Dining in for Less

Eat your way to a free family holiday...

2011-05-14T07:00:00.001+01:00

Most of us dream about the things we would love to do if only we could afford it. Times are tough at the moment and every penny counts.

From almost every quarter we are bombarded with get-rich-quick schemes, special offers that claim to save us £££s, companies offering us help to consolidate our debts with new loans...

The message seems to be: Spend more money to make savings.

Well, clear your head and consign all that nonsense to the bin where it belongs, because my method will pay dividends – of between £3,000 and £5,000 in just one year.

And here’s the beauty of it – you do not have to work any harder, you do not have to find other ways to boost your income, you do not have to invest any extra money at all into this in order to make this return. And you won’t be taxed on this money that you don’t spend.

When you have made all the savings you can spend it how you wish – on that longed-for holiday, a down-payment on a new car...

To follow my programme, just choose a Shopping List from the left hand side. Go to your local supermarket and source the ingredients - you should find everything at or about the price guides I have put alongside each item. Underneath the Shopping List you will find a menu of meals. Click on the link to find the relevant meal.

A whole week of family dinners on a budget of just £25

2011-05-13T17:44:00.003+01:00

All the recipes I have published on Dining in for Less have been tried and tested fully by me first. Of course I wanted to make sure that you really could cook family dinners on a budget of £25 a week.

But as I have been trying out my family dinners I have noticed a few pleasing side-effects.

All the food I have been buying and preparing has been tasty and nutritious. I have not had a meal and then felt hungry afterwards – all the meals are really quite filling.

And because I am sticking to an organised shopping list and menus, I have discovered my stress levels have fallen. I have found I am not so listless and tired.

Also, quite oddly, I have discovered that the number of rubbish sacks I put out for the dustman every week has gone down from three or four sacks to just one.

Do take a look at my shopping lists and menus on the left here. You do not have to stick to them in any particular order, just choose the ones you fancy and follow those.

There are some good filling meals there and some desserts too. And there's a special shopping list and menu for the vegetarians among us.

Happy eating.

To follow my programme, just choose a Shopping List from the left hand side. Go to your local supermarket and source the ingredients - you should find everything at or about the price guides I have put alongside each item. Underneath the Shopping List you will find a menu of meals. Click on the link to find the relevant meal.

Learn to cook - and save up for a holiday!

2011-05-12T12:05:00.000+01:00

As well as a great way to save money, this blog is also for anyone who would like to learn how to cook, for those who would like to try out new recipe ideas, for students who want to learn how to eat well on a budget and for young couples just setting up home who are watching the pennies and would like to learn the basics of cookery.
This site is the place for anyone who would just love to rediscover the joys of home cooking.

I show you how it is possible to dramatically reduce the amount of money you spend on food without cutting down on the quantity or quality of the food you eat.

Just think how this careful spending and eating programme can change your life.

If your weekly spend at the moment is about £80 a week, then in just one year your savings should make you around £2,860.

That’s a family holiday, or some serious new furniture in the house, or a new television, sound system, computer...

...or a new wardrobe and goodness know how many pairs of shoes.

Or it’s that old debt written off – with no cutbacks, extra work or sacrifices.

On the other hand, if – like my sister-in-law – your weekly spend is £125, that makes the saving £100 every week. That’s a whopping £5,200 in one year.

Imagine what you could you do with that.

The method is simple - just choose one of my shopping lists on the left here - there are eight plus a special one for vegetarians - buy the ingredients then follow the recipes in the menu supplied with the shopping list.

The individual meals are also listed on the left - take a look at them and you will see that you can make lovely, nutritious and tasty dishes at a fraction of your usual spend.

How to earn yourself £3,000

2011-05-11T10:18:00.000+01:00

Welcome to Dining in for Less, my personal website and blog that aims to share some of the money-saving things I have come across.

I am not running this as a business and I certainly don't have an axe to grind - there are no hidden agendas.

It is simply that I am trying to show people that it is possible to accrue substantial amounts of money simply by not spending the sums of money you are presently shelling out at the supermarkets.

There are many ways of doing this, but for now I am simply targeting main meals - dinners. By following some or all of my shopping lists and recipes, you can save anything between £55 and £95 every week.

