frugal 'special' dinner for 4 adults 2 kids please

tr3mor

If you want cheap meat, go take a look at the Tesco's freebies threads over on grabbit. You can get loads of free meat, I got a whole duck from them for nowt!

squeaky

For pudding - "reasonably" cheap I can highly recommend the lemon curd smash (the recipe is in our Old Style Recipe Collection under "sweets") because it is VERY yummy and looks and tastes dead posh! yet is simple to make and can be done well in advance of the meal and kept in the fridge before serving. I served mine in big balloon glasses. Magic!

Maisie

Or another one for 'afters'. Put a little stewed apple in a ramekin dish then rice pudding . (A touch of nutmeg added to rice is nice when cooking.) Or you could use tinned rice.
On top of the layer of rice and apples put some sugar and under then under a hot grill to caramelise. Or use a cook's blowtorch. A simple form of brulee and it tastes good.

Lidl's 'after eight' mint chocs are usually cheaper than other supermarkets if you want to finish the meal with choc mints and coffee. Or their coffee flavour chocolate is delicious.

brokenwings

ok i think ive done even better than i hoped ---
if its sunny or fine we are going to them instead of them coming to us LOL

pray for nice weather for me please!! : )

Penny-Pincher!!

Yummy...sounds lovely and should be quite cheap to make too :T

Personally, I would do a roast and serve to adults and kids. Kids love roasts and they are so cheap and easy to make. If we have company-normally SIL and there is 5 of them (all big adults)with massive appetites...lol and there is 3 of us-so 8 in total :eek: This is going to sound awful but I normally buy a large cheap chicken when they come round, cheap sausages & cheap eggs for the yorkies. I buy SP most other things anyway-thats sounds horrid but we dont have alot of money either and feeding all of them costs a fortune

Normally serve:

Large Chicken (7-8 good servings-£2.50)
16 Standard Sausages In Bacon (bulk out the chicken-£1.50)
HM Roasties (Usually do a 7.5KG bag between roasties & mash :eek:£1.10 )
Mashed Potatoes
HM Yorkshires (Make 16 Huge Ones-£0.55)
Carrots (1KG Bag-£0.50)
Peas (Frozen Whole Bag Add Butter Before Serving-Tastes Lovely-£0.47)
Stuffing (2 packs of SM & made into balls-£0.32)
Roasted Parsnips (whole bag-£0.75)
Gravy (loads-£0.20)

Pudding Either:

Crumble & custard(£1.00)
Pie & Custard (£1.00)

I prefer red to white wine, but with chicken most prefer white. We normally get Jacobs Creek Shiraz or Hardys when on special at Asda (20% off and buy 6 bottles and get a further 10% off) works out to about £2.80 a bottle

So rough cost for a HUGE ROAST with all trimming and a good pud:

=£8.89 So per head £1.11

Normally put in serving bowls and allow them to help themselves.

Good Luck

PP
xx

elona

I like to make lemon and garlic chicken - just a really cheap chicken - squeeze lemon juice all over it - cut slits in the skin and push slivers of fresh garlic under the skin - cover with foil and cook normally.

Even my Dad who is as conventional as you can get , likes this.

Or dinner party chicken - get chicken thighs - skin and bone them then stuff with creamcheese dab of mustard, spices etc - roll up and cover with bacon like a swiss roll - put in baking dish for 45 mins covered with foil.

I think it might be my signature that you were thinking of?

Downsizing__for_sanity

How about a Beef in Guiness pie? Looks v impressive and homemade - use the slowcooker to cook some braising or stewing steak, add some carrots and onions, worcester sauce and a can of guiness instead of any water. Use bought puff pastry on top to save time. "Eton Mess" is lovely for dessert - any cheap soft fruit, a tub of thick creme fraiche and a box of those meringue nests, all smashed up together. Looks fab in glass dishes. Lovely!
DFS

brokenwings

yummmmmmmm

hopefully will be going there for a barbie tomorrow if weather is fine, instead of them coming to us, but will definately be using all these recipes and ideas in the future

thanks all

beadysam

How about a lovely warming chunky stew. Dump the pan and a ladle on the table and a dish of rice or some jackets so people can help themselves. Add a fresh baked loaf for people to slice themselves and get stuck in. I do this kind of thing often and it always goes down well.
For pud you could pick some blackberries and apples from the hedgerows and make a crumble. Use brown sugar and add a handful of chopped dried fruit and a handful of oats to the crumble mix and its done!
Good luck
SAM x

bommer

I can offer a vegetarian option. A variation on Cottage pie with a twist.

I buy dried soya from Holland and Barret £1.25 a pack (flavoured)

This will rehidrate to 4lbs equivalant.

3oz will therefore feed 4 (adults)

Rehydrate 3oz with water.
Add 1 tin of tomatoes
1 veg stock cube
1 Onion
S & P
table spoon of tomarto puree

Cook for 20 mins

Add 1 tablespoon of gravey powder and simmer for further 5 mins.

Add 1 can of baked beans.

Place in dish, top with cooked sliced potatotes and about 1-2 oz of mature cheddar. Cook in oven until cheese is browned.

Very tasty with salad.