Reverse Meal Planning

QueenJess

Ooh - I love a fish pie, but am usually too lazy to bother making one! 

CCW007

Really fancy fish pie now!  Got some frozen mash so will get some fish out the freezer and that's more freezer clearing done - thanks for the suggestion.  OH can have cottage pie.

EssexHebridean

Ooh not had fish pie for ages - now THERE is an incentive to get the freezer eaten down a bit - I always used to keep a bag of frozen white fish fillets and a bag of mixed seafood in there to facilitate fish pie every now and again! 

Last night's salmon pasta with veg and cream cheese sauce was lovely - I was originally going to use spaghetti but then remembered the remains of a bag of orecchiette pasta in the larder - I bought it ages ago and have been slowly eating through it but I confess it's not a favourite shape of ours as it never seems to cook evenly. Anyway I weighed the bag and as it was only just over the amount I needed for two portions I just threw the lot in so that's gone now. It also finished up the elderly tub of cream cheese, 3 blocks of HM pesto (made using sunflower seeds, HG basil, rapeseed oil and pecorino cheese so not exactly authentic, but very nice!) and a tub of roasted toms and peppers from the freezer. I threw in a couple of handfuls of frozen peas to to add an extra 1 of our 5 a day. 

Tonight is couscous - we'll both be having roasted veg alongside - I've got a small tub of some that was roasted a few weeks ago out of the freezer, and I'll add some cherry toms, chickpeas and mushrooms as well, those will just get pan fried I think. MrEH will have a couple of eggs with his, and I've got feta to use up. Toasted seeds to be sprinkled on the top for crunch. I'll flavour the couscous itself with lime juice and finely chopped coriander.

QueenJess

CCW007 said:

Really fancy fish pie now!  Got some frozen mash so will get some fish out the freezer and that's more freezer clearing done - thanks for the suggestion.  OH can have cottage pie.

Me too. I even got some cheap frozen fish in the shop this morning so I can get it on the menu!

joedenise

Hope you all enjoy your fish pies!  Both DH and I did - both last night and reheated in the microwave for lunch today.

Don't make it often but try to do it at least once a month as it's a good way to get a good mix of fish into us.  Unfortunately I forgot to put any prawns in - I usually add and handful or two of frozen small ones just before topping with mash.

ruby_eskimo

Oohh might also have to jump on the fish pie wagon next week - haven't had one for a while 😆

We've been away for a long weekend so had gousto the week before we went away to reduce food waste and another box arrived yesterday to help us through this week.  Lunches are vegetable soup that will use up some veggies from the freezer - trying to make space for the start of Christmas food purchases soon.

EssexHebridean

I saved the tin of chickpeas last night in the end as I used the final chunk of cauliflower and there was more there than I was expecting.

Omelettes for us tonight - I'll use the final 7 eggs in the box as they're all pretty small ones (There were a couple of larger ones but I guarantee that MrEH will have cherry picked those last night!). That will use up the other half-punnet of mushrooms, probably a red pepper and I think I'll do chorizo in this one as it packs a lot of flavour from just a small amount. (I buy the Aldi ones for £1.89 I think they are now, and use a third at a time almost as "seasoning" in various dishes) It might well see off the last of the cheddar cheese as well I think - that definitely needs to go onto my shopping list for the weekend! 

I must remember to get the lamb and its gravy out of the freezer ready for tomorrow, too. That can defrost in the fridge overnight. 

Suffolk_lass

ruby_eskimo said:

Oohh might also have to jump on the fish pie wagon next week - haven't had one for a while 😆

Me too! I noticed a single salmon fillet and a bag of prawns, with two packs of cod loin when we redeployed the meat mountain back into the chest freezer yesterday after several weeks in the bee shed (we defrosted the freezer before our hols and could not make the time to inventorise (?) the contents and move them back before we left).

Then on our return it has been all go with the cat (Stealth Cat has developed cystitis as a stress response to dog). Meanwhile dog cut his paw pad while we were at my Mum's (well, in the park on some glass) and it has taken three weeks and most of our holiday spending money to fix it. Of course this was on our way up to the Highlands so all planned walking was curtailed and a v expensive rucksack with a top opening and shoulder and waist straps was purchased (DH wore it back to front with dog in it!). This meant we only eat out once (it was very nice in a proper pub) and the rest of the time we cooked in the SC cottage which was also very nice. We shopped in Tesco (unheard of at home), Aldi (not that cheap) and the local convenience store (more expensive than the most expensive down here, but important to support the local economy and they were lovely). All good.

I have made courgette soup this morning and will be making the braised little gem lettuce dish that (I think) @joedenise put me onto, as I have a meeting tonight, the other side of the big town and we need something light. The two Little Gem Lettuces need using and so do the Spring Onions. I may add chopped up potato to the pea and cram sauce too, to make it a little more filling for DH. I also have a small bag of minced beef in the indoor freezer and I think a slow cooker ragu is in order. I rather like the idea of adding the pasta to cook in with it. Another meeting (book club) tomorrow night so another early, easy dinner is needed.

Loving the idea of fish pie on Friday though. DH makes fab mash. He cooks it with one of those stock jellies and it is much nicer flavour and no longer needs salt

CCW007

Olio wedges and vegetarian mac/cheese type bake (freezer) for me, Olio noodles with a bit of frozen roast beef in black bean sauce for OH.  More Olio bits in the freezer from last night. I despair of my chances of ever getting down to two freezers! 

Suffolk_lass

No fish pie here yet but the bouncy Chinese leftovers and the lentil-rich ragu have fed us for the last four days. I slow cooked a whole chicken yesterday and we had one breast between us (loads of it) with mash and steamed veg last night.

I've just made a lime jelly with sad raspberries (94p) and a few blueberries sprinkled in it! I think we will have a frozen veg curry with a chicken one that I will rustle up this evening, as I have yet another meeting coming up