2 pies 1 Post. R.O.G.O.F Read One Get One Free.

After my successful shop last week at Aldi, I was very busy in the kitchen. We managed to spend £39 to feed three adults, a teenager and two children for a full week. It takes a bit of time and effort to save money on your food bill, which can be seen as a negative thing that would put people off. What if I told you that it would create more family time and give you a sense of accomplishment, on top of saving you pounds? We make meal planning a family get together, where we all decide and argue about the following week's meals. It's great, there are usually strops and tears, but we manage to devise a plan and we wouldn't be us if we didn't bicker our way through everything. Involving the children in the process of menu planning and cooking, is giving them valuable life skills that they will use forever, I would say there is nothing more beneficial you could teach them. After we plan the week's meals, I can make a list of the ingredients needed, then shop for them, you MUST stick to your list, do not get tempted to buy things other than what's on there, another reason for the bickering as hubby tends to wander off the beaten track, I just remind him how much money we're saving and he soon comes back. Shopping this way will save you loads of money and the more meals you cook from scratch,  will give you a massive sense of achievement. Get the children involved at every opportunity, even if it's them passing you the ingredients, they love to help and it also encourages them to try new things and eat their meals. We have had two very different pies in the last two weeks that I wanted to share with you.

Firstly my Chicken, Bacon and Sweetcorn Pie:

3 or 4 chicken breasts

4 rashers cheapest smoked back bacon

100g frozen sweetcorn

Pack puff pastry

2 tsp dried thyme

100ml cream

Tbsp plain flour

1 pint chicken stock

In a frying pan on medium-high cook the chicken and bacon adding the thyme

Stir in the flour and gradually add the chicken stock a bit at a time until all the flour is dissolved

Add the sweetcorn and let it bubble for 5 minutes

Finally stir in the cream and transfer to an oven proof pie dish

Top with the puff pastry and cook at 180 for 35 minutes

The next 'pie' is so simple, you could let an older child make it with very little help.

Cowboy Pie:

3 tins of baked beans

2 tins of corned beef

5-6 potatoes

Milk and butter (for mashing)

Grated cheese (for topping)

Roughly chop the corned beef into chunks and put in a deep oven proof dish

Add the beans

Peel, chop and boil the potatoes for 25 minutes until soft

Mash with a splash of milk and a nob of butter until smooth

Spoon onto the beans and corned beef filling

Lightly scrape a fork over the surface and add some cheese

Bake at 180 for 30 minutes

Be as nice as this pie

After a successful trip to Asda in Stockton-on-tees the other day, we managed to bag quite a few bargains from the fruit and veg department. I have to say, the two ladies who were pricing up the reduced items, advertising their wares like market stall holders, with beaming smiles and jokes galore, were a pleasure to speak to. I always admire people that go that extra mile, being nicer than they have to, just because they can, especially in this day and age where so many people are quick to judge and hate. I often think, people that have time to make nasty, negative (not constructive, there's a difference) comments, must have pretty miserable lives consumed by hate and bitterness. For that reason I forgive them and recommend they try my compliment challenge. I guarantee it will lift their spirits and make them feel better and the world can be a better place. That's world peace sorted and I haven't even had a coffee yet! Now for world hunger, this recipe I'm about to share is delicious and I'm aware asparagus is usually quite expensive, however thanks to our shopping trip it was reduced to 81p a bunch. You could make this go even further by adding a pack of mushrooms and although I used chicken breasts as I had them in already, you could use leftover roast chicken. I used chicken stock and cream, but you could substitute that for chicken soup instead. For my local followers, don't forget your Whitby Gazette tomorrow for my column!

2 chicken breasts diced

2 bunches asparagus snapped into bite size pieces

3 rashers streaky bacon chopped

Tsp dried thyme

1 pint chicken stock (or 2 tins of chicken soup)

100ml cream (or leave out if using soup)

Tbsp flour (leave out if using soup)

25g butter

Ready roll puff pastry sheet

Fry off the bacon and chicken breasts until cooked add thyme

In a separate pan cook the asparagus in butter

If using soup, add this and the asparagus to the pan with the chicken and bacon

Otherwise add the flour to the asparagus and stir

Combine the asparagus and chicken and slowly add the stock

Stir in the cream and simmer for 5 minutes

Place contents into an oven proof dish and top with pastry

Cook at 200 for 30 minutes or until pastry is golden

Serve up with a large helping of niceness.....don't choke on the hate!