Spending your Last Penny - Wisely!

Mediterranean Pizza

2009-11-27T16:44:00.002+13:00

The roots of our perennial favorite, Pizza, lie in the Mediterranean, and traditionally, pizza never has pineapple, chicken or any of the other "fancy" ingredients we've come to think of on it. But that doesn't mean it has to be either boring OR expensive!!

Make your own tasty mediterranean pizza at home for a cheap, tasty meal that the whole family will love.

Mediterranean Pizza

Your favorite pizza sauce**
Half a cup or so of grated cheese - use your own favorite, but LastPenny uses any brand of Tasty
1 or 2 fresh tomatoes, diced
Baby spinach leaves
Fresh basil leaves
Store-bought pizza base!

Heat oven up to 200C. Spread your pizza sauce on the pizza base, top with baby spinach leaves and basil leaves, a sprinkle of cheese and tomato over the top.

For extra flavor, add sliced mushrooms or chopped bacon.

**LastPenny's Quick and Cheapy Pizza Sauce

1 tin Watties Pasta Sauce (any flavour)
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
1/2 tablespoon mixed herbs

Bring gently to the boil on the stovetop, stirring often, and cook for 10 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken and reduce.

This makes heaps: refrigerate in glass or plastic for use. You can also freeze it in single-serve (about 3-4 tablespoons) portions!

Great for a quick and easy dinner, for entrees, or weekend lunches.

Try making it on a pita bread, and folding it over to take to work for lunch!

Chickpea Salad

2009-11-22T12:46:00.003+13:00

Summer's coming, and with it, you often dont feel like a hot meal in the evenings. Here's a tasty, filling vegetarian option!

Chickpea based, so it's packed with protein and best of all cheap; and most kids love it.

Chickpea Salad

4-5 button mushrooms, or 1 large flat mushroom (omit if mushrooms are disliked)
1/2 small red onion
1 Yellow or orange pepper
1 large chopped tomato (or use halved cherry tomatoes)
large handful fresh green beans, chopped**
300ish gram tin of chickpeas, drained
1 bunch chopped fresh parsley
Juice of 1 small lemon

Non-vegetarian option: 2 rashers bacon. OR, delicious with Sanitarium Rashers (vegetarian bacon) - these are optional

Quarter the mushrooms, slice the bacon or rashers if used into short thin strips, and chop the onion and pepper into small chunks. Heat up a small pan and lightly fry the mushrooms, bacon and veg until they're soft - about 3-4 mins in general. If using bacon, ensure it's completely cooked. I use Canola cooking spray for this.

Put your drained chickpeas into your salad bowl and add the tomatoes and the chopped parsley. You can also use coriander. Drizzle with lemon juice and mix gently (dont crush the chickpeas.)

Add the warm ingredients, stir through, and set aside to cool.

Serve with balsamic dressing.

**TOP TIP: If money's tight or you dont have them to hand, use frozen beans, peas or my personal favorite: Mixed Veg!

Serving suggestions:

On the side at barbecues, in place of a regular green salad, or as a light meal on it's own. Very tasty and filling.

Baked Bean Hash Pie

2009-10-14T18:51:00.002+13:00

Cheap and Easy!

Baked Bean Hash Pie

1 - 2 tins baked beans*
4 - 6 hash browns
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese
Bacon or saveloys - optional
Spring onions - optional
Fresh parsley or dried mixed herbs - optional

Roughly line a casserole dish with the hash browns. Top hash browns with baked beans - optimally about half an inch to an inch thick. Sprinkle over chopped spring onions, finely chopped bacon, or thinly sliced saveloys - optional.

Beat together eggs and milk, salt and pepper, and pour over.

Cover with layer of grated cheese if desired. Garnish with chopped parsley or dried mixed herbs.

Bake at 180C for 35 mins.

Serving Suggestions

* For kids' teatime with buttered bread
* As a special brunch, with baby spinach salad on the side

Leftovers can be served cold like an over-moist frittata - very tasty!

* Use budget or home brand or whatever's on special!

Affordable and excellent car rental

2009-10-11T09:17:00.002+13:00

Just the other day, one half of LastPenny got her car written off - a week before moving day! Oh noes!!!

But never fear, we took the opportunity to rent a station wagon to assist with the move - there are always *more* things than you think that you want to take in the car, right?

I got in touch with A2B Rentals in Auckland. They have a huge range of high km, older vehicles for rent for those of us who are budget-conscious.

Not only were they able to let me have a lovely big station wagon for the pricely sum of $26 per day INCLUDING GST, they allowed me to transport my cat (in her carrier), in the car, when I requested that this be allowed.

This is km-inclusive, standard-insurance inclusive, no hidden extras.

They were able to let me have the car a day early when the movers wanted to come early, and at all times they were pleasant and excellent to deal with.

