...without spending a penny.
You might remember some of these activities from your own childhood, I know I do.
Make musical instruments.
Take a shoe box, or any other reasonably sturdy cardboard box, cup a hole in the top if needs be, and wrap a few elastic bands around it to be the strings. A cardboard tube from some kitchen roll can be stuck on the end of the box to complete the guitar look.
Make a simple shaker out of an empty plastic bottle filled with pasta or rice.
Put together a drum kit from pots, pans and wooden spoons for drum sticks.
Fold a piece of paper over a comb.
Fill glasses with varying amounts of water, and 'play' them by running a damp finger around the edge of each glass.
Make a microphone out of a loo roll tube and some scrunched up paper.
Now the weather is beginning to warm up, playing with water is starting to look like fun again. Empty margarine tubs and yogurt pots, and a washing up bowl half filled with water can entertain small children for ages. These is no need to spend money on water pistols, save rinsed out plastic squeeze bottles instead. As well as squirting water at each other (which is always fun!), you could use chalks to sketch out a target range on an outside wall.
Make dolls out of old fashioned wooden pegs, or a wooden spoon. A few felt tips to draw on the face, and a few scraps of fabric, tissue paper, or even kitchen roll are all you really need.
Homemade jigsaw puzzles. If you have an old calendar, or a picture book that you are throwing out, you could cut out a picture, and cut it out into as many shapes as you think your child can manage. If you want it to last longer, then you could stick the picture down onto thin card (maybe from a cereal box) before you cut it up.
Tuesday, 16 April 2013
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Free ways to have fun...
...with your family.
First, step away from the TV! There are much more exciting things to do. Also, you won't have to watch adverts that make you want more and more STUFF.
Do some colouring together. I don't know about you, but when I was a child I used to love colouring in pictures. You can print some lovely colouring pages from the Internet, from children's characters to beautiful, intricate designs. Sitting and colouring together can be a lovely time to have a chat, relax together and bond with your child.
Build a fort/castle/den. Remember when you were a child how much fun it was to construct a hiding place out of furniture, blankets and boxes? Join in with your children and build one now! It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Add a torch and a snack, and you have doubled the fun!
Fly a kite. If you have one already, then use that. If not, google instructions and you will find lots of simple tutorials showing you how to make a simple kite out of stuff you probably already have around the house.
Make some nature wall art. Go for a walk together and gather leaves, sticks, grasses...whatever catches your eye. Take them home and use them to put together some art. Perhaps you could make a decorative wreath, or a collage of some kind.
First, step away from the TV! There are much more exciting things to do. Also, you won't have to watch adverts that make you want more and more STUFF.
Do some colouring together. I don't know about you, but when I was a child I used to love colouring in pictures. You can print some lovely colouring pages from the Internet, from children's characters to beautiful, intricate designs. Sitting and colouring together can be a lovely time to have a chat, relax together and bond with your child.
Build a fort/castle/den. Remember when you were a child how much fun it was to construct a hiding place out of furniture, blankets and boxes? Join in with your children and build one now! It can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. Add a torch and a snack, and you have doubled the fun!
Fly a kite. If you have one already, then use that. If not, google instructions and you will find lots of simple tutorials showing you how to make a simple kite out of stuff you probably already have around the house.
Make some nature wall art. Go for a walk together and gather leaves, sticks, grasses...whatever catches your eye. Take them home and use them to put together some art. Perhaps you could make a decorative wreath, or a collage of some kind.
Monday, 11 March 2013
"There is no dignity...
...quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means."
Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
What I will be eating this week...
This month I decided to split my £200 monthly grocery budget into four, and shop in different ways each week. I thought it would be fun (maybe I need to get out more!). So last week, I did all my shopping at the local shops within walking distance of my home. It was a huge success. I stayed within budget, and was able to buy a good variety of good quality, reasonably priced food.
This weekend, though, I was insanely busy, and had to leave the shopping in the hands of my husband. He was a bit nervous about it, actually. He's a capable man, but just doesn't have any experience of shopping for a whole week, because that is usually my responsibility. I put the £50 into an envelop, and on it gave him a rough outline of the things we would need. He dropped me and our daughter at the train station at 6.30am, and went straight from there to the nearest 24hour supermarket. He did a great job, and only exceeded the budget by 12p. He bought a good deal more meat than I usually would, and a bit less fruit and veg, but there's enough for us to get by on.
So, this week, I am planning our meals around what he bought.
Monday.
This evening my daughter and I will be having dinner with my mum. My husband won't be in until later, and can have pasta and pesto, with some nice olives and capers. I will have some ladies around for a bible study and prayer group, so if I have time I will whip up a few quick, simple muffins to serve as snacks.
Tuesday.
I shall put a small chicken into the slow cooker before I leave for work, and I will serve this with new potatoes and vegetables.
Wednesday.
