living on a budget

The major haul.

I have shopped.

It was a remarkably uncomplicated shop as half of it was done at the butcher’s.2015-07-09 16.00.44 This butcher appears to be a local institution. You’ll often find him mentioned on menus in restaurants around here: “Made with John Harbour Porterhouse Steak,” that sort of thing. Apparently he grows and butchers his own beef and pork and he clearly loves his trade.

I spent  just under $40 on meat with which to stuff the freezer. There are:

  • 6 English pork sausages,
  • 500g chuck steak,
  • 600g Osso Bucco and
  • 3 of their own saveloys ! (the largest saveloys I have ever seen!)
    Doesn't look all that appetising, does it?

    Doesn’t look all that appetising, does it?

    Now, I could have bought an awful lot more for that $40 at Aldi, but it wouldn’t have been of the same quality. I had the money to spare this fortnight, so I spent it. This is going to make at least 12 meals, if not more, so around $3 a meal. Which means it’s actually affordable.

The major haul.

The major haul.

This is the rest of my purchases.

First, I stocked up on pasta and sauces and from Woolworths I bought:

  • 1 x 5 kg bag Laucke Multi-grain Bread mix   $12.57
  • 1 x 250 ml Chipotle sauce                                     $2.79 (my new thing this shop)
  • 1 x 500 g  Molasses                                                    $3.49
  • 1 x 320 ml  Hoi Sin sauce                                       $2.39
  • 2 x 500 g “curls” macaroni                                    $4.90
  • 1 x 500 g “Risoni” pasta                                          $1.10

Total = $27.24

Then I popped into Aldi to get the rest of my bits and pieces. These were all pantry staples being replaced or topped up. So:

  • 1 x 250 g Shredded parmesan cheese   $3.69
  • 1 x 500 g Dairy spread                                   $2.99
  • 1 x 500 g unsalted butter                            $2.59
  • 1 kg brown onions                                         $0.99
  • 4 x 400 g tin diced tomatoes                     $2.36
  • 2 kg white sugar                                              $1.79
  • 1 kg sweet potatoes                                      $1.99
  • 2 x 400 g tin kidney beans                           $1.18
  • 1 x 200 g Bicarbonate of soda                   $1.79
  • 2 x 250 g Microwave Brown Rice              $2.98
  • 1 x 500 g squeezable honey                       $5.49

Total = 27.84

So that comes to $95.08 all together. I have yet to buy eggs, which will use the last of the money allotted.

However, I’ve decided to go over a little anyway.

I want to go to the market on Saturday and stock up on some beans and grains. But, even if I go utterly berserk, I won’t spend more than $20 there AND those things will last for months.

Ahem.

You may have noticed a lack of fresh veg. Well, our crisper is still well-stocked and we have oodles of frozen vegetables as well. Don’t fret.

 

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28 June restocking session

Fresh stuff.

Well, I’ve been to the shops and I have food. Which is always a nice outcome for anyone, I think.

I’m rather annoyed, because I’ve just realised that I don’t have a receipt from the greengrocer’s. So I won’t be able to break it all down for you. However, the vegetables cost me $12.50.

Here they are:

Fresh stuff.

Fresh stuff.

There is:

  • a bag of onions,
  • half a bunch of celery,
  • some bok choy,
  • a few Brussels sprouts (The Boy loves them),
  • 3 zucchini,
  • a corn on the cob,
  • an eggplant,
  • half a cabbage,
  • 4 small red capsicum, and
  • a handful of button mushrooms.

Total = $12.50

There’s also a few leaves of Cavolo Nero or Tuscan Kale, given to me by someone at the Community Garden, and a few lemons given to me by a complete stranger at the laundromat. As they do…

In Aldi, I bought:

  • 1 x 3 litre tin Extra Virgin Olive Oil                    $17.99
  • 1 pkt wholemeal tortilla wraps                            $1.99
  • 2 x 500g blocks unsalted butter                           $5.18
  • 500g shredded Mozzarella Cheese                     $4.49
  • 700g shredded Tasty Cheese                                 $5.49
  • 500g frozen stir fry mix                                            $2.19
  • 500g streaky bacon                                                   $5.99
  • 1kg Pork Mince                                                           $9.98
  • 1 kg Plain Flour                                                           $0.75
  • 1 kg SR Flour                                                                $0.75
  • 3 x 1l UHT Full Cream Milk @$0.95                     $2.85
  • 1 kg Jasmine Rice                                                      $2.29
  • 2 x 400g tins diced tomatoes @$0.99               $1.98
  • 2 x 400g tins kidney beans @$0.75                    $1.50
  • 1 x 800g tin apple pie filling                                  $2.99

Total – $66.41

Some of the groceries.

