June 2008 Grocery Challenge

booskyeboo

Hi everyone, I have been reading all your tips and recipes for saving money, I am writing all my spends down for this month and then I can see where I can save some money next month fingers crossed. I made Twinks Hob Nobs today and they are delicious but how do you stop at one????

nickynoo08

Hi everyone hope im not too late to join in this month. i've been browsing this thread for a while now and have found a lot of tips really usefull, still need to tighten belt a bit though.
my budget for this month is £120 for myself, oh and baby. i've already done my 'big' shop for the month spending £62.34 leaving me with £57.66 for the month. fingers crossed

*BigBird*

twink wrote: »

no idea what you have done wrong BigBird you always have to melt the butter very gently, too hot and the mix will be dry, is your oven hotter in the top? must say i am puzzled

Not sure what the problem was. They were all cooked on the same shelf in the oven - I had a piece of ham in there at the same time so they went in one tray at a time on the bottom shelf. Might try melting the butter in a bowl over a pan, rather than inside the pan as, although I tried to do it gently, the bottom of the pan did look a little brown when I poured it into the rest of the ingredients. Never mind - the ones that came out OK are delish, the broken ones will still get eaten and the small bits we chipped off the tray are now on the bird table - so everyone gets a treat

angelnikki

*BigBird* wrote: »

Not sure what the problem was. They were all cooked on the same shelf in the oven - I had a piece of ham in there at the same time so they went in one tray at a time on the bottom shelf. Might try melting the butter in a bowl over a pan, rather than inside the pan as, although I tried to do it gently, the bottom of the pan did look a little brown when I poured it into the rest of the ingredients. Never mind - the ones that came out OK are delish, the broken ones will still get eaten and the small bits we chipped off the tray are now on the bird table - so everyone gets a treat

When I do Twinks I always melt the butter in a pan and havent had a problem doing it like that. I do one tray at a time aswell. I find that the first tray needs 20 mins the second 15mins and the third 10mins. So maybe you need to reduce the time for the later trays? I also line the tray with greaseproof paper so they dont get stuck. HTH

Nikki
x

TheBees

Evening everyone

Just caught up on a load of pages again....

Mummzyof2 - here is the recipe for Potato, Onion and Bacon Hotpot. This is not my recipe. I found it on one of these grocery challenges a few months ago but am afraid I have no idea who posted it originally.
We thought it was really tasty and simple to do.

Slice a medium potato per person into thin slices (2mm thick)
Slice one large or 2 small onions
Chop up some bacon or ham (1 rasher of bacon per person?)
Make a basic white sauce (we made ours cheesy) Half pint milk quantity.
Grease a deep oven proof dish. Layer the potato, onion and bacon, season with pepper. When you've half filled, put some of the white sauce in then continue filling and finish with white sauce on the top.
Bake in oven at 200c covered for 1 hour then remove cover and finish for another hour at 180c.
DELICIOUS.

If anyone knows who originally posted this please tell us all.

Have a lovely evening.
TheBees

galadriel

dutchy wrote: »

Hello to all!

I'd like to join in with this this month if it's okay. The problem is, I have absolutely no idea how much I spend each month, so from June 1st I've been writing down everything I've spent. I have just a couple of small questions; is it just food and drink, or do I also include toiletries, cleaning products etc? And what about booze? Not an essential, I know, but something that does seem to find it's way into my basket with alarming regularity!! :beer:


Dutchy xx

Hi and welcome - I always include basic toiletries (I like the posh stuff from Lush for treats), cleaning stuff, small household bits (like a new washing up bowl and some lunch boxes last week), a bottle of wine most weeks (first two weeks ok, only if enough in budget rest of month) also include odd chippie treat/pizza. I think everyone decides for themself what to include and as long as you try your best tostick to it that's ok.

annelouise_2

Hi All,

Just sat down after ironing another 8 items for ebay but gor some water spots on a few items so waiting for them to dry before I photograph and list them.

Had a great tea of - 1 cooked chicken breast covered in soy sauce,honey,wholegrain mustard,crushed garlic clove and 1/4 cup fresh chicken stock.Bang in hot oven for 20mins served with plain rice boiled in 1/2 n 1/2 chicken stock and water.:D

I** would put sweetcorn and peppers in it next time to make it more colourful and bulk it up.

All the kids loved it and I had enough leftovers to freeze for 1 childs portion to go with the 1 portion of caulicheese and 1 of lasagna.

3 tomato seedlings are looking good,will keep you posted -no sign of cucumbers and 2nd tray of lettuces are looking healthy.
Having another NSD tomorrow but will need a few bits like squash and toffee's on Friday,no real food there then.

Just had a crushed Twinks over a neopolitan icecream - great for a treat just don't tell my kid's.

Have put my uk shopping order in with a friend's daughter who is over next Tuesday and also a massive order with a family who are visiting us by car and then driving onto France for the rest of their holiday so come August my cupboards will be jammed.Small price to pay for a free family holiday I think.The usual -Jaffa cakes,squash,gravy granules,mango chutney,
t bags,cheddar,instant custard yoy get the picture.

Cartons of Vino for Vino Tinto de Verrano are 49c at Eroski so will stock up on lemonade and lemons to make for hot summer evenings a cheap option.

I am reluctant to go out and spend xxxeuros on 1 meal for five of us as I know I can make it last 7-10 days eating and drinking well.....

annelouise :rotfl:

Sosh

Lucifa73 wrote: »

Is there scope to talk to whoever is in charge and agree that she'll wear uniform colours in clothes that fit until she's big enough to wear the smallest size? Seem ridiculous to expect you to pay so much for clothes that are way too big. Will it be difficult to approximate the uniform from a different supplier?

£60 seems very expensive - what is included in that?

There was a few typos on the uniform sheet, so it only came to £45 in the end. That included a sweatshirt, cardi, raincoat with fleecy lining, winter hat, book bag, wellies & 2 pinafore dresses or skirts. I didn't think that was too bad. I went for the dresses as the skirts will fall off.

All I need to get now are some polo shirts, which I can pick up in Asda.

jackk_2

OMG what a buzz, just been to Asda because DH wanted peanuts :rolleyes: , thought id get eggs, marg and milk while i was there. I was just wandering down the meat isle when a guy put a load of whoopsied meat out :j ........somehow it all ended up in my trolly, i sculked out quick smart before anyone noticed lol :eek: . I got:-

16 lamb chops
3 chinese pork steaks
6 pork steaks
8 pork loin steaks
1 ribeye steak
9 rump steaks
2 pkts of suffolk roast pork

Should have cost £60.49..............reduced to £8.50 :j :j :money: .

Jackie x

Lucifa73

jackk wrote: »

OMG what a buzz, just been to Asda because DH wanted peanuts :rolleyes: , thought id get eggs, marg and milk while i was there. I was just wandering down the meat isle when a guy put a load of whoopsied meat out :j ........somehow it all ended up in my trolly, i sculked out quick smart before anyone noticed lol :eek: . I got:-

16 lamb chops
3 chinese pork steaks
6 pork steaks
8 pork loin steaks
1 ribeye steak
9 rump steaks
2 pkts of suffolk roast pork

Should have cost £60.49..............reduced to £8.50 :j :j :money: .

Jackie x

Good stuff:T :T

How smug are you feeling right now?:p

I'm dead jealous - our Morrisons never seem to knock more than 30p off anything unless its utterly manky