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

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Hey everyone! 🌺🌼🌸

1st thread is here

2nd thread is here

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

Purple yes as Weeds says, white bread flour. Give it a go! Even if you get a frisbee it will be a delicious frisbee!

Weeds you can tell you're an expert baker, I bet you just "feel" whether the dough is ready to shape or needs more water or whatever

Xiaoxiong it's not my first rodeo, you're right.
I had a Saturday job in a bakery when I was at school and I was Technical Manager at a bakery about 10 years ago ( that was Chorleywood method though, so very different).
I have a video of me demonstrating kneeding that I made for a friend I have been teaching to make sourdough, but not sure if I can get it to upload on here.

It’s the weekend!!! Another gruelling week of crazy work and child rearing is over and it’s time to get cooking and catch up on the thread!

I had a very late dinner last night after a long day of chores, veggie Kiev, chips & beans.

Slept late today.

Recommended recipe for flat breads using yoghurt?

I have garlic (fresh, garlic grinder and garlic granules) and dried coriander leaf.

Curried roast potatoes sound yummy, I use either garlic grinder on mine or rosemary and thyme. My top tip on roasties is to "rough them up" either with a fork or I give mines a "shoogle" in a colander after being parboiled before putting them in to roast, makes them really crispy.

In awe of all you amazing bakers and cooks

My dinner this evening was Chicken Kiev traybake using up new potatoes, frozen breadcrumbs, an old half lemon (zest). Also used some lovely fresh tarragon that I’m growing instead of parsley.

We had a frozen pizza with Greek salad, houmous and some posh olives I found at the back of the fridge. Really hit the spot.

Thanks for all the baking tips. Annoyingly I have bread flour but hardly any plain so I might need to go hunting tomorrow so I can start the loaf.

Chicken Kiev tray bake sounds lovely. I thought the potatoes were orange slices at first glance. They'd make a nice addition to the salad, I think.

I have eggs! So I'm thinking for tonight's dinner either a frittata (in the oven as I don't have frying pans with oven proof handles) or strata

But...

I'm having difficulty finding recipes for the ingredients I want to use (peppers, cherry toms, mushrooms, shorn bacon) for the "filling" and/or smaller quantities as no room in fridge or freezer for leftovers.

Care to help me out?

Lightly fry your veg to soften, layer with bread, mix your egg /milk, salt, pepper, herbs and pour over the veg/bread.
Bake in oven for 20-30 mins ar 180C until browned and puffy.
You can sprinkle cheese between layers and on top.
That's for strata.
Remember that the bread soaks up the custard, so slightly more by eye than you think it will need, pour on slowly and let the bread suck it up for a couple of minutes before baking.
Strata are forgiving, you can vary ingredients and proportions.

Its the amount/proportions I'm stuck on I'm thinking 2 eggs for just me but how much milk?

Sorry should've said I went with stir fry for tonight as it's getting late and I'm hungry!

But will now make strata tomorrow or maybe Sunday

Thanks for reply

2 eggs and about 1/4 pint milk, but if its less than halfway up the dish, pour a bit mour milk on top. You want it about the top joint of your thumb from the top.

Excellent practical tips thank you

Aloo Gobi

I use the Jamie Oliver flatbread recipe here. Also works fine with plain flour and/or without the baking powder. Basically just add flour to yoghurt until it's not sticky! The quantities in the recipe make quite a lot though so you'll probably want to reduce it.

@Graphista I do roughly equal quantities of flour to yoghurt, sometimes a dip more flour if feeling sticky. I've done them with a few different types of flour (plain, self raising and spelt) and all come out food. If you are doing them with Italian food then basil and oregano are good, rosemary and garlic go great with anything, garlic and coriander lovely with Indian. Sorry I'm not good with precise recipes as I do everything by eye!

I love making frittatas! Unfortunately I cannot stand them.

Had roast lemon chicken tonight, have saved the roasted lemon and the bones ready to make the stock for my curried rice next week, we also have a roast chicken so I’m going to strip the meat off tomorrow then freeze it all until it’s time.

I’ve kept up the Saturday brunch and this morning it was “mushroom mega mix” (copyright dh) on toast with some very sad looking mushrooms and old courgette, plus a bit of feta. I was a bit heavy handed with the garlic salt so it was extra delicious today!

I’ve got some plain yoghurt that’s a bit too sweet for my taste so I’m also making yoghurt flatbreads today. They’ll be to go with sag aloo and a cauliflower curry from the freezer.

Purple you don't need plain to make a loaf, just use all bread flour - it works better as there is more protein in it to develop gluten.

I'm really pleased with my loaves this morning though I bought new bannetons and they both stuck, so the loaves are a bit of a funny shape! Better flouring next time.

I made stock with two carcasses, one from Thurs night and one I had been saving in the freezer. There are so many random bones and carcasses in there it's like a morgue. Chicken is destined for a chicken, leek and cider bake with a hazelnut crumble topping on Sunday night but no plans for the stock as yet...

We had sourdough pancakes, bacon and blueberries with maple syrup for brunch - dinner will be roast pork loin with grapes and juniper berries (which should make enough for 2 meals worth of meat so maybe ramen noodles in the week...)

Forgot to post pics of my bread! V proud of myself. It's extremely tasty!!

I'm trying to be more organised and meal plan again, didn't do it last week and got in a muddle.

Thinking to make a batch of chilli today as I've baked beans to use up (I know not everyone will approve but I've done that for years and like it well enough) and also flatbreads to go with - equal quantities yoghurt and flour right? Recipes all seem to be to make loads! With minimum 250g of each but as it's just me will 150g be enough?

I have some lovely veg arrived in yesterday's delivery thanks to a special offer I chose.

Baby corn, mange tout, asparagus, tenderstem broccoli...

So any ideas for those aside from my usual choices would be much appreciated, I'll check on bbc good food too.

But for now I am thinking:

Sunday - toad in the hole/Sunday "roast" idea - veggie sausages toad in the hole (I have a batter mix and it would use up some milk I've ended up with loads again), mashed potatoes, stuffing balls, maybe the tenderstem broccoli as the veg, gravy

Monday - bacon and tomato strata

Tuesday - "chicken" casserole (leftover in freezer need to start using these)

Wednesday - fresh filled pasta with butter and herbs

Thursday - stir fry

Friday - "with chips" from freezer (I've burgers, crisp bakes etc in)

But as I say I'm open to ideas

Ooh just seem on bbc good food a
Lovely idea - soft boiled eggs with asparagus dipped in!

I have a Hollandaise sauce mix so maybe an eggs benedict with asparagus?

Haven’t seen these threads, fab idea.

Today’s lunch was left over mashed potato, veg chopped and mixed, fried eggs.

@AdoraBell welcome. Sort of a bubble and squeak type thing? Sounds yummy

I know you're vegetarian, Graphista, but cottage pie with baked beans mixed in with the mince is the business! Do you have any veggie mince type things you like at that's one for the to do list at some point!
Bread looks great, Xiaoxiong, what flour did you use?
Hello Adora