The only trouble is they only have locations in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

I recommend A2B as a great option for the LastPenny traveller!

And now that we're all moved in, you can look forward to a return to your regular tkips and recipes from LastPenny!

Rugs: A cheaper, beter way

2009-10-03T12:15:00.002+13:00

You probably know the expense involved in buying rugs for your home. Hundreds of dollars buys you something synthetic or thin, while the nicer ones go for the high hundreds or even thousands!

But there is a better way! You can purchased old carpet in a pattern you like - axminster is a favorite of LastPenny! or in plain colours, for often next to nothing. Cut to the size and shape you want, and have them latexed.

Latexing is a carpet treatment that's not talked about much. It involves latex being painted on the underside edge of the carpet to prevent fraying. It's a much cheaper option that overlocking or binding, and has a lovely natural look which allows the carpet pile to fall to the edge.

And best of all? It's around a tenth of the price!

Check out suppliers in your area - many will also cut to size for you. We just had a huge piece done for the princely sum of $7.20.

Moving: A success and two recs!

2009-10-02T20:42:00.004+13:00

We've moved successfully and so you can look forward to your regular LastPenny updates again!

The move went really well, and that was in large part due to the wonderful moving company we employed.

We used Matamata Furniture Movers, who gave us an absolutely excellent price. They brought their very large truck and trailer for our load (which was very large!) but due to the wonderful packing skills of Gary they got everything in the truck alone.

They got us loaded in record time, and everything made the trip safely - except the keys to the desk and the china cabinet which I've put somewhere *safe*. I expect to find them around 2011...

I got in touch with Matamata Movers, (who work nation-wide) or rather they got in touch with me, via Backload Movers, a wonderful website I blogged about back here. Suffice it to say I can't recommend Matamata Movers or Backload Movers enough!

The only minor hiccup was that Gary couldn't get any staff to help unload at our new property. But we fixed that via *another* LastPenny trick! We called up Massey's Student Job Search, and they sent two wonderful young guys out to help. They arrived within 45 minutes of our call and did an hour's work each, and at the end of that time we were unloaded! (Gary and I had done a good bit before they arrived).

Student Job Search, for those not in the know, is a service for students who are looking to earn some extra cash. You can list anything from skilled, ongoing part-time jobs to one-off casuals like what we did, and every time I've used them, I've been eminently satisfied.

It's a great way to find affordable assistance with projects, whether it's household cleaning, gardening, removals, or office work such as data entry or phone-manning.

Annies - Healthy Food and on special this week

2009-09-15T11:31:00.002+12:00

Annies is one of my favorite places to buy snacks for lunchboxes from. They make all natural dried fruit products, nut products and seed products, amongst other things. I urge you to sign up their newsletter for great email specials.

Delivery is often overnight and very reasonable.

This week, on special are Mrs Mays Nut Crunch products. Go and check it out.

These products are an excellent, healthy alternative to sweets in the lunchbox, and are great for car trips where fresh fruit is often too messy to indulge in too often.

LastPenny recommends products we use ourselves. We receive no payment or other benefits from these recommendations nor for visits to websites we recommend in posts.

Kedgeree - a forgotten, filling, favorite!

2009-09-14T22:06:00.003+12:00

Kedgeree is, put simply, a type of fish risotto.

It's nutritious, filling, warming and most kids love it. You can make it with any type of fish - personally, for ease and cost effectiveness, I use tinned smoked fish fillets.

You can also make it with tinned salmon (or even fresh salmon! But THAT'S not Last Penny!) to serve as a dinner party entree.

But you can use any sort of boneless, filleted fish.

Kedgeree

Fish of choice - 1x310g can smoked fish fillets is a good place to start. If using fresh fish, cook (grill or poach for preference) and flake.
2 cups cooked rice (long grain) - most kids prefer white, use brown for dinner parties, or, if you are being extremely posh, use a mix of wild rice and brown. Avoid jasmine, basmati, etc (Unless that's all you have in the house, in which case, I can attest to the fact it's quite edible with Jasmine!)
1 hard-boiled egg
1 or 2 fresh tomatoes
Herbs: best are fresh dill, chives and parsley. Use dried if you don't have fresh.*

I make this dish in the electric frying pan, but you can do it on the stovetop in a frying pan or wok if you prefer.

Put the cooked rice and the fish in the frying pan over a medium heat. Toss in a little oil to coat pan and prevent sticking (olive oil is best for fish, I find, but the healthiest option, of course, is good old canola cooking spray). Stir frequently, and cook until the rice is starting to brown.

Chop the egg roughly and add. Chop the tomato into smallish wedges, chop your hebs if they are fresh and add. Stir as you heat through.

Serve it when the tomato is warm but not cooked!

