March 2008 Grocery Challenge

candygirl

mumzyof2 wrote: »

im dead proud of myself tbh need to stop the cigs and il be rich lol

yea you'd be loaded then:D

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

We have snow :j ... about 1" at the moment and still going , its only settling on the grass etc.... the pavements must have been wet as they are staying clear... I love snow...but i want to get my tubs sorted out and everything out and growing :rolleyes: ..oh well..more stuff will be started on the windowsills

mhe.... i posted a recipe for soft "baps" the other day...have copied it below...
But if you want to use your own recipe then using part milk and part water should make bread softer...or you could use all milk, Sprinkling flour over the top before they go in the oven should help too..and then throwing a tea towel over them whilst they are cooling helps too.
We are the oposite in this house we like really crusty bread mmmmmm
If ever you do want really crusty tops...then brushing the tops with salt water and shoving back in the oven for the last 5 mins works... as do using all water for the mix -there is no fat or milk in my normal loaf of bread.. not only cheaper, but less cals we could live on it nomnomnom

soft white floury baps recipe :-

1. 1/2 cup tepid water
2. 1/2 cup warm milk
3. 2tbs butter -melted and cooled
4. 1tsp sugar
5. 1/2tsp salt
6. 3 cups bread flour
7. 1/2tsp yeast -I use fresh so it would be 14g

• Place into your machine in the order according to your instructions and set to "dough"
• turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly
• roll into a sausage and cut into 8 equal pieces
• gently roll out each disk until approx 1/2 thick and 5" across place on a baking sheet
• through a sieve dust the tops with a little flour
• cover with clingfilm and leave to rise -don't put anywhere to warm as the texture is better if allowed to rise long n slow
• when almost doubled , a pre-heat a oven -200c/400f/gas6
• remove cling film and sieve a little more flour over
• bake for 15 mins or until they are golden at the edges and have cooked through
• transfer onto a cookling rack and cover with a tea towel and leave to cool

Mortgagefreeforme .... Not lazy at all..... i made 1 batch of them and froze the leftovers, hubby used some up last week and still has enough -and enough roasted duck in the freezer for another meal .... i froze mine cooked and i was quite surprised how nice they were when they defrosted
I love 5 spice powder.. and use it quite often to concoct marinades n things... i will be getting one of those big bags next time i go-as that is something i know i can use up....
I got some lovely noodles..the ones twisted into like a little nests (great for portion control )... they are flavoured with veggies so some are bright orange, some bright green, some yellow and some red - was quite happy as a pack of 24 "nests" was €1.40..about £1.05

TheBEES
I grow lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, raddish, spring onions, peppers, chillies, strawbs, carrots, beans n peas in tubs/grow bags....
The ones in bold i start off in the house... you can pinch seeds from, toms, peppers, chilies out of your fridge to plant ....
My window sills are about full...have got carried away with the number of peas/beans im growing -but im allowing for the mice, slugs n pigeons to take their share
the other stuff i start off in tubs straight away...

this year im having a bash at lots extra.... butternut squash -so i can store for autumn/winter..... having a go at watercress, chard, kholrabi, asparagus peas,and all sorts of other stuff... will have to see how well i do..
It really is worth gicing it a go..when i was back in the UK it was my 1st attempt and i was amazed what i managed:rotfl:

Right i had better get off and get something done..have a great weekend everyone

nopot2pin

Just had a quick add up of my spends....
£110.95 so far :rolleyes:

Would have been a bit less, but I really fancied some sushi, and didn't have all the ingredients in.... so I will be making that later today.

