Little Wins Mean a Lot

On Sunday I cooked a full Roast Chicken Dinner for our tea.  It has been a while since I made a full dinner like this with the roast potatoes, roasted shallots, mashed potato, peas, cauliflower and carrots with lots of gravy and it went down very well.  When it comes to cooking I can never quite get the quantities right (I tend to over feed everyone) and as we were only having dinner for last night and not our usual two meals I tried not to do as many vegetables.  Despite my best attempts I failed miserably.  So much so, that I have decided just to carry on doing what I know and then doing something with the leftovers.  Leftovers are often the best.  

Today (Monday) I have managed to use up what mashed potato was left together with the remnants of the other vegetables and turned it into a Bubble n Squeak (minus the Brussel Sprouts although I do have those in the Freezer).  If I carry on with leftover vegetables here and there (as long as there is mashed potato) then I should be able to build  up a little supply of Bubble n Squeak to either add to G's breakfasts or to serve with chicken, or game meats (very good with Pheasant which has not been hung) or just to use generally.  Something tasty for nothing.  That is why it is a good thing not to throw the veggies away no matter how small the quantity.  After all you have spent good money buying the ingredients.  As the saying goes if you look after the pennies the pounds will look after themselves.

Equally, there was a load of tasty gravy left as well.  This has been decanted into a pot and frozen (just allow a headspace between the gravy and the pot lid as the gravy will expand and pop the lid off otherwise).  This will be used with another chicken dinner or other hot meal or equally added to a soup to add a little more flavour.  No point in wasting anything.  In this day and age, you need to try and see the potential of anything leftover and squirrelling it away for future use well that is a bonus.

On Monday evening, I nipped to the shop ostensibly to do the Set For Life Lotto.  I did not buy anything else apart from some Asparagus which was in the reduced section.  I have therefore come back with two bunches and I am going to freeze them for Christmas.  They should have been £2.50 per bunch.  I bought a single bunch at £1.25 therefore as I had the two bunches it has cost me £2.50 for both bunches which is half of the original asking price of £5 for the two bunches.  I am well pleased with these, and there was me saying I was not going to buy anything.   Well worth looking what is in the reduced section if you can. Already another little additions to the Freezer together with the gravy and the Bubble n Squeak ; however I class Asparagus as a bit of a luxury and I just could not leave it at that price.  I therefore took advantage of that which came my way and it will make a very useful vegetable for use over the Christmas period.  We both love Asparagus.

Therefore I have been blessed with some little wins for the day for which I am very grateful.  Every little helps as they say.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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