In the space of a month or even a year you can see this saving soon mounts up into something really substantial. By making these savings you will be able to award yourself a two-week family holiday abroad - free!

My recipes are filling, nutritious and tasty. I have published an eight-week rota of shopping lists and menus for you plus an additional and optional vegetarian week.

Each list includes a menu for the week and each of these meals links to a recipe for you to try.

So can I really save you £55 every week - £250 every month?

That’s the same as awarding yourself a £3,000 a year pay rise!

The answer is an emphatic yes.

The first thing to do is to be honest with yourself and work out how much money you are already spending on feeding the family.

Remember, we are concentrating on the main meal, not breakfasts, snacks and lunches, although I intend showing you how to save even more money by carefully preparing lunches and family lunch boxes plus other money-saving tips where it comes to eating.

If you are responsible for feeding a family of four, the money I could save you could work out at anything between £80 and £120 per week.

If you are feeding more, then of course this will be higher. I will help you reduce this sum to around £25 a week. It is possible - I know because I am practising what I am preaching - I have already done this.

So if you're a family of eight and your weekly spend is £160 - I will show you how every week you can have an extra £110 in your pocket! That’s £440 a month.

Be my guest - and give it a go!

A weekly way to saving a fortune

2011-05-10T19:43:00.000+01:00

Dining in for Less is a blog that is designed to help hard-pressed families save substantial amounts of money every month.

My recipes and shopping lists are written for four people in mind – but can be reduced or increased for smaller or larger numbers by adding or reducing the amounts and prices proportionately.

By following my shopping list and my recipes on a week by week basis, I can help you reduce the money you spend every week on dinners for your family and keep everyone happy, contented and full.

The lists are available by clicking on the links on the left. There are nine different shopping lists to choose from, including a week's worth of meals written especially with vegetarians in mind.

Each list includes a menu for the week and each of these meals links to a recipe for you to try.

You can dip in and out of the programme but I recommend you do this on a weekly basis rather than a daily one. For those interested in just the recipes, they are listed to the left, too.

Remember, the aim is to beat the supermarkets and keep some of your hard earned money in your own pocket rather than put it in the pockets of highly-paid directors and wealthy supermarket shareholders.

By following these shopping lists, you will be able to reduce your weekly shopping bill for your main meals to just £25 per week. Work out what you currently spend and subtract £25 - that will be your weekly saving!

How to grow rich by eating

2011-05-09T14:15:00.000+01:00

DininginforLess is a blog that is designed to help hard-pressed families save substantial amounts of money every month.

You really can save anything between £250 and £400 every month - and maybe more.

By careful choice of foodstuffs and by resisting tempting offers to save £££s (which is supermarket-speak for spend £££s) you can cut your weekly shopping spend by up to 80 per cent.

Dining in for Less targets the money you spend on main meals – including evening dinners and Sunday roasts.

It is possible by using my method to reduce the money you spend on family meals for four to £25 per week, without you having to reduce the amount you eat and without you having to load your shopping trolley with supermarket-brand basics ranges.

Just choose a shopping list from the left – I have eight different lists prepared for you – plus an optional vegetarian list – buy the goods and follow the recipes.

You won’t be hungry, or disappointed – but you will be richer!

9.7 Sunday Vegetable Slice

2011-05-08T14:56:00.002+01:00

Vegetable Slice

Ingredients

Onion, finely chopped

Garlic, clove

Mushrooms, medium, chopped

Thyme, sprig, chopped

1 sp seasoning

Half oz Cheese, grated

1 egg

2 medium potatoes, very thinly sliced

1 potato, baked

1 sweet potato

4 Leaves of Savoy Cabbage, sliced

3 medium tomatoes, sliced

Thyme, sprig

Half sp seasoning

Splash of water

Half can of butter beans, chopped

Half sp cooking oil

Method

Mix together the onion, garlic, mushrooms, one of the sprigs of thyme, one sp of seasoning, cheese, egg and butter beans.

Use some of the cooking oil to grease an oven proof dish and line it with the thinly sliced potato, overlapping the edges to make casing. Empty the vegetable mixture into the casing, press down with a fork and layer the remaining potato slices on the top. Brush (or use your finger) the remaining cooking oil over the top of the potatoes, so they crisp in the oven.

