I had some yellow sticker pepperami - those little sticks of pepperami that come in packs of four and go into lunchboxes. These were 50p for four, last for ages and were a real bargain.
I also used some passata that I made from last year's tomatoes and froze last autumn.
This is more an idea that a recipe so no specific amounts, just what I thought would be right for one person.
Ingredients:
a little oil
1/4 onion (mine was a red onion), sliced
about 1/6th of a red pepper, diced
1 small pepperami, unwrapped and grated (or you could cut it into slices)
smoked paprika
garlic puree
passata
a bit of tomato puree
cooked spaghetti
a sprinkle of grated cheese (I used strong cheddar)
Method.
Put the pasta on to cook.
Gently fry the onion until translucent. Add the red pepper and the grated pepperami and fry for a few more minutes, stirring now and again. Then add the paprika and the garlic puree and fry for another minute.
Add the passata, increase the heat and let it bubble and thicken. Add the tomato puree and taste, seasoning if necessary.
Drain the cooked spaghetti, reserving a little of the cooking water. Add it to the sauce with a little cooking water and mix it all together.
Tip it into a bowl and sprinkle over some grated cheese. Eat straight away!
You could use any suitable veg - I wanted to add some peas but am right out of them.
The pepperami gives the dish a little bit of heat and the paprika imparts smokiness. Really delicious.
Showing posts with label frugal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label frugal. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 May 2017
Tuesday, 16 May 2017
Recipe: dead easy and most delicious vegetable gratin
Get some cooked or almost cooked vegetables (I used onion, peas, cauliflower, mushrooms, leeks and new potatoes and I sauted the onion, leeks and mushrooms in a little oil with some garlic puree first). Leftovers would be great.
Add shreds of meat or pulses if you want. I used some YS cooking bacon, but you don't have to, it can be all veg.
Add herbs and salt/pepper to taste.
Make a bechamel or cheese sauce - I made a bechamel sauce and steeped the warmed milk with a bay leaf and ground nutmeg before making the sauce. It is delicious but also it saves on the cheese. (Well, this is a frugal blog, isn't it?)
Put the vegetables, mixed up, in an ovenproof container. Pour over the sauce and let it 'soak' down. Top with grated cheese and bake in the oven until it is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown.
Serve on it's own or with a nice side salad or some garlic bread.
Loads of variations are possible with this one. I love it! A meal in itself and utterly delicious (if you love cheese!).
Add shreds of meat or pulses if you want. I used some YS cooking bacon, but you don't have to, it can be all veg.
Add herbs and salt/pepper to taste.
Make a bechamel or cheese sauce - I made a bechamel sauce and steeped the warmed milk with a bay leaf and ground nutmeg before making the sauce. It is delicious but also it saves on the cheese. (Well, this is a frugal blog, isn't it?)
Put the vegetables, mixed up, in an ovenproof container. Pour over the sauce and let it 'soak' down. Top with grated cheese and bake in the oven until it is bubbling and the cheese is golden brown.
Serve on it's own or with a nice side salad or some garlic bread.
Loads of variations are possible with this one. I love it! A meal in itself and utterly delicious (if you love cheese!).
Friday, 12 May 2017
Recipe: kidney bean and vegetable curry
I don;t really have amounts, I just used what I had and winged it as far as how much was concerned. All I can say is what I used (not including any already paid fors) came to £1.36 and I got five big, tasty and filling portions from it - 27p for four and 28p for the last one.
Ingredients
two onions, peeled and sliced
veg oil
some carrots, cauliflower, celery, green peppers, all prepped and chopped, sliced or segmented
five new potatoes, medium sized, washed and cut into largish dice (I didn't peel them)
garlic puree
chilli puree
a Morrisons Savers jar of curry sauce
some Mayflower curry powder.
some dried coconut milk
a veg stock cube
water
salt, pepper
Method
Cook the onion long and low in the oil (about half an hour)
Add the veg and potatoes and saute them for about five minutes. In the last minute, add the garlic and chilli purees.
Add the curry powder and the dried coconut milk and stir in, then add the stock cube, the jar of curry sauce and another jar of water.
Add some black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and leave to bubble away gently, stirring now and again. I left it on for about an hour and a half - a slow cooker over a longer time would work fine too. Halfway through, add the rinsed and drained kidney beans (again, value ones), stir gently, recover and continue simmering.
Before serving, taste and add some salt if needed - I didn't think it was.
Really nice and you could always add some shreds of leftover meat, if you wanted to.
Ingredients
two onions, peeled and sliced
veg oil
some carrots, cauliflower, celery, green peppers, all prepped and chopped, sliced or segmented
five new potatoes, medium sized, washed and cut into largish dice (I didn't peel them)
garlic puree
chilli puree
a Morrisons Savers jar of curry sauce
some Mayflower curry powder.
some dried coconut milk
a veg stock cube
water
salt, pepper
Method
Cook the onion long and low in the oil (about half an hour)
Add the veg and potatoes and saute them for about five minutes. In the last minute, add the garlic and chilli purees.
Add the curry powder and the dried coconut milk and stir in, then add the stock cube, the jar of curry sauce and another jar of water.
Add some black pepper, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and leave to bubble away gently, stirring now and again. I left it on for about an hour and a half - a slow cooker over a longer time would work fine too. Halfway through, add the rinsed and drained kidney beans (again, value ones), stir gently, recover and continue simmering.
Before serving, taste and add some salt if needed - I didn't think it was.
Really nice and you could always add some shreds of leftover meat, if you wanted to.
Tuesday, 9 May 2017
Recipe: pork and veg layer bake.
