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

RHemmings

carinjo said:

Doing vegan dinner for friends tonight. I was surprised to realise that all i needed is vegan stock (since my vegetable stock not suitable), dried porchini mushrooms and some vegan custard. I can adapt with what i have for the rest, making a cottage pie and poached pears. 
Last night had some salmon pasta. We threw all the leftover pasta shapes together into a jar. Like alphabet soup, but with pasta shapes 

What did you use for the 'meat' layer of the cottage pie? I'm considering making one where I am, but I don't have anything that will grill the top. Maybe baking in the top of the camping style oven I have access to. I was thinking of making a red lentil 'cottage pie' (getting a bit far from cottage pie) sub-potato layer instead. 

Frugalistamama

@Cherryfudge I agree that's just smart shopping.

I have a new year's eve gathering tonight and tomorrow. I'm not buying anything extra just cooking and providing things from the store. I don't drink much alcohol but tend to accumulate it from gifts so I don't even need that. 

So it'll be a store cupboard new year!

carinjo

@RHemmings, i used green lentils for the "meat". The umami was provided by dried porchini mushrooms and balsamic. I used a recipe from s@insbury, cooking own lentils and making a mash topping intead of the slices they recommended. If you on holiday, i would think you can throw anything in and top it with potatoes and call it a veggie pie! 
@Frugalistamama, that sounds like it going to be great parties and no stress on the wallet! 

Wraithlady

Used up the Xmas dinner veg leftovers - roast potatoes, parsnips and carrots - along with 2 stray slices of ham, stuffing and oddments of cooked bacon to make a frittatta for lunch. Still got half of it left for lunch during the week.

I stocked up on various '2 for £5' sausages from Asda which, along with the chicken thighs and small gammon joint, are now shoehorned into the freezer.

Due to complete failure in getting a duck for tonight, we are having crispy shredded duck instead which, along with some frozen dim sum, should make a very nice celebratory meal. I'll do a lamb curry in the slow-cooker for tomorrow and we have (YS) steak from Marcus & Spencius  for Tuesday.

I doubt we'll need to buy very much for quite a long time!

Cherryfudge

The last of the Christmas chicken and the parsnip soup are now gone, and sausages are defrosting for tomorrow. I think the plan for the week will be to clear more of the freezer just so I can shut the drawers easily!

Monday: toad in the hole (also uses up some eggs)
Tuesday: chickpea tikka
Wednesday: salmon and veg with jacket potatoes
Thursday: possibly veggie chilli
Friday: corned beef hash
Saturday: fish and chips.

Frugalistamama

Success: Managed to have my no spend new year's. Everyone had a good time and now it's the clear up. 

Fail: I've got a meal box subscription and forgot about it and they charged me for a box this week of meals I didn't even pick. Very annoying, I'll have to put it in the meal plan. 

Oh well. Happy New year!

Cherryfudge

My daughter sent me a link for a meal box: I was quite tempted as it's free for a week, but one I tried a while ago was mostly spices and you had to provide the main food yourself, so basically it was an expensive way of doling out flavours and I cancelled. For me, it wasn't worth it, though this time around I'm considering DD's one. Then someone asked her if she was on commission and she said she's a rep, and I can't tell if she's joking... I expect she gets some discount if someone buys on her code, but I don't know about the rest.

Anyway, we've finished some sausages, a pack of smoked salmon, a jar of mincemeat and a couple of eggs. I made a dozen mincemeat muffins and ten are left to counteract my weight loss ambitions.

carinjo

Happy new year to everyone! I also used to do a mealbox (veg and fruit). But in the end decided that money could be better spend supporting my weekly local fruit and veg market. Costs are similar, but i get to pick what i want.
@Cherryfudge i tried the box with the seasoning and you are right in that it just a lot of money for flavour. Think i still got some mixes somewhere in the cupboard.
There was no discounts left at ald1 when i shopped on 31st, but picked up some thighs and mince.
Dinner last night was store cupboard again.
Out: tin tomatoes, couscous, various spices incl last of the cinnamon sticks, dried chopped fruit (didn't have the apricots recipe asked for). All went with chicken thighes for morrocan style one pot.
Today going to try my hand at making a meatloaf with the mince.

Frugalistamama

Did a store cupboard cook today for dinner. Used some yellow sticker chicken thighs, a jar of pepper and tomato that's been in my cupboard for ages and finished up a pack of  brown rice I've been working on. Just another one to go. And some seasonings that need using up. Should be enough for tonight's dinner and two lunches for me. 

HFresh boxes are okay... But you do get caught out of you don't keep an eye on it.  I find it pretty expensive but they are always giving discounts. I like to use them about once a month and skip the rest of the weeks, but you have to remember to log in and skip. I sometimes use them when I'm low on cooking mojo or during the school hols, I have also got the kids to do it as an intro to cooking and recipe following.

The trick I used is to use the discounts all up then cancel your plan. You'll get a new offer for discounts within a month! Restart the subscription. 

oceandreamer

Hi can I join you please? I have a ridiculous amount of food in the freezer and pantry although I'm not too sure what there actually is.  I'm usually fairly frugal so most of it is yellow stickered meat which I can never resist plus some of the cheap joints that were on offer before Christmas. It is ridiculous how much stuff there is though and I don't actually know what's in there.  Tomorrow I'm going to start an inventory (I say start because it looks like a very big job) and some menu planning. I've challenged myself to see if I can eat main meals out of stores for the whole month.  I will have to buy milk, bread and fruit and veg but that should be it.  I'll let you know how I go on.  Tonight I had pasta with left over mushrooms, broccoli and red pepper in a garlic and chilli sauce made with left over creme fraise, with some left over cheese (I have quite a cheese mountain going on) grated over.  Tbh it was nice to eat something simple after all the holiday food.