The chicken will provide enough for two meals. I might chop up leftover chicken and vegetables and mix it with a white sauce. I can top this with sliced, leftover potatoes, and reheat it in the oven.
Thursday.
I won't be home from work until about 8-30pm, so I shall make use of the slow cooker again to provide a quick and easy meal for my husband and daughter. I will put a piece of gammon into the slow cooker in the morning before I leave for work, and it will be delicious by dinner time. That can be served with salad and crusty bread. The remaining ham can be used for sandwiches.
Friday.
I haven't planned a particular meal. Friday is usually when we use up and odds and ends from the freezer, or have beans or egg on toast.
This plans means that the minced beef and the pack of stewing steak that my husband bought have not yet been used. They can used next week instead :-)
This weekend, though, I was insanely busy, and had to leave the shopping in the hands of my husband. He was a bit nervous about it, actually. He's a capable man, but just doesn't have any experience of shopping for a whole week, because that is usually my responsibility. I put the £50 into an envelop, and on it gave him a rough outline of the things we would need. He dropped me and our daughter at the train station at 6.30am, and went straight from there to the nearest 24hour supermarket. He did a great job, and only exceeded the budget by 12p. He bought a good deal more meat than I usually would, and a bit less fruit and veg, but there's enough for us to get by on.
So, this week, I am planning our meals around what he bought.
Monday.
This evening my daughter and I will be having dinner with my mum. My husband won't be in until later, and can have pasta and pesto, with some nice olives and capers. I will have some ladies around for a bible study and prayer group, so if I have time I will whip up a few quick, simple muffins to serve as snacks.
Tuesday.
I shall put a small chicken into the slow cooker before I leave for work, and I will serve this with new potatoes and vegetables.
Wednesday.
The chicken will provide enough for two meals. I might chop up leftover chicken and vegetables and mix it with a white sauce. I can top this with sliced, leftover potatoes, and reheat it in the oven.
Thursday.
I won't be home from work until about 8-30pm, so I shall make use of the slow cooker again to provide a quick and easy meal for my husband and daughter. I will put a piece of gammon into the slow cooker in the morning before I leave for work, and it will be delicious by dinner time. That can be served with salad and crusty bread. The remaining ham can be used for sandwiches.
Friday.
I haven't planned a particular meal. Friday is usually when we use up and odds and ends from the freezer, or have beans or egg on toast.
This plans means that the minced beef and the pack of stewing steak that my husband bought have not yet been used. They can used next week instead :-)
Friday, 8 March 2013
Multiplying a meal...
...to accommodate unexpected guests.
From time to time we have unexpected guests to join us for a meal. Perhaps friends or relatives drop in, or my husband quite often invites friends and colleagues over at short notice. I have found it really useful to develop a few 'tricks' for stretching a meal to feed an unexpected guest or two (or even more!).
I don't usually serve a starter, but this can help to stretch a meal. This might be as simple as cutting some carrot sticks, opening a packet of crisps or breadsticks, and mixing up a simple dip. Alternatively, I often have batches of homemade soup in the freezer, that can be defrosted quickly in the microwave. A cheap, simple vegetable soup can be made 'fancy' by topping with some grated cheese, or a big crouton made from a slice of French bread.
Providing extra side dishes can bulk out a meal simply and cheaply. I often stock up of vacuum packs of part-baked loaves, and these are lovely to serve warm along side many main meals. Extra rice or pasta can easily stretch a meal like chilli or bolognese. Rice or pasta can also form the basis of a nice salad, and with the addition of just a few bits of finely chopped salad veg (eg cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, beetroot etc), mixed up with a bit of dressing will make a substantial, last minute side dish.
If I am serving something like a sausage casserole, I will cut the sausages up into smaller pieces. One sausage each would look pretty meal, but lots of smaller slices looks much more generous!
If I'm trying to stretch a roast dinner, I might not have any more meat to offer, but I can usually find more veg, like maybe a packet of frozen peas. If I need to serve lots of potatoes to bulk out the meal, I might try and serve them in two different ways, like mash and roast.
A substantial pudding can really help too. I don't often serve pudding, but I might do if I have guests. Pancakes are a really useful idea to have up your sleeve. I almost always have the basic ingredients to make pancakes, and I can usually find something to fill them with. Chocolate spread, golden syrup, lemons and sugar are all saples in my home, most of the time. Or I might slice up a couple of apples, fry the slices, and top them with some cinnamon and brown sugar. These make a lovely pancake filling, and just a couple of apples go a long way sliced up like this. The pancakes could be served with cream, or ice cream if you have it, or just a sprinkle of icing sugar to pretty it up.
From time to time we have unexpected guests to join us for a meal. Perhaps friends or relatives drop in, or my husband quite often invites friends and colleagues over at short notice. I have found it really useful to develop a few 'tricks' for stretching a meal to feed an unexpected guest or two (or even more!).
