Making every euro count ... great things under €1/€2

lindtee · 23-01-2013 08:58PM

I use Jamie Oliver's recipe for burgers which uses crushed cream crackers instead of breadcrumbs. They always turn out yummy and stick together (I also add liberal amounts of onions, chilli and garlic but kids might not like this)

paddyp · 23-01-2013 09:35PM

Macy0161 wrote: »

the non-bio washing liquid is fine, but it does tend to need a fabric conditioner, where as fairy doesn't. The porridge is ok, and maybe fine done the traditional way, but doesn't microwave as good as the leading brand in our experience (we use it for baking recipes though). We used to buy our bread there too, but they increased the thickness of the slices of the country farmhouse we used to get, so we're currently between brands!

Most of the oats are terrible which is amazing considering how simple a product it it. The kavanaghs porridge oats in the green pack are good though.
Have you tried the super conventrated non-bio its totally different to the normal stuff. I find it very good even in our €30 washing machine.

gerrybbadd · 23-01-2013 09:53PM

Aldi's range is fantastic in my opinion, and in many cases, nicer than own brand stuff. In particular, their McGraths tea, Doritos chips and dips rip off range, cous cous and kettle crisps are fantastic.

Also, although over €2, I have to give a special mention to the Angus steaks they sell. They come boxed, 2 huge sirloin steaks for €8. They are the most tender steaks I've ever had out of a restaurant setting!

CuppaCocoa · 24-01-2013 12:03PM

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Aldi's range is fantastic in my opinion, and in many cases, nicer than own brand stuff. In particular, their McGraths tea, Doritos chips and dips rip off range, cous cous and kettle crisps are fantastic.

Also, although over €2, I have to give a special mention to the Angus steaks they sell. They come boxed, 2 huge sirloin steaks for €8. They are the most tender steaks I've ever had out of a restaurant setting!

I've never had the nerve to buy them. What way do you cook them so they're tender?

gerrybbadd · 24-01-2013 12:28PM

lilybarlean wrote: »

I've never had the nerve to buy them. What way do you cook them so they're tender?

Olive oil on your pan, and turn the heat to high, so the oil starts to smoke. Then give them 4 mins per side, only turning them once. 4 mins does medium. 3 maybe for rare. Also, no harm to take them out of the fridge, and rest them on a plate for a few hours, prior to cooking. Nearer they are to room temp going onto the pan, the better the result.

tatli_lokma · 24-01-2013 01:26PM

Better yet, to avoid a smoky kitchen, oil the meat and not the pan. Dry them well with a kitchen towel, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and then rub in the olive oil into the meat. Then when the pan is good and hot slap em on.

You'd never guess I was a veggie eh? :rolleyes:

Gumbo · 24-01-2013 01:29PM

gerrybbadd wrote: »

Olive oil on your pan, and turn the heat to high, so the oil starts to smoke. Then give them 4 mins per side, only turning them once. 4 mins does medium. 3 maybe for rare. Also, no harm to take them out of the fridge, and rest them on a plate for a few hours, prior to cooking. Nearer they are to room temp going onto the pan, the better the result.

Weekend meal sorted. Im getting some loving this Saturday

gerrybbadd · 24-01-2013 05:18PM

Little Ted wrote: »

Better yet, to avoid a smoky kitchen, oil the meat and not the pan. Dry them well with a kitchen towel, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and then rub in the olive oil into the meat. Then when the pan is good and hot slap em on.

You'd never guess I was a veggie eh? :rolleyes:

This sounds like the job! I'll try this myself the next time!

Qualitymark · 24-01-2013 06:04PM

The one thing I really miss in Lidl and Aldi is proper tea. Can't stand tea bags, so I buy Barry's or Campbell's tea in Superquinn or Tesco.

vicwatson · 24-01-2013 06:22PM

Qualitymark wrote: »

The one thing I really miss in Lidl and Aldi is proper tea. Can't stand tea bags, so I buy Barry's or Campbell's tea in Superquinn or Tesco.

Recently bought the tea connoisseur in my house, the better half, Mcgraths Reserve Tea in Aldi, and she said it's delicious, it won a great taste award - IIRC it was €1.79 for 80 tea bags. Had tried her on the other Mcgraths they have and it was thumbs down.

Big thumbs up in our gaf for the reserve though.