Serving suggestions:

For a dinner party entree, pile in small bowls and serve with a wedge of lemon to squeeze over it.
For lunch or tea, serve with a fresh green salad and slices of avocado, or with an orange-and-carrot salad, according to the season
Personally, I love the leftovers cold in my lunchbox, with a squeeze of lemon! But they also reheat in the microwave to be very tasty :)

*Top Tip: Dill is a wonderful herb to have on hand if your family likes fish. It enhances any fish cooking and is particularly tasty added to tinned fish. I usually cheat with dill and buy it dried, as I don't use the volume to justify a fresh plant.

Grocery Shop and Save

2009-09-11T11:05:00.004+12:00

Consumer NZ has confirmed what most of us Laast Penny shoppers had already worked out for ourselves! Pak N Save has New Zealand's cheapest grocery prices.

The NZ Herald Article is here.

Here is a quote:

"Shopping there [Pak'nSave] saved around $20 and sometimes more than shopping in the dearest supermarket in each city."

Pak'nSave's Albany store produced the cheapest shopping basket, with a $115 transaction. Foodtown Glenfield was the most expensive, with a $140 total.

Woolworths had the highest prices of the nationwide chains, with prices varying from $136 to $145.

The survey excluded fresh produce, meat and fish - but, as LastPenny recommends, you are nearly always better off buying those products from a speciality dealer.

There are many asian groceries with fantastic prices on fresh produce, as well as markets and garden stores.

Meat is best purchased from The Mad Butcher, or other butchers in your town who are able to provide you with good prices.

If you are in Auckland, check out the Auckland Fish Market for the best prices on fresh fish!

Moving House? Check out Backload Moving

2009-09-07T21:20:00.002+12:00

Shifting cities can be a costly business - anyone who moves finds that out smartly!

But Backload Moving** are here to help. What are Backload Moving?

Many furniture trucks end up driving up or down the country empty, because the company has only been able to book a one-way load. Backload Moving lets you, the consumer, take advantage of this - if you are able to be at all flexible on your moving dates, or even if you cant, go on over to Backload Moving and list the requirements of your move.

The listing is free, there is no commission for you to pay, and you'll be contacted directly by moving companies so that you can choose your own quote.

We are about to move, and we've done it this way, and we've received some great quotes!

**Backload Moving are a New Zealand company for clients in New Zealand, but I'm sure there must be similar outfits on other countries. Googling Backload Moving or Movers is likely a great place to start!

Reader Recipe: 5 Bean Soup

2009-09-05T01:01:00.003+12:00

Beans, Beans, They're Good For the Heart: The More You Eat, the Fuller You Get Without Breaking the Bank

What? Is that not how that phrase goes?

Anyway, beans, yes. They're cheap, they're easy to cook, and they're proteiny and filling. Mix them with rice and cheese and you have a full complex protein, or get five kinds of them together with stock and a big pot and a flame, and you've got soup.

5-Bean Soup

Ingredients:
--five kinds of beans
--stock, your choice of
--spices

Steps:
Find five kinds of beans. My feelings on the subject are: whatever's on sale. Canned pintos at 0.49 per? Sold. Dry black beans, three bags for a dollar? Fabulous.

Except for white beans. I don't know. They creep me out. **Note from LastPenny: I LOVE white beans! *vbg*

Anyway! Assemble your beans! If you're using all canned beans, your cooking time will be much much less than if they're dry. Basically, with all canned beans, you're just looking at heating ingredients through.

Some canned some dry? Dump all your dry beans in the stock in the pot. Cook over medium-low heat for hours and hours. Yes seriously. Or do the whole thing where you rest them in cold water overnight. YMMV.

When the dry beans have become cooked beans, add the canned beans.

Now, basically, as soon as you have beans in stock, you can add spices. Totally up to you what kind. Me? I continue to be in love with Tony Chachere's Cajun Spice mix, so that's me sorted, but I've also used Old Bay (nom nom nom), generic "Italian seasoning" mix (did I mention I buy what's on sale? My kitchen looks like a swap meet), garlic powder and oregano, turmeric and garlic, and whatever was in the unmarked jar at the back of the cupboard, but smelled fabulous.

The thing is, beans are usually cheap little suckers, and they pick up the flavors of whatever's added, and they fill bellies well.

Things You Can Add When Flush:
--bacon (whoa there big spender)
--chopped garlic (my fave, as I can actually grow it)
--chopped celery (hey, what's that wilting in the fridge?)
--canned tomatoes (saaaaaaaaaaaaale)
--rice (if it's regular, non-minute rice, either cook it with the dry beans or pre-cook it, because I have had bad experiences with stubborn rice)
--other things you'll all tell us about in comments

With thanks to oddmonster. Check out oddmonster's blog over here at Your Daily Dog

Hash Brown Stacks

2009-09-04T00:35:00.003+12:00

Quick, tasty and cheap hot lunch or light supper - also yummy if you want a hot breakfast! And kids love these tasty treats.

