From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

Greying_Pilgrim

Forgot to say earlier that there were green boxes in MrL again today.  I didn't take much notice, as they opened a new till and the shopper in front allowed me to 'leapfrog' them as I only had a couple of items. I didn't need to buy one anyway - I've had my share of luck this week - but from a quick glance across, there didn't seem to be much in the boxes, and I should imagine, that if they were still there, mid-morning on a Saturday (the store was busy), then the contents can't have been up to much. 

Pizza dough is made and proving.  Coriander from Thursday's box, finally chopped up and frozen.  We ate the little cucumber from MrS's box for lunch too - it filled our sandwiches and there was a bit left for LG to have additional on their plate as they like cucumber.  I'm about to go and make asparagus stock in the PrC from the ends of the spears - they are quite portly stalks, so I want to make as much use out of them as poss.  

My little car is back from the repairers, and is no longer making strange noises (wheel bearing).  Will June finally be the first month of the year that we don't have car expenses to meet?????  

Right, the kitchen is calling.  Onwards!

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Morning MFW'rs

Another bright start with us.  Clothes wash on - bits of uniform and non-workwear.

Tea went well last night, and it felt 'treaty' without having to bother a cafe/restaurant.  DH and I had asparagus risotto - it was slightly more 'claggy' than I intended, but this was due in part to using a pureed sofrito base and the fact I totally forgot to put any grano padano in at the end - DOH!  I steamed the green veg in the microwave to accompany the risotto (plus I put some green beans on LG's plate).  The tray was in the MrS box, it was very fine green beans one side and sprouting broccoli the other.  DH didn't like the broccoli at all, so I ended up eating it.  I do think sprouting broccoli (and the purple variety), can be a bit more 'bitter' than conventional broccoli, but this was perfectly fine.  Had it been yellowed, and limp, then it would have been really bitter - I just think DH was being a bit fussy tbh.  Never mind - all the more iron for me, and it'll be me lifting the 'girders' in that well known soft drinks factory 😉  We both had a couple of small pieces of Detroit-style asparagus pizza to accompany - which was lush 🥰  

LG had some of the cherry tomato (out of the MrL box) pizza, with 'wedges' made from the last of the little potatoes that were in the MrS box.  I don't think these potatoes were 'new', I'm pretty sure they were graded small 'old' potatoes.  They made good enough wedges, anyhoo.  Plus the small clutch of green beans and the last 3 cherry toms.  In addition to providing tea; there are 6 (small) pieces of tomato pizza, 2 (larger) pieces of asparagus pizza, a portion of sofrito and a tub of asparagus stock in the freezer.  All the asparagus, green veg, cherry tomatoes and small potatoes have been used.  





Breakfast has been munched.

Best crack on with the day.  Ta for popping by.

Greying X

Sunshine_girl2

All looks delicious GP . 

Greying_Pilgrim

🙄 More used workwear was found in the garage 🙄discarded on account of it being 'too 'ot' 🙄  Technically, it will be needed for tomorrow 🙄 so I made up a wash load with some other outdoor clothing that was lying around 🙄and have now pegged it out in the hope it will dry sufficiently.  We have lovely sunshine, but not overly much breeze, so we'll see what happens. 

I was thinking before, making tea at home on a Saturday night doesn't save us anything in the 'going out' budget - simply because we don't have that budget line in our finances ☹️But I need to take heart, because if I can make meals to feed us whether it is 'posh pizza' or pedestrian porridge, then I'm more likely to keep within my (ridiculously stoopid, self-induced) grocery budget for May - which has the intention, overall, of making £250 available to go into the windows or new car fund.  So instead of sending 'saved socialising' monies across to the windows budget, I should be able to send any grocery budget savings instead - ok, so semantics, but the principle is the same for both, isn't it?  

DH and LG have gone off for a pootle around.  They have worked hard, and well together this morning on itty-bitty tasks around the homestead.  

