Stretching our meals and breakfast loaf

Dear reader,

It has been raining since last night here in Buckinghamshire. Still very warm but damp, almost Caribbean weather-just dreaming.
I have been having a good read of all your blogs and have also found a few new ones that I like.

As you know, I really enjoy cooking, experimenting and making food stretchy that bit further. I have had to as the price of food now is so high.
I discovered this blog Mortgage free in three and Elaine has some great recipes. She set me off wanting to cook today and since we are back at work next week I got going in the kitchen.

I usually cook Big man a breakfast when we are off. Nothing too major, usually poached eggs or some bacon and eggs, that kind of thing. We don't have the full works although I so could!

Yesterday when I delved into the freezer I found three sausages so I defrosted them overnight in the fridge. The trouble was, I fancied a bit of a cooked breaking too. Big man fancied sausage and egg sarnies but so did I now, what to do with just three?
I squeezed them out of their skins and formed them into flat patties and dry fried them.  They tasted better than they looked, they went further and cooked much easier too.

I went back to my blog reading and found a malty loaf recipe on Elaine's blog, Mortgage free in three. I usually find a recipe then realise I'd have to go shopping for the ingredients. Not so this malt loaf, I had them all. Three weetabix,  50g of sugar, 125g of porridge oats, cold tea, 2 eggs and 125g of SR flour. I made it, cooled it, sliced it and it is superb. I thought it would be good to take to work as a kind of breakfast slice as I don't often fancy breakfast at 5am. Here's the recipe Malt loaf

I also used the oven while it was on to make 6 chocolate muffins from an Approved Food packet mix I found in the back of the larder. Big man and I will take these to work in packed lunches.

I cooked my chicken and want to see how many meals I can use it for. We both had full roast dinners today from it with green beans, peas, roast and mash potatoes, parsnips and roasted carrots. I had a clean out of the salad trays in my fridge. You know, the ones that hide all sorts of stuff, well mine do anyway. I found a garlic clove and a very ugly looking bit of root ginger. As I had a load of carrots I peeled them all, chopped into inch size chunks and not wanting to be wasteful, I chopped the garlic and ginger along with some dried chilli and covered them in oil. I poured this over the carrots and they were just wonderful. I plated up two more dinners and we will have the same tomorrow to save me cooking again. I'm at work tomorrow in case you thought I was lazy. I have a plateful of meat left and of course the carcass which won't be wasted. Who else makes stock or soup from the carcass?

A massive hello and welcome to my new followers. I can't seem to see who the latest followers are. Does anyone else know how? Mine aren't in any particular order.

It's always nice to get new followers and I always try to follow you back if you also blog.

I hope you all have a great weekend. 

Much love

FIB. Xxx

Frugal flat bread and using up.

Dear reader,

Big man and I have been off work this week to visit my parents as it was my mums birthday and we like to spend a couple of days at home catching up with jobs.
I have done three loads of washing today which I got dry on the line. I use a tiny amount of washing liquid and usually use the 30 degree wash which is fine. I do use fabric conditioner and have a bit of an obsession with a strawberry and lily one at the moment. I only buy it when it's on offer though.

I got another BzzAgent product through today. I will be trying Danio yoghurts and they have sent me vouchers to buy them so I will let you know what they are like.

Using up what we have prompted a good scrummage in the freezer. I found a bag of king prawns, some Thai curry sauce which we had frozen after making too much and a bag of mixed peas and sweetcorn. I always have rice, so boiled this and added the peas and sweetcorn. Heated the curry sauce and when hot added the prawns. Big man fancied some flatbreads. They are so easy to make and lovely to dunk into curry and other saucey food.
I knew there were a couple of onion bhaji mixes in the larder which I had for from Approved Food a while ago. The trouble is that you have to deep fry them. I tried spraying oil on them and cooking in the oven but they were rock hard. After seeing that the ingredients are chick pea flour and spices I added some to my normal flour for the flatbreads. It made them yellow and had more flavour. An excellent way to use up what I had already.

If you fancy making flat breads, here's how.

