Cash neutral grocery spends, 'till Christmas.

buildersdaughter

Can I add another suggestion about pulses? I often cook them in dilute HM stock, or at least I bung some onion peelings, the odd carrot, ends of leeks, tough bit of celery.... or similar in with the pulses, and I think it makes them tastier.
And I have learned a great deal on this lovely forum!
Thinking of you D&DD

PipneyJane

So sorry to hear your news, D&DD.

Another suggestion re pulses. I soak mine for overnight then put them into an old bread bag and freeze them for at least 8 hours. (When it freezes, water increases in size, so this helps break down the cell walls inside the beans.). Defrost for long enough that the bean lump will slip out of the bag into the pressure cooker, pour over boiling water and cook at pressure for the recommended time. This method will give you softer beans, closer in consistency to the tinned ones.

I usually cook 500g of dried beans at a time and divide into 3 to cook with/freeze (about 2 cans-worth a meal). Don’t see the point of going to all that effort for just one meal’s worth.

HTH

- Pip

mumtoomany

Hi all, thanks Pipney. Sounds like a plan to freeze before cooking. Just need more freezer space first.

Harvested the parsnips yesterday, only two have grown this year. Had loads last year. One of these two was the size of a small carrot. the other weighed over 2kgs. Took a lot of digging to get it out, I was reminded of the "enormous turnip" book. Now all chopped and frozen.

The freezers are now more full than a week ago! DD1 and hers will be back later, so cooking for 8 again, that might empty them a bit.

Mumtoomany.

VfM4meplse

tessie_bear wrote: »

wishing you good luck x

i am impressed with your £240 budget

I am totally impressed with OP's inter-generational living! That is definitely the way to go :T

t14cy_t wrote: »

sign up to goodhousekeeping the posh mag, you can do free to enter competitions and hopefully get on their trials panel. ive been very lucky with them this year and am about to trial my 5 th product with them this year....all gorgeous things you can keep after you've given your honest opinion on them. xx

I was signed up to them, but the emails suddenly disappeared and I haven't seen them for well over a year - possibly something to do with GDPR? Thanks for the reminder, must sign up again!

mumtoomany

Hi VfM4mepls, Thank you. It can be a challenge sometimes, but mostly it's great fun. It was the only practical way for DD1 and S-i-L1 to have children. Both work long hours/shifts, away from home. Often away for 3-4 days at a time. When away we are the childcare 24 hours a day. It works well. The only downside is we are unable to offer childcare to DD2, as she lives 4 hours away.

Mumtoomany.

D&DD

Thanks so much for all the wellwishes means a lot I don't want to derail things sorry Mum XXX


I tend to shred my bags of carrots when I buy them as it helps a bit with time especially as you're cooking for so many anything helps! I have a chipper attachment for the kenwood so julienne some,grate some and chop the ends all at the same time then blanch the juliennes and lumps but leave the grated as its usually for a carrot cake. Saves a bit of cooking time too.


Beans I use a lot but have to sneak them in as none of the kids eat them...if only they knew!!
Taco soup is lovely if you like a bit of spice and bulks up well to feed a crowd with a chunk of homemade bread.


I've made banana,sultana and oat muffins today from stores plus a curly banana or two and double choc chip ones with dried egg shhh.


My cupboards are full of baking staples so as long as I have a bit of time to cook we should be fine


Are you going to use the mega parsnip for roasting or soup?? I find the soup is better when they're a bit tough round the middle and at least that way you won't waste your efforts having grown them


I'm making some pizza swirls tomorrow and a few savoury muffins (cornbread chilli cheese and some ham and cheese).


I made some chilli sausage cheese bites and froze some yesterday and some meatballs so hopefully if this week is a little busy they won't starve!


I'm really missing my extra half freezer, I had to convert to a massive fridge so gave up my fridge freezer but I am wondering wether I can sneak a little chest one past OH and hide it in our bedroom under my sewing pile lol...Now that's a plan *wanders off with a tape measure*

mumtoomany

Hi, D&DD and everyone. Not derailed the thread at all.

