January 2026 Grocery Challenge

joedenise

As requested @PipneyJane:  Please share your butternut squash curry recipe!  I don't use a recipe as such but roughly as follows:

I use a SC but of course can be done in a pan on the hob if preferred.  Also need to get out a couple of cubes of frozen spinach to defrost.

I add chopped onions, garlic & ginger to a frying pan and then add about 2 Tbs of medium curry powder (I make my own mix) and cook it for a few minutes and then transfer to the SC.

Add chopped butternut squash, 2 tins of tomatoes and a veg stock pot.  I prefer to add a stock pot rather than stock so it's not too liquid.  

Cook for about 6-7 hours on Low.  Taste and add some garam masala if it needs a bit more "kick".  If it's too thick add a bit of of water (or stock) or if too thin add a cornflour slurry and then add a tin of drained chickpeas and the defrosted spinach.  Give a good stir.  Leave to cook for at least another hour. 

Serve with boiled rice, naan bread or whatever sides you prefer.

jivjules1

thriftwizard said:

Sigh - another £11.67 gone. I needed some dried yeast & black treacle for breadmaking (Danish rye bread, extra good for my gut; had run out of those over Christmas) and snapped up some YS fruit & veg whilst up there as I have half a suspicion that the market might be cancelled this Friday; high winds and trading gazebos are a bit of a lively mix! Our traders are a tough & very reliable bunch but the weather's not so helpful. I'll be doing a swift run to the butcher, fishmonger & bakery tomorrow morning but will batten down the hatches thereafter.

Danish rye bread sounds good! Can you make it in a bread machine? Do you have a recipe please?

ShelivesintheShire

Home made pizzas last night. 
I make rye bread in the bread maker. I use the recipe from my Panasonic book.  We have some rye grain and grind it ourselves. I have never used molasses in it but was only saying to DH that it would be good to try. 
I have some spelt to use up so will make a few mixed loaves for the freezer and slice them up.
I am doing toad in the hole as a Sunday lunch tomorrow as we seem to have a lot of sausages in the freezer.
The jar of Heinz Sandwich Spread had nearly been used up. It works well as a mayonaise substitute in egg mayo sandwiches!

purpleybat

hello all, 

i've been away for some time from the site, last year was a living hell.

but being positive about life again i've decided i must get my finances in order. i'm not going to give myself a budget as such at the moment for the month but i am writing food plans and shoppings lists again.

i bought a load of meat in the pre-christmas sales so thankfully i don't need meat for a while, maybe somre sausages, and i had a £30 voucher throo work for my 10 year anniversary so stocked up on fish and prawns for the freezer.

i've realised over the last year that while i prefer fresh veggies i end up binning them so have reverted to frozen veggies when before it was only ever frozen peas and spinach.

so far ive spent £18, that was to feed 3 of us as i had people staying. this next week, being only me, i'm spending £25.63, i was thinking "how am i managing to spend more?" but its cos i need to buy a new sack of spuds, big block of cheese and cereal. 

i've enjoyed reading all your posts and glad to be back. in a month or so i will be able to put in a budget, i always enjoyed the challenge of sticking to it.
 

PipneyJane

joedenise said:

As requested @PipneyJane:  Please share your butternut squash curry recipe!  I don't use a recipe as such but roughly as follows:

I use a SC but of course can be done in a pan on the hob if preferred.  Also need to get out a couple of cubes of frozen spinach to defrost.

I add chopped onions, garlic & ginger to a frying pan and then add about 2 Tbs of medium curry powder (I make my own mix) and cook it for a few minutes and then transfer to the SC.

Add chopped butternut squash, 2 tins of tomatoes and a veg stock pot.  I prefer to add a stock pot rather than stock so it's not too liquid.  

Cook for about 6-7 hours on Low.  Taste and add some garam masala if it needs a bit more "kick".  If it's too thick add a bit of of water (or stock) or if too thin add a cornflour slurry and then add a tin of drained chickpeas and the defrosted spinach.  Give a good stir.  Leave to cook for at least another hour. 

Serve with boiled rice, naan bread or whatever sides you prefer.

Thanks @joedenise .  Please also share your HM curry powder recipe. Like you, I make my own, so probably have all the spices you use.

