April 2008 Grocery Challenge

moo2moo

When I was pregnant I craved fruit and herbal teas, can't think why. It does mean I have 20 or so part packets in the cupboard which I will be finishing before allowing myself to purchase any decent tea. The stuff is like ditch water I can't even identify the stuff I'm drinking at the mo. My youngest is now 5 so its been there a while. On the positive side it will give me 1/2 a shelf in the cupboard.

After that I intend to torture myself with the filter coffee that was bought in France on a shopping trip when we lived close enough to do that. Only 12 packs to go. Thats disgusting stuff too and has a best before date of 1999 but very strong.

Has anyone tried the supermarket value/smart price coffees... are they drinkable?

I'm wading my way through the many things that the kids have won at school fetes which got bunged at the back of a cupboard, it seems to be mostly packet sauce mixes. Tea tonight will be macaroni cheese with broccoli after finding the macaroni lurking at the back of the cupboard.

Suggestions would be welcomed for the following packet mixes:
Farmhouse Dumplings
Tomato cup-a-soups (I hate tomato and the kids won't touch cup-a-soup)
Chicken Balti
Creamy Pepper and mushroom sauce

tylersbabe

Hi

This thread is humongus I have been looking for MrDT's recipie for bacon casserole but cannot find it :eek:

Anyhow just wanted to say that I came in from nights this morning and chucked all ingredients for bacon cassserole in SC (with addition of dash worster sauce).
Turned it on went to bed when I got up this was ready so quick stir and serve

This is loverly had two generous bowls and there is loads left to freeze.
So am sat here a very full and satisfied Tylersbabe .

Thanks MrDT :T

mrsmortenharket

Spent exactly £4 today in groceries. Bread. Must try & make my own. And some fruit for a fruit salad.

Lisa

Skint_Catt

£19.07 in Morrisons this afternoon - only went in for sausages, eggs and cheese but took OH with me :rolleyes: Still under for the month and we're going to Malta for a week next Tuesday so shouldn't spend much (if any) more before then! :j

Moniker

MRSMCAWBER wrote: »

Hi moniker...

Don't know if it would help... but when you have baked your case blind, if you brush over a bit of egg white and let dry before you ad the filling -it should help "water proof" the case

As for cracking... when i used to use the machine to make pastry i always reduced the fat a little -so with 8oz of flour i would use 3oz of fat -half butter half lard for me......
The machine rubs in so well that you end up with a very rich pastry... very yummy -but it might be why it cracks

hope that helps

Thanks for this. I will try it - I ususally stick to the old half and half rule when using the processor so maybe that is the reason. Anyway, this one didn't leak, thank goodness, though it looks a bit strange as I had some red leceister cheese which needed using up so the colour is a bit odd - but I am sure it will taste fine! (and if no one else fancies it I will bring it back home to freeze for another day!)

Tried the hobnobs with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a couple of handfuls of currants added - nom nom!

Moniker

Sunnyday

Bails, the doves white is 97p but the wholemeal is still 55p.
I can`t find it on the offers page, maybe they just didn`t put the wholemeal up in price
Either way i stocked up on the 55p bags

bails

Thanks Sunnyday, that's really useful to know! I'll try to get there so I can stock up sharpish *goes off in search of a nearer Mr A I may have overlooked*

As it's getting towards the end of the month, my thoughts are already turning to May and I've been thinking about what I now make instead of buy. I'm still in the early stages of this as I've only been here a few months but already I can see a real difference. I've kind of got a plan to try new things each month in the hope of gradually becoming semi self-sufficient (not enough land to become fully ss yet). Has anyone else looked back on how their shopping/baking habits have changed over the months or got new things they'd like to make from scratch next month? Just thought it might help inspire each other?

searching_me

NSD!!!! yay... hello everyone by the way.... sorry its been awhile lol ... 2 weeks left til the council finish my flat and i can go back to my cooking and baking .... not looking to bad... looking forward to get my bed back... a 2 seater sofa is not cosy when 2 people are trying to sleep on it ... but not done to badly on the gc this month all considering... still £25's or so for 6 days easy *says crossing fingers* :rotfl: hope your all good xxx

carolt2

Evening Everyone.

Popped to MR M's on the way to pick OH from work and spent a total of £17.66.
Signature updated.

Managed to get some of the teabags that are on BOGOF. Typhoo tea bags 160 per pack.
Thanks Sunnyday.

Also got a couple of other things that were on BOGOF which includes Frosties.

All of todays shop will go towards next months challenge but have still added it to this months budget.;)

BigMummaF

Does anyone else have a 'bung it in' type of dinner that turns out really lush, but then can't recreate it for another time:rolleyes: Not that I'm complaining as such, but it's annoying innit:p

We've just had a similar thing, it smelled heavenly whilst cooking but too salty for my taste. It was a bag of bacon bits that had to be used, so added mush, leek, broc & sweetcorn & 'casseroled' for a couple of hours. The offspring had cheesy mash too & their plates are clear, but then the amount they put on their dinners:eek: I often wish I had shares in a salt mine! Makes cooking easier in a way, cuz I don't put any in now to try & reduce their intake a bit:shhh:

You'll have to forgive me cuz I've taken several hours just trying to read the last three pages SIZE=1]in between feeding various two & four legged inhabitants[/SIZE& someone had a birthday....think it was Sunnyday...but whoever it was I hope you enjoyed it:D Welcome to our newbies & I wish you well with your Challenge---we're all in the same boat so just grab a paddle:laugh: