Living out of my store cupboard & freezer, how little can I spend to feed my family?

Pollycat

Spendless wrote: »

Our oven has broken (again:mad:). We have insurance, so will be calling them out after BH weekend, so we had a SC, a hostess trolley, hob and an electric steamer to cook dinner.

I had bought ready made roast potatoes and yorkshire puddings yesterday in anticipation of this. Gammon joint went into slow cooker this morning, served with mash, carrots leeks and (frozen) mixed veg. Roasties went into hostess trolley as an 'experiment' where they cooked but didn't brown, so I took them out and put them in the frying pan, didn't add any oil as they are already coated in them and sure enough they browned. The yorkshires I took from the freezer so they were already defrosted when I also put them in the bottom section of hostess trolley.

I also finished off the last half of a bottle of wine. This was to de-clutter in anticipation of the recycling men calling.

Oh and going through some of DS cookery class ingrediants, we used the bicarb to clean the George Foreman.

Personally, I think you deserved a full bottle of wine for your inspired 'make-do' arrangements. :T

Were you a boy scout?

missymoo81

Great use up recipe:

http://www.food.com/recipe/west-african-jollof-rice-445447

Lol Pollycat.

missymoo81

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/333607/cauliflower-and-chickpea-pilaf

I can make this too, although would have to make my own curry paste but I have tons of spices.

Soworried

I used a little bit of honey up yesterday on the carrots before I roasted them.

I'm making some pumpkin seed bread today so I'm wondering if I could use that instead of sugar to start the yeast off?

I'm using up a lot of spices and things today as I'm making HM curry, with HM bombay potatoes and HM onion bhaji. I'm just going to salt the onions now.

Spendless that is amazing to serve that up with no oven:j:T

Anne_Marie_2

Soworried wrote: »

I'm making some pumpkin seed bread today so I'm wondering if I could use that instead of sugar to start the yeast off?

Always use sugar myself, but then I use the bread maker. Found a recipe for sourdough starter with honey, which I think will give a try when I get more honey in.
http://breadbaking.about.com/od/sourdoughbreads/r/honeysd.htm

lessonlearned

Hello ladies......mind if I join your challenge. You have inspired me.......

I have just cleaned the fridge and had a quick tidy up of the freezer. Haven't looked in the cupboards yet but I know they are Full to bursting.

Anyhoo I'm sitting here sipping some fennel tea - going to the save the ordinary teas and coffee by drinking up some of the many boxes of herbal teas lurking in the cupboard for my daytime drinks.

Found quite a lot of veg Lurking in the fridge so I'm going use up the most "urgent" for dinner tonight, so lots of little different portions.

I have grated a wedge of parmisan and put that in the freezer before it goes off. And I've sliced and boxed up yesterday's lamb leftovers so tomorrow I will make two moussaka's, one for dinner and one to freeze.. I don't have any aubergines so will substitute those with some cucumber that will need up using soon. Ok not exactly "authentic" but it will be ok, i have done that before.

Looking forward to this, I want to reduce stocks and save some money for extra holiday spends.

I will need to do a proper inventory later.

missymoo81

So worried, if it's the yeast in the sachets, you don't need sugar you can make bread without it, but make sure the salt doesn't touch it, the flavour will be nice if you add some honey.

Hi lessonlearned welcome aboard, wow i didn't know you could make moussaka with cucumber?! I thought it would be too watery, do you just take the centres out??? I have two to use still!

Menu for today has been, fruit, cereal, copious amounts of tea, iced bun and 2 rice cakes with cheese for me and cheese sandwiches for small people. Dinner will be...... Not sure yet!

lessonlearned

I just slice them up, doesn't seem too watery, but you could take the centre out. I suppose they taste a bit bland compared to aubergines but the other herbs, tomatoes and cheese help mask the blandness.

As I say not very authentic but better than throwing cucumber away and then buying aubergine. I wouldn't serve it to guests but it's ok for just us. No ones complained yet.:rotfl:

I do tend to muck about with recipes and make substitutions. I am quite experimental in the kitchen......

Pollycat

lessonlearned wrote: »

I have grated a wedge of parmisan and put that in the freezer before it goes off. And I've sliced and boxed up yesterday's lamb leftovers so tomorrow I will make two moussaka's, one for dinner and one to freeze.. I don't have any aubergines so will substitute those with some cucumber that will need up using soon. Ok not exactly "authentic" but it will be ok, i have done that before.

In my moussaka I put a bottom & top layer of thinly sliced potato - I find this makes it firmer and come out of the dish in a slice instead of a slop IYSWIM.

Some moussaka I've had in traditional Greek tavernas also use potatoes.
I appreciate that it doesn't help with using the cucumber but thought I'd mention it.

If you have tomato & onion, you could always do a salad to go with the moussaka - even better if you have a packet of feta cheese lurking in your fridge.

missymoo81

Oooh sounds delish Pollycat.