You've got me all excited about a chipper for the Kenwood. My sister bought me a Kenwood and the mincer/sausage maker attachment for my birthday. A chipper sounds like something I might "need". Maybe when I've got some money.

The parsnip was, surprisingly, not tough at all. All chopped now and frozen. I'll use it to roast. Two people here won't eat parsnip! So I would never put it in soup, or courgette, or celery, or swede. Well not and tell them! Stick blenders hide everything.

We had steak and kidney puddings for tea last night. Not home made, Hollands from Farmfoods. We are all from "up north". I do get 15% discount there though.

Today is bolognese, huge panfull made. Chilli later this week with same.

Shopped again last night! DD3 needed picking up from work, the buses stop at 7pm, she finished at 7.30pm. Called into Morrisons for milk as I had forgoten we would need more with the littlies coming back. Got big tub of yogurt for 6p, two half french sticks for 13p each, granery loaf for 25p, three salad/readymeal type things for 5p and 15p (todays lunch) and the milk. Also OH snuck in a bottle of wine! I think my problem is not shopping, it's shopping with dadtoomany.

It's good to have the house noisy again. Mumtoomany.

D&DD

Had to do an Amazon Fresh today so I bumped it up to a sixty pound spend as there is a coupon code on there at present for £20 off on two shops min spend £60.
Code is FRESH40 for anyone interested I can't remember if you said they delivered to you there Mum??
I have sold some old dvd's on musicmagpie so this will cover total spends today on the groceries at least!!


The strawberries are going up in price and down in quality but thankfully still have a few everbearers going in the garden to help out.I did a load of cakes and realised I was running lower than I like on some stuff so topped the fresh shop up with staples like cocoa for baking.
Just used up some old cereal and made some cornflake treat things and a jar of peanut butter and assorted bits to make some energy balls.


Have you got much planted up outside you can use Mumtoo??


Forgot to add the chipper plate comes in large and small sizes individually and fits on the grater/slicer attachment the disc type one HTH D XX

mumtoomany

Hi D&DD and all.

No sadly Amazon Fresh, (I believe it's Morrisons?), don't deliver here, nor Iceland, nor Sainsburies. Tesco will, and Asda. The nearest Asda is an hours drive away, they also deliver an hour farther north than us. Why would they deliver a two hour drive away? Must be loosing money on that.

Now I need a grater/ slicer too.

Cashed in on Gameduel today. That should be around £50, will hopefully be here by Christmas. Gameduel for those who don't know is a game site. Every day they let you play a free game, the prize for this is G£50, (about 47p). You can then use this virtual money to play against others and win real money. I joined many years ago via greasy palm, paid £10 and if I remember right got £15 back. Never put any more money on since, and draw about £50 a year.

Still have beetroots, kale, sprouts, a few leeks, cabbage red and green, and still picking the odd tomato from the tunnel.

Tonight's tea, pork steaks, (tesco 24 for £10 less staff discount 10%) It's useful to have children/children-in-law working in retail. Served with potatoes for most people, carrots, kale, beetroot and gravy. 8 people for about £2.50.

How did Rosie go on?

Mumtoomany.

D&DD

Lol you know I'm a bad influence regarding gadgets Mum


Will update Rosies news on the Family of 5 thread so I don't take us off course but will update spends etc so far and carry on here with debt reduction.


So far spends have been *deep breath*
£1,258.22p so I need to offset this now with either work (sewing jobs etc) or sales via ebay etc.


Its a hell of a lot less than we were expecting,we were offered the chance of Fitzpatricks as our vets works closely with them and they have actually done all her pathology and advised anyway bless them.We just couldn't afford it so our vets have done their utmost to keep costs down for us.


I have piles of stuff to sell just need to get listing/sending to MMagpie etc.


Your dinner was amazing for that cost well done!! I found when I worked in a supermarket I spent more than I earned!