Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Now that I have shaken that off and stocked on some necessities from the shop, I thought I would list a few of my favourite meals that I am planning to make while staying at home, in the hope that it might give people some inspiration. And please remember that these are all dependant on whether you have the ingredients at home, good luck getting some!
Now don't get your hopes up, none of these will be ground breaking. I am a simple cook :)
- Good old simple tomato pasta and garlic bread
- Homemade pizza made from naan breads, pitta breads and bread rolls
- Sausages and mash
- Slow cooker chicken roast
- Herby baby potatoes
- Chicken in a bag with potatoes
- Stir Fry
- Slow cooker curry
- Homemade wedges - these make any dinner that little be better!
- Pie and mash with lots of peas and gravy
- Sausage roast in a pan
- Shredded chicken in pasta
- Toad in the hole
- Pasta Bolognese with lots of leftovers
- A giant lasagne if you can find both sauces!
- Sausage Casserole
- Chicken tray bake
I have a list of meals I want to make/cook/bake while I have time at home so watch this space for that post. It would be silly to not try out some new dishes while I am home all day. The more meals I can make at home, the longer it will take us to get bored and lose our minds.
Also feel free to read some of my other food related posts where I go into more details on how to make them! Lazy Girl Guide To Cooking | Favourite Home Cooked Meals
It can be quite daunting thinking about all the items you want to invest money in for the long run and then totalling up how much it would cost to invest in them items... I find that investment pieces can be something that you gradually add to your collection when and wear you can, and there is nothing wrong with buying non-investment pieces in the mean time.
Following on from that thought, I wanted to do a round up of items, clothing and non clothing, which I like to spend money on and save money on. I don't have loads of money to spend on myself, I have a mortgage and would like to have children in the near future so spending vast amounts of money on myself just isn't a priority. I hope this helps people who are trying to figure out what they want to spend their hard money on but don't know where to start.
Where I like to spend
Following on from that thought, I wanted to do a round up of items, clothing and non clothing, which I like to spend money on and save money on. I don't have loads of money to spend on myself, I have a mortgage and would like to have children in the near future so spending vast amounts of money on myself just isn't a priority. I hope this helps people who are trying to figure out what they want to spend their hard money on but don't know where to start.
Where I like to spend
- Skincare
- Moisturiser - Apart from the Sukin Facial Moisturiser which I am a big fan of, I mainly only use Clinique or Origins moisturiser and the main reason for this is simply - my skin like them much better. I have tried a few drugstore moisturisers but 9/10 times my skin does not agree with them so naturally, I am going to listen to my skin.
- Eye Cream - Since I started wearing eye cream a few years back (not as soon as I should have mind you) I have always stuck to the Clinique All About The Eyes Cream and I have never found anything to rival it. I tried to find a pot of eye cream from Boots when I ran out and all I could find was tube eye creams. What is up with that?
- Outerwear
- Outerwear is generally a higher price point because of what it is made of and the amount of material used but I do like to spend a little extra on my outerwear to make sure it lasts me for many many years. You end up wearing your outerwear 10x more than any other item in your wardrobe and it completely covers your outfit so it needs to be something that works with everything and stands the time. I also like to spend a little more on a outerwear piece because i have a select collection of coats and jacket rather than having a large collection to choose from.
- Footwear
- Footwear is around the same thinking as my outerwear collection, i have a few key pieces of footwear that I rotate depending on the season so i like to invest in shoes that will last me more than one season. I still have some shoes from Primark and Newlook which have lasted me a long while but I do like to go into TKMax and see what more brands I can get my hands on.
- Jewellery - excluding earrings
- I used to love the 'costume' jewellery that I used to buy in Clair's Accessories when I was younger but now I have ground up I much prefer the more simple diligent pieces. I find to buy a piece of jewellery that will last years without the chain breaking, you do need to invest a little into the piece.
- Handbags
- Again this is very similar to my thinking process about footwear and outerwear, a good hand bag can last you so many years and work for any occasion. I am someone who bangs and bashes their handbag around all days so i need one which is going to last more than a few months before breaking.
