Thursday 10 February 2011

Use it up!

It's a while since I did a menu planning post, and I have to admit I have become a little less diligent about actually making a plan every week and sticking to it. 

But...

I haven't fallen by the wayside in my attempts to remain frugal, oh no, I've been using up what we already have rather than heading off to the supermarket and invariably purchasing much more than we actually need.

On Monday I used up the mountain of parsnips that seem to have accumulated and we had Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup garnished with Parsnip Crisps, followed by Stromboli. (A sort of rolled up pizza).

I remembered to take pictures of Tuesday evenings menu:

 Sausages (from the freezer) roasted with onions and fresh sage.

Served with:

Grilled polenta with cheese triangles. 

The picture was taken before the triangles were separated and grilled. I used a packet of ready made polenta that has been in the fridge for what seems like an age - it was actually out of date, but I don't pay much attention to dates, so I opened it, smelled it -it smelled OK - tasted a wee bit - it tasted OK so I used it! It was warmed in the microwave and mixed with some grated cheese and mixed herbs then smoothed out in a dish to set before being cut into triangles and grilled.

We also had:

Braised brown lentils to use up half an open packet.

But...
best of all ...

...was the caramel shortbread made to use up the out of date tin of condensed milk lurking at the back of the cupboard. (In my opinion tinned food shouldn't have use by dates on.)

Wednesday I forgot the pics but we used up a plate mince pie that I made and froze a few weeks ago with home made chips and mushy peas.

Not sure about tonight yet - just Dave and me for tea as Ellie is going to curry night at Weatherspoons with her boyfriend.I'm thinking Home Made Chinese Prawn Curry with Fried Rice (got some frozen from the last time I made fried rice) and Prawn Crackers.

Yum!!!

6 comments:

  1. My hubby has taken over the cooking since he retired and I miss just the sort of 'make do' (often the best) cooking you are talking about.

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  2. That all sounds delicious and I LOVE Millionaire's Shortbread!
    xxx

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  3. I love your food posts! Lots of lovely inspiration in this one. I've only ever used the ground polenta in cakes etc but I'm guessing that I could attempt something similar to your grilled version by mixing it with water or something to make it solid?

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  4. I love the sound of the polenta with cheese, it's been ages since I had some.
    It's a delivery curry tonight, very naughty but it's been such a dull day I feel we need a treat! xxx

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  5. I often use up steak pie I've frozen with chips and mushy peas too.. a simple cheap meal, but so good. Do you do extra gravy too? I like to make large casseroles, using my tagine as I have found it the absolute best for tenderising meat beautifully. I usually get two meals out of it... as yesterday when I used up a single pork chop lying in the freezer, added lots and lots of root veggies, stuck a couple of baking potatoes in the oven alongside it, yummy. Today,having eaten all the meat yesterday, I am left with an unctuous mix of root veggies and will add a tin of drained mixed beans, make a cobbler topping, parboil some small new potatoes and chuck them in the oven to dry roast at the same time as the cobbler cooks.
    You get a nice self-satisfied inner smirk, making meals out of lying around foods, and meals that are cheap and nutritious, and delicious... the latter the most important bit!

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  6. Hiya
    Lots to use up here, just need to unpack and organise kitchen!
    Erm, bad news.....
    **Copy message to all blogfriends -I'm locked out of magicalmeadows by Blogger because I messed up my passwords. If I can't rectify it today looks like I'll have to start up a new blog *sigh* right when I'm at my busiest. In the meantime you can email me if needs be on ms_pam_ella@hotmail.com.** End message.
    So things have been a bit quiet around here, and I don't have the energy or enthusiasm for much at the moment:(
    Hope you have a great weekend, love pamela xxx

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