I don't usually serve a starter, but this can help to stretch a meal. This might be as simple as cutting some carrot sticks, opening a packet of crisps or breadsticks, and mixing up a simple dip. Alternatively, I often have batches of homemade soup in the freezer, that can be defrosted quickly in the microwave. A cheap, simple vegetable soup can be made 'fancy' by topping with some grated cheese, or a big crouton made from a slice of French bread.
Providing extra side dishes can bulk out a meal simply and cheaply. I often stock up of vacuum packs of part-baked loaves, and these are lovely to serve warm along side many main meals. Extra rice or pasta can easily stretch a meal like chilli or bolognese. Rice or pasta can also form the basis of a nice salad, and with the addition of just a few bits of finely chopped salad veg (eg cucumber, tomato, grated carrot, beetroot etc), mixed up with a bit of dressing will make a substantial, last minute side dish.
If I am serving something like a sausage casserole, I will cut the sausages up into smaller pieces. One sausage each would look pretty meal, but lots of smaller slices looks much more generous!
If I'm trying to stretch a roast dinner, I might not have any more meat to offer, but I can usually find more veg, like maybe a packet of frozen peas. If I need to serve lots of potatoes to bulk out the meal, I might try and serve them in two different ways, like mash and roast.
A substantial pudding can really help too. I don't often serve pudding, but I might do if I have guests. Pancakes are a really useful idea to have up your sleeve. I almost always have the basic ingredients to make pancakes, and I can usually find something to fill them with. Chocolate spread, golden syrup, lemons and sugar are all saples in my home, most of the time. Or I might slice up a couple of apples, fry the slices, and top them with some cinnamon and brown sugar. These make a lovely pancake filling, and just a couple of apples go a long way sliced up like this. The pancakes could be served with cream, or ice cream if you have it, or just a sprinkle of icing sugar to pretty it up.
Thursday, 7 March 2013
You can never...
...get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough for me.
Said C S Lewis, a man after my own heart.
Happy World Book Day! X
Said C S Lewis, a man after my own heart.
Happy World Book Day! X
"Why do I read?...
I just can't help myself.
I read to learn and to grow, to laugh and to be motivated.
I read to understand things I've never been exposed to.
I read when I'm crabby, when I've just said monumentally dumb things to the people I love.
I read for strength to help me when I feel broken, discouraged, and afraid.
I read when I'm angry at the whole world.
I read when everything is going right.
I read to find hope.
I read because I'm made up not just of skin and bones, of sights, feelings, and a deep need for chocolate, but I'm also made up of words.
Words describe my thoughts and what's hidden in my heart.
Words are alive - when I've found a story that I love, I read it again and again, like playing a favourite song over and over.
Reading isn't passive - I enter the story with the characters, breathe their air, feel their frustrations, scream at them to stop when they're about to do something stupid, cry with them, laugh with them.
Reading for me, is spending time with a friend.
A book is a friend.
You can never have too many."
- Gary Paulsen, 'Shelf Life : Stories by the Book'
I read to learn and to grow, to laugh and to be motivated.
I read to understand things I've never been exposed to.
I read when I'm crabby, when I've just said monumentally dumb things to the people I love.
I read for strength to help me when I feel broken, discouraged, and afraid.
I read when I'm angry at the whole world.
I read when everything is going right.
I read to find hope.
I read because I'm made up not just of skin and bones, of sights, feelings, and a deep need for chocolate, but I'm also made up of words.
Words describe my thoughts and what's hidden in my heart.
Words are alive - when I've found a story that I love, I read it again and again, like playing a favourite song over and over.
Reading isn't passive - I enter the story with the characters, breathe their air, feel their frustrations, scream at them to stop when they're about to do something stupid, cry with them, laugh with them.
Reading for me, is spending time with a friend.
A book is a friend.
You can never have too many."
- Gary Paulsen, 'Shelf Life : Stories by the Book'
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
It's World Book Day today...
...what are you reading?
At work today I shall be spending an hour taking part in the Big Read. Yep, I get to read for an hour, and get paid for it. I always love my job, but today I REALLY love my job!
At work today I shall be spending an hour taking part in the Big Read. Yep, I get to read for an hour, and get paid for it. I always love my job, but today I REALLY love my job!
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Foodie frugality...
...tips for people who (like me) really love god food.
1) Meat is not compulsory! I must say that I have never really been a massive meat eater. I'm not vegetarian by any means, but I find big slabs of meat pretty dull. If you are used to building your meals around large portions of meat, then reducing it might be a challenge. Eating meatless meals a few times a week is a huge money saver. Pizza, pasta and sauce, egg and chips, are all everyday, meatless meals. Lentils and beans are great alternatives to meat. When you do eat meat, use it as a seasoning rather than a main ingredient. For instance, a bit of bacon can go a long way to add flavour to a risotto. A little chorizo can pack a flavour punch in a pasta bake. A slice of ham can top a pizza.
