Frugal Foodies, thread 3! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas. Plus pets, and other chat.

[Ninkanink]

Hey everyone! 🌺🌼🌸

1st thread is here

2nd thread is here

Looking forward to another lovely thread! ☺️ Eat, drink and be merry!

Thanks for aubergine tips op. I don't think I've any on order at the moment but I may change my mind on that as they last so well.

Everyone's cooking looks amazing!

Mine doesn't necessarily look pretty I'm not good at the presentation thing but it tastes good.

Can't believe we're on thread 3

Thanks for the new thread. Wonder what delights we’ll share on this one? Exciting!!!

Thread 3 place marking.
Nothing new to report on the cooking front, but new loaf tomorrow as I have been trying to teach a friend to make bread ( and starter) via Facebook messenger.
I now have a spelt starter, using raisin yeast, that I made for demonstration purposes, but don't think I'll keep it as I have no more spelt and everywhere on line is sold out.
I will murder it in waffles or something tomorrow!

Thank you for the new thread @Ninkanink! Going to try the burnt aubergine recipe from the last thread as soon as I can keep the DC away from the cooker long enough to actually char the aubergines...

I actually feel strangely brutal after typing that, I haven't even named the poor little mite and here I am planning to slaughter him...

Finally sorted.

I definitely was over cautious on the spices, tastes fine a little warmth and umami type flavour but I think next time I'll at least double the spices and maybe even add a tiny bit of the hot paprika I got as a sub.

Probably add more spice to the leftovers when I'm reheating them too. They're cooling at the moment.

As I thought I easily got 4 meals worth out of that lot.

I've added some creme fraiche for a little indulgence.

Wow new thread already! Not been doing any cooking, today was my third day of leftover lamb curry...it was lovely but I’m quite relieved it’s now all gone! Not sure what I will do tomorrow, probably some kind of chicken soup that can last me a few days. Iftar is getting later and later so I tend to make my mum something and then go for a nap until it’s time to eat

Excited for a new thread. Have no interest in trying sourdough starter myself but am enjoying read the progress.

Thank you for the new thread Ninka looking forward to more learning and lovely food pics and ideas! Woke up in a panic this morning thinking it was Monday only to eventually remember that it’s Sunday! Hooray another day of relaxing and cooking!

Made carrot bhajis last night to use some of the besan (chickpea) flour I have. Recipe from tesco magazine, but I discovered that tesco website does a "what ingredients do you have?" recipe finder.

carrot bhaji

Hello shiny new thread!

Had a swede-y day yesterday! Got 2 in a row in my veg box that hadn't been used so did a full arm workout peeling and chopping it and mashing. Then I stir fried a couple of leeks and spring cabbage that desperately needed using in butter with garlic and stirred through the swede. I've frozen it in portions for a quick tea to go with veggie sausage.

Doing a hot pot for the family today which will use up another couple of the leeks (I ended up with 6 huge ones by accident) and 2 last overripe tomatoes. I'm doing a ww recipe of one pot leek, mushroom and pea pasta but might swap the peas for broccoli as the peas are frozen so will last longer)

We halfway through making sweet potato masala dosa with coconut raita which will put use to two ailing sweet potatoes and a tired chilli, almost also finished my box of gram flour only a few years past it’s date but seems fine. The sweet potato masala is so yummy I can’t wait to have it all together in the pancakes for lunch.

www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/sweet-potato-masala-dosa-coconut-raita

The carrot bhajis look lovely, might have to copy them to complete the meal!

God I love these threads. Made some bread yesterday from the King Arthur Flour website which was lovely though a very wet mix. Battery now gone in my scales - thinking about resorting to old weights one we have.

Have some very sorry looking veg that need eating. My stocks are getting really low, thank goodness for supermarket day tomorrow.

Hey all!

💐 to all, plus ☕️ and 🍪.

@Graphista was reading back on last thread and just wanted to say I’m really glad that you’ve found our chat here so helpful. Many times we each actually have all the resources needed for resilience, it’s just a matter of getting some support in accessing them. And often, the fear we fear isn’t nearly as bad as we think it is (first principle of anxiety).

This week we’re pretty much out of fresh vegetables, so our meals will be a little on the sparse side as a) we’re trying not to go out until we have to and also b) trying not to spend too much. We want to see my daughters soon so we are shielding as much as we can to avoid potentially passing anything on to them when we can meet up with them, as one of my daughters is vulnerable.

General plan for this week is steak tonight, with black garlic butter, jacket potato and coleslaw or remoulade. Week coming up we will have chicken casserole, spaghetti and meatballs, pie and mash, beef massaman curry, and maybe fish and chips or a chilli. Lunches will be planned to mop up anything that needs using - today we will have braised lettuce and peas with chicken, as we have romaine lettuce that’s wilting.

I want to get my DH to make up a sourdough starter (I’m not so good with new things - I get obsessive and stressed and end up feeling hugely overwhelmed) but I’m not sure we have what’s required as I’ve never looked into it. It would help as fresh bread is one of the things we will have to do without for the next week or two, although we do have plenty of part baked rolls. I’m going to try to make all our meals from the things we’ve already got in for the next week, but we may need to get a veg box and some butter, bread and milk at some point.

I’ve had pizza dough delivered from a local pizza dough seller(!) and we’re going to try that tonight. I’ve never made a good pizza and I’m sceptical about whether the Aga is hot enough. I reasoned that doing it this way if we don’t have success I’ll know it’s the oven rather than my dough skills.

I found you all! Can't believe it's on to thread 3 already.

