The rules were pretty relaxed, as we wouldn't be fighting for the chance to win $250000.
Budget was $10 with the aim of feeding 4 people, 1 course, 2 courses or 3 courses depending on how far your creativity could stretch the budget.
There was a list of common pantry items that were included as free items: oil, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and any spices you already had. There was also a clause for the home grown such as herbs, veg, sauces as long as you disclosed what they were. I was really looking forward to seeing what people could use from the backyard.
The most important factor I found to staying within budget was where you shopped, I would normally get my fruit and vegetable from the green grocer but for the sake of 1 receipt I thought I'd try the supermarket. I was able to pick up some reduced to clear/nothing wrong with them items there, but the rest of the produce was more expensive. I have compiled a budget from the best of both stores and have made a spreadsheet, yep a spreadsheet how many food blog benefit from the joys of excel??
This meant there was a $1.22 leeway from the 1/2 packet of parmesan not used towards the meal.
The Menu, 3 course for 4 $10 plus pantry
- Entrée - Cauliflower soup with parmesan wafer
- Main - Meat balls in rich vegetable sauce on spaetzle
- Dessert- Lemon syrup cake
The verdict, in hindsight less is more and I'd stick to a simple tomato sauce for the meatballs as while being delicious and healthy the colour of the sauce was vile. The rest I'm sure would have impressed Manu.
| Item | Cost | $10 |
| Beef Mince | $2.10 | $7.90 |
| Cauliflower | $1 | $6.90 |
| Silver beet | $0.99 | $5.91 |
| Garlic | $0.25 | $5.66 |
| Eggplant | $0.34 | $5.32 |
| Parmesan Cheese 1/2 pack | $1.22 | $4.10 |
| Bacon 2 rashers | $1.32 | $2.78 |
| Brown Onions | $0.75 | $2.03 |
| Carrots | $0.43 | $1.60 |
| Lemon | $0.59 | $1.01 |
| Celery | $0.94 | $0.07 |
| Pantry Items | ||
| Passata | Home Grown | |
| Herbs | Home Grown | |
| Eggs | Home Grown | |
| Flour | ||
| Oil | ||
| Salt, pepper | ||
| spices/stock | ||
| Milk | ||
| Sugar |
Lemon Syrup Cake,
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3/4cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup water
Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C
- In a mixing bowl add the eggs and sugar
- Beat with an electric mixer till fluffy and pale
- Add the oil, milk, flour, zest and 1/2 the juice of the lemon and mix to a smooth batter.
- Pour into a greased and floured Bundt cake time
- Bake for 30 -40 mins till a skewer comes out clean when poked into cake
- Cool the cake
- To make the syrup, put the other 1/2 of the lemon juice, water and sugar into a medium saucepan and simmer to a thick syrup but not toffee.
- Pour syrup over the cake and allow it to soak in.
- Can be served with cream but is just as good on it's own.
Fantastic, nice job.
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