2) Indulge in simple treats. Just because you are eating frugally doesn't mean your diet needs to be bland and tasteless, just move away from the idea that treat foods have to be expensive. A bowl of English strawberries at the height of summer isn't going to cost much, but wow, what a flavour! Make meals special. A bowl of homemade soup can be served at a candlelit table and savoured every bit as much as a fresh lobster! Take care with the preparation and presentation of food, and make it feel special every day.
3) Learn your craft. Cooking well isn't rocket science, but it does take a little practice. You can save a lot of money by learning how to cook well. By that, I don't mean that you have to have the skills of a professional chef, but make sure that you can make your favourite things.
4) Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Cooking and eating well and frugally does take a bit of planning. Don't leave yourself in the position where you have no other option than a last minute dash for a ready meal or take away. I usually plan out my week at the weekend. I'm not keen on having strict meal plans, but I think about what sort of activities I have to fit in, and try and shop accordingly. So, for instance, if I know I'm going to be late in, then dashing straight out again for an evening meeting, then I'll make sure I have something really quick and easy like pasta and pesto. If we have the sort of night where we might all be needing to eat at different times, then I'll get a casserole into the slow cooker for that day, so we can help ourselves when we need to. I also check what I have in the kitchen before I shop, so I avoid food waste wherever possible. 5) Get ahead wherever you can. When you make a meal, makes two. Put one in the freezer, and you have an easy dinner for another night. Prep as much in advance as you an, when you have the time. Last night I peeled the potatoes and chopped the veg for tonight's dinner before I went to bed. 6) Bake. Cakes and treats, especially good quality ones made with 'real' ingredients, can be very pricey. Baking your own can save money, and really impress your friends and family. I have maybe five or six faithful recipes, that I can produce quickly and easily time and time again. These include a basic muffin recipe which can be flavoured any way I like, a lemon drizzle cake, a flapjack type bake, and a million variations on tiffin!
1) Meat is not compulsory! I must say that I have never really been a massive meat eater. I'm not vegetarian by any means, but I find big slabs of meat pretty dull. If you are used to building your meals around large portions of meat, then reducing it might be a challenge. Eating meatless meals a few times a week is a huge money saver. Pizza, pasta and sauce, egg and chips, are all everyday, meatless meals. Lentils and beans are great alternatives to meat. When you do eat meat, use it as a seasoning rather than a main ingredient. For instance, a bit of bacon can go a long way to add flavour to a risotto. A little chorizo can pack a flavour punch in a pasta bake. A slice of ham can top a pizza.
2) Indulge in simple treats. Just because you are eating frugally doesn't mean your diet needs to be bland and tasteless, just move away from the idea that treat foods have to be expensive. A bowl of English strawberries at the height of summer isn't going to cost much, but wow, what a flavour! Make meals special. A bowl of homemade soup can be served at a candlelit table and savoured every bit as much as a fresh lobster! Take care with the preparation and presentation of food, and make it feel special every day.
3) Learn your craft. Cooking well isn't rocket science, but it does take a little practice. You can save a lot of money by learning how to cook well. By that, I don't mean that you have to have the skills of a professional chef, but make sure that you can make your favourite things.
4) Don't you love it when a plan comes together? Cooking and eating well and frugally does take a bit of planning. Don't leave yourself in the position where you have no other option than a last minute dash for a ready meal or take away. I usually plan out my week at the weekend. I'm not keen on having strict meal plans, but I think about what sort of activities I have to fit in, and try and shop accordingly. So, for instance, if I know I'm going to be late in, then dashing straight out again for an evening meeting, then I'll make sure I have something really quick and easy like pasta and pesto. If we have the sort of night where we might all be needing to eat at different times, then I'll get a casserole into the slow cooker for that day, so we can help ourselves when we need to. I also check what I have in the kitchen before I shop, so I avoid food waste wherever possible. 5) Get ahead wherever you can. When you make a meal, makes two. Put one in the freezer, and you have an easy dinner for another night. Prep as much in advance as you an, when you have the time. Last night I peeled the potatoes and chopped the veg for tonight's dinner before I went to bed. 6) Bake. Cakes and treats, especially good quality ones made with 'real' ingredients, can be very pricey. Baking your own can save money, and really impress your friends and family. I have maybe five or six faithful recipes, that I can produce quickly and easily time and time again. These include a basic muffin recipe which can be flavoured any way I like, a lemon drizzle cake, a flapjack type bake, and a million variations on tiffin!
Tuesday, 26 February 2013
Fishnet stockings, aramanth biscuits and abduction...
...or in other words, a trip to my local library.
I love my library. It's not very big or fancy, but its friendly, and they make every effort to organise various community events like book clubs (for kids, teens and adults), knitting groups, IT support, family history research days, etc, etc. when I popped in last night there was someone from the council discussing some planning issues with an elderly couple.
