April 2008 Grocery Challenge

Mollymop5

apple_mint wrote: »

I now have to work out how to cook fresh sardines, ray wings and monkfish tail. Well, at least this challenge will be expanding my horizons!

My ex was a fisherman and I used to live on monkfish. I'd cut it into chunks stick it in some boiling water for 5 mins then dip it in egg, roll it in breadcrumbs then fry and have as scampi.It's delish
I also used to chunk it and have it in a korma sauce.

mrssnowy_2

weemissy wrote: »

Hi everyone
Was thinking of buying dried milk for making things like lasagne - does anyone else do this? DS and DD drink milk, eat loads of yog, cheese etc and have porridge made with milk so no concerns re lack of calcium, but would it cook okay?
Also looking for a really basic tried and tested recipe for scones?:T
Will update sign when I've totalled
thanks
X

edited to say I put my chopped brocoli stalk in my caserole - lovely, can't believe I've always thrown this out!!!!

Dried milk great standby,I use cheap stuff from Somerfield,can't remember how much but no one notices.
Seen a thread for scones somewhere,Delias good or Bero-Just roll them thick,don't handle too much or roll too hard and cook in a hot oven.Cheese ones yummy.
J

lillythecat

apple_mint wrote: »

Tonight was our monthly shop night (which also includes the milk, fruit and veggies of our weekly shop). I operate a storecupboard system and restock items on my monthly shop (have a list on my notice board that I add things to as I use them up).

Tonight we hit Sainsbury's (£15.77) and Asda (16.44) so my total spend so far is £51.75 this month. My monthly shop normally comes in the £60-£80 bracket so a big saving.

But, and this is a big but , £5.15 of tonight's spend included reductions from both stores which (if I had paid full price) would have cost £34.93 :eek:. So I have lots of veggies (much already blanched and in the freezer), cumberland sausages and fish at very little cost. I now have to work out how to cook fresh sardines, ray wings and monkfish tail. Well, at least this challenge will be expanding my horizons!

Hi apple mint - I think sardines are best grilled or BBQ'd its a bit cold for a BBQ so just grill 'em brushed with a little olive oil maybe a bit of parsley.. yum! or you could freeze them until the weather is better. The Ray/Skate is traditionally served with black butter but I recently had it with a raspberry vinegar sauce and it was great so I guess anything acid/fruity would go - Rick stein has recipes.Don't over cook your ray/skate wing. I recently cooked a whole piece of monkfish tail wrapped in parma ham v nice also you could add the monk fish to a 'posh' fish pie. Good luck

lillythecat

mark88man wrote: »

Count me in this month for £595. (!!!!), but coming down quick was in the £800s.

i'm sure that I've spent this much and more in the past mark88 (not being critical, according to the rules of the thread you spend what you wish) when we had 6 plus to feed. Now I look a people's laden trolleys in the supermarket and wonder what they're doing/ eating. We eat v well on about quatrer of what we used to spend... a bit more effort perhaps but healthier and tastier.

Jacks_xxx

:T :A :T :A Cheers lovelies,

I've got to go and pick up a prescription later today, so while I'm in the surgery so I'll make an appointment to talk to my doc or the nurse to see if some kind of implant would work for me.

Just think of all the money I'd save in painkillers, chocolate, and unwise (and often strangely Turquoise) fashion purchases if I didn't have periods! :eek:

There's be no more 4am Twinks Hobnob baking sessions either when I'm grumpy, my tummy hurts, there's nothing sweet in the house and I. Want. Something. Yummy. To. Eat. Right. Now Dammit!!!!!!!

(I paint such an attractive picture of myself on here don't I?) :rotfl:

Love Jacks xxx

apple_mint

Mollymop5 wrote: »

My ex was a fisherman and I used to live on monkfish. I'd cut it into chunks stick it in some boiling water for 5 mins then dip it in egg, roll it in breadcrumbs then fry and have as scampi.It's delish
I also used to chunk it and have it in a korma sauce.

