Catríona Redmond: A lottery ticket to a dream — and my pulled-beef BBQ burger recipe
Barbecue pulled beef burger: Make sure that your butcher trims the beef short rib for this recipe as this can speed up the cooking time a little.
I’ve been known to buy a lottery ticket in my time. This might be a shocking confession considering the odds are very poor, and definitely in the operators’ favour.
In general , people who like to save money don't waste said money on items like raffle tickets and lottery tickets.
What's my motivation? Why would I effectively light my money on fire, for all the use it’s going to be to me .
Every time I buy a ticket, or enter a raffle, I'm buying a good dream.
€1.50 or €2 is a small price to pay when I'm having an exceedingly bad day. A ticket in the back of my po cket can elevate a bad day to a more peaceful night of sleep.
It’s not a purchase that I make frequently and, yes, it does depend on me having enough money in my purse at the end of the week to buy said lottery ticket.
It's the idea or the concept that overnight I could be rid of my debts and therefore an awful lot of worry.
I imagine waking up in the morning and not having to worry about paying the mortgage or the energy bills or budgeting what we're going to eat for the week ahead. It all sounds glorious to me.
What would I do if I were a millionaire? I'd wake up in the morning, have breakfast with my family and then I'd probably still go to work because work gives me purpose.
I'd cook a family meal because I love cooking. Then in the evening and on the weekends, I'd go to the allotment because I love growing my own food.
Hang on a second, that's what I do already? Maybe the grass is n’t always greener ; there's always going to be something to worry about.
Basically, I think I might be living the life of a millionaire just with more debts. Perhaps the next time I think about buying a lottery ticket or a raffle ticket I should remind myself that I already live like a millionaire.
I should instead hold on to the money for something else that I want or need.
The best kind of dreams are those that are based on more than a little bit of truth. Practicing gratitude and acceptance is vital when you live on a budget.
I am here, because I am living on less, and there's a purpose to that. I am incredibly grateful that I have learned to manage my debt and live on a budget because it filters through to every aspect of my life.
I’m also happy that I have experienced challenges because it makes me appreciate life more when things improve.
In the future I will have less debt, but I will probably continue to feed my family well for less .
I will always find use for more money but equally, miss money when it’s not available to me!
Remember, what you’ve got is always more valuable than what you think you need.
You can forget about decanting jars and boxes if you want to save funds. Products are sold in containers designed to make your food last longer.
Why would you open a hygienic seal and decant your food into a jar when it’s perfectly safe as it is?
Instead of investing in what are very attractive receptacles, consider buying some bag clips or washing pegs. They will work just as well to keep your food sealed for longer.
Air fryers are a fantastic tool and indeed I love mine. If you’re short on money stick with your regular oven.
Only buy into an air fryer or any other non-essential appliance if you can afford to, will use it, and get value for money from it.
Pots of herbs are an expensive purchase if you’re buying them regularly.
A pot of herbs costs around the same as a packet of seeds, which when planted, will last for months; saving you many Euros per week.
Make sure that your butcher trims the beef short rib for this recipe as this can speed up the cooking time a little. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients For the burger 30g salt 20g garlic powder 20g onion powder 20g smoked paprika 30g soft brown sugar 2kg beef shortrib (bone in) 2-3 orange, red, or yellow peppers quartered 3 white onions, cut lengthways into quarters For the slaw 150g finely shredded white cabbage or broccoli stalks 1 medium carrot, grated 2 scallions, finely sliced 1 birds eye chilli, finely sliced 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar 2 tsp runny honey 1 tsp sesame oil 1 handful coriander, finely chopped Generous pinch of salt and white pepper Method Combine the dry ingredients together in a bowl(salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and brown sugar). Rub the dry ingredients over the beef short rib. Sear the beef on a medium-high heat on a griddle pan or BBQ. Remove and wrap tightly with baking parchment and then with tinfoil on top. Place the beef in a medium-low indirect heat on a barbeuce or cook in the oven at 130-140C for 4 hours until tender and pull apart. Once the beef has reached pull apart stage, remove the bone, use a fork to break it down and fill a toasted burger bun, topped with the slaw. To make the slaw, combine the cabbage, carrot and scallions in a large bowl. Add as much fresh chilli as you like. Make the dressing by pouring the vinegar, honey, sesame oil, coriander, salt and pepper into an empty clean jam jar. Shake vigourously and then pour over the slaw. The dressing should be light and not cloying.Barbecue Pulled-Beef Burger
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