Cheaper Mince

On my blog here not only do I show how to use the harvested foods from my backyard to the best value, I also show how I save money elsewhere in the kitchen.

My latest find (been after one for a while now) is a mincer.

I'm not a big fan on supermarkets and the only red meat I buy is the Coles mince as I find this is the less fattiest I can find for our food budget allowance. I only buy the mince when its on special.

Now that is changing. No more buying meat at the supermarket from now on. I can 100% support a whole sale butcher we go to. While still having mince that is 100% fat free.





Check it out. I wasn't going to pay for an electric mincer, this baby was only $40.00 brand new. As a kid I used to help my mum by mincing the lamb meat on the sheep station. Or mincing vegies for my Nanna & Grampa when they made their yummy pasties.

Now when we buy our whole rump for around $7 a kilo I can mince a large slice for Pat & I, with all the fat removed and less than half the price of the supermarkets and I don't have to wait until the mince is on special.



Chicken patties with vegies for tea that night..........

technorati tags: food savings, mince, chicken

Beetroot.

Love beetroot, as a hot vegie or on my plate as a salad.

Been thinking about trying my hand at preserving beetroot for a while and I have finally done this.





These lovely volunteers were picked, scrubbed and in the boiling pot before they knew what hit them. Can't get ant fresher than that.


I have used a new recipe from a dear friend, I'll ask her if I can pop the recipe up here. Easy to make and the chooks will love the left over cooked tops, tails and skins of the beets.




Very pleased with the amount I got into these 3 jars. I am also waiting on my friend to get back to me on how long I need to wait before I can start to eat this yummy vegie.

Its a very easy to preserve beetroot and a lot less messy than jam making.

technorati tags: beetroot, food savings

Chicken Nuggets

When James was little he loved chicken nuggets. I used to pop some on his plate with a small salad as a lunch meal on weekends.

I must say I like them too. Well nothing like an reformed cook who is more in touch with what is in food and what isn't.

The stupidmarkets sell the nuggets either in the deli, meat section or the freezer. If your eyesight is good and you know all the words...you know what is in the nugget.

You can go to one of those chicken franchise shops and pay about $10.99 a kilo for some of their chicken nuggets.

Or you can do what I do and save yourself a heap of money and get a great feed of chicken nuggets.

Lets take a look.



First off you need a healthy salad to go with your nuggets. In the colder months you may need to supplement your own garden salads with some from the green grocer. Now this is all done..the chicken nuggets are next.

This is nice and easy.

I buy my chicken breasts from a butcher who sells them for $8.99 a kilo. One small chicken boob will do just nicely.

Cube the chicken breast into bite size pieces and coat them with some of these crumbs.




That is what the chicken franchise shops use and into some oil the crumbed cubes go.



So there you have it....chicken nuggest that are made with pure chicken meat..and a few crumb to coat the meat.

Why don't you try it and see what the kids or yourself think

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: chicken, food savings, salads

Tomatoes Out Of Season

Back in the summer months I was saving any soft tomatoes from the vegie patch and freezing them.

Now the colder months are here and the tomato season has come to an end. There is no reason why Pat & I still can't enjoy our home grown tomatoes.






Even though the tomatoes defrosted are on the soggy side, add a couple of sliced onions and what ever herbs you want. Cook until tender and thicken with a small amount of corn flour.



A lovely tomato & onion meal with some home made bread toasted makes for a great lunch. Its full of that home grown tomato flavour.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: bread, tomato, food savings

Meat Savings

Money is getting tighter and Christmas is next week. How is your freezer looking meat wise??

After going to the shops yesterday, mine is looking a tad bit healthier.

Each fortnight I allow ex amount of $$ for meat and that is it. So I'm always after a bargain and I found this one at our local IGA stupidmarket.




Whole rump going out for $4.99 a kilo, this pack cost us, $24.95 and was cut up into 8 meals for Pat & myself.

This costing us roughly $3.11 per meat meal. I may have got an extra 2 meals if I cut the meat thinner, but hells bells, gotta have rump thick and juicy on the dinner plate with all those yummy organic vegies.

I try and get a feed of meat no dearer than $5.00 per meal for who ever is home for that meal. This time round I scored the jackpot.

Hope you too are scoring some pre Christmas bargains in the meat area to ease the $$$ pain as the silly season gets closer by the day.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: beef, food savings

More Food Saving

On payday Pat found some cheap economy 1 kilo packets bacon for $4.99. These packets are usually the end cut offs and such.

