Thrifty mum CJ Flack hit the headlines this week after revealing her incredible homemade food prep hack – which lets her feed her entire family for just $15 a week.
CJ, 32, spends four hours on the first Sunday of each month cooking up a storm to whip up an entire month’s worth of breakfasts and lunches for herself, daughter Kitty, 12, and stepson Cooper, seven.
Now the party supply seller, from Brisbane, Queensland, has shared her top five must-have recipes with New Idea – none of which cost more than a few dollars to put together.
‘I don’t normally follow measurements, but these are some of mine and my kids’ favourite recipes,’ CJ, who alternates between shopping at Aldi and Coles depending on special offers, said.
‘Most of my ideas are inspired by Pinterest and two cookbooks – 101 Lunchbox Ideas and Four Ingredients for Kids.
‘I say inspired because I mix up and change the recipes I come across to suit us best.
‘All these recipes are customisable – they can be changed and the ingredients swapped with others.
‘Each recipe works out super cheap, because you can make so many with the ingredients listed, and freeze them.
‘When you plan in advance and bulk buy, it’s really easy to save money.’
SAUSAGE ROLLS
1 roll sausage mince
3 cups finely diced mixed veg (any veg should do, but CJ likes onion, mushroom, carrots and peas)
1 roll puff pastry
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Combine the sausage mince and veg together and put in a chunky line on half a sheet of puff pastry.
- Roll and lightly brush with beaten egg.
- Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
- You can cut into needed lengths before or after baking.
MINI MEATLOAF CUPS / MINI MEATBALLS
1kg mince
4 eggs
Mixed herbs / hamburger helper
1 cup shredded carrots (nearly any veg can be used)
1 cup diced tomatoes
½ a diced onion
1 cup peas
1 cup diced mushrooms
1 cup crushed cornflakes or breadcrumbs
Tomato sauce for the drizzle top
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
- Combine all ingredients together and put into cupcake baking trays.
- Drizzle tomato sauce on top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or 15 minutes if instead rolling into mini meatballs.
SAVOURY MUFFINS
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup cheese
1 cup diced cooked ham or chicken
½ cup mushrooms (any veg will do)
½ cup spinach
½ cup diced tomatoes
1 cup milk
1 egg
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
- Mix all together and bake in muffin tins for 20 mins or until cooked through.
- These muffins can be changed nearly any way, add whatever you want!
PIZZA SCROLLS
6 puff pastry sheets
1 cup tomato paste
3 cups diced cooked ham or chicken
4 cups grated cheese
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
- Spread tomato paste over the puff pastry.
- Sprinkle over all other pizza ingredients.
- Roll and cut into 2cm sections.
- Bake for 15 mins or until golden.
MINI QUICHES
2 sheets shortcrust pastry
Tomato paste
8 beaten eggs
1 cup grated cheese
1 cup diced precooked ham or chicken
1 cup precooked peas or spinach (any veg works)
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
- Use a round or scalloped 5.5cm scone cutter on the short crust pastry to create rounds, and press these into a cupcake tray.
- Brush or rub the tomato paste on each.
- Mix the other ingredients together and spoon into the cups.
- Bake for approximately 15 mins or until golden.
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