Tiny budget for next 2 wks - HELP!

moggins

If you already have the pasta you can make a sauce out of almost anything.

When things were at their worst I used to make a pasta sauce out of a tin of chopped tomatoes, one onion and some mixed herbs.

If you add a tspn of sugar and some basil too this tastes delicious, the sugar really brings out the taste of the tomatoes.

If you stir the pasta into the sauce instead of topping with the sauce it goes a lot further.

elona

Don't forget pancakes for sweet or savoury dishes and filled yorkies.

Pancakes can even be cut into strips and used as pasta if desperate to avoid shops.
Good luck.:j

Curry_Queen

This is exactly what I've just done for our tea moggins

Tin of tomatoes, bit of tomato puree, chopped garlic and half a red onion, some torn basil leaves, touch of chilli powder and a tspn of sugar ... started it when I put water on for pasta and left to simmer for 10-15 mins, then tipped pasta into sauce and mixed before serving!

moggins

LOL, nice to know I'm not alone CQ. I felt very rich when the day came that I could afford half a pound of mince to make Bolognese

culpepper

Lentil curry is good when you havent much in,its very filling and cheap.
Potatoes are good Emergency food too. A baked potato and cheese,beans,left over pasta sauce,that sort of thing.

catznine

We always make up a supply of tomato sauce, as has been mentioned earlier, using tinned tomatoes, squeeze of ketchup, herbs, onion etc and keep it in fridge to use on hm pizza, gnocci, as bolognaise sauce, have even used it over pieces of chicken in a casserole. It is very cheap to make up a large batch and it keeps fairly well in the fridge.

Have also made baked bean casserole with anything else that was lurking e.g. sausage cut into small pieces, or even a burger, splosh of lee and perrins/brown sauce, onion if you have it and pop into a casserole dish and cook thru.

If you have £20 for 2 weeks only put £10 into purse each week and be firm with yourself and keep to set budget, also always think about what you have back home that might do for whatever you need - be it pressies or cards etc. I have baked a very large birthday cookie and iced it with a birthday message - this went down well.

maryb

curried egg rosti is about as cheap as it gets assuming you have a potato and an egg. grate a large potato and mix it with a teaspoon of curry powder then fry in a pancake shape in a frying pan about 5 minutes until brown on the bottom. Turn it out onto a plate then slide it back into the pan, make a space and break an egg into it. Cover with some foil and cook on low for about five minutes until the egg is set. Really tasty comfort food

Str4berr3

When Money is pretty tight and you have already empty the back of your sofa....I find Corn Beef Hash, Veg Stir-Fry with a little peices of meat/Blue Dragon Silk Tofu, Jacket potatoes (maybe from left overs as a filling) As i am Chinease we tend to eat alot of rice, so Eggs fried rice from leftovers meat.
There are 2 good chinease recipes i got too;
Soya Sauce Chicken;
Whole Chicken
1 Small cup of Light Soya
1 Small cup of Dark Soya
2/3 slices of Ginger
2 Sprigs of Spring Onion (snapped in Half)
1 tbsp sugar/ can of coca cola.

Put everything in pan and Simmer till fully cooked. turning chicken over when one side is cooked. They have this Chicken ready made in M&S without the coke too. leftovers can be great for stif fry's and fried rice so get a large chicken and you will have two meals for less then a fiver!

Bolied Chicken with ginger sauce;
Whole Chicken
Salt
Dipping Suace;
Bunch of Spring onion
3 Tbsp of finely chopped ginger
Half a cup Veg/sunflower Oil
1 tsp Salt/ season to taste.

Boil Chiicken seasoned with Salt.
Meanwhile in another Pan, heat oil, fry ginger and spring onions along with salt, fry for 2/3 mins. Pour in a dish
Drain Chicken, Chop and serve.

Again. This meal can be made in 2 meals. No! 3 meals: 1. Egg fried rice with less of the dipping sauce. 2. As the chicken is Plain this could go with a carbonara-best to buy the ready made sauce as making it from scratch maybe more expensive ( parmesean aint cheap!)3. Buy a Lemon Sole, Skate, pat in flour shallow fry till golden brown and pour in the leftover dipping sauce stir in sugar and tinsy bit of soya/ fish sauce and Dahdah! Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday dinners is ticked off. :beer:

stellagypsy

Been there, done that - here's a couple of frugal recipes that might help -

Baked bean lasagne - make up a nice tomato sauce (tin toms, garlic, onion, basil, whatever else you like) and add a tin of baked beans, juice and all. Layer with no-pre-cook lasagne sheets and top with bechamel sauce (milk / four / marg and nutmeg). top with grated cheese. Bake about 30 mins at 200 deg C / mk 6 - sounds wierd but it's lovely and the kids will love it.

Stewpack curry (or chilli or bolognese/lasgne) - buy a stewpack from supermarket (about 60p for a tray of veg - leeks / swede / parsnip / onion / carrots) - chop it all up and cook - saute onion in oil, add carrots, add liquid (depends what you are cooking - curry paste and tomatoes + water for curry, tomatoes and pasata for chilli / bolognese) then add the other chopped veg and a veg stock cube. Also add chilli + red kidney beans* / herbs at this point if doing chilli / bol. Add a couple of palm fulls of red lentils to thicken it up and then let it cook nice and slow for 30 - 40 mins (check liquid levels) then use in your favourite recipe. Makes LOADS and tastes even better the next day. Freezes well. Add protein to the curry cheaply by serving with hard boiled egg. Mmmmmmm!!!

* If you are on a really tight budget, try baked beans - it is surprisingly nice.

Hope these help,

Stella xx

r.mac_2

thanks everyone.

I have taken on board all your suggestions. I have only £10 in the purse for this week, and I'll see if that helps me keep on track.

Last night I found the last of a chilli I made several weeks ago at the bottom of the freezer. It was surprisingly tasty.

Tonight, I am going to a friends house so that's dinner sorted out. Taking a bottle of wine already in the house with me.

Tomorrow, I am having pasta and tomato sauce (one of my favourites). I hadn't considered adding dried herbs or chilli to ring the changes, so will experiment. From one time of toms I should have enough sauce to make two portions. Will keep the second in fridge and friday I am going to have a bash at making my own pizza. I might push the boat out and buy a red pepper to go on the top. I think I have a tin of pear halves in the cupboard for a dessert somewhere....

That just leaves thursday and saturday. I have the following (mixture of fridge and freezer);
some new potatoes
marg
baked beans
canellini beans
tinned toms
chickpeas
coconut milk
egg noodles
dried pasta
spaghetti
little bit cheddar cheese
plain and sr flour, sugar, salt, pepper, herbs, spcies etc
Chicken breast (I think that's what it is at the bottom of the freezer - must buy that marker pen )
2 frozen sausages (not sure what flavour. Could be pork and apple or could be orange and chilli)

Any ideas?