Family of 5 'shop from home'food storage challenge...

D&DD

Sammy here's my cheapie version I do this by hand..

14 oz flour (strong bread flour)
1 tspn salt
2 tspns yeast (I use the sachet stuff)
To this I chuck in a few shakes of Schwartz pepper,mint and olive salad shaker thingy
8 fl oz tepid water
2 tblspns olive oil

Chuck wet stuff into dry stuff knead and leave to prove for an hour or so,knock down and roll out to desired thickness.

Jamie He's an absolute sweetheart, bless.. :A (Pass us a slice of that quiche it looks gooorgeous :T )

lil_me :rotfl: another pair of streakers..we'll have to start a nudist thread at this rate...

lil_me

Owner of the shop I ran used half plain and half pizza (strong bread) flour, sometimes less of the strong bread stuff because he was a tight sod, didn't make difference to the dough really. We used to allow it to rise in the tin then they went in the fridge until needed. Wish I still worked there could have had free flour and yeast still, boss didn't mind me taking some home then but I use 10 times more of it now :rotfl:

I still haven't found the secret to soft enough bread rolls

D&DD clothes are the first battle of every day here, itchy clothes, not the right clothes, they smell funny, oh you name it, especially at weekends DS1 is a nightmare to get dressed, because he doesn't have to go to school he doesn't think he should get dressed.. at least our windows at the front of the new house aren't as low as the last one so I can open the curtains without people getting an eyeful of him bouncing nuddy.

Trying to think what things I can do with that mince I got to go in the meal plan, hoping minced beef 3 times in a week won't bore DP too much. Maybe sheperds pie as I have spuds, Tacos as I have some shells and an italian meal, maybe lasagne or canneloni...3 different meals different enough to not make him say 'oh mince again' do you think? I can cook the bolognese sauce in the SC when I defrost the meat, batch cooking it and do a few boxes for the freezer.

D&DD

How about some chilli jacket spuds?? Mince and sausagemeat plait??Minced beef cobbler with cheesy mustard scones??

Mince and Sausagemeat plait...
small onion,diced
8 oz mince
8 oz sausagemeat (or bangers de-skinned)
3 tsp herbs
1 egg
13 oz puff pastry
egg to glaze...

Heat oven to 400f.Fry onion 5 mins,put mince,fried onion,herbs,smeat in a bowl and bind with egg.
Roll out pastry 10" x 15 " place mixture down centre.Cut diagonal strips on outer thirds and plait..(what is it with me and plaits...)
Bake for 45 mins til golden brown

You can tweak the mix by adding mushrooms,tomatoes,anything really

RE bread rolls the basic white dough mix from the panny book is lovely for baps.I divide it into 12 usually and rise them for an hour..how about rising your dough in the oven after cooking let it cool down to just vaguely warm (like an airing cupboard?)

The clothes thing is a nightmare..everything has to be camo when he goes out or he doesn't go.Labels,fabrics,smells sensory hell for them aren't they..We have 3 states of dress..nuddy or pants at home,school uniform for school,camo anywhere else...

lil_me

Might work, I only have a MR fastbake, was thinking of treating myself to a panny after Xmas, oven might be an idea, I've been searching see if I can find what is a good rising temperature as I'm lost without an airing cupboard! Doesn't help that the kitchen radiator doesn't work I have found out so I can't just leave them on the bench next to that..

I was thinking about doing a batch cook chilli after the spag bol is done, got loads of beans inc kidney beans and various others. DP doesn't like mustard but might try and find a recipe for the cheesy cobbler. Thanks for the recipe, never thought of mixing the beef with other meats, puff pasty not something I have mastered yet but I do remember seeing some when I packed the stuff for the freezer when we moved so it'll be in there, somewhere....

rosieben

D&DD wrote: »

... we still have fun though too, its the 'funny little ways' they have and things only they can do that have you in absolute stitches that get you through the more challenging days..they also have such a innocent view of our crazy world which I adore..pants or no pants :rotfl:

yes, I've loved the stories you've all shared, kids are a lot of work but such a lot of fun too; the no clothes thing had me :rotfl:

kethry

lil_me wrote: »

I still haven't found the secret to soft enough bread rolls

two things to try that will soften bread dough:

1) put fat in, especially fat that is liquid at room temperature. I can do 2 loaves, identical but for the fact that one has 1oz of melted butter, the other has a mix of melted butter and veg oil (but the same amount as the 1 oz of melted butter). The one with the veg oil in is softer every time.

