Shopping List Week 10-12 and Menu

It's been a while since I've done a proper shop as we've been using leftovers and buying basic ingredients as we needed them.   Today, I purchased enough food for three weeks worth of meals, possibly more as there was quite a lot of special deals on, particularly with the chicken and the salmon.   The total cost came to £105.34 so that's £35 per week so far.   The remaining £45 will be used for bread, milk, fresh fruit and veg and the occasional treat.   This should take us up to the Easter holidays, which is brilliant timing as I get to shop for lovely Easter type foods.

The Menu

Dinner:

Roast Beef, Yorkshire Pudding, roast and mashed potatoes and veg 

Chicken Kebabs with homemade pitta and salad

Cheese and spring onion Omelettes

Chargrilled Artichoke Hearts with Parmesan and pine nuts

Curried Parsnip soup and homemade seeded loaf

Marinaded Chicken salad

Chicken Stew with green olives

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Chickpea and leek soup

Chicken and rice soup

Homemade pizza with mozarella and potato wedges

Salmon and tuna patties

Vegetable and lentil soup and sandwiches

Baked tomatoes with basil, feta cheese, olives and hearthbread

Lemon Roast Chicken

Chicken and Garlic Ginger  Noodle soup

Fragrant Green Curry

Marinaded Chicken stir fry with noodles and rice

Mince and Tatties

Quick Chicken stew with dumplings

Chinese style salmon

Lunches:

Soups

Salads

Baked potatoes

Hearthbreads

Ploughmans

French toast

Omelettes

Scrambled eggs

Snacks, desserts, breakfast:

Danish pastries

Madeira cupcakes

Snickerdoodles

Maple pecan bread

Lemon cake

Croissants

Pancakes

Shortbread

Cereal

Toast

French toast

Boiled eggs

Sweeties!

Weekend scones

Flowers

Sometimes, only a ham and cheese toastie will do

Tulip

Chilli & Broccoli Spaghetti

Shopping Week 4-6

I clutched my shopping list, barely able to contain my excitement at the meals ahead I do realise this comes across as rather sad...   I skipped round the supermarket, sans kids obviously, picking up bargains galore.   I was a teeny bit worried as I'd added some basic toiletries as well as the shopping and as you all know, I take cash with me these days, to stop me picking up that kg of smoked salmon or half price champagne.....mmmm...champagne......   I add up as I go along, rounding up.   Now this is where it gets good; my bargains and canny shopping meant that my bill for two whole weeks shopping came to....wait for it...£70.29.   Yes....that includes over £5 on toiletries so for food alone, £65.   Happy dance.....and the receipt to prove it.

As you can see from the meal list below, shopping on a budget does not mean skimping on meals or even on quality as some misguided wee soul suggested to me last week and will now rue the day....*evil, smug chuckle*...yes, I lose friends daily and expect to be clobbered soon...; the chicken was free range, the beef grade A, fresh herbs were purchased as well as good quality fruit and veg.  The remaining cash will be used for something nice from the deli or butchers or towards Friday night's soiree....entertaining is a separate budget usually although a lot of what I'll be serving is within the list below (stews, pizzas etc).

Dinners
Buttermilk chicken with smashed sweet potatoes and roasted veg.
Beef stew (enough for 15 servings) with pastry rounds
Farmhouse chicken & chorizo stew (Helen's recipe) with dumplings (10 servings)
Vegetarian lasagna x 2
Homemade pizza & hearthbread with mozarella and garlic
Artichoke Salad (still loving it!)
Macaroni cheese x 2
Salmon fishcakes with green veg
Vegetable and lentil soup with homemade rolls
Haggis, neeps and tatties
Vegetable curry and rice
Pasta with homemade tomato sauce with garlic butter swirls
Chicken and couscous
Omelettes & chips

I got some excellent beef for half price because the use by date was the next day; even if you are not going to cook it right away, it is worth buying to freeze.   As a result of this beef and the special offer already on, I made an enormous beef stew, taking a little of it for dinner that night (enough for five) and making a sour cream pastry crust to turn it into a pie.   Delicious.