Some of the groceries.

At Woolworths, I bought:

  • 1 x pkt Gow Gee Pastry (Won Ton wrappers) $2.60
  • 1kg Arborio rice                                                           $3.20
  • 500g desiccated coconut                                        $2.99
  • 2 x 250g choc chips 2 for                                          $5.00
  • 1 Dozen free range eggs                                           $6.49

Total -$20.28

Which makes a Grand Total of $99.19.

I have no idea what possessed me to buy the rice and coconut at Woolworths. I can only think it was because I was there for the eggs and remembered I needed more. ‘Mistakes were made,’ as The Boy would say.

Now don’t imagine for a minute that I expect to use all that oil in the next few weeks.

Hot chilli oil.

Hot chilli oil.

That will last us 6 months or more. I decided to restock as I had just finished our last tin of it by refilling our smaller bottle on the counter and making that litre of Chilli oil for my Step-father.

I had decided it was going to be a “stock up” type of shop. I don’t need more flours, but I got them anyway. They are now filling containers in the pantry, along with the chocolate chips (which I only ever buy if there is a ‘twofer’).

The multiple cartons of milk will happily sit in the pantry until I have a visitor who takes milk in their coffee, or I want to cook something that needs it.

The bacon will be divided into 2 rasher parcels and frozen that way. I use it to add a punch of flavour to anything I think might need it.

Cheese.

Cheese.

We buy shredded/grated cheeses as a rule. It prevents grated knuckles, saves washing up and reduces waste. Cheese in this household is considered a condiment or garnish, not a major player.

There are three containers in the refrigerator, two labelled “Pizza” and “Tasty,” and one that obviously holds parmesan cheese and doesn’t need a label. About a cup’s worth of cheese goes into each of these containers and the rest goes in the freezer until the containers are empty. This amount of cheese will last us several months. (Unless I go on a major pizza-making binge.)

The butter will last quite a long time if refrigerated correctly. I like to use butter in my baking and had none at all to hand.

The Gow Gee wrappers are because I want to try making some gyoza for snacks and to freeze for later (snacks). This is the destination of half the pork mince.

The other half of the mince will be used for some meatballs that I will also freeze for a dinner shortcut in the future – although I’m quite tempted to explore other options.

I have a piece of Pork Belly and a Marinated Beef Roast currently in the freezer – along with the rest of last shop’s frozen beef mince and chicken pieces. So, one of those will form a major meal at some stage this fortnight and appear in different guises following that.

The cans of tomatoes and kidney beans are currently being used, along with one package of the frozen beef mince, to make a crockpot full of the most delicious-smelling Chilli con Carne.

Chilli con carne to be

Chilli con carne to be

This is what it looked like when I walked away from it a few hours ago. The kidney beans will be added about 30 mins before serving just to heat them through.

Leftovers may form calzone fillings, quesadilla fillings, pasta sauce or I might turn it into a cobbler. Then again, they might just be frozen until inspiration strikes.

I’ll post the recipe some time later this week.

I’m thinking the next time I go shopping it will be mostly for meat to restock the freezer. There’s only so many times in a row that one can eat beef mince, quite frankly.

But for now…I’m hungry!

 

 

 

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It is absolutely FREEEEEEEZING here today. I mean it’s really cold, and I’m inside with ducted heating!

Good grief.

Anyway, my hands are icy, so this shall be short.

I wanted a change of texture for dinner tonight. So, I rescued one of my Asian flavoured beef meals from the freezer and popped it into the crockpot frozen.

Doesn't look all that tasty, does it?

Doesn’t look all that tasty, does it?

But this is how it looks now, after 10 hours on low and with the addition of some frozen peas and corn and some cornflour to thicken it up.

And the after" pic.

And the after” pic.

I’ve just put a rather nice, jazzed-up Apple Crumble in the oven – to keep the whole warm, comfort food, vibe going. I’ve added ground ginger, sultanas and choc chips to the filling…because, why not?

I think I neglected to mention yesterday that I’d made another loaf of bread, so I’ll do that now.