Ingredients
For the tomato and veg sauce:
oil
half an onion, sliced
squeeze of garlic puree
a selection of veg: I used frozen peas, frozen sliced leeks (from some YS leek that needed using up so I froze it months ago) and some shredded white cabbage, all of which I had around
some chopped tomato or passata (I use home made from last years tomato crop)
half a stock cube (I used chicken)
pinch of mixed herbs
some tomato puree
For the bechamel sauce:
120g milk
a bay leaf (from the garden) and some grated nutmeg
10 to 15g plain flour
10 to 15 g butter
salt/pepper
Also
some cooked potato, sliced. I cooked one weighing around 250g in its jacket in the microwave
some sliced meat (I used pork, of course, hence the title, but you could use beef, chicken, whatever)
30g finely grated cheddar
Method:
Heat the milk with the bay leaf and grated nutmeg, then take off the heat and allow to infuse for half an hour or so. Then remove the bay leaf.
Heat some veg oil and saute the sliced onions until they take on a bit of colour. Add a bit of garlic puree and the veg, stir and continue frying for a while. Then pour in the passata, the bit of stock cube and a splash of water. Heat to boiling, add the tomato puree, the dried herbs and seasonings and simmer gently for about five minutes, adding a bit more water if it seems to be drying up.
Make the bechamel as you would make a cheese sauce. Melt the butter, add the flour and cook it out, stirring, then pour in the warm milk, stirring as you do so. Keep stirring and any lumps will go. Add salt and pepper to own taste.
In an appropriately sized oven proof dish layer up the ingredients: tomato veg mixture, sliced meat, tomato veg mixture, sliced potato, bechamel sauce, grated cheese.
Bake in an oven heated to 180C for about half an hour until the cheese topping is golden brown and the underneath is bubbling.
I made it frugal by limiting the amount of cheese by making a bechamel sauce, using freezer stored veg and using gifted meat. This is very flexible and you could use a wide variety of different veg. Great for leftovers, both veg and Sunday roast.
 |
| Tomorrow's lunch, probably with coleslaw or a side salad. |
Many thanks to Anne Brislen, a fellow admin on Pound a Day, for the initial recipe idea.
Friday, 5 May 2017
Recipe: tuna pasta bake
Ingredients
50g pasta shapes
oil
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
some mushrooms, sliced
a squidge of garlic puree
some tomatoes, chopped and halved, depending on size
some passata (I used some I made from garden tomatoes last year)
(OR use some canned chopped tomatoes instead of the last two items)
herbs (I used thyme and oregano from the garden - mixed dried herbs would be fine)
40g frozen green beans or peas (I used beans and wished I'd used peas - if you use beans, pre-cook them!)
tomato puree
56g drained tuna (half a small can)
20g grated strong cheddar
Seasonings
Method
Cook the pasta. Cook the green beans, if using
While that is cooking . . .
Heat the oil in a pan. Saute the onions until softened and changing colour.
Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to saute for a short time.
Add the garlic puree and then the tomatoes, stir and cook for a short time.
Then add the passata, peas, seasonings and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook until the peas are soft and the sauce has reduced down a bit. Add a splash of water, if necessary.
Add the tomato puree and stir in, then flake the tuna and stir it in gently.
Stir in the cooked and drained pasta.
Tip the mixture into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the cheese and pop under the grill until the cheese is melting and bubbling. Serve immediately, maybe with a side salad and some garlic bread.
50g pasta shapes
oil
1 small onion, peeled and sliced
some mushrooms, sliced
a squidge of garlic puree
some tomatoes, chopped and halved, depending on size
some passata (I used some I made from garden tomatoes last year)
(OR use some canned chopped tomatoes instead of the last two items)
herbs (I used thyme and oregano from the garden - mixed dried herbs would be fine)
40g frozen green beans or peas (I used beans and wished I'd used peas - if you use beans, pre-cook them!)
tomato puree
56g drained tuna (half a small can)
20g grated strong cheddar
Seasonings
Method
Cook the pasta. Cook the green beans, if using
While that is cooking . . .
Heat the oil in a pan. Saute the onions until softened and changing colour.
Add the chopped mushrooms and continue to saute for a short time.
Add the garlic puree and then the tomatoes, stir and cook for a short time.
Then add the passata, peas, seasonings and herbs. Bring to a simmer and cook until the peas are soft and the sauce has reduced down a bit. Add a splash of water, if necessary.
Add the tomato puree and stir in, then flake the tuna and stir it in gently.
Stir in the cooked and drained pasta.
Tip the mixture into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle over the cheese and pop under the grill until the cheese is melting and bubbling. Serve immediately, maybe with a side salad and some garlic bread.
Wednesday, 3 May 2017
Recipe: cauliflower curry
Another one that started from a Miguel Barclay You Tube video and here's the link with apologies for the advert at the beginning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcXYs8_qLyI
However, I adapted it and it was delicious. I'm afraid I ate it all before remembering to take a photo, sorry.
This is what I did.
Ingredients:
Rice for one - I cooked 50g
A splash of oil (I used veg oil)
Half a small or a quarter of a bigger onion, peeled and sliced
A few mushrooms, chopped.
About a quarter of a cauliflower, cut into smallish florets
one tsp each of curry powder*, turmeric and, if you have it, coconut milk powder.
1 tsp plain flour
50 mls single or double cream (optional - I had a small yellow sticker pot of double cream and I used 1/3 of it - you could just use milk and it would be fine)
Milk
salt, pepper
20g peanut butter
Method
Start cooking the rice.
Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onion and mushrooms. Then add the cauliflower and continue frying until the cauliflower starts taking on some colour.
Add the curry powder, turmeric and coconut powder, if using it, Stir well to coat the vegetables.
Then add the flour and continue stirring well.
Add the cream and a little milk and stir it in. Keep adding milk, stirring, as the mixture thickens, until you have a nice, creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn down really low, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is softening. Add a splash of water, if it gets too thick.
Finally, check seasonings and stir in the peanut butter.
Serve on the cooked rice.
