What a good idea: Picnic for a pound

. . . or as Beth calls it, P4P.

The inspiration for this came from our Facebook group, Responsible Frugality (name is due for a change) which started when we were doing Living Below The Line.  Several others also then did LBTL and at the end people wanted the group to continue, so we did!  (find us and ask to join - it's an open group)!  

We have an August 'event' - 

The rules:
1) Organise a bring and share picnic. It could be an extended family gathering, a toddler group outing, something private, something more open... you decide.  If the weather is bad, it could be an indoor picnic instead! 2) Bring along food to the value of £1 PER FAMILY, so a multipack of crisps, a baking of scones, half a loaf worth of sandwiches, some squash... whatever you decide.3) Bring at least one item for the local food bank- may be worth contacting them to find out what they especially need. You can bring more than one item, of course, the more the better!  You could work out roughly how much you would normally spend on a picnic and donate the rest in food.4) Share what you have brought along! And afterwards, someone takes the donations down to the food bank. 

We're having one.  Others are organising a P4P too - why don't you?  Wouldn't it be great if this idea took off and there were P4Ps all over the country this summer?  

And when the weather closes in, have a P4P (Party for a Pound) instead!!

Mind you, the way prices are going up, it might soon have to be Picnic for £1.50, which doesn't have the same resonance about it at all, does it?

Just to say I won't be posting in  here for a few days as holiday life (yay) means that it's not possible to plan my meals all that well.  I'll be back though, in a few days.  :-)

Cheaper than chips menu: 29-7-13

Breakfast:  marmite on toast
Lunch:  mushroom omelette, salad, apple
Dinner:  fish goujons, fries, salad, fruit yoghurt
Plenty of water, even though it does feel cooler today, some mint tea, a few decaf coffees.

Cheaper than chips menu: 28-7-13

I don;t really have one.  At nine a friend is arriving  I have no idea when, what or how we will be eating.
Looking forward to it though.

recipe: courgette bake: Cheaper than Chips providing . . .

OK, so here's the background info first to explain the 'providing':

The courgette was given to me - thanks, Beth
The chives, parsley and thyme are out of the garden.  Dried would be fine.  Other herbs would be fine
The not-parmesan is a value product, as is the soft cheese.
The roll was left over from the meal I provided for guests yesterday and in the bad old days I would have chucked it out.
The tomatoes were also left overs, but they wouldnt have been chucked!
The amounts are vague because I used that I had and what I felt would work.  Go with the flow, so to speak.

Courgette bake

Ingredients
1 courgette, thinly sliced
a knob of butter (or oil - I like butter with courgettes)
two or three mushrooms, thinly sliced
some chives, snipped into little bits
some soft cheese - not the very light version because it doesn't melt all that well
some tomatoes, sliced.  I used leftover mini plum toms
garlic puree (not fresh garlic for this)
a finger roll (hot dog size)
some fresh thyme
some fresh parsley
freshly ground nutmeg
some not-parmesan (because it's value and also because vegetarians can then eat this and they couldn't if it was the real deal)
salt and pepper

Method.
Place the thyme, parsley and bread in a zizzer and zizz until it all looks like breadcrumbs.  Grate the not-parmesan and stir it in.  Add some freshly grated nutmeg and stir it in.  Then set aside.

Heat the butter in a pan and gently fry the courgettes until they are starting to brown.  Lay half of them in an oven proof dish.

Lay over the sliced mushrooms and sprinkle over some chives.

Lay over the rest of the sliced courgettes.
Add some dobs of soft cheese and some tiny dobs of garlic puree.

Lay over the tomato slices and some more chives.  Grind over some salt and pepper.

(Almost forgot to take a photo at this point, hence the breadcrumbs.  Ooops)

Finally, add the breadcrumb mixture and even off the top.

Bake in an oven at 180C until the top is browning and it all smells 'done'.

It was delicious.

Cheaper than chips: 27-7-13

Breakfast:  pancakes with bacon, banana and maple syrup.  A Saturday favourite!

Lunch:  egg salad, fruit and yogyurt

Dinner:  chicken, vegetables, pineapple and yoghurt.

Snacks: trying for none

Drunks:  Mostly water.  Lotsd and lots of water!

Cheaper than chips menu: 26-7-13

There isn't one!  I have family a-visiting for lunch and there are sure to be leftovers for dinner.  No plan for today!