I did the same with the chicken; I made the entire batch without chorizo as none was available, we had some for tea and froze the rest.   I shall defrost it for Friday night and add the chorizo, which I shall buy at the deli because I have plenty of budget and the West End deli rocks...to the dish before placing in the oven to reheat.   This is one of those dishes which is so much nicer the next day or after being frozen.

This is one of my best shops yet; I have lots left over, e.g. pasta sheets, flour, frozen meals and could easily provide 3 weeks worth of meals from it.

Lunches
Soup
Homemade bread/rolls/pancakes with chicken/cheese/jam/Nutella
French toast
Boiled eggs and soldiers
Pasta
Mini pizzas

Breakfasts
Cereal
Toast
Boiled eggs
Pikelets
Muffins
Pancakes
Cake bread

Desserts/snacks
Fruit
Chocolate, cherry and coconut bread
Biscuits
cookies

Beef stew baked in a pie

Farmhouse chicken stew minus the chorizo

Pikelet

Pizza....before baking

Hearthbreads...before baking

Roasted sweet potato and Maris Pipers

Recipes to follow.

Giveaway coming up soon; watch this space!!

Shopping List, Scones and Kebabs

Yoga was great although I must admit to taking it easy. It was nice to be with people again and the chat and coffee afterwards was lovely. Ann met me there afterwards for a quick lunch of soup and mince pies and I was home in time to throw the decorations down from the attic for tomorrow's annual baubley pilgrimage.

I shall brave the shops tomorrow and this is my fayre for the week; a bit different to the usual suspects, I'm looking forward to a week of culinary delights, if they work out the way they're supposed to!

• Irish Stew 1 (I have many versions; Irish Stew 2 next week)
• Tuscan White Bean Soup with frizzled shallots and pancetta
• Parmesan coated fish with walnut Romesco sauce served with Puy lentils
• Spanish Lamb Shoulder with tomatoes and olives
• Spicy salmon with oven roasted cauliflower and broccoli with garlic and coriander
• Roast Chicken with lemon cous cous, fried potatoes and petit pois
• Homemade pizza

A selection of bread and cakes.

Last night, I had a craving, a craving which people in this country usually have after a night on the lash heavy drinking. I was definitely not on the lash but had the craving nonetheless. This delectable, barely edible snack has a few variations, the main being the donner kebab. I personally, have never eaten a donner kebab I'm pretty sure that is a lie, having been on the lash a lot in my younger days and having no idea what I consumed the night before...you're only lying to yourself, Helen!, instinctively knowing that if a mass of meat turning on a big stick smells like that, it probably isn't good for you. I'm not a snob about it, I understand the appeal but I always opt for a chicken kebab; marinaded chunks of chicken, cooked on the bbq, added to pitta bread and smothered in salad and chilli sauce. Mmm mm.

My craving a few nights ago was powerful but having neither the will or the inclination to go in search, I decided to make my own. I used the leftover chicken from the curry which had been frozen; a quick blast in the microwave and it was fine. I made my own version of a pitta by making some paratha dough and rolling it over, like a purse and sealing it shut. I cooked it as usual in the frying pan and it came out well. The salad consisted of shredded lettuce, strips of cucumber and spring onion. The chilli sauce, I would have made as I had all the ingredients to hand but as it is mainly the same ingredients as in spicy onions, I used the remainder of the onions sitting in the fridge and added tomatoes to the mix, blending it to a coarse sauce.

Helen was a happy wee lass. If I was drinking, I'd have definitely had a beer with this.

Kelly wanted scones ready for her return home yesterday and I happily obliged; hers was smothered in Nutella and cream whilst Fraser had butter, jam and cream and Lucy settled for just Nutella.

Shopping List and Menu.