Place in a hot oven to cook for 35 minutes.

Prick the sweet potato and the potato, place them in a microwave and cook on a two-potato setting.

When they are cooked, slice the baked potato and mash the sweet potato (no butter required).

Slice the tomatoes and place in a small pan with the seasoning, sugar, thyme and water. Cook gently until ready to serve.

Prepare the vegetables.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

9.6 Saturday Vegetable Curry

2011-05-07T13:32:00.000+01:00

Vegetable Curry

Ingredients

3sp seasoning

1 onion, chopped

Garlic, clove

Sweet potato, diced

1 pint hot water

3sp tinned tomatoes

1 potato, cubed

1sp cooking oil

Chilli pepper (optional)

1½ cups rice

Thyme, sprig

Side vegetables (optional)

Method

Chop the onion, garlic, potato and sweet potato and place in a heated pan with 1sp of cooking oil.

Stir in the seasoning and add the optional chilli at this point for an extra spicy kick.

Meanwhile, wash the rice and place it in a pot with two inches of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down, put the lid on and allow it to simmer for about 10-12 minutes.

When the vegetables are softening, pour in a pint of hot water and the tinned tomatoes.

Now allow to cook gently for 20-30 minutes.

Remember to turn off the heat under the rice and leave it to steam until you are ready.

Prepare your vegetables and serve.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

9.5 Friday Vegetarian Quiche

2011-05-06T08:00:00.015+01:00

Vegetarian Quiche

Ingredients
7oz plain flour
3 1/2 oz of butter
Half dessert spoon cooking oil
Spinach, chopped
Onion, sliced
Green pepper
Mushrooms, 4 chunked, 1 sliced
1 egg
4 Parsnips, chipped
Half pint of milk
Pinch of cheese
Seasoning, pinch
Cabbage, shredded

Method
Firstly, switch on your oven to warm to about 170 (gas mark 3). Cut your parsnips in half lengthways and then cut each half lengthways into 4 long pieces resembling chips. Baste in a little oil and place in an oven proof dish and pop that into the oven.
Now make the pastry by rubbing together the flour and butter in a bowl until they look like fine breadcrumbs. Use a small amount of water (two dessert spoons) to help bind and knead it into a ball.
Put it in a bowl and place in the fridge for half an hour.

Take the pastry from the fridge, roll it out and remember to flour your surface and rolling pin. The pastry should be rolled out to slightly larger than the shape of the pie dish and to a thickness of 2-3mm.
Place the rolling pin on top of the pastry and lift the pastry over the rolling pin and use the pin to pick it all up so that you can line your pie dish with the pastry.
Prick the pastry with a fork and place in the oven on a moderate heat of about 170 (gas mark 3) for 15 minutes.
Put a knob of butter in a frying pan on a low heat and melt. Add the onion, spinach, pepper, mushrooms (chopped and the slices) and cabbage and begin to cook. the low heat will start to draw out the moisture and juices from the ingredients.
After about 10 minutes, drain the fluids into a small pan and add some seasoning and possibly a little cornflour to thicken it into a tasty and nutritious gravy.
In a small bowl or jug pour the milk and add the egg. Mix together well then add to the vegetable mixture in the frying pan. Stir it all in.
Remove the pastry from the oven. Now pour into the pastry casing this lovely mixture, add a little cheese over the top and return the dish to the oven to cook for a further 30-35 minutes.
Prepare your side vegetables about 10 minutes before the quiche is ready and cook. My side vegetables were flash-fried shredded and/or grated cabbage, carrots and courgette. Finally, remove the parsnips from the oven. By now they should be slightly browned, possibly a little crispy at the thin end. These make delicious substitute chips.
Serve and enjoy.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

9.4 Thursday Pasta & Beans in Pesto

2011-05-05T08:00:00.003+01:00

Pasta and Beans in Pesto

Ingredients

Half a can of mixed beans
Courgette, grated
Onion, chopped
Garlic clove, chopped
Thyme, sprig, chopped
Spinach, sliced
Linguini for 4
2oz Cheese, grated
3sp Pesto
1sp cooking oil

Method

Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the linguini and cook for about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, fry off the onion, thyme and garlic in a pan and add the grated courgette. Stir and then add the mixed beans. Cook for about eight minutes.

