April 2008 Grocery Challenge

mandy_moo_1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY scotsaver :easter_ba thought you'd be sick of cake by now, so i've sent you some easter eggs!!! :rotfl:

baked a big pastryless quiche this morning to cut into 4 and freeze.....got it out of the oven, nipped up to the toilet and hoover the bedrooms.....came back downstaires to find 2 flippin pieces had been eaten!! DD was starting college at lunchtime and she said she couldn't help herself! Oh well, i s'pose i should be glad she likes my cooking!!! :rolleyes:

mandy_moo_1

moo2moo wrote: »

Sorry peeps the chicken didn't make it. The Chicken Fairy (tooth fairy derivative) came during the night so the kids woke up to a letter thanking them for taking very good care of their chicken. I know thats a very bizarre thing to do but it makes things easier for the 5 year old.

Thats the same 5 year old that happily goes outside to select which cockerel shes going to eat for dinner. Theres a fine line between food and pets. The girl chickens are egg laying pets and the boys are food. The kids like to bury each deceased pet but theres only so much space in the pet cemetery so the chickens are collected during the night from an appropriately cosy place by the chicken fairy.

oh i'm really sorry to hear that. sending you ((((big hugs ))))) if you need them xx

clair2305

nykmedia wrote: »

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Scotsaver! :beer:
Hope you have a fantastic day! Make the most of it, whatever you do!

Moo2Moo - any word about the chicken? Scared to ask now, hope she made it.

Clair - I've been using store own brand pasta & rice for years, I can't tell the difference. Only problem is that the very cheapest ones (20p per bag) they have stopped doing completely in my nearest Mr T, so I'm about to check and find out if Mr A still has their 19p per pack pasta and am going to stock up in MAJOR fashion, even if it means building a store out in the shed! I usually pay 19p or 20p per pack, yesterday they wanted 49p, so it has more than doubled the costs for anyone who was budgetin g on the basic varieties.

thanks for this nyk, I do use the store brands, was just thinking of converting to the basics versions....I'll give it a go....is there any difference in taste? or it's cooking needs (does it hold a lot of water, anything else, etc)?

Thanks

Zend

Went to Mr M's on Sunday to get meat for OH's lunches and ended upbuying other things as well. Now £14 over budget:eek: . Yesterday found some mince lurking in the back of the freezer so made a lasagna. Found some bits of bread as well so made a marmalade and whisky bread pudding. Tried it last night, think I need to put more whisky in it next time. We have loads of alcohol in the garage from over the years but neither of us drink much so the whisky was os saving.

mookybargirl

JennyBee wrote: »

Am going to try the tortillas - was wondering, can you cook them and then have them cold? Might be a random question - sorry!!

2nd time lucky - my 1st post went to Internet lost and found.
These are absolutely fine cold. I've also covered a couple in cling film and warmed in microwave the day after and these were fine too.

MRSMCAWBER

Afternoon all

Made it out of the kitchen :j .....right i will post the savoury recipes later..but just HAVE to share the recipe for the courgette teabread i have just tried for the 1st time...

OH MY GOD...nomnomnom doesn't quite cover it :rotfl: never thought the humble old courgette could taste so good...
It is supposed to be made in a 2lb loaf tin..but i decided to turn it into mini muffins (hubby doesn't have much of a sweet tooth and i still have enough weight to lose -so thought mini was a good idea ) it made 38 I now have 36 left... chefs perks and all that .... plus i missed my lunch

Anyone who likes carrot/passioncake should love this one

COURGETTE TEA BREAD
pre-heat oven to 180c/350f/gas 4
grease a 2lb loaf tin and bottom line with greaseproof paper - make it so it comes up the narrow edges so you can use it to lift it out

1. 1 large egg
2. 125ml sunflower oil
3. 175g courgettes -trimmed and grated (on large holes)
4. 150g wholewheat flour -i used ordinary
5. 1/2tsp baking powder
6. 1tsp bicarb
7. 1tsp ground cinnamon
8. 175g soft dark brown sugar
9. 75g sultanas
10. 3oz walnuts chopped

• tip courgettes and all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well
• whisk egg into the oil and pour into dry goods
• mix to a thick batter and pour in tin
• shove in oven for about 1 hr or until a skewer comes out clean..cool in tin for 10 mins before turning out to cool

How is THAT for a method? :j ...chuck it in, stir it round..job done
when cutting you will need a really sharp knife as its lovely n sticky and This will keep in a tin for 1 week.... or can be frozen.
i made 38 mini muffins and they took about 15 mins a batch and if you let them stand for a few seconds in the tin they firm up and are easier to remove

right i will get off and finish wiping down... courgette quiche is cooling, bread is rising, bolognaise is ticking over on the stove and mini courgette muffins are about to be put away

Happy birthday Scotsaver

bails

Hi peeps, quick question - I have just peeled a whole sack of carrots and want to freeze them, do I need to cook them first or can I just put them in as they are? Thanks. Will catch up later.

ifonlyitwaseasier

hmmmmmm mrs m i think i'm going to have to make them, they sound fab!!

arkonite_babe

I'm going to be over budget this month :mad:
*slap on wrist*

will have to try harder next month. Still haven't gotten round to doing any batch cooking. I can't get the blasted freezer cleared. Any tips??

mandy_moo_1

arkonite_babe wrote: »

I'm going to be over budget this month :mad:
*slap on wrist*

will have to try harder next month. Still haven't gotten round to doing any batch cooking. I can't get the blasted freezer cleared. Any tips??

erm....eat everything?:rotfl: don't think you meant like that did you?! have you tried putting a hairdryer on the ice to try and melt it a bit? just wrap all the frozen food in newspaper whilst you're doing it, so it doesnt start to defrost