Budget Busters – Eatscooksreads

Baking•Budget Busters•Cookbooks•Grow your own•Tips

Make your own perpetual vanilla extract

October 18, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Almost every cook knows that vanilla is a kitchen staple – but boy, it’s expensive! Vanilla is currently more expensive than gold, which is why it needs to be used carefully. I’ve also been lucky enough in the past to...

Reading time: 1 min

Books•Budget Busters•Cookbooks•Fruit•Grow your own•Health•Healthy

Make your own Apple Cider Vinegar

September 28, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Sarah Wilson is well known for her ability to squeeze the absolute most out of every ingredient, saving money and giving us some fantastic food in the process. This recipe, from her latest book, shows how to make apple cider...

Reading time: 1 min

Autumn•Budget Busters•Chicken•Cooks•Family meals•Slow cooker•Soups and casseroles•Winter

Chicken & Mushroom Curry Casserole

April 16, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

This is a variation on a dish my Auntie Val used to make for us as kids for Sunday lunch. I absolutely loved it with baked potatoes, carrots and peas – and I still do. This is a slightly healthier...

Reading time: 1 min

Baking•Budget Busters•Cheese•Cooks•For the kids•Snacks•Vegetarian

Spinach and Three Cheese Scoffins

March 14, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

This recipe came about when I discovered I didn’t have all the ingredients needed to make the original muffin recipe I was originally going for. Time to get creative! I’ve called these ‘scoffins’ as they are a bit of a...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Chicken•Cooks•Dairy Free•Dinner ideas•Family meals•For the kids•Gluten Free•Healthy

Chuck-it-in Chicken

March 9, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Everyone loves this dish, and it’s a really good one to make at this time of year, when tomato plants are often giving up their best last shot, and the fruit is juicy and tasty. This chicken dish is one...

Reading time: 1 min

Blog•Budget Busters•Cooks•Gluten Free•Healthy•Seasonal•Summer•Vegetable sides•Vegetarian

In season: Scrumptious Sweetcorn

January 12, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Cream of the Crop: Sweetcorn Facts While it’s easy enough to get frozen or canned sweetcorn all year round, there’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh sweetcorn. Packaged in its own delicious wrapping, this taste of summer is utterly...

Reading time: 1 min

Breakfasts and brunches•Budget Busters•Cheese•Cooks•Family meals•For the kids•Healthy•Love your leftovers•Potatoes

Frittata Feast

January 3, 2018 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Have you noticed that some leftovers get devoured straightaway, while others seem to get overlooked until they end up in the bin? Me too – which is how this frittata came about. This one uses up a motley collection of...

Reading time: 2 min

Budget Busters•Chicken•Cooks•Dairy Free•Dinner ideas•Family meals•For the kids•Healthy•Summer

Scritch!

December 27, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

The only way to explain Scritch is to say that it’s anything, as long as it’s leftovers! Scritch started as a thing in our house when I started playing with whatever was left in the fridge, and I’d often come...

Reading time: 1 min

Breakfasts and brunches•Budget Busters•Cooks•Dairy Free•Dinner ideas•Family meals•Fruit

Leftover Ham Christmas Bap

December 26, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

This fantastic Breakfast Bap is a great way to use up all that ham that’s sitting on the bone (hopefully in your damp Ham Bag – it lasts a lot longer as it doesn’t dry out). If you feel like...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Cooks•Dairy Free•Dinner ideas•Gluten Free•Healthy•Soups and casseroles•Sugar free•Summer•Vegetarian

Fresh Summer Tomato Soup

December 18, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

This simple soup tastes like summer to me. Use the tastiest tomatoes you have – for this one I used a mixture of Beekist Sunshine Selection and Chef’s Selection tomatoes. The combination of the different tomatoes really comes through in...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Cheese•Chicken•Cooks•Family meals•For the kids•International•Snacks

Chicken Nachos

December 10, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

I reckon a good Mexican dish is the happiest party food on the planet. This recipe from the team at Tio Pablo for Chicken Nachos is tasty, easy and tastes truly authentic. YUM! Chicken Nachos Ready in 30 mins. Serves...

Reading time: 1 min

12 Days of Foodie Feasts•Budget Busters•Christmas•Competitions•Food•Food News

WIN! Day 10: $100 off your next Countdown shop!

by Catherine Milford 2 Comments

December, more than any other month, is the one that I find I have more month than money. I’d LOVE to be able to pick up all those tempting extras in the supermarket aisles: something special for the kids, a...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Cooks•Healthy•Snacks•Summer•Vegetable sides

Spiced Dill Yoghurt Dip

November 20, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

To me, summer is all about taste. You can’t beat the beautiful tastes of New Zealand-grown fresh produce, washed down with your favourite drink and some friends to share it with. This simple dip is perfect with raw veg – simply...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Food•Food News•Health•Kids•Vegetarian

Wattie’s introduces lower-sugar pantry staples

November 2, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

I have a couple of cupboards that are always full of ‘just in case’ food. What am I storing it for? Armageddon? Possibly. A horde of starving mouths appearing at the door? Often. (And that one happens – quite a...