Stir in the spinach and cook for a further couple of minutes.
Drain the water off the cooked linguini, return the pasta to the pot and stir in the pesto.

Serve up the dish - you can either mix everything in together or serve the Pasta and Beans on a bed of the pesto linguini.

Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top of the meal and enjoy.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

9.3 Wednesday Vegetable Loaf & Potato Wedges

2011-05-04T09:43:00.002+01:00

Vegetable Loaf & Potato Wedges

Ingredients

Mushrooms, 6, finely chopped
Half a can of butter beans, chopped
One can of lentils
Onion, finely chopped
Garlic, clove, finely chopped
2sp couscous
1 egg, whisked
Cheese, grated, half oz
Thyme, sprig, chopped
1sp seasoning
2 large potatoes, cut into wedges
Vegetables
1sp cooking oil

For the sauce:
2 Tomatoes
2 Red peppers
Coriander, sprig
1sp seasoning

Method

Place the chopped mushrooms, butter beans, lentils, onion, garlic and thyme into a large mixing bowl and stir in the egg well until you get a good evenly distributed mix. Add the couscous, cheese and seasoning. Give it a final stir.

Turn the mixture out into an oven proof dish or loaf tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon. Place in the oven to cook for about 35 minutes.

Take the potato wedges and place them in a roasting tin with a spoon of cooking oil and place in the oven with the vegetable loaf.

Meanwhile, on the hob fry the peppers and tomato together. Put 1sp of cooking oil into a small pan on a low heat and add the tomatoes and peppers. Allow them to very gently cook together and do not worry if the pepper burns - it tends to bring out an extra zing in the favour.

Stir in the seasoning, turn the heat down, put a lid on and leave to simmer.

About 10 minutes before the potatoes and vegetable loaf are ready, prepare and cook your vegetables.

Serve and enjoy.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

9.2 Tuesday Cheese & Spinach Gnocchi

2011-05-03T08:00:00.003+01:00

Cheese & Spinach Gnocchi

Ingredients

Potatoes, 2 large
Egg yolks, 2
6sp Plain Flour
Spinach, half bag
Red Peppers, 2
Ripe Tomatoes, 2
1sp seasoning
1 sp cooking oil
Savoy Cabbage
4 Mushrooms
Celeriac, quarter, cubed
Butter, knob
Cheese, grated 2oz

Method

Place the potatoes in a microwave and bake.

In the meantime, put 1sp of cooking oil into a small pan on a low heat.

Chop up the tomatoes and peppers. Place them together into the pan. Allow them to very gently cook together and do not worry if the pepper burns - it adds extra favour.

Stir in the seasoning, turn the heat down, put a lid on and leave to simmer.

Scoop the filling out of the baked potatoes and leave to cool.

Place the celeriac cubes into water and cook for about 10 minutes.

Slice the mushrooms and fry gently in a little knob of butter.

Mix together the egg yolks, mashed potato, flour, cheese and chopped spinach to form a fairly dry dough.

Use your hands to roll the dough into a long sausage shaped dough and slice into bite size pieces.

Put into a pot of boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.

Prepare the cabbage.

Use a potato masher to squash down the tomato and pepper
sauce and serve your dish.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

9.1 Monday Fish Stew

2011-05-02T11:49:00.002+01:00

This meal is designed for vegetarians who opt to eat fish as part of their diet. However, this recipe works as well without the fish. For those vegetarians who do not eat fish, just skip the fish options.

Fish Stew

Ingredients

Fish, one piece of white fish
Potato, half, sliced
Potato, one and a half, chopped
Onion, 1, chopped
Garlic, clove, chopped
Tomato, 1, chopped
Thyme, sprig
Seasoning, 2sp
Red wine, splash
Butter Beans, half tin
Carrot, 1, sliced
Linguini, handful
Savoy Cabbage, 6 leaves, sliced

Method

If you are using fish for this recipe, take it and cut into pieces.

Chop the onions and garlic and fry with the seasoning in a large pan, using 1 sp of cooking oil.

Add the thyme and potato slices, chopped tomato, a splash of wine and half a pint of hot water. Cook vigorously for 20 minutes.

