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

[Ninkanink]

Hey everyone!

1st thread is here

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

💐 and 🍰 and ☕️ to all!

You can freeze pesto. It’s also good on grilled salmon, in salad dressings or in mashed potato. My children like it mixed with tuna and put into wraps which they then grill.

Caraway and raisin spelt loaf, using raisin yeast.

Awesome ideas thank you!

@ptumbi do you have a recipe for you lentil meatless loaf? I’m looking for freezeable things to make for my vegetarian DH.

@Weedsnseeds1 You’ve done it again, that looks incredible!

Weeds - that looks fab! Looks really crusty.

@furble Lentil Loaf this is the one I use. It's nice and uses up all sorts of bits from the fridge, plus any leftovers can be fried as like burgers. I've always got red and/or green lentils in the cupboard!

Can I rescue runny honey that's gone hard and crystallised?

👋👋 all!

What a beautiful sunny day...and I have a window sill full of fresh, full, potted herbs! Yay!

Oh my Lord, though...I seem to have ordered all the contents of the supermarket! 😆 tbf I was working on the assumption that we might only get 75% of it, but in the end we got pretty much everything. I think we’re set up for a full month of food now, which is nice. And if anyone catches me complaining about not having enough food in the next several weeks, you have my full permission to hand me a grip!

I had to play extreme fridge Tetris to fit it all in, and the freezer is absolutely full. We had extra for dinner last night - leftover macaroni cheese, plus some Yorkshire puddings that had to be removed from the freezer, along with the leftover pork belly, fried cabbage and gravy (to make room in the fridge). It all went so well together and that’s two lots of leftovers used up! 👍👍

Today we had leftover pancakes for breakfast ✅ a cooked breakfast for lunch (including hash browns that had also been removed from the freezer to make space) plus mushrooms and half a tomato that needed using ✅ and the last two slices of bacon from a packet that’s been open for at least a week. ✅

I should make a cake today to use some milk, but I just don’t know if I can be bothered. I’ve felt a bit meh about cooking/baking, lately.

Tonight’s dinner is a Thai baked sea bass. Really looking forward to it!

Segregaremim yes, just stand it in hor water ( in the jar or bottle) and swish it about every so often

Today’s lunch was a moussaka I froze a couple of weeks ago. New recipe which froze beautifully so I was very pleased.

I eat pesto in sandwiches with houmous. Or bake flatbreads/naan with houmous, pesto, pine nuts, roast peppers, olives, grilled artichokes from jars etc..

@Weedsnseeds1- thanks for that - will use chicken to night. In fact DH did buy the salmon on a street called The Pavement but I don't think he tripped over it....

We had salads for lunch to make the most of the sunshine in the garden so I'll make a chicken and leek pie with a colcannon top as I have cabbage to use up.

Not posted for a few days, but been reading. You're all way ahead of me!

Last couple days been using up various items that were getting close to date but didn't really need cooking. The pasties I made etc

Today pasta with cheese sauce to use up milk. The pasta I'd opened the other days and had with pesto.

Pesto goes with pretty much anything savoury I've found, I even like it on toast, either just "plain" or even on toast that's going to then have baked beans or tinned spaghetti or macaroni cheese on it works really well. Also in mash as a pp mentioned is lovely, baked potatoes, on crackers with cheese or other toppings. I like it on crackers with quorn pepperoni.

@Weedsnseeds1 that bread!!!

DS used up Easter eggs in a chocolate brownie recipe. Other than that nothing really inspiring. My peanut butter is a month out of date but actually seems perfectly edible on toast. Eating green beans which are past their best with roast dinner tonight.

@Ninkanink I get so excited when my DH does our weekly shop. I’m “vulnerable” but not in the extra vulnerable group so only go out for exercise.

I like pesto spooned into an opening in a chicken breast and wrapped in bacon.

For tea we’re having the last frozen pizza. I am ridiculously excited about this...

I feel that I should do something creative with the leftovers in the fridge but tonight, it’s just pizza (and gin!).

Pesto on pizza, mmmmm

This thread never fails to make me hungry!

We made some muffins earlier which were a great user-upper of bits. Homemade bramley sauce, squishy banana, last of a bag of wholemeal flour, last of a packet of frozen raspberries and they’ve had the thumbs up from DH who can take these into work as breakfasts next week. Recipe here www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/breakfast-muffins

Thank you very much for the lentil loaf recipe ptumbi I think I’ll be giving this one a try!

Our meals have been very leftover focussed today. Soup for me, pulled brisket for the boys and leftover baked gnocchi for DH at lunch and then picky bits for dinner (mezze style) to focus on using some fresh olive bread DH picked up on the milk run yesterday. Easy and relaxed! 👍

Just about ready for another week of the two full-time job special which is becoming normal life! Hope everyone has had a lovely sunny weekend!

I took a trip to The Shop of Wonders today ( a little unit on an industrial estate that sells short dated ambient food and slightly battered household stuff like washing powder) in search of more baking supplies.
I got 10Kg white atta flour for £2, 3 x 3kg SR flour for £5, 4 jars of very posh mayonnaise for £1 amongst other things.
As a bonus, there was a guy selling fruit and veg in the car park and I got 3 huge, very ripe avocado's ( now guacamole), 2 pineapples, a case of 24 figs, a bowl of tomatoes, 2 large aubergines, a couple of cantaloupe melons and 5 lemons for £7!
The figs are just on their way out, so making fig tart.
I am ridiculously happy!

I have atta flour in the cupboard. Can’t remember why I bought it but would love some ideas!

It's actually called Bargain Brands, but has many wondrous things of great cheapness at all times!

I’m very envious of your haul weeds. I love figs.

PurpleDaisies the obvious thing is chapatis and paratha, but I intend to experiment a bit, so will report back with the results!

Paratha! That was it. I could eat those by the basketful.

Stuffed paratha are great for using up little bits of leftover Dahl or veg curry, you just put a bit in the middle of the disc of dough and then fold and roll as normal to get the flakey layers.

Wow that haul sounds amazing Weeds and what an incredible price as well, I love a bargain!