So it is now week 3. And something terrible happened.
I ran out of coffee……
After four days of living without my cup of morning Joe, and being a cranky shit that wanted to punch anyone that talked to me in the face… I decided I had to go to the shops……
I’m ashamed to say I also had to buy bread mix. I’ve been using the breadmaker because I ran out of bread pretty much on week one, and once my multi-grain bread mixes that had been sitting in my pantry for about a year was used and everyone loved ran out – so I started using white flour, salt and yeast. And my hubby has a sensitive gut…. a very very sensitive gut. And I’m the one that has to clean the toilets.
BUT on a good note – the breadmix comes in at $1.60/loaf – the whole family loves it (so I don’t have to freeze mountains of three different types of bread – some of which is up to $7/loaf (why is gluten free so expensive!!!!!).
So even after this week and I can go shopping again (and will probably need a loan from the bank to pay for it) – I won’t be going back to store bought bread ever again!
Plus the smell is amazing. I put the breadmaker on after dinner – say about 6pm because I’m old and have children that want to eat in the late afternoon…. So by the time I go to bed, the bread is in full cooking mode, and the whole house is filled with that delicious smell of freshly baked bread……
Honestly I dream about it. And if I had any butter left, I’d probably get up in the middle of the night and cut myself a bit slab of that bad-boy and scoff it all down.
AND……I bought a packet of Tim Tams…. shhhhhhhhh. I sneaked them into my wardrobe, and I’ve been snacking on them at night. Please don’t tell anyone….
My pantry is bare now. I’m considering what I can make with the following:
- A can of Cream of Chicken Soup
- A nearly black banana
- 1/2 bottle sweet chili sauce
- 4 bottles of garlic
The Condiment Conundrum
Making school lunches now that I’m out of butter, jam, vegemite, honey and golden syrup which is all my kids will eat has also been a challenge. The kids haven’t really noticed the lack of butter – but as it is my favourite food in the world – I miss it greatly. Sliced sausages, cheese and pickles have been the staple for the last few days which isn’t so bad.
But the frustrating thing is, you can’t really make condiments at home. Not economically anyway.
Talking About False Economies
That makes me think that there actually is some things that are worth buying instead of making. Such as:
Large Lasagna’s
I got an email from Gary Ellis (Hi Gary) this week. He has been following my challenge, and decided to make a large lasagna for his whole family. By the time he added up the cost of all the ingredients (mince, garlic, cheese, tomatoes etc) – it came to a whopping $32!!!!! So yes Gary, I do agree that in some cases, making your own, although always yummier, is sometimes false economy if you are on a budget.
Ice Cream
I have an ice-cream maker and I love it! But by the time I make a batch (and it only makes a litre at a time) – I can buy a huge tub for $4 or $5….
Dinners This Week
Well they have been a little sad ingredient wise – but delicious!… Here goes:
- Sausages on Bread with Tomato Sauce (the last of the tomato sauce) – was a good cheat night!
- Two Minute Noodles mixed with cooked frozen vegetables, sweet chili sauce and a cut up chicken breast
- Baked Potatoes with Bolognaise Sauce and grated cheese
- Sour Cream Quiche
- Impossible Pie (but without bacon… oh how I miss thee, Bacon…)