Use a potato masher or spoon to crush down the mixture and cook out for another 10 minutes.

Add your sliced carrots, potato chunks and pasta. Cook for another 10 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Put in the butter beans, fish, cabbage and cook for five minutes.

Then serve.

This recipe appears in the Vegetarian shopping list

8.7 Sunday Pork in Gravy

2011-05-01T20:07:00.003+01:00

Pork in Gravy

Ingredients

Pork leg steak
1 onion, chopped
Thyme, sprig
Garlic, clove, sliced
3sp seasoning
1 egg
Wine, splash
Half tin of tomatoes
Pasta
Milk, half pint
Cheese, grated
2sp flour for pasta sauce
8sp flour for batter pudding
2 large Potatoes
Hot water
Vegetables

Method

Start with some pasta, although this is optional - I had some left in the cupboard that I wanted to use up. Boil the pasta until cooked then place in an oven proof dish. Make a cheese sauce by heating up ¼ pint of milk, knob of butter and 2sp of flour.

Whisk while it is heating up to produce a smooth white sauce. Stir in some grated cheese then pour this over the pasta, mix in well and set aside.

To make a batter for this meal, mix together the flour, ¼ pint of milk and egg to make a batter in a bowl. Cover and leave to stand. Five minutes before you are going to cook it, heat a sp of cooking oil in a baking tray and pour the mixture into the hot tray.

Cut the potatoes ready for roasting. Place in an oven proof dish with 1sp of cooking oil.

Place the pasta, potatoes and batter mix into a hot oven to cook for approximately 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the pork into four equal portions. Sprinkle with the seasoning and place in a large frying pan with a sp of cooking oil and brown on both sides.

Add the chopped onion, garlic, thyme, wine, tinned tomatoes and a splash of hot water. Place the lid on the pan and cook gently for 40 minutes. Check the meat at regular intervals and add more hot water as and when required.

Prepare the vegetables and serve.

This meal appears on Shopping List 8

Banana Fritters with Butterscotch Sauce

6 sp flour
1 egg
¼ pint milk
2 ripe bananas, sliced
6 sp sugar
75ml cream
2oz butter
1 sp oil

Method

Mix together the flour, egg and milk to make a thick batter. Stir in the bananas. Make sure it is completely covered.

Heat the oil in a pan. Take 2 spoons of the banana mixture to make 1 fritter and place into the pan.

Repeat – there should be enough to make two fritters per person.

Keep a good eye on them because they will cook quickly. Turn them over with a spatula to make sure it is cooked on both sides.

In a small pan melt the butter then stir in the sugar and cook gently until the mixture is completely liquid. Be very careful as this will be extremely hot.

Use a whisk to mix the cream into the sugar and butter. Keep whisking until the liquid is of an even colour.

Plate up the fritters and drizzle the butterscotch sauce over.

Remember – this will be hot!

This meal appears on Shopping List 8

8.6 Saturday Chicken & Chips

2011-05-01T19:40:00.006+01:00

Chicken and Chips

Ingredients

Chicken pieces
3sp seasoning
6sp flour
2sp cooking oil
4 potatoes, sliced into wedges
2 tomatoes
2 sp sugar
1 egg
Vegetables

Method

Remove the skin from the chicken pieces and discard. Sprinkle the seasoning over the meat. Dip the meat piece by piece first into the whisked egg, then into the flour. Place in some hot oil in a frying pan and brown on all sides.

When complete, place the chicken together in an oven proof dish. Put in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes.

Wash your potatoes and slice into potato wedges. Place in a separate oven proof dish. Sprinkle with oil and place in the oven to cook alongside the chicken. I set the temperature about 180 degrees - gas 5-6.

To make the relish, chop and fry the tomato in a little cooking oil. Add some sugar and seasoning and lightly mash into a pulp.

Ten minutes before the dish is ready, prepare your vegetables, cook them and serve with some relish on the side.

Enjoy.

This meal appears on Shopping List 8

8.5 Friday Spaghetti Bolognese

2011-04-29T14:41:00.002+01:00

Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

400g Mince

One Onion

2 Carrots

2sp seasoning

Garlic, clove

Thyme, sprig

Half a tin of chopped tomatoes

Wine, splash

Hot water

Spaghetti for 4
Cheese (optional)

Method

Place the mince in a pan - no oil - and fry until the meat separates and turns brown/grey and all the fat from the meat has escaped.

