Frugal Fridays #21

Out of all possible meal scenarios of one day (elevenses, brunch, supper and midnight snack included), afternoon tea is my favourite. Not only is it an opportunity for cake-based delights and gallons of tea, it’s a chance to use all the delicate and beautiful china I’ve been hoarding collecting. It’s actually quite a thrifty meal, especially if you adhere to the following tips.

Make your own sandwiches with whatever is in the fridge. Shop-bought sandwiches are never up to scratch. Plus, it seems counter-productive to specifically buy ingredients when you already have a selection in the house. The magic comes with how you cut them. I did fingers of cheese and pickle, triangles of raspberry jam and trimmed my cream cheese and cucumber sandwiches with a cutter. The two different breads I used were bought from the reduced section, not that my guest needs to know that!

Make your own biscuits. Yes, my home made gingerbread does look quite rustic, but I was complimented on the flavour. I know scones are more traditional, but you can knock up biscuits with minimal ingredients, thus decreasing the cost. I also quite like the different texture biscuits bring to the table.

If you do buy your cakes, try to get ones on offer. I ran out of time to bake my own, and I’m not entirely confident with gluten-free cake anyway. Luckily, these finger cakes were two packs for £3. Standard cakes are much cheap, and once you add a little garnish (like my raspberries), who would know the difference?!

Afternoon tea is an indulgence, gosh yes, and by no means a necessity. But it is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon in the company of a good friend.

Ready, steady, cook!

My work load has increased for this week, a fact that I am grateful for. More working hours means more money earned and that, my friends, can only be a good thing.

But I needed to be prepared for the chaotic nature of this week, so it was to the kitchen for most of the day yesterday. I needed to stock the goody tin and fill the freezer and spend some time preparing food. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels cooking is good for the soul. Let me share the things I made that are good for the stomach!

Firstly, I had to decide what to do with all of the odds and ends I had left in the fridge; the last of a pack of chicken thighs, half a butternut squash and someone else’s mushrooms that needed eating up. Add an onion, an apple and a fair amount of seasoning, and I had this delicious concoction bubbling in the slow cooker.

I can’t actually share if the recipe was successful or not, as I’m eating the first portion tonight with piles of mashed potato. It certainly smelt appetizing last night.

Onto the baking section of today’s programme. From recent reading and research into rationing, I discovered oatmeal wasn’t rationed and the prices were controlled to make it a readily available product. So I spent 95p on a bag and got baking. I used 100g of oatmeal to 150g of porridge oats to make this batch of honey flapjacks, and they were very successful. They seemed to hold together much better than my first attempt. A winning recipe.

I also had my first attempt at Scotch Shortbread, an “economical” recipe from a Marguerite Pattern book. Success! My previous exploration into g-f shortbread had been a miserable affair, but this was a delight. It only made a small quantity, but there would be no harm in doubling up if the fats ration allowed.

During my shopping expedition yesterday morning, I of course spent a long time in the greengrocers. My best buy was three aubergine for 50p, all because of a couple of bruised bits. I soon chopped those off and set to work on a curry.

Veggie curry doesn’t really create images of 1940s Britain, but I still had curry paste leftover from pre-rations so I made a big batch yesterday. In the mix is aubergine, onion, tomatoes, red pepper and red lentils. Even thought the jar of paste is gone, I still have plenty of spices in stock, so there will certainly be more curries in my kitchen.

For dinner, I had the final chicken thigh with roasted butternut squash and sweet potato. I have no picture to share, because after an afternoon surrounded by food, I was ravenous! 

 

 

Let us eat cake

On Monday, when the rain was lashing down and the storm was in full swing, I baked. It started as an idea for cookies. I took my basic cookie recipe, “borrowed” some eggs from my housemate, added raisins instead of chocolate button, threw in a handful of oats and the zest of a lemon. The result? Well, as cookies, not so great.

The mixture was thin, and the cookies spread too much. Plan B. I poured the remaining concoction into a square tin and baked until golden. This was spot on.

I think I’m going to have another go at this recipe before posting it. The oats added a texture like desiccated coconut, which I personally don’t like so I might leave them out next time. The addition of bicarbonate of soda did wonderful things to my cookie/cake, my new favourite ingredient in the kitchen. I loved the lemon flavour too, which is strange, because citrus is not normally my thing. I was also surprised about the lovely texture of the cake, unusual for g-f baking. It rose quite splendidly.

The recipe used a hefty amount of rations so there won’t be any more baking for awhile. But the next chance I get, I’m going to perfect this recipe because it’s too good to miss.

I’m ready for Bake Off!

Not that I would be successful if I actually went on the show. This morning, I’ve been experiment and with all such endeavours, sometimes baking goes wrong.

I tried two recipes this morning; carrot cookies and a gluten-free sponge cake. Now, the cake was my fault. I was trying to be thrifty and use one egg instead of two, so it’s no surprise really that it came out a bit flat. I also didn’t have any vanilla extract so I had a bit of ginger instead. I’m sure this ginger sponge will be lovely with a glass of milk in the evenings. Nothing will be wasted during my experimental baking!

The cookies were even more adventurous. I tried baking them with vegetable fat, to save on butter and see if it worked. In hindsight, this probably wasn’t the best idea. They taste good, but the texture is a bit strange and they’re a bit chewy. I’m hoping they will crisp up a bit as they cool, I’ll have to report back in a bit. But I’ll know for next time to stick with margarine.

I think it’s good to try to new things and see what works and what doesn’t. And I don’t feel guilty about making/eating cakes because I’m not scoffing as many sweets as I once did! The ginger and honey cake I made last week rose considerably well, despite its gluten free ingredients. Maybe I shall return to that recipe on my baking day next week. It’s all about trial and error. Let’s hope I can pick up some tips this evening. Who else is eagerly anticipating the return of this fab show?

Pretend like there’s no world outside

There’s nothing I like more than a glut of bananas. I arrived home after a visit to the Chap to find four lovely, blemished bananas waiting patiently in my fruit bowl. Their brown spots told me that action was required sooner rather than later. My first thought, naturally, was Happy Dance muffins, but alas, my store cupboard holds no eggs. As I’m still sticking with a slim budget this month, I would have to use what I already had in stock. Cue a rifle through the kitchen cupboards. No eggs, no problem.

I know bananas can be used as an egg substitute in vegan cookery, so I decided if it was good enough for vegans, it would be good enough for me. I did slightly contradict this by adding cows’ milk, but there you go. I also added protein powder because I’ve started running regularly again and my body needs all the protein it can get.

 

Banana Protein Pancakes

(Makes around 15 small pancakes)

1 very ripe banana, mashed

75g Doves gluten free flour

25g pea protein isolate

1/2 tsp Doves gluten free baking powder

200ml organic skimmed milk

 

Mash the banana in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, protein powder and baking powder and combine with the banana. Add milk and whisk with a fork to make a thick batter. Add spoonfulls of the mixture to a hot pancake pan. They are ready to flip when there is no longer any liquid on the surface.

 

I ate them all and it was glorious! I served mine with a little (read: a lot) of honey drizzled on top and a large mug of tea on the side. It was a perfect Sunday lunch for me. Do let me know if you like the recipe or if you give them a go.

 

PS Who knows the song that my title is derived from? It’s not a tricky one 🙂

 

Rebecca’s Recipes: Sweet Potato and Lentil Curry

It was mid-morning on Saturday. A late breakfast meant that lunch was some way off in the distance, but I still wanted to be in the kitchen. I planned to bake. But to start my kitchen adventure, I made a batch of one of my favourite meals. I make Sweet Potato Curry normally once a fortnight. Most of the time, I add red lentils, but I have been known to add a can of chickpeas instead. The wonderful thing about this dish is its available options. I always add an additional vegetable to the sweet potato base. Most of the time, it’s either carrot or parsnip. For this batch, I added finely sliced broccoli stalk. I aim for no food wastage in this house! Plus, I think the stalk has the strongest taste, in a good way. It takes a fair amount of cooking though, which is why I sliced it thinly.

This made three portions for my freezer drawer. I would imagine it would serve two for dinner.

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped

1 sweet potato, diced

1 broccoli stalk, finely sliced

2tsp curry paste (I use Patak’s Tikka Masala paste)

500ml vegetable stock

60g red split lentils

1) Sweat the onion until it is soft.

2) Turn up the heat and add the other vegetables. Keep stirring on the high heat until the vegetables take on some colour.

3) Add the curry paste and stir through.

4) Add the stock and bring to the boil.

5) Add the red split lentil, turn heat down to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Whilst my curry was bubbling away nicely, I was browsing through a recipe book. My housemate entered the kitchen and asked if I was baking. I said I was thinking about making rock buns.

“Well, I’ve got some brown bananas upstairs if you can make use of them.”

Naturally, I nearly bit her hand off. The rock buns will have to wait for another day, because there is only one thing to make when your housemate hands you four, perfectly good, very ripe bananas – Happy Dance Muffins!

It was pleasant to spend a couple of hours pottering around the kitchen. It was also good to see the culmination of my efforts. The freezer drawer is looking very healthy now I must say. The same can’t be said for the cake tin. The muffins seem to be disappearing rapidly, but the smile on my face isn’t going anywhere. Banana muffins make me too happy!

Do let me know if you try out either recipe, I’d love to hear your feedback.

Baking inspiration

I have been reading Sue’s new blog, 365 days – £365, with keen interest. The way she has used various ingredients to her advantage has been inspirational. This weekend, I was treating myself to a restful Sunday, after spending most of Saturday catching up with University-related stuff. I felt inclined to rifle through my cupboards and see what I could create. It started with an egg.

A further rummage in the cupboards and in the fridge later, and I had just enough flour, milk, sugar and butter to create this tray of delights . . .

As you can see, I couldn’t resist the role of quality control. I was quite proud of these cute little gluten-free cupcakes. They tasted great fresh from the oven, but they did get a little bit dry. More experimentation required!

I had a small amount of flour left, another 100g of butter and as much sugar as I needed. We keep a house store of sugar in our baking cupboard. Yes, we have a baking cupboard. Yes, we are a house of girly-girls.

But alas, no more eggs.

There was still a recipe to be had though. After a flick through my Marguerite Patten’s Wartime Cookery book, the recipe for Eggless Sponge was uncovered. I made a Syrup Sponge Pudding with the few handfuls of ingredients I had.

Honestly, a bowlful of warm sponge, topped with some reduced custard that I’d bought the day before, was the best pudding I’ve had in a long time. It took a pinch of ingenuity to make, but my goodness, the results were more than satisfactory. For me, it just shows the joy that can be found in simple cooking with humble ingredients. Delicious!

Rebecca’s Recipes: Mama’s Brownies

Recipes that have been passed down through the generations are often tried and tested favourites. My mother is very good at baking. Some might even call her a master of the art. Even when I threw down the gauntlet of being gluten-free, she performed majestically to create the best gluten-free Swiss roll I have ever tasted. That’s right, she made gluten-free cake batter ROLL. Cake-making alchemy at its finest.

I am a novice compared to my mother, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve. I will admit to learning most of them from her though. I’m here to share a recipe that flew from her recipe book to mine, taking the gluten free route. Chocolate brownies. Just saying that prompts a goofy grin from almost everyone. I couldn’t wait to road test my new scales – which work like a dream by the way. Plus, I bought a block of dark chocolate for my sweetie ration just for such a baking occasion.

(Side note, I haven’t had any other sweeties outside of my ration so far this month. I think this is worth a mention, as sweets were always my downfall in previous rationing challenges. I have had crisps on occasions; does anyone know the rationing value of this snack? Thanks!)

My baking uniform is not complete with my CK apron and obligatory fluffy slippers.

            I have been doing a serious amount of writing today to make up for yesterday’s awol behaviour. I took a baking break just after lunch. These are motivational brownies, trust me.

Gluten-free brownies

Ingredients:

110g butter

110g dark or plain chocolate

225g caster sugar

2 eggs

Splash of milk

110g GF plain flour (I use Doves Farm)

½ tsp GF baking powder (again, Doves Farm)

 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a rectangular tin with baking parchment.

Melt the butter and chocolate together using the Bain Marie method (saucepan and hot water – you got it.)

Combine the sugar, flour and baking powder in a large bowl.

Whisk the eggs together with a fork and add the milk.