* I used quite a mild curry sauce but hotter would work well too. Go with your preferred heat
You could use any veg as long as they cooked in the time. I was tempted to add peas but couldn't be bothered to go out to the freezer in the rain! Chicken would be nice too, maybe cooked chicken left after a roast dinner. Chick peas is another idea.
With all the ingredients I had in and used, not counting the cost of the things I had already paid for, this meal took 39p out of my budget, which is great.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcXYs8_qLyI
However, I adapted it and it was delicious. I'm afraid I ate it all before remembering to take a photo, sorry.
This is what I did.
Ingredients:
Rice for one - I cooked 50g
A splash of oil (I used veg oil)
Half a small or a quarter of a bigger onion, peeled and sliced
A few mushrooms, chopped.
About a quarter of a cauliflower, cut into smallish florets
one tsp each of curry powder*, turmeric and, if you have it, coconut milk powder.
1 tsp plain flour
50 mls single or double cream (optional - I had a small yellow sticker pot of double cream and I used 1/3 of it - you could just use milk and it would be fine)
Milk
salt, pepper
20g peanut butter
Method
Start cooking the rice.
Heat the oil in a pan and saute the onion and mushrooms. Then add the cauliflower and continue frying until the cauliflower starts taking on some colour.
Add the curry powder, turmeric and coconut powder, if using it, Stir well to coat the vegetables.
Then add the flour and continue stirring well.
Add the cream and a little milk and stir it in. Keep adding milk, stirring, as the mixture thickens, until you have a nice, creamy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn down really low, cover and simmer until the cauliflower is softening. Add a splash of water, if it gets too thick.
Finally, check seasonings and stir in the peanut butter.
Serve on the cooked rice.
* I used quite a mild curry sauce but hotter would work well too. Go with your preferred heat
You could use any veg as long as they cooked in the time. I was tempted to add peas but couldn't be bothered to go out to the freezer in the rain! Chicken would be nice too, maybe cooked chicken left after a roast dinner. Chick peas is another idea.
With all the ingredients I had in and used, not counting the cost of the things I had already paid for, this meal took 39p out of my budget, which is great.
Sunday, 30 April 2017
Recipe: pea cannelloni
The inspiration for this goes to Miguel Barclay and the recipe in his book, One Pound Meals.
(edited - it's not in the book. Sorry, I thought it was. However, you can find it on his Instagram thingy and also here on you tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W5DKUOVUhU - sorry)
However, I adapted it quite a lot so I can take a little of the credit for it.
Amounts below are for one.
Ingredients
some frozen peas
2 sheets of lasagne
salt
one mushroom, finely chopped
quarter of a small-ish onion, finely chopped
small splash oil
1/12 of a pack of savers soft cheese
quarter of a pint of cheese sauce (I already had some which was leftover and had been frozen)
15g finely grated cheddar cheese. Choose your cheddar carefully. A strong one from a budget shop can be very reasonably priced and the stronger it is, the less you need for the flavour
Method
Turn the oven on to around 180C
Cook the peas and the lasagne sheets in salted water. They take about the same time to cook.
While they are cooking, saute the onion and the mushroom in a very little oil.
When the peas and lasagne are cooked, drain, lay the lasagne flat on a non stick surface (like some baking parchment) and put the peas in a bowl. Add the onion, mushroom and soft cheese and mix well. The soft cheese should melt into the mixture. Add some pepper if you want. Salt is not needed.
Place half the mixture at the end of each lasagne sheet and roll them up, like cannelloni. Carefully place them in an appropriately sized, oiled baking dish.
Pour over the cheese sauce and then sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake in the oven until all is piping hot and the cheese has browned.
(edited - it's not in the book. Sorry, I thought it was. However, you can find it on his Instagram thingy and also here on you tube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W5DKUOVUhU - sorry)
However, I adapted it quite a lot so I can take a little of the credit for it.
Amounts below are for one.
Ingredients
some frozen peas
2 sheets of lasagne
salt
one mushroom, finely chopped
quarter of a small-ish onion, finely chopped
small splash oil
1/12 of a pack of savers soft cheese
quarter of a pint of cheese sauce (I already had some which was leftover and had been frozen)
15g finely grated cheddar cheese. Choose your cheddar carefully. A strong one from a budget shop can be very reasonably priced and the stronger it is, the less you need for the flavour
Method
Turn the oven on to around 180C
Cook the peas and the lasagne sheets in salted water. They take about the same time to cook.
While they are cooking, saute the onion and the mushroom in a very little oil.
When the peas and lasagne are cooked, drain, lay the lasagne flat on a non stick surface (like some baking parchment) and put the peas in a bowl. Add the onion, mushroom and soft cheese and mix well. The soft cheese should melt into the mixture. Add some pepper if you want. Salt is not needed.
Place half the mixture at the end of each lasagne sheet and roll them up, like cannelloni. Carefully place them in an appropriately sized, oiled baking dish.
Pour over the cheese sauce and then sprinkle over the grated cheese. Bake in the oven until all is piping hot and the cheese has browned.
It was delicious, filling and on the list of Things To Make Again!
Friday, 28 April 2017
Recipe: home made pizza
Morrisons had some yellow sticker pepperami things - those 'fingers' that you get in lunch boxes. At 12.5p each (50p for a pack of four), it was too good to miss. Now I have to think of how to use them.
Pizza came to mind, partly because I read yesterday about making them in a pan/under the grill, rather than in the oven. Worth giving it a go, thought I.
Ingredients to make a pizza for one.
For the base
75g SR flour plus extra for rolling
some natural yogurt
salt, pepper
Ingredients for the topping
Tomato puree or a mixture of puree and tomato sauce (I used some passata from the garden tomatoes last year with some puree and a little bit of ketchup
Mixed herbs, a bit of garlic puree
Seasonings
Some onion, sliced and softened in a little oil
One 'finger' of pepperami, sliced
(any other veg you would like to use, also pre cooked - I didn't)
finely grated cheddar - I used 30g.
