Living on next to nought - is that the key?

in_need_of_direction

Pippi that comment was hilarious.

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening :hello:

Well, I'm grateful for the lovely weather that we have had here today - I know that it has not been universal around the UK, so I'm happy to count my blessings

DP has finally finished the chore that he set himself :j We can now crack on with important stuff Another load of stuff has been bagged up ready to exit the house to the charity shop I didn't leave the boundaries of Greying Towers, so can legitimately claim a NSD :j

Dinner this evening was the last dish under the banner of 'Back to Back Jack' week. It has been a lot of fun. I'm sure that you may have chosen different recipes, but I chose the sort of dishes that we normally eat, and that I could easily get hold of the ingredients for. Jack uses the 'big orange supermarket' - which is fine, except that is actually the most difficult one for me to access in my location. So I haven't yet, for example, tried her dish featuring brie (Car-brie-nara) as I know that they do a 'basiks' version, but I'll have to pick some up for a trial when I am in that particular neck of the woods.

So, we finished the week with Jack's - mixed bean goulash, served with basmati rice. A nice, simple dish. Easy to make, I happened to have a couple of small tubs of beans in the freezer from cooking batches up in the PC, so I didn't use tinned beans as described in Jack's recipe - I did, however, use haricots (the naked version though, I didn't have to rinse them ).

The dish was perfectly pleasant. I think that it is one that I would keep the recipe for, it is functional, cheap and a darn sight more interesting than a fish paste sandwich!

A pic of DP's plate is here;



And I know that some people are interested in getting Jack's recipes, so have a look HERE if you think that it is something that you might like to make Also, it is worth bearing in mind that this recipe could be made entirely with ingredients from the storecupboard - useful if you find yourself in a situation where you have no access to a fridge or freezer - frankly, something that can happen to any of us, you don't have to be in receipt of benefits, or on a low income for that to befall you. The only other thing that I altered in my version of this goulash was to use balsamic vinegar (cheap) rather than Marmite, which is not something I [STRIKE]allow[/STRIKE] routinely have in the house

Overall, I think that the week of Jack's recipes has been a success. Out of 7 dishes, I have only deleted one - the 'not-a-tagine'. Although I 'had' the smoky lentil burger recipe, I had not made them as burgers before, but I liked them in that format, and will definitely make them like that again. I think that it is extremely useful to have a number of 'budget' recipes to hand - irrespective of your personal circumstances. Ordinarily, I may add a few extra spices/herbs/seasonings to the recipes that I'm keeping, but what I know from this week is that the dishes work in a basic form too. Jack has written a recipe book that everyone else has failed to do. She has written a book of affordable dishes, that are simple to construct/cook and that are enjoyable to eat. Even if you are on a limited budget, Jack has illustrated that you don't need to eat 'cheap' and you sure as h*ll can raise your game above p*t n0odle and dry toast every night.

Bravo Jack :T And Thank You so much m'dear for providing me with a challenge that has been fun, interesting and yummy to undertake Look forward to book II

Today I am grateful for these 3 things;

completed projects - YYYIIIIPPPPPPEEEEEEE!!! :j

mother nature - raw in tooth and claw and rampant in the sunshine..... there should be plenty of baby blue t*ts and ladybirds at Greying Towers this year, *ahem* if you get my drift...........

for Jack Monroe

Thanks so much for popping in, reading and joining in. I do appreciate it. Meanwhile, I've gotta dash, the motoGP is on just now, I've gotta make way for himself to use the pooter

See y'all later.

Greying

Pippilongstocking

All sounding good aside the phrase.

'not that I allow it in the towers'.

Lady we may need to have words.

You're not on the 'dark side' are you?

Aside that all fabby love nice to see someone having a go and saying yup its a keeper. Now I did have a question about that recipe would it be so bad if the pretinned in sauce beans were not washed but the sauce used in the gravey/sauce for the chilli? It just crossed my mind. But right enough value beans is cheaper than tinned beans more nude in nature.

