New beginnings mean new challenges!

It's been an exciting week at Catz's Corner! Our son and his lovely girlfriend have become engaged! He even (in a cold and frosty London park) got down on one knee with the ring, who would have thought our lad could be so romantic? A winter wedding, in the north, next year is planned.

It is all very exciting but also means the budget will have to be pulled in a notch, so that we can have a worry free celebration. We will have to travel north and book into a hotel etc., and we would like to contribute something towards the costs but not sure really these days what the grooms family are responsible for. We will have to do some research and then diplomatically offer if we can.

We nabbed a bit back from our savings this week to cover the cost of some amazing lovers (they cuddle!) lead cystal decanters, as an engagement present, so that has contributed to their bottom draw collection.

To kick off the new tighter budget I have started a store cupboard challenge for this month, still getting the organic deliveries and any fresh needs (not wants) to the total of £50 only for 2.5 of us! Miss C is only really with us for a few days of the week and Penny's food lasts a long time, so unusual for a spaniel type dog!

I have plenty of flour, oil, butter in freezer, lentils, oats, sugar, chickpeas, beans, tinned tomatoes, potatoes, 1 froz joint pork, 1froz med chicken, some froz pollack, salmon, loads of frozen vegetables from the garden, powdered milk, rice, pasta, tuna and tinned fruit.

Yesterday I made the first "storecupboard" meal which was very tasty and would suit vegetarians and vegans but still kept my meat eating hubby happy:-

Curried Red Lentil Soup

1/2 medium peeled and chopped onion (from veg box)
2 tablespoons oil (used olive oil)
1 chopped garlic clove (from neighbours home grown supply)
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger (I used a tsp of lazy ginger from larder)
1 + 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup of rinsed red lentils (from big bag in larder)
1 + 1/4 cups water
3 cups of stock (I used home made chicken stock but vegetable would be good too)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (I used some tinned plum ones)
Fresh lemon juice to taste (jif bottled juice worked)
seasoning to taste

Method
In a large saucepan, cook the onion in the oil stirring until golden brown

Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, stirring the whole time

Add the rinsed lentils (I also soaked them for 1 hour) with the measured water and stock

Bring the liquid to the boil and simmer, covered for 25 minutes - once ready to simmer I transferred all to the slow cooker and left it to it's own devices for the afternoon.

Stir in the tomatoes and simmer for a couple of minutes.

Add the lemon juice and seasoning and serve with lovely thick slices of home made bread.

This makes a lovely thick and spicy soup, loads left for today as well :)


Now I must find some chickpea recipes!