Frugal Holiday Countdown Pasta Sauce

Counting down to holidays means frugal time in the T family 


Mr T was popping off to play cricket against the police I think he is trying to renaact the ashes , this week has seen the buy of new cricket pants ( alas it did not come with the chap who modelled the cricket pants ~ SHAME) also so leg thingy oooh yes pads. I fed my husband an earlier prepared curry and onion Bhajis . Meanwhile earlier I had fried some mince making sure I got rid of any fat.



So I made a one pot spaghetti sauce 


Ingredients

1 pack of mince already cooked.

1 tin of chopped tomatoes

Optional herbs , garlic etc.

A splash of water

A good dollop of Heinz sweet chili ketchup

Chopped red onion



Method

Just mix all the ingredients together and pt in to a cooking pot with a lid and cook for around 30 - 40 minutes  on 180c


Check every so often

Towards the end of cooking remove the lid.

Also boil enough pasta for 4 people


Squeeze a little more ketchup into the spate mix just before mixing in the cooked pasta.

And there you have a frugal holiday rundown of our freezer.

Sunday Photo

A Frugal Trip For The Summer Holidays In Derbyshire

I'm ready for the holidays.

But I don't break up till next Thursday , I tell you I'm weeping into my cornflakes every single sunny butterfly blessed morning , with birds sitting on my hand happily tweeting away, or am I getting confused with Snow White / Mary Poppins ?! 

We dropped our son at his holiday job after which I decided to direct the chauffeur ( husband) to Caudwell Mill near Rowsley ( a mere skimming stone from Matlock) 

£4 is the entry price to the mill , there is various craft places there etc, the parking is free. So you don't have to visit the mill but it's worth a look if you've never been or not visted in years.

If summer doesn't come to you then you must seek it !

Blackberry Drop Cookies Cakes

I found myself cakeless , biscuit less and after the night I have had I need it the car was possessed and decided to alarm itself all through the night , I haven't seen my neighbours yet. This is one of those adjust to suit your needs recipes as I was boredom baking, so when I boredom bake I am very much baking by the seat of my pants which hopefully this time I have put on the right way around.



Ingredients

180 grams of plain flour
100 grams of sugar I was using coconut sugar which has a low GI
100 grams of low fat spread ( you may need more)
1 egg possibly 2
pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
cup full of blackberries


Method

Preheat the oven to 180 c

Combine all the ingredients except the blackberries together.

Cover a baking tray with grease proof paper and dollop some of the mixture on ~ a spat really 

Bake in the oven for 20 ~ keep an eye on 

The result will be a flat but bouncy cookie cake 

Disclosure ~ I do wear more than pants when cooking ~ I may be over 40 but hot flushes haven't found me yet ... 

Remember this is a boredom bake so please adjust to suit your baking !!

The blackberries were 20 p from Tesco reduced of course , this is how we like to roll.

Degustabox In June

June saw the delivery of a rather delightful Degustabox which is always a privilege to receive a treat , I do mostly share , well you have to don't you ?! There was plenty treats that you could enjoy at home or at a picnic , I do love picnics , when I get my bicycle with a basket there will be more picnics !

With the hot weather I did try they Vybe juice and I really didn't like it , but I can see it appealing to other people. My husband was refreshed by the Rekorderlig cider ( made with Swedish Spring water) which suddenly packed a punch to his taste buds, there was also an adult inspired ice pop called Icycl ( sadly I had a faulty one that leaked so I didn't get to try it ) I did have the option to have this replaced but I didn't of this but I have heard good things from those who have tried it. Whilst Mr T was at work I could sit in the garden and enjoy a cool Zeo a lightly carbonated soft drink with naturally extracted fruits and botanicals.

Degustabox is a great way to try out new products Mr T loved the Love Chin Chin a West African snack which is rather like a biscuit combined with a cake. J loved the Brioche Paquier and this is now a staple purchase in our household handy for the summer holidays etc and car journey , pack lunches and so forth with them being indvually wrapped . Both my husband and myself loved the Kallo rice cakes smothered in chocolate a cheeky but healthy treat that is calorie friendly. The melba thins I can see will be useful for me taking to work as I won't have a lot of time to eat something before I have to go teach my lesson at school.

I cooked with the Coconom which is a coconut sugar and I can see myself do rather a lot of baking with this, here is a recipe I used it in recently.