Also, I just served the last of the instant hot chocolate mix to The Boy, who has sequestered himself in his warm study, so I’ll be making more of that tomorrow. I could quite easily do it now, but my kitchen is the coldest room in the house on a decent day.

I’m looking forward to moving – you have no idea.

Hot chilli oil.

Hot chilli oil.

I also decanted the Spicy Chilli and Garlic oil I put aside to infuse a few weeks ago. It’s to be a gift for my step-father who will hopefully be visiting some time this week.  He just had a birthday and loves things HOT.

So, I’m logging off now and snuggling up with a cat or two. On the bright side, today marks the Winter Solstice. It’s going to get warmer from now on, or so they tell me.

Until tomorrow.

 

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Sorry I didn’t post yesterday. I had an episode of MS fatigue and my get up and go just got up and went.

However, just to fill in the gaps, yesterday I used the rest of the leftover corned beef to make fritters for lunch. I also used up some frozen stir fry vegies I’d heated for the fried rice a night or so before and then realised I didn’t need.

Fritters

Fritters

So, that went well. I didn’t have dinner as I just didn’t have the energy to eat, but The Boy tucked into the leftover Sausage Hotpot. It’s all good.

I did manage to get my meat and lentil sauce cooked for the Cottage Pie tonight. It looks and smells wonderful. If you look closely at the second photo, you’ll spot the tiny lentils I soaked the day before.

Mince and lentil sauce.

Mince and lentil sauce.

See how the lentils blend in so well?

See how the lentils blend in so well?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I cooked the sweet and white potatoes this afternoon and mashed them up – arranging them on top in a chequerboard pattern. There’s now a big pie that I had intended to take to the Solstice do (not well enough to go, sad face) and two individual ones for our dinner this evening.

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Individual cottage pies

A Big cottage pie for eating later.

A Big cottage pie for eating later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We did a bit of a stocktake earlier and realised that we’ve used about a quarter of the food I purchased last week. That means I’ve effectively fed us both on $25.

TTFN

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I need to be elsewhere this evening, so there’s a need for one dinner that can be served at two different times without deteriorating overly.

I’m combining the leftover corned beef from the weekend with the leftover rice from last night, adding a mix of fresh and frozen vegetables and making my Almost Genuine Fried Rice.

Two bowls of fried rice

Almost Genuine Fried Rice

The instructions for this particular meal have been in the draft stage for some time now and, hopefully, I’ll have them up in the next few weeks…hopefully… maybe…

The problem is that – given how simple the dish appears – the instructions are surprisingly complex.  Oh well.

Anyway, the rice that isn’t eaten tonight will help to form lunches in the days to come or possibly even another dinner on a “shop the fridge” night.

I’m planning on making a casserole tomorrow night with some sausages that have been in my freezer for a while. So they have been taken out to defrost.

I’ve realised that I was about to run out of onions and carrots (Argh!) therefore I’ve stocked up on those today. Remember the $5 I had left at the end of my shopping, here? Well, I just used $2 of it. So there.

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Today I crumbed the Chicken Tenderloins from my last grocery shop. They were on the cusp of their use-by date and needed something done with them.

So, I’ve done my standard mix of Panko and coconut, baked them and frozen three-quarters. The other two tenderloins will be dinner tonight with rice and vegetables.

Panko and Coconut coated chicken tenderloins

Panko and Coconut coated chicken tenderloins

Also, given that I had the oven going, I decided to top up the biscuit barrel.

I make a batch of biscuits (cookies) once every two weeks or so for The Boy – with most of them being stored in an airtight container in the pantry or fridge. I have a little tin that lives on the counter near the kettle and it’s usually stocked with just a few biscuits for portion control.

So, these rather scrumptious-looking and incredibly easy biscuits were whipped up while the last of the chicken was baking and went in immediately following it.

Well, that looks good...

Well, that looks good…

I’ve just sampled one and they are definitely biscuits and not cookies. They’ve got that whole crunch thing happening. I may have a bit of a play in a week or so and try making them with butter instead of oil to see what that will do the texture before I post.  So, stay tuned. In the meantime, I think some insulin may be in order! (There’s a reason the biscuits aren’t for me.)

Dinner tonight.

Dinner tonight.

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Making Chicken Stock in a slow cooker

So, don’t you hate those people who get all snobby about stock powders that come in cubes and cans and stuff?

