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I've done two recipes this week that cost very little, and I thought it might be an idea to gather together a few recipes for when money is extremely tight. The kind of recipes which will feed the family for less than a couple euro (in total, not per head). If anyone wants to add in theirs, I think it could be helpful when we're all feeling the pinch. I'm going to do each one as a separate post below. One isn't mine, it's nicked off the Food Club.

The first one was posted by c&bc in the Food Club (No. 115) - Pregnant Jools Pasta. It's a Jamie Oliver recipe. I've made it twice, and both times it's fed five of us, for two days, with a bit left over for the freezer. I use lots of pasta and not a huge amount of sauce but if you stir it together it's plenty and everyone loves it. I've used standard sausages, whatever was on offer. I don't use Parmesan. Obviously if you have to go out and buy balsamic vinegar or fennel seeds it'll be dearer, but if you are going to do this regularly it'll be worth it.

Here's the original link, and recipe below.

viewtopic.php?f=180&t=404684&hilit=pregnant+jools+pasta+orange+fluff&start=0

Pregnant Jools Pasta

Serves: 6
You will need
4 spring onions
1 carrot
1 stick of celery
1-2 fresh red chillies
1 x 6-pack of good-quality sausages (approx. 400g)
1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
500g dried penne
4 cloves of garlic
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes (Riam here - I use two, it stretches it a bit).
A few sprigs of Greek basil, or regular basil
Parmesan Cheese

Method
1. Get all your ingredients and equipment ready. Turn your oven to 190°C/375°F/gas mark 5. Fill and boil the kettle. Put a large frying pan on a high heat. Put the standard blade attachment into the food processor.
2. Trim the spring onions, carrot and celery. Roughly chop all the vegetables, then blitz in the food processor with the chillies (stalks removed). Add the sausages, a heaped teaspoon of fennel seeds and one teaspoon of oregano. Keep pulsing until well mixed, then spoon this mixture into the hot frying pan with a lug of olive oil, breaking it up and stirring as you go. Keep checking on it and stirring while you get on with other jobs.
3. Put a large deep saucepan on a low heat and fill with boiled water. Fill and re-boil the kettle. Top up the saucepan with more boiled water if needed. Season well, then add the penne and cook according to packet instructions, with the lid askew. Drain the pasta, reserving about a wine glass worth of the cooking water.
4. Crush the cloves of garlic into the sausage mixture and stir in the balsamic vinegar and tinned tomatoes. Add a little of the starchy cooking water from the pasta to loosen if needed.
5. Tip the pasta into the pan of sauce and give it a gentle stir, adding enough of the cooking water to bring it to a silky consistency. Taste, correct the seasoning, then tip into a large serving bowl and take straight to the table with the rest of the Parmesan for grating over. Scatter over a few basil leaves.

great idea Riam. i will look forward to reading. I will have a think here....

The second one I have in the slow cooker for tonight. You can do it without a slow cooker, just on the hob. Don't be put off by the fact that it's beans and no meat - I would have thought my lot were the least likely to eat a vegetarian dish as (a) they're all committed carnivores and (b) vegetarian equals lentils and yuk stuff. I did this chilli and a meat chilli when we were having guests including a vegetarian, and everyone liked this one better than the regular mince one.

2-3 cans beans, drained (kidney beans are only about 19c a can if you buy own-brand ones).
2 cans chopped tomatoes (again, I'm using storecupboard ones but you should be able to get two value ones for less than a euro).
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp chilli power or 1 fresh chilli, chopped
2 onions, diced
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp instant coffee, dissolved in a little hot water (you can leave this out if you think it will taste bad but it doesn't taste coffee-ish at all).
Cayenne pepper to taste.
Salt and pepper.
Any vegetables you have in the fridge (peppers, celery) or freezer (corn) that you feel like adding in.

If you're doing it in the slow cooker, chuck everything in and turn on low for 6-8 hours.

