Money Saving Challenge 2

Week One of my Money Saving Challenge and I overspent by $25. I'm not too disappointed because I entertained twice on the weekend, with one night being a Family Curry Night for 10 people.

This week I've spent a total of $74.79 on food so far. That included a Pantry Pack of plain flour and some casserole beef that was on special.
Not bad, though there're a few pantry items that need replacing such as mixed fruit, brown sugar and sultanas. Today was a big baking day - three lots of biscuits and two cakes.

I've been making sure that I remember what's in the fridge and use everything up rather than finding something weeks later shoved to the back and growing fur.

There was some left over Mussaman Beef Curry from the Curry Night that was turned into Curried Beef Pies today for lunch.
A piece of pumpkin looked a little sad, so that was steamed in the Thermomix a couple of days ago and turned into Pumpkin & Ginger Cake and Pumpkin Fruit Cake today.  I substitute 100g of sherry for part of the water in the Fruit Cake Recipe.

The beef on special was semi frozen then minced to make a Potato Pie for tea tonight. Minestrone Soup for lunch tomorrow with Frozen Chicken Stock and Roast Lamb for tea tomorrow night. I'll be making ice cream over the weekend and some bread. I have some delicious fig syrup left after glacéing figs in summer, so that can be drizzled over ice cream for a quick dessert.

My sister has given me some citrus fruit so I'll be making some marmalade next week which means I'll have to add sugar to my shopping list...

Yours in frugalness,
Megan

Money Saving Challenge

A challenge has been put out by a member of the Forum Thermomix to only spend $100 or less a week on groceries. When I look at my grocery bill, I'm flabbergasted at how much I spend sometimes.
Often, it won't be very much as I tend to shop around the outside of a supermarket - fresh fruit and vegies, dairy, meat, but because I buy in bulk my bill can blow out at times. I'm also a sucker for specials and can't resist potato chips and chocolate...

Readers may remember that my sister and I undertook and Freezer and Pantry Challenge some time ago. We vowed to use everything in our pantries and freezers and not to shop unless absolutely necessary. We did this for a month and it certainly did save us both some money.

But, I still had to re-stock my pantry as I can't cope with not having everything I need at my fingertips when I decide I'm going to cook! We have such a wide variety of meals inspired by foods from all over the world that I simply must have all the spices, flours, nuts, seeds and dried fruits to be able to make these.

The freezer is another story. I've recently started freezing meals in vacuum pack bags so that they're flat in the freezer. Instructions (for Snaggers) are written in texta on the bag for re-heating in the microwave. The trouble is, there's not a lot of space in my freezer for these as it's full of stuff! Bags of frozen fruit, cakes, home made pies, anyone would think I'm preparing for a famine.

So, starting tomorrow, I will attempt to spend under $600 a month on food. Some may still think this is a little high, but I do prepare meals for my FIL (Father-In-Law) and occasionally for my DD (Dear Daughter) and her fiancée. Often, DS Number Two will be home for a meal or two as well.

I'm planning a bulk buy of meat on Tuesday, so will blow the first week's budget, but it should even out in the end.

Anyone keen to join the challenge? Allow $50 per week per person and don't include personal items, alcohol (Thank goodness!) or pet food.

Thermomix Savings

The Thermomix isn't a cheap piece of kitchen equipment, but it certainly saves money in the long run. Recipes that have a lot of chopping up, stirring or are tricky can be easily made in the Thermomix.
Today I've made both Whole Egg Mayonnaise and Tasty Fruit Chutney. This lead me to think about all the things I no longer buy in the supermarket.
So, I've decide to list these:

Mayonnnaise
Coleslaw Dressing
Salad Cream
Chutney
Tomato Relish
Jams
Peanut Paste
Packaged Sauces
Bottled Pasta Sauces
Packet Spice or Coating Mixes eg. Pepper Steak Spice, Fried Chicken Coating
Curry Pastes
Biscuits & Cakes
Toasted Muesli
Less Bread

Washing Powder
Self Raising Flour
Salad Dressings
Muesli Bars
Canned Soup 
Castor Sugar - I only buy Raw Organic Sugar (grind into castor in TMX) and Icing Sugar 

I'm sure I'll think of some more things to add to my list, but that's a fairly substantial list of products that can be quite expensive. I rarely bought cakes before anyway, but at times I'd have to buy a fruit cake for the lunch box. Now, I make large cakes and freeze half.
Things in red are those I've added later as I think of them or use them!