- Kitchen Equipment
- Strange one maybe to put in but a very important one for people deciding to move out! When im talking about kitchen equipment I'm talking washing machine, slow cooker, dish washer - all of the equipment which can cost a lot to replace at the wrong time. When i need to buy something for the kitchen i do like to go by certain brands which i know last a long time and have great customer service. My favourites if you wanted to know are Russel Hobbs and Samsung.
Where I like to save
- Home Decor
- As much as i love looking in the white company... it just isn't going to happen. The price some brands charge for home decor is crazy considering Home Bargains and Primark do some amazing items which are similar and more than half the price! I feel like only a few years ago it wasn't seen as cool to buy home bits from shops like Home Bargains and then in the space of a year or two, everyone is raving about their products and I can see why.
- Makeup
- If you have been around for a long time than you will know that i have always been a drugstore makeup girl right from the beginning and nothing has really changed. Although i like to spend a bit more on my skincare, I find most makeup works on a good base and I do have my favourites. Rimmel, Revolution and Kiko are to name a few which i have stuck with for many years. I have a few higher end products in my collection but the majority of it is from Boots.
- Earings
- I couldn't count for you the number of earrings I have upstairs, the number would carry on for a long while and along the years I have picked up big packs of multiple design earrings from Newlook and Primark and I have never had a problem with them. If you have sensitive ears than maybe ignore this point but i would rather spend £10 on a pack of 50 earrings them £50 on one pair.
- Jersey Basics
- This might make people gasp in horror but I buy all my basics from Newlook and H&M because you can't go wrong with them. Most of my wardrobe is made up of basics from H&M and Newlook and i have had some for years.
- Jeans
- I know a lot of people like to invest in their jeans and have the one perfect pair but I still have some jeans that I bought from Newlook about 7 years ago and they still look perfect. I find that as long as you wash them right, you shouldn't really have a problem. Always remember to go for a smaller size so when they naturally give, they aren't too big!
- Nails
- If you have never tried the fake nails from Primark what have you been doing all your life? A full set of acrylics can set you back £30 ish and to have them removed cost an extra £10 for the removal? Primark sell amazing stick on nails for just £1. When i tell people this they do look at me like OMG you must be that stingy but once i show them my hands with the fake nails on, they can't believe how good they look. Honestly if you have never tried them give them a go, it will only cost you a £1! The glue you get with them is also amazing!
- Cleaning Supplies
- Another random one but the amount some people spend on cleaning supplies is ridiculous. I buy all my cleaning supplies from Aldi or Home Bargains if certain things are on offer. I find with cleaning products... it all does the same thing!
- Food Shop
- Ever since I moved into my own home I have shopped with Aldi and I love the food they make. I have converted so many people to Aldi and it is amazing the amount of money you can save on a big shop. Yes it has some set backs like the packing is really annoying but I tend to open all my bags in the trolley and throw them into the bags - rebel I know! Again i feel like it is now cool to shop at Aldi thanks to people on YouTube recording their 'weekly Aldi food shop'.
I think as much as I love the idea of Christmas being right around the corner (yes I've just used the C word...), it has only just struck me that the end of year is also near! I do feel like I have achieved a lot during the year but their are a few more things I want to do before the year is over.
Make a current cake
A bit of a random one to start with but I have been saying that I will attempt my mum's famous current cake for months. What better time then autumn when you want something to fill a long afternoon?
Attend a Halloween party
I love getting dressed up and Halloween is the best excuse to go crazy with your outfit. I like to plan dress up days at work around this time as well so that is two excuses to dress up! Who is inviting me to their party?
Visit more villages
Callum and I love to pick a random village neat us and take a long walk, looking at the cute old fashioned houses and old style roads. We like to try the local pub as well for some weekend lunch and we haven't been disappointed yet. We would like to add more village pubs to our list. You never know when someone will ask you for a recommendation.
Get my batch cooking butt into gear
I love batch cooking and during the winter, my work lunches can get bored very easily. I recently made a big batch of spaghetti Bolognese and cottage pie and I looked forward to my lunch all week. I want to turn Sundays into batch cooking and slow cooking days.
