My moneysupermarket £50 BBQ part one-the menu.

Dear reader,
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had entered a competition at Moneysupermarket
I had to only spend £50 and hold a BBQ for friends and family. I sent out invitations, printed at home and had sent to 25 people hoping (bad I know) that not all of them would come as I was on a budget. If 25 all turned up I would have a £2 spend per person.
Nightmare as I got the responses, at least 25 were coming, a couple had asked to bring a friend or new partner so I would have to be extremely canny with the menu.
Today was the big day. This is how I spent it.
I decided that as it was a BBQ I would spend most of my money on food and just ask people to bring a bottle. The trouble is, most people expect meat and meat is expensive.
After seeing lots of BBQ food at the supermarket with deals and flashy shelf stickers my frugal brain told me that they were obviously making a lot of money and therefore I wouldn't be spending my precious babies on the convenience, ready for the grill packs.
There were all the usual contenders, burgers, burgers with sundried tomato, burgers with cheese in them, plain burgers, garlic burgers, chorizo and chilli burgers. All at top prices.
Now I like a good burger and they are easy to cook, being flat and most people like them. Bap, salad, cheese slice, ketchup, pickles.....however you take yours, they are pretty much a staple BBQ favourite.
Right then, I would make my own.
I also decided to have pork belly, sausages, chicken, halloumi kebabs and corn on cobs.
I wanted some good beef for the burgers and so started bargain hunting two weekends ago.
I found some finest rump reduced from £5.77 to £2.31. I put this in the freezer.
I also got some pork belly strips reduced from £3.00 to £1.99. Not loads I know but every penny counts so I bought a few packs.
I bought chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks, halloumi cheese, corn on the cobs.
I would also need some sort of dessert but I couldn't afford it so for 2 weeks, Big Man and I nurtured our strawberries hoping to just do a huge bowl with cream to serve.
I wanted to make the food extra tasty so people would really enjoy it, especially as they wouldn't be getting loads. I was starting to worry. Big man and I decided we needed to give people a lot of nibbles to feel as if they had eaten loads without realising there wasn't much meat around.
I had reckoned on, one sausage, one burger, one chicken piece, salad, burger bun and extra salads per person. I didn't think that was too bad. I also planned on doing a huge bowl of potato salad, a pasta salad and big bowls of salad from our garden.
The day before, I used my Maggi BBQ roasting bags, of which I have loads and filled them with the pork belly.

I left these in the fridge. They absorb the powder and when you roast them their own juices make a wonderful sauce. I cooked them for 20 minutes on 180 and they went on the BBQ to crisp up for 5 mins afterwards. I divided the chicken thighs and drumsticks into four portions so I could cook them with different flavours. They were cooked plain, BBQ and rubbed with garlic salt and drizzled with a little oil. I cooked them in the oven and just finished them on the BBQ. It saves time and I know they are properly cooked too. I boiled the corn cobs first then drizzled with chilli powder and lime. These were browned on the grill and were a great success. I don't generally follow recipes but like to make my own with flavours I think go well together.

I wanted to do something different with the sausages. I had just bought plain ones and wanted to jazz the up a bit. I found a great recipes for sticky honey, mustard and sesame sausages. They were great.

Here's the recipe Sticky sausages

This is the meaty part of our BBQ-part one.

I will be back tomorrow with my halloumi recipe, my salads and the strawberry saga.

Much love to you all.

X

A cheap lunch from leftovers

Dear reader,

I have new followers, very exciting. A warm welcome to you.

Today I was home a little earlier than usual so after a nice cool drink in the garden with Big Man I decided to try a concoction. I had a few leftovers in the fridge and as I take a packed lunch to work I wanted to make something for tommorows lunch. It's usually sandwiches but I fancied a change.

I had made chicken stock from our last roast chicken in my slow cooker which I had frozen.  Some cold pork leftover from a reduced joint that I cooked in the slow cooker yesterday, some cold veg and baked beans. I got some chopped onion that I prepare and keep in the freezer, a garlic clove, a small piece of ginger which I diced with the garlic. I fried the onion, ginger and garlic in a little oil until just browned.

Then I added the vegetables which were a mixture of green beans, carrots and peas. I poured the stock in along with the beans. I used spaghetti as Big Man doesn't like it. (He only likes pasta shapes like penne etc). I broke it into small bits as I didn't fancy the whole fork twirling, greasy chin look at work. It was all bubbling away nicely when I found a frozen tub of soup mix I had boiled and kept. 

I put that in with a pack of marinade I had in my larder cupboard. In went a dollop of brown sauce, Worcestershire sauce and a few flakes of chilli. I let it simmer for 10 minutes. 

Big Man had a look and said he fancied some as it smelt so good, despite the spaghetti.

