June 2008 Grocery Challenge

lday77

Thanks Tashja and Morningstar yes this is my first, haven't been too sick today but have drunk 2 pots of lemon and ginger tea already. I think it's more economical out of a pot (and tastes better)

Yes this is my first, it's been a bit of a shock as it was our first month of trying so fingers crossed.

Am so glad I found this thread I think it'll help keep me on track, can anyone tell me what envelope money is??

mandy_moo_1

oh my god!!! i have to share!!! i've just made my first loaf and it hasn't been a disaster :j:j i made the dough in the BM then put it in a loaf tin, left it to rise, then baked it, and it actually worked!!! i'm so excited! i just wish i knew how to transfer pics off my phone to put on here, but DD17 is at college, and i couldn't wait, so i've sliced it all up and am sat eating some with a coffee now

we've lived off HM rolls for over a year now, cos my bread never worked, but i've just tried another recipe and its fantastic!! sorry, but i'm just so proud of myself

back on topic, i'm gonna have an NSD today, as i'm not going anywhere near a shop, and finger's crossed, it should be a minimal spend week if i'm good :rolleyes:

i'm gonna defrost a chicken tomorrow, so that'll do us 3 days of meals (hopefully) and i think that's how i'm gonna try and keep my spends down, by doing a chicken every other week, cos you can make it go so far

right i'm off to have a read thru of the posts i've missed ( and have another slice of bread )

catch you later x

Scenic_Route

Morning y’all,


Veg box (£11.50): (It’s a bag, actually) 9 potatoes, one huge carrot, 2 onions, 2 lettuce(s) and an orange thing I didn’t recognise (looked like a miniature pumpkin ) 2 apples, 2 pears, 3 banana’s and 6 eggs. Not sure I’ll continue with the veg box thing, cheaper at asda, though I would like to be supporting local businesses rather than a horrible big supermarket.

Vegetarians look away now!:o Spent £51.32 on a shop at Mrs Hamiltons (yummy meat) and the mixed veg box arrived. Meat: 3 bits of steak mince, 1 bit of mutton mince, 2 pork chops, 2 sirloins, 12 sausages and 2 burgers and a beef “thing” for roasting

The burning smell from west lothian on Sunday was a pot of spag bog, a lasagne, a pot of chilli and mystery soup.:o

The carrot (with the onions and some frozen sweet corn) got grated and added to all the mince to bulk it out (I needed to get 4 portions of each type of meal and it didn’t look like it would stretch) and then I decided to add oats as I have read about that on here. My chilli and spag bog had the consistency of porridge (I got too oat-happy) I thought if I added more chopped tomato that might help but it didn’t really. I knew something was missing but it was when the spag bog, chilli and lasagne’s were in the freezer I realised I’d not put any red kidney beans in the chilli.

The soup is waiting to get put into the freezer in portions. It was the mystery veg from the box with onion and weary mushrooms and two green peppers and a wee bit of the huge carrot all blended up with water and a stock cube.

I have yet to use the mutton mince someone said I could make mousaka with it.

I don’t eat much lettuce but so I need some idea’s on what to do with the two I now have. (Can lettuce be made into soup?:rotfl: )

So I’m updating my sig with another £62.82 to make £123.26

Had strawberries and cream (house-mate bought them) on sun night and puss-cat licked the (leftover) cream to try it and then ignored it , he is not normal!!!!!!!

hugs to all that need it this week had some great news and some horrific news this weekend and am feeling a bit wierded out from it all.

SR

mandy_moo_1

hi seashell, bet someone beats me to it cos i type slow, but this is the recipe i used this morning...........

to make it in a 2lb loaf tin, you need

320ml or 1 & 1/3 cups tepid water
500g or 4 & 1/2 cups bread flour
1 & 1/2 tsp salt
1tbsp sugar
2tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp dried yeast

bung all the wet ingredients in the BM ( i hope you've got one! )

then add flour, then yeast

do it on dough cycle

knead again for couple of mins, then shape and put in a buttered 2lb loaf tin

put somewhere warm to rise

i baked mine near bottom of the oven so it didn't burn

baked it for 10mins at 180, then about 15-20 mins on 160

when you tip it out and it sounds hollow on the bottom, its ready

tip it out onto cooling rack and cover with a tea towel so you don't break your teeth on the crust!!!

also can i congratulate 1day77 on your happy news.....i always had a couple of ginger biccies on a morning to stave off morning sickness

orkneystar... re your spuds.....mine took about 3 or 4 weeks before i saw any sign of life!! just don't overwater them, or they'll rot, and then once they get going, you should be eating spuds in about 12 weeks !!

Moniker

"...then mowed the lawn and pottered in the garden for an hour and finished off with an hours ironing:rolleyes: Dont you just love a day off work!!"

Annie123 I know just what you mean - have just finished my ironing (started at 8.30 am) - though I have made a batch of marmelade in between!

Just wanted to say that I'm sorry if last night's post sounded like a whinge - I know I choose to work and I don't have to try and be superwoman!

M

mumker

Hi

I've been watching this thread for a while now and feel so inspired that I'd like to join in with the grocery challenge.

Can you please put me down for 200 pound for June, this is for myself, hubby and baby and is to cover food, toiletries, cleaning stuff and nappies.

Thanks!

mandy_moo_1

Scenic_Route wrote: »

I don’t eat much lettuce but so I need some idea’s on what to do with the two I now have. (Can lettuce be made into soup?:rotfl: )

just found this recipe for you so no excuses now.....off you go and make lettuce soup so you don't waste it!!

lday77

Thanks for the congrats mandy_moo1 I don't know if I could handle any biccies at the minute but I am drinking herbal tea like it's going out of fashion!

The bread recipe sounds great, do you think the dough recipe would work for pizza bases?

mandy_moo_1

no, hun, you need a diff recipe for pizza base....i'll be back in a mo with it....hang on

here it is..................

to make a 12 " pizza base you need:

140ml or 5/8 cup tepid water
1tbsp olive oil
225g or 2 cups bread flour
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp dried yeast

bung all wet ingredients in the BM, then add flour and yeast

when dough cycle finishes, knead it for a min or two

shape it into a sort of round shape, or rectangle if you prefer

i just sort of push it with my fingers, till its as thin as you want it

i usually bake it in the oven 160 for maybe 10 mins, before i put the toppings on

you can also use this recipe for making garlic bread or dough balls xx

dink1

HI Guys,

a NSD for me, (I hope) I am still tiunkering with the bread maker I got from freecycle yesterday. I managed some dough but although it tasted ok fresh out of the oven (made rolls) today they are hard enough to use as misiles! What am I doing wrong?????

Made a batch of muffins and of course Twinks hobnobs, yummumummm! and froze some for later in the week. seem to have the hang of that.

Iday77 - Congratulations! this must be very exciting and exhausting time. Be kind to yourself!!!!

Mandymoo - thanks for the recipe for lettuce soup I have one that looks a little tired thats what I will try

Mumker - Welcome, I am a newbie too, everyone hear is very supportive, they always have great tips and recipes, don't be afraid to ask questions.


Dink1