Meal Planning Monday W/c: 21st May 2012

Oh my its been two whole weeks! So sorry to have abandoned you, time has flown by! Just as I got my camera back, I then leant it to my dad for his holiday so have not photographed anything! Also my laptop cable has died, the replacement via ebay doesn't work and now am on a borrowed, lower power one that won't charge but at least can use it plugged in! If anyone has a spare Dell vostro one please send it my way :)

In all honesty, I've not really been cooking anything that blogworthy...exam season is approaching scarily fast, car bills have seen the purse super tightened and I have been living off the depths of the fridge and freezer! Everything's been edible but just not very exciting! Though I did make for lunch today a rather gorgeous take on my beetroot salad, which also doubled as payment to a lovely colleague who cut my hair last week. If only we could barter everything with food! It was very popular in the staffroom too with everyone diving in to try it! Will make again and blog next time with piccies.

Last week I was sent some gorgeous new naan breads from Warburton's, which have been squirrelled into the freezer for when have people over, as I feared would eat the whole thing by myself! The garlic one in particular looks really tasty! Am going to make a curry soon and write more about them then.

And so moving on to this weeks plan. Which as always is subject to change! *updated*

Monday - I saw a recipe for an fruit nut and oat stuffed pepper...though am thinking of tweaking to using groats...about to venture into the kitchen so we shall see! Became groat pilaf, as my pepper was wonky and wouldn't stand up! Added sultanas and toasted cashew nuts, was tasty


Tuesday - Gammon, groats and courgette Leftovers from Monday


Wednesday - salmon pea and ginger noodles Was too hot after working late! Had rice cakes with marmite instead


Thursday - Breaded fish, potato bake and cabbage (though was a zillion degrees and would of have salad if I hadn't used it all up for lunches!


Friday - If I don't bake something before then, looking at frittata, possibly with mackerel in. Became a cheese pasty at work, then a banana


Weekend - am making plans to go out so open to anything!


Saturday -  going to the market get my fruit n veg in - dinner might be fridays bumped omelette


Sunday - family around - having chicken and veg pie, with whatever veg I get in market

Have a good week everyone!

Meal Planning Monday w/c: 07/05/2012

I hope everyone had a nice bank holiday even if the weather has been soggier than the paper under a bag of hot chips! On Saturday I visited the Foodies Festival at Hampton court, and despite the rain and being frozen to the bone managed a few hours, think once the wine samples kicked in we felt better! Have come away with several goodies including some delicious fruit curds, crisps and plenty of inspiration!

Yesterday unfortunately saw me say goodbye to the twenties and entering my thirties. Though was told on several occasions I don't look it which is good! We went out for a delicious curry and visited a lovely place near me in Cobham, which has plants, little outlets selling all sorts of stuff, and a great little cafe where we stopped for lunch. And beer! Also managed to buy there some gorgeous fresh olives which are rapidly vanishing this afternoon! Some are smoked which is a first for me, they are intriguingly good!

Last weeks meal plan as always got several tweakings but didn't do too badly at sticking with it! The surprise highlight of the week were these pork patties I made on Thursday night:

In them went minced pork, lgihtly cooked grated carrot, breadcrumbs from the depths of the freezer, a few tbsp of some 'omega seed' mix and a little soy milk to bind. Alongside I cooked my groats as planned, and they are a definite new favourite. They faintly reminded me of oatmeal and are a little bigger than couscous grains. Were good both hot that night, and cold the next day in my lunchbox, along with another pork patty!

the second highlight were as posted on Wednesday were my bannocks, with broccoli and pesto soup. A thriftily good recipe!

So moving on to this week, I have not planned the weekend yet as am off work and haven't decided what to do! I've also leant my camera to my dad, so won't be able to photograph anything again for a few weeks! Am planning to make a fruit tealoaf though but going to experiment with a herbal teabag instead..

Lots of freezer raiding going on - need to save pennies to pay back car repairs!

Monday - tonight is leftover takeaway curry - special biryani, vegetable curry and paratha

Tuesday - Breaded fish portion, mashed potato and green beans

Wednesday - might be going out but if not will be gammon with boulangere potatoes and carrots

Thursday - Chicken and mushroom pie with frozen root veggies

Friday - Salmon with ginger noodles and peas

Have a great week everyone!