This weeks menu for family of five:

Family of five
Garlic mozzarella pizza, potato wedges, tomato, basil & mozzarella salad, cucumber strips
Roast Lamb with mashed potatoes, sweet potato crisps, roasted parsnip & green vegetables
Chicken, Rice and Vegetable Soup with homemade Bread
Roast Chicken with vegetable couscous and gravy
Moroccan lamb with rice, couscous, roasted tomatoes, yogurt raita and pitta bread
Garlic and Rosemary hearthbreads with cold meats and salad

Kids only
Macaroni Cheese
Chicken noodle soup and baked potatoes with tuna mayonnaise and cheese salad
Fish fingers, chips and baked beans

Helen & Brian
Linguine with spicy tomato, feta, pine nuts and spinach
Linguine puttanesca
Fried spinach and potato curry with rice and paratha

Breakfast
Cereal, porridge, toast, homemade fruit loaf, chocolate and hazelnut buns (made with Nutella) and danish pastries.

Lunches
Sandwiches, soup, cheese, biscuits, bread, bananas, apples, crackers.

Snacks
Pickles, bread, French toast, mini chocolate muffins

There are nine main meals, some of which will use items already in the freezer. The leg of lamb will be roasted, the leftovers used for the Moroccan lamb and some frozen for later on, for curry.

The receipt came to £50.92.

Tonight's fayre is homemade garlic and mozzarella pizza with potato wedges, tomato, basil (grown in a pot) and mozzarella salad and cucumber strips.

The potato wedges are made by quartering and then halving Maris Piper potatoes with the skin on and covering with olive oil and sea salt. Use your hands to coat each potato wedge thoroughly. Place in an oven at 240 degrees Celsius, 10-15 minutes before the pizza goes in; they should cook in approx. 30 minutes, depending on your oven.

Garlic & Mozzarella Pizza
The pizza dough I normally use works well with this but I prefer to use 200g strong white bread flour and 50g plain flour when not using tomato sauce.

Pizza Dough
250g flour, 200 strong white bread flour, 50g plain
1 heaped teaspoon easy-blend dried yeast (half 7g sachet)
Half teaspoon salt
150ml warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
Pizza tray with holes, or baking sheet, oiled with olive oil

Combine flour, yeast and salt and mix. Pour in water and oil and mix to form a dough, adding more water if necessary. Knead for 5 minutes. Put into an oiled bowl, turning once to oil both sides of the dough, cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour.

After an hour or so or once dough has doubled in size, punch all the air out of it and knead for another minute. You can squeeze it to fit into your chosen tin but I tend to hold it in two hands firmly, shake it, moving it around from hand to hand quickly. As it starts to get larger, keep moving so that you don't end up with too many tears. Lay it on the pizza tin and then press out to fit. It's ok to have a thicker rim, this makes for a lovely crust.

Dimple the dough with your fingers and pour over some olive oil; enough to cover the dough lightly, not too much that it dribbles through any holes or falls over the sides. Sprinkle over crushed garlic...around 2 cloves or more if you prefer, a good pinch of sea salt and then lay thinly sliced mozzarella around the middle of the pizza. Drizzle over a little more olive oil. I like to place a basil leaf right in the middle, just for me and aesthetics!

Place in pre-heated oven...it should already be at 240 degrees c for the potato wedges and bake in the middle for approx. 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbling.

Serve with the cucumber strips, which the kids love and the mozzarella, basil and tomato salad, which is my favourite.

The kids like to add a little melted butter to the crust which is lovely or you can add another little drizzle of olive oil, which I usually do. Bon Appétit!

Shopping List 24th July-2nd August 2009

It's been a while since I've had to go shopping but yesterday, after our small adventure exploring the side streets of Bearsden and ice cream at MacDonalds, we headed to Asda. I think I may have to consider changing supermarkets as their stock seems to run low really quickly these days and the fishmonger wouldn't skin lemon sole for me "cos I don't have a skinning knife..."! Lucy turned to me when he was out of earshot and said "I don't think that's true, I just think he couldn't be bothered"...even an 8 year old picked up on that.

