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

746 replies

Ninkanink · 02/05/2020 19:53

Hey everyone! 🌺🌼🌸

1st thread is here

2nd thread is here

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

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Ninkanink · 11/05/2020 21:20

I’d cheat and make up a gravy, add plenty of whatever veg you want (sauté gently beforehand), shred the chicken quite finely and hey presto you have a pie!

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Ninkanink · 11/05/2020 21:21

With your selection I’d go for onions, peas, carrots (finely diced), potatoes (diced slightly bigger), and some pancetta.

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magnarocks · 11/05/2020 21:28

Thanks @Ninkanink 👍🏻 I'll report back with results!

Interested in this thread?

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Ninkanink · 11/05/2020 21:42

👍 you could also chop the chicken into slightly bigger chunks, that way you get more taste of chicken in some bites, rather than a more subtle chicken flavour in each bite...it all depends on what you prefer I guess!

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Bestbees · 12/05/2020 08:00

I have been avidly reading this thread and love it! I love to cook, but rarely follow recipes and like to use up random things!

I have been making sourdough, and inspired by Weeds have made a raisin starter (raison d'etre). However all of this has equalled half a stone weight gain so trying to do some intermittent fasting too.

Today on the menu is lunch of spinach soup from spinach in the garden and two elderly potatoes. DH will have the last of the fridge soup (elderly pot, lentils, cauliflower leaves and wobbly carrots). The kids will have cheese on toast.

Dinner is mung bean daal and bringal bhaji from the freezer.

What's everyone else got planned?

YesILikeItToo · 12/05/2020 08:21

I’m just trying to fit the available food into the day. We’ve been making a lot of burgers for lunch since we started eating lunch at home, I put mince in every shop now. But I’m wondering about moving them to dinner, as the only other idea I have had is for using up some pitta breads in a Moro recipe - crisping them up in triangles and serving with a roasted carrot purée. We have a lot of carrots, and I thought I’d replace the feta with some goats curd I bought yesterday when there was no cream cheese. But it’s hardly dinner. So probably that for lunch and burgers for tea.

Ninkanink · 12/05/2020 09:00

We’ve got a pack of pastry that needs using so we’re having a quiche tonight with courgette and various antipasti from jars in the fridge.

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PurpleDaisies · 12/05/2020 09:57

Antipasti quiche sounds delicious. I really like the idea of carrot purée with pitta too. I might pinch that one!

I’m making crackers from sourdough discard this morning so they’ll be for lunch with houmous and whatever I can find in the fridge.

For dinner, I think it will be tofu stir fry using up some of pepper mountain.

These are the crackers...
www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-crackers-recipe

Xiaoxiong · 12/05/2020 11:41

Bees are you me?? Since the kids started back to school 3 weeks ago, and I started making sourdough, I have also put on weight and decided to start 16:8 today!

Lots of nice food recently though - DH made chicken with dijon mustard, creme fraiche and vermouth last night, and a salad that used up some very elderly pears and the end of some stilton. So nice that I have told him he's cooking dinner 2 nights a week now and I'll take over one of his smaller chores (that he isn't doing anyway so at least they'll get done now!!)

Yesterday's lunch was sourdough starter discard cheese scones with cream of tomato soup (used up 3 tins tomatoes) and now I have a lot of bendy carrots to use up...carrot and coriander soup for lunch tomorrow I think! And I'm planning a roast chicken Thursday night with a chicken pie the next night, and a roast pork loin on Saturday night with leftover pork for nasi goreng or ramen noodles with stock made with the bones.

Ninkanink · 12/05/2020 11:58

Quiche has been bumped because DH has eaten his way through almost all our eggs! - I wondered why he was suddenly repeatedly making and requesting egg omelettes for breakfast/lunch, and it turns out he’d got the wrong end of the stick and thought we had loads of eggs to eat our way through, when in fact we’ve hardly any left now after his efforts.

Ah well. I had parcels to send today so we made our first visit to our local supermarket/post office and picked up our first very small grocery shop done in person since mid March. Managed to get six more eggs so at least we’re not down to none at all! Anyway have decided quiche would have used too many. We got fresh salad veg and lettuce which I’m very excited about! And sausage rolls, pork pie and crisps for a ‘picnic’ lunch (at home)!

I’m not sure what we’ll have for dinner now...

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Bestbees · 12/05/2020 12:19

I think a lot of us are gaining weigh in lock down! We are shielding my DH so although we are doing exercise at home it isn't the same!would love the scones recipe please.
Purple I made those crackers this morning too!
We are lucky here and have no shortages. Have a delivery of 120 eggs coming today (to share obviously!!)

Ninkanink · 12/05/2020 12:22

We could have bought more eggs, tbf. But they were more expensive than DH liked so he only got the one carton of six. We can always get more from the farm shop if we need to...But we’ll probably aim not to get any more food for at least a week now.

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PurpleDaisies · 12/05/2020 12:26

I accidentally double the amount of sourdough starter so had to double everything else. Still baking in batches! They’re so delicious eating them as fast as they’re coming out of the oven...Think I might need a lockdown diet too!!!

What did you put on yours? I’ve done a different topping for each of the six. They’re all got mixed herbs as a base because I’ve had a jar in the cupboard since about 1982. Currently got poppy and sesame seed in the oven.