@Xioaxiong your bread from the last thread looks amazing!! (At least I think it was yours...) I love sourdough and it's pretty rare in my tiny Northern locale but every once in a while the big ASDA has it in their bakery section. I have to prevent myself from eating it all, warmed through slathered in butter.

Made waffles for the kids for breakfast. Used self raising flour as that seems to be much easier to get a hold of than plain. I’ve never really used SR before but it seemed to work fine.

Last night was what my husband calls a picky tea. Bits and pieces of this and that (usually from the freezer). A few fish goujons, half a bag in onion rings, some mozzarella sticks, a few spring rolls, and handful of breaded mushrooms and any other lingering bits of party food type stuff from the bottom of the freezer. Could probably have been healthier, but the DCs loved it.

Today I found 3 vacuum sealed salmon fillets under a bag of frozen sweet corn so have brought them in (they were in the freezer in the garage) and need to plan something for them.

Question: how far gone before a potato is too far gone? I have 3/4 of a bag of white potatoes and they are quite sprouty and have a very green tinge. Can I just cut the green and the sprouts away? At what point is it not safe to eat what can be salvaged?

@YesILikeItToo, I do find that a hot oven is pretty imperative for good pizza. Although you could try pre-baking the dough base THEN adding the toppings and baking again?

I use a super lazy pizza dough recipe that's hard to ruin: smittenkitchen.com/2013/10/lazy-pizza-dough-favorite-margarita-pizza/

Waffles look lovely! I’m desperate for a waffle iron but as we’re being careful with spending its purchase has been pushed back to June or possibly July. Really want to make big fluffy waffles though!

We’ve still got pizza dough x 4 in the freezer. Might use a couple for lunches this week.

Delurking/registering to say how much I'm enjoying this calming, lovely, helpful corner of the world.

I'm trying out one new evening meal every week during The Awfulness to expand my cooking repertoire, so this is really helpful for ideas too.

@Ninkanink thank you. I know whatever I'm anxious about is never as bad as I think it will be but unfortunately my daft brain refuses to "get" that. There are certain tasks I have to do daily/weekly that every time I procrastinate and delay until they absolutely have to be done because I hate doing them but then that can result in causing difficulties that wouldn't have been caused if I'd just bloody well got on with it!

In terms of accessing resources to get support to get well I am determined to do so once things are "back to normal" and I won't be taking no for an answer or even "in a month" or "first you have to do x y z" I've been begging for help for 3 years (this time around) and the mh people have been shite. Well I've been hesitant about taking it to a higher level complaint wise but no more. It's not good enough and I am sick of having no life.

Anyway...don't wanna be a Debbie downer and actually I'm not down I'm frustrated and ready to fix things - but I need help to do so.

I am unbelievably GRATEFUL to all who've posted on these threads, it's really weird how something can help in an indirect way without us expecting it to.

Everyone's plans are so amazing such talented and confident cooks!

Making my mouth water.

Today I am tackling a mountain of dishes using a washing up bowl that looks like Del Boys car! did I mention I procrastinate?

Will be freezing last nights "curries" but think I'm going to add some more spice first.

Plans for the week:

Start using some of the leftovers by remembering to defrost them

Get some baking done now I finally have the tools. I may even finally be able to make some scones that actually rise following gleaning a few tips on mn.

Try and find some new recipes to try to keep my interest going

You're all very into the spicy stuff - which is great I get it, but as it's not what I can eat I need some new savoury inspiration.

I'm currently on the hunt for a good veggie ghoulash recipe and I may even attempt to make some puff pastry and do wee tartlets? Of the kind you put the topping on and the pastry rises around it? If anyone has tried and trusted recipes for either pastry or tarts I'd be very interested.

I find the bbc good food site pretty good for basic recipes that don't call for crazy ingredients that are hard to get normally.

I understand that very well - I suffer from generalised anxiety which I’ve had some horrendously severe periods with, and knowing something rationally with one part of your psyche doesn’t really make much difference. However it helps me a lot to be aware that my mind does lie to me.

Op definitely 2 warring parts of same brain! Good way of describing it. I've previously described it as I "know" a certain thing isn't risky or dangerous but I "feel" the opposite.

What are peoples favourite bakes? Easiest bakes?

On freezer leftovers - it helps me to have a quick look, jot down what needs using, and then make a quick-fire plan for lunches or dinners for the week. Nothing too fancy, really just a 4 or 5 bullet list with ideas for what to do with it. Then I’ve got a base upon which to build my daily cooking and eating decisions. It ensures that I don’t forget (and I also only have to think about it once, IYKWIM).

One of our favourite recipes for goulash is this one:

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2007/oct/07/foodanddrink.recipes

It’s a homage to rather than strictly traditional, but lovely all the same.

Worth remembering that a bog standard red chilli from the supermarket won’t be very hot, especially if you discard the pith and seeds - just adds a pleasant, gentle warmth.

Obviously you would omit the pork, but I think the recipe would work well as a base for lots of veg.

I fact I would say Nigel Slater is a good shout for quick and easy, very tasty recipes that are aromatic but not spicy, just making good use of herbs and milder spices to create wonderfully comforting foods. You might like a vegetarian version of his spiced shepherd’s pie, again it’s not hot but just a pleasing warmth. If you want to try it out you could always try with half quantities and if it’s too mild just do full quantities next time. We add curry powder and all sorts to it because we like it to pack a bit more of a punch.

www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/shepherdspiewithspic_83899

Today’s lunch was a sliced chicken breast braised in stock with celery, fennel, pak Choi, romaine lettuce, peas and parsley. Butter and lemon added at the last minute along with black pepper and a few sprigs of dill.

I don’t often do pastries or tarts but when I do, I always go to Delia. Or Mary Berry.