budget sugestions and recipes (Cooking on a Budget!)

Member Name: memelalou

Product:	Cooking on a Budget!
Date:	04/11/08 (151 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: save you money

Disadvantages: none

With the credit crunch, almost everyone has seen the rise of food prices, and when a Tesco value tin of beans rises from 20p to 29p, it might be time to tighten our belts and make sure our families get a healthy meal on a tight budget.

Try buying a brand down, on the Martin Lewis money saving website he claims buy buying a brand down on a £100 weekly shop you could save £1700 a year, so even if you are not feeling the pinch you could use that money for a holiday or a luxury Christmas. With own brands it can be a bit of hit and miss, but even if you could go down a brand for a few products, it still makes a saving. Tins and dried goods in my opinion there is little difference, the only products I would pay more for is meat produce, not only for taste but so you know the animals are having a good standard of life.

For frozen goods try Iceland or farm foods, as you can get branded items much cheaper than supermarkets.

Try buying meat, vegetables and eggs direct from farms or markets these are usually better quality, cheaper and the farmer is getting a better deal.

If you know any one with a cash and carry card, ask if you can borrow it or bring you a few items, this is great to stock up on washing up liquid and other items than can be stored. Also for tobacco products, or if you know someone who goes abroad then ask them to get you some alcohol or tobacco over there, this is especially handy since Christmas is around the corner.


A few of my cheap and cheerful recipes

Toad in the hole

Most of the ingredients are from your store cupboard and this fills your family, and it is something most people like.


Serves 4

8 thick pork or vegetarian sausages
Oil
1 red onion
Plain flour
Eggs
Milk
Salt
Pepper
Dried herbs {sage, rosemary etc} optional

This is my easy batter recipe
There is a rule of equal quantities of the flour, eggs and milk.
For a serving for four I use a teacup of each.

First sieve the flour into a bowl.
Add a small pinch or salt and dried herbs if you are using.
Make a 'well' in the flour add the eggs.
Combine the eggs and flour with a fork.
Gradually add the milk combining with the flour and egg mix.
Cover the bowl with cling film and leave to stand for at least 30 mins.
Preheat the oven to 180oc
Peel and chop the onion into small wedges
Add to a roasting tin with a little oil
Put the sausage is in tin.
Cook the sausage and onion for about 25 mins {I always cook the sausages it keeps them brown and crisp}
Add the batter mix and cook for around 30-45 minutes.
Serve with mash potatoes and seasonal vegetables and onion gravy.




Spicy chicken portions and vegetable wedges.
Serves 6
12 chicken portions {2 per person legs, thigh's or wings}
1 large potato per person
Cajun seasoning
Juice of one lemon
2 red onions
2 courgettes
Cherry tomatoes
2-3 peppers
Oil
Salt and pepper

In a bowl mix 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning with lemon juice and enough oil to make a thin paste.
Season the chicken portions with salt and pepper and coat the chicken with the Cajun paste.
Leave to marinade for at least an hour, ideally overnight.
When ready to cook, they need 45 minutes in a oven at 200oc.
Chop the potatoes, onion, courgettes and peppers into wedges.
Put the wedges and tomatoes into a roasting dish with enough oil for a light coating, season with salt and pepper and roast in oven at 180oc for 1 hour.

I hope this helps you all x

Summary: hope this saves you a few pounds