From One Mum!

Recipe - Meatball pasta bake a quick throw together as meatballs, salad and coleslaw needed using up.. The meatball pasta bake was to die for…my 3 and 4 year old loved it my eldest had seconds 😮‍💨🤤. I made a big dish for my self and two toddlers the rest is for lunches..it would of served 4/5 adults. 1 pasta bake jar from Sainsburys (75p) 12 meatballs from Sainsburys £2.25 i precooked meatballs and the pasta,1 mozzarella bag (69p) and grated cheese (big family block Sainsbury’s) I would of use garlic baguettes to make it cheaper but was substituted for slices. I find meatballs is cheaper to use now than mince for spagbol, bakes. I know my plate is chipped I got it really cheap in habit Sainsbury’s sale and I can’t bring myself to throw it away 🥲.

Fish Pie Recipe. Fish pie doesn't have to break the bank, and this budget-friendly recipe serves 6 hungry adults easily. Here's a rough guide to the ingredients and steps: Ingredients: Fish pie mix (Iceland, 3 for £10 deal), £3.34 2 pints of semi-skimmed milk (or 1 pint of full-fat milk and 1 pint of water), £1 3 tablespoons baking spread (40p) 3 tablespoons plain flour (10p) Salt, pepper, a tiny pinch of nutmeg, and a sprinkle of paprika for seasoning Half a bag of defrosted mixed vegetables (about 300g from a £1 bag) Optional: 6 hard-boiled eggs (£1 based on 20p per egg) Potatoes for mashing (use budget-friendly bags, around 19p each) Instructions: Poach the fish pie mix in 2 pints of semi-skimmed milk (or 1 pint full-fat milk and 1 pint water). Save the fishy water from the bag and set aside the fish. In a saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of baking spread. Add 3 tablespoons of plain flour and stir over medium heat until it forms a crumbly texture. Slowly add the hot milk (with t

Recipe - Random meal today - had something else planned but we had family over yesterday and had some pulled pork leftover. Half went in the freezer, and the other half made these burritos which have been a huge hit and all using stuff I had in: Gently fried a sliced white onion with a bit of salt Added pulled pork, a drained can of black beans and a couple of tablespoons of BBQ sauce Filled a wholemeal wrap with 1/4 of the mix, 1/4 sliced avocado, couple of teaspoons of salsa and some grated cheese Rolled the burrito and dry fried it Served with some creme fraiche and a little hot sauce See less.

Recipe - Pizza subs, cheap, easy quick and delicious 😋 could do any toppings that suit your budget/taste. Sub rolls, deli meat & garlic granuals are from aldi, the rest is from asda. Rolls £1.05 Chorizo 89p Salami 99p Cheese 2.80 for 500g (would be cheaper if you grate it yourself) Passata with garlic 80p (could use tomato puree but I already had this in the cupboard). Basil is optional and I already had thst in I added it to the passata with a sprinkle of sugar and the garlic because it can be a little bitter/acadic. I buttered the rolls and added some garlic granuals to the butter too. One of these cut in half is enough for a toddler/small child with additional fruit/salad/crisp etc.

I love a good iced frappe! With being on maternity I wanted to find a cheaper way to enjoy it other than Starbucks at £4.50 a go!  Splash of milk (£2 4 pints) 3 ice cubes (pack was £1) Coffee , mix some into a glass stir and add into mixer (already had) Sugar 2 table spoons (already had) Ice cream for thickness (£1 a tub) Strawers (£1) Toffee sauce (£1) Add all info mixer , mix until smooth and just pour into glass with toffee sauce around the sides add cream!  It tastes exactly like a Starbucks but a lot cheaper and can have lots with what I purchased 🙂. 

