April 2008 Grocery Challenge

Kaz2904

mandy_moo_1 wrote: »

by the way, how on earth do you manage to be up so early Kaz?? :eek:

I'm a perfect wife and mother and get up at that time to do my chores and make up.

(Not really I work nights!):D

Kaz2904

JayneC wrote: »

Didn't know you couldn't use Allinsons yeast, maybe this is why my BM attempts have been less than brill shall we say! Do you know why you can't use it??

There are two different types of allisons. Unfortunately they're both in an orange tin so can get confusing. One's active and needs activating first. I only know this because I bought the wrong one last time and now have to activate it by mixing before I chuck it in the BM. PITA!

Sunnyday

Kaz2904 wrote: »

I'm a perfect wife and mother and get up at that time to do my chores and make up.

(Not really I work nights!):D

Rofl - *wipes tea off screen*

Another NSD for me yesterday and i plan on having another one today:j

I can`t decide whether or not to tag an extra week onto my GC, i think i`ll wait until later when i`m at home and have chance to go through the bank statement, i was going to start May`s challenge this weekend but i`ll do my sums and see.

Yesterday afternoon i put a bottle of long life milk in my wilco food flask and microwaved it, added some greek yogurt and put the lid on, this morning i opened the flask and now have a big tub of gorgeous tasting greek yog YUM!
I though it would need straining or something but it`s great just as it is. This will save me a fortune and i`ve also read that if i strain it through muslin in the fridge i can make soft cheese and add things like chives to it so i`m well impressed - just need to find somewhere now that sells muslin squares so that i can have a go.

Good luck with the rest of the month everyone - not long left now.
SD

scotsaver

JayneC wrote: »

Didn't know you couldn't use Allinsons yeast, maybe this is why my BM attempts have been less than brill shall we say! Do you know why you can't use it??

Hi JayneC - the only yeast they had left says "Dried Active Yeast" on the front of the tin and when I read the back it said can only be used in Hand Baking and has to be reactivated in water before use, it then went on to say it's not suitable for use in a BM and you should instead buy "Easy Bake Yeast" which they had sold out of!! Hope that helps - needless to say I have a little Tesco close by so shall pop in there on the way back from the School run - 8 out of 12 of our School Teachers are striking but not my DD2's so normal day for her!! Also, DD1's School is open as normal which she is well upset about because it's her 12th birthday today and she was hoping for a day off:mad: .

Don't know if I can cope with all the excitement, my 40th the other day and DD1 12 today, at least she's not a Teenager yet and I have another Year to prepare myself for the stresses that brings:rolleyes:

chimp choker - thanks for the reminder about the fresh yeast in the Supermarket but I'm afraid I'm a bit too shy to go and ask:p

Thanks for all the really useful tips, shall post my final total at the weekend as our month runs until 27th.

MRSMCAWBER

Morning all

A NSD for me today... fingers crossed . There is nothing i need and im determined not to spent that last €3.84 of my budget so im declaring €46.16 this month :T .... not under by much -but i do have loads in the cupboards and freezer and have worked out that i need to buy NO main parts of our meals for May
New budget starts on friday..but im still going to hold off for as long as i can before i spend anything.

Sat yesterday and worked out a new meal plan for May and this time have included hubbies lunches as he is now on his "summer menu" which means lots of pasta salads/wraps... Just need to add the occasional snack/savoury -as expected hubby came home yesterday with an empty tub -having devoured the 20 mini courgette muffins although he did let a few others try one -before hiding the tub as he was getting mugged :rotfl: so at least they were a hit.... the 10 I froze so i would have something sweet remain untouched :A . Think next week im going to have a bash at date and pineapple bars i have seen a recipe for..will post the recipe if its any good,

planning to spend some time in the garden today... can't wait for the weather to be a bit more reliable so i can get everything planted out.. already have :-

• potatoes
• carrots
• raddish
• salad leaves
• spring onions
• watercress
• spinach
• chard
• broccoli
• swede
• turnips
• beans
• parsnips
• peas out there...

but have so much more waiting for a bit more warmth (all dotted around the house )....can't wait to get everything out and settled -then i can work out how many more containers i need ..the answer is going to be "lots" i think...still i enjoy growing stuff and hopefully it will save us loads in the summer -plus, as we all know the less often i have to go out for veg -the less likely i am to throw "extras" in the trolley :T

right i had better get off and get something done.. have a great day everyone...

razra

For what its worth I was using the wrong yeast for about 2-3 years and only found out when I came on this site and someone mentioned the orange tubs of yeast were not suitable, :oi never really noticed any difference between the yeast you shouldn't use and the yeast you are supposed to use. Although being the good girl I now use the yeast Im supposed to :rotfl:but if 'I cant get the right yeast then the naughty yeast will do me just fine

cheerfulness4

Flipped over the top of my budget last night with a shop to Morrisons. I just knew I shouldn't have nipped out for milk but should have sent OH. :mad:
Must say that the reductions were amazing tho last night and I couldn't walk away, hence the overspend but the full fridge and freezer.

Have updated but won't finalise my final total as the loo roll is now looking a bit thin on the ground as is sugar.

I never knew that about the orange tub yeast...I've used it in the past too and have no idea which one I had. Must read my labels in future. :rolleyes: Bread always turned out okay tho.

ifonlyitwaseasier

morning all,

going for a nsd today, have milk defrosting at home so shouldn't need to buy anythin until saturday and then that is almost it, i'm going to keep counting my sunday papers in the budget, so i think i should be under, not as far as i'd have hoped but under none the less. and i have plenty of meals in for next month and lots of meat frozen ready.

all i need now is a how to for quinoa (keenwah) any ideas MrsM?:D

turbo5019

I've only started using BM last week what I was told by sister messure out the water from the cold tap leave it on the side, get everything ready then put in it to BM and I have had no problem with the bread.

MRSMCAWBER

hi Ifonlyitwaseasier

HOW SPOOKY.... i was just looking up recipes for that as i have 2 tubs..1 normal and 1 red sat staring at me every time i open the cupboard... im sure it is taunting me that im never gonna get it used :rotfl: ....
I was thinking of making it into some kind of mixed salady thing in place of couscous.....
Found this :-

http://uk.dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Food_and_Drink/Cooking/Recipes/By_Ingredient/Fruits/Quinoa/

Hope you find something yummy in there... and if you do -PLEASE let me know :rotfl: as im not being beaten by that stuff..or the heck knows how many kinds of dried beans, seeds n pulses i have either :rolleyes: -can feel lots of "healthy" salad bowls coming on ...