Use my slow cooker on a weekly basis
I love using my slow cooker but during the summer I didn't use it very much at all. Time to get that bad boy out and like I said in my last point, use my slow cooker on most Sundays so I can spend my day batch cooking meals for the week.
Pass my second exam in Bookkeeping
I have only just passed my first exam for unit 1 but I am hoping by the end of autumn, I can say I have done two units. I am giving myself three months till I want to start the next stage.
Get my house sorted for Christmas
This will be the first year I have hosted my family for Christmas day and I am nervous! I only have a few things to do to get the house ready, like get some curtains for the living room, get a new table which will fit all six of us and buy a dishwasher because I do not want to be washing up all that! It is just getting time before one day you look at your phone and its the start of December.
Complete my Christmas shopping by the end of November
I know I have used the C word three times but I don't care. I have already started Christmas shopping and I would say I am 70% of the way so my plan to be ready by end of November should work out well. I am trying not to go crazy with presents this year so maybe I will do a budget gift guide.
When I lived at home the most technical meal I could make was dinosaurs and potato waffles which is still a favourite of mine for lunch or when I am ill but I did need to expand my skills. I looked online, bought a few cook books and searched from some recipes on Pinterest and now I have a list of meals which I like to rotate as well as a few more time consuming meals which Cal and I love and which don't take my whole night to make. I am currently traveling an hour back and forth to get to work so quick and easy meals where I don't have to do a lot are my favourite at the minute.
 |
| The ingredients in the dish ready to go in the oven |
 |
| The finished product with peas and gravy |
Roasted Sausages and Potatoes
This is a really simple process meal which tastes so good and you can basically put anything in it. What I do is get chopped up carrots, onions and peppers, cut some baby potatoes in half and some sausages all in a bowl together, pour two table spoons of oil over the mixture and season with salt, pepper and thyme leaves and mix it all up so that everything in coated. You then pour this into a oven proof glass dish with your sausages on the top so that they cook thoroughly and put in the oven for 30 minutes (gas mark 6). You then take it out of the oven, mix all the ingredients around pouring in a pork stock cube and then returning to the oven 20. Add the gravy onto your plate and you are done.
Apart from the prep which you can do in the morning before you leave this is suck a easy meal to make and you can spend time with your family or have a bath while it cooks. If I have the time I do like to make peas and broccoli separately so that there is even more veg in the dish.
Toad in the Hole
Contrary to popular belief toad in the hole is one of the easiest meals to make and it is the side dishes that make it more complete. To make the toad batter all you need is 2 eggs, 1 cup of plain flower and 1 cup of milk. Mix the ingredients in a blender and heat a deep tray in the oven with a bit of oil (gas mark 6). Once the tray is hot put the sausages on to cook until they start to go brown and then take the tray out to add your mixture to the sausages making sure your sausages are evenly spread out before putting the tray back in the oven. You then leave the tray in the oven for 30 minutes making sure not to open the oven door otherwise the toad wont rise. Once the toad and sausages are brown your work is done, I normally boil some potatoes and carrots while the toad is cooking and just before the toad is ready to come out I drain the potatoes and mash them with some milk and butter.
I find with this the more options you make the more work you have to do but if you keep it simple it isn't much work.
Herby Baby Potatoes
I love making these to add to a meal which is a bit boring or if we have had a lot of chips the previous week, they are also really easy to make with minimal effort. All you need to do is boil a bunch of baby potatoes on the hob until they are soft, while they are boiling you can make your herb sauce. I start with a couple of table spoons of butter which I put in the microwave for less than a minute, then once it is in liquid form I add mixed herb, thyme and basil leaves. Once that is all mixed together I cover a glass dish with the sauce and then drain the baby potatoes, cutting them in half and then placing them in the glass dish. I then cover all the potatoes in the sauce and then put the dish in the oven (gas mark 6) and keep them in there until you are ready.
TIP the longer you keep them in the oven the crispier the skins will be which makes them more tasty.