Freezer mish mash! 😄😄 Took a good chunk out of my freezer with these meals! 🙂. Kids - fish fingers / crispy pancakes, chips & salad 🥗 Me - fried lambs heart, garlic green beans & garlic mash (11 points) Arlo tried mine too & loved it, said he wants heart next time! 🫀 Jimmy - leftover pie & Yorkshires, garlic green beans & garlic mash 🥧 Lamb hearts £2.38 Leftover pie & Yorkshires free as costed previously 1/2 box crispy pancakes 50p 2/3 box fish fingers 50p 1/4 bag potatoes 39p 1/6 bag frozen chips 27p Side salad free from Olio Green beans 85p £4.89 fed 5 for 97p each 🙂.  

Recipe - West country meatballs 👀, air fried tinned potatoes (GAME CHANGER!!), broccoli & mushy peas 😋  Arlo said ‘this is the best tea ever!’ 😂. Lily didnt like the broccoli until she had it with tomato sauce & now she loves it apparantly! Each to their own 🙊 Dont know why ive never tried the potatoes before! I drained & dried them well, used spray oil, paprika, Dunns river chicken seasoning, parsley, salt & pepper… gave them a good shake & chucked into the air fryer for 30ish minutes.  2 packs west country meatballs 👀 on offer £2 2 tins tinned potatoes 74p 2 tins mushy peas 64p Broccoli 72p Gravy granules 16p £4.26 fed 5 for 85p each 🙂.

IVE GOT A NEW *WORKING* OVEN & HOB 😄😄😄😄😄😄. Spicy Szechuan glazed pork meatballs recipe (Hello fresh recipe copy!) with air fried prawn crackers. Croissant bread & butter pud for pudding, with vanilla & caramel ice cream 😋 Croissants from Olio so made for a very cheap pud 😀. Pork mince £2.65 Crumpet 7p (no panko breadcrumbs or any bread apart from this - worked well just blitz finely 😀) Pepper 50p Pak choi 62p 1/2 tub mushrooms 47p Szechuan cooking sachet 65p 2 packs noodles free from Olio Handful of prawn crackers (from bulk pack) 25p ish £5.21 fed 5 for £1.04 each 😀.

Recipe - Making the most of our slow cooker again as we have no oven or hob! Love a chuck it all in meal 😀. Bit of a pricier one tonight as diced beef is expensive anyway, & kidneys have gone up LOADS since the last time I bought them! 😲😲😲. Diced beef £3.79 Lamb kidneys £2.97 1/4 bag carrots 11p Shallot free from Olio Leek free from Olio 1/3 tub mushrooms free from Olio 2 beef stock cubes 6p Gravy granules 16p 1/4 box suet & 200g sr flour 90p ish  £7.99 fed 5 for £1.59 each… lots of stew leftover, probably about half, so going to make some steak & kidney pies with the leftovers 🙂.

Recipe -  Sausagemeat bombs, crispy roasties & mixed veg 😋. Forgot to get a pic of Lily, she wasnt v hungry! Have added a photo from this morning, when she found a ‘baby hedgehog’ 😂😂. None for me as I went out for dinner with the girls for one of my oldest friends birthdays 😀🎉 Ill have some cheese & crackers or something later 🧀. Sausagemeat 50p from Heron 2/3 pack bacon £1.46 1/4 bag Maris pipers 39p 1/4 bag frozen mixed veg 25p 1/4 bag frozen brussels & chestnuts reduced 25p Gravy granules 5p. £2.90 fed 4 for 58p each 🙂.

Recipe - Trying to use up random bits from the freezer today! Pork chop, mash & sweetcorn for me… Steak pasty, peas & mash for Jimmy… gammon with cheese & pineapple, boiled potatoes, peas & sweetcorn for the boys… Nay had cocktail sausages, peas & sweetcorn! Then the kids had some lemon drizzle cake made by Nanna that we put in the freezer as we didnt get chance to eat it! With custard 🙂. Pork chop £1.16 Steak slice reduced 25p 1/4 bag cocktail sausages 25p Gammon & pineapple free from Olio 1/3 bag maris pipers 39p 1/4 bag petit pois 24p Tin sweetcorn 52p Gravy granules 16p £2.97 fed 5 for 59p each 🙂.

