OH sabotage of batch cooking!

Nodette

My DH isn't too bad when raiding the fridge - he does at least ask!

But I found the perfect way to deal with his tendency to have seconds and thirds at mealtimes. He absolutely adores pies. So I started to make mini pies in muffin tins. They are just enough to take to work for lunch along with salad or other bits and pieces - or to snack on!

Now, whenever we have leftovers, even if it's only a couple of tablespoonsful, his eyes light up and he says, "Oooh! Pies!" And it's surprising how little meat needs to be in it (2 small cubes, for example, if it's leftover stew). So we have bolognese pies, stew pies, chilli pies etc and they freeze well, so if he's really desperate for food, he can grab one and microwave it.

This works so well. Sometimes, we even have mini pies for our main meal - LOL!!

mrso2b

nodette - what a good idea, can I ask for your pie recipe?

*Jellie*

Mini pies sound amazing- please share how you make, freeze and reheat

Gigervamp

Surely it's simply a case of using muffin tins to put the pastry in, then fill with whatever leftovers you have?

Nodette

Gigervamp is right about the pies - just shortcrust pastry with leftovers inside!!

Make your own shortcrust pastry (or buy it - naughty, naughty!). I use a saucer to cut around to get the rough size for the base of the pie. Line the muffin tins with it.

Then put in a tablespoon of filling (roughly fill about 3/4 of the muffin tin). Being leftovers, the filling is already cooked, and cold. If I have bits of chicken, mushrooms, leeks etc, then I use a condensed soup as the 'gravy'. Or if there isn't that much filling, I make up some instant gravy to a thickish consistency. Anyway, you want to put COLD filling in there.

Then cut out circles for the lids, wet the outside rim and press together to seal. Poke a knife in the top to make one or two slits for the steam. If you're making a lot with different fillings, I use the excess pastry to put something on the top to identify it. Brush with milk or egg.

Then cook at 400F, 200C, Gas 6 for about 30-35 mins (until the pastry is nicely golden). Leave to cool in the tin for a minute or two, loosen pies with a knife and I then use a tablespoon to gently scoop out the pie. If you tip the tin slightly you can sort of carefully drag each one out (otherwise you crush it and have to eat it out the tin - or have a strange 'pie stew' on the plate!)

When cold I freeze them in those plastic boxes from the Chinese takeaway (make sure they're deep enough - not all of them are). I keep them in the boxes because if they're in bags you could end up knocking bits off them.

When you want to eat some, defrost and reheat at 400F, 200C, Gas 6 for 20 mins.
Of course, you can microwave them too, but the pastry goes soft...still very nice though.

If only pastry weren't so fattening (I have to ration DH or he'd have pies every day!!) (OK, I have to ration ME too...)

scaredy_cat

Nodette wrote: »

Gigervamp is right about the pies - just shortcrust pastry with leftovers inside!!

Make your own shortcrust pastry (or buy it - naughty, naughty!). I use a saucer to cut around to get the rough size for the base of the pie. Line the muffin tins with it.

Then put in a tablespoon of filling (roughly fill about 3/4 of the muffin tin). Being leftovers, the filling is already cooked, and cold. If I have bits of chicken, mushrooms, leeks etc, then I use a condensed soup as the 'gravy'. Or if there isn't that much filling, I make up some instant gravy to a thickish consistency. Anyway, you want to put COLD filling in there.

Then cut out circles for the lids, wet the outside rim and press together to seal. Poke a knife in the top to make one or two slits for the steam. If you're making a lot with different fillings, I use the excess pastry to put something on the top to identify it. Brush with milk or egg.

Then cook at 400F, 200C, Gas 6 for about 30-35 mins (until the pastry is nicely golden). Leave to cool in the tin for a minute or two, loosen pies with a knife and I then use a tablespoon to gently scoop out the pie. If you tip the tin slightly you can sort of carefully drag each one out (otherwise you crush it and have to eat it out the tin - or have a strange 'pie stew' on the plate!)

When cold I freeze them in those plastic boxes from the Chinese takeaway (make sure they're deep enough - not all of them are). I keep them in the boxes because if they're in bags you could end up knocking bits off them.

When you want to eat some, defrost and reheat at 400F, 200C, Gas 6 for 20 mins.
Of course, you can microwave them too, but the pastry goes soft...still very nice though.

If only pastry weren't so fattening (I have to ration DH or he'd have pies every day!!) (OK, I have to ration ME too...)

if you put a 1 in strip of double thick foil or grease proof in the tin before lining it with pastry, it will help to get the cooked pie out.

tenuissent

I wish I had read this at a time when I was offering an emergency bed to a friend while she looked for a new job and flat. She had been very hospitable to me when I was occasionally working in her city. She was supposedly on a diet involving special drinks instead of food, and also supposedly was living independently from me and my three teenagers (single mother at the time), meaning I wasn't cooking for her. She found a job pretty quickly, would come in late from London, would pounce on my leftovers, cry "Yummy yummy!!!" and swallow them in a trice. Gone would be the makings of tomorrow's supper for the rest of us. Because I had stayed with her in the past, I somehow couldn't say anything. Neither would she seriously look for somewhere to live. It took three months of this (and she was monopolising the sittingroom in a small cottage with her bed and belongings) before I could bring myself to ask her to leave. SUCH a relief when she did. If only I had known of all these dodges about hiding or freezing leftovers then! I still flinch when someone says "Yummy".....

Reverbe

medsdemon wrote: »

My Oh eats alot for his tiny size ( he only weighs 10 stone) but he runs 3 times a week sometimes more, paraglides as often as he can which involves lots of walking up hills and is also invloved in whole days bowling!!! His work is quite active walking miles and when he's not doing any of these things is still looking for jobs that are quite physical to do around the house and garden. He absolutely fizzes with energy and needs the food to replace his energy. But it still feels and .

Meds no offence but at 10 stone(you dont mention his height) does he really need to do all that physical activity to stay fit/ as hobbies. I see ppl jogging all the time that look like theres more meat on a butchers pencil:cool:

Reverbe

Frugalista wrote: »

Is it just me who feels a little bit nauseated the image of ceridwen offering herself up as an exercise trampoline :shocked::shocked::shocked: as an incentive to her boyfriends to stay trim. It's certainly put me off my dinner .



Agree totally with the above - I can't be doing with shallow,
superficial folk who would base an entire relationship on whether their partner gains a little weight or not.

.

Fruglaista no offence but some ppl just prefer slim partners . no different than a man who prefers blondes or a woman who likes men with hairy chests.. does it occur to you that there is nothing shallow in ppl like this? I am not ashamed to say that I only find slim men attractive. Being slim myself I have never felt it appealling to have some big fat man squashing down on top of me etc.. sorry just a personal preference which we are all entitled to have.

Purplekylie22

Reverbe wrote: »

Fruglaista no offence but some ppl just prefer slim partners . no different than a man who prefers blondes or a woman who likes men with hairy chests.. does it occur to you that there is nothing shallow in ppl like this? I am not ashamed to say that I only find slim men attractive. Being slim myself I have never felt it appealling to have some big fat man squashing down on top of me etc.. sorry just a personal preference which we are all entitled to have.

I think the point Frugal was trying to make is that if you are with someone and are happy with someone but then break off the relationship because they have gained some weight is shallow. If you love someone you love someone, that shouldn't change if they gain a few pounds. Who you are attracted to is your own choice, but that is different to after you already met someone and made the choice to spend your live with them.

No help with the left overs here I'm afraid, my partner is allergic to acidic acid / vingar which is in tomatoes and most store brought sauces so he wouldn't go near my food and the kids are still to young to help themselves. Im very very lucky :T