Basil infused Bannocks with Broccoli and Pesto Soup

Hooray, I finally have something to blog! My beloved DSLR camera is safely back home this morning and I thought it deserved some long overdue usage! I have just realised how many B's there are in the post title, is a bit of a tongue twister!

A few weeks back I was flicking through my copy of Bread, part of the River Cottage Handbook series and whilst being tempted pretty much by every recipe, Bannocks in particular caught my eye...

I had previously never heard of a Bannock, and a quick googling tells me they seem a Northernly thing… a type of quick bread that’s made from grains.. more handily it was made using oatmeal, and as I’ve been on a mission to use up all the odds and ends gathering dust in the bottom of the draw it meant I could give it a good use, other than throwing into a casserole to thicken!

The book recommends serving with soup. I was intending to use up a (shh!) tin of mushroom soup that’s been lurking in the cupboard but being on a lazy day off from work, and told myself that if I’m gonna make the bread, I might as well do the soup too! I made a small batch of broccoli soup, by frying off a little diced onion, then adding the stalks for 5 minutes and some veggie stock, added the chopped up florets and simmered until soft. Then simply stirred through the last of a jar of pesto, roughly 2 scant teaspoons. Together with the bannocks it made a great combination, as I had also added basil oil to the bannock mixture which was subtle enough not to over power.

The bannocks are super quick to make – less than a minute to make and a couple in the pan to cook. These are fragile beasts and at several points found myself questioning the recipes success but I persisted – and they came up a treat! They are oaty, and wholesome tasting.

In the original recpipe it makes two, but I scaled down as was only me eating and don't think these would re-heat that well..

62g medium oatmeal, and a little extra
Teeny pinch salt
Teeny bit bigger pinch baking powder - say 1/8 tsp
1 tsp basil infused oil, plus oil to grease the pan. The book also recommends using fat or butter.
2 ish tbsp hot water

Method

Place a heavy-based frying pan on a medium heat.

Mix together the oatmeal, salt and baking powder In a bowl, add the basil oil, then enough water to make a stiff paste. This is the fun part!

Sprinkle a little more oatmeal on a suitable board, tip the mixture on to it. Sprinkle a bit more oatmeal over and flatten to a just under a centimetre, working quickly before it cools. Cut it into quarters.

Add a little fat/oil to the hot pan, and cook the bannock for a couple of minutes on each side, until browning lightly. Serve hot with a little butter on if desired.

Meal Planning Monday 30/04/2012

Well, Monday. Here you are all over again. You have appeared so quickly it seems!

I've been a bad blogger having nothing really new for you too. Still in process of getting my DSLR camera back, and my spare old Casio one keeps saying 'card error' which is rather frustrating as a) its not that old but outside the warranty and b) it means I can't really photograph anything as my phone unless under outdoors seems to do funny things like this to pictures:

Toasted waffles with caramelised apples on - delicious too:

 

And despite telling myself rather sternly no more buying cupboard stuff, as the 'dry goods draw' was already heaving I randomly picked up a packet of Polish Barley Groats the other other day, which I am going to try out later this week...Says they are high in fibre and a good source of protein apparently..

Moving on to this weeks meal plan, last weeks saw a few changes and substitutions, and no doubt this will too! My car is trying to financially ruin me so everything is planned from existing stocks, and will be for next few weeks. Will be good to clear down and sort through the freezer!

Also am adding this to Mrs M's weekly linky you can check out what everyone else is cooking here

Monday - I had put pie on menu but do have some blue cheese that needs eating, contemplating making some sort of blue cheese potato cakes, to be served with broccoli and carrots. I made the potato cakes, though did semi explode, think should of chilled them first! Were very nice anyway!

Tuesday - Quick dinner before college - most likely penne with last of some pesto that needs eating along with peas and courgettes. But have pasta for lunch so doubt will want it too for dinner...mr pie might be moved to tomorrow, if I don't eat him tonight Forgot didn't have college as had an exam in the morning, so I'd swapped shifts! Dinner became stir fried courgette with pesto as wasn't that hungry!