Recipe - So the roast pork shank turned into roast chicken… I couldnt get the knife through the pork, too much bone etc 🙈 so thats bagged up in the freezer to slow cook next week at some point, & used some leftover chicken & stuffing instead, heated through in the gravy made from the pork juices. Served with carrots (& an onion for me!), broccoli, roast potatoes cooked in pork dripping, & sage & onion Yorkshire puddings 😋. Leftover roast chicken & stuffing free as costed previously Broccoli 95p 1/4 bag carrots 11p Onion 6p 1/4 bag Maris pipers 39p Eggs flour & milk for batter mix 60p ish Gravy granules 16p £2.27 fed 5 for 45p each 🙂.

Tonights tea recipe! Me & Jimmy have chicken & mushroom gnocchi, the kids have Marmite pasta, both served with garlic pizza bread 🙂. No oven or hob currently so ours was cooked in the air fryer along with the pizza bread. The pasta was cooked in the microwave & was way easier than doing it in a pan! No boiling over, just whack it in a microwave safe bowl, cover with water & micro on high! I did ours for 22 minutes, it was perfectly cooked!  Chicken & mushroom gnocchi free from Olio Marmite, cheese & butter 40p ish 1/2 bag pasta 20p Garlic pizza bread £1.50 £2.10 fed 5 for 42p each 🙂.

Recipe - Pork tenderloin in cider & apple sauce, with dumplings, mixed veg, Yorkshire puddings, & bread & butter 😀 This was really tasty! A fab meal made with no oven or hob! 😀. (Update - oven is being collected & refunded… he did ask if I wanted 10% compensation & to keep the oven 🤔 I did say ‘did you listen to a thing I just said?! It doesnt work!! 🙈🙈… last night the dishwasher started with a fault too (BOTH Curry’s!!!)… fault F5 (Kenwood) so I told them they can take that too, to be told ‘well it will need to be fixed at your home’ I said I dont think so, pick it up & drop a new one off… it shouldnt have any kind of fault within 30 days!! So they agreed! Not being fobbed off thanks 😂). Pork tenderloin free from Olio Cider & apple sauce 50p Heron Leek free from Olio Mixed veg reduced 86p M&S 1/4 box suet & 200g sr flour 90p ish Bread free from Olio Gravy granules 16p Leftover Yorkshire puddings free as costed previously £2.42 fed 5 for 48p ea

Wrap pizzas for tea 😀 Me & Jimmy are having ours later so will cost it all now! The kids & Jimmy have pepperoni (Arlo has mushrooms on his too) Im having smoked salmon & soft cheese (inspired by Victoria Foulger). Mine & Shawnes will be on small flatbreads instead of wraps. All served with chips, & carrot & cucumber sticks 🙂 . Mini wraps free from Olio Small flatbreads free from Olio Pepperoni reduced 97p Smoked salmon free from Olio (will only use a small amount, the rest I will use for tomorrows breakfast with scrambled egg) Couple of mushrooms free from Olio 1/4 block cheese 66p 1/4 jar passata (Company shop) 22p 1/2 bag frozen chips 82p Carrot 3p 1/4 cucumber (Company shop) 15p £2.85 fed 5 for 57p each 🙂. Cost of stress… THOUSANDS 😂.

Roast chicken dinner… Half oven (hardly 🙄) & half air fried! (New oven first time using it today & its 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬… started a return already!! Chicken was in for 2.5 hrs on 220 degrees & it was still clucking when it came out & had to air fry it the rest of the way). Served with roast potatoes & parsnips that took 2.5 hours 🙈, brussels, carrots & an onion, sweet potato mash, & Yorkshires… thank God they were leftovers, id have got nowhere trying to make those!! I didnt even eat most of it as I just didnt fancy it after all the mucking about! Chicken free from Olio Parsnips free from Olio Stuffing 40p 1/3 bag Maris pipers 56p 1/4 bag carrots 11p Onion 6p Brussels 95p Sweet potato mash reduced 83p Gravy granules 16p £3.07 fed 5 for 61p each. We have chicken & stuffing leftover 🙂 Cost of stress… THOUSANDS 😂.