I am still £9.05 under budget though

KITTY_2-2

Morning all. A NSD for me yesterday and hopefully another 2 over the weekend. I don't actually NEED anything but WANTING is different
I've bought enough sugar, flour and chocolate to make cakes for Easter and DS2's birthday next weekend, but I want to try every recipe I've found on here too. Willpower, Willpower, Willpower, Willpower

Well done those who have lost weight. I need to get back on my diet. I lost 2 and a half stone before Christmas but it's creeping back again - mainly due to sampling the baking but I need to lose at least another 5. Need some of MRSMCAWBER's strength I think :A

Budget is almost at limit so need to reign in a little this week. Congratulations to all who are in budget for this month and commiserations to those who haven't made it this time. April is a whole shiny new month to play with :rolleyes:

KITTY_2-2

OOOOOOOOOO! I've got a star :j :j :j :j

bails

candygirl wrote: »

BAILS are your parents going to Goa, I am soo jealous if they are:(

Scrap the NSD I have just been to the Co-op n got bread, rolls , choc, pop and it came to £4.95:D


Have a nice evening everyone:D

They are indeed going to Goa, sorry Candygirl - Dehli first, Agra (of course), Jaipur, Corbett Tiger Reserve and somewhere else I've forgotten, then down to Goa. Whereabouts did you stay? Trust me, I am just as jealous!

I had planned to go to the local market this morning and then pop into the supermarket to get a few things, but I've talked myself out of it :T With the few bits of veg mum left us, we have everything we need to make it to Tuesday (when we're going away for a few days) and I decided there's no point baking if we're not here to eat it (and to stop me eating it while OH is away this weekend ). I'm even going to the library to have a go at reading the paper - Saturday paper is one of my few 'luxuries' so if the experience doesn't quite cut it, I'll buy one

Have a great Saturday everyone!

bails

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

...
The ones in bold i start off in the house... you can pinch seeds from, toms, peppers, chilies out of your fridge to plant ....

MrsM, I tried growing pepper seeds I 'rescued' when cooking but no joy - any tips please?

JayJay14

Morning all (((hugs))) to those in need especially Smoky and family.

Having a busy weekend - well OH is decorating the study. When we bought this house 9 years ago the plan said 'dining room' but it has always been a study. The carpet needed replacing so we are rearanging it at the same time. When finished we will have a dining room complete with the table and chairs which might mean we will actually eat in there.:eek: At the moment the table is the repository for all the ironing!!! The PC and other computer bits (including DS) will then be moved upstairs to a spare bedroom. Since DD1 and DD2 moved out we have 2 but one is just a junk room at the moment so that will be the new study.

All we have to do now is to do something with the garden and we will be wellaway. We used to grow vegies and have a greenhouse full of tomatoes and peppers etc but the greenhouse gave up the ghost last year and the garden has been demolished by our crazy German Shepherd Kelso:rotfl: What I would like to do is build some raised beds and grow vegies in deep compost as I understand that you can get quite big yields that way. The trouble of course is the setting up costs but if we can save on other things we might get there.

Well I have just had 2 NSD so that is a good start. DD2 has come home for Easter but has an appointment at 11.45am so I will be taking her and nipping into Lidl and Aldi as they are in the area. We have been having dreadful diesel bills just lately as OH has been working about 25 miles away. The up side is he no longer has that problem - the down side is he o longer has a job:eek: . It was a temp but had lasted 4 months so we had got used to the money. He is hoping for a phone call today from an interview last week - he may be able to start work again on Tuesday but I don't dare to hope. He has been working at temp jobs since last july and while its not ideal he hasn't been out of work for more that about a week in that time so its not all bad.

Anyway sorry this post turned into such a moan. I have a few difficult situations myself coming up at work next week so I think things are preying on my mind.

On a brighter note I have been advised to take Red Clover tablets by my specialist for menopause symptoms (quite a supprise as he was a 'normal' consultant) and they seem to be doing the job very well. :j :j

OH says the are working!!

Thanks for being there:A

Keeping_Positive

(((hugs ))) Jay jay 14

Just popping into say I am over budget by £3.08. Not unhappy as alot will be used in April so will help there.

I am now working to April budget but hoping to not spend anything else until the 25th at earliest when April for me offically starts.

Please put me down for £250 for April when that starts thanks (2 adults, 3 kids and cat.)

mhe

thanks MRSM - i must have missed your soft baps post - was it during the debate on whaat small buns were called - baps, cobs, rolls, barms....?????

DH likes crust bread but small children find soft ones more managable so DH has to eat them too:rolleyes:

well be having your tortillas for dinner tonight stuffed with quorn pieces salad and tzatziki - nomnom