Frugal Foodies, thread 3! Favourite leftover dishes, avoiding waste, menu ideas. Plus pets, and other chat.
Bestbees · 12/05/2020 13:38

I just did plain ones as trying to juggle it with homeschool and zoom meeting. I have lots of rosemary in the garden and garlic powder so thinking of giving that a go next!

PurpleDaisies · 12/05/2020 13:40

The ones with garlic salt were voted the favourite by dh. I really liked the poppy and sesame ones. Split the dough and rolled out, then sprinkled the topping over and rolled lightly. A very easy way of having a variety of flavours!

PurpleDaisies · 12/05/2020 14:05

@Xiaoxiong just noticed you made cheese scones with sourdough discard. Can I have the recipe? Think that might be my next bake.

Xiaoxiong · 12/05/2020 14:46

Nink any butchers round your way? We get trays of 30 eggs delivered from ours with the meat. (and somehow we now are going through all 30 every week, when previously we would struggle to get through a dozen between weekly shops!)

Cheese scone recipe by popular demand - these my friend Muffy's scones (@marthadelacey on instagram, follow her and sign up for her baking class called @themuffkitchen) She calls them Trashscuffins because they are not nice neat scones, they're craggy and shaggy and kind of like rock cake meets scone but they're super adaptable. You can make them sweet by leaving out the cheese and the spices, and add anything you like to them - I made blueberry lemon scones yesterday by adding 2Tbsp sugar, 1 cup frozen berries and the zest of a lemon for example.
Anyway, without further ado:
250g plain white flour (or self-raising, in which case leave out the leavening agents)
90g butter in small chunks (I have done cold cubed, rubbed in and very soft little glops not rubbed in - both worked)
150g old runny starter from your trashpot
1.5tsp baking powder
1.5tsp bicarb
1 heaped tsp mustard powder
1tsp smoked or regular paprika
1tsp cayenne
1.5tsp salt
1 egg
100ml milk (I only had double cream, it worked fine)
2 chopped spring onions or chives or dill
170g grated strong hard cheese (next time I might cube, rather than grate, so I get pockets of melted cheese!)

Instructions - mix everything until it just comes together in a sticky dough with no more big lumps of dry flour or bicarb, let dough rest 20 mins. Scoop out balls of dough (with wet hands or two wet spoons), brush with egg and top with more cheese, and bake at least 1 inch apart on a lined tray at 220c fan for 13-14 mins.

Spam88 · 12/05/2020 15:14

I'm breastfeeding at the moment, couldn't be better timed with all the cake I'm eating 😂 one week I didn't eat cake at least once a day and lost loads of weight, so more cake it is!

purple your mixed herbs comment made me laugh. We bought a massive tub from Costco many a year ago. I still use them although my DH has queried whether they actually impart any flavour any more...

user1473343040 · 12/05/2020 17:32

@PurpleDaisies would you share your sourdough discard flatbread recipe please? I've only made pancakes so far (long-time lurker, thank you for the lovely threads!)

PurpleDaisies · 12/05/2020 17:48

Of course! It’s this one...

www.thesweetslife.com/2013/03/grilled-sourdough-flatbreads.html?m=1

It doesn’t specifically say to use discard not starter but they worked really well.

PurpleDaisies · 12/05/2020 17:49

I’d definitely recommend trying the crackers as well. I am embarrassed by how many I’ve eaten today!

Graphista · 12/05/2020 18:09

Weirdly I'm losing weight! But that's because I was eating shite before even though not proper meals.

I'm eating more in terms of volume and frequency now but much more healthy - even including the cakes!

I have grated cheddar, Brie, quorn bacon that I need to use up today/tomorrow any ideas aside from an omelette? Because I want to save my eggs!

Not close to date/needing used but that I also have that's not long life.

Bread, pasta, peppers, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms,
Plus usual cupboard staples mostly

I've been on the "genetically predisposed to being able to make scones" thread and hoarding ALL the tips  hoping to finally make decent scones this weekend.

@Spam88 I envy you all those baby cuddles! Lovely time

Bestbees · 12/05/2020 18:20

Graphista I would maybe do a delicious toasty with brie, bacon and mushrooms.

Then roast up the pepper, toms and any other mushrooms and blitz into a pasta sauce.

Or, thread the veg onto a skewer, marinade in spices and herbs and then grill. If it is an unsliced loaf you could make it into garlic bread to serve it with?

It is DH birthday so made his favourite chocolate fridge. I had left over melted chocolate so mixed with oats, raisins, dried apple and banana and popped spoonfuls on to silicone tray. Cooled in the fridge for a very naughty snack!

I think the weight gain for me is life style - I am a secondary school teacher with twin boys. I walk to everywhere - to work,to swimming, to the shops. I would usually run/walk of swim 4/5 times a week plus a yoga class. That and being on my feet at work meant a lot of steps. Now I do Joe wicks and some yoga but also am cooking much more elaborate meals and treating ourselves with snacks. Trying not to snack is hard!!

Graphista · 12/05/2020 18:27

I'm thinking a toastie too mainly as cba doing anything else really but it feels somewhat lacklustre

Had pasta last night and no skewers available

Debating a fancy beans on toast with bacon and Brie on the toast before beans - too weird?

user1473343040 · 12/05/2020 18:59

Thanks @PurpleDaisies, they look nice and simple.

My elder daughters are getting through a lot of crackers at the moment, so that recipe is also tempting, but I feel like I don't have enough clean clear counter-top for all the rolling out - nor enough baking trays 😕