Fantastic, thank you Mollymop ... I would never have thought of this :T Two great ideas!

apple_mint

lillythecat wrote: »

Hi apple mint - I think sardines are best grilled or BBQ'd its a bit cold for a BBQ so just grill 'em brushed with a little olive oil maybe a bit of parsley.. yum! or you could freeze them until the weather is better. The Ray/Skate is traditionally served with black butter but I recently had it with a raspberry vinegar sauce and it was great so I guess anything acid/fruity would go - Rick stein has recipes.Don't over cook your ray/skate wing. I recently cooked a whole piece of monkfish tail wrapped in parma ham v nice also you could add the monk fish to a 'posh' fish pie. Good luck

Wonderful, thank you so much lillythecat :T Between you and Mollymop I've got loads of help

KITTY_2-2

666paw wrote: »

I cannot remember who it was that posted but I do recall them saying about SW quiches. If you read this, could you please let me have the recipe. quote]

Morning early risers

I make SW quiches quite frequently and rotate different variations throughout the month dependent on what needs using up
The basic mix is 3 beaten eggs, a tub of plain cottage cheese and seasoning. To this you add whatever you wish. I usually have cheese, then throw in peppers, onions, peas, sweetcorn, bacon, ham, left over chicken, tuna anything really (note- I don't put all these in together :rotfl: eeeuuukkkkk!) roast veg is very nice and the quiche always tastes better to me the day after. It will keep in the fridge for several days but I have never frozen it so can't be certain but it should freeze after cooking. These quiches are free dependent on amount of cheese used (I usually count as either a healthy A or B - depends what day is like and what else we are eating) and what fillings you add.

1. Chop all veg, meat etc and place in bottom of flan dish
2. Cover with cottage cheese and egg mix - stir in cheese before this if using. Spinkle with herb of choice. Can top with tomatoes if you like them.
3. Bake in oven at 180 for about 30-40 mins. Can't be more precise as depends on how wet mix is. Test with a skewer. If it comes out wet leave quiche in a bit longer.
4. If top starts to brown before cooking is finished, I cover with baking paper and remove for last few minutes.

Hope this helps. Right off to shower as going to Shrewsbury for the day visiting. See you all tomorrow. Please try not to leave me more than 10 pages to catch up on :rotfl:

mandy_moo_1

weemissy wrote: »

Also looking for a really basic tried and tested recipe for scones?:T

hi
the recipe i use, they always seem to be lovely and light......

225g SR flour
50g block marg
50g sugar
1tsp baking powder
tbsp dried milk
water to mix

i use a food processor to rub the flour and marg together or you could just do it by hand.
stir in sugar, dried milk and baking powder
add enough water to mix to a dough
use your hands to make it into a round and to flatten to about 3/4 " thick then use a cutter to cut them out

DON'T twist the cutter or it stops them rising as much...don't know why but it just does!!
bake for about 10mins at 220 deg

i've found that using dried milk makes them so much lighter
then just eat and enjoy

by the way, once you've cut the rounds out, you can freeze them in their raw state, then just bake them from frozen if you prefer xx

scotrae

Called in at Ts yesterday to get the BOGOF deals and offers that I didn 't trust DH to find (he's have settled for substitutes and spent a fortune) at the weekend, before the offers finished. Timed it right and got another couple of 30p loaves for the freezer but everything else was bought in pairs!

Gathered the cheek to ask the man at the electrical store to knock £4.99 off the total of the replacement fridge and delivery so that I could hand over the cash (round figure) that I'd got together. Wish I could have afforded to shop around but with the door having dropped on one son yesterday we can't risk leaving it longer. The problem is that I'm going to have to keep this new larder fridge well stocked or DH will notice when it looks empty!

Dear, darling M-i-L bought some odds and ends for us at Lidl yesterday, including 'posh' toilet roll! (We can save that for when we have visitors!)