I just popped into the Cheapskates forum and the chatter is about mooing coconut milk or cream (technically the same thing, just a different name in different areas).
Now you can MOO it very easily, probably even easier than buying it when you consider you need to go to the supermarket, find it on the shelves, stand in the queue, pay for it and then get it home. A 400ml tin of Coles Savings brand coconut cream costs 97 cents. A 500g packet of desiccated coconut from Coles costs $2.92 and is enough to make 4 cups, or 1 litre, of coconut milk. The difference in price is around 26 cents more expensive to buy the tin. There are two ways to make coconut cream; option one takes about 2 hours, option two takes just a few minutes. Again the choice is yours - the end result is the same. Option 1: Soaking Method You will need: 250g coconut 2 cups water A blender Cheesecloth or Chux or muslin for draining Step 1. Soak coconut in cold water for 2 hours. Step 2. Put the coconut and water into the blender and blend on high until the mixture is very smooth. Step 3. Once blended, pour the mixture into the cheesecloth, gathering up the sides and twisting to close. Step 4. Twist the cheesecloth tight, squeezing as much moisture as possible out of the pulp. Keep twisting and squeezing until you can't get any more moisture from the pulp. Pour into a clean jug or jar and chill. Option 2: Not Quite Instant Boiling Water Method You will need: 250g coconut 2 cups water A blender Cheesecloth or Chux or muslin for draining Step 1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil and pour over coconut. Let cool for 10 minutes. Step 2. Put the mixture into the blender and blend until very smooth. This takes about 5 minutes so be patient. Step 3. Once blended, pour the mixture into the cheesecloth, gathering up the sides and twisting to close. Step 4. Twist the cheesecloth tight, squeezing as much moisture as possible out of the pulp. Keep twisting and squeezing until you can't get any more moisture from the pulp. Pour into a clean jug or jar and chill. Now you have your coconut milk/cream to use in smoothies or sauces or curries or cupcakes or pancakes or whatever you are making, but what do you do with the leftover coconut pulp? You use it of course! You can use it as is, adding it to muffins or cakes or breads or desserts. Or add it to yoghurt or fruit salad. Or you can dry it and use it in baking as desiccated coconut. Or you can dry it, grind it and use it as coconut flour. If you're on a GF diet, you'll know just how expensive coconut flour can be. Now I'm going to tell you just how easy it is to MOO it, you won't ever want to buy it again. To Make Desiccated Coconut or Coconut Flour You will need: The pulp from making the coconut milk A baking sheet Baking paper Food processor or blender Step 1. Pre-heat oven to 80 degrees Celsius (or as low as it will go if it doesn't go down this low). Step 2. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Do not be tempted to grease the tray or use cooking spray - it will ruin the end result. Step 3. Spread the coconut pulp in a very thin layer over the baking sheet. Step 4. Bake for 45 minutes or until the coconut is completely dry. Step 5. Let cool a few minutes. If you want it as desiccated coconut, let it cool completely and put into a canister. To make coconut flour add the dry coconut to a food processor or blender and process in short bursts until it is ground to a very fine texture. That's it. Easy. A little cheaper than buying coconut cream, a lot cheaper than buying coconut flour. From Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing
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Sometimes I need to get dinner on the table in a hurry. When that's the case, I make tacos. Ten Minute Tacos to be exact. They are really that quick, use pantry items and the troops can be sitting down to eat in just minutes. Ingredients: 10 taco shells 2 tins baked beans 1 pkt taco seasoning 1/2 lettuce 2 or 3 tomatoes 1 cup grated cheese 200ml tub sour cream or plain yoghurt Method: Put the baked beans into a saucepan and stir through the taco seasoning. Warm the beans through over a low heat. While the beans are heating, warm the taco shells in the microwave according to the directions on the packet. Shred the lettuce and dice the tomatoes. Divide the bean mixture evenly between the taco shells. Top with the shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and grated cheese. Top each one with a teaspoon of sour cream. Enjoy. Platinum members can login for full access to the Recipe File
Not a Platinum Cheapskates Club Member? Please upgrade to a Platinum Cheapskates Club membership to be able to access our Member's Centre. I've really noticed the end of summer this week. The days are getting shorter, or rather the sun is setting earlier and it is dark much later in the mornings. Before too long winter will be here and with it a whole lot of extra expenses: heating, warm clothing, more fuel for the car (less walking in winter weather) and more indoor pursuits which invariably seem to cost something.