But I wasn't there for any special event, I was just taking advantage of one of their late nights to pop in and borrow some books. I hadn't been in for a few weeks, and it was one of those occasions when there were loads of books I fancied reading.
So, I came home with...
3 cookbooks (one by Tom Parker Bowles, the Bake Off Showstopper book, and one about natural super foods)
An autobiography called 'Abode of Love' about growing up in a religious cult
Have A Little Faith, by Mitch Albom (I haven't read any of his non-fiction before, so I'm looking forward to this)
Girl, Missing by Sophie Mckenzie (its a kids book, but I'm a teacher, so that's my excuse)
A trilogy of memoirs by Margaret Walker.
In the book shop, I probably wouldn't have bought any of these, but borrowing from the library means you can try things that you are unsure about. I've discovered lots of great authors in the library, and have gone on to purchase many of their books, but borrowing first helps avoid costly mistakes - and my budget doesn't have room for mistakes!
Fresh and Fruity...
...that's the name of my local green grocers, isn't it a great name?
I like to buy my fruit and veg there for a number of reasons. First, I like to support local, independent business. My own little town has a number of empty shops that just never seem to be filled, and if I don't use the shops that are there, then I expect I will loose them too.
Secondly, the fruit and veg there is always good quality. I might not be able to get all the exotic varieties that a supermarket can offer, but I know that there is a quick turnover of stock and that it is all fresh.
Thirdly, I can save money shopping there. The prices of most things are at least comparable to ordinary supermarket prices, and I can buy exactly what I need, thus avoiding waste. Each day the staff at the shop pick out any items that are a bit bruised or ripe and need using quickly, and bag them up into mixed bags which they sell off very cheaply. These can be really good value.
Thursday, 21 February 2013
Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Get ahead...
...when cooking from scratch.
When you make up a batch of short crust pastry, make double or even treble the amount you need, and freeze the rest, ready for next time.
Grate a big block of cheese. Keep it in the fridge in a sealed bag ready to use, or freeze portions of it.
When you make pizza dough, make double, and freeze for another time.
Lots of meals start with fried onions. When you have a bit of time, chop up LOTS of onions, and cook them slooooowly in some oil, until they are rich and soft and flavoursome. These can be frozen in little bags, and will give a delicious flavour to many meals.
Use the slow cooker to make up a big batch of tomato sauce. Use this one night to have with pasta, the next to top some fish fillets, and use up the last bit on your frozen pizza bases, with your frozen, ready grated cheese for a super quick meal.
Cut chicken into strips, sprinkle with spices and seasoning, and freeze it in a bag along with sliced onions and peppers. Take a bag out before you leave for work, and you have chicken fajita fillings, ready to go, when you come home.
Crumble topping (flour, butter and sugar, rubbed into crumbs) freezes brilliantly, and hardly needs any time to defrost, so you can make up a huge batch when you have some time to spare, and freeze it in bags. When you want to use it, you can take it more or less straight out, crumble it over fruit with your finger tips, and bake.
When you make up a batch of short crust pastry, make double or even treble the amount you need, and freeze the rest, ready for next time.
Grate a big block of cheese. Keep it in the fridge in a sealed bag ready to use, or freeze portions of it.
When you make pizza dough, make double, and freeze for another time.
Lots of meals start with fried onions. When you have a bit of time, chop up LOTS of onions, and cook them slooooowly in some oil, until they are rich and soft and flavoursome. These can be frozen in little bags, and will give a delicious flavour to many meals.
Use the slow cooker to make up a big batch of tomato sauce. Use this one night to have with pasta, the next to top some fish fillets, and use up the last bit on your frozen pizza bases, with your frozen, ready grated cheese for a super quick meal.
Cut chicken into strips, sprinkle with spices and seasoning, and freeze it in a bag along with sliced onions and peppers. Take a bag out before you leave for work, and you have chicken fajita fillings, ready to go, when you come home.
Crumble topping (flour, butter and sugar, rubbed into crumbs) freezes brilliantly, and hardly needs any time to defrost, so you can make up a huge batch when you have some time to spare, and freeze it in bags. When you want to use it, you can take it more or less straight out, crumble it over fruit with your finger tips, and bake.
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Exploring new...
...meal ideas.
I really need to go shopping soon. The cupboard, fridge and freezer are looking woefully empty. However, a combination of laziness and obstinacy makes me want to push on and make it for just one more day....and then maybe one more!
I've just prepared tomorrow evenings meal. Sweet potato bake. Basically, its just sweet potato, sliced and steamed, then piled into a baking dish and smothered in a cheesy, mustardy white sauce, and topped with bread crumbs. It looks very tasty. I will serve it with various bits and pieces from the freezer, including some vegetable samosas. It might not be something I would have put into a meal plan, but I think it will turn out to be a pretty decent meal.
