The all new using what you have from your Freezer, Cupboard or Shed (Barn)

CCW007

Need to stick to a budget this month - I am terrible for this so really must shop from the freezer and cupboards first.  Exceptions for items in from Olio though!

In: nothing (so far...)
Out: cheese sauce for pasta for OH for dinner, jar of home canned chilli for OH lunch and tin of tuna for my lunch with a pack of jacket potatoes that needed using up

Office tomorrow so need to take lunch - will be making carrot and coriander soup this evening and will probably make a sandwich to take with it  Got some YS smoked salmon to use up but am out of cream cheese so will see what I can rustle up instead - maybe make a seafood sauce?   

zafiro1984

I have a slightly different problem.

1) My freezers are quite full, mainly things that are 'raw' ie need cooking. Apart from ice-cream and bread I don't have any processed food at all. This is because DH is allergic to some preservatives so I always cook from scratch.
2) Cooking from scratch every day can occupy quite a lot of time.
3) I buy my meat in bulk, ie a whole lamb, a whole venison, half a pig - believe it or not I actually find it cheaper buying like this than from a butcher/supermarket and because we use all the meat we appreciate he different cuts.  
4) I raise my own turkeys and do swaps for some of the above meat.
5) I try with varying success to grow as much fruit and veg as I can.

This year, over the winter I have been cooking on my woodburner which has two hotplates and an attached oven (it's an Esse ironheart ) Wood is free.
Energy prices have risen as we all know.

So 
My aim is to cook and freeze meals in 1 portion sizes, and to use them over the summer when the woodburner is off. All I will need to do is thaw - maybe add a pastry topping or spices etc to ring the changes. Use the microwave to reheat or the electric oven for a shorter period of time

I aim to buy very little food but to use everything from the freezers. However, I do realise I will have to buy flour, rice, and some of the store cupboard staples etc. I want to do main meals, desserts, cakes, and lunches where appropriate, In fact everything I can make from the contents of the freezers I aim to do. 
Hopefully I will win on two fronts. Saving money on the electrics by using the woodburner and especially on time.

I started yesterday
1.5kg venison mince plus vegetables/herbs cooked in the ironheart yielded 8 portions - now dated and labelled and in the freezer. 

carinjo

Lovely seeing you here @zafiro1984!

My budget also needs reworking @CCW007, ms C started a parttime job, so now we need packed lunches for both of us. 
My mission to clear the shed freezer hit a snag, i done my back in, so everything on hold. 
Out: sliced batons to top fennel bake, raspberries for smoothies.
In: 0

joedenise

In:  salmon fillets; smoked haddock fillets
Out:  0

carinjo

Edit in: sliced and cubed hm cooked ham. 

zafiro1984

Yesterday's batch cooking effort was 3kg frozen apples plus1kg frozen blackcurrants all from last year and cooked in a large roasting tin. Now portioned, labelled and frozen. I was a little disappointed that it only made 8x2 people portions. I think it was due to the apples collapsing as I threw away quite a lot of watery juice. 

I'm going to do some coffee/walnut cake today. I've a few walnuts in a packet that need using up. I have found that if I make the cake mixture and freeze it before cooking, once defrosted and cooked I can't tell the difference whether its been frozen or not.
I use a Mary B.... tray bake recipe, portion it into four and freeze. Each portion makes about 6 buns when cooked, that's enough for us as a whole tray bake is far too big for the two of us.

joedenise

In:  bag of chips; pack of slow cooked lamb shanks
Out:  0

carinjo

zafiro1984 said:

I use a Mary B.... tray bake recipe, portion it into four and freeze. Each portion makes about 6 buns when cooked, that's enough for us as a whole tray bake is far too big for the two of us.

When you say 6 buns, what do.you mean? Do you use smaller moulds like muffin tins?
I don't really do sweet stuff, but ms C loves it, so it always an issue to eat a sweet bake up quickly enough.
Out: ready rolled shortcrust pastry for leek tart, tins chickpeas, tomatoes for slow cooker stew (overnight), tin coconut milk, frozen blueberries for ice lollies (for ms C, of course)
In: later: hm ice lollies.
I am debating on whether or not do so the easter special meat and fish buys i do every year. It might be up to 50% off, but can't really afford to buy big this month. Might just get a lamb or a salmon, not both. We are eating more veg based meals anyway with protein from pulses, so will wait till next week and decide then.

joedenise

I used to do the same @carinjo and usually buy a whole salmon when they are half price at Easter or just before but recently we've been eating it far less so have decided against doing that this year and have just bought a large piece and portioned it into enough for 2 meals plus a couple of smaller pieces to use in fish pies.  That should do us for the next 2-3 months.

Unless I can get a really good offer on a lamb leg then I won't be buying one!  We're quite happy with frozen SC lamb shanks so will just continue to buy those from time to time.

zafiro1984

carinjo said:

When you say 6 buns, what do.you mean? 

Yes, I use silicon moulds, they are muffin sized. Sometimes, we don't eat them all but the geese enjoy the leftovers or I add custard for the pudding at teatime. Her sultana and orange tray bake is especially good but I use concentrated orange squash instead of orange zest and I don't add the milk. They take only about 12-15mins baking and are quite nice when still warm.