A New Addiction???

I have just come back from Tesco after getting a few bits that Aldi didn't have and managed to spend £20.63 :-s them damn yellow stickers!!! (Reduced items). I will list them for you. I did get quite a few bits altho I was hoping to get them cheaper due to offers but never mind... Perhaps they had gotten wise to it lol.

White bread flour - 66p
Chilli con carne mix - 49p
Stock cubes - 10p
Loo rolls - £1.96
Teabags - 27p
Coffee - 47p
Stuffing mix x2 - 15p each
2 Grapefruit x 4 - 39p each (reduced from £1.25!!! Who would pay this, I don't know!)
Beetroot salad x2 - £1.05 each - buy one get one free (reduced from £1.50 was hoping to save £1.50 but saved £1.05)
1kg Fusilli Pasta - £1
Large chicken - £3.35 ~(reduced from £5.61)
Mixed leaves salad x2 - 65p each (reduced from £1 each, 2 for £1. Was hoping to save an extra £1 but only saved 30p making it £1 for 2 still)
Puff pastry x2 - 89p each (reduced from £1.50)
Tinned tomatoes x2 - 31p each
Pork belly with honey and ginger glaze and a hint of chilli x2 - £1.59 each (reduced from £4, buy 2 for £6 - again was hoping to save an extra £2 but didn't)
4 Organic kiwi - 59p (reduced from £1)
Mango x2 - 85p each (reduced from £1.50) LOVE LOVE LOVE mangoes!!! Yummmm!!!
Loose mushrooms - 55p

Total - £20.63

Saved an extra £1.35, due to offers on reduced items, not quite as much as I was hoping for but never mind. I still got some amazing bargains with the meats which are now in the freezer. Loads of meals just waiting to be cooked now :o) shouldn't have to do a big shop for 2 weeks I reckon! :oD if not more! - Fingers crossed!

Need to get back to stitching now. Had to ask them to send me some more thread as I ran out of one colour :-s just hoping it turns up tomorrow, otherwise they may not get it back in time :-s eeek!!

Hugs xx

Aldi Shop

Not my local Aldi but a pic off the internet. Finally got to Aldi thanks to Mike and his car :o) Spent £33.16 so not quite on budget but we have stocked up which is good. I'm thinking I'll try and not spend much next week. I forgot to take pics of the food we bought, oops! But we got quite a bit of meat including frozen lamb chops, frozen chicken breasts, whole chicken, frozen mince. We stocked up on pesto as it's about half the price of Tesco's and we also bought a red pesto to try. Got looooads of veg so we had a veggie soup tonight with a tiger french stick. Got some left over which I will tub up and freeze, or have some for lunch tomorrow maybe. Need to find a yummy recipe for butternut squash. I've never had it before so it'll be fun to try it out :o)

Had a little snow falling this morning which was fun :o) I have trouble keeping my eyes off the beautiful falling snowflakes so it was probably a good job it didn't last long as I had to do some speedy stitching! I'm finally on the last piece - number 6 - and will wash, iron and send it off on Thursday to be received on Friday :o) yey! Then I can get sorting out around here and get some Swedish studied! Omg there were some beaautiful skies in Northern Sweden last night!!!

I can't wait to (hopefully) see them in person next month!!! It's going to be amazing if Mother Nature works her magic whilst we're there! :oD :oD :oD excited chica here!!! It's gunna be bloomin' cold but I don't care lol :o) It's going to be such a wonderful experience and we're even going dog sledding! Eeek!

Frugal Tip #14 - Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

I never NEVER use a spag bol sauce from a jar and I love to pack my spag bol full of healthy veggies :o)

Ingredients (amounts and veggies can be varied to taste)
Onion
Mince
Mushrooms
Tinned tomatoes (I use 2 for about 5 portions)
Dried spaghetti
Beef OXO cubes (I use 2)
Bell pepper
Mixed herbs (or ones of your choosing)
Cheese
Optional salt and pepper to taste

Method:
I like to boil my mince in some shallow water (from kettle) then drain and place back into a saucepan and crumble the oxo cubes and stir add chopped or sliced onions, chopped or sliced pepper and mix. After a few minutes add chopped or sliced mushrooms and tinned tomatoes. Stir around, add some herbs and stir some more and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes whilst you cook your spaghetti per pack instructions.

When you feel the sauce is ready, place spaghetti on your plate, sauce on top and if desired, grate some cheese on top :o)

You might need to tweak it to your tastes but I find it makes a yummy wholesome meal and much better than a jar which I find too rich and saucy lol.

Hugs xx

First Shop of 2013 (Kinda)

Just did the first shop in preparation for 2013 as I wanted to get loads of cheap bargains especially meat, veg etc. Well, apparently 2 hours prior to the shop closing was too late and pretty much everything had gone :o( I did however manage to pick up some treats for us which will be a nice pick-us-up for when we want something sweet to eat. We bought 6 tubs of Tesco finest custard £1.50 down to 15p each (will go into freezer and is cheaper by 2p than buying value tins of custard. Value powder is 7p but milk is needed too), 3 boxes of 2 Fresh cream strawberry jam slices £1.19 down to 18p (unfortunately can't be frozen so we will eat one each tonight and the same tomorrow night), 3 boxes of 4 fresh cream Belgian chocolate eclairs £1.28 down to 19p each (to go in freezer), fresh egg noodles £1 down to 15p, 2 packets of stir fry veg and beansprouts £1 down to 10p each - these 3 will be for dinner tomorrow night along with the 3 chops I took out the freezer today. In effect tomorrows dinner will cost 35p :oD although I'm sure Ayse won't want the stir fry so she will have just noodles and raw carrot with hers, but still so cheap :oD Just wish we had have gotten loads of meat bargains. Oh well, never mind... Maybe they'll close for Easter Sunday and I can stock up then? :oD

So besides them bargains, I bought:

Loo rolls x6, 400 sheets - £1.96
Sugar 1kg - £4.50
Eggs x15 - 1.79
Longlife milk - 53p
Dairy spread for baking - 89p
Salt - 34p
Tinned pineapple - 32p
Soup mix - £1.09
Cannelini beans - £1.09
Diced chicken - £2.94
Carrots - 89p
Onions - 69p
Mushrooms - 50p

Grand total = £19.89
Am gunna try and not get any more food this week so it will keep it to £20. I'm gunna get Mike to bake some bread when this loaf runs out - I think we have all the ingredients in the cupboard. Might have to buy some fruit.  We shall see, I can't quite remember what we have. Definitely gunna cook from the freezer and cupboards where possible this week, get us off to a good start :oD

Hugs xx