TIA

- Pip

jivjules1

25% discount on oddbox and DH bought a few essentials. 15.60 in Asda and 15.48 on the oddbox. Will need to get some bread later also but have deferred the weekly shop for at least a few days never sure if it’s better to do weekly or just by essentials every few days 

188.05/600

Suffolk_lass

Nelliegrace said:

Has Sainsbury’s discontinued both their red and gold loose leaf tea? It is not on the website. 
Shame on them. I hate the taste of paper and pulp in tea, and the scum and microplastic from tea bags. 

The only loose-leaf OB is now in  the TTD section and separated into Ceylon and Assam. I believe Red label was a mixture of these. It is an increase in price, of course it is

@PipneyJane you could have made Clotted cream ice-cream (half quantity) using this recipe - only I would use any frozen fruit of your choice, as strawberries are not in season, and I might even use a carton of RM custard and chop the cream and the fruit and just stir it through - that way you get a little pop of fruit and rich cream in the ice-cream, and the frozen fruit means it will freeze more quickly.

Having said your freezer is full, I would make a rice pudding and stir the clotted cream through as soon as it comes out of the oven, before it thickens, or do what the Cornish do and top a cornet of ice-cream with a dollop of clotted cream.
 
I resisted the urge to say make scones you will note!!

PipneyJane

Suffolk_lass said:

Nelliegrace said:

Has Sainsbury’s discontinued both their red and gold loose leaf tea? It is not on the website. 
Shame on them. I hate the taste of paper and pulp in tea, and the scum and microplastic from tea bags. 

The only loose-leaf OB is now in  the TTD section and separated into Ceylon and Assam. I believe Red label was a mixture of these. It is an increase in price, of course it is

@PipneyJane you could have made Clotted cream ice-cream (half quantity) using this recipe - only I would use any frozen fruit of your choice, as strawberries are not in season, and I might even use a carton of RM custard and chop the cream and the fruit and just stir it through - that way you get a little pop of fruit and rich cream in the ice-cream, and the frozen fruit means it will freeze more quickly.

Having said your freezer is full, I would make a rice pudding and stir the clotted cream through as soon as it comes out of the oven, before it thickens, or do what the Cornish do and top a cornet of ice-cream with a dollop of clotted cream.
 
I resisted the urge to say make scones you will note!!

Rice pudding!  Perfect!  Thanks for the suggestion @Suffolk_lass

- Pip

joedenise

PipneyJane said:

joedenise said:

As requested @PipneyJane:  Please share your butternut squash curry recipe!  I don't use a recipe as such but roughly as follows:

I use a SC but of course can be done in a pan on the hob if preferred.  Also need to get out a couple of cubes of frozen spinach to defrost.

I add chopped onions, garlic & ginger to a frying pan and then add about 2 Tbs of medium curry powder (I make my own mix) and cook it for a few minutes and then transfer to the SC.

Add chopped butternut squash, 2 tins of tomatoes and a veg stock pot.  I prefer to add a stock pot rather than stock so it's not too liquid.  

Cook for about 6-7 hours on Low.  Taste and add some garam masala if it needs a bit more "kick".  If it's too thick add a bit of of water (or stock) or if too thin add a cornflour slurry and then add a tin of drained chickpeas and the defrosted spinach.  Give a good stir.  Leave to cook for at least another hour. 

Serve with boiled rice, naan bread or whatever sides you prefer.

Thanks @joedenise .  Please also share your HM curry powder recipe. Like you, I make my own, so probably have all the spices you use.

TIA

- Pip

Curry powder recipe:

3 Tbs coriander seeds
2 Tbs cumin seeds
1 Tbs mustard seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
1-2 dried chillies (depending on preferences)

Putt all these into a dry frying pan over a medium heat and cook for a few minutes until the mustard seeds start to pop and the seeds smell aromatic, stirring frequently.  Tip into a bowl to cool.

Once cooled  I use an electric spice grinder and grind to a powder alternatively this can be done in a pestle and mortar.

Add ground spices:

1tsp salt
1tsp turmeric
1tsp cinnamn
1tsp paprika 

Mix thoroughly before use or can transfer to a clean jar (I use a small clip sealed kilner type jar)

I suspect it's similar to your own curry powder Pip.

jivjules1

Another shop, that’s 2 in one day 😬 £23.33 at Lidl 

total 211.38/600 was hoping for more like £400 but not really on track for that! How you guys manage your budgets so well - hoping I get better over time!