I really need to go shopping soon. The cupboard, fridge and freezer are looking woefully empty. However, a combination of laziness and obstinacy makes me want to push on and make it for just one more day....and then maybe one more!
I've just prepared tomorrow evenings meal. Sweet potato bake. Basically, its just sweet potato, sliced and steamed, then piled into a baking dish and smothered in a cheesy, mustardy white sauce, and topped with bread crumbs. It looks very tasty. I will serve it with various bits and pieces from the freezer, including some vegetable samosas. It might not be something I would have put into a meal plan, but I think it will turn out to be a pretty decent meal.
Using up stale bread.
It's either feast or famine in my house, as far as bread is concerned. I am either dashing to the shops last thing at night to get bread for tomorrow's packed lunch, or I have a freezer full, and loaves sitting out going stale.
Here are a few ideas for using up stale bread;
Whiz it into crumbs in the processor, bag them up, and freeze them. They can be used for bulking out meatballs, topping a bake, baking a treacle tart, etc, etc.
Toast it. Slightly sale bread will toast well, and can also make lovely toasted sandwiches.
Bread and butter pudding. This is a really old fashioned, rib sticking pudding. Take a few slices of bread, and butter liberally. Cut, and arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle with dried fruit ( or, alternatively, spread with jam, marmalade or chocolate spread and peanut butter). Mix an egg or two with half to one pint of milk (cream or evap would be god too), and pour over. Leave to soak for a bit, cover and bake for about thirty mins. Uncover to brown for a few mins at end, but don't let it burn.
Make a bread salad. Tear up bread into chunks, sprinkle quite generously with salad dressing, and leave to soak while you cho up tomatoes, cucumber and other assorted salad veg. Mix with the bread, and serve.
Tear into croutons, drizzle with oil and bake. Use these to top out or salad.
Make a summer fruit pudding. Use frozen berries if its not summer.
Make a war time bread pudding. Soak 10oz sale bread for ten mins in a little water, then squeeze out most of the moisture. Mix with 2oz butter, 2 oz dried fruit and 1 oz sugar, and a teaspoon or so of cinnamon. Mix in an egg, and enough milk to make it sticky. Spread out into a baking dish, and bake for about an hour. It's nice to sprinkle some sugar on top. You can serve this hot with custard, but its also nice to have a cold slice with a cuppa. You can use any dried fruit you like. It's also nice if you grate some apple, or pear, and mix that in. Since mincemeat left over from Christmas would be lovely too. You old use ginger insteadof cinnamon.
Here are a few ideas for using up stale bread;
Whiz it into crumbs in the processor, bag them up, and freeze them. They can be used for bulking out meatballs, topping a bake, baking a treacle tart, etc, etc.
Toast it. Slightly sale bread will toast well, and can also make lovely toasted sandwiches.
Bread and butter pudding. This is a really old fashioned, rib sticking pudding. Take a few slices of bread, and butter liberally. Cut, and arrange in a baking dish. Sprinkle with dried fruit ( or, alternatively, spread with jam, marmalade or chocolate spread and peanut butter). Mix an egg or two with half to one pint of milk (cream or evap would be god too), and pour over. Leave to soak for a bit, cover and bake for about thirty mins. Uncover to brown for a few mins at end, but don't let it burn.
Make a bread salad. Tear up bread into chunks, sprinkle quite generously with salad dressing, and leave to soak while you cho up tomatoes, cucumber and other assorted salad veg. Mix with the bread, and serve.
Tear into croutons, drizzle with oil and bake. Use these to top out or salad.
Make a summer fruit pudding. Use frozen berries if its not summer.
Make a war time bread pudding. Soak 10oz sale bread for ten mins in a little water, then squeeze out most of the moisture. Mix with 2oz butter, 2 oz dried fruit and 1 oz sugar, and a teaspoon or so of cinnamon. Mix in an egg, and enough milk to make it sticky. Spread out into a baking dish, and bake for about an hour. It's nice to sprinkle some sugar on top. You can serve this hot with custard, but its also nice to have a cold slice with a cuppa. You can use any dried fruit you like. It's also nice if you grate some apple, or pear, and mix that in. Since mincemeat left over from Christmas would be lovely too. You old use ginger insteadof cinnamon.
Monday, 18 February 2013
"The underground guide to living frugal"
...is available on Amazon for Kindle for FREE!
Its kind of a classic, and I don't know how long it will be available for free, so if you can, get it now.
Its kind of a classic, and I don't know how long it will be available for free, so if you can, get it now.
Never say no...
...to a freebie.
Went round to visit my mum after work this evening, and she had a few items that she wondered if I would like. First, a couple of men's rugby shirts. Mum is a huge rugby fan, and loves buying souvenir shirts. However, she is my weightwatcher buddy, and many of them are now far too big. These two had been worn maybe twice at most, and if I hadn't taken them, they would have gone in the bin. They will probably fit my husband, but if not, I will ale them to the charity shop. She also offered me a shopping bag on wheels. I already have a shopping trolley (a fantastically retro orange creation, which I love), and I almost said no thanks. Then I remembered that my lodger, a primary school teacher, regularly lugs huge bags and boxes of planning and books to mark home with her, and I realised that the bag on wheels would be perfect for her.