Recipe -Quorn mince & sage pasta, with garlic bread & a stuffed mushroom 🍄🥖 This is one our fave pasta dishes 😀 not tried it with Quorn mince before, but ive done it with chicken/turkey/pork mince, & also smoked sausage which was lush 😀 it would be good without any meat/substitute too! X. Quorn mince free from Olio (this was the fresh one but I froze it, its much better than the already frozen one, bigger chunks too 🙂). 2 onions 12p Leftover plum toms free as costed previously 1/2 bottle of passata 45p Company shop 75ml double cream 28p Handful grated cheese 33p 1/3 block Grana padano 59p Stuffed mushrooms reduced 70p Garlic bread 37p £2.84 fed 5 for 56p each 😀.

Recipe - Bit of a change of plan for todays tea... not massively different as was supposed to be beef stew, & we have pork stew instead! I just wanted to use up the pork joint that I fluffed up at the weekend 😀 (I did freeze it! No food poisoning here 😂). So pork stew with carrots, peppers & mushrooms… mash… cauli cheese… & Yorkshire puddings 😋 Pork shank £2.64 Red pepper 41p 2 carrots 7p 2 onions 12p Mushrooms free from Olio Gravy granules 16p Homemade cauli cheese 75p 1/3 bag Maris pipers 53p Eggs, flour & milk for batter mix 60p ish  £5.28 fed 5 for £1.05 each 🙂 I have loads of leftover Yorkshires too! That amount made 31 Yorkshire puds! Xxx.

Weve had a busy day today! 😀 Tea was brown crab bucatini 🦀with calamari 🦑 & garlic bread 🥖 (Lily & Jimmy had Marmite pasta)… & of course pancakes 🥞 with lemon 🍋, orange 🍊, chocolate squirty cream (M&S originally but I got it from the company shop for 45p 😀). Recipe: Brown crab £1.25 (Company shop) Splash of double cream 20p ish 4 garlic cloves free from Oddbox 1/2 pack bucatini (Heron) 25p 1/3 bag pasta 13p Tsp each of Marmite & butter 30p ish 1/6 block of cheese 44p Handful of calamari rings 41p ish (Heron, £2.50 for 1kg) Garlic bread 37p £3.35 fed 5 for 67p each 🙂  The boys have spent the afternoon pulling up the bricks to make room for a carrot bed 🥕😄 Ashton said hes worn out & cant wait for bed tonight 🎉🎉 I did loads of weeding, sorting old pots etc out, planted some new seeds 🌱, & am going to sit down later & work out a plan for the rest of the seeds & when they should be planted so im on top of it 🙂.

Late post tonight,& late tea! Weve been to the pub where Nanna works for a couple of drinks 😀 . Flipper dippers free on an offer at Tesco 1/3 bag frozen chips 43p 1/4 bag frozen petit pois 24p 67p fed 3 for 22p each 🙂  We had fakeaway Chinese Recipe… duck & pancakes, duck spring rolls, mushroom chow mein, chips & curry sauce 🙂 . Duck & pancakes free from Olio Duck spring rolls reduced £1.50 Egg noodles free from Olio Spring onions 50p 1/2 tub mushrooms 47p 1/4 bag frozen chips 32p Leftover fried rice free as costed previously 1/6 tub Mayflower curry sauce 16p £2.95 fed 2 for £1.47 each 😀.

