tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92152254474512672502024-02-19T03:00:57.993+00:00Healthy Meals on a BudgetEmily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-66116495306332727222013-01-04T08:57:00.000+00:002013-01-04T08:57:01.102+00:00Creole spiced potato wedges - Creole SeasoningSlice potatoes into wedges. Mine made 6 wedges per potato. Sprinkle
creole seasoning over the wedges, toss to coat (you don't want too much
though, the stuff is a bit hot!) and stick them onto a lightly oiled
baking tray. Bake for 45 minutes - 1 hour at 200C.<br />
<br />
Creole seasoning - CAUTION - this recipe makes A LOT.<br />
2 1/2 tbsp paprika<br />
2 tbsp table salt<br />
2 tbsp garlic granules<br />
1 tbsp ground black pepper<br />
1 tbsp onion granules<br />
1 tbsp cayenne pepper <br />
1 tbsp dried oregano<br />
1 tbsp dried thyme<br />
<br />
Mix together and keep in a tightly closed jar.<br />
<br />
I use the creole seasoning on nearly everything, from mushrooms, to
potatoes, to lentils that need spicing up. It's also very good on
popcorn.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-85947120335269625712013-01-04T08:55:00.003+00:002013-01-04T08:55:58.118+00:00Fish CakesI used the recipe out of "The best of Mrs Beeton's Easy Everyday
Cooking" recipe book. I was out of plain flour, so had to use gluten
free brown flour mix, and instead of pan frying them, I baked them. Next
time I will definitely pan fry them!<br />
<br />
Fish Cakes<br />
350g/12 oz cooked white fish, flaked<br />
450g/1 pound potatoes<br />
25g/1 oz butter<br />
30ml/2 tbsp single cream or milk<br />
15ml/1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley<br />
salt and pepper<br />
50g/2 oz plain flour<br />
oil for shallow frying<br />
<br />
Remove any bones from the fish. Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of
boiling water for about 30 minutes or until tender. Drain thoroughly and
mash with a potato masher, or beat with a hand-held electric whisk until
smooth. Beat in the butter and cream or milk. Add the flaked fish and
parsley, with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until cold. <br />
<br />
Form the fish mixture into 8 portions, shaping each to a flat, round
cake. Spread out the flour in a shallow bowl, add salt and pepper and
use to coat the fish cakes. <br />
<br />
Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the fish cakes and fry for 6-8
minutes, turning once. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper, arrange on a
warmed serving dish and serve.<br />
<br />
**Next time I make this, it will be with leftover mashed potatoes
instead of actually measuring out the butter and milk. I also didn't
quite have enough fish, but they still turned out pretty good. <img alt="" border="0" class="inlineimg" src="http://static.moneysavingexpert.com/images/forum_smilies/smile.gif" title="Smile" /><br />
Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-78880858318244178772013-01-02T14:57:00.001+00:002013-01-02T14:57:21.133+00:00Budgeting and freezer cookingI've decided to hop back on the wagon this month for blogging and what better way to start off than with a post about budgeting and cooking from the freezer?<br />
<br />
Today was a baking/cooking for the freezer day here. I have cooked the following for later eating:<br />
15 <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/cinnamon-applesauce-oatmeal-muffins.html">cinnamon applesauce oatmeal muffins</a><br />
9 <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/buckwheat-pancakes.html">buckwheat pancakes</a><br />
12 <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/hamburger-or-hot-dog-buns.html">hamburger/sandwich buns</a><br />
12 <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/yorkshire-pudding.html">small yorkshire puddings</a><br />
<a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/pizza-crust.html">Pizza dough</a> - enough for 2 large or 3 medium sized pizzas<br />
<br />
Tomorrow I will be making:<br />
<a href="http://altonbrown.com/2012/06/500/">Homemade 'poptarts'</a> - external link (US measurements)<br />
Pasties (with whatever fillings I have on hand)<br />
<a href="http://www.favoritefreezerfoods.com/homemade-biscuits.html">Biscuit/scone dough</a> - external link (US measurements)<br />
<br />
I had to stop baking today because I've ran out of flour! We are having a curry tonight (homemade) made with leftover pork roast. We are also having <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/onion-bhajis.html">onion bahji's</a>, <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/oven-baked-naan.html">naan bread</a>, rice, and red lentils. I'm cheating and using a tikka masala sauce I bought while it was on sale for the curry.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-22342051849456160682013-01-02T14:54:00.001+00:002013-01-02T14:54:55.174+00:00Pizza Crust1 package (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast<br />
1 tsp white sugar<br />
1 cup (236 ml) warm water (between 110F-120F or 44C-48C)<br />
2 1/2 cups (380 g) bread or plain flour<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
<br />
In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in water. Let stand until creamy (~5-10 minutes). Stir in the flour, salt, and the oil. Stir or knead until smooth. Let rest for 5 minutes.<br />
<br />