2) cover the rolls with a clean, double folded teatowel after they've come out of the oven. The idea is to trap steam coming from the rolls, that will soften the bread. You can also (bit risky this), wait until they are just still ever-so-slightly-warm then put them in a carrier bag overnight (I wouldn't recommend this though as if you put them in too hot, by morning they'll be a soggy lumpy yuck mass).

if you see here there's instructions for making bread rolls, and mine come out reasonably soft every time. Not as soft as the really soft ones sold in shops, but those have probably been treated with god-knows-what, and are white bread - mine is a mix of white flour and wholemeal. Feel free to use all white instead (but i would use a little less water to bind - maybe 17fl oz instead of 18fl oz, for example). they are quite tall bread rolls - if you want to make them more like burger baps, then i'm not quite sure how to do those. sorry!

HTH

keth
xx

p.s. with rising, here's how to do it without an airing cupboard.. I don't have one, i just leave mine covered with a clean teatowel in the kitchen till its doubled in size, but if you have a cold home, then try this: once you've made your dough, put back in the bowl (make sure its a big one) and cover with clingfilm (if you think the dough might touch the clingfilm then oil the underside of the clingfilm to stop it sticking - just brush a little oil over one side of the clingfilm with a pastry brush or kitchen towel). Then run some hot (not boiling) water into your washing up bowl. put your bread bowl into that so its floating in the water. Cover the whole bowl with a couple of thick fluffy towels and leave to rise. It will work. when it comes to making the actual rolls, make them, put them on the tray, then put the tray into an oiled *sealed* plastic bag (i.e. no holes!) and do the same thing - even if its too big to go in the actual washing up bowl, just balance it on top and cover with the fluffy towels, the heat will help it all to rise. HTH.

jenagain

I've read this thread from beginning to end today, so much inspiration! I wish I had the room for a big freezer and storage space to stock up on things but we live in a 2 bedroom flat with one big cupboard which the washer/dryer lives in, and above that is shelves full of boxes of things we want to keep but have no other space for! I'm trying not to spend much more on food this month, we get though quite a bit of milk, nappies, apples and bananas so I'll need to get those every week - but hopefully not too much else.

I looked in the cupboards and (tiny!) freezer before I went shopping and by picking up a few little bits and pieces in Sainsburys I now have enough food for loads of dinners! DS and I have cereal and fruit for breakfast and usually have pasta and cheese or baked potatoes for lunch. OH takes lunch to work with him (sandwiches, fruit, carrot sticks etc).

Was just wondering if I list what I have and what I intend to make for dinners, could anyone suggest anything else? It's to feed me, OH and DS (2yrs old). DD is only 10 weeks and breastfed so nothing needed for her!

Freezer:

1/2 pork loin fillet
1/2 bag of diced chicken breasts (enough for 2 or 3 meals)
1 pack mince
1/2 bag of Basics white fish
8 sausages
2 Birdseye southern fried chicken breasts
Peas
Carrots
Peppers
Broccoli
Runner beans
1/2 a diced onion
Fruit in individual packs for smoothies
1 tiny baked potato (for DS!)
Icecream
350g passata
1 portion of HM vegetable curry
1 portion of HM sausage meatballs in tomato sauce
1 large/2 small portions of HM chilli con carne
1 bag grilled chicken pieces (for OH sandwiches)

Fridge:

Sour cream
Cheese
Milk
3 eggs
Celery
4 sausages
Garlic cloves
18 fromage frais (for obsessed DS)
1 pack pepperoni
2 jars jam
1 pack shortcrust pastry (lazy!)
Sunflower spread
250g (approx) butter
Mozzarella
Assorted mustards, chilli sauces, curry pastes etc
Tomato puree
2 bars plain Tesco Value chocolate

Big Cupboard:

1 loaf sliced bread
1/2 loaf HM bread
Cheerios
Readybrek
Museli
Fairy cake mix (lazy!)
5 bags of microwave popcorn
Few packets of Hula Hoops
3 x batter mix (lazy)
2 packs S&V crisps
4 tins tomato soup
Cocopops
Rice crispies
Sultanas
Raisins
4 packs jelly
Coconut cream
Red lentils
Golden syrup
Oats
Flaked rice
Granulated sugar
SF flour
Plain flour
Bread flour
Corn flour
Baking powder
Bicarbonate of soda
Cream of tartar
Cocoa powder
Icing sugar
Demerara sugar
Yeast sachets
Basmati rice
Macaroni
1.5kg spirali pasta
250g teeny fusillini (for DS)
Lasagne sheets
Spaghetti
Pizza dough mix (lazy!)
Sweet & sour chicken tonight sauce
4 tins tuna
1 small tin Carnation
1 big tin Carnation
4 tins tomato soup
1 tin mushroom soup
1 tin chicken soup
1 tin baked beans
1 tin strawberries
2 big tin pineapple chunks
1 small tin pineapple chunks
3 tins corned beef
1 tin baked beans & mini sausages (quick dinner for DS)
1 tin coconut milk
8 tins chopped tomatoes
3 tins kidney beans
1 tin new potatos
2 tins mandarin segments
4 baking potatoes
3kg approx white potatoes
3 onions

Small Cupboard:

Loads of herbs and spices
Veg stock cubes
Chicken stock cubes
Beef stock cubes
Gravy granules
Granulated sugar
Tea bags
Coffee
BBQ sauce
Sprinkles

Next to the hob top:

Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Spray sunflower oil
Salt & pepper
Soy sauce
Jamie Olive szechuan pepper, chilli & ginger seasoning
Soy sauce
Rice vinegar
Malt vinegar
White wine vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Lea & Perrins
Small bottle cider

Bananas & apples in fruit bowl

Just run out of and need to replace:

Ketchup
Honey

Wow! Didn't realise quite how much I had! This is all I have on my dinner list at the moment:

Toad in the hole with baked potatoes (as requested by OH)
Pork with apple, wholegrain mustard & cider, with mash
Corned beef hash
Baked potatoes with chilli con carne from the freezer, topped with sour cream
Veg curry (me) / Sausage meatballs in tomato sauce (OH) - to use them up one night
Fish pie & veg
Chicken pie & mash
Southern fried chicken & potato wedges - quick and easy one
HM pizza (topped with pepperoni & mozzarella)
Vegetable curry
Tuna fishcakes
HM burgers & HM buns
Chilli con carne
Lentil soup (packed full of veg) & HM bread

Can anyone see anything else in that lot?! I'm sure there must be something I'm missing!

I've just made 2 of the apple braids, except with a pizza-y filling (pepperoni, cheese, tomato puree & basil), some iced buns with the left over dough, and waiting for a banana cake to come out of the oven. Some of that is for a 'picnic lunch' in the car on the way to a friends house tomorrow, and what we don't eat then will be sunday brunch! OH doesn't like bananas and I'm on a diet so half of the cake will go in the freezer. Just tried one of the pizza braid things and it was gorgeous I will definitely be making these with various fillings for OH to take to work now - so easy.

I've got so much stuff in my food cupboard, yet until this week I've always complained we have no food if there is nothing in the fridge! I'm not the greatest cook but I'm learning loads from lurking on the OS forum every night and I'm really getting into baking. I was made redundant when DD was 3 days old and as I worked from home I wasn't going to take any time off, therefore I'm not getting maternity pay. My redundancy pay has run out and we're pretty screwed financially this month! I'm starting a new job on monday so as soon as we are ok again I'm going to organise my cupboards and use any space that's left to stock up on lots of essentials.

Hope you don't mind me joining in!

Jen :wave:

bonsibabe

D&DD - wow! That's really all I can say. You guys are such an inspiration. I've written down the recipes for the braid, brownies and pizza dough. Am off to the local "warehouse shop type place" this week to get a breadmaker and a stock of flour and yeast and the like.

We have a place here that;s like a wholesalers but we have to get a shot of a card so we can shop there. Am really looking forward to starting to make my own bread and stuff. I only have 2 kids but they eat bread like it's going out of fashion. Decent bread from our naafi costs 2 euros a loaf so thats 28 euros a week I'm spending on bread alone! Works out at about £60 a month - i reckon i could halve that if i make my own!