I've also noticed it because I've spent the last two glorious days in the veggie garden planting our winter veggies. They should have been in a couple of weeks ago but time was away. It was a major garden renovation, so I had to wait until there was almost nothing left. We have moved four of our big veggie boxes so they are in line with the rest of the garden. This came about because we need a new side fence (what a palaver and all over a fence). To get the new fence the old creepers had to come down (yay!). This freed up a whole lot of space - about 54 square feet - in the back garden. It also meant I could move the veggie boxes so they now get sun all day long, instead of just 7 hours. Unfortunately to move the boxes we had to empty them. That meant digging out the soil, shifting the boxes into their new positions, replacing the soil and re-planting. The boxes were moved one at a time, as Wayne was on call and we never knew just when the phone would ring and he'd have to go to work. It was a huge job and took most of the day, but I can't stop grinning, everything looks so lovely and tidy now. Mind you I'm paying for it today; my arms and shoulders are a little stiff and achy, obviously not used to all the pushing and lifting of the shovel. Once the boxes were in place I was itching to get planting. The weatherman says that this is the last of the nice warm days for the year and that a very cold change is on its way for later in the week so I had to get moving. Wayne turned over the compost for me and we dug in lots and lots of lovely, crumbly compost and watered it down, ready for the seedlings. Then he started a new lot of compost with the lawn clippings and the contents of the bokashi bucket and some fern clippings he mulched up. He'll be able to add apple leaves soon; I noticed this morning they are starting to turn yellow on the tree. I've planted mini cauliflowers and cabbages. I love these little vegetables, one is just the right size for a meal for my family so there is no waste and they don't get to go black in the fridge. I pick them as I want them so they are really fresh too. I've also put in some more potatoes (Desiree this time) and re-planted the strawberries into a bigger bed for the winter. Hannah tells me that our homegrown, organic potatoes are the best tasting ever. That’s high praise from my girl who doesn’t really like spuds all that much. I sowed another dozen beetroot too. Have you tried roasted beetroot? Beetroot is a summer salad staple for many Australians but it's even better as a winter veggie roasted in a drizzle of olive oil. Or in a soup or dip. And of course I've sown some more lettuce and broccoli. We'll also enjoy Rainbow Silverbeet, garlic chives, peas, Chinese cabbage, turnips and parsnips (I love baked parsnip), celery and spring onions. I'm tempted to try a couple of tomato plants and keep them in the greenhouse but I fear Melbourne winters just don't get enough hot sun. This afternoon I sowed more silverbeet, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and lettuce and celery seeds. By the time these are ready to go into the garden I should be picking their older mates. That's the plan anyway. Succession planting will ensure we have a steady supply of fresh veggies all winter, and save a small fortune too. For root vegetables, such as beetroot and parsnip, I plant direct. You can buy seedlings of these veggies, but they really do better if they are sown direct and grown from seed. Try beetroot or radishes for salads, turnips and parsnips for soups and casseroles and carrots grown straight from seed and you'll be amazed at how much better they grow for you. There is still one empty veggie bed. This is for onions. It will rest for the next three months, ready for planting in July. The onions did really well this year so I hope I can replicate the results. The soil has been turned over and had lots and lots of manure dug into it. My Grandfather grew the best onions ever, and he grew them in a mix of 3:1 manure to soil - not what the books suggest at all. His onions were always golden and big and very tasty. My plan is to give Grandad's method a try and hope I have his green thumb, at least when it comes to onions anyway. When people ask me how I keep the food bill down the first thing I mention is the veggie garden. The few minutes it takes each day to water, pull the odd weed, re-sow seed and pick gorgeous fresh vegetables is fantastic value for effort. Our fruit and veg bill is so low, around $10 a fortnight, that I once had a journalist accuse me of not feeding my family properly. The look on her face when I invited her out the back to see our garden, and then the smile when she left with a big bag of fresh veggies was priceless. And I think she understood - you don't need to rely on the supermarkets for your food - you can grow it yourself, in your own backyard, and tell the supermarket fruit and veg department goodbye. From Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing Baking is a frugal way to experience new flavours within a limited budget. In general, baking ingredients are similar for many cuisines and a good stash of baking essentials will last a long time. Most baking ingredients can be found to be fairly inexpensive as a whole, so you can afford to stock up on a variety of grains and flours to bake up gourmet treats any time without spending a fortune. With a couple turns of the rolling pin or twist of the wrist, a warm wonderful aroma will be wafting from your oven, and you can enjoy gourmet pastries and breads for only a few dollars each. Take time to master the art of garlic naan, or rich cream-filled pastries from Italy. With just a little practice and the right ingredients, you can produce gourmet baked goods at budget prices. Platinum members can login for full access to the Recipe File
Not a Platinum Cheapskates Club Member? Please upgrade to a Platinum Cheapskates Club membership to be able to access our Member's Centre. Click here to upgrade your Cheapskates Club membership today I've been inundated with lemons this week, thank you, thank you, thank you, and not being one to look a gift horse in the mouth the kitchen has been full of jars of lemon butter, bottles of lemon syrup (just divine on a summer evening over ice and topped with slushy soda water) and lots of lemon halves in zippy bags to go into the freezer (for zesting and then resting my dainty and delicate lady-like elbows in).
