Vegetable fritters

In an attempt to find some way of stretching the family food bill I found a recipe I saved a long time ago...
Courgette Fritters
450g grated courgette
50g grated cheese
2 eggs beaten
4 tbsp plain flour
salt and pepper to season

1)Squish courgettes in a clean dish towel to remove excess water, 
2) combine squished courgettes with cheese, eggs, flour and seasoning and shape into pattie shapes
3) Fry in a little oil till each side is golden brown
4) drain and serve

Again it is from Moneysavingexpert I think - but it does strike me that it could be used for other veg as well - grated carrots or parsnips perhaps?  Maybe without the cheese and with other flavouring such as curry powder - sort of like a bhaji?  Results back as soon as I get some time to experiment....

Homemade Potato Wedges

Having exited the supermarket with a three figure trolley (again)  I spent the afternoon searching both my hard drive and the Web for homemade versions of the processed goods in the trolley in the hopes of not going over budget at the end of the month.  One thing that is always in my basket is oven chips and frozen hash browns or potato wedges.  I found this recipe (I have a feeling it came from the OS forum board at Moneysavingexpert.com) and intend to give it a go as soon as I have space in the freezer.  Home grown spuds should make these practically free!

"Home Made Potato Wedges


Wash and clean about 4 large potatoes, you can use baking ones but its entirely up to you.
Part boil potatoes till a bit soft in the middle.

Spicy:-
2tbsp of oil (any variety)
2 garlic cloves (less / more up to you)
salt + pepper
1 tsp of coriander
1 tbsp of paprika
Mix together and toss potatoes wedges in while still hot

Plain:-
2tbsp of oil (any variety)
2tbsp salt
2tbsp pepper
Mix together and toss potatoes wedges in while still hot

Now at this point after mixing you can wait till fully cooled down put in tub or food bags then freeze.
Or while still warm put into the oven on a baking tray, gas mark 6 for about 25 mins or till soft in the middle."

Saving on Packed Lunches:meat slicer

My Christmas present to myself this year...

Andrew James Meat Slicer

This fearsome looking beast cost me around £50 (should have been £140) and has nearly paid for itself already in the month that I have had it. How? I buy boneless roasting joints when they are reduced for quick sale and pop them in the freezer.  Then I take them and roast them in the oven and after they have cooled slice them up and package into 100 g packets.  Normal cost, for roast pork for example, around £2 per 100g pack - the last joint I roasted this way cost me £6 and I got a meal for the family and 9 bags of sandwich meat - saved £12!  I estimate that it should (even allowing for purchase price) save me about £100 on sandwich meat this year alone.  It even slices bread so I can turn my own bread from the breadmaker into sliced bread for the freezer (saving around 60p per loaf after ingredients and power).  One gadget that I am glad to have in my moneysaving kitchen.