*If freezing: Separate into separate dough balls (1 for each pizza) if desired, then wrap and freeze. Thaw completely before shaping and baking.<br />
<br />
*If not freezing for later use: Preheat oven to 450F/230C/Gas mark 8. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round. Separate into smaller portions for smaller pizzas.<br />
<br />
Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan. Spread out with hands. Spread on sauce and toppings and bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-33571847182477120062013-01-02T14:48:00.003+00:002013-01-02T14:48:21.520+00:00Cinnamon Applesauce Oatmeal MuffinsRecipe courtesy of SparkPeople <br />
<br />
1 cup (90 g) old fashion rolled oats (not instant)<br />1 cup (236 ml) milk<br />1 cup (135 g) whole wheat flour (plain flour works as well)<br />1/2 cup (85 g) brown sugar<br />1/2 cup (118 ml) unsweetened applesauce<br />1 egg<br />1 tsp. baking powder<br />1/2 tsp. baking soda<br />1/2 tsp. salt<br />1 tsp. cinnamon<br />1 tsp. white sugar<br />raisins or nuts (optional)
<br />
<br />
Soak the oats in milk for about one hour. <br />Preheat the oven to 400F/205C/gas mark 6. <br />Grease muffin tin. <br />Combine the oat mixture with the applesauce, brown sugar, and egg, and mix until combined. <br />In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together. <br />Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined. Add nuts or raisins if desired. <br />Do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be tough. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan. <br />Combine the cinnamon and sugar and top each muffin with some of the mixture. <br />Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done. <br />Remove from pan, cool and enjoy. <br />These can be frozen and reheated in the microwave for a quick breakfast.<br />
<br />
*The cinnamon can be mixed in with the dry ingredients and the white sugar may be omitted if desired. Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-28148470400590370762013-01-02T14:42:00.005+00:002013-01-02T14:42:50.747+00:00Yorkshire PuddingRecipe courtesy of 'The best of Mrs Beeton's Easy Everyday Cooking'<br />
<br />
100 g (4 oz, by weight) plain flour<br />
1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) salt<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
300 ml (10 fluid oz, 1 1/4 cups) milk, or half milk and half water<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. Grease either a baking dish or muffin tins and place into the oven to preheat with the oven.<br />
<br />
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg. Stir in half of the milk (or all of the milk if using a mixture of milk and water), gradually working in the flour.<br />
<br />
Beat vigorously until the mixture is smooth and bubbly, then stir in the rest of the milk (or the water).<br />
<br />
Pour the batter into the baking dish or muffin tins and bake for 40-45 minutes (muffin tins only take about 35 minutes) until golden brown and well risen.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-61912019226262426632013-01-02T14:36:00.001+00:002013-01-02T14:36:51.134+00:00Buckwheat PancakesRecipe courtesy of Hodgson Mill<br />
<br />
1 cup (130 g) buckwheat flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
2 tbsp sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
1 cup (236 ml) milk<br />
2 tbsp (55 g) butter<br />
<br />
Mix dry ingredients together. Heat frying pan or electric griddle. Melt butter. Add to the dry ingredients the egg, milk and melted butter. Mix well. Pour 1/4 cup (~60 ml) of batter for each pancake onto the frying pan or electric griddle. Cook for 1-1 1/2 minutes, turning when edges look cooked and bubbles begin to break on the surface. Continue to cook for another 1-1 1/2 minutes until both sides are golden brown.<br />
<br />
*If freezing these, allow to cool completely on a wire rack, then stack, placing a piece of waxed, greaseproof, or parchment paper between each. Place these into a container or a bag and freeze. To serve, remove needed amount from the freezer and place into a toaster to re-heat.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-73307882593968637892013-01-02T14:25:00.002+00:002013-01-02T15:34:47.723+00:00Hamburger or hot dog bunsHamburger or hot dog buns<br />
Makes 12 servings<br />
<br />
1 cup (236 ml) milk<br />
1/2 cup (118 ml) water<br />
1/4 cup (55 g) butter<br />
up to 4 1/2 cups (700 g) plain flour<br />
1 1/4 tsp (~7 g) yeast<br />
2 tbsp (25 g) sugar<br />
1 1/2 tsp (~9 g) salt<br />
1 egg<br />
<br />
In a small saucepan, heat milk, water and butter until very warm,
between 110F-120F (44C-48C) (if you don't have a thermometer, stick a
clean finger in the mix, you want to be able to hold it there for about
4-5 seconds, but no longer). <br />
<br />
In a large bowl, mix together 1 3/4 cups (270 g) flour, the yeast,
sugar, and salt. Mix the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture, then
add the egg. <br />
<br />
Add just enough flour to form a loose dough, I added 3 doses of 100 g
flour each time, for a total of 570 g flour used. This will vary based
on the ambient humidity. The drier it is, the less flour you need, the
wetter it is, the more flour you need. <br />
<br />
Once the dough has pulled together (and by this point your arm will feel
like it will fall off from stirring!!!), lightly flour a clean kitchen
