Frugal Soup and Waste Not Want Not Pie

I have a Kenwood Chef and attachments which is something I have had about 36 years as the machine was bought when I first got married.  I have since inherited my mum's one that was bought second hand from a friend who has since passed  - I am not sure how old that is but I think its over 40 years old. I do love my Kenwood though and use it for making cakes, soups, squashes, pastry and bread as well as meringues, baked Alaska  - I make the sponge base then layer with jam and fruit, raspberry is especially good then layer with ice cream and then pile it high with meringue also made in the Kenwood.  I have had other bits of equipment but I still go back to my old faithful nearly every time.  Its very much a family machine.

Once upon a time it was given that if there were veggies or meat left over from the Sunday dinner it would be served up as cold cuts in one way or another.  I am not saying that I agreed with some of the creations but a lot of them were very appetising, and good eating without costing an arm and a leg.   If we had beef for tea mum would mince it up, and if there was any gravy left over add this to the minced beef, season to taste and then she would make some pastry, line a dish add the minced beef and add a layer of  fresh grated carrot to the top and then put a pastry lid on and cook until golden brown.  That in turn would be served either with veggies and gravy or with chips and mushy peas.   Monday always used to be wash day and the lady of the house usually had a busy day of it and so cold cuts with chips and a fried egg  or with bubble and squeak was a quick frugal tea to serve up to the family with the minimum amount of effort, cost and best of all it used up vegetables and meat that would otherwise be wasted.  We have got too pernickety these days often wasting things when there is no real need to so rather than waste stuff I make something of it and pop in the freezer until I do need it.  This really does come up trumps at the end of the month or when you want something in a hurry.

After dinner yesterday there were bits and bobs of vegetables left over not really enough to do anything with but I do hate wasting stuff and "throwing money away" so to speak and so I decanted what was left over into a bowl, clingfilmed it and popped it into the fridge until I was ready to use it.  This evening after tea I got the liquidiser out and whizzed all the vegetables plus what was left of the gravy up and it went very thick - stand up thick so I added some extra stock and whizzed it again until I was happy with the consistency.  You can use some milk to give you a creamed vegetable soup but I am trying to keep things simple but it is one to bear in mind just to ring the changes a little. I have since frozen the "soup" down for a day when I do not fancy much but want something tasty but with minimal effort.  Something that warms you up but makes you feel full kind of day and good for when watching the weight which can just be eaten with a couple of slices  or hunks of plain bread.

Makes you feel good about things when you make something out of nothing especially when the purse has been kept well and truly closed.

Catch you soon.