You know, the ones who make their own stock and simply can’t understand anyone who doesn’t?

chicken stock (2)

Yeah.

I’ve become one of them. Sorry.

I used to be the person who would reach for the Massel or the Vegeta if stock was necessary, but since I moved at the start of the year I’ve been making my own actual liquid stock and it is soooooo much better than anything I’ve ever bought – even in one of those tetra pack doovers.

The hardest part is storing it. However, since I had to buy a new refrigerator when I moved, I got a wider one with these lovely drawers in the freezer. I lovingly ladle the stock into mason jars, place them in the freezer and forget about them until I need stock for risotto, gravy or soup…

I make my chicken stock in the crock pot or slow cooker overnight.

It’s terribly uncomplicated. Every now and then The Boy and I buy a BBQ Chook* from the local supermarket for one reason or another. After we’ve picked as much of the flesh as we can off it, I use it for stock. Now, if the freezer is already well stocked with…um… stock, we simply freeze the carcass until we need to restock the … stock. Follow? Good.

Leftover BBQ Chook

Leftover BBQ Chook

Making the stock goes like this:

Pop your chicken carcass into a slow cooker or crock pot. You can do this with an uncooked chicken, but a cooked one will give you far more flavour. Make sure to remove any stuffing from the cavity and dispose of it. You don’t want that in your liquid.

To the slow cooker add a roughly chopped onion, a couple of carrots and some celery. There is no need to add salt or any other seasonings. You want your stock to be as versatile as possible, add other flavours to the final dishes not here.

Roughly chopped vegetables

Roughly chopped vegetables

It honestly doesn’t matter how your vegetables look either. They’re all going to be thrown away at the end of the process — after every skerrick of flavour has been cooked out of them. Basically, you just want to be able to fit them in the pot with the chicken.

Cover the contents with water – you can boil the water first if you wish.

Add water to your stock pot

Add water to your stock pot

Turn the slow cooker on to low and then ignore it for 8 or so hours. Better yet, get this all done after dinner and leave it to cook overnight while you sleep. You’ll wake up to a delicious smelling house and a slow cooker full of something that looks like this…

Cooked chicken stock

Cooked Chicken Stock

And doesn’t that look terribly unattractive? Don’t worry, it’s not the finished product.

Turn your slow cooker off, let the contents cool for a bit, and set a large sieve inside a large bowl. Line the sieve with some cheesecloth or a new kitchen wipe like this:

Line your sieve with a fresh cloth

Line your sieve with a fresh cloth

Then upend the contents of your slow cooker into it. It will look horrendous.

Strain the broth from the solids

Strain the broth from the solids

Walk away from the sink. Shower, dress, have a nice cup of something warm and caffeinated.

Leave it alone.

Then, after an hour or so, remove the sieve and discard the contents. Bin them, bury them, place them in your compost or Bokashi bin; you will no longer need them in your kitchen. What you will want is this, this liquid gold. <cue heavenly choir>

Pure chicken stock

Pure chicken stock

Don’t worry about the fine layer of fat you can see in the sheen on the surface. That is pure flavour and, when chilled, will give the stock a gelatinous texture.

Now, all you need to do is bottle it. Place it in some sterilised mason jars and freeze it as I do.

Mason jar of chicken stock

Mason jar of chicken stock

You could also place it into ziploc bags for freezing.

Alternatively, you can put it in a large saucepan and boil it until it is so reduced that you can freeze it in ice-cube trays as an über concentrate that you add water to when defrosted.

My 3 litre slow cooker made 2 ½ litres of stock. Isn’t it purdy?

A whole batch of chicken stock

A whole batch of chicken stock

Give it a shot, you’ll love the results. I promise. It will also make you feel all chef-y and virtuous (for not throwing food away) at the same time.

Let me know how you go.

*Side note:  Try going into an American supermarket and asking for a BBQ Chook. I dare you. If you happen to be an American reading this, it can be translated as ‘Rotisserie Chicken.”  You’re welcome.

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Day 5

We’re getting into the business end of things here!

Breakfast:                  Porridge

Lunch:                          Left-over Pasta

Afternoon Tea:         Chilli Chocolate Tea and Anzac Biscuits

Dinner:                         Slow Cooker Beef Casserole

Dessert:                       None – we were both too tired from coughing!

 

 

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