counter or table, dump the dough ball out onto the floured surface and
knead for about 5-8 minutes. <br />
<br />
Make the dough into a log (remember your play dough or clay from primary
school!) and cut into 12 pieces. I use a pair of clean scissors to make
this easier. They don't have to be exactly the same size, after all,
that's one of the charms of homemade bread! <br />
<br />
Shape the dough into round balls and place on a greased baking sheet (or
use greaseproof or parchment paper). *** Please be sure to grease even the greaseproof or parchment paper, these things like to stick! Flatten each ball slightly. Cover
and let rise for 30-35 minutes. This step can take as long as an hour or
so, depending on the temperature where they are rising and the
humidity.<br />
<br />
I placed the two pans of dough balls into the oven (turned off and
cooled from when I was baking earlier) on the two top racks, then I put a
baking dish under those on a third rack (the floor of the oven works
fine, so long as there isn't a heating element down there!). Boil some
water in the kettle, pour the water slowly into the baking dish, slide
the baking dish into the oven and close the door. The heat and humidity
from the boiled water will make the dough rise quicker, even with a cold
house. Be sure to place a towel below your oven door, the humidity can
run down the front of the door onto the floor. Great way to clean an
oven door though!<br />
<br />
Anyway - after the dough has risen, bake at 400F/205C/gas mark 6 for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.<br />
<br />
For hot dog buns: Shape each of the 12 pieces into a 6 inch by 4 inch
rectangle (or close to it, doesn't need to be exact). Starting with the
longer side, roll up tightly and pinch the edges and ends to seal. Let
rise for 20-25 minutes. Bake the same as the hamburger buns. <br />
<br />
To make onion rolls (my favourite!): add 2 tbsp dried minced onion and
1/2 tsp onion salt to the flour mixture (reduce the salt in the recipe
to 1 tsp (~6 g)). Brush with egg and sprinkle dried onion over the tops
and bake as normal.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-35456189370680115002012-11-01T13:13:00.003+00:002012-11-01T13:13:44.771+00:00Refrigerator Cookies(this was originally a GF recipe, but they work with plain flour as well)<br />225g plain flour<br />1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder<br />100g butter<br />175g caster sugar (granulated works as well)<br />1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract/flavouring<br />1 beaten egg<br /><br />Mix flour and baking powder in a bowl. Rub in the butter. Squish it between your fingers in the flour, it's actually quite fun in my opinion. Add the sugar and mix. Add the vanilla and egg and mix into a dough. Here is where you can add chocolate, nuts, dried fruits, etc. if you want. <br /><br />Bake at 190C/375F/gas mark 5 for 10-12 minutes. If baking from frozen, you may need to add an extra minute or two. Let them cool a bit on the tray before trying to get them off, or bake them on the tray with parchment paper/greaseproof paper. The paper makes it so much easier to transfer them off the pan!<br /><br />The original recipe says to shape into a long roll about 5 cm diameter and wrap, then refrigerate overnight. I end up just rolling little balls of the dough and baking some, then freezing the rest of the cookie balls on a cookie sheet. Once they're frozen, toss them into a bag or container and then you can just pull out as many as you need (or want) and bake away without waiting. That is, *if* you can resist eating the frozen dough like I always end up doing...Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-79563015994892895252012-10-08T14:51:00.002+01:002012-10-08T14:51:49.728+01:00Beef StewServes 6-8<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
4 cups chicken or beef stock<br />
1 cup celery, chopped<br />
3 small potatoes (~300g), diced (I left the skins on)<br />
2 large carrots (~240g), chopped<br />
4-5 medium-large mushrooms, quartered (mine weighed in at 200g)<br />
1 can (400g/14.5oz) plum or chopped tomatoes in juice (undrained)<br />
1 medium onion, in wedges<br />
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled<br />
9 oz/280 g cooked beef - I used leftover brisket from last night<br />
<br />
Dump everything into the slow cooker and set it on high until all of the veggies are finished cooking. I don't know how long this one takes yet as it's still in the slow cooker at the moment.<br />
<br />
If this is too "soupy" for you, mix up a tablespoon or two of cornstarch/cornflour in a few tablespoons cool water and add near the end. Or you can serve it over rice to help soak up some of the soupy goodness. Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-81550897451078203252012-10-08T14:45:00.000+01:002012-10-08T14:45:07.808+01:00Spicy Vegetable SoupServes 6-8<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
6 cups chicken broth/stock<br />
3 carrots, chopped<br />
1 can (400g/14.5oz) chopped tomatoes (undrained)<br />
1 shallot (or small onion), diced<br />
1 cup celery, chopped<br />
Cabbage (I used 2 leaves of savoy, use what you have) <br />
1 can (400g/14.5oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed<br />
