This week's menu ;o)

I had a wonderful time in London, watched Mamma Mia and Mouse Trap and in the day went for a tour of the Houses of Parliament which were amazing!  Another good thing is that Myself and Sharon didn't spend all our money so we have put what we didn't spend towards next years trip!  Marvellous!!  Anyway here is this weeks menu!

Monday: Sausage casserole with swede and potato mash and vegetables
Tuesday: Sheperd's Pie
Wednesday: Mother in Laws for tea!
Thursday: Chilli for Steve and I and stwe for the children(out of the freezer - bulk cooked previously)
Friday: Chicken Fajita's - Family Favourite!!
Saturday: Freezer surprise!!(Concoct something out of what is left in the freezer to make room for Christmas)
Sunday: Roast beef dinner

I have managed to make this weeks meals mainly out of stuff I aleady have, but there are a couple of things I have to get but I cant see me spending loads if I am honest.  I need to get sandwich stuff, toilet rolls etc and I have already bulk bought washing powder as it was on offer!  I will get back to you with how much I spent later in the week.

I have been good with economising with my meals etc so I am going to now try to get a bit greener in my approach to life.  Don't get me wrong I recycle and reuse loads of things but as my local authority don't collect cardboard and Tetrapac I dispose of them in the bin.  So from now on I am going to find out where my nearest recycling point that I can dispose of these two is and take them there unless the petrol consumption is so high that it cancels it out.  My garden is also looking a bit sad and dejected at the moment so I am going to try to get that sorted ready for planting etc at the earliest opportunity.  And my other green thing is handmaking and reusing thing to give to people for christmas!

I think I may have a busy couple of weeks ahead of me!!

Haircut!!!

I have had my hair cut and coloured today and feel like a new woman!!  It's amazing how a new hairstyle enhances your mood, confidence and day!  It cost £25 but as I only see the hairdresser about every 3 months so I don't feel like I have splurged out too much and I needed to get rid ot the grey!!!!

I have had a fairly decent week so far...I made a Lasagne for the kids and I and tried adding some finely chopped peppers and carrots to get the veggy content up a bit....I was fairly successful but they were noticed....and the fajitas yesterday were delicious and because of the Asda vouchers and reduced meat(with 2 days left before use by) it was a very cheap meal.  We seem to be getting through bread and fruit like wild fire this week so I have already got some more so I have to add about a fiver to this weeks budget!! ;o( but I don't mind too much as we ae all getting healthier food down our throats!! 

Today I made a gorgeous banana cake as I found some seriously black RIPE bananas in the cupboard, I did it between getting the children ready for school and physically taking them to school!

Recipe:

3 ripe bananas
8 oz of self raising flour
4 oz of dried fruit
a squirt of lemon juice
1 tsp of nutmeg
4 oz low fat spread
2 eggs beaten

Pre heat the oven to Gas mark . Mix the flour, nutmeg, dried fruit, lemon juice, spread and eggs until smooth in consistency.  Mash the bananas and add to the mix. Once thoroughly mixed, empty into a greased loaf tin, place in the oven for 40 minutes. once baked place on a wire rack to cool before wrapping in foil or placing in a airtight container.

I am conscious of the fact that Christmas is lurking so I will be starting the homemade presents this week!  I have already started a scarf using a lovely thin wool and size 12 needles.  It should be lovely(fingers crossed!)  I have also got some flannels in white and cerise to complete another one of my little presents!  I will make them, take a photo and then explain what I did!  I have already bottled the gins and vodkas I made and I just need to make personalised labels for them to finish them off.

I'd better get cracking and do a bit of knitting rather than being on here!

So as Tigger so brilliantly puts it TTFN!

This week's meals etc....

Monday: Homemade lasagne & Lamb & apricot burgers for Steve(with homemade wedges).
Tuesday: Turkey Fajitas
Wednesday: Mother in Laws for tea!!!
Thursday: Prawn stir fry & vegetarian Meatballs, pasta and sauce for the children.
Friday: Take away(will explain later)
Saturday: Chicken Tikka/Korma, rice and poppadoms
Sunday: Roast pork dinner

This weeks total food bill came to £76!!!  Woo hoo! I am quite impressed with that!  I had money off coupons from Asda last week because I spent over £40!  Got some more today so should be fun next week too!! So I designed the menu with this in mind.  This £76 covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, fruit, bread and juice etc.  I am not a big fan of doing seperate food for Steve and I and the children but with Christmas approaching I want to use things up in the freezer and cupboards so needs must.   The ultimate sin is happening on Friday but there is a reason.  I am going to London with my friend for the weekend and I want the weekend to be easy for the family whilst I'm away!  and what is better is there is a voucher in the book for it!!!  Also the London trip is a money saving trip too as we have been saving £25 a month & a one off payment of £75 and that has paid for our train tickets, 2 shows, our oyster cards, our hotel room for two nights and about £90 to spend when we are down there!! Marvellous!! 

Bonfire Night was a roaring success, a big, gorgeous family event with about 20 of us!!! the children loved it and so did the adults.....we must do it again!!!!

Well here we go on the merry-go-round of life again...school, work and everything in between!!

Bonfire Night!!