Method:
Mix the tomato sauces together and add mixed herbs and garlic puree to taste. Don't add salt if you use ketchup but I added some pepper.
Saute the onion in a little oil in a small pan (that you will use to make the pizza in), remove from the pan but don't clean it.
Have everything ready.
Turn on the grill.
Mix ingredients to a soft dough (add more flour or yogurt if needed). Roll or punch out to a circle to fit in a small frying pan).
Place in pan, prick all over and cook over a low heat, like this.
Remove from heat when the top looks as if it has cooked through from the bottom. It's easy to lift up and look, if you want.
Spread over the tomato sauces, then sprinkle over the onion and the pepperami. Top with the grated cheddar and add some black pepper.
Like this:
Place pan carefully under the grill - don't put the handle under if it is not heat proof, leave it sticking out or tip the pizza onto an oven proof tray.
Grill until the topping is piping hot and bubbling.
Serve immediately.
It was very, very tasty!
Because all the ingredients are pretty frugal, it is going to be pretty frugal and you can make it with whatever you like really so it is very flexible.
Pizza came to mind, partly because I read yesterday about making them in a pan/under the grill, rather than in the oven. Worth giving it a go, thought I.
Ingredients to make a pizza for one.
For the base
75g SR flour plus extra for rolling
some natural yogurt
salt, pepper
Ingredients for the topping
Tomato puree or a mixture of puree and tomato sauce (I used some passata from the garden tomatoes last year with some puree and a little bit of ketchup
Mixed herbs, a bit of garlic puree
Seasonings
Some onion, sliced and softened in a little oil
One 'finger' of pepperami, sliced
(any other veg you would like to use, also pre cooked - I didn't)
finely grated cheddar - I used 30g.
Method:
Mix the tomato sauces together and add mixed herbs and garlic puree to taste. Don't add salt if you use ketchup but I added some pepper.
Saute the onion in a little oil in a small pan (that you will use to make the pizza in), remove from the pan but don't clean it.
Have everything ready.
Turn on the grill.
Mix ingredients to a soft dough (add more flour or yogurt if needed). Roll or punch out to a circle to fit in a small frying pan).
Place in pan, prick all over and cook over a low heat, like this.
Remove from heat when the top looks as if it has cooked through from the bottom. It's easy to lift up and look, if you want.
Spread over the tomato sauces, then sprinkle over the onion and the pepperami. Top with the grated cheddar and add some black pepper.
Like this:
Grill until the topping is piping hot and bubbling.
Serve immediately.
It was very, very tasty!
Because all the ingredients are pretty frugal, it is going to be pretty frugal and you can make it with whatever you like really so it is very flexible.
Friday, 21 April 2017
Recipe: tuna pasta
A very simple one but sometimes simple is best.
Ingredients
half a can tuna flakes, drained
some passata (mine was from last year's tomatoes)
half a small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
a bit of oil (or butter)
a mushroom, sliced
herbs and seasonings
spaghetti. cooked
Method.
Cook the spaghetti
While that is cooking, saute the onion in the oil until it softens and goes translucent. Add the mushroom and cook a little bit longer. Add the passata with herbs, salt and pepper and simmer for a short while until; it reduces a bit. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Add the tuna flakes and stir gently.
Tip in the cooked, drained spaghetti, gently mix and serve.
(If you want, before serving, top with some grated cheese and bake under the grill for a short while so the cheese melts. I didn't)
Ingredients
half a can tuna flakes, drained
some passata (mine was from last year's tomatoes)
half a small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
a bit of oil (or butter)
a mushroom, sliced
herbs and seasonings
spaghetti. cooked
Method.
Cook the spaghetti
While that is cooking, saute the onion in the oil until it softens and goes translucent. Add the mushroom and cook a little bit longer. Add the passata with herbs, salt and pepper and simmer for a short while until; it reduces a bit. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Add the tuna flakes and stir gently.
Tip in the cooked, drained spaghetti, gently mix and serve.
(If you want, before serving, top with some grated cheese and bake under the grill for a short while so the cheese melts. I didn't)
Thursday, 13 April 2017
Recipe: plum jam with star anise
I tidied up my fridge this morning and used some rather wizened plums to make the most delicious jam at 70p for the lot!
This is what I did.
I stoned the plums by cutting into quarters. I then added a dash of water and one star anise and stewed them in a large pan until they were all soft. Then I removed the star anise.
I measured how much I had (it very conveniently came to a pint) and used the old rule 'a pound to a pint'. Plums are high in pectin so you can use ordinary sugar - no need for lemon juice or the very expensive jam sugar.
I tipped the plums back into the pan (it has to be a large pan) and added the pound of sugar, stirred it well and left it so the sugar dissolved into the hot stewed plums.
While that was going on, I thoroughly washed some reused jam jars and lids and put the jars on an oven tray in the oven at a low temperature to warm up. I then popped two saucers in the fridge (to test for set).
I turned the ring onto high and let the mix come to a boil and a bubble for about five minutes, stirring regularly (or it will stick and burn).
After five minutes I took the pan off the ring and tested for setting point. Rather than try to explain to those of you who don't know what this is, I will point you to the clearest description online I have ever found. It's called the wrinkle test.
http://www.kilnerjar.co.uk/setting-points
Mine had reached setting point but if it hadn't I'd have boiled it for another five minutes and then tested again.
I took the jars out of the oven and carefully, very carefully ladled the jam into the jars and screwed on the lids. I will label them when they're cold.
That'll do for my breakfast toast or porridge, thank you very much!
This is what I did.
I stoned the plums by cutting into quarters. I then added a dash of water and one star anise and stewed them in a large pan until they were all soft. Then I removed the star anise.
