More batch cooking

Hi everyone

It's been one of those days where I haven't stopped but nothing much got done! Those extra jobs never seem to get crossed off my list. 

I have batch cooked a large amount of sausage rolls though. I used bought puff pastry and several packs of sausage meat. In some I added onion chutney and in the rest I added chopped onion and a pinch of mixed herbs. These are in the freezer now. I got out of the freezer several different packs of sausages. Tomorrow the slow cooker will be put on for sausage casserole. I also think we'll make some more little fairy cakes for the tin. 

Mandy x

A busy day in the kitchen

Hi everyone

It's been a busy day and I've hardly left the kitchen. I actually spend most of my time in the kitchen really. Henry loves to play with his cars and diggers by my feet as I cook. Daisy's up on her little stool cooking or baking with me, or sat at the table drawing. 

Last night I sorted out my freezers so I had everything ready for my batch cooking. 

Today started with a little grocery delivery to use up my voucher. I won't need to shop for a while now. 

Once the shopping was put away I started cooking. The freezer now has six individual minced beef and onion pies ready and half a large chicken pie (half was eaten for tea). Tomorrow we will batch cook again.

There was some pastry left over so Daisy made some jam tarts (half for the cake tin and half into the freezer. I let Daisy choose what else to bake and we already have some chocolate cake left in the tin so she chose rock cakes...

So we've made a good start to stocking the freezer.

Back tomorrow 

Mandy x

Thrifty times ahead!

Hi everyone,

I've decided to go back to my thrifty ways in preparation for Christmas. I've already bought two presents! Christmas is expensive for us because we choose it to be. This does take some planning and saving up though. 

The plan is to tighten our belts and make cutbacks where we can. We've enjoyed a lovely holiday and now it's time to think about Christmas! So there's lots for me to organise and I thought I'd share my thrifty meals on here with you. There will be batch cooking, cooking from scratch and loads of baking! I've got lots of flour, yeast, sugar, dried fruit, cocoa and icing sugar and I've bought extra marg and eggs so I can fill the freezer with goodies. The chest freezer has meat and veg so the slow cooker is coming out for batch cooking. 

I had a £15 voucher from the supermarket so I put in an extra order to bulk buy toilet rolls, kitchen rolls, washing powder etc. These are all things we use so I might as well save by buying in bulk.

There's lots to be done and saving money usually involves spending time. Time I do have at the moment with it being the summer holidays and I can involve the children too.

I love a challenge and I hope you'll join me for daily updates. 

Mandy x