Reverse Meal Planning

EssexHebridean

Well I've got a pack of YS'd fishcakes out for tonight - and will need to work out what veg to do with them. Actually I could throw together a quick coleslaw type offering allowing that we have masses of red cabbage left from the 8p offerings, and nice pink onions from a previous pick of the week offer... Hmmm...might be worth a thought. 

The beef was very nice although I'd definitely cut back on T's cooking times in the future - I already cut back by 15 minutes on their suggestion for a medium result, and what we got was very definitely bordering on well done.  Anyway it fed us yesterday, there are two tubs of slices and a tub of stir-fry suitable chunks/strips in the freezer now as well, each of which will do a meal for us both. I could probably have stretched it to an additional  meal, but we really didn't need to, so I decided to go for slightly more generous portions. 

Suffolk_lass

We have cold beef (brisket) here this evening, with salad and baked potatoes. I also made a slaw with the quarter of a white cabbage that was starting to look terminal. I trimmed off the sad'age, chopped it finely, grated a carrot and chopped some of the banana shallots. A mix of ready made mayonnaise with lemon and black pepper and a finely chopped green chilli for a bit of zing.

As we have to take 60 sausage rolls to the social thing we are going to on Saturday, I will have to shop this week. Just delaying it as long as possible now. We might see off the rest of the salad first!

rtandon27

@Suffolk_lass - ooo I like your slaw - a proper mayonnaise one!

@EssexHebridean - the slaw we did seems to have magically multiplied - I've had a bit with every meal since Saturday and there is still a tub! We did half of this recipe  which was 1/2 a red cabbage - no dairy as OH is avoiding it due to his cough! - next time I'd only make 1/4 of the recipe which is plenty for two people!

EssexHebridean

That's a nice looking recipe RT - I like the fact that it makes an acceptable slaw from just the two veg ingredients as well.  I've not got al the ingredients for tonight, but I am now considering making the veg accompaniments to those fishcakes a simple slaw and - having remembered that I have a small amount in the fridge that needs using -  quick pickled cucumber as well. 

zafiro1984

I seem to be having 'a live from the freezer month'.

Yesterday:
Lunch:- from freezer -  HM pate using pork liver, fruit from the bowl
Tea:- pheasant with honey and mustard (frozen), it was a casserole but I converted it into a pie, veg and chips, followed by my quick (or I've forgotten to do a dessert) sugar free jelly with frozen fruit and a yogurt stirred through it. The frozen fruit sets the jelly almost instantly. 

Today:
Lunch:- cheese (frozen) and crackers, fruit from bowl, plus cake batter (frozen) which made 8 buns. 2 buns left, which will form part of tomorrows pudding.
Tea:- cooked venison steak (frozen), mash (frozen), thanks to the cheap veg on offer the other side of Xmas and veg. followed by sliced apple (frozen) made into a pie with a lattice crust using the leftover pastry from yesterday's pie plus custard.

It all sounds a bit boring compared to other postings, but just now I'm happy to have so many 'batched cooked' meals I can use. The upside is little time spent in the kitchen so I can get on the other things.

fionaandphil

You have all inspired me this month, I've managed to spend only about £15 so far in the supermarkets so far and mainly on milk, fruit and veg.  We are also living from the freezers, probably a good idea as they are stuffed.

Tonight its curry with all of the ingredients except the rice from the freezer.  We are still using up Christmas cakes and desserts too - just for the rest of the family though!  Brocolli and stilton soup was for lunch clearing out the lurking veg which is starting to look a bit droopy and clearing out odd bits of cheese.

rtandon27

Dinner tonight was really tasty - and we stuck to the (reverse) meal plan - salmon fillets from the freezer, rice from the stores, pak choi from today's shop (the first since last month!) - we also had a healthy dessert, greek yogurt with kiwi. 

I'm rather pleased with the room in the freezer even after restocking green beans, bao, mini samosas, seeded pittas and 7-grain crumpets.

Have remembered to take out chicken and puff pastry for tomorrow's pie so even more room has been made.

EssexHebridean

Morning all! 

Last night's couscous did indeed use up that final sweet potato, plus mushrooms and a slightly wrinkly red pepper too. Halloumi as the protein element, and a sprinkling of toasted seeds across the top for crunch and to lever in some additional plant based food.

I'm going to do sardine and butterbean pasta tonight - using a tub of frozen roasted tomato and garlic sauce from the freezer though rather than the usual tin of tomatoes. This is an adaption of a Jack Monroe recipe from years ago, and something that we have occasionally as it can always be thrown together from ingredients we have in!  

The last of our home grown potatoes were used over the weekend, so we'll be on to the 8p a bag ones from christmas when we next have any - the majority of those are still sitting out in the shed well wrapped in newspaper for insulation - I'll be interested to see how long they keep us going for!

number_23

Today was a very busy day but on track still. 

I missed breakfast as I was very busy and had lost track of time. I realised at 10am and opted for a cup of coffee and an @ldi dairylea dunker. Lunch was a small left over stew and dumplings pot that my SiL gave me, steam fresh veg bag from the freezer and a little extra gravy. Dinner was jacket potato, tuna mayo, a bit of cheese and a side of tomatoes and cucumber. Snack just now is a cup of tea and a multipack bag of frazzles. All food from stock we had in. 

I have some baby potatoes, carrots, and stewing steak to use up, and dumpling mix, stock cubes and peas in the cupboard. I want to recreate what my sister in law made … I’m not the best at cooking but determined to stick to my budget and use up what I have in the freezers, fridges and cupboards as we have big plans for this year. 

Does anyone have a go to stew and dumpling recipe that is idiot proof, please? My hubby is funny with chewy meat so it has to be soft. I have a slow cooker too. Any help would be appreciated 😀

zafiro1984

I've just read Number_23's posting and would also be interested in a good dumpling recipe. I've tried SRF, plain flour, adding baking powder, herbs, no herbs, adding water, adding milk but they always turn out stodgy -  any ideas for a light and fluffy dumpling. Thanks.

Today Wednesday
Lunch: A repeat of a lunch earlier this week, HM pate, fruit from the bowl - I need to get more fruit when I'm next out as we seem to be eating more of it than usual - followed by Hm buns. I had a session this morning of making the cake batter for a coffee and walnut, ginger, and orange and sultana tray bake, but instead of cooking a whole traybake I always split each into 3 smaller portions and freeze the batter. I can usually get 6-8 buns from each portion. Any buns left over go back in the freezer and used as a quick pudding covered in custard. Easy, quick and no waste.
Tea: I bit of a mix. After a freezer dive I came out with 3 very small pork belly strips. DH had those. I had a bit of Roquefort cheese in the fridge so made a salad for myself.