Pour or spoon the oil into a non-plastic bowl and put it to one side to cool and solidify. Do not pour hot oil down your sink. When it is cool you can scrape it straight into your bin.

Place a pan of water on the hob to boil ready for the pasta.

Roughly dice the onion, carrots and chop the garlic clove. Add to the meat along with your sprig of thyme and 2sp of seasoning.

Add half a tin of tomatoes and a splash of wine. Pour half a pint of hot water into the mix, cover with a lid and leave to simmer.

Pour the pasta into the boiling water.

Taste the meat - add a little more seasoning if you need to.

Serve the mince with the pasta in four good size bowls. If you have some to hand, a gentle sprinkling of cheese will set this dish off a treat.

Enjoy.

This meal appears on Shopping List 8

8.4 Thursday Meat & Potato Pie

2011-04-28T11:40:00.005+01:00

Meat and Potato Pie

Ingredients

Minced beef, 400g
10sp flour
4oz butter
Onion, sliced
Garlic, clove
Thyme, chopped
Potatoes, cubed
2 Bacon Rashers, chopped
Fresh tomato, chopped
2sp seasoning
Water for pastry
Vegetables

Method

Start off by preparing the pastry for the pie cover and lining. Rub the flour and butter together to form breadcrumbs. Add a little cold water so that you can form it into a ball. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes.

Heat up the minced beef in a frying pan to brown the meat and to draw out any fat and oil (which should be poured into a glass dish or pottery bowl and left to set before you dispose of it).

In the frying pan, stir in the onions, thyme, seasoning and bacon. Cook for about 5 minutes then add the tomato and potato. Then stir in some freshly crushed garlic.

Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll out the pastry. Remember you need some pastry to line the dish and enough to top the pie. Line the pie dish and spoon in the mixture from the frying pan. Gently firm the meat in so there are no big gaps and spoon any juices over.

Add the rest of the pastry to the top and squeeze or fold the edges to make sure the pie filling does not escape.

Place in a hot oven - about 180 degrees - and cook for 25-35 minutes.

Prepare the vegetables and serve.

This recipe appears on Shopping List 8

Strawberries and Cream

Ingredients

Strawberries
Cream
4sp sugar

Method

Wash and slice the strawberries and place in a small pan with the sugar. Gently heat for a few minutes.

Pour about three quarters of the tub of cream into a bowl and whisk until it firms up. You'll need the rest for another dessert later in the week.

Remove the strawberries from the heat and fold into the cream mixture.

Serve.

This recipe appears on Shopping List 8

8.3 Wednesday Spanish Omelette

2011-04-27T10:39:00.003+01:00

Spanish Omelette

Ingredients

4 large potatoes, sliced
1 mackerel fillet, sliced
3 rashers bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
Thyme, sprig, chopped
3 eggs
Splash of milk
Vegetables

Butter & garlic sauce

Clove of garlic, chopped
Thyme, sprig
Knob of butter
2sp cornflour
Water

Method

Place the bacon, onion and thyme into a frying pan and cook through.

In the meantime, select an oven proof dish and place a firm layer of potato across the bottom.

Place the sliced mackerel randomly across the top of the potatoes then apply another layer of potato, spoon the bacon mixture over the top and finish with a final layer of potato.

Whisk together the eggs and milk and pour over the potatoes, put in the oven and cook for about 40 minutes on a medium to hot heat.

To make the butter & garlic sauce, put the butter, garlic, thyme, a splash of water and the cornflour into a small pan and heat up and whisk continually to make a nice smooth sauce.

Prepare the vegetables 10 minutes before you are ready to serve the spanish omelette and butter & garlic sauce.