Chicken in a Bag
This is one of my favourite meals because it is so easy to make and tastes so good! All you need is some Maggi So Juicey Mixed Herb seasoning and some fresh chicken. You need to pre heat the oven (gas mark 6) while you cut the chicken into small cubes and then place them into the bag. Once all your chicken is in the bag you pour the seasoning into the bag and shake it all about until all the chicken is covered. Then all you need to do is tie up the bag with the tie you get in the pack and then stick the bag on a tray in the oven for 30 minutes and you have tastey chicken for dinner.
TIP use the extra juice from the bag to use on any chips or potatoes you are having with the chicken to give them flavor.
Slow Cooker Curry
Another chicken recipe which is so easy to make and takes minimal effort. All you need to do is cut up chicken into smaller pieces, place them in the slow cooker with a curry sauce (I do use store bought to make it super easy for me) and set the slow cooker to low. I normally check on the curry every hour or so to stir the sauce and cook it for 6+ hours or until you get hungry. Stick some nan in the oven for 5 minutes and some rice and you have a tastey meal.
TIP don't waste your money buying expensive side dishes for your curry, aldi do an amazing range of sides for curry and all for such a good price. You can biy everything you need for 4 people for under £10.
Shredded Chicken
This is a new recipe that I have recently started making and it has become a favourite of everyone of my family and it is soooo easy. All you need to do is place your defrosted chicken in a slow cooker with enough chicken stock cube to cover the chicken with some salt and pepper to season. You need to cook the chicken on high for 3 and a half hours and that is it. You don't need to stir it or check on it and at the end the chicken is so soft and tender it fulls apart. To shred the chicken i tend to use two folks and basically use them to pull apart the pieces of chicken and it takes a few minutes depending on how many pieces of chicken you have cooked. I normally cook this for a roast so I do some roasties in the oven and some veg and it tastes so good. I've never thought I'd be able to cook a good roast before but this makes it so easy.
TIP cook a big portion of chicken and then use the remaining chicken for salads or wraps for the next few days. You can't beat fresh chicken.
 |
| Chicken in the slow cooker cooking in chicken stock cube |
 |
| The finish product with roast potatoes and carrots |
I am planning on trying a load more recipes this year and really expanding my cooking skills so watch this place for more recipes in the future.
PS Yes I know I do large portions, I am a growing girl who loves her food enough said.
I am a big fan of Mary Berry because she is a pretty cool lady in all ways. Since moving into my own house I have tried to become a cooking goddess, I've made baby steps...
So I saw this book in WHSmith reduced to £7 which is really good for a Mary Berry book which are usually £20 + so I was excited to pick it up and enroll Mary's help making me a better house wife.
I thought I'd talk you through my favourite recipes from the book and talk you through how some of them went!
I really needed to expand my cooking ability because I was a lazy cook before and I have made one recipe from this book already and I am making another one tonight so hopefully tonight goes as well as the first time!
~Roasted Sausage & Potato Supper (page 62)
This was the first recipe from this book that I tried and it was delicious. I followed most of the recipe including sausages, baby potatoes, peppers and onions but I also added in broccoli and carrots which are my favourite vegetables. It is basically a roast dinner that is roasted all together in a stock cube which makes the flavour really rich and everything a bit wet which is what I like. I did add some gravy on the top just to make it more soggy because I love gravy on everything! It was always really easy to make! You just chop all your veg and potatoes in half, whack it all in a roasting tin with oil and you are done.
~ Meatballs in Tomato & Basil Sauce (page 70)
I love anything italian so I had to make the meatball recipe!! I am making this for one of my friends tonight and I am a little bit scared because meatball can go either way.
And here are just a few of the more recipes I want to make from the book next...
#Chilli Burgers (page 77)
#Cottage Pie with Crushed Potato topping (page 78)
#Lasagne Express yess pleaseeee! (page 201)
Lastly here are some deserts I can't wait to try!
#Celebration Chocolate Moose Cake (page 242)
#Granny's Litter Shortbread Biscuits (page 264)
#Lucy's Strawberry Slices (pages 267)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