Having a food saver machine at home, I bought a packet as its a cheap way of getting diced bacon. Not much good for bacon & eggs as a lot is cut thick and in chunks.

I'm not looking at using a lot of diced bacon at this time of the year, unless I make fried rice or a spud salad. But the 1 kilo pkt was just too good to leave behind. I've seen diced bacon priced at $9.99 in shops. Why pay for the privilege of having it diced for you.

After dicing the bacon, I made small pouch bags and sealed the meat inside. Suggested time frame for pork in the freezer is 6 months. By using my food saver kit, 2 to 3 years in the freezer. So there is no rush for me to use up the bacon in the next 6 months.

Not everyone has a food saver, but still looking and buying bacon this way and dicing at home, will still save you $$$$$.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings

Apricot Jam

Last weekend when James was visiting, he told us about his fruit trees (plum, apricot & quince) in his backyard, James had been living there for about a week and Con his dog is keeping the birds away from the trees.

The other day I was lucky enough to score just over 7 lbs of apricots off his tree. Today I have turned it into jam.

One thing I like to do is when given bulk food that is made into a jam or sauce, is give that kind person back a jar of the end product. Even though James said not to bother, I'll pop a jar of jam in his fridge as a thank you.


This weekend we are taking around our old fridge for him, so I'll see if I can collect some more apricots as well.




Apricots in the sink having a rinse. Not many bird beak marks on them, Con keeps the birds out of the backyard. I know these aren't a "Moorpark" apricot as that is what we had in our backyard before it died.




Lovely new thick spoon for stirring the fruit. One year I actually snapped my jamming spoon in half. Pain in the bum when that happened. At this stage I had the sugar warming away in the oven.




After the sugar was added, I let it boil (stirring all the time) making sure it doesn't catch or burn.

While this goes on, Pat helps by washing all the jars & lids in water so hot, I can't put my hands in it. Removes any labels and glue. Then into the oven to dry and sterilize them.




All that needs now is to cool down and make & stick labels on them. That big jar is for Debbie, she keeps me in sheep poo through out the year. Red lid jar is for my niece Jo and the little green lidded jar is for James. One of the front jars is for Amy & Benny and the rest if for me & Pat.

Now I'm going to tell you my recipe as people say my jam is sooooooooooooooooo lovely.

This is between you and me okay? No sharing this around with family members....

7 lbs apricots
5.5 lbs sugar warmed
1 cup water

Cut your fruit up and add to heavy pan with the water. Bring to boil slowly and simmer for 20 mins.

While that is going on...warm your sugar up in the oven. (Figured this is done, so when added to the fruit it doesn't cool the mixture down)

Pop a plate in the fridge and get it chilled. Then later on your ready to see if the jam is setting or not, and if ready for popping in jars.

Add the sugar gradually and boil till the jam sets on that plate in the fridge.

I use jars with metal lids. As the jam cools, it tightens the lid and becomes air tight and the jam will last for years. Debbie's jar has a clear preserve cover on it, as I couldn't find the lid.

Okay so you have your apricots be they yours, neighbours, families or bought cheap at the markets....... what are you waiting for ...get some jars and make yourself some beautiful jam.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, fruit, jam

Strawberries

While out shopping today Pat & I came across these strawberries at our local green grocer. Roughly the weight came to 1 kilo, costing $2.50.

I don't want to guts into them, so none are wasted. How do I save the best ones for later on early next week?




After washing them and patting dry with some paper towel (which is then composted) I put the fruit that wasn't bruised or soft into the "food saver" canister.



By removing the air in the canister and refrigerated, these strawberries will keep in this condition for a week.

To open the canister I just have to press the little gray button and once the air stops hissing out, I can open it.

Nothing worse than spending money and food wasting through poor storage. Or too much and not doing something with it.

I want to buy more of these canisters as I can store spinach or lettuce as well, without damaging the food.

Off now to have a feed on strawberries and cream

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, fruit

Drying Herbs

My parsley is starting to go to seed. With so many healthy leaves still on the plants, I thought I'd take advantage of this and dry some.

Up early before the sun gets onto the plants as this can lower the flavour of the herb. I was enjoying the early morning out the back with my ducks and chooks making noises.