If you're doing it in a pot, saute the garlic, onion, chilli and any other veg in a little oil for a couple of minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Taste, adjust seasoning including cayenne if wanted (or you could add Tabasco at the table if some are more into spice than others).
Serve with rice.

Beans and rice

I don't have a proper recipie but its something like this.

Chop onion and garlic small and soften in pan

Add veg like chopped pepper, carrot etc and cook a little.

Add a tin of kidney beans or presoak dry beans overnight to save money, tin tomatoes, stock, splash worchester sauce, herbs cumin is good, chilli if you want spice.

Add rice and leave it all to cook till rice is done.

I sometimes add halved cherry tomatoes at the end


I use brown rice. You can add more liquid half way if too dry
You can add chorizo for more taste.

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"When we started the voyage, it was just me and you.
Now gathered round us, we have our own crew."
(Christy Moore)

Here's mine, it's pretty much cupboard stuff and it goes a long way so you can have it with rice the first day and over homemade chips the second ( it's even tastier then)

Lentil curry

2 cups of red lentils
1 large onion diced
1 tbs veg oil
1 tbs curry powder
2 tbs curry paste
1 tsp garlic chopped or minced
I can tomato purée
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp, or a bit more if you like of root Ginger grated
Can of chopped tomatoes

Wash lentils, put in water, simmer for a short time till tender. Don't overcook.
Carmelise the onions in veg oil.
Combine the curry Paste, powder and spices. Add to onion and stir over the heat, 1 minute.
Stir in purée and tomatoes. When the lentils are cooked mix them in.

Sausage pasta
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1487 ... sage-pasta

I use the Tesco jumbo sausages and they are gorgeous .

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G'day Possums

trying to use stuff up here. i'm doing omlettes tonight - nice and cheap!

Our end of the month dinner is cowboy supper! Potato wedges (made with Sainsbury's pack of 4 baking potatoes for 70p) and curried beans (fried onion and grated carrot, baked beans and curry powder). I can do it for £1.50 if I've an onion and a carrot in the fridge.

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Sloppy Joes

SLOPPY JOES

Ingredients
Seasoning Mix:
1 tbsp instant minced onion (I use a real onion)
1 tsp green pepper flakes (I can't get these so I use a finely chopped green pepper)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp minced garlic
¼ tsp dry mustard
¼ tsp celery seed
¼ tsp chilli powder

Sloppy Joes
1lb minced beef
½ cup water
Seasoning mix
6oz can tomato puree + ½ cup water

Method:

Brown beef. Drain excess grease. Add seasoning mix, water and tomato puree. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 mins, stirring occasionally.

This easily feeds 2 adults and two kids with some left over but I usually do double and freeze. I serve with rice but as kids we used to have it American style on burger buns - yummy and messy!!!!!

Lami

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Save the Earth, it's the only planet with Chocolate

One of the favs here, is also the quickest and cheapest.

Need: head broccli, 1/2 garlic, tagitelle, smoked salmon and smallest tub cream. All from lidl, total cost would be approx €6/7

Boil tagitelle.
Cut up brocclii into v small florets, and steam
Fry crushed garlic in oil until crispy, Turn heat right down add cut up smoked salmon and cream, heat though.
When brocclii cooked add it in, same with tagitelle. Dinner's ready.

Love the sound of this will make after the weekend, will fit in with my new diet too!!

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Great idea!!

Ours is 'Fancy Sausage & Mash'....

Spuds (3 medium does us 4)
Sausages (we need 10 in our house so go with what looks best)
2 x white/red onions
Small carton of cream
1 tblsp wholegrain mustard

1. Peel & chop spuds. Put on to steam. When done mash with milk, butter & white pepper.
2. Peel & finely slice onions. Fry on low heat with bit of oil & sprinkle of salt. After a few mins add 1 tsp of sugar, stir & cover.
3. Grill sausages.
4. When onions done put in to dish to keep warm in oven. Put mustard into pan, stir over heat & then add cream. Reduce heat & simmer till a little thicker.
5. Serve mash, with sausages on top, red onion to the side, and some sauce poured over in a fancy style.

