to remind me what we're having on what day. DH says he spent all day at work yesterday looking forward to mushroom risotto, cos he's seen it on the board while he was having breakfast!

jazzyjustlaw

Lucie wrote:

Meal planning is one of the golden rules of MoneySaving Old Style.
I usually write mine up on the whiteboard in the kitchen, to remind me what we're having on what day. DH says he spent all day at work yesterday looking forward to mushroom risotto, cos he's seen it on the board while he was having breakfast!

yummy I like the sound of that rissotto too can we have the recipe please.

Lucie_2

jazzyjustlaw wrote:

yummy I like the sound of that rissotto too can we have the recipe please.

I do it the Delia way - cook it in the oven instead of constantly stirring on the hob, but you get just as good results. An Italian would consider this nearly blasphemous, but it works for me.

My quantities are a bit vague, cos I'm a bit of a "chuck it in til it looks about right" kind of cook - sorry!

1 onion chopped
Couple of cloves of garlic
A few dried porcini - soak in a mixture of sherry & hot water for 1/2 hour before cooking. Keep the soaking liquid.
Chopped/sliced mushrooms – I guess I use about 5/6 medium ones, not tiny button. Chestnut are nice if you have them.
Risotto rice – a handful & a bit per person (depends how big your hands are!)
A pint of so of stock – I use mushroom stock cubes I bought in Italy (never seen them over here) but vegetable or chicken are fine
Freshly grated parmesan

I use a shallow casserole dish with a lid.

Fry the onion, garlic, porcini & mushrooms until softened. Add the rice & stir in. You could add a splash of wine at this stage too if you like, not compulsory. Add the porcini soaking liquid – it should sizzle loudly. Then add most of the stock, stir, cover with a lid & put in the oven for about 15-20 mins. Check & add more stock if necessary (probably will need to – water will do). Cook for further 10-15 mins til rice is cooked. It should have a “soupy” texture & not be completely dry. Mix in parmesan, salt & pepper if req’d & serve.

Sometime I slice up big field mushrooms & fry in garlic butter & serve on top of the risotto instead of putting so many mushrooms actually into the dish.

squeaky

Lucie wrote:

I do it the Delia way - cook it in the oven instead of constantly stirring on the hob, but you get just as good results. An Italian would consider this nearly blasphemous, but it works for me.

Looks yummy. Could you copy it into the Old Style Recipe Thread please?

Oh, and tell me what porcini is!

Curry_Queen

squeaky wrote:

Looks yummy. Could you copy it into the Old Style Recipe Thread please?

Oh, and tell me what porcini is!

It's a mushroom that you usually buy in dried form in packets ... very expensive but also very yummy!

squeaky

Curry_Queen wrote:

It's a mushroom that you usually buy in dried form in packets ... very expensive but also very yummy!

I wasn't talking to you!

But thanks anyway

Curry_Queen

squeaky wrote:

I wasn't talking to you!

But thanks anyway

B-B-B-But Lucie had gone offline so I thought I'd spare your frustration of not knowing

moggins

And a frustrated Squeaky is unthinkable

squeaky

moggins wrote:

And a frustrated Squeaky is unthinkable