Chilli powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Put all of the veggies into the slow cooker then add the broth. Cook it on high until the carrots are tender. It took 4 hours in my slow cooker. The longer you let it cook, the better it tastes, but the mushier the veggies can become.<br />
<br />
*Note: I abhor celery. This goes way beyond hate. Even I cannot taste it in this recipe nor tell that it's even there after cooking. <br />
<br />
If you'd like, add up to 3 tbsp rice at the beginning for a thicker soup. You can also add corn if you'd like. I like the spiciness in this, especially now that the nights are getting cooler.<br />
<br />
I haven't tried it, but if you use canned carrots this would come together especially fast. You'd bring it to a boil then lower it to a simmer for about half an hour. Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-16008726959178868922012-10-08T14:09:00.003+01:002012-10-08T14:52:31.042+01:00Long time away, lets get back to it!It's been quite a while since I've taken the time to blog. I've missed it! I've changed the title of the blog to "Healthy Meals on a Budget" because I still have a budget (we are being a bit flexible on the £50/month at the moment) and because I'm trying to lose weight.<br />
<br />
So, lets get back to the recipes and the money saving shall we?<br />
<br />
Today's Menu (for 2 people):<br />
Breakfast:<br />
2 eggs - £0.17<br />
2 sausages - £0.75<br />
2 slices wholemeal toast - £0.04<br />
100g mushrooms (approx) - £0.15<br />
2 Activia yoghurts (125ml each) - £0.75<br />
Juice - 1 cup orange and 1 cup apple - £0.22 and £0.15 respectively<br />
Total: £2.23<br />
<br />
Lunch<br />
For Jethro:<br />
2 slices wholemeal bread - £0.04<br />
50 g beef roast from last night - £0.27<br />
2 oz (~50g) extra mature cheddar - £0.29<br />
1 banana - £0.12<br />
1 Activia yoghurt - £0.38<br />
<br />
For me:<br />
1 serving (1.5 cups)<a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/spicy-vegetable-soup.html"> homemade spicy vegetable soup</a> - £0.16<br />
1.5 cups cooked white rice - £0.03<br />
<br />
Total: £1.29<br />
<br />
Snack (for me):<br />
1 slice wholemeal bread - £0.02<br />
2 tbsp (30 g) crunchy peanut butter - £0.03<br />
1 banana - £0.12<br />
Total: £0.17<br />
<br />
Dinner:<br />
2 servings <a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/beef-stew.html">homemade beef stew</a> - £0.64<br />
2 cups (250ml each) milk - £0.22<br />
Total: £0.86<br />
<br />
Grand total for Monday 8 October 2012: £4.55<br />
<br />
That's less than one of us could get a take away for at one meal!<br />
<br />
I will work on getting recipes up during the next few days and linking them to where they need to go. Thank you for your patience.<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful day!Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-74221022306720479232012-09-06T12:40:00.000+01:002012-09-06T12:40:34.013+01:00Thai green chicken curry and consequences of overspendingI have Thai green chicken curry in the slow cooker at the moment, and it is smelling wonderful! This morning I placed two frozen chicken thighs, a couple handfuls of frozen green beans, a few handfuls of frozen broccoli, some frozen sweet peppers and onion and a good amount of fresh mushrooms into the slow cooker. I mixed up some of the dehydrated coconut flakes with water to make coconut milk and added Thai green curry paste. Once that was stirred up well I poured it over the rest and turned the slow cooker on low. About two hours later I turned it on high. Now, 4 1/2 hours after I started, dinner is finished. All I need to do for tonight now is cook a batch of rice.<br />
<br />
We also received a text message from the bank this morning saying our balance was below a certain amount. We haven't really paid that much attention to what we've been spending on groceries during the moving process, and due to that we have overspent this month. I need to try and not buy anything for the rest of this month and most of next month to make up for this overspending. I do want to stock up on dried beans and get a bit more flour, as well as getting at least one boneless pork shoulder from Morrisons (£1.50/kg this week!).<br />
<br />
I am hoping to start making use of our freezer (that's actually a decent size here!) to prepare meals for the slow cooker so that all I will need to do is dump the bag into the cooker and turn it on. Very useful for if and when I get sick or when I am exhausted and cannot cook. Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-21548349244782211262012-09-05T15:15:00.001+01:002012-09-05T15:15:33.357+01:00Back in action!Hello everyone! We now have internet at our new place, so I'll be trying to update the blog occasionally amidst all of the remaining unpacking and decorating that needs doing.<br />
<br />
For tonight, we are having crockpot lemon garlic chicken (4 frozen chicken thighs, juice of 2 lemons, teaspoon - or one clove - minced garlic, cooked on low for 4 hours), rice, a salad (homegrown!) and green beans.<br />
<br />
I've promised Jethro that we can have Thai green chicken curry tomorrow night, and I am bound and determined to make it in the crockpot. I have some dried coconut flakes (add water, turns it into coconut milk) that I'll be using instead of the expensive canned stuff. We found sweet bell peppers on sale last week at Aldi for 69p per 3 peppers, so we bought three packs. I wish we would have bought double that now that we have a decent sized freezer. I'll do my best to remember to write down what and how much of everything goes into the curry tomorrow so that I can share the recipe with everyone.<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful day!<br />