Recipe - Greek-Style Chicken Soup with Hilopites and Crusty Buttery Tiger Loaf. A surprisingly delicious Greek-inspired chicken soup with hilopites and a side of crusty buttery tiger loaf. This dish turned out to be much more than expected, a delightful blend of flavors that even had Shawne going back for seconds! 😊 Lily, on the other hand, had a lemon for pudding 🤷🏼‍♀️😂. Ingredients: Whole cooked chicken (reduced), £2.25 1/4 bag hilopites (reduced), £0.17 Red pepper, £0.55 2 potatoes, £0.25 Onion, £0.06 2 carrots, £0.07 2 stock cubes, £0.06 2 chicken bouillon cubes, £0.09 Lemon, free from Olio Most of a loaf of tiger bread, £1.25 Total Cost: £4.75 Instructions: Shred the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, making sure to reserve the broth. In a large pot, combine the shredded chicken, hilopites, chopped red pepper, diced potatoes, sliced onion, and chopped carrots. Add the chicken broth, stock cubes, and chicken bouillon cubes to the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let i

Change of plan tonight as I forgot to take the chicken out for the Greek style soup, so will do that tomorrow instead as ive been looking forward to it! So tonight is using bits up - Chicken sausages, baked beans, cheesy pasta or cheese topped seasoned air fried potato slices 🙂 Bargain tea, & a belly filler!  2 packs Heck chicken sausages free from Olio 1/4 bag potatoes 39p 2 tins baked beans 54p 1/3 bag pasta 13p 1/6 block grated cheese 44p £1.50 fed 5 for 30p each 🙂  We dont really have pudding in the week unless its yogurts or fruit, but got a few pudding-y bits in the freezer that need using, so tonights pud is melting middle mini choc puddings which were reduced to £1.50 🙂.

Slow cooker chicken stew with root veg mash, crusty baguette, & sage & onion Yorkshires 🙂. We all enjoyed this… lots of carbs tonight but its very much needed 😞 . Ive had an accident with my engagement ring & completely bent it out of shape, & cant wear it as worried the diamonds will fall out… hoping house insurance will cover it but its still a good few weeks without it, & potentially a couple of hundred excess… thats if its fixable… & I feel so bad 😞 I also have a very red & swollen finger 😞 . Chicken legs company shop £1.25 1/4 bag carrots 15p 1/3 tub mushrooms 57p 3 shallots free from Olio Handful of spinach free from Olio Root veg mash reduced 83p 2 packs part baked baguettes £1.38 Leftover Yorkshire puds free as costed previously Gravy granules 16p £4.34 fed 5 for 86p each 🙂 & have a large tub of leftovers too.

Roast pork dinner! Pork with crispy ‘crapeling’ according to Lily… broccoli, carrots (& an onion!), roasted butternut, mash, roasties, sage & onion Yorkshires, bread sauce & gravy made from the meat juices. Pud was cookie dough with whipped cream 😋 Pork free from Olio Broccoli 72p 1/4 bag carrots 11p Onion 6p 1/4 bag potatoes 34p Leftover mash free as costed previously Stuffing 46p Milk eggs & flour for batter 60p ish Butternut squash free from Olio Gravy granules 16p Bread sauce & milk 50p £2.95 fed 5 for 59p each 🙂 with Yorkshire puds & bread sauce leftover 2 cookie dough puds free from Olio Double cream £1.15  £1.15 fed 5 for 23p each 😀.

Ramen with homemade pork gyozas. These gyozas were really tasty, just as good as shop bought, cheap, made loads… will definately make again 😀 I made way too much filling so have another batch to make some more too 🙂/. naïs had plain chicken noodles, & Shawne had leftover lasagne, & I made him some crispy cubed potatoes in the air fryer.  3 packs chicken noodles free from Olio 2 packs chicken & onion noodles 3 for £1 5 eggs 58p Flour, spring onions, soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce 40p ish 1/2 cabbage 30p Pork mince from Company shop 56p 1/4 pack nori from Company shop 15p Crispy onions 20p ish Leftover lasagne free as costed previously Handful of potatoes 26p ish  £3.45 fed 5 for 69p each 😀 with 1/2 the gyozas left, & also half the mixture left too!