Add the eggs to the flour mix, then the melted chocolate. Stir to make your brownie batter.

Pour into the tin and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. I like my brownies on the gooey side (who doesn’t?) so I took mine out after 22mins.

I do hope you enjoy the recipe. I shall put the link with the others on my “Rebecca’s Recipes” page. Please let me know if you try it out, I’d love to hear what you think.

Frugal Fridays #12 – Budget Birthday

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            I have made it to my last week at Cath Kidston, only three shifts remain. I am pleased that freedom is within reach, but I am aware of my changing financial state. However, being on a budget does not restrict you from celebrating momentous occasions.

Last week, I hosted an afternoon tea party to celebrate my 21^st birthday. I thought I would share my tips for frugal fun.

1)      Pick the time of your event wisely. My party started at 3pm, as it is much cheaper to supply a few drinks and cakes rather than a proper meal.

2)      Only invite the number of guests you wish to. Don’t feel socially obligated to invite partners or friends of friends. I had seven guests, which made for lively conversation. It’s also a logical matter of having less mouths to feed, so less can be spent on food.

3)      Talking of food, make as much of it yourself as possible. I baked my own cookies and cornflake cakes. My housemate gifted me with a gorgeous chocolate cake as part of my present. It will save you money in comparison to shop bought.

4)      Make the most of supermarket offers. I wanted to have iced biscuits, the kind we made when we were little. So I purchased small bags of different sweets using Sainsbury’s 3 for £1 offer. We had more variation then if I had bought one big bag of branded sweets.

5)      Don’t be afraid to serve bargains. We got through two bottles of sparkling wine, but they were such a deal at £2.49 a bottle. Nobody would have known if I wasn’t so smug about my frugality!

6)      Be mindful about your present requests. I didn’t ask for gifts, but if I was approached about what I would like, I tried to choose useful things. I was lucky enough to be gifted with vouchers, notepads and toiletries, as well as a few treats of chocolate and jewellery.

7)      Don’t waste your leftovers. The clearing up part of an event is never enjoyable. But ensuring the cake is wrapped and the wine is returned to the fridge means you can continue the celebration for the rest of the week.

I had the best time at the party. Although I was conscious of keeping costs low, I did buy in a few items, like plastic wine glasses (which can be re-used!) and gluten-free biscuits. But overall, my party was thrifty at heart, just like the birthday girl herself.

Age old remedy

Last week was a blur. I spent every day bar one trotting back and forth to work, collecting every extra hour I could. I had visits from the chap and lovely sister. I enjoyed a meal out at Wetherspoons to celebrate a twentieth birthday. I cooked and cleaned. I washed and dressed. I tried to catch up on sleep. But then I realised it’s four weeks until the start of term and there are not enough hours in the day.

When your mind is on fire with duties, deadlines and dates, it’s often the simplest activity that quells it. It was time to be amongst nature. Sunday evening was perfect for a stroll. The rain had passed but a breeze had picked up, a whisper of autumnal weather. With a basket in one hand and a crook in the other, I returned to the laden blackberry bushes.

The slow ritual of seeking plump fruit and gently tumbling them into a basket was very calming. I spent a good hour collecting purple jewels, just as the sun was setting. I didn’t think whilst picking, I cut the engine on my pulsating brain and felt at peace. Performing such a traditional task in sublime conditions was good for me.

I came home with a bumper crop, 650g in all! I’m often so envious of the home grown produce that I see on fellow blogs. It all looks so delicious and healthy. I’m so pleased that I can join in with the fun.

In tune with my rationing-style of eating (still going strong!), I’m trying to eat seasonably. Using this calendar here, I’m trying to only buy what’s in season each month. To ensure I can have lovely fruit even when the weather turns, I thoroughly washed my berries and bagged them up for the freezer. A fridge freezer was not a well known commodity in the 1940s, but my eating takes inspiration from the era, not a re-enactment. So, my fresh blackberries will be waiting for me in the depths of winter, ready for porridge or crumble. I like being a squirrel.

PS Don’t add frozen blackberries to a flapjack mix. It tastes delicious, but the darn thing won’t stick at all! Blackberry-flapjack-mush it is – waste not, want not!