I measured how much I had (it very conveniently came to a pint) and used the old rule 'a pound to a pint'. Plums are high in pectin so you can use ordinary sugar - no need for lemon juice or the very expensive jam sugar.
I tipped the plums back into the pan (it has to be a large pan) and added the pound of sugar, stirred it well and left it so the sugar dissolved into the hot stewed plums.
While that was going on, I thoroughly washed some reused jam jars and lids and put the jars on an oven tray in the oven at a low temperature to warm up. I then popped two saucers in the fridge (to test for set).
I turned the ring onto high and let the mix come to a boil and a bubble for about five minutes, stirring regularly (or it will stick and burn).
After five minutes I took the pan off the ring and tested for setting point. Rather than try to explain to those of you who don't know what this is, I will point you to the clearest description online I have ever found. It's called the wrinkle test.
http://www.kilnerjar.co.uk/setting-points
Mine had reached setting point but if it hadn't I'd have boiled it for another five minutes and then tested again.
I took the jars out of the oven and carefully, very carefully ladled the jam into the jars and screwed on the lids. I will label them when they're cold.
That'll do for my breakfast toast or porridge, thank you very much!
Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Recipe: chickpea burger.
A bit of a casual recipe with no definite amounts really but it made me the most scrummy chickpea burger today so I'm sharing.
I had some chickpeas - part of a small pot of them from the freezer that I used on Monday for the stuffed pancakes and yesterday for the chickpea and pork curry and I still had some left. It wasn't a big portion but chickpeas go a long way.
I zizzed up half a small onion and a quarter of a carrot until in tiny bits. To that I added the chickpeas, a pinch of paprika, cumin and coriander, a little squeeze of garlic puree, some fresh parsley, a splash of bottled lime juice and a small amount of plain flour. I then zizzed it again until it was a firm 'mush'.
Using extra flour, I shaped the mush into a burger, popped it on a floured plate, covered it and chilled it until the evening.
I fried it gently in some veg oil, turning it carefully, until both sides had turned a 'golden' brown and served it with some sliced tomato in a brioche bun with coleslaw, the rest of the tomato and some radishes on the side.
That was it. I forgot to take a photo, sadly, but there's none left now and I'm full!
Delicious.
I had some chickpeas - part of a small pot of them from the freezer that I used on Monday for the stuffed pancakes and yesterday for the chickpea and pork curry and I still had some left. It wasn't a big portion but chickpeas go a long way.
I zizzed up half a small onion and a quarter of a carrot until in tiny bits. To that I added the chickpeas, a pinch of paprika, cumin and coriander, a little squeeze of garlic puree, some fresh parsley, a splash of bottled lime juice and a small amount of plain flour. I then zizzed it again until it was a firm 'mush'.
Using extra flour, I shaped the mush into a burger, popped it on a floured plate, covered it and chilled it until the evening.
I fried it gently in some veg oil, turning it carefully, until both sides had turned a 'golden' brown and served it with some sliced tomato in a brioche bun with coleslaw, the rest of the tomato and some radishes on the side.
That was it. I forgot to take a photo, sadly, but there's none left now and I'm full!
Delicious.
Tuesday, 11 April 2017
Recipe: savoury stuffed pancakes
This isn't quite a recipe, more an idea.
I will describe what I did and you can adapt to suit what you have
You need pancakes. I had two smallish home made sourdough pancakes.
You need a sauce for the filling. I used passata from last year's tomatoes, some onion, carrot and a few chickpeas and some seasonings. I sauteed the onion and carrot, then added the passata and simmered it down, adding herbs, salt, pepper, bit of garlic puree and tomato puree. Then I added the chickpeas. You could use whatever you want: a bit of leftover bolognaise, chicken in a sauce, whatever. You don't need much filling. I had more than half left over and made a curry with it next day!
I grated some cheese - I used 40g. You could make a cheese sauce but I didn't bother.
I used some soft cheese that I had made from a batch of yogurt that I left in the maker too long,
Method
Heat the oven to 180C
Spread the soft cheese over the pancakes. Spoon over the hot sauce and roll up the pancakes.
Place them is a suitably sized oven dish. I used a foil container.
Sprinkle over the cheese, ensuring that it covers the pancakes.
Pop it in the oven for about 15 mins until the cheese is melted and everything is piping hot.
Enjoy!
I will describe what I did and you can adapt to suit what you have
You need pancakes. I had two smallish home made sourdough pancakes.
You need a sauce for the filling. I used passata from last year's tomatoes, some onion, carrot and a few chickpeas and some seasonings. I sauteed the onion and carrot, then added the passata and simmered it down, adding herbs, salt, pepper, bit of garlic puree and tomato puree. Then I added the chickpeas. You could use whatever you want: a bit of leftover bolognaise, chicken in a sauce, whatever. You don't need much filling. I had more than half left over and made a curry with it next day!
I grated some cheese - I used 40g. You could make a cheese sauce but I didn't bother.
I used some soft cheese that I had made from a batch of yogurt that I left in the maker too long,
Method
Heat the oven to 180C
Spread the soft cheese over the pancakes. Spoon over the hot sauce and roll up the pancakes.
Place them is a suitably sized oven dish. I used a foil container.
Sprinkle over the cheese, ensuring that it covers the pancakes.
Pop it in the oven for about 15 mins until the cheese is melted and everything is piping hot.
Enjoy!
Sunday, 2 April 2017
Recipe: turkey curry
I had some cooked turkey leg in the freezer and used Mayflower curry mix and some coconut powder for this. It was dead easy and tasted - well, pretty good really.
Authentic? - I wouldn't say so! Definitely frugal though.
Ingredients: amounts don't really matter except for affecting the cost.
a little bit of chopped onion, carrot and celery
a bit of butter or oil
two baby corns, cut into chunks (they were Super Six in Aldi)
about 10ps worth of Mayflower curry mix
about 10ps worth of coconut milk powder
some cooked turkey
water
rice - I used basmati because I like it best!