This recipe appears on Shopping List 8

8.2 TuesdayFish Chowder

2011-04-26T08:52:00.009+01:00

Fish Chowder

Ingredients

Mackerel (save some for tomorrow's Spanish Omelette recipe)
Cod
Thyme, sprig
Garlic, clove, chopped
1sp seasoning
1 onion, sliced
2sp flour
Potatoes, sliced
Milk, half pint
2sp cooking oil
Vegetables

Method

Heat the oil in a large pan and gently cook the mackerel and cod pieces. Add the garlic, onion, potatoes and seasoning. Cover and heat gently for about 10-15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan, stirring it into the cooked ingredients. Carefully add the milk and thyme and then cook for a further five minutes.

Prepare and cook the other vegetables and serve into four bowls - then enjoy.
This recipe appears on Shopping List 8

8.1 Monday Sweet Chilli Chicken

2011-04-25T10:13:00.005+01:00

Sweet Chilli Chicken

Ingredients

4 portions of chicken
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped
Half tin of tinned tomatoes
Bunch of coriander and thyme, chopped
1 onion, chopped
Garlic clove, chopped
2sp seasoning
4sp sugar
1sp cooking oil
Cup of hot water
1½ cups of rice
Chilli (optional)
Vegetables
Cornflour (optional, for thickening sauce)

Method

In a large frying pan, brown the chicken in the cooking oil. When this is done, add the onion, garlic, seasoning and stir until softened.

Then add all of the tomatoes, coriander and thyme. Add the sugar, chilli and hot water. Stir in, place a lid on the pan and allow to cook for a further 20-25 minutes. Check regularly and add more hot water if necessary, or a little cornflour if you need to thicken the juices.

Measure out 1½ cups of white rice into a saucepan. Half fill with cold water and wash the rice by hand, rubbing the grains between your hands. This will create cloudy water, which you should pour away. Repeat until the water runs clear.

Finally, add some fresh water to cover the rice and then add more water to double the depth in the pan. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat right down, put on a lid and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes. Please check and add more water if you feel it is required.

Prepare the vegetables and serve.

This recipe appears on Shopping List 8

7.7 Sunday Roast Beef

2011-04-24T10:35:00.003+01:00

Roast Beef

Ingredients

Beef (braising steak)
Garlic, sliced
Thyme, sprig
Potatoes
Pasta (optional)
Flour
Egg
Milk, half pint
Salt, pinch
Vegetables
Cheese
Butter
Cornflour
Water

Method

Lay your beef on a cutting board and slice into four equal portions.

Put the meat into either a piece of tin foil or a small oven proof dish with a lid, and add the seasoning, garlic and thyme. Make sure these are dispersed evenly over each portion.

Place each portion of the meat standing side by side and secure with the tin foil or with string or cocktail sticks if you are using the dish. This will help the meat to cook in its own juices. Place this in the oven. No oil is required. Cook for a good hour and a half on about a 190 degree heat.

Mix together the flour, ¼ pint of milk and egg to make a batter in a bowl. Cover and leave to stand. Five minutes before you are going to cook it, heat a sp of cooking oil in a baking tray and pour the mixture into the hot tray.

Prepare the potatoes ready for roasting.

The pasta is optional - I had some left in the cupboard that I wanted to use up. Boil the pasta until cooked then place in an oven proof dish. Make a cheese sauce by heating up a ¼ pint of milk, knob of butter and 2sp of flour. Whisk while it is heating up to produce a smooth white sauce. Stir in some grated cheese then pour this over the pasta, mix in well and set aside.

Forty-five minutes before the meat is due to finish, place your prepared potatoes, pasta dish and batter pudding into the oven to cook.

Ten minutes before the meat is ready, prepare and cook your vegetables.

To make a gravy, take the meat out of the oven after an hour and carefully pour the juices into a small pan. Reseal the meat and return it to the oven.

You can reheat the juices to spoon over the meal or you can thicken it by adding a mixture of cornflour and water.

This meal appears on Shopping List 7

Apple & Pear Crumble

Ingredients
8 sp flour
3 oz butter
4 sp sugar
1 pear
1 apple

Method

Rub together the flour, sugar and butter to form breadcrumbs. If the mixture looks a little dry and powdery still, add some more butter.

Peel, core and slice the apple and pear and lay in the bottom of an oven proof dish. Sprinkle over the crumble mixture and bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes.

Serve.

