I wanted to share with you a great tip I tried this week.  I love sun dried tomatoes, but they are expensive to buy.  Recently I got told a really great way of making them yourself.  All you need is a warming tray, I have an electric one I use mostly at Christmas.  Lay some tinfoil or baking paper on it.  Slice some cherry tomatoes in half (cheapest you can find and no problem if they are over ripe).  Place on the tray and leave until the tomatoes have dried out.  Covering them with more tinfoil or baking paper will help speed up the drying process. 

These look great added to olives, covered with olive oil.  I added some chopped garlic, chillies and fresh herbs.  In jars these make great gifts and I added mine to the hampers I have been making for friends and family.

Below shows the last few months have paid off as I have been able to create some great gifts at a fraction of the price you would pay in the shops

This will be my last post until the New Year but for some great ideas on how to use Christmas leftovers please see my earlier blogs:
http://www.grubonabudget.com/amandasblog/archives/12-2016
http://www.grubonabudget.com/amandasblog/what-to-do-with-leftover-cheese-from-christmas

In the New Year I will be giving you some ideas for healthy low fat recipes and how I reduced my cholesterol count from 7.2 to 4.2 in a matter of weeks!

Have a great Christmas and I will see you all in the New Year!!

A really easy way to make Gravy for Christmas in advance is to buy some Chicken or Turkey stock cubs, dissolve in boiling water as per instructions on the packet and then pour into a saucepan adding a finely chopped carrot, a potato and a small parsnip.  Boil on the hob until all the vegetables are tender and then blend with a hand blender. If it is too thick add another stock cube dissolved in water until it is the consistency you prefer, some people like their gravy thick whilst others less so.  You can add a few chopped herbs and a splash of white wine to taste and then pop it in the freezer.  I usually take it out of the freezer before I go to bed on Christmas Eve.

Mulled Wine Sachets
I love mulled wine at Christmas, this Christmas we are having neighbours round for mulled wine and mince pies on Christmas Eve.  However mulled wine sachets can be very expensive.  To make things less expensive and stressful I made my own mulled wines sachets in advance.

As a child we always had the instant add boiling water stuffing which I have grown really fond of.  So I prepare my childhood favourite in advance.