Ingredients:

1 or 2 hash browns per person (frozen are fine)
1 tin spaghetti in tomato sauce*
A few rashers streaky bacon (if desired)
Grated cheese - about half a tablespoon per stack.

Preheat your oven to 200C (or heat as appropriate for your brand od hashbrowns) Grease an oven tray by spraying lightly with cooking spray, or rub with a little oil on a paper towel. (Don't pour the oil on or your hashbrowns will go soggy.) Lay hashbrowns on tray, and top each with a generous spoonful of spaghetti. It should heap, but not overflow. I find a small tablespoon is about right for most hashbrowns.

Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese, and if you're having bacon, chop it finely and sprinkle around a teaspoon on top of each.

Pop into your oven and turn on the grill, or best of all fan grill. time will vary depending on your oven - mine take about 7 or 8 minutes but it might be as little as 3 or 4. Basically, your hashbrown should be warm through, your spaghetti nice and toasty, and your cheese melted and bubbly.

Serve!

*Use the budget kind for recipes! They cant taste the difference! Trust me!

Cheap power? I'll keep you posted.

2009-09-02T21:44:00.002+12:00

Well, I have signed up for a make-your-own solar/wind power kit today!

You can find more info over here: http://www.freeenergygogreen.com/australia-newzealand/

The testimonials talk about people halving their power bills, or even bringing them to zero: and the kit itself is on sale price at the moment, so if you're interested, now is likely the time.

I will be keeping you posted with updates: as soon as we move to our new house at the end of September we'll give it a go.

Your groceries for free!

2009-09-02T00:39:00.002+12:00

By collecting coupons from newspapers and websites, a Massachusetts woman has managed to trim her grocery bill down to just $4/week, to feed a family of six.

You can read more about it here.

Her answer? Collecting coupons from newspapers, magazines, manufacturer's websites, and going to the stores appropriate for each coupon. She spends an hour a week finding coupons; and four hours per week shopping.

Worth it? I think so.

How often do you "forget" your coupons, or go to the store where things aren't on sale because it's more convenient? Just think of all the money you could be saving.

Kids' Nachos

2009-08-31T19:58:00.002+12:00

These nachos make an inexpensive, quick and easy-to-prepare snack or meal. Perfect for kids' teatimes on those days when they need something fast and nutritious.

It's light on vegies, so I like to include some raw carrot and cucumber fingers on the side; or raw peas, snow peas or broccoli heads depending on the season and cost!

A nice dollop of sour cream or my own preference, greek yoghurt (cheaper and healthier!) makes a wonderful dipping sauce for the vegies and also a nice topping for the nachos.

Corn chips (or sliced up pita bread, dried in oven)**
Baked beans (buy the plain-pack budget kind for this dish! They're usually no more than $0.99 (New Zealand Dollars!) for a 385g tin. And when mixed with the corn chips and cheese, no-one will taste the difference.) A 38sg tin feeds three kids or two teenagers :)
Grated cheese
Thick plain yoghurt or sour cream (optional)

Arrange the corn chips on a plate - a shallow dessert plate is what I find works best. Top with baked beans, and microwave for two minutes on high. Depending on your microwave, you might like to stir once during cooking. *

Top with grated cheese, and a dollop of sour cream if your kids like it!

**Top tip: Buy your corn chips in the largest bag you can find, and seal them in single-serve portions in freezer bags, in the cupboard. Each portion will stay fresh until required.

*Alternately, heat the baked beans on the stove pot in the saucepan, and finish the dish (with cheese, but without sourcream) with a few minutes under the grill - long enough to warm the corn chips and melt the cheese.

Make your own mouthwash

2009-08-29T22:51:00.001+12:00

Found this little gem in How it All Vegan, a vegan cookbook by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer, and having tested it out, I can tell you that it does just the same amount of fresh, clean mintifying as the $5 store brands:

"Tea Tree - Peppermint Mouthwash": 1 1/2 cup water, 6 drops tea tree oil, 6 drops peppermint essential oil.
Pour water and oils into a clean, dry container. Cap tightly and shake well. Rinse mouth out, but DO NOT SWALLOW.

There's a whole great section in that book about veganism in household products, and has tons of other useful recipes like for shampoo, toothpaste, hot oil rinse, dandruff treat ment, bath slats, face scrub, skin toner, lip gloss. It's really a useful book, and that section in particular is the one I consult the most. Definitely see if your library has a copy on hand!

The Dress Up Box - Old Fashioned Toys for Today's Families

2009-08-26T20:43:00.003+12:00

Sorry LastPenny's been quiet the last couple of days - I've succumbed to a nasty cold! But today things are looking up so we're back to our regular posting schedule :)

Kids today are not really any different from us when we were little. Sure, they've been exposed to electronics and communications from an early age - but that doesn't mean that the only toys that interest them are expensive, flashy electronics.

