January 2008 Grocery Challenge

Clockwatcher

Oh dear, it's a good job I'm not in for this month, thought I was doing really well by going to Tesco on a Sunday morning- so I couldn't buy any booze, yet came away with a pair of jeans!

Lil-Me I'm going to guestimate a budget of £120 for Feb.

tattycath

Thanks Mrsmcawber,unfortunately I don't have a sausage!!! lol. I shall copy and paste recipe and put it in my file of useful recipe from this site. I can then make it in february, it sounds great:D -and cheap.:D we like cheap!!:D

freyasmum

tattycath wrote: »

Thanks Moniker that's very helpful. I have also got 500g of yellow split peas in cupboard, but have just noticed they need soaking overnight. Would it be possible to soak them all overnight then split into portions and freeze so I can use them straight away when I need them please??
same with black eyed beans I have just found in cupboard!!! Goodness, I'm finding all this stuff I didn't remember having!!! i will have to seriously update my storecupboard list on excell-doesn't help that OH and kids have stopped using it, I've been a bit lapse with it tbh or I would know what I have in the cupboards-the dried stuff anyway.

Hi Tatty

You would need to soak them overnight and then cook them before freezing But that would be fine, lots of people here do that

Lx

honeybe21

does anyone else recylcle so to speak thier chicken after chicken dinner.

my mum taught me that the frame can be boiled to make a stock and the chicken left on the frame after boiling and after uv taken for dinner can be put in add carrots onion potaroes chopped up chicken stock cube and like magic u have chicken lobby or stew which ever u call it.

although most ppl cant get past the boiling the frame and skin and taking it out and taking chicken of it as they see it as gross but it really does make a lovely tea for the next day.

tattycath

Thanks Freyasmum, never thought about cooking them before freezing DOH!! what am I like!! lol!! ok, i shall start the soaking process and while I'm feeling all industrious I think i'l make some rice pudding in slow cooker.

MRSMCAWBER

Oh Yesssssss honeybe21

There is a whole thread on here somewhere called "rubber chicken" mine looks like a Pirahna (sp) has attacked by the time im done with it... chicken and sweetcorn soup is one of hubbies faves for his flask for lunch and costs pence :j

I "recycle" everything :rotfl: I honestly can't remember the last time i threw out any form of food ..and strangely enough -when i make "concotions" using up odds n ends my hubby always coments on how lovely they are much more so than if i followed a recipe to the letter:rotfl:

honeybe21

tattycath wrote: »

I think i'l make some rice pudding in slow cooker.

ive been thinking about a slow cooker can u or anyone else tell me the benefits of one and money saving u can acheive from one?
i dont really cook alot of meat only usually chicken on sundays

meanmarie

Hello all and welcome to the newbies!

Tattycath....I remember seeing someone post ages ago that they soak and cook a packet of peas/beans at a time, then divide them into portion amounts and put in sliced bread plastic bag, tying a knot between each portion, freeze.....when needed it is only necessary to cut off bottom portion and chuck in stew/soup or whatever. Thought at the time that it was a great idea, must confess that I have never got round to it...maybe to-morrow.

NSD...only €2.25 left and final spend declared!

Marie

honeybe21

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Oh Yesssssss honeybe21

There is a whole thread on here somewhere called "rubber chicken" mine looks like a Pirahna (sp) has attacked by the time im done with it... chicken and sweetcorn soup is one of hubbies faves for his flask for lunch and costs pence :j

I "recycle" everything :rotfl: I honestly can't remember the last time i threw out any form of food ..and strangely enough -when i make "concotions" using up odds n ends my hubby always coments on how lovely they are much more so than if i followed a recipe to the letter:rotfl:

my fella does that he finds ods and ends in cupboards and makes the oddest things i never eat them theres always loads of curry and other stuff in it and it dont look nice how ever my fella and the ex eat it and the kids do so cant be to bad lol.

tattycath

Honeybe, I've had my slow cooker for years, I must coinfess I haven't used it as much as I should have, and now I'm on mse I use it much much more, it's very time saving, coz you can throw a meal into it-stew casserole, joint of meat etc, switch it on and go to work and when you get home most of the meal is cooked. How easy is that!!! It means that you can use cheaper cuts of meat, because it cooks more slowly and makes the meat more tender, I have noticed that my joints of meat don't shrink like they do when they are cooked in a conventional oven and I am still learning. No doubt some one much more knowledgeable will be along shortly to give you some advice/hints/tips. I love my slow cooker and if it ever broke I will be replacing it as soon as possible-hope I haven't cursed it now, I've had mine for about 12 years!!!