You guys are great!

SkintG

Hi, I only stumbled across this section of the board really at new year and I just thought I should show some love.

I reckon I might be a bit of a rare breed on here as I am a 24 year old male!

I got a slowcooker for christmas, and to my girlfriends delight, she has not cooked a meal so far this year! she is nearly five months pregenant and I am quite proud that I am kind of 'in charge' of what she is feeding baby so to speak. we have had HM soup for lunch nearly everyday, and some cracking teas that i would never have made before I came on here.

I have also lost a stone in weight, In 3 weeks, just by eating properly and getting my five aday.

We also have a five year old daughter, who I feel I have got much closer to as we have both discovered a love for baking, we have made biscuits, hobnobs, loads of different bread, cakes and bran muffins and have lots more lined up.

Also we have halved our weekly shopping bill.

I have been brewing my own beer, ginger beer and turbo cider which will be ready next week.

Really looking forward to sitting down sipping my homebrew with a slice of my bread and a home pickled egg at the end of the day.

Just wanted to say thanks guys, I feel as though my life is slowly changing. The thing is to, I'm a pretty stereotypical 'lad' drink too much, swear too much, into footy, fighting films and buxom babes with staples through their stomach, My mates would laugh if they knew about my 'secret habit', but I feel like a bit of a crusader in my own little family and I LOVE IT!!!!

Next things I wanna try to get going with is jams and chutneys, pate, and growing some of my own stuff to stick in my stews etc. If anyone has any guidence on any of this, please dont hold back.

Nice one Old Schoolers!!!!

lab-lover

Wow and good on ya!!!

Congrats for being such a good dad and partner. Keep up the good work! I love my Slow Cooker aswell, especially joints of meat, beef is fab done in the SC & pork. Iam on the lookout for a good cheap, healthy soup recipe so if you wanna share........................

McKneff

Nothing wrong with doing what you enjoy, in all honesty i think that if the lads laughed at you it would only be because that would be what is expected of them. I think they'd be secretly a bit jealous.

Good for you, My husband bakes the most brilliant victoria sponge and stuff from the old BeroBook and he only started a few years ago when he retired.

SkintG

Funny you should say that, because only yesterday I think I have made my best value, and tastiest soup to date.

We had a chicken stirfry for tea and I cooked some reduced diced chicken in lemon juice in the slowcooker. When cooked added to my stirfry veg pack but kept a couple of pieces of chicken back and left the lemon juice in the SC.

Added to this juice the pueces of chicken I saved but shredded, chicken stock, a handful of beansprouts etc from the stir fry pac, a handful of peas and a handful of sweetcorn, five shakes of tobasco, couple of spoons of cooked instant noodles and done.

Tasted just like hot and sour soup from a chinese restraunt, we got four servings out of it and froze half.

Id estimate the cost to be less than 20p a serving, but it was literally made by just 'nicking' bits from tea.

Valli

flippin heck SkintG that is GREAT - especially the cooking with your littley - building happy memories too. Her teachers will LOVE you - she is, I assume, learning to read instructions (recipes) estimate and measure quantities etc...and spending quality time with her daddy

I can heartily recommend, for jams and preserves, Thriftlady's thread The Preservers Year - because it not only tells you HOW but WHEN
*wanders off to get link*
The Preserver's Year

looking forward to seeing you there - I am making marmalade this weekend...

LilacLillie

Well done you! Keep up the good work, you'll find it fun and addictive and of course MONEYSAVING
ll

SkintG

McKneff wrote: »

Nothing wrong with doing what you enjoy, in all honesty i think that if the lads laughed at you it would only be because that would be what is expected of them. I think they'd be secretly a bit jealous.

Good for you, My husband bakes the most brilliant victoria sponge and stuff from the old BeroBook and he only started a few years ago when he retired.

My mum gave me here Bero book this afternoon, It was like the passing of the olympic torch, as she baked from bero books with her mum, and I did with her when I was little!

McKneff

Try the rock buns in the bero book - they are so easy and very addictive.

But a warning double up the recipe because they will go like hotcakes, pardon the pun lol

BitterAndTwisted

I'm growing to love this part of the forum although I don't post much here but I'm learning, learning, learning.

Not odd that you should enjoy your adventures is cooking, baking and brewing-land SkintG. One of my closest friends is a bloke and quite a young one too and he's the best cook I've ever known. Preserves and makes his own beer, too. He's recently started working on his allotment and has now got The Food-Grower's Fever. This is a huge benefit to his friends and admirers as well as his family. I've got jars of his delicious chutney in the kitchen and I think of him whenever I see them and sigh.

Agapanthus

Go for it, SkintG. Why should we women have all the fun? Especially cooking with the young ones. I used to do that with my kids and now I'm looking forward to doing it with my granddaughter, but she's only four months yet!

DH and I are retired: he's a very good cook, but he's never quite mastered the budgetting and stock control side of household management. There is yet time!

He used to make excellent beer but has given that up now. He made some gorgeous marmalade earlier in the week, though.

LilacLillie

SkintG wrote: »

The thing is to, I'm a pretty stereotypical 'lad' drink too much, swear too much, into footy, fighting films and buxom babes with staples through their stomach, My mates would laugh if they knew about my 'secret habit', but I feel like a bit of a crusader in my own little family and I LOVE IT!!!!

Nice one Old Schoolers!!!!

Wait till they hear you've started on the knitting/crochet and sewing :eek:

LL