When kids play, they like to act out their fantasies. And toys that enable them to do that are the toys they'll come back to, time and time again.

The Dress Up Box

If your childhood was anything like mine, the dress-up box got to come out on "special occasions" - and looking back, those "special occasions" were any time our parents wanted us raptly amused for hours at a stretch!

Perfect for rainy weekends, cousins visiting, children's parties, or simply everyday play, a dress-up box costs around five dollars or less to assemble and will provide literally years of fun.

You can work with a simple cardboard box, but if you have an old suitcase, it's even better. I remember ours was in an old-fashioned leather trunk, which added to the air of mystery. If you're using a box, have the kids decorate it with stickers and drawings - you'll love to look back at the box in years to come.

A good dress-up box contains:

Clothes. Rather than buying kids dress-up outfits from the store (expensive and unnecessary), go to your nearest op shop. Look for items made of glittery or shiny fabric, netting, velvet, corduroy - fabrics with texture and presence. The size and the fit of the items don't matter - kids will wear things the way they want to when they are dressing up, and "grown-up" clothes are half the fun.
Little boys in general love suit jackets and ties. Look for 80s suits in bright colours, pin stripes and other eyecatching looks.
If you have access to any kinds of old uniforms, pop them in. Lab coats can sometimes be found in op shops - grab one if they come up!
Add things like old sheets and lengths of fabric (most fabric shops have cheap remnant bins) for making costumes.
Accessories such as scarves, costume jewellery, handbags.
Have plenty of reds and blacks for witch/wizard outfits.
Don't include shoes, or bring them out only when supervised - kids can hurt themselves running about in ill-fitting shoes.
Have face-paint or some cheap make-up for very special supervised play sessions :)

Frankenpesto (Reader Recipe!)

2009-08-20T23:27:00.002+12:00

Thanks to Oddmonster at Hooray for Dogs!

The worst part about being broke, for me, has always been when you feel broke. When you let the bank balance and bare cupboards get you down, to the point where you start to feel like that wee one digit before the decimal point's some kind of judgment on your eternal sooooooooooooooul.

What can I say? When I get down, I get dramatic.

So I try to find some small indulgence I can give myself until things get better. It's gotta be small and it's gotta be worthy of the splurge, and let's face it, I am hella food-motivated. It's gotta be edible. For me, every time, basil does the trick. Fresh basil, in the summertime, is spectacular. It's fragrant and vivid and tastes amazing. As I have a black thumb, though, I have to buy it at the shop. If you're lucky enough to be able to grow it, it can still be an indulgence, and a clever one at that. Let me introduce: Frankenpesto!

(I feel like he should have some music or something)

The canonical ingredients of pesto are as follows: fresh basil, sweetest most virgin olive oil, aged parmesan, pine nuts picked by hand by retired left-handed nuns, and garlic.

Now, some of those things are perilously expensive, and are not, more importantly, threatening to expire in my fridge.

(Sidenote: it's true, I am possibly over-thrifty in using up everything in my fridge. This is genetic; my grandmother lived through The War, and we've caught her scraping mold off things that she really shouldn't have way too many times. On the other side of the coin, though, CHEESE IS ALREADY MOLD. Sigh. Where was I? Oh! My fridge.)

So, having gotten, out of the blue, a very large bunch of basil that needed to be used up before the heat got it, I canvassed the fridge, and found absolutely none of the above ingredients. Except I did have:

--cheddar
--suspect heel of cambozola
--spinach attempting wiltiness
--plain old canola oil
--cashews and almonds

Seriously, cooking should be fun, and I really can't taste the difference between my pesto and the store-bought pine-nutted version. Right! If you've never made pesto before, it's dead simple. Wash your basil leaves. I personally swear by my salad spinner, which I found at a garage sale for $1. Why? Because every single garage sale ever has a salad spinner. Don't believe me? Hit the pavement this weekend and check for yourself. They're super-useful little critters.

Wash your basil, and assemble the food processor. Or if you're cheap and broke, your blender, the same one your husband mixes margaritas in. Tequila forgives a multitude of sins.

Puree your basil in small batches, while adding tiny (tiny!) splashes of oil to keep things moving. Once you've got a nice base going, toss in some salt and some minced garlic. Puree puree. More basil. Puree. Now some shredded cheese (puree) or some roughly sliced cambozola (purrrrrree). Maybe a dash more oil and another thick handful of basil. Puree. I added spinach too, for undetectable bulk. Puree. Once you have a nice goopy base. Toss in your nuts.

(Now now, peanut gallery)

Puree. Thunkathunkathunka puree-under-protest. Puree.

