The Diary of a Frugal Cook

dizzyditzy

My whoopsie pot started with the loose change in my handbag at the end of the week. Some whoopsies I paid for with my normal shop as I would be using them that week. The whoopsie pot grew as I built up my store cupboard and freezer stocks. It doesn't need to be a large amount of money but you'll be amazed how much you save and how your stores build up.

When I do my shopping list I try to add something for the store cupboard no matter how small, maybe a smart price batter mix at 15p or a pot of herbs anything really to start building a store. The aim is to have spread your costs so much that you never have to do a 'big' shop you only do little top up shops. Each month I go to home bargains and buy 18 nikky toilet roll for £3.99 but I don't go in December as the excess from previous months does then so £3.99 towards christmas just from toilet rolls:D

dizzyditzy

I've had a lovely quiet weekend and done nothing:D It was great yesterday I had a ready meal homemade (cottage pie) out of the freezer and got a whoopsied chicken out to defrost for today. Today I put a halved carrot,halved onion, two sticks of celery and the chicken in the slow cooker. I cooked it in there for 3 1/2 hours on high. I now have the lovely moist chicken and loads of stock. The meat falls off the bone when you cook it like this meaning I get more of the bird. I used the leg meat for Sunday lunch for us today.
I didn't make a malt loaf in the end as the grand prix was on:p I'll make it this week.

CEW

Hi Dizzy

Glad you had a good relaxing weekend. I wish I had one of those :rotfl:

With your slow cooked chicken do you add any stock or liquid. My other half usually cooks ours for 8 hours on low with stock added and it literally falls to pieces. Always tastes great but wondering if we should try the 3 half hours on high.

Didn't cook today as went to do some work for Mum and she cooked dinner. Came home with a marrow which I plan to stuff with some kind of meat and rice mixture before baking in the oven for dinner one night.

Look forward to seeing some more of your recipe ideas over the coming weeks.

Chez x

RosaBernicia

Hi DizzyDitzy

I'm another following with interest - I always want to cook properly but work full time (and more) so need to get organised for it to actually happen. Am hoping to pick up tips


Rosa xx

dizzyditzy

Hi CEW sometimes I cook the chicken on low for 8hours if I'm out for the day. I just happened to be in so did it on high. I add a little water but literally 2 tablespoons and it produces stock on it's own. Sometimes I pop the chicken,carrot,celery,onion into a roasting bag then pop this in the slow cooker. Then I cover some large potatoes in a little oil and salt and wrap them individually in some foil and pop them in the slow cooker with the chicken. Then I have chicken and baked potatoes in one easy go.

Hi RoseBernicia most of my recipes are slow cooker based or using leftovers so should fit in with working.

Today I'm making chicken and mushroom pie. I needed mushrooms for the spag bog so I'm using some up in this and leftover chicken. I quartered my mushrooms and diced an onion and fried them in a little oil until softened then added to my pie dish. I added 1 breast of the leftover chicken shredded,frozen peas and some boiled carrots. Then I made up a chicken stock cube added a tbsp of cornflour to it and stirred until absorbed. I added the liquid to the pie dish and I topped mine with leftover mashed potato, you can use pastry I just happened to have a lot of mash left. I'll warn it through in the oven later and serve it with some whoopsied cauliflower.

Aesop

Looks like my post didn't post yesterday. I was asking advice on sandwhiches. oH gets bored of eating same.sandwhiches weekly.any suggestions pls.

dizzyditzy

Hi Aesop Instead of sandwiches why not do a pasta salad? Boil some pasta and allow to cool add some diced pepper/onion/celery/cucumber/tomato/sweetcorn (as many as you have in) then add some leftover chicken/diced ham/tuna etc add a tablespoon of mayo and stir through. Also what about sending him with wraps instead of bread for a change? Flour tortillas are cheap and easy to make here's a good recipe http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/1864/flour-tortilla-wraps.aspx. I use mayo or soft cheese spread on them then add whatever I've got in and roll them up. I also like a potato salad to take with me which I use boiled potatoes cut up then add diced onion and ham then pop on top a couple of halved boiled eggs. Boiled eggs are a great cheap snack.
How about making your own pasties I'll give you a fab recipe.
Pastry 200g plain flour 50g butter 50g lard and a little cold water. Rub the fat through the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs mix in enough cold water to bring it together into a ball. Wrap the ball in clingfilm and pop in the fridge to rest for half an hour to an hour.
Fine dice a carrot,onion and potato and casserole beef. Fry them all off in a frying pan until the veg is softened. Remove from the heat.
On a floured surface roll out your pastry and then cut circles out (I use a saucer as a template). On one half of the circle add some of the mixture and a knob of butter and seasoning. Fold over the pastry and pinch the edges together to seal the pasty. Brush with egg wash, !!!!! with a fork a couple of times and place on a greased baking sheet. Cook in the oven until golden brown and cooked through. Delicious for a packed lunch.

Aesop

Great. Thanks for those ideas. OH doesn't like pasta but I do. He loves pasties so he will love these and I think he will enjoy the wraps.

Can I pick your brains on chicken pls we had roast chicken yesterday and there os plebty of meat left over. I have seen suggestiona for chicken soup but I find when I make it, the water is very oily and not soup like. I want to to try and make soup and also chcken curry..any suggestions pls.

dizzyditzy

If you are making chicken soup from homemade stock from boiling the carcuss make sure you allow the stock to go cold. Once it's cold you will see a layer of fat/oil on top, you need to remove this before you use the stock. I tend to make stock and freeze it next time we have chicken I use the frozen stock and freeze the fresh iyswim.
I have to say with chicken curry if you like mild curry I would buy the smart price/ value supermarket jars of curry sauce at 23p if you are on a tight budget they are great. They taste like chip shop curry you can always add some extra cayenne pepper if you want more heat. For a great curry I quarter mushrooms and slice onions and fry until softened add my leftover chicken and the jarred curry sauce and warm through.
Another easy rice dish is cook long grain rice with a couple of stock cubes in the water. Fry some diced onion and sliced mushrooms until soft then add frozen peas, sweetcorn and leftover shredded chicken and heat through. Once you have drained and rinsed the rice mix together and serve. My DD loves it with grated cheese over the top.

MrsGSR

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS!
I like to think that I am a frugal cook but my DH has complained that my cooking is a bit too noodley, ricey and cous cousy. He wants more "traditional" meaty, potatoey, two vegetabley style meals but due to budget we can't always do that.
Hopefull this thread will give me ideas for in budget dinners that he will enjoy!