You will need

Flour-any type
Oil-any type
Salt-small pinch
Warm water

Put the flour in a large bowl. I just guess the amount I use but I suppose a mug full is about right.
Add a tablespoon of oil-it doesn't matter if you add more but you have to add some to be able to cook them without burning. Olive oil, sunflower, any type will do.
Pinch of salt
Warm water until you can roll it into a nice dough. Add more flour if too sticky.
You can add herbs now if you like, garlic powder, coriander whatever you fancy. You can adapt for whatever meal you are having, basil for Italian with some Parmesan cheese would be good.

You must get a frying pan hot, I turn it to the highest and then divide the dough into little balls and roll out as thin as you can. Put into the pan and you will see tiny bubbles appear after a few seconds, now turn them over. You will suss out your own way to make and cook these but they are an easy and cheap option and better then buying something similar in the shops. You could also use them as wraps instead.

I have a chicken defrosting for tommorow which I am going to try to make last several meals. Ill let you know how I get on.

Much love
FIB. X

Minestrone the Bucks way.

Dear reader,

I haven't written for a while as I have been away to my parents in Kent. I hope you are well?

We returned today and rushed out to the greenhouse. We had left the window and door open and everything was still alive. Tomatoes were huge and had lots of little green fruits, the squash and butternut squash are both huge too. I think I'm a bit weird, I love the feel of the butternut squash leaves, they are so soft and a bit hairy.
The strawberries are all fruiting and there was one big, fat, red and ripe one which we shared. I love the way strawberries spread out their little tentacles to make another plant. We just let them root in another pot and then get an extra plant for free. We started last year with four which we bought from the boot sale and now we have about 10. Brilliant!

After the last few days of being with family and eating lots of fabulous but fattening food and seeing a picture of myself I have, once again decided to try to lose a few pounds.
Why is it that I think I look quite good and then see a photo of myself? My blow dried and straightened hair looks flat and lank and the gorgeous lippie that makes my lips look fuller is non existent? The jeans that promise to make you look slimmer lied and the push up bra has pushed off.
Ah well, a moment on the lips, a life time on the hips and all that. There is a famous saying, Wallis Simpson I think, "You can't be too rich or too thin" I know that money doesn't make you happy, you only have to see recent pictures of rich celebrities with extremely rich husbands to see that!

We are trying to work out which plants or trees would be best in the garden. I wonder if you could advise? I would be really grateful for any ideas as we are both quite new to gardening.
We have a long straight edge and I would like to put some smallish trees or large shrubs there. Firstly to make it look nice and also for a bit of privacy and security.

I really enjoy reading about recipes and cooking on the blogs I follow. I'm sure you do too and have probably been over to frugal queen regularly like me. I am also trying to use up what I have in July.
Today I scoured the larder cupboard and found a tin of tomatoes and an unopened pack of tiny pasta, (can't recall the exact name-digit something I think). Hmm, minestrone came to mind.
In the freezer I found some chopped, frozen onion which I had previously prepared, a frozen garlic and ginger cube and a small tub of dried pulses I had boiled and frozen some time ago. These were an Approved Food purchase and were a stew mix with pearl barley and peas. I put them in my huge, soup pan with a little water and waited till they defrosted. Then, as I had a surplus of carrots, chopped several in the food processor. I also liquidised the tinned tomatoes and added them both to the pan. Using my pestle and mortar I ground one teaspoon of rock salt, 6 peppercorns, a tiny pinch of our own dried chillies (they are mean!) and one sweetener. I usually add one as otherwise it can taste bitter. I added four of the empty tomato cans of water. I always use the can or jar to swill out the last of whatever was in there. Into that I put two small cups of the dried pasta and turned it down to simmer. After about 15 minutes it was ready, the pasta was soft, the carrots al dente and the pulses were cooked. I topped it with a little grated cheese which melted beautifully.
I had all these ingredients already and it was a really nice, filling soup. I don't think they have pearl barley in it in Italy but they do here in Bucks. I am enjoying a second bowl as I write.

If anyone else is making do with what they have, please send your ideas in a comment and I will show a link to your blog tomorrow so everyone can see.

Much love
FIB. X

My meal plan and shopping bargains.

Dear reader,

Despite my good intentions not to go shopping, Big Man wanted some porridge oats and bread so as I still had some Buzz Agent vouchers we headed off to Tesco.
£46 later we got a few things we needed and some more.