I am always thrilled when people offer me their unwanted items, and I almost always say yes. If I cannot use them myself, then I pass them on to people who can. Many years ago, I worked at a night shelter for homeless people, and I've kept in touch with various organisations that work in that sector, so I can often pass on household items to someone who really needs them.
Went round to visit my mum after work this evening, and she had a few items that she wondered if I would like. First, a couple of men's rugby shirts. Mum is a huge rugby fan, and loves buying souvenir shirts. However, she is my weightwatcher buddy, and many of them are now far too big. These two had been worn maybe twice at most, and if I hadn't taken them, they would have gone in the bin. They will probably fit my husband, but if not, I will ale them to the charity shop. She also offered me a shopping bag on wheels. I already have a shopping trolley (a fantastically retro orange creation, which I love), and I almost said no thanks. Then I remembered that my lodger, a primary school teacher, regularly lugs huge bags and boxes of planning and books to mark home with her, and I realised that the bag on wheels would be perfect for her.
I am always thrilled when people offer me their unwanted items, and I almost always say yes. If I cannot use them myself, then I pass them on to people who can. Many years ago, I worked at a night shelter for homeless people, and I've kept in touch with various organisations that work in that sector, so I can often pass on household items to someone who really needs them.
Sunday, 17 February 2013
The bane of many lives...
...packed lunch!
Packing a lunch is, we all know, the frugal choice. Like many working mums, I am responsible for making packed lunches for myself and my family and if I am honest, it often feels like a ball and chain around my neck! However, I do like knowing that myself and my family have something tasty and reasonably healthy to eat each day, and there is no way I could budget for buying lunch out everyday.
I've been making packed lunches for myself, my husband and my daughter for many years, and I thought I would share some ideas that have worked for me.
1. Sandwiches...
The good old sarnie is the backbone of most packed lunches, isn't it? I usually make them the night before, so I steer clear of anything that will go soggy or smelly! I don't often put salad into the sandwiches, because I find it often makes them soggy. However, I quite often put some sliced cucumber and tomato into a little plastic tub and put them into my sandwich at lunch time. As far as fillings go, I tend to stick to the basics, like cheese and cooked meat. I find wraps and pitta breads very useful, because I can buy them well in advance, and they will keep for a long time in the cupboard or freezer.
2. Instead of a sandwich...
I sometimes give my daughter sausage rolls instead of a sandwich. I often have some in the freezer, and they come in handy on days when I have run out of bread or fillings, or just for a bit of variety.
My daughter rally enjoys a pasta salad instead of a sandwich sometimes. Just some cold pasta mixed up with mayonnaise, with some chopped up protein, like cheese, chicken or ham, and some vegetables like sweetcorn and cucumber. At home, she loves a big pile of salad leaves, with dressing and grated cheese, but she won't have that at school, because she worries about getting bits of green stuck in her braces!
3. A hot dinner...
Both my husband and myself have access to a microwave, which opens up a whole world of possibilities! I often make some veg soup at the weekend, using up odds and ends, and freeze a few portions in old margarine tubs. I'm happy to have that for lunch, but my husband is not a soup fan. I will quite often pack up leftovers from the previous nights meal for my husband. This works out pretty well most of the time, and he much prefers it to a sandwich.
Jacket potatoes make a nice lunch, with a bit of something to fill them, like a dollop of coleslaw. I usually cook them before hand, then just heat them up in the microwave at work. That way, I'm not tying up the micro for too long when other people might need it.
I do sometimes pick up a ready meal or two, especially if they are reduced. They are not a regular lunch, but are handy to keep in the freezer as a back up.
4. A savoury 'extra'...
I often pop a treat or two in our lunch. Sometimes sweet, sometimes savoury. I'm not adverse to a packet of crisps now and then. Not every week, because they have a lot of salt in them, but I might pick up a multipack if they are a good price. My daughter only really likes to take ready salted crisps to school, she is worried that other flavours might make her breath smell.
We all like olives, so a few in a little pot always go down well.
I have a couple of little tubs with a sealable pot in the centre, and I will sometimes fill it with a dip of some kind, surrounded by cucumber and carrot sticks.
5. A sweet 'extra'...
I like a yogurt, which is nice and simple. I look out for whatever is a good price. I'm quite happy to eat Smart Price /Value yogurts.
I bake quite often. Simple muffins, maybe with a chopped up Mars bar mixed in, or a lemon drizzle cake. I might freeze individual portions, and bring them out as I need them.
I look out for special offers on chocolate biscuits, like penguins or kit Kats.
