Show Jamie How To Cook On A Budget Champagne Contest

never_too_late_2

mineallmine wrote: »

Vegetable Thai Curry served with boiled rice - Serves 4

You will need:
Blue Dragon Coconut Cream UHT 250ml (add water to make up to 400ml) = 79p

1 tbsp Sainsburys thai green curry paste 250g jar = £1.49p
1 chopped Chillie from Sainsburys Chillies, Mixed 50g = 48p

2 loose onions = 13p x 2 (based on Sainsburys fiver meal price) = 26p

1 frozen packet of Findus frozen Wok vegetables 500g = £1.49p
1 packet Sainsburys Long Grain Rice 1kg = 43p

Total cost: £4.94


1. Fry onions in oil until softened.
2. Add chillies and fry for a few minutes to help release their flavour.
3. Add frozen Wok vegetables to the pan and cook for a few minutes.
4. Stir in coconut cream (made up with water to 400ml) and thai green curry paste. Simmer for about 30mins.
5. Cook the rice according to the instructions. Any rice in your store cupboard would be great. Especially if you have any thai fragrant rice or jasmine rice.
6. To help it feel more special, why not serve in bowls with chopsticks.

Other ideas to vary this:
- leftover meat such as chicken is ideal for this dish simply cook with the onions at the start.
- also ideal for any frozen prawns left in the freezer pop them into the dish about 5-10 minutes before serving depending on the size of the prawns.
- add any leftover mushrooms you may have.
- beansprouts are quite cheap to buy at the supermarket and could also be added
- you could spice up the rice in a number of ways. Eg by adding fried chopped onions or an omelette (chopped) up to the rice.

I made this for dinner last week - used red curry paste as we had some in the fridge and threw some prawns into it. It was really lush and so easy. The use of the WOK VEG is genius and as Sains recently had them on offer to, MEGA BONUS !

Thanks Lots,
NTL
-x-

FairyElephant_2

Loved reading this thread & got some great ideas - my cooking has been stuck in a bit of a rut lately so needed some inspiration - BIG THANKS to you all!

My quick 'standby' is mashed potatoes mixed with a tin of corned beef (chopped up) bunged in a dish with a bit of grated cheese on top, melted under the grill. Served with a tin of cheapie baked beans it makes a quick & filling meal.

Other than that, I'm with most of you on the meals based around mince & cheap tinned tomatoes - the amount of variations I can come up with are almost endless! My hand-blender is perfectly sized to fit in the tomato tin, so I buy whole ones, pour off the juice first and then blend in the tin for smooth sauces.

Slightly OT, but you'll see why I ask it here....how much do you typically spend on your groceries?
Our family is DH & I (+ cat!) most of the time, but every other weekend we have his 3 kids (all now teens) for a 'long weekend'.
Typically I spend about £40 week, including cleaning stuff & toiletries, but I try to get down to £30 when it's just the two of us. That has to cover all meals, as we take packed lunches.
Am I too extravagant? I thought I was a bit, but I was talking with a friend recently who reckons they spend about £80 week for family of 4 - 2 adults & 2 kids under 10, which I thought sounded heck of a lot! Would love some comparisons from you guys.....

shelley1977

i usually spend between £50 and £60 for myself and 5 children(ages 13,10,8,3 and 2)this covers food cleaning stuff and toiletries and my youngest is still in nappies as only just starting potty training.

curly_cabbage

Wow what a great thread, i do grocery challenger every month and to find this thread will be a god send for a load of meal idea's, i'll be back......
CC

lindens

moanymoany wrote: »

I am delighted with all the recipes so far. This is my contribution - VERY cheap like some of the others.

500g value spaghetti. Cook.
3 tins of tomatoes - chop if not chopped - heat.
150 grams full flavoured cheese - value - grated

Put on the grill.

In a large dish put the drained spaghetti.
Pour over the tinned tomatoes.
Shake the dish to distribute well.
Sprinkle the cheese over the top and put under the grill till brown and bubbly.

This is divine - and costs about £1.50 for 4 people. I like bread with it.

I love this, I do 2 layers and we call it spaghetti pie!!

lindens

pollysg wrote: »

How about this, I made it last night for friends and they thought it was great

Sainsburys sell their low cal tinned soups for about 37p each

I used the tomato and 3 bean soup which is really thick because it has lentils in it, over cooked pasta, and topped with grated cheese - you can push the boat out and top it with mozarella - into a shallow dish and into the oven for about 3/4 hour.
pollysg

Thanks for this one:j, I have just made (and eaten lol) a variation.

I cooked sausages and the pasta then when ready warmed up the soup. Added pasta to soup and warmed through in pan. Put on a plate, added chopped up sausages and a little grated cheese over the top.

It was yummy and still very cheap.:T:T

Savvy_sewing

Good to see a few more people still interested in doing this challenge. Someone asked how much people spend, I have been spending around £80 to £100 and found I was wasting far too much stuff. I think that we now adverage about £65 a week, as I dont shop every week anymore. I am buying the food and cleaning materials for a family of 4 adults and 2 babies under 1.
I buy some of the babymilk and some of the nappies. The girls get vouchers for the babies, Healthy start ones, and so they will use them on some of the fruit and vegetables if I have bought the milk on my Tesco Delivery.
I have to confess that I have let it all slip this month, but I know that I must get on top of the cooking again.
Bernadine Laurance's book that we had in the 80's is a mainstay in my kitchen. Has been since she wrote it. When ever I feel the pinch I pour over it and another one that I have had for so long its now in peices, called "More for your Money" by Erica Griffiths and Shirley Goode.
I did have other books by both of the above but over the years they have been borrowed and not returned!.

jodie114

i was looking for the post that challenged jamie olivers meal for £5, that had everyones 3 courses on?

the recipes for bread and butter pudding looked delish!



jodie

Penelope_Penguin

This thread I'll add your post if it is

Penny. x

jodie114

thats the one!

your a star - thank you