Hotdog pasta

Hotdog pasta with carrots and green peppers

Sausage and Apple Filo Roll

Sausage & Apple Filo Roll

After I started writing out the ingredients to this recipe I realised this could have a number of names. I immediately christened it Sausage & Apple Filo Roll because I wanted to highlight the apple in it but I could have easily called it Sausage, Sage & Onion Filo Roll. Essentially it is a jumbo sausage roll that is easy to make, quick to cook and ensures clean plates from all the family.

The main elements I found in the reduced section of the supermarket and was able to freeze them. The filo sheets were 39p and the sausagemeat was £1.14.

The dried apple should been £2.49 but for some reason Sainsbury's had reduced all the 250g packets to just 25p. I'm not sure if this was due to them changing the packaging or discontinuing them all together. I hope it's the former as they've become quite a find. Although they are described as 'dried' they're not the dehydrated hard slices you find in cereal mixes. Instead they are more like jelly sweets. This makes them perfect for baking with as they still hold their shape rather than going to complete mush that fresh apple has a tendency to do.

The thrifty nature of this new family favourite meal means I will be submitting it for Fuss Free Flavours and Fab Food 4 All's Credit Crunch Munch which is being hosted this month by Janice at Famersgirl Kitchen.

 

Equipment: 1 baking sheet, greased or with non-stick liner.

Ingredients

500g Sausagemeat (1 'roll')

2oz (50g) Dried Apple

1 Onion, chopped

1 tsp (5ml) Sage

1 Pack Filo pastry (5 sheets)

½ oz (10-15g) Butter, melted

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C/ Gas mark 5.

2. In a large bowl mix together the sausagemeat, apple, onion and sage until well combined.

3. Lay out 2 of the filo sheets on the baking tray.

4. Spread the sausagemeat mixture across the filo sheets but leave enough space around the edges to fold over.

5. Place the other 3 filo sheets on top and fold round.

6. Brush the top with the melted butter.

7. Cook for 20 minutes.

8. Serve with potatoes and vegetables of your choice.

Mini Toad in the Hole

Mini Toad in the Hole

Anybody reading a few entries on this blog will have probably realised by now that not much enters into Jibber Jabber Towers if it isn't free, reduced or on offer. I believe though that a food bargain isn't really a bargain if it is something you wouldn't usually buy and you just scoff it as an extra. So when I spotted a packet of cocktail sausages with nearly 50% off I knew they shouldn't just be left open on the table so anyone could come and pinch one. The only thing that should be done with these is make them in easy and tasty dinner for all. Alternatively, you you serve these as originally intended at a party or buffet but show your guests that you have made more of an effort than simply chucking some sausages in a bowl. 

Toad in the hole may not seem like the height of gastronomy or indeed a dish that many people need to be told how to make. However, the idea of giving you this recipe is a little inspiration as something different to do with a pack of cooked cocktail sausages and also the right amount of ingredients needed, plus the cooking times. As the sausages take up most of the space in the hole you really don't need much batter mixture.

I've proportioned the cost of the ingredients: Sausages – 89p, Flour - 2p (£1 for 1.5kg), Egg – 17p (£1 for 6 free-range large eggs), Milk – 3p (£1 for 2.27 litres). Total cost therefore is £1.11 with each portion coming in at under 28p each or just over 9p per 'Toad'.

As this has turned out to be such a cheap meal I will be putting it forward to March 2013's Credit Crunch Munch which is hosted jointed by Camilla at Fab Food 4 All and this month's host Helen at Fuss Free Flavours. 

Serves 4 as a main meal or 12 party/buffet portions.

Equipment

You will need a non-stick 12-cup bun tin.

