Batch cooking ideas please

MushyPeas

I'm sure there was another thread on here the other day about the mint sauce? You'll find it in the curry section in Tescos.

Don't give up on the cooking...maybe just try something easier next time? Burger sounds bloomin' complicated!

I'm v. impressed you're going to bake a cake. Mine end up overcooked and lopsided...oops! There are some great recipes on the OS thread for flapjacks, no cooking involved, but they are lush :drool: OS is my normal home you see...tis only recently I've ventured across to other areas. But welcome to OS, lovely bunch on here

noonesperfect

Burgers weren't the easiest thing to start your cooking experience with so don't be too disheartened. Last time I tried to make something of that sort it all fell apart and I've been cooking for 20-odd years. (it was rissoles and as I don't have a mincer and the meat wasn't cut up finely enough it just wouldn't "stay together".

At least if you try and do some cooking you can control the levels of salt/sugar and fat to some extent. Ready meals just don't taste like the real thing.

The more food shopping you do the better you will get used to how they group things. If possible don't shop on a Friday, especially at the end of the month cos you'll end up coming out of the store with half the stuff you wanted! It's always heaving then. Better to go really early or really late just to acustom yourself to where things are.

PS It's not MS to throw away a baking sheet cos it's dirty ! Scrape the worst off let it soak in some hot soapy water and bobsuruncle. Try opening a window when youre cooking or burn a cooks candle afterwards maybe?

TNG

You don't strike me as a quitter G_D

Have another go, mate.

scheming_gypsy

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Apart from those 2....anythig tomato'y freaks me out.

same 'ere mate but i make a mean chilli using tomato puree instead of real tomatoes and you can't tell it's there.

scheming_gypsy

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Really wanted a jar of that minty stuff too that you get in the indian. I know they do it, but can't find it, and I need it for a sandwhich filler!

ummm, natural yoghurt and mint sauce and mix the 2 together, that's what they do at the Indian.

kittyscarlett

Sorry, really don't agree with the poster who says batch cooking for one is untenable and too much mess etc. As I said, I live on my own, the thing is not to make HUGE quantities of stuff - I generally make enough to have one or two portions right there and two-three for the freezer. my freezer is not giant size and its not filled up with dozens of portions of one or two things with limited choice either.

I really think giving up after one attempt at making something is a real bloody shame, you haven't given it a fair go at all - especially seeing the amount of people that are willing and able to give you help and support - and I honestly can't see how someone can live off the premade crud from the supermarkets Even when due to personal reasons I went off cooking properly for quite a while, I still detested ready meals and processed stuff and lived off fruit, salad, bread and cheese. Learning how to cook won't necessarily get you instant perfect results - its down to grafting and trial and error - in the end you get out what you put in, so to speak.

O well, good luck anyway.

pavlovs_dog

i really ought to make more of an effort to feed the freezer for those dash in-eat-dash out nights, so i may will be joining you on this quest GD :beer:

nopot2pin

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

ummm, natural yoghurt and mint sauce and mix the 2 together, that's what they do at the Indian.

Or for a mint sauce with a little difference...
Natural youghurt - about a tablespoon
mint sauce - about a teaspoon
Tomato sauce - about 2 teaspoons
Then mix. If it doesnt taste minty enough ... add a little more mint sauce.
If it still tastes a litte tart .... :rolleyes: ... add a little more tomato sauce.

Or if you want a mint sauce with a little spicy kick...use chilli ketchup instead of tomato ketchup

razra

If it makes you feel any better I still get it very wrong even now:rotfl:

Theres the time I decided to make chicken korma from scratch and lets just say even if I had a dog I don't think it would have eaten it! It was absolutely vile:o

Not to mention the other week when I made a nice simple pasta and put the dried pasta on to cook, well my dear mother rang and I got side tracked result burnt stuck to the bottom of the pan pasta which took 2 days of soaking to get it all off

So you're not alone, practice does help though

With regards not being able to find stuff in the supermarket, how about sitting down with a nice cuppa and doing a online shop? That way you just enter what you want in the search box and the site finds it for you, no battling round the supermarket then.

ps if you make a cake you could always slice it up then wrap each portion individually in foil and pop in the freezer (if you have one) that way the cake lasts ages and you don't have to eat it all before it goes off (unless of course you want to:rotfl:) and if you want a bit of cake you just get out one or two bits either pop it in the microwave for a few secs to defrost or leave it on the side to defrost.

razra

Forgot to say well done on making your own burgers thats something I have never tried before so youve inspired me, next time I get some mince to have a go.