Keep going until it tastes right. Seriously that's the whole process right there. Then you can freeze some, or mix some with pasta, or you can be me and suck it out of the blender with crackers before your husband detaches from You!Tube and wanders in looking for dinner.

Do not puree. That's punishable with a jail sentence. Instead, simply sit on the back stoop in the sun and have another cracker loaded down with garlicky, cheesy basil goodness, and feel like at least for the moment, you might be the richest person in the world.

DIY Dollars Competition

2009-08-19T16:52:00.001+12:00

GIB living are hosting a competition where you can win $8000 of home improvement vouchers. Nothing to buy to enter, no cost etc.

Go here: http://www.gibliving.co.nz/room-for-improvement/

Penny Saving Tip - Soap Bag

2009-08-18T22:01:00.002+12:00

This is a top tip for anyone with kids!

Do you use bar soap in the shower or bath? Isn't it a pain how it gets wet and soggy in the soap dish, and what about those tiny slivers at the end, too small to be any use! What a waste throwing them all away...

But the alternative, body wash or liquid soap, just isn't viable with small children! They can keep themselves from playing with it, squirting it, or just using far too much...

A Better Way!

My mum did this using an "onion bag" - the plastic string netting bags you used to get onions in, the kind with holes about half a centimeter across. If you can still buy garlic or other items in them in your town, grab one! Failing that, buy a piece of the cheapest, strongest net curtain you can find! You can usually get quite large pieces in the remnant bin for cheap prices - about half a meter is great.

You can also make this by cutting up an old towel.

Cut a piece of fabric about 10cm wide and 20 long, or, take your onion bag :)
Fold your fabric in half and stitch up the sides to make a bag. You can use a sewing machine, or a small blanket stitch. Or, if sewing is the bane of your life, cut a slightly larger square (15cm x 15cm) and you can tie it into a "bundle" instead.
Gather together all those slivers of leftover soap. Pop them into your bag, and tie it closed. The onion bag or netting curtain bags can be simply knotted - flannel or heavier fabric can be tied closed with plastic string. "Bundles" can also be tied with plastic string.
Hang the bag in the shower. It wont pool and go squishy in water, and kids love to use it. It even has a gentle exfoliating effect!
As each bar of soap gets down to a sliver, add it to the bag. In our house, we only had bar soap at the handbasins - the shower only had the soapbag and it was great!
Also great for using up those tiny soaps they give you in motels!

Kid's party treats - a sweet and affordable idea!

2009-08-17T16:51:00.002+12:00

Banana-Choc Icebergs

The original recipe from littlies.co.nz can be found over here, but my method is cheaper and just as tasty!

Chop a banana into 1 - 2 inch long rounds. Into the base of each, push an iceblock stick** (don't poke all the way thru!). Lay on a foil-covered tray (You can also use an empty icecream container), not touching, and freeze for 15 mins.

Make butter-free chocolate frosting (I'll bring you the recipe in a few days - basically, it's icing sugar, cocoa and a little hot water.) You *can* use butter icing if you prefer here, but it's not necessary, and the creaminess in the taste is lost in the freezing, so it's a good opportunity to save a few pennies!

Dip each semifrozen banana in the icing, and top with hundreds and thousands. Pop a chocolate button or similar on at least one side of the icing - this is to "rest" on on the tray so the icing doesn't get smooshed!

Place back on the tray, button-side down, and pop back in the freezer, still not touching.

They'll store for a week nicely in the freezer, and once they are frozen, you can lift them off the tray and pop them in a container in the freezer - as long as they're frozen, they wont stick to each other.

**TOP TIP: When we were little, my mum used to use skewers for this. It meant she didn't have to go out and buy single-use iceblock sticks specially!

One Pot Pork Chop Stew

2009-08-16T17:01:00.003+12:00

These days, pork is often one of the cheapest meats you can buy. LastPenny recommends buying free range pork products.

This is a tasty and cheap recipe which can be made in under an hour, or alternately can be popped in the slowcooker. I usually use the slowcooker myself.

One Pot Pork Chops

7 pork chops ** You can also use pork belly slices, but these will be fattier.
2/3 cup of water
6-8 small potatoes *
6-8 carrots, split lengthwise and cut into 2" pieces
1 1/2 cans of tomato soup (For dollar value, I use powdered packet soup instead and add a couple of tablespoons of ketchup)
2 tsp. worcester sauce
1 tsp. salt
oil

In a saucepan (I use a big highsided stockpot, but you can also make this very effectively in an electric frying pan), brown the pork chops in just enough oil to coat the pan. Drain away the grease.

If you're using the slowcooker method, put the chops in the slowcooker, otherwise, simply add the rest of the ingredients to the pan. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Serving suggestions:

This is a one-pot meal, really, but for big eaters, you can serve it with mashed potatoes.
I prefer to serve it with some toast and peas or beans

*TIP: If you're short of potatoes, you can add a cup of pasta to the pan instead of the potatoes for the last 15 mins.