Takeaways have been cancelled - hubby spends too much on them. Need to get myself a big folder so I can put all these yummy recipes in!

Am definitely gonna start making for myself - am a stay at home mum married to a soldier so have the time but just need to drag myself off here and rearrange my kitchen so I have some storage space lol

Thanks to you all and please keep this thread going - it's great and a real help to us all!!!

Di xx:T :j

sammy_kaye18

JENAGAIN - your list looks good , very diverse! lol was just going to say with some of the frozen veg (brocolli, runner beans, onion, peas, peppers carrots) and a chicken or beef stock you could make a savoury rice as a side dish to either sausages or the southern fried chicken breasts things as an alternative to chips, or jacket potatoes etc.

Lol i saw the oats too and instantly thought TWINKS HOBNONBS!! soooooooooooo yummy! possibly wont help withthe diet but are really nice for chillign with a cup of tea, little one can eat them adn OH could take soem to work in his lunchbox too. I know my bf makes a bee line for them he seems to know ive cooked them before he gets through the door. they would use up butter, sugar, golden syrup, oats and flour and dont take much to make. they are great for a sugar fix too - plus you can always use diet varieties and things like canderel to make them ot save the diet

AS a treat for you all could you not add a tin of fruit to one of the jelly mixes as a nice desert? or make a trifle?

soups and homemade breasts obviously make a meal, or you could use the mushroom soup and soem of the chicken pieces ot make a chicken and chicken tongiht style sauce and put on the rice

jsut a few ideas, everyone seems to have decided to phone this mornign and i have ten tonne of emails so ill nip back in 5 to give you a few more suggestions


BONSIBABE - where in Germany are you living?? I lived there a few times and bf and lots of friends did with the RAF, I havent heard a spar being called a Naafi in ages (god that brings back some memories) Also i am in the process of doing the same thign and making a recipe book for myself

LILMISSKITKAT - Thanks hun. Im flattered. Hows little one and bump doing?

LIL ME - Thanks for the pizza advice, will be giving this a go today after i have taken little one to the local town to see father christmas arriving. My 10 yr old nephew is the same with clothes too. He is either half naked (ie pants and vest, school uniform, or wrapped in abotu 20 layers) we have the same problem of hsi school shirts have to basically be a second skin too otherwise he dwont wear it, and hes refusing to wear coats to school lately (its was like 5 degrees yesterday) because he didnt liek the one his grandmother picked. Food wise he seems to be getting better, not a veg or fruit lover too much but will eat fish which is good, hes mad about eygptology and magic tricks at the minute though which is good too - makes christmas for him a hell of alot easier too. Also ma glad someone else is having a pooey time with unexpected money demands - it always seems to be at christmas doesnt it! They cant possible demand money in life february when i have it! its always when i dont

Kethry - I will be tryign that with the tea towel - i like soft rolls but dont think i will vr get htem super soft but illtry your suggestion of using oil and butter mix.

YATESGIRL + D&DD - thanks for the recipes i will be having a try of these tonight. Bf seemed in a good mood yesterday with his depression staying ssssshhhh for five so want to treat him tonight to a nice homemade pizza. just not sure what to top it with.

Jamie - Ahhhhhhh your little one is too cute and that quiche looks yummy! although not usually a fan of Chard but i could eat that all right now.

To Everyone - thanks for recipes etc im making sure to add them to my sisters baking/cooking book thats going in her christmas hamper.

JAMIEDODGER

hi guys, thanks for the comments on the quiche and on ds3:D

the gluten free bread from tescos didnt go down well, so i whizzed it up and made breadcrumbs, had some chicken fillets in the fridge, so at 9am made chicken nuggets!

they went down a storm and are now all gone, interesting if different breakfast lol

i am pleased though, as its one of ds3 fav meals! i had to sit on him to get him to try it but once he had tasted a bit, he then ate about 8 of them lol

totally gluten and dairy free! result!

will make some more rainbow cakes this morning:) D&DD, not sure if i can make the brownies unless i can find a dairy free alternative to the chocolate????