Method
Put the rice on to cook in whatever way you usually cook rice.
Gently saute the onion, carrot, celery and baby corn in the butter/oil until softening.
Add the curry mix, stir it in and continue to gently fry for another minute or so, stirring.
Add some water.
Mix the coconut powder with a bit of water, add it to the pan, stir well and add more water, if necessary. Let it simmer for about five minutes, making sure it doesn't dry out - add more water if needed.
Add the cooked turkey and heat it through
That's it really. Just let it simmer while the rice finished cooking, then serve. If you have it and like it, add some chopped coriander leaves to serve.
Authentic? - I wouldn't say so! Definitely frugal though.
Ingredients: amounts don't really matter except for affecting the cost.
a little bit of chopped onion, carrot and celery
a bit of butter or oil
two baby corns, cut into chunks (they were Super Six in Aldi)
about 10ps worth of Mayflower curry mix
about 10ps worth of coconut milk powder
some cooked turkey
water
rice - I used basmati because I like it best!
Method
Put the rice on to cook in whatever way you usually cook rice.
Gently saute the onion, carrot, celery and baby corn in the butter/oil until softening.
Add the curry mix, stir it in and continue to gently fry for another minute or so, stirring.
Add some water.
Mix the coconut powder with a bit of water, add it to the pan, stir well and add more water, if necessary. Let it simmer for about five minutes, making sure it doesn't dry out - add more water if needed.
Add the cooked turkey and heat it through
That's it really. Just let it simmer while the rice finished cooking, then serve. If you have it and like it, add some chopped coriander leaves to serve.
 |
| This is what I used, from B&M It's a 'Chinese style' mix and although the box says 9 portions, it will make more than that of my sized portions! |
Thursday, 23 March 2017
Not really a recipe: cheesy crumpets
So, so simple but a real cheesy hit and so simple to prepare. Also frugal, more so for me because I used sourdough crumpets which cost me more or less nothing to make - the 2p for each is a token effort really.
You need
2 crumpets (and toast them)
butter
20g strong cheddar, very finely grated (I know it sounds daft but it does seem to go further)
preheat the grill
Spread the butter on the toasted crumpets. Then pile on the cheese and gently flatten it down.
Place under the grill until the cheese is melting and browning a bit.
Eat straight away
I said 2p for each crumpet and the cheese cost me 10p. That's a filling and tasty lunch for 14p.
You need
2 crumpets (and toast them)
butter
20g strong cheddar, very finely grated (I know it sounds daft but it does seem to go further)
preheat the grill
Spread the butter on the toasted crumpets. Then pile on the cheese and gently flatten it down.
Place under the grill until the cheese is melting and browning a bit.
Eat straight away
I said 2p for each crumpet and the cheese cost me 10p. That's a filling and tasty lunch for 14p.
Sunday, 19 March 2017
Recipe: baked fish
This was nice and I wish I had remembered to take a photo.
Ingredients:
some white fish (I used basa)
a small amount of butter, softened
10ml lime (or could be lemon) juice (from a bottle is fine and much more frugal)
a bit of garlic puree
some thyme (or other herb of choice)
A few tomatoes - squidgy ones are fine - halved/quartered
salt and pepper to season
Method
spray a bit of oil around a small, oven proof dish.
Place the fish in the dish.
Mix together the butter, juice, garlic and thyme and smear over the fish
Scatter the tomatoes on top and season to own taste.
Cover with foil and bake at around 160-170 C for about 20 mins
If you want, cook it uncovered for the last five mins to evaporate some of the liquid, but be careful the fish doesn't dry out.
Ingredients:
some white fish (I used basa)
a small amount of butter, softened
10ml lime (or could be lemon) juice (from a bottle is fine and much more frugal)
a bit of garlic puree
some thyme (or other herb of choice)
A few tomatoes - squidgy ones are fine - halved/quartered
salt and pepper to season
Method
spray a bit of oil around a small, oven proof dish.
Place the fish in the dish.
Mix together the butter, juice, garlic and thyme and smear over the fish
Scatter the tomatoes on top and season to own taste.
Cover with foil and bake at around 160-170 C for about 20 mins
If you want, cook it uncovered for the last five mins to evaporate some of the liquid, but be careful the fish doesn't dry out.
Friday, 17 March 2017
Recipe: microwaved poached agg.
Very easy, very straightforward, very speedy.
You need a microwave (obviously) and something like a soup cup/large coffee cup with a saucer. Bigger than an ordinary teacup. The one I use is a 300ml capacity soup cup. It needs to be microwave safe, of course.
Put cold water in the cup to about 2/3 full. You can add a bit of salt if you like but it's not necessary.
Carefully break the egg into the water. With a pin, prick the yolk several times (this is crucial - if you don't, you will get an exploding egg!).
Put the saucer on the cup as a lid. Put it in the microwave.
The rest depends on the power. Mine does 800 max and the egg takes two minutes to cook. Just turn it on and two minutes later you have a lovely poached egg.
If you put some bread in your toaster just before you put the egg, etc, in the microwave, they finish at more or less the same time.
Microwaves differ so you will need to find your own timings but two minutes at 800 works for me.
And at 13p for the egg and 2p for the home made bread, a filling, healthy and frugal breakfast or lunch.
 |
| Lovely, isn't it? |
Old fashioned still lemonade in perpetuum
- well, sort of anyway!
After making the lemonade as described here, I looked thoughtfully at my pile of remaining lemons, realising that I wouldn't get a deal like that again until next pancake day.
So I made up a whole lot of undiluted lemonade mixture and froze it. In smaller portions, of course, and priced.
After that I thought about the 'shells' - didn't want to just chuck them unless I had to. I googled around and this is what I've done.