As the weather was so bad yesterday  we are having our fireworks today!  I just swapped the menu around so it was no big deal....The pizza, wedges and garlic bread(all homemade) were a big hit, low fat and tasty!!

Today has been a money saving day too.  As it is going to be a big family affair we have all put £10 in and we will have huge, wonderful fireworks display care of my husband, brother and dad!!! Also my mum and aunty will be taking care of the food!!! Everyone's a winner!!  But the very best thing about tonight is I will be surrounded by probably 18 members of my family!  What could be better than that!

We had the no electronics day yesterday which was a success....we played our own version of pictionary using a whiteboard and dry-wipe markers!!! (so another money saving made on a board game!!!)then the children went up to bed and read a book before going to bed.  What I did notice is that they seemed to go off to sleep much easier and quicker and we spent some quality time as a family so the benefits have been numerous.  I am going to make this a regular occurence.

Here is another recipe that I tried recently and may be worth trying:

Creamy Salmon Pasta (for 2 people)

2 pieces of defrosted salmon(£6 for a bag of 8-not all perfect exact same sizes) £1.50
400g pasta(dry)(44p)
1 bag of steamed vegetables(£3 for 3 bags(containing 4) ) - 25p
2 heaped tablespoons of low fat garlic & herb or chive philidelphia cheese -£1 a tub- approx 66p

Boil the pasta until soft
At the same time grill salmon on a medium/low grill.
When it looks like the salmon is almost cooked microwave the steamed vegetables.
Drain pasta and place back into the saucepan, break up the salmon into flakes and toss into the saucepan
Put the vegetables into the saucepan and mix well.
Finally add the cheese and mix thoroughly.
Serve straightaway

This is a delicious, healthy, lowish fat meal that cost about £2.50 to make and is 15-20mins to make so it's ecomomical on your purse/wallet and your time too.

Soup!!

Here is a recipe for a soup I tried recently and as all the ingredients are cheapat the moment.  It is a hearty, healthy soup that is nice and thick and lush with a piece of home made bread.

Sweet Potato and Leek Soup

Pack of leeks(Aldi - 59p)
Pack of sweet Potatoes(Aldi - 69p)
Some fresh Ginger(your preference)
1 onion
2 Vegetable stock cubes
1.5 pints of boiling water

Peel all the vegetables and swet potatoes.  Fry the onions and leeks until soft, add sweet potatoes,  Then add the stock and bring to the boil.  I add the ginger at this point. Simmer until the sweet potatoes are soft(which doesn't take as long as normal potatoes) about 20-25 mins.  When cooled slightly liquidize to a thick(baby foodish) consistency and enjoy!!!!

I usually freeze half of this and still have enough for my husband and I to have a big bowl full and you will also have 2 hearty meal for another day, all for less than £2...Bargain.

I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do

Sorted!

Well I finally managed to go shopping last night and was quite impressed that it came to £70, this was for 7 days worth of breakfast, lunch and dinners, fresh fruit, milk and bread, fruit juices, so this worked out as costing about £10 to feed the five of us!!  There was an excellent deal on apples which were originaly £2.50 for a BOX and were reduced to £1 so I had 2!!! In my family we all have 1 or 2 apples a day so that's 10 gone on the 1st day!!!

I know that this week is not a regular week because of Bonfire night but I am hopeful of sticking a similar budget next week!  

I will be starting making some presents for Christmas very soon.   I am a great believer of trying to make as much as I possibly can.  I have kept the lids of air freshners and Douwe Egberts jars to transform......photos when they are done!!!  Trust me they will be lovely-I promise!!   I have also bought some blank calendars that I will be decorating, I have already made and bottled some, sloe gin, blackberry vodka and damson vodka which I will be giving too.

I also make my own jewellery, cards and knit so there are plenty of options for a more economical Christmas that is not cheap!  If you know what I mean.....:o)

Menu sorted....

Monday: Roast Chicken Dinner
Tuesday: Home-made Chili Con Carne
Wednesday: Mother in law's for Tea!!
Thursday: Cawl
Friday: Bonfire Night!!! Fireworks and food with the family and friends over my mums.
Saturday: Homemade Pizza's, homemade potato and sweet potato wedges and homemade garlic bread.
Sunday: Beef Casserole and Vegetables

All the above meals shouldn't really be too fattening as I use fry-light or dry fry where possible and drain any fat off anyway...and as a desert I try to do fruit, fruit salad, sugar free jelly(with fruit) or a homemade fruit juice ice lolly. 

I am going shopping tonight for anything I haven't already got so I will tell you how much my food shopping was.  I would like to point out in addition to the above, I will need to get fresh fruit, yoghurts, milk and bread(although I do intend to try and make some where possible) and sandwich stuff for us all for the week but that should come to much!

As Christmas is approaching I am making a conscious effort to try and use up as much as I can in my kitchen cupboards and freezers....So there may be some "Freezer Surprise" meals along the way!!!!

This week is also the start of a more healthy lifestyle for all of us(myself, husband, 3 children and dog!!) as the scales scared the life out of me this morning!!!  We do shave a wii fit so I am going to try and exercise using that and I may have to dust off some exercise dvd :o(  ,I would like to go swimming at least once a week, maybe twice and will try to walk the dog for 30-45mins a day.  I need to get fit, but don't want to pay for gym membership.