Lemons are so versatile. They are a delicious food. I use them in cordials, marmalades, sauces, icing, cakes, slices and biscuits and of course Heavenly Lemon Meringue Pie, named by my darling husband because he thinks it is heavenly to have homemade pie. If there are any left after all that cooking they get used for cleaning! Anyway, here's my recipe for Wayne's favourite dessert: Heavenly Lemon Meringue Pie Ingredients: 1 prepared 20cm pie shell* 1 1/2 cups lemon butter* 2 egg whites 2 tbsp castor sugar Method: Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius. Pour the lemon curd into the pie shell. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Add one tablespoon of sugar and continue beating until sugar is dissolved. Add second spoonful of sugar and beat until sugar is dissolved. Carefully spread meringue mixture over the lemon curd, being sure to take it right to the edges to seal the pie. This stops the meringue from "bleeding". Place into oven and bake 10 - 15 minutes until meringue is golden and set. Serve hot with ice cream or cold with thick cream. Notes: *The pie shell - you can use a bought shortcrust pie shell or make your own. Elaine's Easy Pastry gives a nice crisp pie crust. If you are making your own, pre-bake it before you add the filling and meringue. *Either homemade or bought lemon curd is fine. Homemade is generally nicer of course but if all else fails a jar of lemon butter will do in a pinch. I MOO lemon butter and you won't believe how easy it is. It takes all of 10 minutes and that is prep, cooking and clean-up time, truly. The secret is the microwave oven. Just like microwave marmalade, lemon curd in the microwave is simple, quick and absolutely delicious. Here's my recipe, it makes 2 cups. Six Minute Lemon Butter Ingredients: 3/4 cup castor sugar* 125g butter (real butter please, not margarine) 3 whole eggs 1/2 cup lemon juice Method: In a deep microwave safe jug beat the eggs and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. An electric beater or stick blender makes this easy, but you can use a whisk, it just takes a little longer. Melt the butter and stir into the egg mixture. Blend in the lemon juice. Place the jug into the microwave and cook for two minutes on high. Stir well. Cook a further two minutes and stir again. Cook two more minutes, remove from microwave and stir well. The mixture should be thick but still pourable. Pour into sterilised jars, seal and place in the fridge to cool. Once the mixture cools completely it will set into a nice spread. Keep in the fridge for up to two weeks (if it lasts that long). This lemon butter is delicious on toast or spread on scones or pancakes. It also makes a lovely filling for a sponge or a lemon tart or meringue. *Note: You can use up to 1 cup of caster sugar, depending on the acidity of the lemons. I like lemony lemon butter so 3/4 cup is more than enough sweetener for my taste but if you like a sweet spread add a little more sugar. Because it only takes a few minutes to make it's very easy to whip a batch any time you have a couple of spare lemons. Save your pretty jars and make a batch or two to give as edible gifts, I guarantee they'll be well received and as each batch costs under $2 to make (less if you have free lemons and eggs) it's a gift that won't break the budget. Just another example of a grocery staple that we 21st century homemakers seem to think we have to buy because it's too hard and time consuming to MOO. If you love lemon butter give it a try. It's much nicer than the bought stuff (for starters it tastes like lemon) and so much cheaper. And like I always tell you, if you don't like it you can always go back to your regular brand. This post was originally published at Debt Free, Cashed Up and Laughing While we were having lunch today Wayne had the TV on, watching Landline on the ABC. One of the segments on the show featured Show cooks. It seems that show cooking has had a resurgence in recent times, with this year's ECCA seeing an increase of 180 entries.