This can be pretty cheap depending on what you have in your cupboard/fridge. You may only need to buy sausage & cream.
It's a real hit here.

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LOL at TOMTOM, with your sauce "poured over in a fancy style" That sounds delish. Will definitely be trying a few of these recipes.

One we do when its a running-late, dinner in a rush evening is Spaghetti Carbonara, or an omlette/frittata type creation. I normally have a pack of lardons in the fridge for these kinds of eventualities.

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Big Boy - Mar 04
Middle Man - Aug 06
Smallest Sir - Sept 10

Egg Fried Rice
Brown rice, sweet chilli sauce, soy sauce and eggs from the storecupboard. Spinach and peas from the freezer and whatever leftover veg I have in the fridge. If I'm feeling really flaithulach I throw in a chopped up chicken breast

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Made fancy omellette one day - boil some chopped potatoes, chop up some chorizo or some other type like that, even bit of ham. Chop up tomatoes and mushrooms. Cook this all off in a large pan and throw in some beaten eggs and make big frittata type thing.
Also paella is great - you just need rice. I stock up on paella rice from Aldi when it is in. You can add some chicken, frozen prawns or seafood (Aldi again), chorizo or salami - what ever you have. Chop an onion, garlic and peppers and cook them a bit on some oil in large pot. Cook chopped chicken in another pan. Add paprika thyme couple of chopped tomatoes and saffron if you have it. Add 9oz rice and stir up. Add 1pt chicken stock bring to boil and simmer for 10 mins. Add another pint stock. Add chicken and chorizo and cook another 10 mins. Add prawns and handful frozen peas and cook another 5 mins. Makes a big pot and it is yum.

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Made this this evening it was deeeelish! I added a chicken stock cube instead of veg and also added some mushrooms. You could add any veg to this I'd guess.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/vegetablepaella_88813

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Formerly Kikki..ahhhh at last I can View New Posts!!

These are so popular in our house. Kids love the treat of "chicken nuggets", dh loves the flavour and I love the flavour and fact that they are healthy and cheap. Win win!
I normally make double the amount and use Tesco thigh fillets and freeze half, so whole recipe works out about 10 euro for 2 days dinners and when I see dinner, it feeds me, dh (not a small appetite!) and 4 kids aged 2 to almost 7.

Chicken Nuggets fom Gill Holcombe's book.

I make smallish nuggets and get about 30 from the basic recipe, but I make double what's here normally and freeze half.
2 free-range chicken fillets (I worked out there's about 120g in normal fillet, so I often use Tesco thigh fillets when I am making double).
2 large carrots
2 apples
1 large onion
Breadcrumbs, approx 1lb (450–500 g)
2 eggs + milk, beaten together


METHOD
1. Spread the breadcrumbs across a large, fairly shallow dish or tray and beat the eggs together in a bowl with approximately 4 fl oz of milk.
2. Wash and roughly chop the carrots and onion, peel and core the apples, remove the skin from the chicken and cut the meat into large pieces.
3. If you’re using the above quantities, blend the whole lot in one go in a 2 litre food processor. If you’ve got a smaller food processor or you’re making twice as many nuggets, blend the chicken first, followed by the fruit and vegetables. Although you can whiz everything to a smooth paste if you like, I prefer my nuggets to have a chunkier texture, so blend the ingredients on a slow setting to get the consistency you want. Alternatively, grate the fruit and vegetables by hand with a cheese grater and snip the chicken into tiny pieces with kitchen scissors.
4. Put the blended ingredients into a large bowl and squish it all together with your hands, adding some breadcrumbs if you feel the mixture is a bit wet.
5. Shape the nuggets with your hands, dipping each one into the egg mixture first, and working with only a small amount of breadcrumbs at a time to avoid making a mess of the whole tray and creating too much waste.
6. To cook the nuggets: Warm enough oil, about 2 inches (5 cms), in a large pan to completely cover the nuggets and test if it’s hot enough by dropping a small chunk of bread into the pan; it should go brown in a matter of seconds. If the oil is too cool the nuggets will break up and go soggy; if it’s just right they should turn crisp and golden in about a minute.
7. Fry the nuggets for a few minutes, then place on a baking tray and finish them off in a warm oven, Gas Mark 4 (180°C) for about 15 minutes to cook through.

