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

oldMcDonald

Allegra wrote: »

Would anyone who home-bakes and freezes bread be able to tell me how they go about defrosting and using it ?

I slice, bag and freeze mine. This means that i only take out what I need and if I forget to take it out then I can simply toast it from frozen and eat toast instead of the bread that I planned! (can't slice a frozen loaf to do this!)

ceridwen

weezl74 wrote: »

yes I will, of course I want people to be reassured.

I will only be able to spend 2 hours writing my essay on sugar tough , and so it won't be my full justification, or exhausively referenced and cited. I'm sorry about that.

If I agree to do this, will that be able to please be the point at which we can all agree to differ and I can carry on putting the planner together?

I'd love it if we could come to some kind of compromise so I don't have to give up. (since others don't want me to give up.) Would that be ok, or is there another compromise you can think of, I'm genuinely open to suggestions.

I'm genuinely trying to do the greatest good for the greatest number. That's all that's in my heart here.

I'll wait to hear if you think that's the best compromise before spending the time writing it all out. I hope that's ok:)

Crikey...Weezl...we wouldnt want you to spend 2 hours - or even an hour - writing out info re sugar. Time is precious. Justa coupla links to the books and/or websites that say it contains this/that/the other nutrient will do nicely....I think its the common perception that white sugar (at least) is unhealthy/contains no nutrients at all - because loads of books/articles/websites/etc all say so and I personally am not aware of any information anywhere saying any different. So - if there is some info. saying "actually...its got this vitamin, that mineral, etc, etc" - then I guess its not been publicised at all anywhere ...and there would be a balance to be redressed. I've personally seen some info. saying unrefined sugar (ie barbados, muscuvados) has some nutrient value and quoting what it was...but these things then went on to say "but white sugar has nothing at all". So - I guess one has to research very extensively to find anything saying anything different about it...so if you have...then just the links will do - we wouldnt want to use any of your time Weezl for essays - honest!

************************

On a different tack - I dont think anyone is telling you to give this up - perhaps one or two people have "got the wrong end of the stick" if they are thinking that??:cool: There's been a lot of useful info thats emerged so far in this thread - and there'll hopefully be more yet...:)

weezl74

pinkhayley:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T:T

thank you so much for your PMd thoughts about the leftovers I think your ideas are superb, thank you so much, and you've done lots of MSE trawling too, which must've taken quite some time

The only thing I think it might be better not to include for shirley is what to do with leftover wine, as it may remind her of things she can't have!

Also, if you don't mind, I wonder if we can add to it as our testers run with the first month, so we can see what things actually DO crop up as leftovers and what our lovely creative testers do with them These can then be example ideas which may inspire shirley

How would you feel about posting it here so others can have a lookie too?

xxx

SusanC_2

Allegra wrote: »

Anyway, back to the job at hand. Batch cooking questions - calling all testers, please ! Would anyone who home-bakes and freezes bread be able to tell me how they go about defrosting and using it ? I slice it all up at once, sweep up the crumbs into a container kept in the freezer, bag up the sliced loaf and then just defrost what I need slice at a time. Does anyone do anything different ?

We (by which I really mean OH) slice them all up once they've cooled. One loaf stays out and then the rest are bagged as half loaves and put in the freezer. We then get the half loaves out sufficiently in advance to be defrosted in time for when we will need them. I did keep the crumbs until I was traumatised by OH dropping the whole box of crumbs (saved over months) all over the kitchen floor.

weezl74

ceridwen wrote: »

On a different tack - I dont think anyone is telling you to give this up - perhaps one or two people have "got the wrong end of the stick" if they are thinking that??:cool::)

I'm really glad you think I should carry on, thank you, that's reassuring.

In order to do so I'll need to focus on getting the planner out, because as others have said it's obviously stressing me out to try to explain every nutrient and vitamin etc.

I've heard you say that you believe sugar is unhealthy. I hope that you know I've heard that. I want to reassure you.:)

I would like to see if we can find a way to move forward. How does that seem to you?

weezl74

SusanC wrote: »

I did keep the crumbs until I was traumatised by OH dropping the whole box of crumbs (saved over months) all over the kitchen floor.

:rotfl:Oh susan, I really do think we are secretly twins (again)

weezl74

Lesley I responded to your chat msg, but you're offline now, but hopefully my answer about the biscuits will make more sense now than last night!

ceridwen

weezl74 wrote: »

I'm sorry (again) everyone for allowing my emotions to affect the project.

We've always been a happy band haven't we? And everyone has noted how much friendship, cameraderie and generous good spiritedness there is in this team.

I would very much like us to refocus on that (I'm speaking to myself here too).

I really don't want the thread to go down the route of some and become an unhappy place.

I am quite a sensitive person though and so I'm afraid I easily take criticism to heart. But I regret that I do that and I'll try not to and lets move forward, together, but gently for the sake of Bob and Shirl.

Weezl...weezl...weezl.....there hasnt been any criticism I have ever noted on this thread by anyone. Sometimes people take a "constructive" comment/query as being "criticism" ---and believe me...I oughta know personally....as I myself have a bit of a tendency to take comments as personal criticism big time...:o:o.

I often work in some sorta co-operative fashion in various different groups and have found that (very often) what some person/people are saying is just a different slant on things that could usefully be integrated into the project as a whole - and is not meant as personal "criticism" at all...perish the thought...

We've all had different life experiences/we've all read different information about things/we all differ in goodness only knows how many respects..and that can sometimes mean that we might each have some different "thought" or something to "put into the pot" to help achieve the final result.

I'm trying to remember the exact wording of summat right now...of one person saying to another something like "All the world is a little strange except thee and me and even thee is a little strange sometimes". Cant recall the exact words right now - but the general gist of that is that we all have come from such different "backgrounds" that we are the only person that we will agree with 100% of the time. Actually - personally - I can even disagree with myself sometimes.....

queen_of_string

Pinkhayley

For planner specific left overs, I have so far discovered that the stuffing is even better the next day and makes a filling lunch on its own ( microwaved ) or with any left over veg/gravy.

The sweetcorn fritters are also ok the next day, but loose a bit in texture in the micro. They are some thing we are happy to snack on or have for lunch.

Oh, and any spare apple curd can be spread onto a rolled out piece of bread/pizza dough, rolled up like a swiss roll and sliced before proving and baking. Yummy appley roll type thingies

HTH

hornetgirl

Allegra wrote: »

Thirdly - spanish omelette. Any way of preparing any of this in advance, or does that have to be cooked on the night ?

I wouldn't prepare this ahead I don't think, it might go a bit mushy. It's quite quick to make anyway though, so shouldn't cause Shirley too many problems. If there's something in the planner involving potatoes a day or two before, she could always cook up extra and keep them in the fridge to save a little bit of time.