May 2008 Grocery Challenge

greent

Argh!!! I can't believe it - although I'm not doing this month as such, I've been keeping an eye on our purchases for the last week, since we discovered just HOW much we spend at Mr T's (no other s/mkt this way except either Aldi or Lidl - can't remember which) Anyway, we are up to more than £700 spent - which is a bit ridiculous! However, I have now obtained a breadmaker on f/c (I have made it myself before but always get bored and don't tend to knead it long enough!) and have my first loaf proving in there as I type. I also have been far more aware of prices as I've shopped and did nip into Mr S the other day in the next town as I was driving past (on way back from getting breadmaker) - where I got DH & DD some lovely sirloins reduced and the guinea pigs some bags of greens which were already on half price offer and then reduced in the whoopsie bit. Have decided Mr S have some yummy whoopsies - much better than my local Mr T

Have been attempting to keep up with this thread - boy it's busy!

Hugs to all those who need them, welcome to other newbies like me, congrats to the new mum and good luck to all for JUne:D

GT

mummyleads

have had to spend another £20 on bread milk fruit and veg so way over buget but myne ends on fri and i hope not to need anything else now

victory

NSD for me today, has to be, I spent a lot on make up at boots on their 10% off weekend and have no pennies left, thankfully what I have spent allows me to be indulgent and I do not need anything not even milk so that is a bonus, keep away from town until friday and I may make it:D

I need more of a focus for next month as I am still a little whimmy buyer but then again loads of it was whoopsies but OH keeps asking me what is going to go with that?:rotfl: no idea will find something:D

annelouise_2

Hi there,

Dink1 a few cheapy ideas.

Get a tray pace on a well covered table ,get together a collection of combs,pastry cutters ,blunt kitchen utensils and spray 1/2 cup of shaving foam on the tray and let your lot loose.

*Great for ages to 10 ish ,makes their hands soft and everwhere smells manly.

*Have a picnic indoors.

*Get a tray of tins and sealed packets,notepad and pencils and a jar of money and play shops.

*Make no bake play dough - recipe anywhere on internet.

*Make twinks hobnobs -easy as wink.

Hope this helps ,we had half term last week now we are looking forward to 10 weeks off or are we????

annelouise

dink1

annelouise - thanks indoor picnic here we come.....
its always a difficult one to organise half term thanks

clair2305

....what a lot of posts over the BH weekend

SearchingMe - happy belated birthday, it was my birthday also on Friday but I was offline, hope you had a good one, i did :beer:

I made twinks hobnobs over the weekend and they went down a treat....have to make some more tomorrow

Also tried the quick herby bread, think my tray was too large and it was too thin and doughy, didn't go down too well with DH and DS (nor me really)...may try with smaller tray or loaf tin

If anyone has any bread recipes I can do without a breadmaker, I'd love them please.

Anymore biscuits recipes too please

MrsM I'm declaring at £149.11 for this month (aaaahhhhh!!!!) :eek: and can you put me down for £130 for June please.

Changing my shopping ways....going to do one monthly shop for freezer, cupboard staples and household stuff and then divide remaining balance weekly for fridge stuff, biscuits n treats (as well as making them), bread, and veg

Toms starting to sprout also

nessquic80

Wel ican truely say the gc for me went t**s up, i thought going over by nearly 20 quid was bad enough but ad to go asda for cravendale milk and DH decided he was gonna come......big mistake, he is one of these people that puts any old s*** in the trolley, opens it when we get home and leaves it in the frige/cupboard till its OOD or gone off, it really winds me up, for example he put in hot chilli sauce..ok, but then he pout in heniz sweet chilli sauce...why???then in go the sweet waffles, i told him i can make cakes(which i did) then in went a lge apple pie, to my disgust the shopping came to 64quid, i never spend that maybe45/50 but not 64. whilst i was making the cake he stood and watched me, it was only when i made packup this morning he said he didnt like sultana cake so dont put it in...oh my DH cost me more than my kid!!! im starting junes GC on thursday but wont have to spend on anythingso im delaring now!!
Anyway im over by £85 so im declaring mays GC of £235.... OMG:eek:
Mrsm put me in for june on a budget of £200
and hopefully DH wont come with me for a few more monthes, take care everyone!!

MRSMCAWBER

Afternoon all

4th NSD in a row for me :A :rotfl: .. Have a loaf of bread rising at the moment..ready to pack hubby up for his day on duty tomorrow
Claire2305:- I use this recipe and it never lets me down

1. 500g bread flour
2. 3tsp salt (sounds a lot but it needs it )
3. 300ml warm water -use part milk/water if you want a softer crust-all water makes it yummy n crusty
4. pinch of sugar
5. 14g fresh yeast

• mix the flour and salt in a bowl and make a well in the middle
• mix the water, yeast and sugar in a jug and pour into the well
• cover with some of the flour
• cover with a carrier until the yeast bubbles through
• mix (stick the bowl in the sink;) )
• once in a nice ball cover with the carrier again and leave to prove until double in size
• tip out and shape into an oiled 2lb loaf tin
• cover with the carrier -like a tent..so it won't touch and leave until about 2" above top of tin
• whack in a pre-heated oven 230...for about 25 mins.. -tip it out and knock on the bottom and if it sounds hollow its done..

You can add a dollop of fat to the dough to help it keep a bit longer if you like.. i don't bother as it rarely lasts long enough to go dry in this house

Well i have some fresh spinach in a tub outside that is trying to bolt :rolleyes: so i have set some more and tomorrow im going to turn that lot into spinach n bacon bread..its a 1st attempt so i will report back and post the recipe if its a winner
right will get off again

Wish i was in the Uk as one of you lovely lot could have my BM... i prefer to make it by hand so my BM is in a box the basement... guess that next time i come back to visist i could wang it in the car and see if anyone of you are near enough to have it

Flylady_Flower

clair2305 wrote: »

If anyone has any bread recipes I can do without a breadmaker, I'd love them please.

Hi, I had the same problem when I first started making bread (a long time ago and I gave up!). I think I got bored with kneading, etc and it just never came out right. Now I have my BM, I love it. you just chuck everything in and hey presto, a loaf! :j
I got my BM off freecycle, so it's nice, easy AND CHEAP! If you get any more problems, I would definitely look into getting one.

clair2305

think my friend has a BM that she doesn't use, may ask her if I can borrow (oops lend) it