Qualitymark · 24-01-2013 06:27PM

vicwatson wrote: »

Recently bought the tea connoisseur in my house, the better half, Mcgraths Reserve Tea in Aldi, and she said it's delicious, it won a great taste award - IIRC it was €1.79 for 80 tea bags.

I will never allow a single tea bag across the threshold of my home. I'll drink them when I'm out, to be polite, but that awful gagging taste of paper, that disgusting filling of rejected powder from tea leaves. #ick

vicwatson · 24-01-2013 06:27PM

rameire wrote: »

yup.

500gram minced beef
2 slices of bread, crumbed in a blender
1 finely chopped onion ( can be done in blender )
mixed herbs
salt and pepper
1 dessert spoon of tomato katsup
1 egg

mix all together by hand.

you can add anything or substitute what ever you like
do a 50/50 beef and pork mince mix

the above mixture can be used for burgers or meet balls

this does a nice quantity of items which can then be frozen without cooking

I've tried a recipe similar to the above and I say no !

Rid yourself of the breadcrumbs and egg - there is no need, they give a horrible texture, for a great burger let the meat do the talking -

Good qual Mince beef
Splash Worcestershire sauce
Bit of salt
Bit of pepper

Mix

Form the burgers, don't squeeze the bejaysus out of them and grill 4 mins a side (so as not to overcook)

Hey presto

You can spice it up with whatever type of sauce you like if that's your thing but for me a good Burger is all about good minced Beef in it.

part time punk · 24-01-2013 06:28PM

Little Ted wrote: »

Better yet, to avoid a smoky kitchen, oil the meat and not the pan. Dry them well with a kitchen towel, then sprinkle with salt and pepper and then rub in the olive oil into the meat. Then when the pan is good and hot slap em on.

You'd never guess I was a veggie eh? :rolleyes:

This ^^^^ Since I tried this for the first time a while ago home cooked steaks always taste so much better

vicwatson · 24-01-2013 06:30PM

Qualitymark wrote: »

I will never allow a single tea bag across the threshold of my home. I'll drink them when I'm out, to be polite, but that awful gagging taste of paper, that disgusting filling of rejected powder from tea leaves. #ick

Sorry Mrs Bouquet

Qualitymark · 24-01-2013 06:32PM

vicwatson wrote: »

Sorry Mrs Bouquet

Heh, you haven't seen my home!

vicwatson · 24-01-2013 06:49PM

Qualitymark wrote: »

Heh, you haven't seen my home!

Nor do I want to if there's no teabags in it

Qualitymark · 24-01-2013 07:15PM

vicwatson wrote: »

Nor do I want to if there's no teabags in it

pwned!

vicwatson · 24-01-2013 11:10PM

Qualitymark wrote: »

pwned!

styron · 25-01-2013 06:33AM

Qualitymark wrote: »

I will never allow a single tea bag across the threshold of my home. I'll drink them when I'm out, to be polite, but that awful gagging taste of paper, that disgusting filling of rejected powder from tea leaves. #ick

Gagging on teabags? .... the cup nearly slipped off my matching Royal Doulton hand painted periwinkle saucer with the shock :P

Qualitymark · 25-01-2013 07:59AM

vicwatson wrote: »

Me pwned by you, I meant, of course!

Gagging on teabags? .... the cup nearly slipped off my matching Royal Doulton hand painted periwinkle saucer with the shock

No, I'm not being snobbish. I just really hate the taste of teabags, and of the kind of tea sold in teabags. Try the real thing and you'll see what I mean.

Irish people used to be maniacs for good tea - teas were specially blended to a higher standard for the Irish market. Presbyterians and Quakers used to lecture about how wrong it was for poor people to spend their money on something un-nourishing - but without result; in the 18th century one-fifth of Irish people's food budget was typically spent on expensive tea and sugar.

If you want to make really nice tea, get some good tea - at the minimum, Campbell's or the Barry's gold blend - warm the teapot and put a couple of spoonfuls of tea leaves into it to expand while the kettle is on; bring water *almost* to the boil, pour it into the teapot (preferably from a bit of a height), cover and let the tea draw for four minutes, then pour it out, add milk and/or sugar and enjoy. You'll be amazed at the difference, especially if you live in an area with delicious water, like Rialto, for instance.