I was especially pleased to get a few reduced items. I had picked up the Tesco entertaining range Mexican cheese toppers as Big Man adored this and I had £1 off. They were £1.50 so they would cost me 50p.
Then I saw the exact same ones in the reduced action for 39p each-result! Grabbed all four and the £1 off vouchers earned me some money, I got 61p back on each one.
I came over all American coupon crazy!

Then I found some antipasti olives, manchego cheese and sundried tomatoes. Reduced from £2.50 to 63p. I grabbed all five and we had some today for lunch and the others will be tossed into my salads for work. Free salad from the garden so this will be a cheap meal.
I had a £3 voucher left to use and we chose the halloumi in sweet chilli which we fried gently.
I can report, it was superb.

I am enjoying experimenting with frugal cooking and I have a cheap beef brisket joint in the slow cooker. It's been in on low since 830 this morning in an onion gravy and still seems tough. Apparently you have to cook it for ages according to Hugh FW. Anyone know when it will soften?

My menu for this week is as follows

Tonight-Beef (hopefully tender) mash, veg. Stewed rhubarb and ice cream.

Monday-Sweet and sour pork, egg fried rice.(Boiled rice with a chopped omlette)

Tuesday-Steak and kidney pie, mash, veg.

Wednesday-Big man out-snack for me

Thursday-Chicken stir fry, veg and rice.

Friday-Prawn curry, naan, rice.

Lunches will be sandwiches for Big man and salad as above for me.

We seem to eat a lot of meat although we both like Lind Mcartney sausages which we had this morning. Big man likes to have meat in his meal although I would like more vegetable dishes.
Any good recipes ideas?

Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

Much love
FIB. Xx

Frugal pizza and the temptress in me.

Dear reader,

Here is my frugal pizza recipe which we had this afternoon.

300g flour (I use whatever I have)
1tsp salt
1tsp dried yeast
200fl oz warm water
1tbsp olive oil (I use any oil)

Put flour, and salt in a bowl. You can add everything in the bowl but I like to put the yeast in the warm water with the oil and then add. Stir until you have a dough, kneed a little and then roll, squash or pull into a pizza shape. I do round and square depending how the dough goes. No need to wait for rising.

Top with a sauce, tomato, BBQ or whatever you like. Today I used a couple of marinades I got from Approved Food. Then, scrummage around in your fridge or freezer like I did today and found, peppers, cheese, olives, some ham and I even used the remaining sweetcorn fritter mix I made this morning. I just dolloped it on the pizza and it was Devine. You can see the dollops of yellow sweetcorn on the small round one. I did half and half with the sauce and toppings.

 

Sorry, no cooked pictures, too lovely to wait.
I reckon these cost me about £2 to make both. I am not food shopping this weekend in an effort to save some money.

We have no bread in the house and no more flour to make any. We will just go without. There are lots of salad leaves in the pots in the greenhouse and it will do us no harm to forgo bread for a while.
I do have some meat, prawns and a whole chicken in the freezer, lots of dried foods, rice, pasta and tins. We have milk, tea bags and cereal.

We don't go out, we don't smoke (anymore) we do have a couple of drinks throughout the week.
Big man-red wine, I am a vodka and diet coke girl.
We don't go on holiday, we drive slowly to save fuel, we keep gas and electricity to a minimum yet we still don't seem to have any money.

I am desperate for a sunny holiday but am trying to be sensible. I do have my credit card.....
The frugal half of me say not to but the frivolous half says do it, do,it, you only live once, you work hard, you deserve it. Aaaaagghhh.....temptation.

I will be good.

Hope you are being good too this weekend. Do you get tempted?

Much love
FIB. Xxx

Our free lunch from Bzz Agent.

Dear reader,

As you know, I joined Buzz Agent about 2 weeks ago. They give you vouchers for free stuff and you chat about it on Facebook, Twitter, your blog or to your friends at work.
I thought it was a good way to try out and to buy things we wouldn't normally, a bit of a treat really.

The first thing I got was a load of vouchers for Tesco Entertaining cheeses.
(I later found out the Buzz Agent has been bought by Tesco but no matter) I love a freebie anyway.

I had already made a firm decision that I would be totally honest about the product and if it was no good, I would be saying so in no uncertain terms.

