April 2008 Grocery Challenge

SAVVYMUMMY_2

Hi everyone:hello:
Hoping you are all fine and dandy. Big huggs for those who didn`t quite make it this month(know it`s hard with the big price increases) and a big slap on the back for those who did:T . Hoping that I have come under, but will wait until Monday, when my new month begins. Will then decide what my new budget will be and carry this until the 31st, then each month after that my budget will be from first until last day of each month.

Will let you know MRSM my spends from this month and my budget for next month on Monday, if that`s O.k with you.

Had a NSD yesterday and hoping for another today:D . My mum gave me her bread maker earlier today, so I am trying this out as we speak;) . Ashamed to say that I did own one about 6 month ago, but gave this away(went to a worthy cause) and now wish I hadn`t, but good old mum(just couldn`t live without them)came up trumps:A . I thought she had got rid of hers, but it was knocking about in the attic.

Different make to my old one, but just want to try the dough mix first, for my rolls and take it from there.

russetred

I'm knacked now! I'm down to my last few quid so I made scotch eggs,cooked a gammon joint so made lentil and bacon soup too.Then used cheep(sorry for pun) free range eggs to make bacon,cheese and chive quiche.The house smells great but I think I need a lie down now.6 days to go...

BigMummaF

Hey Peeps....officially, the offspring are paid tomorrow, but I don't necessarily get their housekeep then:p But like a few others, I'm going to see if I can stretch another few days out of the mahoosive stash in the freezer. The HM lasagne from last month has come out for tonight's meal & I'll go for a quick ferret later for something for tomorrow.

Any luck with the malt extract MrsMc? I wondered if the Naffi might be able to direct you if the chemists don't sell it.....I do so admire your library of recipes, but think I'd spend more time reading & dreaming than actually doing & cooking:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: like I do now :whistle:

I was thinking about the muslin squares & thought it might be worth visiting a proper butchers, or failing that what about muslin nappy liners?

I know you haven't asked, but thought I'd post the recipe for Maid of Honour Tarts. They are delicious:p

MAIDS OF HONOUR

Use shortcrust pastry to line a 12-hole baking tin & bake blind Gas 6 for 10mins, & allow to cool.

1 egg
2oz softened butter
4-5oz ground rice
3-4 caps almond essence

Beat the egg, add butter then other ingredients slowly to make a stiff paste.

Spread something like jam or mincemeat on the pastry cases & cover with mixture.

Bake for approx 20-25mins Gas 4, till well risen, but they will burn so be wary.

You can put an almond or cherry on top before baking, or a thin icing after if you wanted to. Hope you enjoy them;)

boredofbeingathome

Bloomin eck BMF, that is one of my fav recipes. I will have to resist till diet over...droolllllll

ifonlyitwaseasier

hey BMF, i think i might have to make them next GC, sound delish!

kittynortheast

Well, I've done my last shop, Please put me down for £424.57 thanks Mrs M. I've made some of Twinks hob Nobs this week (yum yum)and have just made a meat pie with princess tinned steak 89p a tin from home bargains, now I haven't yet tasted it but looks (and smells)very much like a tin of felix, we will see!! How can it be?? that I eat pedigree chum pies and am still £70 over budget???

mama67

chimp_choker wrote: »

Are you happy with what you get for a tenner ?? Because we are big veg eaters that would do 2 meals for the three of us and then I'd have to pad that out somewhat.
I ask primarily because i'm starting to grow my own and it will all be organic along with the eggs form the 20 free range chickens i'm getting next month and I was thinking that I spend around £40 a week ( agregate) on veg but that's not organic and if you get your box for a £10er then I'd probably be spending closer to £60 if going organic...

I'm more than happy with this, the website says this size box would do one person but there is no way I would eat this amount in one week and I like my veggies.
The only thing I buy extra is a sack of potatoes from the farm shop once a month at £5 and sometimes a bit extra salad, but then once the warmer weather gets here they do a salald box which I have instead of so many veggies.

We have a gravy dinner with veg 3 times a week, and I also hide alot of veg in things like tomato base for chilli etc.
I do use frozen green beans.

Forgot to say that this price includes the delivery charge as well.

mama67

chimp_choker wrote: »

I guess the milkman is an altruistic gesature to employ someone rather than save money, lol. We ditched the milkman about 20 years ago I reckon..... oh the whoe of Mr T. If you have gone over budget again is it a realistic budget?? this is not aimed at you persay Mama 67 just a thought that maybe we are being 1, too optomistic on what we spend or 2, we are finally realising just how much we are getting stung each month for food just to live....

..... Oh by the way, the hollow leg syndrome is easily cured. Chop them off at knee height and fold the flaps of skin over and stitch up..... saves on shoe leather as well.

Milkman is handy when living 3 miles away from closest shop and forget to get milk from freezer, so only have 6 pints delivered a week, but this usually stops us running out inbetween thaws with dried for cooking.
Box delivery is also handy as this veg keeps easily for a week to 10 days on my stone kitchen floor, supermarket veg would have gone off within less than a week, and the majority is grown on the home farm approx 40 miles away.

I think this month was more that prices on basic store cupboard things I needed had gone up hence why I have increased my budget next month, and as stated I did buy quite a few whoopsies which will do next month meatwise.
As I bake all my own bread and cakes etc the flour I bulked up on will also last at least 2 if not 3 months so if you then average this out it isn't quite so bad for furute months just looks bad on previous months.

lilmisskitkat

Afternoon all I see quite a few people are coming to the end of their challenge in the next couple of days so want to say :T to those who have come in under/on target and hugs to those who've struggled (like me in March, i gave up counting after a while )

My new month starts tomorrow, still with the £200 budget so works out at £50 per week. Have finished for this month now as i'm not going out anywhere today so my total is £175.39/£200.00 :j So thats an extra £24.61 for my furniture account for the new house

Take care all

Kate xxx

Skint_Catt

Need to get some baking bits tonight - but I've done it woo hoo!! Can't believe it! My next month starts on 7th May as we're off to Malta on Tuesday for a week!