/thread creep

vicwatson · 25-01-2013 09:56AM

Me pwned by you, I meant, of course!

Sorry, still confused as to what pwned means?

Also, can you buy Campbell's or Barry's Gold blend for under €1/€2 ???

RobertFoster · 25-01-2013 10:18AM

vicwatson wrote: »

Sorry, still confused as to what pwned means?

It's an online gaming term, a variation of owned. Its use "typically follows severe defeat or humiliation, usually in an amusing way or through the dominance of an opposing party."

In other words, Qualitymark found your joke funny.

Access · 25-01-2013 10:25AM

vic, if your other half knew you were flirting with another about teabags online there would be war!

:D:D

Aldis mcgrath teabags cant be beaten and they are made in ireland. I wont buy lyons as they are not made in ireland anymore.

tatli_lokma · 25-01-2013 10:35AM

Qualitymark wrote: »

. Try the real thing and you'll see what I mean.

/thread creep

If you want to taste REAL real tea, then prepare it as it was meant, in the way real tea connoissuers do - by double boiling or in a samavar!
In our house 'Irish' tea (i.e tea and water boiled in the one pot and milk added) is only for the rare occasion - usually for me when having comfort food like batch bread toast with real butter. The rest of the time we drink cay (tea) boiled in a double pot, using leaves. The tea is black tea or Rize cay and you can get it in lots of Eastern European or Middle Eastern shops. Served in glasses traditionally, but it tastes (almost) as good from a normal tea-cup.

This is how tea is consumed in most of the world - not with milk added like we do!

I recommend you try it - it really is delicious (and before trying it I would never have been one to drink 'black' tea or speciality teas, so if I can be converted, anyone can).

I also love the ceremony that goes with making a good pot of tea - whether it be the proper Irish way Qualitymark outlines or the way we do. Something very comforting in the ritual and then the sitting down to enjoy the result.

http://www.deliciousistanbul.com/blog/2011/02/04/turkish-tea/

and to bring the thread back to its intention of being a money saver, the black tea I discribe is sold in large kilo bags and if you work it out cup for cup is a very cheap way of drinking tea. A bag of tea lasts us way longer than an 80bag box of tea. (you can also get smaller bags but economy wise the larger ones are better)

Qualitymark, I think we should start a thread in food and drink on the pleasures of good tea! (if there isn't one already)

Qualitymark · 25-01-2013 11:09AM

vicwatson wrote: »

Sorry, still confused as to what pwned means?

Also, can you buy Campbell's or Barry's Gold blend for under €1/€2 ???

Pwned is internet slang for "comprehensively owned" - in other words, your comment was a triumph!

Barry's Gold Blend is around €3.50 for 250 grammes; Campbell's is about €7 for 500 grammes. Hence my "/thread creep" comment.

redalan · 25-01-2013 01:23PM

byronbay2 wrote: »

I'm saying: don't buy the pesto in the glass containers on the ordinary shelf - it is cheap and nasty. Buy the fresh pesto in the fridge. In my local Aldi, it is beside the bagged salads.

Thanks for the tip. Tried it today with some pasta and prawns and was delicious. Didn't even have to add extra Parmesan

GalwayGuy2 · 25-01-2013 04:25PM

Canned chickpeas or mixed beans for .54c. Get a can of tomatoe, some pasta, and you've got a quick and filling meal for 2-3 people;)

Thargor · 25-01-2013 04:36PM

GalwayGuy2 wrote: »

Canned chickpeas or mixed beans for .54c. Get a can of tomatoe, some pasta, and you've got a quick and filling meal for 2-3 people;)

I think you've got a quick 2 or 3 ingredients mixed together there and while it is cheap, I wouldnt really refer to it as a 'meal'

admiralofthefleet · 25-01-2013 06:17PM

deals are selling Milano's pizza sauce for €1.49 a tin.

GalwayGuy2 · 25-01-2013 06:32PM

I think you've got a quick 2 or 3 ingredients mixed together there and while it is cheap, I wouldn't really refer to it as a 'meal'

Lol, well i did count chucking some veg and herbs around the house into the pot as welll, but chickpeas are quite high in protein and fiber (same for mixed beans) , so it'll fill you up (probably).

Students have a different definition of the word meal.

Making every euro count ... great things under €1/€2

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