How long can I make £187.15 last?

mumtoomany

Went to town for DD3. Spent £34.65 across three shops. This included beer for OH and stuff from farmfoods to take advantage of staff discount. I now have left £142.71. Not doing too well. 

Lunch yesterday was freezer soup. All the leftover bits of vegetables, gravy, meat etc, have been collected in the freezer for several weeks. Thrown into a pan together, with some leftover tinned tomato juice and meat stock. Blitzed and heated.

I made pizzas yesterday, for tea. Pizza bases were from the cash and carry a while back. 5p for eight bases, with the tomato sauce already on. Made four, with leftover ham and pineapple, frozen from last summer, when the greengrocers had them at 6 for £1. Served with salad and jacket potatoes. Left overs were used for lunch today.

Just made bolognese for tonight, at the request of DD3. Serving with pasta and home made garlic bread.

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

beckstar1975

I am sooooo jealous of your cash and carry, sounds amazing

mumtoomany

Hi, @beckstar1975. Yes it is, if you get there on the right day at the right time. Trouble is every time i go in I can spend a fortune. 

Tea went down well. Bolognese made with half a pack of mince, around 250gms, chopped reduced mushrooms (few), four HG peppers chopped, two huge HG onions chopped, 2 tins tomatoes and 2 and half packs pasatta bought with staff discount, some tomato puree, bought reduced dented tin, two big handfuls oats. Around half the pan left, will make lasagne with it.

Have defrosted a pack of pastrami. Throw some ideas at we what i can make with it, please. Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx

beckstar1975

Ooh youngest (boy!) just diagnosed with anaemia today and so we're talking about pastrami for packed lunches, he wants it with mustard, pickles and Swiss cheese, any use?

mumtoomany

Thanks, @beckstar1975. I was more wondering if i could make a main meal from it. It's a big pack. Should have been more precise. I have 61 main meals to make until the end of the year. One of which will be turkey. Many of which will be pork based, if I'm using mainly what's in the freezer. I thought the best might make a bit of a change.

All ate tea, other than DGD1! 

Hugs to all, mumtoomany.xxx.

joedenise

It's probably worth a Google @mumtoomany!  There is certainly a sweet potato and pastrami hash on the BBC Food website but sure there must be others.

basketcase

@mumtoomany

What a challenge you've set yourself!  I've been watching from the sidelines and am in awe.  Delurking with things you've probably thought of and rejected...

BTW, is it a silly question to ask whether the pastrami's sliced or in a lump (to use the technical culinary term!)

My first thoughts are:

• using it as a kind of wrap for other ingredients (thinking beef olives, spring rolls, samosas etc)
• element of pizza toppings
• say to the family "Right, we've got this pastrami.  How do you want me to do it?"
• if it's a lump, use in place of ordinary or spiced beef in recipes you've already got
  
• as @joedenise says, google it?

Floss

Could you make a pastrami hash based on a corned beef hash recipe?

mumtoomany

Thanks ladies, at least i think you're both ladies. Apologies if not. Why didn't i think to Google? Hash sounds good, but would have to be with normal potatoes. The pastrami is sliced and weighs 520grams. The children claim they don't like it, so won't be asking them. OH will eat it whatever i do with it. He eats pretty much anything, other than chick peas, avocado and courgette, if he knows they are in there. Unknowingly be well eat anything. I too will eat anything, as will DD1. S-i-L however it's much more picky, unfortunately. He also has expensive tastes and buys brands. He likes smoked salmon, sirloin steak and sushi. Not that any of those are going to appear on the menu on this budget! 

Tonight will be omelette, chips and beans. I have some coming bacon in the fridge, not a lot, and some of the last tomatoes still outside. OH has gone back home with DD3, he is collecting his late mother's car from his sister's house. He will drive it back here tomorrow, then fix it up and sell it. M-i-L didn't drive, but this car is wheelchair adapted, for when others took her out. Tea will therefore only be for six of us.

Off outside now, hopefully to get some more compost moved into the tunnel. I've lots of seedlings to go in. Broccoli, cauli, cabbage onions, shallots and broad beans. Might Google pastrami first, with a cup of coffee, hugs, mumtoomany.xxx

newlywed

Reubens skillet…

I make it with corn beef but pastrami might be more like the sarnie it is based on. Think it’s on diet dr website as we eat lower carb.

fry onion, corned beef.  Add sauerkraut or finely shredded cabbage (we use fine chopped cabbage and zap it till it’s mostly cooked before adding to the pan).  Add mayo, blobs of Dijon, cheese on top.  Cook.

serve with pickles.