Weezl's phase 1- recipe testing and frugalisation- come one, come all!

Lesley_Gaye

Hi weezl, col DM calculates a 1/12th of the recipe, with 4 batches being made over the month, so 48 portions in total

The column does it by dividing the ingredients by 12, so if another number is needed, it is v. easy to change, the top 7 cols also say that there are 4 batches being made with 12 portions in each batch. If you want another combination, just need to change that set of numbers ie the number of batches, the number of portions and the divisor

Is there anything I can help with re the plan? I would do the lunches for you, but I don't know what you want to have in there

going out for lunch now with the WI monthly lunch club, having just been to the funeral of the husband of one of them (the widow won't be there of course, she has other things to deal with today)

back later

edit - forgot to say - the spreadsheet is the one titled 22 March meal planner(1) - are you looking at that one?

Lesley_Gaye

the spanish omlette was lovely - but then I love sweetcorn, we had it with oven wedges with LOADS of paprika on them, carrots and peas

DP thought it was good too


he requested sweetcorn fritters the day before, great I thought, I really love them and I have put them on our own plan. But then having eaten them he decided he doesn't like the texture or the taste and wants to have the ones I used to do ages ago - sigh, I much prefer these ones

Sian_the_Green

Afternoon all!
I am at home this weekend and was thinking I could test anything else that needs testing. Is there anything?

Allegra

weezl74 wrote: »

Hi Allegra, How are you?:)

Let's just say that when I was reading about your cheese rinds sandwich, I knew exactly what you were talking about

oh dear! Bricks! That's what happened to Aless:o

Don't get me wrong, they were still delicious, only ever so small - I had to use mose of the loaf for mine and other half's lunches.

Besides, if I made a couple more batches, I'd have enough to build a nice barbecue in the back garden. So it's all good

I'm going to offer the paul Merrett to shirley as well.

I'll have a go at that one once the excitement of DD's birthday and the party is out of the way, then. And the final tweaks on cornbread, too, hopefully.

Right! BNS-cool. Does anyone know if it's usually that reasonable?

I suspect that, as this is not something that's usually available frozen, it will be highly affected by the seasonality, which might make it rather awkward for inclusion in a "year round" menu planner.

Sorry, I'm more trouble than help, aren't I ?

Anyway, I was gonna say, regarding the testers for plan 1 - I meal plan on a monthly basis, which means that I will shortly be deciding what we'll be eating for the whole of April. So, basically, my kitchen is at your disposal, Weezl If you want me to run with the full plan, I can. If you want to start the plan later on in the month but have me test something else in the run-up to the start, I can. The only restrictions I've got is that anything eggy can only be done in the ten days following 11/04, when the OH is away, as that's just not his thing at all

So, to recap, I can make just like Bob'n'Shirl, except it'll be only two of us (DD usually has a seperate meal cooked for her, unless she feels brave enough to try something we are having, as long as it's veggie-friendly), apart from ten days or so when it'll be just me. And I dunno yet how the cat feels about joining in

That any help at all ?

weezl74

oh thanks loads sian lesley & allegra :A

I'm just off to costco, but will respond at length in a bit xxx

weezl74

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

Hi weezl, col DM calculates a 1/12th of the recipe, with 4 batches being made over the month, so 48 portions in total

The column does it by dividing the ingredients by 12, so if another number is needed, it is v. easy to change, the top 7 cols also say that there are 4 batches being made with 12 portions in each batch. If you want another combination, just need to change that set of numbers ie the number of batches, the number of portions and the divisor

weezl's answer: I want shirley to make 1 batch of apple curd on her big batch day, and then all 4 of them to eat it at 12 breakfasts over the month

and now in a more mathsy way:

Acetate monkey's answer:
The formula needs to include a way of making the ingredient quantity cells (e.g. dn35) say 1 (as shirley is only making one mega batch which contains 48 portions) yet be able to say 12 family breakfast (DN4). So the ingredient cell needs to divide by twelve. I've just added /12 at the end of the formula but I don't understand Excel beyond v.easy formulae so am worried it may corrupt somehow. Is there a better way to do it or is that OK?
AM

back to weezl now, I have absolutely no idea what my lovely DH just said to Lesley, but Hey! it's very exciting :T:T:T:T Lesley I hope you don't feel too today after the funeral, and that your day went as well as can be under the circumstances. x

OK other matters, sian that's a great offer, thank you. Erm... Lard, how do you feel about cooking with it, have you got any in and what kind of things are you up for testing ie main mealsish or cakes ish or lunchtime pates ish

Allegra, you, any members of your family and the cat in any combination are very welcome to 'give it a whirl for shirl' I am especially looking forward to the feedback from your cat. Actually, maybe not. The neighbouring cats leave their 'feedback' on my vegetable patch on a regular basis and I am not a happy weezl

the only downside at all I can see with non-families of 4 is that the stock levels might not quite tally up. ie real shirley might run out of stuff, but we wouldn't know if no foursomes tested it. Everything else will be the same, fillingness, how healthy people feel on the planner, whether anyone gets hungry, whether the recipes are easy to follow etc etc...

So I think it's great

Frankie, I know I should know this, sorry, but you have 2 children but they are a little younger than Jenny and Jason? So that is probably our closest to shirley test, but perhaps we would expect you to have some leftovers...ie if your children aren't needing quite the same energy intake as J and J.

Sian_the_Green

weezl74 wrote: »

OK other matters, sian that's a great offer, thank you. Erm... Lard, how do you feel about cooking with it, have you got any in and what kind of things are you up for testing ie main mealsish or cakes ish or lunchtime pates ish

I have no lard but have no problem buying ingredients to test with and I have no problem using it. Makes a mean roast potato
I am having some people round tomorrow night and was going to make pizzas so anything that will go alongside that like snacks or cakes would be good. Am also happy to make things I can have for lunch for next week e.g. pates and spreads.

I will do whatever you tell me

weezl74

Sian_the_Green wrote: »

I have no lard but have no problem buying ingredients to test with and I have no problem using it. Makes a mean roast potato
I am having some people round tomorrow night and was going to make pizzas so anything that will go alongside that like snacks or cakes would be good. Am also happy to make things I can have for lunch for next week e.g. pates and spreads.

I will do whatever you tell me

Lesley and I weren't sure if it imparts a strong savoury flavour to things... can you use it in sweet stuff? I've heard of lardy cakes, and I think welsh cakes were traditionally made with Lard... so I'm guessing it's ok, but then dripping (which is the same?) has quite a beefy flavour.

So it might be a bit of a risk, but either the carrot cake original version, reduced fat of the original but subbed with lard, would be a fab test. But please have a hunt on google first just to check it doesn't taste really beefy first or you might land up hating me, and all your pals too! (oh and are they vegetarian, cos they won't want a cake with lard :rotfl:)

Weezl x (hope my pm was ok earlier? )

Sian_the_Green

weezl74 wrote: »

.

So it might be a bit of a risk, but either the carrot cake original version, reduced fat of the original but subbed with lard, would be a fab test. But please have a hunt on google first just to check it doesn't taste really beefy first or you might land up hating me, and all your pals too! (oh and are they vegetarian, cos they won't want a cake with lard :rotfl:)

Vegetarians? Pah

Is the lard something that will be used for other things too? Just that I was using trex the other week and that was good. So is the lard to replace the oil but with an aim to have less of it in there? From past experience my friends will eat anything I put in front of them and ask for seconds, though that could be my excellent skill in the kitchen (or fear!). Will definitely have a go. What about other snacky things or breakfast or lunch things? Am happy to try anything and know that the breakfasts and lunches are being organised now.

x

Allegra

weezl74 wrote: »

Lesley and I weren't sure if it imparts a strong savoury flavour to things... can you use it in sweet stuff?

I use it in sweet pastry, if it's stuff that DD won't eat anyway. Never noticed any porky taste about my apple pies, so I'd reckon it'd be safe to use.