Frugal Foodies, thread 2! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas.

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Hey everyone!

1st thread is here

Hope that link worked! I’ve never done it that way before...

💐 and 🍰 and ☕️ to all!

Sorry if already posted, but using broccoli stalk & cauliflower leaves cooked and blitzed in a cheese sauce (see Jamie’s recent Mac & cheese) is genius as a way to get more veg in and use stuff that gets thrown/fed to pets.

I like to think I’m pretty good at this shit, but even I used to give that stuff away!

Graphista the quorn bacon is sliced and packed in a high risk area ( positive air pressure, filtered air, separate staff and entrance) so very clean environment and is gas flushed to aid shelf life. The bacon has had a high heat treatment prior to slicing, so yes you are safe for a few days with that unopened. Once opened follow guidelines on pack.
(I have been to this factory, so confident on that one )

magnarocks I have somewhere a very ancient copy of an M and S French Peasant Cookery book.
There is a soup made from finely diced veg ( onion, carrot, leek potato etc) sautéed in a little butter then water added to make a fairly liquid broth, bread and cheese is layered in a casserole, with the layers moistened in the broth. The whole lot then goes in the oven
I will see if I can find the book, the recipe is very nice asI remember

It may take me a while to find the book, but this is the basic method, with whichever veg and cheese you like
www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bread_soup_panade_with_onions_chard_and_mushrooms/

@Londonmummy66 yep here you go - they're from an (excellent) kids' baking book by Catheryn Dresser who was on one of the early seasons of GBBO. The only thing I do differently is I grease the muffin tin rather than using papers because they stick to the papers. They're very good eaten with tomato soup!

Whoops picture of recipe didn't attach

Thanks weeds turns out I made a mistake and the bacon is longer dated than I thought but very good to have the info.

Pasties took AGES to cook!

In the end I did an Italian style filling as had a pepper and cherry tomatoes needed using so finely diced them with a courgette, sautéed off and then added dried basil and oregano. Rolled out the leftover pastry in rough ovals, filled with a spoonful of the veg mix then "brushed" (using fingers no pastry brush) the edges with milk, sealed and crimped edges and then brushed tops with milk. Took about 90 mins at 200°c to cook the pastry.

Pics attached, they're not very pretty but smell amazing.

Meant to say, I DID make too much "filling" but I've stored the leftovers in fridge and plan to add to a defrosted ratatouille to use either as a stew served with bread and butter or to make a pasta sauce.

I have a load of cherry tomatoes going soft any ideas for them that DON'T require a blender or peeling them?

Cherry tomatoes / I would just eat the skin too, but if you dislike skins, you could cook and push through a sieve to make passata?

Pasties look nice, by the way.

I'm happy to eat skins don't want faffy recipes

Just cut in two or four, depending on size, and use where you would use canned tomatoes - curry, chilli, bolognese type things

@Graphista I would cook the cherry tomatoes whole in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and have with a poached egg for breakfast.

Made a fairly decent soup with lentils, spice, onion and some tinned tomatoes. Quite thick but plenty for a couple of lunches plus some for the freezer.

Thanks @Weedsnseeds1

Remains of Sunday's lamb, with fattoush ( using leftover flatbread), z'atar wedges and tahini sauce.

I would do the same as Wilderness, spread the cherry toms on a sheet pan and roast with garlic and breadcrumbs too if you have them, then toss through bulgur with feta, or pasta with parmesan. If you have any white fish, you can use the roasted cherry toms as a sauce.

@Xiaoxiong - thanks so much - I'll try with just all flour and see how they turn out as I don't have polenta. Theu do sound nice though

@Graphista - if I have a glut of fresh tomato I sometimes just bung them in the food processor and whizz and then use when tinned tomato or passata is needed.

@cricketmum84 the only puff pastry I could get was frozen and it didn't defrost well I do need to go to a bigger supermarket soon - been making do with smaller convenience stores and a local fruit & veg supplier - DTS1 is a majorly fussy eater and I'm running out of the stuff that he actually eats! Hopefully I can pick up a few packs of pastry when I go.

@Graphista the DC will only sample my cakes they don't like spicy food (although I'm working on it!) - and DP is usually still at work when I cook. I could almost taste my Nando's sauce today though, that's a good sign, right?!

Oh and today's food was all leftovers - saved me cooking whilst feeling completely shattered!! Still need to make a freezer inventory to work out what to use up!

Might try roasting the tomatoes with garlic and herbs. Not sure what to have them with if I do.

@Londonmummy66 I don't have a blender or processor don't even have a potato masher!

@RubySlippers77 that's a shame, maybe stick to tried and trusted recipes for now? Hopefully your sense of taste will be back soon.

@Graphista try Ottolenghi’s charred cherry tomatoes! Linked to in the recipes here. It’s absolutely delicious, and you can just have it with flatbreads as a light lunch.

Lots of lovely looking things as usual.
I’ve got mash to use so it’s going to be aloo tikki for dinner with curry sauce from the freezer and a tin of chick peas. I’ve got leftover pesto to use for lunch. Probably pasta salad.

Started my raisin yeast off last night, it had escaped by the morning, so I have rehomed it and fed it!

I forgot about the charred cherry tomatoes with yoghurt! One of my favourites from Ottolenghi Simple.

I soaked dry chickpeas overnight and braised with carrots, tomato paste, garlic/ginger/onion/chili, dates, cumin and cinnamon (Ottolenghi again - of course!!). They are soft as butter - not a hint of graininess, so much better than tinned. To be eaten with marinated feta, pita bread, and a chopped salad. DH will just have to deal with more beans!

Oh that sounds great, I was thinking about adding dried chickpeas to our shopping order!

@Graphista if you decide to try the delicious charred cherry tomatoes, I’d suggest you take the yoghurt measurement down by half as you might struggle to eat all of it (unless you’re a piggy like me 😉 ).

Ooh just flicked through this and definitely marking my place