Frugal Friday Udate

Happy Friday everyone! I’m so glad that the weekend lies before us, time to take a break from school lessons and weekly commitments and just relax.

 This weekend is special for us as a family as both our girls are being confirmed (confirming their faith in the Anglican church for those who don’t know 🙂 ). What makes this all the more joyous is that they both wanted to be confirmed. Isn’t that great? Each week they have attended confirmation classes and LOVED it! I was really quite surprised as DH shared his memories of confirmation – he hated the classes. Yet each week the girls looked forward to their classes and happily did their ‘homework’ with me each day following the class. It’s makes my mothers heart very happy 🙂

Clean Dishes After a Marathon Baking Day!

Onto some frugal thoughts now. I’m pleased to say that another week has gone by where I have remained on budget. No overspending at all. I have to say though that I am slightly concerned about the upcoming week as I did my weekly shop this morning and don’t have too much left for those small things that sometimes are forgotten in bigger shopping trips. 

Having said that, it just makes the upcoming week more of a challenge. A little more creativity is required, perhaps more vegetarian meals which is a good thing. The reality is that I do have more than enough food in my cupboards right now to make it work. As always fore-planning and preparation are the key to success. Without doubt, if I am not prepared or have a plan and all the ingredients on hand to execute said plan, that’s when I fall off the waggon and end up spending on convenience foods which cost.

November’s Meal Plan

Now I have my monthly meal plan all drawn out and stuck up in my ‘control’ centre in the kitchen, so I know exactly what meals I can throw together. This week my shop consisted of getting all those little bits and pieces required for trying out new recipes, and what I don’t have, I will have to substitute and let my creative juices flow 😉

Adding ‘treats’ to the trolley (shopping cart for my American readers) tends to have a way of adding up and inflating that shopping bill! So recently I have steered clear of such things and rather spent a few hours baking for the week ahead. And that’s exactly what I did today.

Both crock pots were put into action cooking two different soups. Beaters beat up eggs, sugar and all sorts of yummy things, the oven worked overtime and dishes and bowls piled up, were washed and piled up again. This has been the theme for today, but, the freezer and cookie jar is now well stocked for the week ahead. 

Pumpkin Seed and Walnut Rusks

I made two batches of soup, one butternut and the other leek and potato. By making soup in huge quantities, I have plenty of lunch options for during the week and perhaps a ‘lazy night’ option for Sunday (I always cook a roast lunch on a Sunday, but that evening I take ‘off’ )

So, for the freezer I made:

2 liters Butternut Soup

3 liters Leek and Potato Soup (not pictured) 

2 dozen choc-chip biscuits

9 Banana Muffins

1 Banana Loaf

Banana Muffins

Treats baked for the upcoming week:

3 dozen choc-chip cookies (in a lovely Christmassy tin 🙂 )

3 dozen Pumpkin seed and Walnut Rusks (A South Africanism I shared a while back)

Once the bakes are finished I just have to reach into the freezer to replenish.

Double Choc-chip Cookies

Right! I think I am going to take myself off and have a well deserved cup of tea and sit quietly and knit – just for a bit – until it’s time to start supper 🙂

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.