Weezl and friends Phase 2 -giving it a whirl for Shirl! Testing meal plan for a month

shanks77

HowlinWolf wrote: »

You lot move too fast, it's taken me three evenings to catch up! Hopefully there'll be opportunity for testing some things in the wolf house this weekend

Well if you do have things like a social life and want to do housework and not work exclusively on Shirleys meal plan what can you expect:rotfl:It is not good enough next you will be wanting to work and sleep and other silly things like that there is just no commitment these days:)
Its been really good Howlin recipes are easy to do and have gone down well in this household despite a few reservations from ex. Havent done as much on the batch baking front but i like to do them as and when but did the apple curd and the hummous the other day. The other reason is when things are as tasty as the bean pate then they dont last as long as they should:o so little and often is for me. Are you planning on trying anything in particular or see what takes your fancy nearer the time?

Ps has anyone heard how Malteser is doing these days?

nopot2pin

Allegra wrote: »

Potty - what a brilliant idea about the silicone muffin trays. So simple, yet so effective. I'll add it in to the batch cooking guide.

Thanks:o:D

I use silcone muffin trays to freeze, more than I do to bake, to be honest.
If I batch cook anything, pasta sauce, curry, pate, cheese sauce, chilli... whatever, it all goes into the silcone muffin trays.
A pate, or cheese sauce is normally one "round"
Chilli, pasta sauce, or curry, is normally two "rounds" if I am having rice, naan, baked spud or pasta with.
Sometimes with a curry, I have salad, so would use three "rounds" then
There is very little wastage, as you only defrost what you need/want


Regarding a name...
I will have a think also...
But I think Allegra is right, that a play on words is required
What impression do you wish to portray Weezl ?
It might help, help you, put things differently, if you know what I mean

queen_of_string

Pink Hayley,

In using up left overs, did we include saving up veg peelings in the freezer then boiling them with water and blitzing to make free soup with the addition of any flavourings you have in?

also, there's the thing about saving potato peelings ( not sure how often shirl gets to peel spuds) , any hows, saving them, washing and drying, tossing in a tiny bit of oil, salt, pepper and anything else you fancy, then on a tray in the oven on hot for a sort of instant, eat it while its fresh, crisp.

HTH

and to whoever mentioned it mmmmmm Pimms.

weezl74

So this here chicken then, sorry to harp on, but I was hoping shirley could poach it so we have some good chicken stock for other recipes.

Would people value a method for that cos I'm thinking today's the day if tomorrow is pie day

if you're all fine with it that's cool, I'll go off and do my shopping, I just don't want anyone to be waiting on anything from me which scuppers them!

Allegra

weezl74 wrote: »

arty you'll need to do your chicken tomorrow or sunday right?

Shanks when are you doing yours?

PB, Allegra? I know frankie's done hers....

Sunday for me. I'm getting it out of the freezer tonight, defrosting overnight, then straight into the SC tomorrow morning. Pie shall be had for the evening meal. As DH is off to the US tomorrow, it's only me for pie, so I'll be making four individual little pies with the quantities for one Shirley pie and stashing away the leftovers for next month

Today I am making pea and apple soup in quantities to see us through the month (have to go and double check what that is) and a full triple batch of pizza dought - I only need a double batch (3 people to feed tonight, 2 next Saturday, 3 the following = 8 pizzas = doubl batch) but as I started the month with stocks of bread flour in hand, I want to stash some extra pizza bases in the freezer for the inevitable evenings when I am puzzling my puzzler as to what to feed DD and can not face having three or four pots on the go at the same time.

Risi e bisi has been elevated from a 3/10 to a 7/10, and I was told it was "very nice" :T The differences from the last time we tested it - the peas were cooked before going in, which dispensed with the nasty crunch. I used proper grana instead of emergency cheddar - this did not affect taste much if at all, but did help the texture - and I used a couple of "free cheats". First one is that I did not buy stock cubes this month because I have a freezer-full of various HM stocks that need to be used up, so last night I used ham stock. And I also helped myself liberally to free parsley from the garden. I loved the dish even in its slapdash bottom of the fridge version - it is pure comfort food to me - but last night's was definitely 10/10 :j

Shanks, I don't want to get a life, it feels like I am trying to lead half a dozen already ! We did go to the pub for an hour last night though - our usual "adult time" on a Friday. Then we watched "Ashes to Ashes".