With him left holding the lemon sole, I continued my shop, and bumped into Dave and Olwen, my old English teachers, looking tanned and healthy after a walking holiday in France. They looked healthier than I did, despite them having had the journey home just an hour or so before and being 20 years older. Sigh.

Brian is away looking for gold once again so we've played in the garden, read, chased each other and they all helped make the bread. It is a lovely day and I'm considering scooping them up and taking them to Massimos as it would be a nice walk there but the house is brimming with food and everyone seems quite happy and content so we shall see.

I spent £54 exactly and have enough meals for at least 10 days. The menu so far:

Children & Adults:
Garlic & Parsley, Rosemary & Thyme Hearthbreads with cold meats and cheeses.
Seasoned Sausage Ragout with Baby Jersey Royal Potatoes
Roast Beef & Yorkshire Pudding
Pasta Fest
Ciabbatta toasted with cheeses, tomato and basil
Hearthbread Pizza with homemade tomato sauce and fresh mozarella
Vegetable curry with Chick Peas and Rice
Vegetable soup
Afternoon Tea: Cucumber, Egg and Ham Sandwiches, Scones and Mini Pancakes
French Toast
Lahmacun with green leaves and goats cheese
Lasagna
Children:
Salmon Fishcakes
Lamb Meatballs with Rice
Chicken Noodle soup
Penne Pasta with tomato Sauce and Parmesan and garlic bread
Adults:
Pan-fried Salmon with Tomato and Rocket Pesto Salad and crispy courgettes
Lamb Burgers served in a wholemeal bun with sweet potato fries
Carrot, honey & ginger soup
Spaghetti with Pesto, Goats Cheese & Pine Nuts with leftover Hearthbread
Cakes:
Scones
Scotch Pancakes
Bread & Butter Pudding
Danish Pastries inc. Almond
Fresh Gingerbread with lemon icing
Breakfasts:
Pastries, Fruit Loaf, Toast, Pancakes, Cereal, Porridge and Eggs.

I made the hearthbreads this afternoon and we had them with chorizo, salami, parma ham, thin slices of Parmesan, tomatoes with seal salt and basil, olives and olive oil for dipping. We will have some of the remainder tonight with ham, turkey and green salad.
Garlic & Parsley, Rosemary & Thyme Hearthbreads
This recipe is inspired by Nigella Lawson's Hearthbread recipe
Makes 2 baking sheet sized breads. You will roast your garlic before cooking any bread so set the oven to 190 degrees celsius/gas mark 5.

500g strong white flour (I used strong white bread flour)

1 sachet instant yeast (7g) or 15g fresh yeast

1 tbsp salt

300ml warm water

5 tbsp olive oil plus extra for the parsley mix and drizzling

1 head fresh garlic, top sliced, drizzled with oil, roasted in the oven in sealed foil for 45 minutes

Bunch of flat leaf parsley, most stalks removed (don't worry about this too much)

A small handful of chopped, fresh rosemary and thyme (dried would work though)

Maldon sea salt or other salt for sprinkling

2 small baking trays and parchment paper, lightly oiled

Method

Combine flour, yeast, and salt in a large bowl and mix together in a jug the warm water and 5 tbsp olive oil. Stir wet mixture into the dry one and combine the two...use more water if you need but this should be plenty. Place dough onto a lightly floured working surface. Knead for around 10-15 minutes or until dough is supple, elastic and smooth. Knead using the balls of your hands, just below the thumb and push the dough away from you and then wrap it all up again, occasionally turning over the dough and adding a sprinkling of flour if required.

Clean your large bowl or, like me, use a different bowl and lightly oil it with olive oil. Place the bread inside and then turn over so that all the dough has some oil on it. Cover with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for around 1 hour until is has double in size. I placed mine inside the plate cupboard.