Ingredients

Pack of cooked cocktail sausages (packet says approx 35 but there was 37 in it)

1oz (28g) plain flour

1 large egg

2½ fl oz (70ml) milk

To serve: Potatoes of your choice (we had mashed), vegetables (we had carrots and sugarsnap peas in  the fridge) plus gravy.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220°C/ Fan 200°C/ Gas Mark 7

2. Arrange the sausages in the bun tin. You should be able to get 3 in each hole.

3. Cook the sausages for 10 minutes. While they are cooking prepare your batter mixture.

4. In a bowl the egg to the flour and beat together. Add the milk and beat again until all the ingredients are combined. You don't need to worry about lumps.

5. When the sausages have cooked for 10 minutes pour the batter mixture into each hole.

6. Cook for a further 15 minutes.

7. Serve with the potatoes and vegetables of your choice.

Cheese topped beef pie

Years ago the standard Sunday meal was a roast joint of meat of some variety. The brilliant thing about a joint of meat is that a long cook on the Sunday meant little cooking on Monday as the leftovers were used in a quick and simple dish. Often in my house as child Monday was actually 'Cold meat Monday'. This would involve slices of the cold roast meat from the day before (never my favourite; warm it up, please), salad made by my Nan sometime in the afternoon so by dinner time it was a soggy mess, and boiled potatoes but not potatoes that should have been peeled and boiled. If we were lucky there would be enough meat to have on the Tuesday and this would be cooked treat and for beef my Mother would cook 'Cheese topped beef pie'. Normally a pie means pastry but in this case it's more like a crumble topping. 

The original recipe was one my Mother had kept from many years previously and was probably issued by some promotional board such as the 'Beef farmers of Britain' or the 'Automated Electrical Company of the UK'. I remember phoning my Mother and asking her the recipe and scribbling it down so I could share the delights of this dish with my family. Over the years I've added and tweaked it to just how I like it but it's easy to adapt. If you have some leftover vegetables such as carrots or something green like peas, broccoli or beans, you could add them in too.

One of the reasons that Sunday roasts are no longer the norm in many households these days is that so many families don't sit down together for meals and a Sunday dinner is seen as something that should be eaten out at a pub or restaurant rather than at home. Another big factor is the price. Meat is expensive, therefore squeezing as many thrifty meals out of a roasting joint is essential. Where my Mother lives there are number of supermarket – Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Waitrose, and they all have more than one branch nearby. Amazingly, they all seem to reduce short dated food by up to 90% on a regular basis and when I go to visit my Mother she insists I take back a freezer bag full of food. This is only way we were able to enjoy a top rump of beef for Sunday dinner this week. The original price was £12.99 but was reduced to £2.60. If you don't believe me here's the evidence!

How else could you make two meals for a family of four for such value? I also make up extra gravy to use in the recipe. Alternatively, just use some instant granules. The cheese topping needs a small quantity of strong cheese, so root around in the back of fridge for any that needs using up. The rest of the ingredients should be hanging your kitchen. For this reason I am entering this recipe into February's Credit Crunch Munch run by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and hosted this month by Camilla at Fab Food 4 All.

Cheese topped beef pie – Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large onion

1 tablespoon (15ml) oil (sunflower, vegetable – your choice)

1 tablespoon (15ml) plain flour

¾ pint (450ml) beef/meat gravy

8oz (225g) cooked roast beef, diced

black pepper, pinch

nutmeg, pinch (if you don't have any just leave out – no disaster)

Topping

2oz (50g) plain flour

1oz (25g) margarine, spread or butter

1½ oz (40g) strong cheese (mature cheddar or a blue cheese such as Stilton works well)

Method

1. Fry the onion until golden.

2. Add the flour until it browns but doesn't burn.

3. Add the gravy and bring to the boil.

4. Mix in the beef and seasonings.

5. Put the mixture into an oven-proof dish.

6. Make a crumble topping with the flour and fat by rubbing together in a bowl.

7. Add the cheese.

8. Put on top of the beef mixture.

9. Cook at 190°C / gas mark 5 for 15 minutes.

I served mine with reheated roast potatoes, Chantenay carrots (reduced of course) and broccoli.