Tofu Scramble

2009-08-14T22:54:00.002+12:00

Today we have a great recipe sent in by one of our readers!

Check out her blog at Hooray for Dogs!

Tofu Scramble aka How to Save the World with Tofu

You: 1, Your fridge: 0

Sooner or later, there comes a time when certain horrible forces in the universe combine and descend upon your kitchen. These forces are a) financial crunchage, and b) produce wiltage, and they can be pernicious and frustrating. However! You have a secret weapon in your arsenal that you may not have tried before: the tofu scramble.

Now now, I know what you're thinking. And yet! It is possible to use up all the produce wilting in the crisper like Aunt Gertie on her fainting couch while cheaply producing a tasty meal that feeds many. Including teenagers.

Ingredients:

1 potato, chopped
1 pkg extra firm tofu
1 yellow onion, diced
lemon juice
cooking oil
a fry pan that's seen better days
the spices of your choice
the contents of the fridge and/or fruit bowl

Right. First off, tofu retains its texture best when you squeeze all the water out of it. Easy: de-package said tofu and slice it into two thin rectangles laid side by side on a plate. Put a layer of paper towels over it, then squash it with the giant unwieldy casserole dish you could kill someone with.

While that's squishing, peel and chop the potato into wee chunks and pop them in a good-sized frying pan with a splash of oil. Leave them there and chop the onion, then turn and have stern words with the contents of the crisper. Basically, you're making a scrambled fry-up; the tofu, potatoes and onion will soak up the flavor of the oil and spices, and really, most other vegetables can be tossed in at will, browned nicely, and added to the dish for taste and bulk.

Last week when I made this, my crisper yielded a very suspicious looking kohlrabi, some leftover seitan bits from an earlier meal that were headed for the back of the fridge, green onions and an apple that had gone a bit soft. Normally, these are the types of things headed for the compost pile at speed, but behold the power of the scramble: chop chop chop into a pile with the onion.

Yes, an apple in a savory fry-up. It works really well if you use spicy seasoning such as various peppers, Old Bay or my favorite, Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning.

Anyway! Turn the heat on high under the potatoes, add some seasoning. Flip flip flip, brown brown brown. I mention using an old fry pan because my potatoes always burn, but maybe you're just better with potatoes. Go with what works.

When the potatoes are translucent, retrieve your drained tofu and crumble it over the potatoes, then dump all your veggies in on top. The mixture will hiss and crackle and just generally make much of itself, so add a splash of lemon juice to keep everyone in line, and stir, season to taste. It's ready to go when the tofu browns and the potatoes are soft.

Enjoy while sticking tongue out at vegetable crisper.

Tasty Dips - quick, cheap, easy and such a success

2009-08-11T22:30:00.002+12:00

Dips are great as a pre-dinner treat, as nibbles and also in a lunchbox for you OR for the kids. But buying pre-prepared dips is expensive and often not a very healthy choice.

You can make tasty, quick dips at home which are excellent with crackers, vegetables or chippies and can be made in minutes - and look just like the ones bought in the shop for three times the price!

My own favorite is the simplest of the lot:

Chilli Yoghurt Dip

Sweet chilli sauce (absolute favorite kind: Mae Ploy - it lacks the bitter aftertaste some sweet chillis have. But choose your own favorite)
Greek yoghurt (you can also use a plain acidophilus with a thick texture and a slightly sour taste - from my own experience, De Winkle works well, but Naturalea does not. But it tastes the BEST made with Yoplait Greek Yoghurt.)

Take a small bowl - glass for a pretty effect, but any kind will do.* Pour the sweet chilli sauce carefully around the edge of the bowl so that it runs down and coats the inside, all the way around. I find it's best to work fast with a generous pour.

Spoon the chilled greek yoghurt into the bowl. I use about 3 generous tablespoons in each of my bowls. Top with a little more chilli sauce - you can drizzle it in a pattern, or just pour over.

It's at its best with raw veges like carrots and celery, but really, this dip is wonderful with anything at all.

Garnish with sprigs of parsley if you want.

A New Twist on an Old Fave

Everyone knows how to make the good old Kiwi Nestle Reduced Cream and Maggi Onion Soup dip, right? Well, you can spice that up for the new millenium - and not just by using a different flavour soup, hee!

1 tin reduced cream
Fresh mint - you can grow mint in your garden very easily, and if you dont have a garden, mint lends itself very well to pot-life. Even if you're no good at gardening, mint will grow for you.
Cucumber
1 t white vinegar
Salt and pepper (the kind you grind are best for this one)

Chop the mint finely and dice the cucumber. You can blend these in a food processor if you want but I prefer to dice and chop with a sharp knife, as it doesn't bruise the leaves and flesh.