We eat a lot of fruit, too. If I take an orange to work, I slice it up at home first.
6. Drinks...
Water. Plain and simple, in a reusable bottle. Very infrequently, I will give my daughter a small carton of fruit juice in addition to the water, but none of us are very keen on fizzy drinks, so they never feature in packed lunches.
Packing a lunch is, we all know, the frugal choice. Like many working mums, I am responsible for making packed lunches for myself and my family and if I am honest, it often feels like a ball and chain around my neck! However, I do like knowing that myself and my family have something tasty and reasonably healthy to eat each day, and there is no way I could budget for buying lunch out everyday.
I've been making packed lunches for myself, my husband and my daughter for many years, and I thought I would share some ideas that have worked for me.
1. Sandwiches...
The good old sarnie is the backbone of most packed lunches, isn't it? I usually make them the night before, so I steer clear of anything that will go soggy or smelly! I don't often put salad into the sandwiches, because I find it often makes them soggy. However, I quite often put some sliced cucumber and tomato into a little plastic tub and put them into my sandwich at lunch time. As far as fillings go, I tend to stick to the basics, like cheese and cooked meat. I find wraps and pitta breads very useful, because I can buy them well in advance, and they will keep for a long time in the cupboard or freezer.
2. Instead of a sandwich...
I sometimes give my daughter sausage rolls instead of a sandwich. I often have some in the freezer, and they come in handy on days when I have run out of bread or fillings, or just for a bit of variety.
My daughter rally enjoys a pasta salad instead of a sandwich sometimes. Just some cold pasta mixed up with mayonnaise, with some chopped up protein, like cheese, chicken or ham, and some vegetables like sweetcorn and cucumber. At home, she loves a big pile of salad leaves, with dressing and grated cheese, but she won't have that at school, because she worries about getting bits of green stuck in her braces!
3. A hot dinner...
Both my husband and myself have access to a microwave, which opens up a whole world of possibilities! I often make some veg soup at the weekend, using up odds and ends, and freeze a few portions in old margarine tubs. I'm happy to have that for lunch, but my husband is not a soup fan. I will quite often pack up leftovers from the previous nights meal for my husband. This works out pretty well most of the time, and he much prefers it to a sandwich.
Jacket potatoes make a nice lunch, with a bit of something to fill them, like a dollop of coleslaw. I usually cook them before hand, then just heat them up in the microwave at work. That way, I'm not tying up the micro for too long when other people might need it.
I do sometimes pick up a ready meal or two, especially if they are reduced. They are not a regular lunch, but are handy to keep in the freezer as a back up.
4. A savoury 'extra'...
I often pop a treat or two in our lunch. Sometimes sweet, sometimes savoury. I'm not adverse to a packet of crisps now and then. Not every week, because they have a lot of salt in them, but I might pick up a multipack if they are a good price. My daughter only really likes to take ready salted crisps to school, she is worried that other flavours might make her breath smell.
We all like olives, so a few in a little pot always go down well.
I have a couple of little tubs with a sealable pot in the centre, and I will sometimes fill it with a dip of some kind, surrounded by cucumber and carrot sticks.
5. A sweet 'extra'...
I like a yogurt, which is nice and simple. I look out for whatever is a good price. I'm quite happy to eat Smart Price /Value yogurts.
I bake quite often. Simple muffins, maybe with a chopped up Mars bar mixed in, or a lemon drizzle cake. I might freeze individual portions, and bring them out as I need them.
I look out for special offers on chocolate biscuits, like penguins or kit Kats.
We eat a lot of fruit, too. If I take an orange to work, I slice it up at home first.
6. Drinks...
Water. Plain and simple, in a reusable bottle. Very infrequently, I will give my daughter a small carton of fruit juice in addition to the water, but none of us are very keen on fizzy drinks, so they never feature in packed lunches.
Home and hungry...
...with nothing planned.
I usually try to plan ahead for Sunday lunch. We don't get in from church until about two most weeks, often with guests, and always starving. However, this week it is just me and hubby, as daughter is off on a mission trip with the Youth, and I hadn't planned a thing. So, I poked around in the fridge and came up with....
Onion, fried until golden in spray oil, wilted spinach, spritzed with lemon juice, and served topped with a great big dollop of hummus. Some carrot and cucumber sticks on the side, and a slice of seedy, whole meal bread cut into soldiers. Delicious, and I am stuffed :-)
I usually try to plan ahead for Sunday lunch. We don't get in from church until about two most weeks, often with guests, and always starving. However, this week it is just me and hubby, as daughter is off on a mission trip with the Youth, and I hadn't planned a thing. So, I poked around in the fridge and came up with....
Onion, fried until golden in spray oil, wilted spinach, spritzed with lemon juice, and served topped with a great big dollop of hummus. Some carrot and cucumber sticks on the side, and a slice of seedy, whole meal bread cut into soldiers. Delicious, and I am stuffed :-)
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