We tried these for lunch on Saturday.

The halloumi, sundried tomato and olive kebabs could be eaten cold as they were or grilled. We both love halloumi and the way it squeaks on your teeth. I put them under a hot grill until the cheese just browned. They were absolutely superb. The olives were big green ones and we both said we would buy these again. They cost £3.50 for four. They would be a nice starter.

Then we tried the mozzarella topper which was tiny balls of the cheese and a separate tub of pesto.

These cost £2.25. They were nice and I copied the pack and put them on some tomatoes. The pesto was very tasty. The pearls of mozzarella were not as nice as a large one. I thought they were a bit tasteless and tough, not as soft as a large one.  There was a lot of pesto in the tub though and I had a bit left over which I tossed some asparagus in.

We had some hot pittas and I wrapped some bacon round four fat asparagus spears and roasted them in the oven. A lovely summer lunch was had here in Bucks.

Hope you had some nice grub at your house too this weekend.

Much love

FIB.x

Planting salad, eating junk!

Dear reader,

Thank you to all those who sent me growing advice. We do have a greenhouse which we love. It was here when we moved in and we never had one before. It's brilliant.

Tonight I planted some more mixed salad leaves, rocket and lettuce. We have got quite a few seed packets so will get growing.
We both adore runner beans so will try some of those. Can I just put them in a big pot with some canes? I always remember my grandad growing them and seem to remember a complex cane frame.

We haven't been food shopping yet but we are running out of milk and bread.

I have joined Bzz Agent after reading about it one of your blogs. It's pronounced Buzz Agent and the idea is that you complete a few surveys, nothing major then they email you to see if you want to try a product. If you agree, you don't have to, they send you vouchers to buy the product and some extras to give to friends. After you try it you buzz about it, either blog, Facebook, Twitter etc and do a little write up.
So far I've got a load of cheeses from Tesco, mousse hair colour and blister plasters. Very varied.
Quite good though, only been on it a couple of weeks.

My dieting has been a disaster. I just can't stop eating. It's like a really weird addiction, even if I'm not hungry. Part of me wants to lose weight and the other part is obsessing about food.

Does anyone else constantly graze? I feel like a large heffer!

Any ideas or suggestions for dieting would be a help.

Am signing off as Fatty in Bucks tonight

FIB. X

What do you grow?

Dear reader,

As you know, I am a fan of Frugal Queens faggots. That sounds a bit weird but you know what I mean.

I always make a batch every month or so and have a few portions in the freezer. So easy to just add some veg and mash when I've been at work all day.

As I was mincing the pork I remembered another recipe of FQ's I had recently seen which was scotch eggs. I always think of summer and picnics when I see them and used to love them as a child.
They do look a bit processed though with the very pink meat and the very over golden breadcrumbs.

As I had the ingredients already, I hard boiled four eggs and kept back a bit of the minced pork with the onion and some herbs. I just moulded this around the peeled eggs and rolled them in breadcrumbs from an old loaf I had stashed in the freezer.
So, so easy and so, so delicious. You must try them, great for food on the go, packed lunches, picnics.
I had to have one as soon as it was cooked. I just put them on a baking tray at 180 for 20 mins.

Today was lovely and sunny and we were both off work so did loads around the house, cleaning, washing, hoovering. Big Man has come over all Percy Thrower and is forever in the greenhouse.
He has tomatoes, chillies, lettuce, salad leaves growing. We love it and we had never grown anything before. It is the best feeling to cut your own lettuce and eat it fresh.

We took the little fat dog at the end of the road out for an hour. He screams with joy now when he sees me. His owner can't walk him and he's only 3 so loves to get out. I will be so sad as she has to move soon. We did an hour in the woods where it was nice and cool. It was still hot at 5pm.
I wasn't expecting this hot weather when I bought the faggots ingredients, although, my friend Bernard says they are great eaten cold with a dab of mustard.

We keep all the kitchen scraps and peelings and have a compost bin. After a year we have the most brilliant compost to use. We are both getting into this gardening and outdoors life.
We would love a dog but as we are both at work full time we can't.

Sorry, pics not behaving today.

What do you grow in your garden? Any suggestions for newbies?

FIB. X