The Peoples Pantry Ellesmere Port
Budgeting tips and tricks
Energy saving tips for your home
Change all of your light bulbs to energy saving ( this can save 100s of pounds a year)
Turn your thermostat down by 1 degree.
Turn off your lights when you are not using them, try using a small lamp rather than the big light in the evenings.
Stop leaving all your tech on standby.
Don't overfill the kettle, only boil exactly what you need.
Wait for a full load before running your washing machine.
Try not to use your tumble drier ( if you do need to try running it at off-peek times this is when your electriciticy costs the least.
Install a smart metre so you can keep a eye on where you are spending the most.
Keep up with your annual boiler service.
Use a draughts excluder by your front door, this will stop heat leaving through the gaps
Bleed your radiators, there are helpful videos on youtube to guide you through this.
Keep your curtains open to let the sun in, close them as soon as the sun goes down to keep in the warmth.
Money saving Meals
Find some of our purse friendly meals to feed the family.
All in one tray sausage and squash bake.
This is a delishous heart-warming meal for the colder evenings.
Serves 4 Prep 10 mins COOK 40 mins
Ingredients;
1 tsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Ground Cumin
2tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
1 tbsp Harissa (you can skip this if you don't like spice)
8 Caramalised Onion Sauasages
2 Red Onions, cut into thick wedges
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2 cm - thick slices
Small handful of parsley, finely chopped
Steamed new Potatoes to serve (if you like you can throw these into the tray and bake with everything else
Method;
Heat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/Gas 6.
Combine the fennel, paprika,cumin, oil, honey, tomato puree and harissa in a large bowl. Tip in the sauasages, onions and squash and mix with your hands until everything is fully coated.
Tip into a large roasting tin and spread out in an even layer, and roast for 30- 40 minutes, stirring occassionsally to ensure everything is golden brown. Scatter over the Parsley and serve with the potatoes and greens if you like.
Recipe sourced from BBC Goodfood.
Baked eggs with chives and ciabatta toasts
There's nothing better than eggs and toast, this version is a little bit different with crust ciabatta to add a lovely bit of sweetness to your breakfast.
Serves 4 Prep 5 mins COOK 25 mins
£1.26 per serving
Ingredients;
1 tsp Olive Oil, for greasing
4 Golden Yolk Eggs
200ml Single Cream
75g Le Gruyere, finely grated
15g fresh chives, finely chopped
1/2 loaf Ciabatta, slice in half length ways
Pinch of Paprika
Method;
Preheat the oven to 200C/ 180C fan/Gas 6.
Grease 4 standard size ramekins with the oil and place them on a high sided baking tray, then crack an egg into each one.
Pour cream into a jug, add half the cheese and chives, season with salt and pepper and mix well.
Divide the mixture between the ramekins, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Pour boiling water into the baking tray so it goes half way up the ramekins.
Place the ciabatta cut side up on a seperate baking tray. Put everything in the oven and bake for 15 minutes for medium cooked eggs, if you like it runnny cook for less time.
When the eggs and bread are ready, carefully remove the tray from the oven and take the ramekins out of the water. Sprinkle over remaining chives and add a pinch of smoked paprika. Slice the bread into thick soldiers for dunking and serve along side the baked eggs.
Recipe sourced from Asda magazine.
Chicken and Sweetcorn Pie
A fresh and tasty pie that is super easy to put together.
Serves 4 Prep 10 mins COOK 40 mins
Only £1.67 per serving
Ingredients;
350g Baby potatoes, quartered
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Leek, washed and sliced
400g Mini Chicken Breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks
400g tin, cream of Chicken Soup
250g Garden Peas, drained
326g tin Sweetcorn, drained
320g pack ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg yolk, beaten
Method;
Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan/ Gas7.
Toss potatoes with 2 tsp oil in roasting tin and roat for 5 minutes until crisp and cooked through.
Meanwhile, heat remaining oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the leeks over a medium low heat until softened. Increase the heat slightly, add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes until browned all over.
Add the soup, peas and Sweetcorn to the chicken and leeks, stir to mix and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2-3 minutes until reduced slightly and thickened. Transfer to a casserole or pie dish.
Lay the pastry sheet over the top and trim pastry to fit just over the edge of the pie. Brush with egg yolk and use a fork to push down and seal the edges. Cooke for 15-20 minutess until golden, shaking the poatoes when the pie goes into the oven.
Serve pie straight away with the roasted potatoes on the side.
Recipe sourced from ASDA Magazine.
Easy Crepes
A super easy pancake recipe, for busy weekend mornings.
Serves 4 Prep 5 mins COOK 20 mins
Only £1.06 per serving
Ingredients;
175g Plain Flour
3 Large Eggs
450ml Milk
Sunflower oil, for frying
Method;
Put the flour in a large jug or bowl. Crack in the eggs, add half the milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk to a smooth, thick batter. Add the remaining week and whisk again. Set aside for atleast 30 mins.
Heat a large non-stick crepe pan or frying pan. Add a drizzle of oil, then wipe out the excess with the kitchen paper. When the pan is hot, add enough batter to just cover the surface, swirling it and pouring any excess back into the bowl. The pancake should be as thin as possible.
When the edges are peeling away from the sides of the pan, shake it to see if the pancake easily releases and is browning on the underside. If not, cook a little longer. Flip and cook for another minute or two. Serve, or keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.
Recipe sourced from BBC goodfood.