Today should be a nsd.  Although I'm not sure the cheese will last until shopping day.  I will have to ensure that there is sufficient grated for DH's sangers - to be fair, he's quite good at eking out supplies if it's grated - if he has to cut it from the block himself, all bets are off 😂

I think we may have buffet-style wraps for tea, utilising the YS'd plant-based goujons I bought and salad-y bits and pieces.  Oh, I think I forgot to say, thank goodness I got those goujons YS'd - as there were 6 in one pack, and only 5 in the other.  Now whilst it may go on weight, if you were looking to serve a family and had specific portions in mind, you'd be stuffed with odd numbers of products in each pack. Whether it was a mis-fill, or intentional, it's something to bear in mind if I happen to purchase them again.  

Right, I had better go and find something to throw together for lunch.  Wish me luck - we're out of 'interesting sandwich fillings 🫤

Greying X

redofromstart

Could you mix some grated carrot in with the grated cheese? Vague recollection of Mr GP being a creature of habit who had cheese and pickle daily so may be not.

We used to have cheese and carrot toasted sandwiches in the breville when I was younger.  It was one of the 'recipes' in the booklet that came with it and it actually works very well.

Greying_Pilgrim

Dearest redo - you have remembered well!  DH is indeed a creature of habit, and does, indeed take cheese & pickle sangers nearly, most everyday......🙄  You've made me think though, if I got on and made some coleslaw, he would use that in his sangers.  As a batchelor, his goto workday sangers were..... cheese & coleslaw 🙄Mmm, thanks redo - I'm gonna make some coleslaw!  I prefer to make it with celery over onion, but I have all the ingredients, so make it I will - THANK YOU for the idea😁

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

Good Evening MFW'rs

The washing has dried brilliantly on the line.  I am so fortunate.  The workwear will be useable tomorrow if needed.  Everything else can be folded and put away.

I did indeed set to and made some coleslaw.  I just used half the (small) white cabbage (MrL box), grated 3 carrots and thinly sliced 2 sticks of celery.  I did put a spot of salt in with the sliced cabbage to begin with to soften it slightly.  I added in some crushed caraway seeds, a spot of rice vinegar and some (not too much) mayo, stirred and left it to stand.  I cooked up the YS'd plant-based goujons and we had a 'boofay' style tea, with wholemeal wraps, a tahini based tartare style sauce (using chopped up gherkins and some mint), cucumber, coleslaw and lettuce.  The tea was declared delish, and I was delighted at the amount of veg LG loaded onto their wrap - without prompting.  The goujons - whilst cooking - did emit a slight 'fishy' aroma.  DH and LG both commented that it smelt like a pub they cycle past on bike rides (it has it's kitchen extractor vent facing toward the cycle path).  But actually, when in the sandwich, there wasn't an overt fishiness - to the point where it added 'texture' and heft, but you wouldn't necessarily know that you were eating something pertaining to be 'fish like'.  It was 'good enough' for the purposes of what I wanted from it.  But I would only purchase them again if on offer or YS'd.  I'm not convinced they are worth 36 - 40p per goujon (depending how many are in the packet).  DH has agreed to use the leftover coleslaw in his work sandwiches (I've put it next to the cheese, to prompt him), and we had a brief trip down memory lane remembering the days of cheese and tesc0 coleslaw sandwiches..... 😂

I haven't spent any money today.

Thanks for popping by, and thank you - as ever - to fellow MFW'rs for ideas, suggestions and - above all - for prompting me think! 😁  Always appreciated.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Ooh, mixing cheese with carrot is a great idea. I confess we are currently having a hotel picnic with a random assortment of food leftover from our weekend away and I had to resort to cutting cheese from the block with a teaspoon 😬😂 NOT remotely economical 😂

I'm not a fan of coleslaw usually, but Mr C does a good home made one - just carrot and cabbage, with salad cream (and sometimes a random assortment of peanut butter, tahini or whatever's around). Yours sounds excellent! 

Cherryfudge

Your pizza and risotto both look lovely!

LotsOfTea

@Greying_Pilgrim the food that you make looks much nicer than anything you could get from eating out in most places.  The pictures of the risotto and pizzas have got my tummy rumbling already and it's not even lunchtime.