Loads left over for work too and it was great. Sort of minestrone with a kick. I didn't even add the pork in the end as it just didn't need it. I now have to think of some over way to use it up.

Any ideas?

Hot, hot, hot here again. Phew.

FIB. X

Boot sale buying and selling.

Dear reader,

Got up, got packed, got going. My first boot sale in years.

I had forgotten how tight some people are. We were selling good stuff from when we both rich.
Karen Millen, Coast, Monsoon and the like. My goodness, they were debating over 50p and then pulling £20 and £50 notes out. And some were a bit.... well, cocky is the best word.
Now I like a bargain as much as the next frugal girl but it was too hot and they were getting on my nerves. My friend (the hoarder) and I are no shrinking violets to say the least. A few items of clothing were pulled from battering hands and binned in front of them or taken home despite protestations and notes being thrust.  I don't mind a barter but rudeness I will not stand for.

Anyway, rant over. That feels much better.
We paid our £12 (hoarder paid for both as she had loads and I had helped her out ). Parked the car an immediately the dealers were there before I even got out. "Any records love?" " Got any jewellery?"
We got and and locked the car wanting a little mooch ourselves. I had been after a metal jug for ages, you know the white and blue ones. Enamel, that's it. I saw a lovely big white one which I got for £2.50 and a cute little, white, wooden step for £5. I will put a plant or flowers on this.
(At the end of a long, hot 4 hours, I made £50 and the hoarder made £100. She was pleased and wants to do another one next weeken)

Lavender from the garden and I think this looks lovely.

Do you boot sell? Do you get cross too?

Oh yes, the £50? I put it in my sealed pot. Must go and tell SFT now, she will be pleased.

Hoping for a peaceful week ahead and slightly cooler weather.

FIB. X

Hoarding and decluttering-let it go.

Dear reader,

Yesterday morning at 0730 I arrived at a friends house. I tried to walk in the front door but I couldn't, it was blocked by stuff in the hall. I scrambled through and found her dog sitting on a pile of clothes in the lounge. I couldn't see the lounge floor. I couldn't see the sofa, the coffee table or the corner table. I had a peek into the kitchen. The sides were totally covered in plates, paperwork, pots. Well actually, you name it and it was there.

My friend can cook really well, she has excellent taste in clothes, home decor and ornaments. Her parents house is not like this so it's not as if she thinks its normal.
Sadly she has had a few issues over the years and just cannot, as the saying goes, get her house in order. She had told me it was bad but WOW, nothing had prepared me for today.

She works full time and had raised three boys on her own. The house has always been messy but today was unbelievable. She always blamed the boys and they always blamed her. Now two of them have moved out, she has admitted it is her.
She constantly tries to escape from the house. She goes to help look after rescue dogs, visits other people. She does everything to get away from the problem. She can't bear coming home.

We started work immediately and at 1430 that afternoon we had made a small dent. She displayed the hoarding  symptoms of,it might be needed later, so and so wants that, it's really nice on, I bought it to wear to fancy dress. Honestly, she had loads of fancy dress clothes and I don't think she has ever been  to a fancy dress party. I did do a few sly removals into the boot sale box when she wasn't looking.

The hall was clear, the lounge, Well better. There is a floor and you can sit on the sofa.

The kitchen looks like a normal kitchen now. Clear sides, washing up done and put away.

She goes to boot sales every weekend and totally fills the house up with clothes. She is a hoarder.
Today, these are going back!
There were 10 huge rubbish sacks outside and a huge, huge amount of boot sale items.

It will be impossible to hang it all up on a clothes rail so we are going to have to do the plastic sheet and dump pile. There is going to be a huge amount of rummaging.

That was my yesterday, hot, sweaty, dusty and dirty. That's her house, not me but I've had my moments!


Am I mad to spend a precious day off like this? Yes
Will she keep the house like this now? Probably not.
I rang her last night and she told me she was going off to a boot sale before we do ours this afternoon! Noooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Friends do things for each other no matter what.
I had many friends tell me, beg me and ask me not to do things which I ignored and did anyway and that's a whole different blog for another time.

We're they my friends after? Yes and that's what matters.

Have a lovely Sunday, hot and sticky here but Ill be moaning my head off in January when it's freezing and dark in the mornings so hey, enjoy!

Bootie report to follow.........

Much love
X

My fifty pounds BBQ

Dear reader,

I have also entered the £50 BBQ Moneysupermarket.
I have to organise a BBQ and blog about it spending £50 in total to do so.

Most of our friends will be expecting meat and lots of it but as we all know, this will cost a lot so I have been wracking my brain for unusual ideas. I may do a theme, I may hold it here or elsewhere, perhaps on the river. All in the planning stage at the moment.