I serve them with potato wedges and whatever veg I have.

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Our first angel always remembered, m/c 6th July 2004.





The most important things we give our children are roots and wings.

I was going to make this today, but dh got home first so he made it. YUM!!! I used all your tweaks and it made up huge... Amazing.

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Our first angel always remembered, m/c 6th July 2004.





The most important things we give our children are roots and wings.

One hugely popular meal here is twice baked potatoes and so cheap. Simply bake potatoes (currently on super 6 in Aldi for 69 c per bag!!) for 50 mins on 180, a little butter and salt rubbed on skin. Once cooked, scoop out flesh and mix with various ingredients. I like tomato, ham and onion and some creme fraiche. Return to potato skins and sprinkle with cheese and bake for another 10 mins. Donal Skehan has a nice recipe involving smoked mackerel mashed into potato flesh with some dijon mustard and some chopped spring onions. You could also bake pots and add coleslaw, or tuna and tomatoes or even beans and cheese. Soup is a great cheap meal, you can use leftover veg or frozen veg even. Use a base of onions fried in butter with garlic, some herbs and add stock and veg of choice and maybe cheese or cream towards the end.

One of my highly calorific) favourites, & it seems like it's posher but costs very little really, around €5 or so

TAGLIATELLE ALFREDO (I've always known it by this name since I learned how to make it in my teens, but it wouldn't surprise me if I got it a bit wrong all those years ago, so I'm open to correction!!!).

Tagliatelle, enough for around 4 people
1tbsp flour
1tbsp butter
A cup of milk
1 small tub cream (250ml size or therabouts)
2-3 cloves garlic
100g approx grated strong chedar cheese (my preference but I suspect this is "properly" made using parmesan)
A handful of frozen peas
Around 100 g nice ham, cut up into smallish pieces
pepper

Finely chop & gently saute the garlic. Set it aside.
Melt butter & add flour to make a roux, cook for 1 minute or so then add milk gradually stirring all the time to make a thick white sauce. Add the cream, and the peas. Bring back up to hot but not boiling.
Add the garlic & pepper, then the ham, then the grated cheese & stir until thick & hot, but again not boiling.
Pour onto your cooked tagliatelle.

I used to make it without the white sauce to start off- just the cream & the rest of the ingredients then. Too calorific though.

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Trying this today - Have everything put into Slow Cooker - Just put it on about 2pm, so am going to do it on high and hope it will be ready by 7pm.

Definitely a cheap meal to make and smells good so far.

Got all my ingredients in Aldi - using 1 can Mixed Beans @ 59c, 1 can of kidney beans @17c, 2 cans of chopped tomatoes with herbs @ 49c. Had to buy garlic so there were 3 bulbs for 65c, Bought the courgettes that were part of the super 6 for 69c - used 1/2 of one courgette so about 25c worth. Had the onions at home, added some frozen peppers, some mushrooms that I got in the reduced section in Tesco earlier in the week for the grand price of 9c for a huge tray, that are still perfectly useable after 3 days in fridge.

I had to buy the cumin and corriander and these together cost more than the rest of the ingredients but they won't have to be bought again

Hope it is a success - If it is, I can see it being a regular.

Did you like it, Eilismc? I meant to update as I made this last week and we all ate it, so huge success as my kids are definite carnivores!

The only debate was dh would have had spicier and the kids less spicy - as usual!!!

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Our first angel always remembered, m/c 6th July 2004.





The most important things we give our children are roots and wings.

Ive made this twice now and the second time was a bigger hit as I chopped the sausages and fried them with all the other ingredients mixed up. I just didnt like the texture of it the first time with the sausages minced up, but the taste was fab. This will be a regular here. Thanks Raim