And can you believe the youngest entrant was just four years old! As they were talking about fruit cakes, and how to cut all the fruit, line the tins etc Wayne hinted that perhaps I could make him one of my prize winning sultana cakes. Yes, I have won a first prize for sultana cake, not at an agricultural show, but at Group CWA, an honour I am still proud of. Anyone who knows me understands why I am so honoured. I'm not a great cook and I really don't enjoy everyday cooking. I have a few recipes that I make over and over (if you check my menu plan each month you'll know what I mean) because I can make them very well. Sultana cake is one of those things. My top 10 tips for a prize winning sultana cake are: 1.Use the freshest sultanas possible. 2.Always soak the sultanas overnight, drain and let them dry for 24 hours. 3.Dust sultanas with a little flour before adding them to the mixture. 4.Add 1 teaspoon of lemon essence with the liquids - it gives a delicious flavour. 5.Line the tin with 2 layers of brown paper and then 1 layer of baking paper. 6.After pouring the batter into the tin, wet your hands and gently pat the top to even out. This helps to stop the top cracking during baking. 7.Always pre-heat your oven and make sure it is exactly the right temperature before you put the cake in to bake. 8.Never open the oven during baking. 9.After baking time is up, take the cake from the oven and if it is singing to you it is done. If it's not singing, put it back in for another five minutes and test again. 10.Let cool in tin for 10 minutes before turning out to cool. Now I've given away my secrets, I guess I should share the recipe too. Sultana Cake Ingredients: 500g sultanas 250g butter 250g sugar 350g plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 3 eggs 1 tsp lemon essence Method: Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius. Cover the sultanas with water and bring to the boil (and yes, they were soaked overnight). Boil for 15 minutes and drain. Add butter to hot sultanas. Beat eggs and sugar together. Add to sultana mixture. Then add the sifted flour and baking powder. Add the lemon essence and mix well. Bake in a 20cm tin for about 11/2 hours. Test to see if it's done, if not return to oven for a few minutes and check again. Let cake cool in tin 10 minutes before turning out to cool on a cake rack. This base recipe from Cheapskater Carol is perfect for slices and even sweet pies when you don't have that packet of biscuits to crumb.
Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups plain flour 1/2 cup icing sugar 1/4 tsp salt 175g (3/4 cup) cold butter, cut into small cubes Method: Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, grease a lamington tin or pie plate. Place flour, icing sugar and salt into food processor fitted with metal blade. Pulse until blended. Add cold, cubed butter and process mixture until it looks like little crumbs, about 15 seconds. Transfer mixture to prepared pan or pie dish. Press firmly onto the bottom. Bake in pre-heated oven 15 - 18 minutes until edges are golden. If using for pie base, cover with foil so that the crust doesn't burn. Delicious as the base of a slice. I used it for a cheesecake crust this week and it was great. Contributed by Carol, Mudgegonga It's that time of year again. The fig tree is full of fruit, so full even the birds can't get it all. I picked a colander full this morning and will use them to make fig jam.
I love fig jam. It's a childhood favourite and the one jam my mum made every year without fail. I love fig jam on fresh bread with cream. I love it on hot toast. I love it on plain muffins spread with cream cheese , topped with fig jam. It's great as a spread and it's great as a cake filling. It makes lovely little jam tarts. You can even use it to glaze a ham. The recipe I use is a simple microwave jam - equal quantities of fruit and sugar, with the juice of one lemon. Platinum Cheapskates Club members can login find it in the Recipe File. The kilo of fruit in the colander made two 500ml jars and one 120ml jar of delicious fig jam. One of the jobs I was able to cross off the to-do list last week was defrost and re-organize the freezer, and I was very glad to get it done. Keeping a freezer organized, especially a chest freezer, can be quite a feat, especially when it is almost always packed tight. To help keep my freezer neat and tidy, and to stop food getting lost and ruined, I use "green" bags and cute little labels I made using the computer. The bags are different colours according to their contents:
On the handle of each bag I've tied a label. They are tied on so they can easily be moved to another bag in the future. You could staple or stitch them on if you want something more permanent. I printed the labels off onto an A4 sheet, cut around the shape and laminated them in business card sized laminating pouches (because I already had them). You can cut them out and then space them onto an A4 laminating pouch, run them through the laminator and then cut them out (or go to the expense of buying business card sized pouches, but why would you?). Once they have been laminated punch a hole in the pointy end, slip through the twine or ribbon and they are ready to use. Use this free template to make your own freezer labels (look under the Tools and Guides section). 1. Download and open it in Word.
2. To add an item to a label click in the centre and type into the text box. 3. To change the background colour of the labels click on the label and then choose a new fill colour. 4. Print, cut out and laminate. Punch a hole through the point of each label to attach to freezer items. |
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