<br />
EmilyEmily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-80498412256941860612012-08-20T16:06:00.004+01:002012-08-20T16:06:47.488+01:00Important update! 20th August until ?I am currently in the process of moving, so I unfortunately will not have internet for a short while. Sorry for the interruption this will cause in my blog posts.<br />
<br />
EmilyEmily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-90788274564080965052012-08-17T17:46:00.001+01:002012-08-17T17:46:37.404+01:00Day 18 and 19Sorry about not posting yesterday, I was out of the house from 8:30 am until well after 9 pm! Due to that, we ended up having frozen pizza. I also donated blood, so this (and my immediate exhaustion afterwards) is the main reason we had pizza last night instead of tonight. It's quick and easy. Unfortunately, it can also be budget crashing. Even on sale, the pizzas costed £1.25 each, so £2.50 for both of us to eat. It doesn't sound like much, but considering that is only one meal, if every meal in one week (3 per day, 7 days) costed that much, you'd spend £52.50 in ONE week!<br />
<br />
Anyway, tonight I'm making homemade tuna 'helper' with canned tuna and broken spaghetti pasta. Add in a bit of milk, cheese and spices as well as broccoli or peas and you've got a one pot meal that takes about 30 minutes to make. I'll post a recipe as soon as I can update again!Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-22549364614117023132012-08-15T14:28:00.001+01:002012-08-15T14:28:54.174+01:00Day 17Last night I made lasagne. I ran out of leeks, so I needed to use some of the lasagne sheets that I had, but I didn't know how many I would need, so I cooked what I had. Around half of a box. Turns out I only needed 3 sheets to finish the lasagne. So, what to do with the leftover sheets? I blotted them dry on a clean tea towel, placed a small spoonful of some chicken that I had cooked in nacho cheese dip and salsa in the slow cooker the other day on one end and rolled them up! I then lightly greased a baking dish and laid the rolls in them. Then I made a mock cheese/spice sauce to pour over them with a bit of milk, cornstarch, home made fajita seasoning, crushed red chillies, Italian seasoning, paprika and black pepper. I cooked the sauce on the stovetop until it was just starting to thicken, then I poured it over the rolls and finely shredded some cheese over the top of the dish. As I pulled out the lasagne, I put the dish of lasagne sheet roll ups into the oven and let them cook for about 20 minutes. We haven't tried them yet, but this means that most of dinner tonight is already finished!<br />
<br />
I also soaked the rest of the black beans that I had in water last night and cooked them in the slow cooker today. I have drained them and have them out cooling at the moment so that I can put them into the blender with a bit of garlic and some shallot and make "refried" beans to go with dinner tonight.<br />
<br />
I'm baking bread at the moment as well (and the entire flat smells like a bakery!). I used a really simple recipe (that can be found <a href="http://breadbaking.about.com/od/yeastbreads/r/1loafbread.htm">here</a>) and ended up using around 400 g of flour because it was a bit dry here today. The amount of flour that you use in bread making recipes will vary due to the weather in your area and especially the humidity.<br />
<br />
I like to keep the windows open in the flat, otherwise the air gets stale and sometimes stifling. Since bread needs a warm moist environment to rise (yeast breads anyway, quick breads are for another day), I've figured out that I can place the bowl or pan into my oven, place a baking dish on the bottom (or on a lower rack if you have a heating element on the floor of your oven) and add boiling water to the baking dish. Then close up the oven (do NOT turn the oven on!!!) and let it rise for the allotted time in the recipe. Most recipes call for a first rise of 45 minutes to an hour, then after shaping and placing in the pan, a second rise of another 30 - 45 minutes.<br />
<br />
*Update on the bread: I'm still not accustomed to baking bread here! Back in the States I had a stand mixer with a dough hook. Here in the UK I do not. Therefore I'm having to learn how to feel how much flour needs to go in for making dough. I don't think I used enough flour today. The bread still tastes wonderful though, so no harm done. :)<br />
<br />
