Feed a Family of 4 For Under $8 Using Beef Mince!

Chilli Con Carne For Mum & Dad & Savoury Mince For The Children

Coles regular 3 star beef mince - $3
Coles home brand tin of diced tomatoes - $0.80
Coles brand tin of kidney beans - $1
Continental chilli con carne mix - $1.30
1/2 packet of chapatti's for dipping - $1 (on offer at the time in Coles for $2 a pack)
1 cup of Coles brand long grain white rice - $0.63 ($2.50 for a 1kg pack in Coles)

1.  Brown the mince in a large sauce pan in a table spoon of vegetable oil.  Drain any excess liquid.

2.  Once the mince is cooked and brown in colour, add the tin of tomatoes and then the kidney beans (making sure you drain the liquid from the kidney beans first).

3.  Now remove 1/4 of the mince mixture and add to a separate small saucepan (this is for the children).

4.  Now add the chilli con carne mixture to the large saucepan along with 1 cup of water.  Leave to simmer away for around 30 minutes.  Stirring when necessary to prevent sticking to the pan.

5.  Add 2 table spoons of tomato ketchup to the smaller sauce pan and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.

6.  Now place 1 cup of long grain rice into a microwave bowl with 2 cups of boiling water, cover and place in the microwave for 13 minutes.

7.  Once the rice is cooked.  Remove from the microwave and set aside.  Remove 3 chapatti's from the packet and heat in the microwave for the suggested time on the pack.

8.  Now dish out your meal and enjoy!  The adults will have 1 chapatti each and the remaining chapatti can be halved for the children.

There should be enough chilli remaining to freeze half of the mixture!  Again saving more $$$$!

I hope you all enjoy!  Simple and affordable!

Feed a Family of 4 For Under $8.50!

Bacon & Cheese Quiche

250 grams middle bacon from the deli - $2.50
4 x Free range eggs - $1.60 (pack of 10 eggs from Woolworths $4)
2 x Sheets of frozen short crust pastry - $0.80 (pack of 10 pastry sheets in Woolworths $4)
2 x Small onions - $0.80 (bag of brown onions for $2 in Coles)
1 x Tin of beans - $1 (from Woolworths)
1/2 x Continental Cucumber - $0.50 (1 x full cucumber $1 from Woolworths)
1/4 x 250grams Extra Tasty Cheese - $1 (250grams Extra Tasty Cheese Woolworths Select $3.99)

1.  Pre-heat the oven to 180c.  Take out 2 pastry sheets from the freezer and defrost by leaving on the worktop whilst you prepare the filling.

2.  Chop up 250grams of bacon into small square pieces.  Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a saucepan and cook until brown.  Do the same with the 2 x small onions, although in a separate pan.

3.  Whisk the eggs in a bowl, season with salt and pepper along with one cup of low fat milk.  Whisk together.

4.  Once the pastry has defrosted, grease a quiche/flan dish with margarine.  Then line with pastry, making sure to cover the bottom and sides of the dish.  With the left over pastry, make it into a ball and then roll out on the worktop with a rolling pin.  You should have enough pastry left to make 6 x small circles, I used a glass tumbler for the shape.  Now grease 6 x spaces in a muffin tray and add the small pastry circles.

5.  You now need to blind bake the short crust pastry in the main quiche dish (the 6 smaller pastry circles in the muffin tray don't need to be pre baked).  Blind bake by covering the pastry with tin foil and uncooked pasta on top.  Do this for 10 minutes.  Then remove from the oven and remove the dry pasta and foil.

6.  Now take the cooked bacon and add it to the pastry in the quiche dish and also the smaller ones in the muffin tray.  Then take the cooked onion and add only to the main quiche dish.  My kids don't like onion, so I didn't add it theirs.

7.  Now take the egg mixture and pour a little over each of the 6 small quiches (enough to cover the bacon) and add the rest to the main quiche.

8.  Grate the cheese and do the same, add a little over each of the small quiches and the rest to the main quiche.

9.  Now place in the oven until the pastry and the egg mixture is golden.

10.  I served the children 3 x small quiches each along with chopped up cucumber and carrot.  Very healthy, with a mayonnaise dip.

11.  I served the main quiche with baked beans.  You can add any sides that you like!

Very tasty and still on budget!  A true winter warmer! 

Enjoy!

Meal for a Family of 4 Under $5

1 x Tin of corn - $1
250grams Bacon - $2.75
3 x Eggs - $1 (in a carton of 12 which are $4 in Coles)

Corn Fritters With Grilled Bacon & Scrambled Eggs

I got the recipe for the corn fritters from the website www.bestrecipes.com.au

Ingredients

1 x 300 g tin sweet corn kernels, drained 
1 egg 
Salt and pepper 
1 cup self-raising flour 
Milk 
Oil

 

Method

1. Mix corn, salt, pepper and egg.
2. Add flour alternating with the milk until the consistency of thick cream.
3. Drop spoonfuls of mixture into frying pan of oil and brown both sides.

 

Serve With:

Grilled bacon and scrambled eggs.

Great meal and very quick!  Enjoy!  We sure did!

Tuna Fish Cakes to Feed a Family of 4 For Under $8

Thai Tuna Fish Cakes

Tuna 400grams tin (Coles Smart Buy) $1.50
Frozen Oven Chips (always on offer in any supermarket) $2
Frozen Peas (also on offer) $2
White Bread (Coles Smart Buy) $1
1 x Potato 0.60c
1 x Egg 0.40c (in a carton of 12)

1.  Preheat the oven to 220c.  Peel and chop the potato in quarters and boil in a pan of water on the stove until soft.  Then remove from heat, drain and mash.

2.  Add the tuna to the mashed potato and mix together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Now depending on what sauces you have in the pantry, add a mixture.  For the ones I made I added some mild sweet chilli sauce with honey, tomato ketchup and a little barbecue sauce and mix together.  Taste and alter if necessary as you go.

3.  Now take two large tablespoons of the tuna fish cake mixture and set aside.  These are the children's portions.  Roll them into balls and place on a plate.

4.  Now for the rest of the mixture for mum and dad, add some Thai seasoning and some hot chilli sauce, mix together.  Again, alter to your taste buds.  Then roll into balls, should average 4 fish cakes.

5.  Take two slices of the white bread and add to your food blender to make breadcrumbs.  Then set these onto a small plate.  On a separate plate scatter a good helping of plain flour.  In a separate bowl/dish whisk an egg.

6.  First, take the children's fish cakes you set aside earlier.  Press the balls flat to make a fishcake shape.  Now place on the plate of flour, make sure you coat the whole fishcake.  Then, place into the bowl of egg and coat again.  Now, place onto the plate of breadcrumbs and coat well.

7.  Repeat the above step until all the fishcakes are coated in breadcrumbs.

8.  In a small frying pan, add some vegetable oil and heat.  Brown the fishcakes on both sides and then place on a baking tray.  Place the fishcakes in the bottom of the oven to keep warm.

9.  Now follow the cooking instructions for the oven chips and cook until nice and crisp, usually around 30 minutes.  Place a good portion of the frozen peas in a bowl and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes.

10.  Now plate up your meal and enjoy!

These are great with a side helping of mayonnaise, salt and vinegar for your chips and bread and butter!