Wednesday 11 December 2013

How to Make 5 Meals from 1 Pack of Bacon

This is the pack of bacon.


It contains 500g (approx 1 lb) and cost 81p from Morrison's. It is bits already chopped,  not rashers.I rarely buy proper bacon rashers as they are too expensive to serve for a meal for up to 5 people. Instead I buy these packs and make them go a long way.

The first of the 5 meals was a sausage casserole. I used a pack of 12 Morrison's chipolatas reduced to 69p, 125 g of the bacon plus an onion and a jar or paprika sauce that I had in my stock from Approved Foods. This was served with rice (also AF)and fed 3 people.

Meal number 2 was leftover sausage casserole mixed with cooked pasta, topped with grated cheese and baked for 15 minutes in the oven.

Meal 3 was a cheese, onion and bacon flan.


I used a lump of pastry from the freezer that had been made from an AF catering pack. I lined a big long brownie tin with it and baked at gas 4 for 10 mins so it wouldn't be soggy when I put in the filling. I fried another 125g of the bacon and a small onion, sprinkled this over the partly cooked pastry case, sprinkled grated cheddar on top and then made a savoury egg custard with 4 free range eggs (Aldi - 95 p for 6) and a carton of soy cream (AF 4 for £1) plus a little milk. This was baked in the oven at the same time I baked DH's birthday cake on Monday. The flan was served yesterday with slow cooker baked potatoes and salad. There was enough left over for DD3 and her boyfriend to take some to work for their lunch and for DS1 to have for his dinner tonight while DH and I had meal number 4.

Meal 4 was liver and bacon.

The pig's liver was 450g for 59p (reduced in Asda), 2 small chopped onions, an oxo cube, a tbsp of tomato puree and 125g of the bacon all done on low in the slowcooker. Served with mashed potatoes, green beans and peas.


Meal 5 will be macaroni cheese with onion and bacon on Friday. I'll be using the last 125g of the bacon pack and a tub of Philadelphia soft cheese I was given mixed with grated cheddar.

So, that's how we enjoyed the flavour of bacon for 5 meals (6 if you count DD1's dinner tonight and DD3 and her boyfriend's lunches) without breaking the bank.

Other news is that while waiting in for a delivery this morning I wrapped all my Xmas pressies except the Doctor Who scarf that I just finished this evening (I'll post more pictures another time) and a book that I had to reorder as the original supplier didn't have enough stock. After a late start I'm so happy my preparations are well under way and I have very little left to buy and do. I'm hoping next year to be better prepared and make more homemade gifts well in advance (maybe even starting in January).

Tomorrow's my volunteering day and a visit with my advisor at the Job Centre.



4 comments:

  1. We are like minds, I use RTC and AF and Adli to spend as little as possible. Recipe ideas are always welcome, even though I adapt to use what I have. I like to stretch a pound till it squeals and then give an extra tug. I think I am an inverted food snob, I glory in hoe little I spend rather then how much and where. Oops

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    1. I think I'm the same as you; I hate wasting any food and try to either incorporate leftovers in another main meal or for someone to have them for lunch. We had the last of the bacon tonight. Instead of macaroni cheese I used pasta shells from AF and that free soft cheese and made a lovely creamy bake. I love trying to make a meal from very little.

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  2. Fabulous ways of using bacon!
    I`ve just written out some more x-mas cards we shall have to post this weekend.
    No pressies to give this x-mas apart from to a dear neighbour and friend. All had been organised throughout the year and no x-mas stressing required at all. The
    x-mas turkey is being supplied by stepson through his store discount card, and all the other little bits have to be bought in through Tesco stamp vouchers I`d saved up all through the year. We`re going to eat well and will be merry without braking the bank.

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    1. You are doing so well. Its great when you can make use of coupons, points and discounts. I haven't mailed any cards this year. DH gave a few to work colleagues he gets on well with, and any others will be handed out to the person when I see them or put through letterboxes if they are local. I'm not giving out to people I barely know even though I've received a couple from people at my slimming club. I just thank them politely. I've cut right down on the amount I've spent on the kids' pressies and have bought some joint pressies otherwise it starts to work out very expensive when partners get added to the family. All my girls are earning more than we are, anyway, and can mostly buy whatever they want. Being an old misery, I'll be happy when Xmas is over and I can make a fresh start on my budgeting for next year. The good news is it looks like DH will be kept on at the college he's been teaching at this term. the money's good and its not far to travel to work, plus the students are better behaved than in schools so its suits him fine. We'll also have a good Xmas especially knowing its all paid for before the New Year.

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