And the garden is coming along nicely, too - I almost have a vegetable patch (although the cat is clearly looking at th newly cleared and dug up ground and thinking "Wow ! What a great big fresh loo, just for me !")

Allegra

weezl74 wrote: »

if you're all fine with it that's cool, I'll go off and do my shopping, I just don't want anyone to be waiting on anything from me which scuppers them!

Go shopping, Weezl. All anyone needs to know at thi stage is to 1. poach the chicken (that's cook it in water), and 2. do not throw away the liquid !!!!

FrankieM

Morning,
We had Baked Bean Curry last night. I found out the other day that my DH doesn't like peas and bacon together...we've only been married for 15yrs!
So I'm going to save that meal for when it's just the kinders and me.
I may end up with a few meals like that...I hope it's not too against the plan.

We've all had a sleep in this morning so I'm not sure how breakfast and lunch are going to work. We usually have bacon sandwiches for brunch...I'll let you know how it goes.

weezl74

Allegra wrote: »

Sunday for me. I'm getting it out of the freezer tonight, defrosting overnight, then straight into the SC tomorrow morning. Pie shall be had for the evening meal. As DH is off to the US tomorrow, it's only me for pie, so I'll be making four individual little pies with the quantities for one Shirley pie and stashing away the leftovers for next month

Today I am making pea and apple soup in quantities to see us through the month (have to go and double check what that is) and a full triple batch of pizza dought - I only need a double batch (3 people to feed tonight, 2 next Saturday, 3 the following = 8 pizzas = doubl batch) but as I started the month with stocks of bread flour in hand, I want to stash some extra pizza bases in the freezer for the inevitable evenings when I am puzzling my puzzler as to what to feed DD and can not face having three or four pots on the go at the same time.

Risi e bisi has been elevated from a 3/10 to a 7/10, and I was told it was "very nice" :T The differences from the last time we tested it - the peas were cooked before going in, which dispensed with the nasty crunch. I used proper grana instead of emergency cheddar - this did not affect taste much if at all, but did help the texture - and I used a couple of "free cheats". First one is that I did not buy stock cubes this month because I have a freezer-full of various HM stocks that need to be used up, so last night I used ham stock. And I also helped myself liberally to free parsley from the garden. I loved the dish even in its slapdash bottom of the fridge version - it is pure comfort food to me - but last night's was definitely 10/10 :j

Shanks, I don't want to get a life, it feels like I am trying to lead half a dozen already ! We did go to the pub for an hour last night though - our usual "adult time" on a Friday. Then we watched "Ashes to Ashes".

And the garden is coming along nicely, too - I almost have a vegetable patch (although the cat is clearly looking at th newly cleared and dug up ground and thinking "Wow ! What a great big fresh loo, just for me !")

very glad !!!!!! here has elevated the risi e bisi

Allegra could you give the pizza base recipe the once over and tell me if I need to add more detail

Ok i think the it's only arty who might find some chicken poaching info helpful, as everyone else is sorted. Arty have you got a slo-cooker or a large poaching pan?

drat cats and their outside toilet needs :mad:
xxx

weezl74

Allegra wrote: »

Go shopping, Weezl. All anyone needs to know at thi stage is to 1. poach the chicken (that's cook it in water), and 2. do not throw away the liquid !!!!

yes, that's fab why didn't I just say that?!

is that some blue eyeshadow I see there? let's do some dictation this afternoon

Lesley_Gaye

Allegra wrote: »

I did the bacon and onion pudding for tonight, Shanks, and I found the same with the pastry for that. I think I remember, though - unless I dreamed it - that Weezl said the pastry should be pushed into the basin/tin rather than rolled out - anyway, whatever the source of that particular tip, that's what I ended up doing - tearing little bits off and lining the basin with them, then pushing down over the gaps until the basin was 3/4 lined - a bit like assembling a clay jigsaw puzzle, if that makes any sense. The lid I just put on th worktop and pushed down with my fingers, then peeled it off with a large knife - again, did the trick, and once the pudding was cooked and out of the basin it all appeared seamless. Magic !




Lesley, you oughta pop round for a coffee and a slice of carrot cake while you're in the area.... Bring Mum too !

.

I found with the pastry that if I added the same amount of water as oil it melded together and became very well behaved. Much more water than I normally would.

Shame I am reading this today, am back now. It would have been lovely to see you IRL. Next time maybe