Since I didn't really follow any recipes this time I don't have any recipes to type up. I do however have photos!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrBjF8EiZ31GgOtGEiSD0sc2WNaPGwB1TBs64BmmgdQKDg0Z2nBR7g7QcIR1kl_sTXvTj78hbwa0bSRFAley-jbIJ81b2grk4vq1f2Iv67keqwSdjwDcpC302NChU_9aHihS8hK52r-Y/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDrBjF8EiZ31GgOtGEiSD0sc2WNaPGwB1TBs64BmmgdQKDg0Z2nBR7g7QcIR1kl_sTXvTj78hbwa0bSRFAley-jbIJ81b2grk4vq1f2Iv67keqwSdjwDcpC302NChU_9aHihS8hK52r-Y/s320/IMG_0601.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chicken and lasagne sheet roll ups</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjyflK_3mWDj0ghcvfcWXnRd0WSP1wVnJf0MdL8zmxXt_s4smpRW-CSXJ-tgxGZMHhMFXncrBaSAG9ilX1ieV84FVVZDv5M9ENV4oUKZym35XkzzZ7cNaeFSbbrKPT8fFky7jY5IGHlk/s1600/IMG_0603.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqjyflK_3mWDj0ghcvfcWXnRd0WSP1wVnJf0MdL8zmxXt_s4smpRW-CSXJ-tgxGZMHhMFXncrBaSAG9ilX1ieV84FVVZDv5M9ENV4oUKZym35XkzzZ7cNaeFSbbrKPT8fFky7jY5IGHlk/s320/IMG_0603.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black beans soaking in water</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NBaRso3KBjmZgocqF8uMihTxGpy1S1F6vhXdfYE6qEx-fc6DtYs0RH44XUYrz5OBiWTKztz2Zk4G5L_ZFL-z_cghBfXBFLPuXVgzgGImp_C2SgzWLz9MMDFfFUFZpJK38BvwY2DUw64/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7NBaRso3KBjmZgocqF8uMihTxGpy1S1F6vhXdfYE6qEx-fc6DtYs0RH44XUYrz5OBiWTKztz2Zk4G5L_ZFL-z_cghBfXBFLPuXVgzgGImp_C2SgzWLz9MMDFfFUFZpJK38BvwY2DUw64/s320/IMG_0604.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bread dough</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksX_bWRtcgMKgXI8djqFdxRywyrbC3OjWir58082Cb_G6j0YAerzhpCd2bY5F_zI48JWetZ3EPjYFkx53lJPqEBbw8bNJknAPn1RwGGPCh-m_-hmpGC5UASlpeBDUM6ocGpcwkNvhrzs/s1600/IMG_0605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksX_bWRtcgMKgXI8djqFdxRywyrbC3OjWir58082Cb_G6j0YAerzhpCd2bY5F_zI48JWetZ3EPjYFkx53lJPqEBbw8bNJknAPn1RwGGPCh-m_-hmpGC5UASlpeBDUM6ocGpcwkNvhrzs/s320/IMG_0605.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bread dough, first rise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXprKa8K4Fgr-v23BOvQGHf5GmpDTyatcc2Vc4wJGxxhc51ZXYPPKjR28vAOH8PyJOkqR-yzbjhD5Ef0j8X1v3pfpayO-CRpxKb6uldgYGYF3Lsb9SnatzIl2RJNgOfNYqSxu4WHqC2w/s1600/IMG_0606.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLXprKa8K4Fgr-v23BOvQGHf5GmpDTyatcc2Vc4wJGxxhc51ZXYPPKjR28vAOH8PyJOkqR-yzbjhD5Ef0j8X1v3pfpayO-CRpxKb6uldgYGYF3Lsb9SnatzIl2RJNgOfNYqSxu4WHqC2w/s320/IMG_0606.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Separating the dough</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMpseyMJmJTWAsQy_ivWUQ2-VtTjwHuKwXGjfYyrR9JJ0ZHx7UsIHUvWG7CYA0A796_J32AqwejLwYq1d_jZ1PpG-HTg-9_SBimqGwpwTeSS3PU0DKiGMs1LS8qhYCwCiEO_Vrs2F_bk/s1600/IMG_0607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZMpseyMJmJTWAsQy_ivWUQ2-VtTjwHuKwXGjfYyrR9JJ0ZHx7UsIHUvWG7CYA0A796_J32AqwejLwYq1d_jZ1PpG-HTg-9_SBimqGwpwTeSS3PU0DKiGMs1LS8qhYCwCiEO_Vrs2F_bk/s320/IMG_0607.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the second rise</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVNt7-7SY-iV1LUu2EMjCwopWUd3vrGwzxqIKhDRVRe5aeQtGPH5A145neBA594VkeA8WFVUn9B4cXODFg2U1CSUPsVn2i1IWgWJjGGBis9g9IG9F30saGF-2mi566-9gY56M21wRYUTw/s1600/IMG_0608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVNt7-7SY-iV1LUu2EMjCwopWUd3vrGwzxqIKhDRVRe5aeQtGPH5A145neBA594VkeA8WFVUn9B4cXODFg2U1CSUPsVn2i1IWgWJjGGBis9g9IG9F30saGF-2mi566-9gY56M21wRYUTw/s320/IMG_0608.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished bread. The results of not using enough flour!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-28809604274528893632012-08-14T14:57:00.001+01:002012-08-14T14:57:25.297+01:00Day 16I discovered this morning that we have already went over budget by £13... This is after only two weeks! I'm going to do my best to not buy anything but the absolute essentials for the rest of the month. With a lot of creativity, I think that we can get through the next two weeks fine for food. I believe that things will be better once we move, since we will have an actual freezer there and space for a chest freezer that someone has offered us (yay!). Since I do not own a pressure canner/cooker (and I don't really want one either), I cannot safely can and preserve meats and low acid meals. This is why the freezer space is vital to us only using £50 per month. Once we have decent freezer space, I'll be doing more "once per month" cooking. This way, if I'm sick or too tired to cook, we can still have a homecooked meal.<br />
<br />
Having Jethro stop by the store on his way home is a bad idea for us, but I have been keeping up with what we use the most vs what we use the least so that I can better plan for the following months.<br />
<br />
We are down to 1 egg, so we ended up having oatmeal this morning. Jethro picked up some bacon (darn our cravings!) yesterday, so we each had a piece of bacon as well for some protein. I sent a piece of the healthier cottage pie and a creole chicken leg to work with him for lunch, and I had a piece of the healthier cottage pie with a yoghurt and 2 slices of wholemeal toast for lunch.<br />
<br />
For a mid-afternoon snack, I had homemade strawberry jam and a bit of "no nut" chocolate spread on 2 slices of wholemeal toast. If you like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, try a chocolate spread and jelly sandwich! Even though I am allergic to some nuts, luckily hazelnuts are not on my allergy list, so I can have things like Nutella. We bought the "no nut" stuff because it was on clearance a while back for 75 pence for a bigger jar than the Nutella comes in for £2.15. I had honestly forgotten that we had the stuff! It ended up getting pushed to the back of the refrigerator where I couldn't see it.<br />
<br />