Reading time: 2 min

Budget Busters•Dinner ideas•Family meals•For the kids•Gluten Free•Healthy•Lamb•Spring

Lamb Shepherd’s Pie with Broccoli Hash Mash

October 24, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Yum! I love love Shepherd’s Pie. It reminds me of dinners at home as a kid; of going to friends’ houses and getting it with peas and gravy, and of comfort food that just makes you feel better. We’ve squeezed...

Reading time: 2 min

Breakfasts and brunches•Budget Busters•Cooks•Dairy Free•For the kids•Gluten Free•Healthy•Smoothies•Snacks•Vegetarian

Amazing Almond Butter

October 22, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Today marks National Nut Day 2017 – and these little powerhouses of nutrition are well worth celebrating. High in fat, protein, vitamins and minerals, nuts form the cornerstone of many balanced diets. They are thought to help lower cholesterol, help...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Cooks•Dinner ideas•Family meals•For the kids•International•Pork•Snacks

Love your Leftovers Spring Rolls

October 18, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Being the type of cook that always caters for large appetites, unexpected guests or just Armageddon, my fridge is always packed with leftovers – often vegies, or random small bits of meat that aren’t quite enough for a whole meal....

Reading time: 2 min

Baking•Budget Busters•Cooks•Dinner ideas•International•Snacks

Bao Bun Dough

October 1, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Ever had a bao bun? If you haven’t, you’re in for a treat. If you have, and you fancy making one yourself, you’re in luck! This recipe is perfect for my Beef Stir Fry in Bao Buns – give it...

Reading time: 2 min

Budget Busters•Chicken•Cooks•Dinner ideas•Family meals•International

Red Curry with Chicken

September 15, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Friday night is curry night! The more I learn about cooking, the less I want takeaways, unless I know it’s really good! This recipe for Red Curry with Chicken is amazing – the curry paste only takes 15 minutes to...

Reading time: 3 min

Baking•Budget Busters•Cooks•Family meals•International•Snacks•Vegetarian

Turkish Pide with Spinach & Eggplant

September 6, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

I absolutely love Turkish food. I’ve visited the country several times, each time falling in love all over again with not just the food, but the way of life – old men sitting outside in the sunshine playing chess, fantastical...

Reading time: 3 min

Budget Busters•Chicken•Cooks•Family meals•Snacks•Spring

Crispy Chicken & Bacon Sweet Potato Pockets

September 4, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Help! Spring is most definitely springing – but so are my extra kilos! Actually, they aren’t so much springing as wobbling: time to take the bull by the horns and start making dishes that still taste fantastic (why would you...

Reading time: 2 min

Baking•Budget Busters•Cooks•Desserts•For the kids•Snacks

Salted Caramel Popcorn

August 24, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Last week I was lucky enough to spend a couple of hours at The Sugar Club, high up in Auckland’s SkyTower. I was there to meet Sam Heaven, and learn how to make one of the simplest but most delicious...

Reading time: 2 min

Budget Busters•Cooks•Gluten Free•Healthy•Snacks•Vegetarian

Spicy Bean Dip

July 25, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Don’t you love it when something that tastes fantastic is so good for you? I never used to be a fan of beans, but as I’ve learned to play with flavours, I’ve started enjoying them more. And it’s so cheap...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Cooks•Family meals•Soups and casseroles•Winter

Super French Onion Soup

July 17, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

I’ve done a number of jobs over the years, and a couple of years ago, I was in what I reckon was my favourite of them all – editor of Food magazine. Working at Food was, quite simply, one of...

Reading time: 1 min

Baking•Budget Busters•Cooks•Desserts•Gluten Free•Healthy•Sweet treats

Ricotta, Orange & Almond Tea Cake

July 16, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

I’m a sucker for a good cake, but I don’t actually have that much of a sweet tooth, which is why this one works so well for me. The kids have no idea it’s not laden with sugar, and it...

Reading time: 1 min

Budget Busters•Cooks•Gluten Free•Healthy•International•Snacks•Uncategorised•Vegetarian

Spinach & Roasted Onion Hummus

July 11, 2017 by Catherine Milford No Comments

Don’t be put off by the idea of making your own hummus. It’s actually very easy, and knocks the socks off the bought stuff. If you’re planning ahead, it’s always good to soak and cook your beans from scratch, but...

Reading time: 1 min

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