Do you BBQ? Or do you find it all too much hassle and just cook indoors and bring it outside?
Does your man get all cave mannish and want to cook?
Do you go for easy gas or authentic charcoal for the smokey taste?


As always I know you will send me your ideas and fabulous recipes which I always love trying.

Signing off as going to work.

Have a great day.

Much love
FIB. X.

Prize for you Jo

Dear reader,

Our broadband crashed, just back on line tonight.

I did a prize draw for your using up recipes. Big man pulled the names from a plant pot and the winner is Jo.
Please send me your address in a comment which I won't publish and I will send your prize.

Questions for you.

Dear reader,

0545 am,muggy morning here. Got up at 4am as next doors dog was barking and as we had the windows open it woke me.

Since blogging late last year, the advice, tips and ideas you share is amazing. I have learned so much, recipes, money saving and plain common sense. Today I have questions for you and need your expertise.

1. Can anyone tell me how to see my latest followers?
Mine just seem to add in anywhere and I can't see who is new.

2. My breadmaker doesn't seem to have just a dough setting. Do I just take it out when it beeps? Apparently the beeping marks the stage when you can add other ingredients.


Hello to my new followers. It's always lovely to have new people.

I have to get going for work now so look forward to your comments when I come home.

See yesterday's post for a giveaway prize.

Much love
FIB. X

Mix and match dinner draw.

Dear reader,

I got some great yellow stickers at Teaco last Sunday. I often read your blogs about bargains you got but I never seem to find them myself. A few pence off here and there but that's about it.
I was chuffed to be in Tesco last Sunday at 430pm and saw a crowd of people around a shop assistant who was snickering items. Why do these people stand there, not letting anyone else in as if to form a ring of steel round the discounts?
Anyway, I elbowed my way in and managed to get,

4 pack of bacon was £5 reduced to £1
Finest spinach and ricotta fill parcels £5 reduced to £1.10
Thai curry pot £2.80 reduced to 70p
2 chicken thighs can't recall the original cost 32p each
Finest sliced ham x3 56 p each
Chicken breat mini fillets reduced to 70p

The ham went I to sandwiches for lunches at work.
The chicken breasts were put in one of my Maggi BBQ roasting bags (Approved Food).
I cooked these in the lovely sauce it am,es from the juices then crisped them up.
Big man had these for lunch. He used to be a regular patron of a fried chicken shop and I try to do him some chicken pieces now and again.
The chicken mini fillets were dipped in eggs then Maggi breadcrumbs and baked. (Again for Big man)
The parcels (which were gorgeous but I wouldn't want to pay £5 for them) and the Thai curry pot were used for a very mix and match dinner for us. With a slice of ham and some tomato pasta I had left over.
I think I just wanted to taste some of my bargains all at once.

Who else mixes and matches to use up?
What's the strangest dinner you have served up?
Send me your strangest dinners and I will enter them all in a draw for a prize!
Enter your comment on this post and I will do the draw Monday evening.

Much love
FIB. X

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Making the most of one chicken

Dear reader,

I have had some lovely comments and I wanted to thank you as it's so nice to read them.
A big hello to Robyn who has left some very helpful comments and also Karen at Chelmarsh Chunterings and Pam at a Good life in Tydd. You both always take the time and effort to let me know you have been here. Both very good blogs so do pop by and have a look, they are both on my blog roll.

I wanted to let you know how I had got on with my roast chicken that I was determined to stretch as much as I could. A rubber chicken they call it!

We had roast chicken dinner with loads of veg, roasties and mash. I plated up two more which we had the next day. 4 dinners so far.
The next day we had sandwiched for lunch using the chicken leftovers. I had picked all the meat off the bones. I especially love the little oysters underneath. 6 meals so far.
I then put the carcass in my slow cooker and covered with water. I left this on low while we were at work. When we got home the house smelled all chickeny. I used the stock to make a hot and sour Chinese style soup. I make it up my own way with the stock, chilli flakes, vinegar and fish sauce. Sometimes I add a chopped spring onion at the end, sometimes I whisk an egg into it, depends what I have in.
I still have half the stock left which I froze. This will go into a curry. I also have all the jelly and fat kept back. I was reading that you can use the jelly as a base for risotto and I suppose the fat can be for roasties next time. Nothing went to waste. Big man chucked all the soft, boiled bones on the lawn and the Red Kites swooped down and grabbed them. No waste at all. I was pleased with what we managed to do with it.

I got some great bargains in Tesco on Sunday. I never usually find the real cheapies but Sunday afternoon was productive.
I am a shopping tart, I don't care wherei go and prefer to shop at Aldi or Lidl but not always possible. I have used Tesco a bit lately as I've had the BzzAgent vouchers to use.

Hope you are all well ,

Much love
Fib. X