What I've found by researching our food intake is #1, we eat far too much for one meal, #2, we go through cheese and milk like crazy! I may splurge and buy the strongest (we like cheddar) that I can find next month so that we won't need to add so much to our meals and salads to still get the flavour. Once we have a freezer, I'll probably end up freezing milk to keep from getting sucked into the store because we are out. As you are probably far too aware, it is very difficult to get only one item at the store! Impulse buys stack up, and the fewer trips to the store you can make, the better.<br />
<br />
I'm doing more research, gathering up cheaper (and still healthy!) recipes, and I'm really looking forward to having freezer space again next month. I'll also be growing some of our own food from scraps after we move, since we will have a small back garden. I have already started a leek root, 3 carrot tops, and an eye/sprout from one of the potatoes we had yesterday. The new house also has a walk in pantry under the stairs, which I am super super excited about! Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-67181722611449144572012-08-13T11:13:00.002+01:002012-08-13T13:22:24.469+01:00Days 14 and 15I'm sorry that I've been fairly absent for a few days here. We decided to take it easy this weekend and just enjoy it, so blogging was unfortunately pushed to the back burner for a day or two. Anyway, I did manage to cut Jethro's hair and cook a healthy version of cottage pie this weekend! I have nearly caught up with the cleaning from over the weekend and I also have apples with a bit of sugar and water in the slow cooker becoming apple sauce now. My new cookbook and my study guide for my Life in the UK test came through the post this weekend and this morning, so I have a bit of reading to do soon. I am really looking forward to perusing the cookbook though. It's the one from the Hairy Bikers, their "The Hairy Dieters" cookbook. The apple sauce that I made costed a grand total of £1.61 for 12 servings (a serving is approximately 4 ounces/115 grams). This means that each of the six jars that I preserved of the apple sauce costed me £0.27, whereas the same size jar in the store would cost twice that, minimum! Plus making my own means that I know that there aren't any artificial ingredients, colourings, flavourings, or preservatives in my apple sauce.<br />
<br />
Anyway, here are some recipes:<br />
<a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/healthier-cottage-pie.html">Healthy cottage pie</a><br />
<a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sarahs-applesauce/detail.aspx">Homemade slow cooker applesauce</a> (external link) - Dump all of the ingredients into a slow cooker and cook for 4 hours to make this in the slow cooker!<br />
<br />Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-10682503474507320872012-08-13T11:11:00.001+01:002012-08-13T11:11:28.193+01:00Healthier Cottage PieThis recipe was adapted from a recipe for healthier shepherds pie, which can be found <a href="http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/2956/healthy-shepherd-s-pie.aspx">here</a>.<span class="name"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="name">1 tbsp olive oil (optional) </span><br />
<span class="name">450 g (1 lb) minced beef and pork</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">1 large onion, finely chopped</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">1 1/2 carrots, finely chopped</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name"></span><span class="name"></span><br />
<span class="name">1 leek, thinly sliced</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped </span><br />
<span class="name">1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">360 ml (12 fl oz) beef or vegetable stock, preferably home-made</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">100 g (3½ oz) split red lentils</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">3 tbsp chopped parsley (or 1 tbsp dried chopped parsley)</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="name">Potato and parsnip topping</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">500 g (1 lb 2 oz) floury potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">75 ml (2½ fl oz) semi-skimmed milk</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">25 g (scant 1 oz) butter</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name">salt and pepper</span><span class="name"> </span><br />
<span class="name"> </span><br />
1. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan. Add the mince and cook over a
high heat, stirring well with a wooden spoon to break up the meat, for
about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Push the meat to one side of
the pan and add the onion. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10
minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and lightly
browned.<br />
2.
Add the carrots, pepper and leek and stir well, then add the Worcestershire sauce, stock and lentils. Increase the heat and
bring to the boil, stirring frequently. Partially cover with a lid, then
reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally.<br />
3.
While the meat mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F,
gas mark 6) and prepare the topping. Place the potato and cauliflower chunks
in a saucepan and pour over boiling water to cover by 5 cm (2 in).
Bring back to the boil, then reduce the heat and cook for 15–20 minutes
or until the potatoes and cauliflower are very tender. Heat the milk in a
small saucepan until hot.<br />
4.
Drain the potatoes and cauliflower well, and return them to the pan.
