January 2008 Grocery Challenge

frankerooney

Bit off topic, sorry, but quick question: what does it mean to knock back dough? Is it just to knead it a bit?

Frugaldom

frankerooney wrote: »

Bit off topic, sorry, but quick question: what does it mean to knock back dough? Is it just to knead it a bit?

Found this and thought it was very handy link to keep in favourites

Knock Back (also known as punching down)

This refers to lightly kneading bread dough after it is part risen. It is done after the first rising ... here's the link to the page

http://urchin.earth.li/~aendr/recipes/glossary.html

Off to the shop for a couple of essentials and will update soon. Everyone is doing so well and I'm definitely in for February at the reduced amount of £100, but don't know how to do that as January was my first month on this challenge. Love all the recipe ideas and am learning faster this way than from churning through books and search engines, so thank you to everyone for all the great help & advice that's made available here :beer:

frankerooney

nykmedia wrote: »

Found this and thought it was very handy link to keep in favourites

Knock Back (also known as punching down)

This refers to lightly kneading bread dough after it is part risen. It is done after the first rising ... here's the link to the page

http://urchin.earth.li/~aendr/recipes/glossary.html

Thanks nykmedia! I'm off to have a go at making bread rolls for the first time!

Frugaldom

frankerooney wrote: »

Thanks nykmedia! I'm off to have a go at making bread rolls for the first time!

:rotfl: I was just talking about that last night! I prefer soft rolls and was trying to work out how to bake them so they wouldn't go crusty on top. Not yet worked out the answer, but any suggestions will be very welcome.

Gone frugalling, back soon

theamazinggem

milk isn't it? i haven't done it but i'm sure i remember MrsMc saying half milk half water once...

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all -did someone call? was just about to post anyway

Yep.. part milk and part water will give you a softer crust....I always had a battle with cobs.. they always seemed heavier than a loaf even though it was the same dough so I now leave them to rise a lot longer-(covered with the trusty carrier bag, like a tent) and they are lovely .... You can also throw a teatowel over their heads when they are on the cooling rack, it should make them softer -i guess it creates a bit of steam.. Im glad hubby likes bread super crusty -its much easier

Im going to have a go at super soft rolls at the weekend (as i sometimes like them)..will let you know how they go and post the recipe if it works;) .
Did pitta breads yesterday and hubby whent mad about them :T -so flour wraps are the next experiment;)

Ddraighgoch.. that recipe looks lovely -going to write that one down and put it in my index box-thankyou:T . Pork is the main meat here.. so all recipes greatly received:D

Well i went for a walk as its weigh day again tomorrow and i do like walking..anyway went in the supermarket...and got:-

2 fresh free range chickens -whoopsed to €2.35 each about £1.75 :T
2 more lots of fresh yeast -20c
3 lots of mozzarela -whoopsed to 40c each -about 30p
a big bag of "crisproll" type crispbreads -69c
total €5.99

None of which i technically NEED right now -but they will help in February (although im going to start on 1 chicken today;) )
So i need to update my spread sheet and signature...oooohhhh and not on the grocery chalenge but im so happy I got 2 pairs of the Jamie Oliver silicone tongs from his outdoor range -whoopsed to €3 each about £2.25:j -i got the last 2 orange ones to go with my le creuset pans n stuff ... they had the pale blue, apple green or cream left...if i had got my ebay sorted out here i would have cleared them out and sold them on there

right im off now to update all my figures

have a great day everyone:D

BlushingRose

Hi all,
I'm very new to all this, and have put my soa onto the debt free board *waves to all those people in her thread*.
one fo the things which has come up is that we estemated that we spend £100 a week on all groceries (inc cleaning stuff, cat food, etc) and it's been mentioned that this was too high, so tomorrow (shopping day) we're planning to go to Aldi and try and do it as cheaply as possible.

Does anyone have any advice they could share?

Thanks :-)

rosieben

Hello BR and welcome!

I'd suggest that you make a note of what you have in cupboards and freezer etc, then use that list to work out a meal plan for the next week. Make your shopping list from this meal plan (dont forget breakfast, lunch, snacks, suppers) and - most importantly! - stick to the list when you go shopping If I go to the shop I take cash with me to the shop and allow myself two ro three pounds extra in case I see an unmissable bargain. I usually shop online though as that keeps me from spending so much

If you need help with meal plans there is a weekly thread here which will give you loads of ideas but for a start just think of meals that you all like and that are not too expensive!

loads of ideas on OS for recipes and saving money on laundry, cleaning etc. have a browse through the indexed collections. If you have a specific question please post it and someone will help you out.

Good luck!

Edited to say - keep all your receipts and make a note of small spends when you dont get a receipt (that bar of chocolate or newspaper) and then you'll see where the money goes - its usually a bit of an eye opener

meanmarie

Hi all,

NdraigGoch..thanks for that recipe...will be trying that out in the very near future for a Sunday dinner....saliva running down my chin as I read!

BlushingRose....before you go shopping write a menu plan...doesn't have to be complicated, mine is normally something like: 2 fish, 1one chicken, 2 beef, 1 pork, 1 lamb...breakfasts are usually cereal here and sandwiches or soup for lunch...no packed lunches as we are both retired. When you have the menu written, go through your cupboards/fridge/freezer and see what you have to go towards the making of the meals for the week, and write a list of the rest of the things you need....you could do it the other way round...check cupboards first and base menu on what you already have. No doubt others will give you better advice than me, I'm a bit haphazard when it comes to menus and at present have guests who tend to buy things that I am not expecting.

Dinner to-day is very cheap....half packet of Lidl bacon misshapes, couple onions, 6 carrots, two potatoes, one leek, handful of chopped herbs from garden, couple dried kaffir lime leaves, some dried watercress, all stirred around over medium heat for 10/15 minutes, cover well with water and simmer for 2 or 3 hours...suppose you could do it in slow cooker, I don't have one. Serve with fresh crusty bread.

OH came home the other day with and oyster cut of bacon for €6...it weighed five pounds! Cooked it with a chicken ( €5.75) and we got 15 dinners out of it, some chicken in freezer for sweet and sour for 4 at some stage and there were at least 6 lunch sandwiches as well...so at €.47c I think that was good value...everybody could have had less meat and been satisfied.

Probably a no spend day to-day as I made bread last night and took some out of the freezer for the odd people who don't like home made bread.

€45.89 left until 31st...DD4 going skiing in a few minutes until 2nd and guest going home for a trial run next week too, so not so many to feed, think everything should be ok.

Marie

frankerooney

nykmedia wrote: »

:rotfl: II prefer soft rolls and was trying to work out how to bake them so they wouldn't go crusty on top. Not yet worked out the answer, but any suggestions will be very welcome.

Gone frugalling, back soon

My BM instruction booklet says it helps to put flour on them before baking.

I've made my dough with seeded brown flour but I'm a bit suspicious about whether the rolls will be ok coz the booklet only seems to give instructions for dough made with white flour. Oh well they're rising now (hopefully!) so I'll see what they turn out like...