This dessert appears on Shopping List 7

7.6 Saturday Turkey Stew

2011-04-23T16:50:00.001+01:00

Turkey Stew

Ingredients

Remainder of Turkey Drumstick
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
Garlic, clove
Thyme, sprig
1 potato, cubed
Tin Butter Beans
3sp seasoning
1sp cooking oil
Cabbage, shredded
Pasta, pieces (leftover)
Flour, 8sp
Red Wine, splash
Water, 2 pints
Salt, pinch

Method

Heat up the oil in a large pot and brown the turkey drumstick.

Add the chopped onions, carrots, garlic and thyme. Put in the seasoning and then add the potato and the red wine.

Put in 2 pints of water.

Stir and leave to cook for an hour. Check every 15 to 20 minutes and add more water if required.

Then mix together flour, salt and water to make a dough ball.

Pinch off a small amount and roll into individual dough balls.

Add to the soup, ten minutes before the end.

Add the butter beans and shredded cabbage and any pasta pieces you may have left over. Cook for a further ten minutes then carefully take out the turkey drumstick and slice off the meat and distribute in the serving bowls. Then ladle the rest of the meal over the top of the meat.

This meal can be found on Shopping List 7

7.5 Friday Coconut Chicken Curry

2011-04-22T10:21:00.004+01:00

Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients

Chicken
3sp seasoning
1 onion, chopped
Garlic, clove
1 pint hot water
3sp tinned tomatoes
1 potato, cubed
1sp cooking oil
1 inch of coconut cream
Chilli pepper (optional)
1½ cups rice
Thyme, sprig
Vegetables

Method

Cut your chicken to size and remove the skin from the pieces. Stir in the seasoning, then brown in oil in a large pan.

Meanwhile, wash the rice and place it in a pot with two inches of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down, put the lid on and allow it to simmer for about 10-12 minutes.

When the meat is golden, add the onion and garlic, and continue to fry until they soften.

Pour in a pint of hot water and the tinned tomatoes, then add the chopped potato and thyme.

Bring to the boil for five minutes, add the coconut cream and chilli (optional). Stir in until the coconut cream has dissolved, reduce the heat, place a lid on the pan and allow to cook gently for 20-30 minutes.

(Remember to turn off the heat under the rice and leave it to steam until you are ready.)

Prepare your vegetables and serve.

This meal can be found on Shopping List 7

7.4 Thursday Savoury Rice

2011-04-21T09:42:00.002+01:00

Savoury Rice

Ingredients

1/2 Turkey drumstick

1 1/2 Cups rice

1 onion, chopped

Garlic, clove, chopped

Thyme, sprig

2sp seasoning

1sp cooking oil

1/4 pint water

Vegetables

Method

Wash your rice and place it in a pot with two inches of water. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down, put the lid on and allow it to simmer for about 10-12 minutes.

Slice the turkey meat into small strips and season.

Place oil in a frying pan, then add the meat, followed by the onion, garlic and thyme. Stir fry until everything is golden.

Add the water and cook for a further 5-10 minutes.

Add the vegetables (I used broccoli, cabbage, and some leftover green beans and green pepper) to the meat and cook for a further five minutes.

Stir in the rice, making sure it is well coated with the gravy and serve.

This meal can be found on Shopping List 7

7.3 Wednesday Turkey Steak and Chips

2011-04-20T08:00:00.005+01:00

Turkey Steak and Chips

Ingredients

One turkey thigh

3 large potatoes

2sp Seasoning
1sp cooking oil

Sprig of thyme

Garlic, chopped

Vegetables

Method

Take the potatoes and cut them into chunky chips. Place in a pan of water and bring to the boil, then cook for about 10 minutes.

Put the oil in a baking tray and place in the oven to heat up (for the potatoes).

Remove them and place on some kitchen roll or a plate to let the water evaporate.

Take the turkey thigh and cut it into steak-like pieces. Season and place in an oven proof dish/baking tray. Put a piece of thyme and some garlic under each piece of meat. Then put this into the oven and cook for about 40 minutes at about 200 degrees.

Place the chunky chips into a separate hot dish. Coat with the hot oil carefully and return to the oven for 30-40 minutes.

When the meat is cooked, pour over a small amount of hot water and put back in the oven for two minutes. This will bring together all of the seasoning and flavours to make a nice gravy.

Prepare the vegetables and serve.