Wednesday - Either baked tuna crepes with broccoli, or a cheese omelette Became a mix of the two! Omelette WW style, with tuna and olives on the side, with peas and courgette

Thursday - This is where the above mentionned groats come into play! Going to thaw some pork mince and go from there! Might do a quick stew of sorts, depending of course on the weather!

Friday - Am working late, so lunch will be a good sized portion of leftovers and if hungry when I get in will most likely be my cupboard noodle surprise!

Saturday - Rather excitingly am going to a Foodies Festival and then out for dinner!

Sunday - Rather un-excitingly I will be another year older, and no longer in my twenties! Am so not ready! Not entirely decided still what to do but potentially a curry..


And on a random note, to offset my car bill a little - please check out my EBay auctions! Plus I forgot to put it on there but if you are looking for a pastry canape maker - do let me know!

Meal Planning Monday W/c: 23rd April 2012

Wow, another week has started. Where has the time flown this year?! I have a rather large birthday approaching rapidly, which I am completely not ready for. Can I delay it a bit longer perhaps?! Pretty please?!

I am rather slacking in blog posts at the moment, as rather stupidly I left my beloved camera at my Aunt's house last month, and between my camera phone and fluorescent strip kitchen lighting have not managed to photograph anything half decently! Hopefully I am getting it back soon...

Meanwhile I've been doing some experimental vegan baking, which may appear at some point when I get something more photogenic and I had great success with using one of those oven roasting bags thingies over Easter - I cooked a gammon joint in it and was very impressed with the outcome, the resulting meat was perfectly cooked and juicy. And no messy baking tray after! Win win!

I've done my meal plan but as always its subject to change. Due to not one, but two unexpected car costs this past few weeks, along with mot and service due this week, and having time off sick from work frugality will be the mantra for the next month or two! Lots of freezer raiding! Why are cars so blooming expensive? And just how does a windscreen manage to just crack? Hmph. I do believe lentil soup may appear soon on my menu...

Anyway, enough of my rambling - so far the plan is:

Tonight - Ditalini with pesto courgettes, mushrooms and peppers. Followed by a cinnamon whirl picked up on reduced and frozen, a quick blast in oven will have it back to its full glory!

Tuesday - Cod fishcakes with peas and a portion of potato boulangere (leftover from Easter and frozen) became leftover veg as cooked too much on Monday

Wednesday - Aduki bean kiev (were on offer!) with root veggies. Had shocking car bill, and didn't fancy what I'd planned. Ended up making quick dinner of fusilli with peas, fried mushrooms and blue brie.

Thursday - Tortellini with gammon and more peas, possibly a brothy kinda thing

Friday - Not sure! Going to see Wicked! Dinner at Prezzo, shared a lovely caramelised onion pizza bread, then a rather tasty griddled chicken and avocado salad. Wicked was excellent!

Saturday - have put down meatloaf/ meatballs... have some pork mince in freezer but not fully decided yet what I might do with it. I saw something a while back involving thai influences so might try it out Didn't do thai route - Made mini meatballs and had it with a packet of moroccan couscous and some cucumber

Sunday - Salmon fillet, with ginger and pumpkin rice noodles (a whim purchase, hope they are nice!) and veggies of some sort


I have added this to Mrs M's linky

Loving the leftovers - Pastry

I never like to waste food, there is always that little voice in the back of my head (aka mums when I was young) saying think about the starving children..you get the picture. And so I learned to embrace leftovers, and some of my best dishes have been born this way!

A few weeks back I made a rather gorgeous tart for lunch, involving a sheet of puff pastry, bought in post Christmas sales for 30p and squirelled into the freezer, some delicious 'coastal cheddar' given to me by my dad, organic bacon (bought for 70p reduced!) and a large amount of caramelized onions:

 

(served with honey and mustardy carrots and piccalilli, mm!)

 However, the baking tray in my new flat wasn't quite big enough, and I was left with a strip of pastry where I had cut the tart to size...not wanting to waste it, I had a small amount of mincemeat left, so quickly whipped up these simple little mincemeat puffs using it:

So that was lunch and pudding sorted for both me and a friend, for less than £1.50, and I had leftovers for the next day. Can't argue with that!

I am sending this over to Helen's Frugal Food Fridays, this month being held over at Utterly Scrummy Food for Families blog:

What's your favourite thing that you have made from leftovers?