Gammon, carrots, brussels with chestnuts, potato dauphinoise, stuffing & Yorkshire puddings 💕. Pud was a pain au chocolat bread & butter pudding with creme brulee Vienetta 🤤🤤. Leftover gammon free as costed previously Leftover chicken gravy free as costed previously Leftover caramelised onions free as costed previously 1/4 bag carrots on offer 4p 1/3 bag frozen brussels & chestnuts reduced 33p Homemade potato dauphinoise 34p Stuffing 25p 2 stock cubes 6p Leftover Yorkshire puddings free as costed previously Gravy granules 16p  £1.18 fed 5 for 23p each 😀  Pudding was nice & cheap, all pastries free from Olio, Vienetta was 75p from Heron, & the custard mix cost around 60p to make 🙂.

Macaroni cheese topped ragu with garlic bread  🥖🧀. I wasnt holding out hope for this one, the ragu didnt seem to have much flavour to it by looking at the ingredients list BUT I was very wrong! We really really enjoyed it 😀 definately one to make again! Only 3 of us for tea today so lots of leftovers for James to take to work 🙂 Arlo was sick this morning so I had to collect him from school… & Ash has been sick since I picked him up after school 😩 These bugs can do one!!  Pork mince company shop 56p 2 beef stock cubes 6p 2 carrots 5p 1/2 tub mushrooms 50p Shallot free from Olio Balsamic vinegar, tomato puree, oregano 15p ish 2/3 bag pasta 27p Milk, butter & flour for white sauce 40p ish Cheese (mix of cheddar & truffle cheddar that I got reduced after Xmas) 73p ish 3 garlic cloves free from Oddbox Garlic bread 37p £3.09 made 6 portions for 51p each 🙂.

Teatime Recipe! Different things for everyone tonight… Salmon for me, sausages for James, we had super rice & a beetroot & goats cheese salad (James without goats cheese). The kids had a friend round so they had mini pizzas made from cobs, cheesy pasta, & then donuts for pud 😀. Also, had to share cos Arlo came running in saying there was something in the pool… I was expecting a huge toad the way he was going on 😂 turns out its a whirligig beetle 💕 we caught him to have a look at his hairy legs… now hes back the pool loving life, & the kids have been banished 😂. Salmon fillet £1.15 4 sausages 25p Super rice 70p Salady bits & goats cheese £1.20 ish 4 cobs 32p 2 peperamis 19p Handful cheese 22p 1/2 bag pasta 16p  £4.19 fed 6 for 69p each 🙂.

Beef & Guinness pie with wild garlic roasties, carrots (& my onion 😏), red cabbage, sweetheart cabbage & green beans… smothered in gravy made from the red cabbage boiling water 🤤🤤. 1/2 mini joint of beef £2.50 2 onions 12p Mushrooms free from Olio Flour & butter for pastry 30p ish 1/3 bag potatoes 29p 1/4 bag carrots 11p 1/4 red cabbage free from Olio Wild garlic free as foraged Green beans free from work Sweetheart cabbage free from work Guinness gravy mix reduced 60p Gravy granules 16p £4.08 fed 5 for 81p each 🙂  The mini joint was from Poundland… I slow cooked it all night in beef stock with mushrooms, onions & a couple of bay leaves, then this morn added the Guinness gravy mix & left to cool as its best to use it cold when putting in the pie case so you dont melt it 🙂.

Leftover roast chicken in gravy, mash, broccoli, carrots (& my onion… got to be done), red cabbage, stuffing balls & Yorkshire puds… absolutely loved this but must be mad cooking in this heat 🥵🥵. I did my Yorkshires in a spray of oil & they worked so much better than usual! & tasted much less greasy. Leftover chicken in gravy free as costed previously 2 potatoes 34p 1/4 bag carrots 11p Onion 6p Red cabbage free from Olio Stuffing mix 28p Eggs milk & flour for Yorkshires 40p ish  £1.19 fed 5 for 23p each 🙂.