$5 Friday: Hot Chippie bake

What a crazy week!  Internet down and a busy few weeks at work. Which explains why Friday’s post is on Saturday and also over a week late. But so good to be back blogging again. I might not have been online as much, but my frugal cooking ways certainly have not stopped. I find it difficult to waste anything – even leftover hot chippies.

On the last Sunday in summer, a group of foodie blogger friends met up outside the lovely Yarralumla Yacht Club for a fish and chip catchup.  Snapper – on the lake runs a pretty decent fish and chips establishment, and on the long evenings in summer and autumn it is one of the nicest places to be – especially with family groups as kids can run free chasing seagulls and each other.

Usually I take a full picnic lunch with me, but on this occasion I was a bit disorganised so only took some olives and drinks.  I figured I would treat my boys to hot chippies (their favourite). One of my friends was going to order fish and chips for herself, so offered to buy for me as well.  She had hardly been gone long when the phone rang.  “The chips only come in one size, and they are $7.50,” she said.  She knows I am frugal and was worried at the extravagance.

But being frugal and a conscious spender on most things allows me to splash out now and then on things that bring enjoyment to me and my boys.  And the hot chips certainly did. Just … Big A and Little A didn’t quite finish them all.  And then I didn’t want to waste them.

What to do? I could have done what most people did and thrown them out. I could have reheated them in the oven and tried to get my kids to eat them. Instead I hit on a new recipe incorporating them.  The seasoned chips, while not exactly healthy, added a nice flavour and didn’t require any other seasoning (although you could add some freshly ground black pepper if you liked.)  I think this is going to become a bit of a family favourite for lazy leftover meals.  Try it and see what you think.

Ingredients:

5 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1 cup leftover, day old chips
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 leftover BBQ sausage, chopped (can substitute ham)
1/2 cup shredded cheese

Method

1. Beat the eggs and milk together, and add the grated cheese.  Cut the chips into rough pieces and add to the eggs and milk mixture.  Allow to sit for five to ten minutes – the chips will begin to look puffy.

   

2. Add in the frozen peas, sausages (or ham) and stir to combine.

   

3. Pour into a baking dish.  Top with cheese and bake for around 20 to 30 minute at 170C or until golden.  Cut into slices and serve.

   

Cost based on ALDI prices

Eggs $1.10
Milk 8c
Chips free
Peas 20c
Sausage – leftover free (or 50c for ham)
50c

Total:  $1.88 (or $2.38 if purchasing ham or sausage)