Pour the hot milk over them, then mash them until they are completely
smooth. Beat in the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.<br />
5. Remove the meat mixture from the heat, add the chopped parsley and
seasoning to taste and stir well. Spoon into a large ovenproof dish,
about 2.6 litre (4½ pint) capacity. Top with the mashed vegetables,
spreading in an even layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until bubbling and
lightly browned.<br />
<br />
This turned out quite well and made 6 servings for us. Enough for three meals essentially. I would have added sliced mushrooms if we would have had any and then I would have used half of the meat. When cooked, most mushrooms have a texture similar to cooked mince. Jethro and I both really liked the potato and cauliflower mash, but it did make enough to have leftovers, even after topping the pie! This recipe is definitely a keeper here, although next time I will probably sprinkle some shredded cheese over the pie right before placing it into the oven for an extra little flavour kick.<br />
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<br />Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-67972753968027912782012-08-11T09:38:00.001+01:002012-08-11T09:38:12.176+01:00Days 12 and 13Yesterday was day 12. After posting on Thursday I was racked with stomach cramps and pain. No fish pie was cooked that night, although I am still planning on cooking it in the following week or so. We unfortunately took the easy path for the past two days, fish and chips from the chippy on Thursday and frozen pizza yesterday. I was able to keep the pain at bay yesterday long enough to go down to Morrisons for milk and apples, but that was it for my day. I am feeling ok at the moment, so I used some of my energy to prepare vegetables that I'd like to use in a cottage pie and a lasagne (a la Hairy Bikers recipe) that I'm hoping to cook tonight. If I can get both cooked tonight, we can cut them up into pieces and freeze them, making for an easy microwave meal if and when I get sick again and cannot cook.<br />
<br />
For the topping of the cottage pie, I will be using half mashed potatoes and half mashed cauliflower. Mix the two together and it makes a tasty topping with nearly half the calories and way less carbs!Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-89053526320845879152012-08-09T15:45:00.000+01:002012-08-09T15:45:01.208+01:00Day 11I wasn't feeling well this morning, but since about noon I've been driving myself crazy cleaning! I've gotten the dishes washed, the kitchen wiped down and I've washed the outside of our windows! It's in the tenancy agreement that we had to before we moved out, so I went ahead and got it over with. Just told Jethro that I feel like a mix between spiderwoman and superwoman!<br />
<br />
We were supposed to have homemade "tuna helper" tonight, but we have cauliflower that is beginning to turn brown that we need to use. I'm going to attempt my take on a fish pie tonight. Instead of using just potatoes for the topping, I'll be steaming and using cauliflower mixed with the potatoes. Uses the cauliflower and makes the pie healthier. I'll post the recipe later on tonight when I'll be able to update everyone as to if it is good or not.<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful day! :)<br />
<br />
EmilyEmily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-87006722925377889232012-08-08T13:58:00.000+01:002012-08-08T20:45:38.623+01:00Day 10I'm still not feeling completely well today, but we are having beef curry. I'll also be making fragrant rice, red lentils, onion bhajis and naan.<br />
<br />
I sliced the beef for the curry yesterday while I was slicing the beef for the philly cheesesteak soup. Once I finish cleaning the dishes from last night (we have a tiny sink and draining board here!) I'll start to prep my vegetables for the curry. I'm just using a prepared sauce this time, but the curry will contain beef, mushrooms, peppers and onions. This means I have a lot of onions to cut! *cue the crying*<br />
<br />
I'll do my best to take photos of the recipes I make tonight, but no guarantees. Jethro is typically too hungry to wait on photos! I don't blame him, he needs to eat after a long days work.<br />
<br />
Here are links to two things I'll be making tonight:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/onion-bhajis.html">Onion Bhajis</a><br />
<a href="http://50poundspermonth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/oven-baked-naan.html">Naan</a><br />
<br />
*Note: Feeding your husband curry without fennel is signing an order for gassing yourself! We don't joke about "rumble britches" after a curry for nothing!Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-56511717950728039872012-08-08T13:51:00.002+01:002012-08-08T13:58:19.016+01:00Naan250g/9 oz plain flour<br />
2 tsp sugar<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
110-130ml/3 1/2 - 4 1/2 fl oz milk<br />
2 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
<br />
1. Sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a bowl. In another bowl, mix together the milk and oil.<br />
2. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the liquid mixture. Slowly mix together the dough by working from the centre and incorporating the flour from the edges of the well to make a smooth soft dough. Knead well for 8-10 minutes, adding a little flour if the dough is too sticky.<br />
3. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea-towel and leave in a warm place for 10-15 minutes. Form the dough into 5 balls.<br />
4. Preheat the grill to medium and place a heavy baking sheet on the upper shelf of the grill to heat.<br />
5. Roll the dough balls out quite thinly. Sprinkle over any toppings you wish to add and press them into the dough. Place the naans onto the hot baking sheet and grill for 1-2 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush with butter to serve.Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9215225447451267250.post-81073066277635041162012-08-08T13:46:00.000+01:002012-08-08T13:46:32.226+01:00Onion Bhajis2 eggs, beaten<br />
3 onions, sliced<br />
120g/4 oz plain flour<br />
1 tsp ground coriander<br />
1 tsp cumin seed<br />
3 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more if required<br />
<br />
1. Add the onions to the beaten eggs and mix well.<br />
2. Add the flour, ground coriander and cumin seed and stir well to combine.<br />
3. Heat the oil in a deep-sided frying pan over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add spoonfuls of the bhaji mixture and fry one side for 30 seconds or until golden brown. Flip them over and fry for another 30 seconds. Drain on kitchen roll (over newspaper if possible).<br />
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<br />Emily W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/15324803146188637928noreply@blogger.com0