Mix through the reduced cream, and add a splash of the vinegar. Season (add salt and pepper) and give a final stir, then cover with cling wrap and chill for at least an hour and preferably four.

Yummy with chips!

Avocado Dip

When avocado is in season and they're cheap!

1 (or more!) ripe avocado
lemon juice
salt to taste

Scoop flesh out of avocado and discard stone. Place in reasonable sized bowl. The flesh should already be squishy - if it's not, it's not ripe enough, and you'll have to slice it up for sandwiches or something instead!

Whip avocado gently with a fork until it makes a thick paste. Add a squirt of lemon juice, and if you're that kind of person, a sprinkle of salt (I leave out the salt).

Stir again, then cover with cling wrap and chill til required. It shouldn't be very cold, but the lemon juice, covering it and the chilling prevents the fruit browning.

Wonderful with crackers.

*I bought a set of six textured glass dip bowls that are oval-shaped, each about the size of a breakfast cup, from an op shop, and I paid a dollar for the whole set. Every time I use them, people exclaim over them.

TOP TIP: Use a small container (such as the smallest kind of the Glad ones you can get in the supermarket). Put a tablespoon of one of these dips in the container, and take 6 water crackers or alternately fresh chopped veges for your lunch! Kids love dipping and it's a great way of getting some veges down them during the day! It's also a top after-school snack.

Cheat's Smoked Fish Pie: quick, easy, tasty and CHEAP

2009-08-10T23:03:00.003+12:00

This has always been an emergency staple in my house if I need to produce a quick and presentable hot lunch - unexpected guests, kids have their friends over to play etc.

It's also great on those nights you get home from work exhausted and need to feed the family in half an hour.

Today, I'm gonna bring you the *cheat's version* - using all prepackaged ingredients.

1 tin smoked fish fillets
Either 1 tin tomatoes (if whole tomatoes, crush with fork) or 1 packet prepared white sauce, cheese sauce, or my personal favorite, parsley sauce.
1/2 cup frozen mixed veges (or beans, peas, or corn - whatever you have)*
2 hard-boiled eggs (if you like them) - chopped up**
1 t mild curry powder (or add more or less to taste)
A grind of pepper
1 pack instant mashed potatoes (Of course, you can use real potatoes if you prefer - I told you, I'm presenting the cheat's version tonight)
Grated cheese (optional)
Paprika (optional)
Breadcrumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 170C

White Sauce Method
Make up the white sauce (or cheese sauce or parsley sauce) following the directions on the packet. If the sauce has a stove-top option, use that for preference, although you can do this in the microwave too.

When the sauce is prepared, flake the fish into it (that is, tip out of tin, and break up into sauce :D), add the mixed veg, eggs (if used), curry powder and pepper. You shouldn't need salt (the smoked fish is fairly salty) but if you like it, you can add a little. Stir over a low heat on the stovetop (for preference) or stir well and give short burst in the microwave - about a minute - and then stir well again.

Tomato Method
Stir fish, mixed veg, eggs, curry powder and pepper together in a saucepan. Drain the tomatoes, reserving the liquid (this means "put in a container to use later") and add them, crushing them into mix. Add as much juice as necessary to make a nice, wet mixture - probably only about a tablespoon at this stage.

Warm through, stirring often. Add as much juice as required to keep mixture wet without being a soup.

Both Methods

Tip into an ovenproof dish. From preference I use a deep round casserole, 10 - 15cm in diameter, but then, tonight, I made it in a low square baking tray. Use whatever you have :)

Make up the Instant mashed potatoes following the directions on the packet. Spread over the top of the pie - you can be artistic and make nice peaks, or smooth it out flat, however you like it.

I like to make a topping using a mixture of grated cheese (approx 2/3 of a cup), breadcrumbs (1/4 cup) and paprika (1/2 tablespoon), shaken gently together in a bowl, jug or cooking bag, and sprinkled over the top. But, you can use each of these things on their own (ie top just with cheese, for example) or, just leave your potato plain if you prefer it that way.

Heat through and brown your lovely topping - 10 mins is usually sufficient. Keep an eye on the pie and when you see the top starting to bubble or crisp, you're good!

Serving Suggestions

With crusty bread and a green salad
For lunch, with hot buttered toast on the side
This pie suits being made in individual ramekins - hugely popular with kids, they love getting their own "personal" pie
Reheats wonderfully for lunch on day 2!

*TOP TIP: Use leftovers from the fridge. Tonight, I added the leftovers of an (undressed) cannellini (white) bean, corn and fresh tomato salad, and two cold boiled potatoes, chopped up
**I omit the eggs if I'm making the tomato version, and use them with the parsley sauce version, but this is not a hard and fast rule :)