Frugal Raspberry Jam

I picked up 3 x punnets of raspberries last night reduced from £1.98 per pack down to 40p a pack a saving of £4.74.

The result – a half litre kilner jar full to the brim of freshly made raspberry jam… the smell in the kitchen last night was amazing.

I had some on my toast this morning for breakfast and its delish..

Recipe :

454g Fresh Rasps
454g Granulated Sugar
The Juice of 1 x Lemon.

Method :

Take a heavy based pan and set it on a low heat

Empty the rasps into the pan and squish a few to get the juices going

Once they have sqished and melted a good bit, add the sugar, still on the low heat until fully dissolved.

Bring to a rolling boil and add lemon juice

Continue cooking for about 15 mins or so and keep checking a wee bit on a plate for a set (sticky and wrinkly when you run your finger through).

Once ready decant into a sterilised warmed kilner or jam jar.

Total Cost : £2.00
Rasps £1.20
lemon £0.30
Sugar £0.50 (approx based on a bag of sugar costing £1)

Garlic Mushrooms on Toast

Frugal Jumbo Garlic Mushrooms on Toast.

I popped round to my local supermarket last night as I needed to pick up some cat food, and whilst I was in there I spied some Jumbo Mushrooms reduced to 5p per packet, an absolute bargin! I bought 2 packs.. so on the way home I had plans whizzing round in my head of everything I could make with them…  Garlic Mushrooms on toast…. Cream of Mushroom Soup…. and a mushroom pilaf… yumm..

So.. today I have already made lunch (above) the Cream of Mushroom soup is on the cooker bubbling away as I type this and as for the mushroom pilaf, that will be made tomorrow

For the Garlic Butter I used :

• Lightly Salted butter softened (at room temp)
• 2 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
• about a teaspoon of dried oregano
• Mix all the above until combined well
• Turn the mushrooms upside down and Spread the butter all over
• Place in an ovenware dish and bake in the oven at 180 degrees C for 15 minutes
• Place a couple of slices of bread in the toaster
• When the mushrooms and toast are cooked, place the toast on a plate, pour the excess garlic butter from the dish all over the toast, then place a mushroom on each slice and enjoy with a cup of hot tea

Enjoy!

The Ultimate Fairy Cake Post…

What can I say… they’re quick n’ easy to make and my kids love them and I love coming up with different ideas for toppings just a big kid at heart lol

If you would like the recipe and some ideas you can find them here , here , here , here , here , and here phew!

Gingersnaps

Yay! I actually made something different today that doesnt resemble a Muffin or a fairy cake lol…

GINGERSNAPS!

Ingredients: ~

• 90g / 3oz / 1/3rd Cup Unsalted Butter
• 90g / 3oz/ 1/2 Cup Soft Brown Sugar
• 90g/ 3oz/ 1/4 Cup Golden Syrup
• 60g/ 2oz/ 2 tablespoons black treacle
• 250g / 8oz / 2 cups self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

Method :

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees C 350 degrees F Gas 4
• Butter 2 baking sheets (I used 2 sheets of baking paper instead)
• Put butter, sugar, syrup and treacle into a saucepan, stir over a gentle heat until melted.
• Cool slightly
• Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and spice into a bowl, make a well in the centre, then pour in the syrup mixture
• Mix well to form a soft dough
• Weigh dough into 15g (1/2oz) pieces, or divide into walnut sized pieces.
• Roll pieces into smooth balls, place on baking sheets, spacing well apart, flatten each ball to form a neat round.
• Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until very lightly browned.
• Remove the buscuits from the oven, allow to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheets, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely, as the biscuits cool they will become very crips.

Makes approx 30

Recipe courtely of “The Book of Biscuits” by Pat Alburey – ISBN 0-86101-282-8

Victoria Sponge Cake….

Yesterday I spent a lot of time in the kitchen, our friends were coming round in the evening for a visit so I decided to try a different lasagne recipe, and it took me hours!!  It did taste delicious tho, so I will keep that one up my sleeve for future special occasions, or when I have bags of time to dipose of .     I also made a quick and simple  wee sponge cake, think i’ll make this one at easter too it looks pretty :-)

If you have little kiddies they would absolutely love this… but it’s also good for us big kiddies too      The above picture was the only slice left this morning, I managed to get a quick picture before my son scoffed the lot!

Here is the recipe..

• 6oz Butter or Margarine
• 6oz Caster Sugar
• 6 oz Plain Flour
• 3 Eggs
• Dash of Vanilla Extract
• Icing Sugar
• Sprinkles
• Micro Chocolate Eggs

Method:

I use my food mixer

• Cream the butter and sugar together until pale light and fluffy
• Add the eggs one at a time and  mix well
• Add the flour and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed
• Pour the mixture into a greased/lined cake tin
• Bake in the oven @ 170 degrees C for 20 minutes
• Remove from Oven and allow to cool on a wire rack
• Mix up your icing sugar and cover over the cooled cake, cover with sprinkles and scatter a few little chocolate eggs over the top.