trying to stay in budget

is sometimes harder than it might first seem.  A couple of weeks ago, I did a fortnight's shop, online, and it came to under £45!  Of course I was relying on food I had in the freezer that I'd bought when it was reduced at the time, or on special offer.  The trick to this is to only do this when it won't put you over budget the week you are buying, otherwise it's not saving your money, unless you have to live month to month, and the beginning of the month is more flush than later in the month, so having some bargains in the freezer can really save your bacon (!) on that last week or few days in the pay month.

Last week I had another delivered order, and I was happy that Sainsbury's seems to be getting better, I actually got the meat I ordered which was lamb chops on offer at half price!  We had those on St David's Day with a pile of buttery slowly cooked down leeks, and some spuds and sweetcorn too.  I just didn't have to energy to make Welsh cakes after all, but read this and have a go if you fancy a try... They're yummy any time, not just on St David's Day...

Yesterday I had the mad rush of Brownies night, as well as our Lent movie group later on, so I rustled together a couple of Anjum Anand recipes, which I utterly recommend - a thoroughly creamy and succulent tasting but healthy version of shahi paneer, and a crisp and peppery hot cabbage salad. Eaten with a few hot breadmaker naans, and what more could one ask?

Our weekend potroast chicken served us well, though no one had the energy to pie-ify it!

Tonight we're having tinned sardines on toast, but it's homemade oat bread, and tomorrow I'm using some butcher's cocktail sausages which were reduced and then stashed in my freezer, in beans and sausages.  Friday will be jacket squds with tuna mayo and brocolli.

Oh and we've just had a new Sainsbury's open near our tube station. It's tiny and cute but pretty well stocked.  Got my organic starter yoghurt, forgot to check they sell organic milk, will be gutted if they don't, but I did notice they don't sell bread flour.  It was mad crowded, but then it only opened today, I can't imagine it'll always be that mad.  I was amused they had staff asking all shoppers if they have Nectar cards when they entered the shop, and the woman asking me couldn't actually remember the word Nectar!!!