This is the point I roasted the garlic but you could do it beforehand. You want it to cool down and then you add it to the parsley which you have chopped in the food processor and blend. I add a little sea salt at this point. As it is slowly blending, add some olive oil, not too much. You don't want it too runny but more of a pesto consistency. Set aside. Put the oven up to 200 degrees celsius.

After your bread has risen, punch down dough and leave it for 10 minutes, then, divide into two. Place each dough onto the parchment paper and pull out with your fingers, pressing it into a rectangle or oval shape. Place dough, still sitting on parchment paper, onto baking tray. Cover with tea towels and leave for a further 25 minutes.

With your fingertips, poke all over the bread to dimple it, pushing it out a bit more in the process. Sprinkle the breads with a little sea salt and pour the garlic and parsley mixture over one of the breads and a liberal sprinkling of olive oil and the rosemary and thyme over the other.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, until the top is golden; if you tap it, it should sound hollow. Once they came out of the oven, I laid little slivers of butter on the rosemary bread and a good drizzle of olive oil on the parsley bread.

I served, the kids ripped it apart and we really, thoroughly enjoyed it. Never getting enough olive oil, I had a little drop in a bowl to dip the bread into. Delicious. Really delicious.

Etsy Shop

I've opened an etsy Shop; I have placed two items on there for now just so the shelves don't get dusty but watch this space, especially for the t-shirts!

Cocktails on the Patio?

Not exactly. After Kelly's outstanding Titanic performance yesterday (the performance was about the Titanic, not that her performance was actually Titanic...although it kind of was...), the girls and I gathered at the Burnbrae for a night of 'Music and cocktails on the Patio!'. This being Glasgow, Scotland, we chuckled at the irony and the actual optimism. Of course, as predicted, it was indoors.

The cocktails weren't to my liking...no French Martinis (eh, Anne, Karen?) so we stuck to a rather tasty Sauvignon Blanc and antipasti...you know how I feel about their antipasti of course. Wonderful. The lovely and charming Andrew served us, yet again and we had a grand time with Maureen and Siobhan joining us....the singer was pretty good and I enjoy a bit of cheese now and then.

My plans today involved shopping, cooking, painting, cleaning, hoovering, making a tent in my daughter's room, gardening, walking, baking and yoga. What did I actually do? Drunk coffee, watched The Gilmore girls, had coffee, made a tent, sipped more coffee, talked to Shona on the phone for 50 minutes (I had 3 visits with her yesterday including the Titanic production and the pub), some more coffee, tried to show my husband some yoga moves but he went to put on the coffee after a few minutes and blogged. Now, I have ten minutes before the kids come back, with sleepover friends and in that time I must cook, clean, hoover and bake. The shopping, painting, gardening, walking and yoga shall have to wait.

I so wanted a new menu plan today but it shall be here tomorrow whereby I shall shop, cook, paint....... Ok, we'll play it by ear.

Now for that chicken.........


Kelly The Titanic Stewardess


Madeleine Astor, 1st Class Passenger (Me) with Kelly the Stewardess

Weekly Receipt

Oh, how glorious the weather is! This being Scotland, don't be surprised, if you visit from abroad, to find people running round in circles with their hands in the air, yelling with delight, bumping into each other with a pack of ice lollied children with bright red cheeks trailing behind them. We do love the sun. We love the rain too, but like any visitor that comes 5 times a day, you start to weary. We shall drop the kids at their disco, sun ourselves at the Burnbrae and bring in the weekend with...a gin and slimline tonic, just the one.

I did my shopping in this lovely heat in record time because, well, the sun was shining and I wanted to get out in it and it was also nearing 3pm so I had to get the kids from school. We just spent a pleasant hour in the park but husband volunteered to take the shopping home-those prawns aren't cheap, y'know!

I'm smug. The bill, once again, was under £50 (£48.12) and that was with 2 free range chickens, 3 salmon fillets, fresh haddock fillets, tiger prawns and sausages. I also managed to refill the baking cupboard. Go, Helen...Go, Helen.....