Due to my home business, Skinflint, I also don't buy the following personal care and skin care items:

Soap
Moisturiser
Cleanser
Scrub
Toner
Lip Balm
Anti-Wrinkle Cream
Body Buter
Hand Cream

I also make for myself:

Dishwashing Liquid
Hand Cleanser

So, although I beat myself up about my dreadful garden and my not-very-clean house and occasionally unmade bed and untidy bedroom, I feel very virtuous about the savings that I make because I produce so much of what I use.

Pantry Pancake Mix

This recipe is one from Nigella Lawson, my foodie idol. It's wonderfully versatile and very economical. There's no need to buy those pancake mixes in the plastic bottles as this is just as easy and much, much nicer.

Pantry Pancake Mix
600g plain flour (I use half wheat flour, half spelt flour)
50g baking powder
50g castor
2 tsp bi-carb soda
1 tsp salt

Whizz all together in the Thermomix or blender. Store in a jar in the pantry.

When you are wanting to make pancakes for breaky just use 1 cup milk and 1 egg for every cup of dry mix. Whisk together and let sit for 10 minutes or so. Stir in 1 Tbsp of melted butter and start making pancakes!

These pancakes are very similar to the "golden arches" sort. I adore them for breakfast with  unsalted butter that I've whipped up with maple syrup in the Thermomix before freezing in ice cube trays. The mixture can be thinned down with a little more milk added to the mixture if you prefer a slightly thinner pancake.

For a dessert pancake, add some chopped banana and serve with caramel made from cream, butter and brown sugar boiled together (sticky toffee pudding sauce).

For pikelets, just add a little more sugar. You can also add chopped dates and orange rind or orange and date pikelets.

So you don't forget what you need to add, it's a good idea to write a label for the jar and include the recipe for mixing the pancakes.

What Makes a Great Cook?

So often I hear TV chefs and cooks go on about making a great meal using the "freshest ingredients", or, "the best you can afford". To me, a great cook should be able to produce a tasty meal with nothing more than limp celery, old cabbage, some freezer-burned mince and some spices.

I'd love to be able to nip down to the Fresh Produce Market, pick up a few fresh scallops, some coriander,fresh beans sprouts and a couple of limes for a light quick entrée. But, realistically, I have to make do with vegetables and meat that comes in to our local store once a week.

I have a wonderful freezer that I make good use of. It's full of marinated chicken, lamb and steak as well as frozen mango cheeks, strawberry puree, raspberry coulis and diced watermelon. I freeze a lot of fruit to use in pies or for sorbets. My freezer also has a good supply of fish and prawns that I've purchased already frozen. I always have frozen veges on hand too, as the store may run out of green veges and they rarely get beans in unless I order them.

So, I reckon I can prepare a great meal without having the "freshest ingredients", direct from the grower or straight off the boat. It's all about planning ahead. Whenever I'm in Perth, I always bring home fresh fish and seasonal vegetables and fruit.

My pantry... man, I could live off my pantry for several months and never have to shop!

Pantry Left

Pantry Centre

Pantry Right

If I want to cook bread, biscuits, cakes, a curry, a tagine, a risotto, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek or Malaysian I have everything I need. All the spices, oils, beans, nuts, grains, flours, dried fruits and specialty ingredients I need.

My worst nightmare is deciding that I'm going to make something delicious for tea and find that I don't have the right ingredients. I know that necessity is the mother of invention, and I've certainly had to substitute from time to time, but I love to have all ingredients at hand.