And, as for abundant ladybirds and blue type breasted birds bless them. (I hope in the manner of Margot and Barbara you put up a decent screen of sheets for them).

Have a great week.

Thanks for posting you always brighten my day.

And - chaps above thank you for the lovely words re the giggles - given the hail and gale force squalls today - not so many happy penguins around.

I did however see my first lapwing dance of the year. Does that count as a sort of sign of spring?

beanielou

Mmmm I love risotto so I will try that.
I had not heard of the rice that you got in M S so I will investigate that.
(Must go back & check name).

in_need_of_direction

With you on the marmite Greying. Unfortunately OH believes it to be nectar of the gods. Yeuck

Greying_Pilgrim

Ay up Pipster!

Sheets..... *sniggers* :rotfl:

I have to say, your point about rinsing the beans - as in need too - is exactly what I thought. Had I been using tinned baked beans, whether valoo or the 57 finest varietal, I can't see why you'd wash off the sauce? After all, there is some level of tomato, even in the basic brands - plus, the recipe then adds in honey? Well, there's sugar in tinned beans, and you're adding in honey and chopped tomatoes???? If you cooked it out for long enough, I don't think that the dish would taste of 'baked beans', so I kinda think she's missing a :money: trick there. However, I still stand by it being a good recipe Coz not everyone has found :money: yet, and the :money: mindset, so it would still be a good, simple, cost-effective recipe for folk to learn

ooh, lapwing dance - not too sure I've seen that phenomena.....

And marmite..... well, I don't like it enough to bother with it, not too sure if DP likes it or not..... I'll ask.... nope, that's a 'intense dislike' - although if I was asking about marmalade.... :rotfl:

Ay up Beanie - Carnaroli rice is just a type of risotto rice, like Arborio is just a type of risotto rice, and Bomba is a variety of paella rice. I got the carnaroli as it was the same price (£1) as the Arborio - normally it is dearer. It makes a slightly creamier risotto, (think it's more starchy or something) and is supposed to be favoured by chefs - although I don't know if that is true. But our risotto was nice, so I'd buy/use it again - particularly if on offer.

Lovely to *see* you, as always. Let me know what type of risotto you make with it

Greying

beanielou

I will either do a mushroom one or a courgette one.
I love love love courgette risotto :drool:

supersaver1000

Hi GP. Was just reading your initial post from last July. Is your budget still £160. I really love your foodie tips and going to try the lentil burgers this week.


Thanks.

brizzledfw

Just catching up..blimey this thread moves fast, very fast

Love the ideas for risotto..may try that one this week as bought lots of rice on special and could do with using some up

Take care

Brizzy

mcculloch29

I second the mixed bean goulash of Jack's, DS liked that and so did I.
I rinsed the baked beans the first time, but won't in future, having also realised that tomato and sugar was in the ingredients anyway.

(Do Mr S's value beans have a yukky sauce perchance? A!di's don't.)

Jack herself has been doing the Live Below The Line challenge where one survives on £1 a day for food, I did that a few years ago and raised a nice sum for charity, but have absolutely no desire to do it again.

I survived by nabbing YS bargains and the Value range, the only meat I ate all week was a slice of YS belly pork, grilled with value mustard spread on it for flavour.

I remember that week as being quite warm weather, and having to eat a BIG bowl of porridge for brekky (having had naff all since 6 pm the night before) was a challenge.

I had a bag of Value oranges, some 30p a kilo bananas and some apples costed at 5p each for the fresh fruit I love for the 5 days. We had steak the first 'back to normal' day, not that steak is totally 'normal' in this house.

I've also roasted tinned spuds, they were OK but no more than OK. I think they might make an OK rosti with good seasoning, given how well they work sliced with cheese sauce.
I always end up cooking rostis for 4-5 x the stated time in a recipe, that would solve that one.