Lavenders_Blue Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 That's super thrifty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 (edited) How's this for cheap? A kind friend has given me 8 pheasants and 2 partridges spent an hour de-breasting them (couldn't be bothered to pluck and gut each one... i know it's not like me to be wasteful) so they're all in the freezer and I'm looking for some inspiration to ring the changes with cooking them. Edited January 29, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Does anyone else remember their mother cutting the mould off cheese before using it? That's me DM! Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 How's this for cheap? A kind friend has given me 8 pheasants and 2 partridges spent an hour de-breasting them (couldn't be bothered to pluck and gut each one... i know it's not like me to be wasteful) so they're all in the freezer and I'm looking for some inspiration to ring the changes with cooking them. Now comes the decision of what to cook with them. Do tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Hmmm, I have some frozen filo and puff pastry in the freezer, which I bought ages ago when it was on offer. I think that at least one version will be slow cooked in a reduced red wine sauce and then done en croute with wild mushrooms. They are also nice braised and sliced thinly with a greeb salad.. all very healthy and not too expensive. the meat is rich enough on its own so I'd probably keep any accompaniments simple (and cheap). I also like them with a cranberry or redcurrant sauce, I have plenty of those from my stock which I made last year, the berries were free from P's folks. Any suggestions (on a budget) are most welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted January 29, 2013 Author Share Posted January 29, 2013 Personally, with that abundance of pheasant, I'd go straight back to classics and do Pheasant Normande. Yes, it's got double cream in, so is pretty rich, but plenty of simple veg (boiled or steamed) will balance it nicely. And yes I know it's supposed to be done with whole pheasants, but that's easily got round. The classic recipe calls for Calvados, but personally I doubt the difference would be noticeable if you substituted with whatever whisk(e)y, brandy or even Metaxa at a push that you've got lying around. No problem with getting this under the £3.00 budget for feeding four. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Great idea, that one was on my list. I may just get Rosie on the case and set her a challenge! The meat is in the freezer now, so no hurry but I am itching to do summat nice with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 How's this for cheap? A kind friend has given me 8 pheasants and 2 partridges spent an hour de-breasting them (couldn't be bothered to pluck and gut each one... i know it's not like me to be wasteful) so they're all in the freezer and I'm looking for some inspiration to ring the changes with cooking them. Wow, what a great freebie! Did the dogs get the carcasses? Lucky dogs if so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Strangely they aren't bothered with 'deaders'; they will happily catch live things, will eat their dinner bones but aren't impressed by dead bunny or bird bodies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted January 29, 2013 Share Posted January 29, 2013 Quick hearty soup: Jar of pasta sauce Can of mixed beans one oxo cube (chicken or veg) broken pasta Method Add sauce and two jars of water to saucepan (with oxo) Bring to the boil and add beans reduce and then add pasta serve when pasta has cooked and soup has thickened. I like to make it with a tomato and chilli pasta sauce for extra kick - You can add leftover meat to it too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chick wiggle Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Pepperoni Pasta Whilst boiling pasta (fusilli? (twists)), put a carton/jar of passata in a pan and add sliced pepperoni and garlic and a good handful of basil, salt and black pepper and heat. Drain cooked pasta and add to tomato mix and mix well then pour into large dish, cover with grated cheese, sprinkle a little more basil (dried) on top and pop under grill until cheese is golden and bubbling. Cheap, quick and delicious, add salad for the health kick if you want This is one of our favourites and a 'default' go-to recipe when we cant decide what else we want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Game birds go really well with cream and celery or celeriac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 (edited) This weeks meal plans. Shopping came to £51.04 (but that included 2ltrs of olive oil) Wednesday B: porridge + juice 11am snack: pear L: egg mayo pits and salad 3pm Snack: yoghurt D: home made sheshe kebabs, homemade hummus and tzatziki with homemade pita breads Exercise: 40min bike ride Tasks: make 3 pots of hummus and 2 pots of tzatziki and a batch of pita dough for the fridge. Thursday B: porridge + juice 11am snack: pear L: left over dips and pita 3pm Snack: homemade bourbon biscuit D: Rocket pesto pasta http://italianfoodies.ie/2008/02/16/rocket-pesto/ Exercise: 1 hour walk Tasks: grate cheese for the week, make 2 pots of fresh pesto, bake some bourbons Friday B: porridge + juice 11am snack: pear L: potato wedges with dips (pesto mayo, hummus and tzatziki ) 3pm Snack: fruit salad D: Toad in the hole + mash + carrots and cabbage. Exercise: 1hour walk Saturday B: potato farls using up left over mash http://allrecipes.com/recipe/irish-potato-farls L: toasted cheese and onion sandwiches 3pm Snack: fruit, D: Moroccan Chicken with couscous salad http://www.food.com/recipe/moroccan-chicken-tagine-65189. Exercise: 2hour walk around the forest Tasks: Make the weeks yoghurt, choose this years seeds Sunday B: porridge L: left over chicken and dips / pita 3pm Snack: yogurt D: baked ham with roasted spuds, parsnips, brusses and carrots. Exercise: 1.5hour walk around the common Tasks: make stock for the week, make soup for lunches Monday B: porridge + juice 11am snack: mixed fruit salad L: Cheese and Broccoli soup 3pm Snack: fruit salad (pear, apple, satsuma) D: bubble and squeek with left over ham Exercise: 4km cycle Tuesday B: porridge + juice 11am snack: apple L: left over ham in sandwich 3pm Snack: fruit salad (pear, apple, satsuma) D: left over soup Exercise: 4km cycle Edited February 2, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kazaddress Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Hello again Kaz - do you still find time for all those meal plans with a youngster to run around after? Reading the post, Kaz has even documented each day's preferred method of child-chasing. I'd have thought the time estimates were a little low though.... ha ha just seen this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 (edited) Paprika Chicken Feeds: 4/5 Ingredients: 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon chilli powder 8 chicken drumsticks or thighs 1 diced onion 2 diced peppers 4 peeled and crushed garlic cloves 250g long grain rice 1 can chopped tomatoes 360 ml chicken stock Method: Heat a large frying pan/wok and add the chicken, fry until golden brown all over (but not cooked). Take the chicken out and fry the garlic, onion and peppers. Add the (uncooked) rice, stock and tomatoes. Add the paprika and chilli powder. Bring to the boil and add the chicken. Reduce to a simmer and put a lid on, making sure you stir every 5-10 minutes (otherwise it will stick to the bottom of the pan) Keep simmering until the chicken and rice is cooked. Done. Total cost: Approx £4.36 Cost per person: £0.87 Edited February 2, 2013 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SylvisMum Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Thank you, Fred, I will try that. It sounds yummy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 Paprika Chicken Feeds: 4/5 Ingredients: 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon chilli powder 8 chicken drumsticks or thighs 1 diced onion 2 diced peppers 4 peeled and crushed garlic cloves 250g long grain rice 1 can chopped tomatoes 360 ml chicken stock Method: Heat a large frying pan/wok and add the chicken, fry until golden brown all over (but not cooked). Take the chicken out and fry the garlic, onion and peppers. Add the (uncooked) rice, stock and tomatoes. Add the paprika and chilli powder. Bring to the boil and add the chicken. Reduce to a simmer and put a lid on, making sure you stir every 5-10 minutes (otherwise it will stick to the bottom of the pan) Keep simmering until the chicken and rice is cooked. Done. Total cost: Approx £4.36 Cost per person: £0.87 Fred I do a very similar recipe. However we don't put the rice in and typically serve with mash. At the beginning we fry little bits of bacon too, either left overs or the bits you can get, they add a smokey flavour that is wonderful with paprika. You can also add carrots in it if liked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatieB Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 PS have also done my in the slow cooker making it even easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 That sounds lovely Fred, I'll give it a bash or get Rosie to make it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted February 3, 2013 Author Share Posted February 3, 2013 I strongly suspect that chicken breasts would work well with that recipe too, meaning you could get a whole bird and bone it. It'd obviously be a more expensive single purchase, but price per edible lb would go down still further, so you could cook the whole bird and feed the family twice. You'd also be able to make some stock with the carcass, so if you timed it right you wouldn't need the stock cube in Fred's recipe. Good post, Fred. It's a tasty, nutritious and filling recipe already, but the more I think about it the more scope I see for further economical improvements if time allows. I love recipes like that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Cauliflower cheese for supper here tonight,cheap as anything,with some lovely free range chunky cut ham. We are having a cheap week next week now that the daughter has returned to Uni, & will be mainly eating meals I have already home cooked & frozen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 My favourite is the home made and frozen meals to come home to - its fab not to have to think - I always over cook and freeze so I have a stock of these and when I go away - my hubby has to just pull one out of the freezer and microwave it. But Cauliflower cheese is my very favourite or brocolli cheese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 I have: Chicken stock parsnips carrots bacon To use up tonight, soup would be the easy thing to do i guess but i fancy a challenge! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Do you have any chicken or game bird meat? You could do a pie if you have some puff pastry in the freezer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Is that a joint of bacon or slices of bacon? Assuming slices of bacon, my immediate thought is of bacon-wrapped parsnips. Peel the parsnips, halving lenthways if they're particularly large, then pop them in a saucepan of water, bring to the boil and then boil for 2 - 4 mins. Take them out, wrap the bacon around them fairly tightly (diagonally so it covers as much of the parsnip as possible), then carefully put them in a roasting tin with a tad of oil to help them stop sticking. Roast at 200degC for about 15 mins until nice and golden brown. If it were a joint of bacon, I'd make up a spot of gravy with the stock and some red wine, then steam the parsnips and carrots with some spuds to make a co"Ooops, word censored!" root vegetable mash. The bacon could work just as well hot or cold with those accompaniments, though for preference I'd probably heat it up. A third possibility, especially if you have a couple of eggs available, would be to use the carrots and parsnips as the beginnings of a bubble and squeak. You'd obviously need some mashed spuds to bind, but any other leftover veggies you might have lying around would be welcome additions, and you could then grill/fry the bacon and serve with the bubble, probably topped with a fried or poached egg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