I've chopped up the peel, put it all in a waterproof/air tight container and covered it with white distilled vinegar. In two or three weeks I will strain it into a spray bottle and lo and behold, I will have a splendidly lemon scented all purpose cleaner (so Google assures me anyway).
I'm looking forward to trying it out!
After making the lemonade as described here, I looked thoughtfully at my pile of remaining lemons, realising that I wouldn't get a deal like that again until next pancake day.
So I made up a whole lot of undiluted lemonade mixture and froze it. In smaller portions, of course, and priced.
 |
| Each one will make me one pint of refreshing still lemonade for 14p and I still have more to deal with. That'll do me come the summer! |
After that I thought about the 'shells' - didn't want to just chuck them unless I had to. I googled around and this is what I've done.
I've chopped up the peel, put it all in a waterproof/air tight container and covered it with white distilled vinegar. In two or three weeks I will strain it into a spray bottle and lo and behold, I will have a splendidly lemon scented all purpose cleaner (so Google assures me anyway).
I'm looking forward to trying it out!
Thursday, 16 March 2017
Recipe: sort of nachos
For the 'tortilla' chips.
Make some flatbreads - here's what I did, in my enchilada recipe
http://my30-30challenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/recipe-frugal-sort-of-enchiladas.html
Heat the oven to about 160C
Spray oil over two of the flatbreads, both sides. I used my hands to rub the oil all over. Cut each flatbread into eight wedges.
Place on parchment on an oven tray and pop into the oven at about 150C to bake until crisp. Leave to cool until needed.
For the salsa:
onion, finely chopped
4 mini tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
a small squeeze of chilli puree (to own taste) - come the summer I shall use chillis from the garden
a small squeeze of garlic puree
a pinch of parsley - dried at the moment but fresh if available
some lime juice from a bottle
sugar - optional
Mix together, cover and chill until needed
For the refried beans
some oil or dripping (just a bit)
a few kidney beans
garlic powder or puree
onion, very finely chopped
a pinch each of cumin, oregano and a squeeze of chilli puree
lime juice
salt
Soften the onion in the dripping. Add the spices/seasonings and cook out. Then add the beans and fry until they go a bit 'puffy'. Add the lime juice and mash with a fork.
Chill until needed, then re-heat in microwave
All of the above can be made in advance.
Before the meal:
Take out the salsa and the bean mixture to bring to room temperature
Heat the oven to
Place the tortilla chips in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with 35g grated cheese (I used cheddar) and pop in the oven to melt the cheese.
Serve the cheese tortilla chips with the salsa, the beans (which can be warmed up, if you want) and some natural yogurt sprinkled with smoked paprika.
Really, really tasty!
Make some flatbreads - here's what I did, in my enchilada recipe
http://my30-30challenge.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/recipe-frugal-sort-of-enchiladas.html
Heat the oven to about 160C
Spray oil over two of the flatbreads, both sides. I used my hands to rub the oil all over. Cut each flatbread into eight wedges.
Place on parchment on an oven tray and pop into the oven at about 150C to bake until crisp. Leave to cool until needed.
For the salsa:
onion, finely chopped
4 mini tomatoes, skinned and finely chopped
a small squeeze of chilli puree (to own taste) - come the summer I shall use chillis from the garden
a small squeeze of garlic puree
a pinch of parsley - dried at the moment but fresh if available
some lime juice from a bottle
sugar - optional
Mix together, cover and chill until needed
For the refried beans
some oil or dripping (just a bit)
a few kidney beans
garlic powder or puree
onion, very finely chopped
a pinch each of cumin, oregano and a squeeze of chilli puree
lime juice
salt
Soften the onion in the dripping. Add the spices/seasonings and cook out. Then add the beans and fry until they go a bit 'puffy'. Add the lime juice and mash with a fork.
Chill until needed, then re-heat in microwave
All of the above can be made in advance.
Before the meal:
Take out the salsa and the bean mixture to bring to room temperature
Heat the oven to
Place the tortilla chips in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with 35g grated cheese (I used cheddar) and pop in the oven to melt the cheese.
Serve the cheese tortilla chips with the salsa, the beans (which can be warmed up, if you want) and some natural yogurt sprinkled with smoked paprika.
Really, really tasty!
Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Recipe: frugal sort of enchiladas
This comes in two parts.
For the sourdough flatbread
200g plain flour
half a cup sourdough starter discard
heaped tbsp natural yogurt
a good pinch of salt
Water to mix it all into a soft-ish dough
(I had discard that I didn't want to discard but you could use more yogurt, milk, or even just water to make flatbread)
Method.
Mix ingredients into a soft dough, like this.
Wrap and chill for a short time.
Split ingredients into 50g balls and roll out into a sort of circle.
Heat a solid based frying pan and dry fry each circle of dough. It will puff up and you will get brown spots. That's not a problem.
As each on has cooked, stack them up and cover with a clean tea towel. Then pop them in a poly bag, separated with interleaving to stop them drying out and sticking.
If they do go a bit hard, just give each one ten seconds in a microwave.
The above amounts made eight at less than 1p each. The rest will freeze fine and tomorrow I am going to try to make some baked 'tortilla' chips!
For the sauce
A portion of savoury mince with veg (see link below for recipe)
some kidney beans (tinned would be fine and I guess about a quarter of a can's worth would be about right)
Some passata or other tomatoes such as some of a tin of chopped tomatoes.
spices such as chilli, smoked paprika, etc.
30 to 35g grated strong cheddar
For the sourdough flatbread
200g plain flour
half a cup sourdough starter discard
heaped tbsp natural yogurt
a good pinch of salt
Water to mix it all into a soft-ish dough
(I had discard that I didn't want to discard but you could use more yogurt, milk, or even just water to make flatbread)
Method.
Mix ingredients into a soft dough, like this.