I should get enough jars to see me through those lean days where parsley is scarce in my garden. A jar for my dad too, as he loves the flavour the parsley gives off in his cooking. Dad said its so much nicer than the bought variety.

If you don't have a dehydrator and want to dry herbs, you can use a microwave or your oven on low. I tried the oven way once...... forgot the herbs were in there, boy did that stink the house out . First time I used a dehydrator I borrow one from a friend and that sold me on getting my own.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, herbs, drying food

Whitening Leeks

Ever wondered how those leeks are made so lovely and white?? People have different ways of blanching them. I thought I'd tell you how I blanch mine.




These leeks were picked last night for the chicken pie I was cooking for tea. I popped a pencil next to the leeks, to give you an idea of their size.

The whiter the stalks the more tender the leeks are and also less waste. I used toilet rolls or kitchen toweling paper rolls cut in half.

By the time the leeks are big enough for harvesting, those leeks have become lovely and white. Perfect for the dinner plate.




All sliced and ready for the chicken pie. Toilet rolls are not wasted either, into the worm farm they go.

If you haven't grown leeks, give them a go. Great flavour and a good fill in for when you run out of onions in the kitchen.

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: leeks, food savings

Leafy Greens

Looks lovely doesn't it

To buy this at the shops, you are looking at about $3.99. Sprayed with goodness knows what and in those plastic bags... to keep the shelf life longer.

I picked this today out of my garden, baby rock and baby lettuce leaves. Organic and fresher than what you'll buy anywhere.

These leafy greens are being grown out in my vegie patch. If you want to grow them yourself and don't have the space in your garden. Why not grow them in a large pot or a broccoli box from your local green grocer's shop. Often these are given away free.

These plants are able to be left in the pots (or soil) for weeks and just pick the leaves every few days. Weeks of picking from the plants with not much needed to care for them.

Can't get any easier than that. So why not give it a try

Until next time....hoo roo

technorati tags: food savings, leafy greens

Beef, Kidneys & Good Food

Where do you buy your meat if you are a meat eater??? I like to buy some of our meat at our local Vietnamese Supermarket.

Its so much cheaper than the stupidmarkets and also no foam trays wrapped in plastic. Though to make it even better, if I got the meat wrapped in butcher paper, I'd be even happier.




Kilo of tender gravy beef for $6.59........ way cheaper.
The 3 lamb kidneys were $0.76......

At the stupidmarket last time I paid $1.98 for 3 in a pack. Way over priced in my books.

Now the trick is to get the most out of the meat.



Beef curry and rice, two meals for me.



Steak & kidney with vegies, equals two meals for Pat.

Without including the rice and vegies, $7.35 divided into 4 meals ....$1.8375 for each meal. Can't get much cheaper than that.

By looking outside the stupidmarkets in the smaller shops and markets, there is still cheaper food to be bought.

Pat & I are on a disability pension and so we need to account every cent. So where I can help other people by sharing our shopping & kitchen skills, I will.

Also with the vegies soon to be available for harvesting in the weeks to come from our little vegie patch, it'll be even cheaper.

Until next time.... hoo roo

technorati tags: beef, food savings, rice, vegetables

1 Chicken Breast Equals 8 Pies

With meat getting even dearer time for another food tip from my kitchen. This one is wonderful and so cheap.

All you need is 1 chicken breast and making it into a pie mixture adding any vegies you like. I use the water I cook the chicken breast as chicken stock. Season to your taste.

1 0r 2 sheets of puff pastry.






My pie maker, great for those pies, made in my kitchen. Be savory or sweet.




After the pastry is cut out with the pie cutter, into the heated up pie maker. Pop on the covers and cook until pastry is brown.


That was my lunch today.

I bought 5 chicken breasts for $15.00. So that was 5 chicken boobs for $3.00 each.

By thinking what I can make with1 breast, it was made into 8 pies. As I have a shocking cold and we had 2 pies each for last nights tea. The other 4 pies I cooked for lunch today and we will eat the 2 left over with tonight's meal.

Hope that all makes sense as my head is all mush with this cold.

Until next time....hoo roo

Bum Nuts & Homemade Bread

For breakfast this morning I had 2 soft boiled eggs and a slice of toast. Nothing is nicer when having soft boiled eggs, than a runny yoke and toast to dunk into that yoke.

Eggs came from my girls and the bread I made myself.

Can't get any simpler than that and what a great way to start off my day

technorati tags: bread,, eggs, food savings