Wrap and chill for a short time.
Split ingredients into 50g balls and roll out into a sort of circle.
Heat a solid based frying pan and dry fry each circle of dough. It will puff up and you will get brown spots. That's not a problem.
As each on has cooked, stack them up and cover with a clean tea towel. Then pop them in a poly bag, separated with interleaving to stop them drying out and sticking.
If they do go a bit hard, just give each one ten seconds in a microwave.
The above amounts made eight at less than 1p each. The rest will freeze fine and tomorrow I am going to try to make some baked 'tortilla' chips!
For the sauce
A portion of savoury mince with veg (see link below for recipe)
some kidney beans (tinned would be fine and I guess about a quarter of a can's worth would be about right)
Some passata or other tomatoes such as some of a tin of chopped tomatoes.
spices such as chilli, smoked paprika, etc.
30 to 35g grated strong cheddar
Method
First of all, I made the flatbreads (in the morning), wrapped them up and left them
I took one of my freezer portions of savoury mince and veg and half a portion of kidney beans that I had soaked, cooked and frozen previously.
To that I added some spices - I chose a bit of chilli and a bit of garlic puree, but you could use whatever you fancy really.
Then I added some passata that I had made and frozen last summer from tomatoes in the garden/
I took two of the 'tortillas'. With a slatted spoon I put some of the mince/bean mixture on each one, rolled it up and placed it in a greased ovenproof dish.
I then spread the rest of the tomato sauce over the top . . .
. . . sprinkled 40g strong cheddar over the top . . .
and baked it in a 180C oven until it was all bubbling and the cheese was melted and gorgeous.
I was going to have some coleslaw on the side but I'm glad I didn't because it was very, very filling and scrummy, which is why I am sharing it here. It's almost bedtime and I don't have any room for any supper.
I will make this again, for sure.
Method
First of all, I made the flatbreads (in the morning), wrapped them up and left them
I took one of my freezer portions of savoury mince and veg and half a portion of kidney beans that I had soaked, cooked and frozen previously.
To that I added some spices - I chose a bit of chilli and a bit of garlic puree, but you could use whatever you fancy really.
Then I added some passata that I had made and frozen last summer from tomatoes in the garden/
I took two of the 'tortillas'. With a slatted spoon I put some of the mince/bean mixture on each one, rolled it up and placed it in a greased ovenproof dish.
I then spread the rest of the tomato sauce over the top . . .
. . . sprinkled 40g strong cheddar over the top . . .
and baked it in a 180C oven until it was all bubbling and the cheese was melted and gorgeous.
I was going to have some coleslaw on the side but I'm glad I didn't because it was very, very filling and scrummy, which is why I am sharing it here. It's almost bedtime and I don't have any room for any supper.
I will make this again, for sure.
I took one of my freezer portions of savoury mince and veg and half a portion of kidney beans that I had soaked, cooked and frozen previously.
To that I added some spices - I chose a bit of chilli and a bit of garlic puree, but you could use whatever you fancy really.
Then I added some passata that I had made and frozen last summer from tomatoes in the garden/
I took two of the 'tortillas'. With a slatted spoon I put some of the mince/bean mixture on each one, rolled it up and placed it in a greased ovenproof dish.
I then spread the rest of the tomato sauce over the top . . .
. . . sprinkled 40g strong cheddar over the top . . .
and baked it in a 180C oven until it was all bubbling and the cheese was melted and gorgeous.
I was going to have some coleslaw on the side but I'm glad I didn't because it was very, very filling and scrummy, which is why I am sharing it here. It's almost bedtime and I don't have any room for any supper.
I will make this again, for sure.
Monday, 13 March 2017
Recipe: old fashioned still lemonade
I had cheap lemons and you know what they say about life handing you lemons . . .
So I did!
Very simple, very plain and very refreshing.
Ingredients:
60g sugar
60g water (I used just boiled so the sugar dissolved quickly)
2 lemons - juice and you could also use grated zest.
Method.
Mix the water with the sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, juice the lemons.
Mix the lemon juice with the syrup and strain it through a sieve, if necessary. Dilute it to taste (I find it makes up to a pint) with chilled water and enjoy.
If you need a bit more sugar, you will need to reheat it a little bit to help it to dissolve and then re-cool it. If you need more lemon juice, you could use some from a bottle.
Personally, I found it just right.
The cost?
The 60g sugar was 3p and the two lemons were 11p so that's a total of 14p - that's because after pancake day, they were selling off their boxes of nine lemons for 50p a box, which makes this delicious drink pretty frugal.
I served it in a champagne flute which made it look pretty and come the summer I will garnish it with a sprif of fresh mint.
Diluting it with sparkling water would be lovely (but remember to add the cost!).
I shall make some more and I will add some grated root ginger to the next one.
So I did!
Very simple, very plain and very refreshing.
Ingredients:
60g sugar
60g water (I used just boiled so the sugar dissolved quickly)
2 lemons - juice and you could also use grated zest.
Method.
Mix the water with the sugar and heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Allow it to cool.
Meanwhile, juice the lemons.
Mix the lemon juice with the syrup and strain it through a sieve, if necessary. Dilute it to taste (I find it makes up to a pint) with chilled water and enjoy.
If you need a bit more sugar, you will need to reheat it a little bit to help it to dissolve and then re-cool it. If you need more lemon juice, you could use some from a bottle.
Personally, I found it just right.
The cost?
The 60g sugar was 3p and the two lemons were 11p so that's a total of 14p - that's because after pancake day, they were selling off their boxes of nine lemons for 50p a box, which makes this delicious drink pretty frugal.
I served it in a champagne flute which made it look pretty and come the summer I will garnish it with a sprif of fresh mint.
Diluting it with sparkling water would be lovely (but remember to add the cost!).
I shall make some more and I will add some grated root ginger to the next one.
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