Weezl and friends Phase 3 - sitting pretty with Kitty

Allegra

VenusFlytrap wrote: »

just need to know exactly what I should be including in it so as not to step on anyone's toes!

I still haven't got a clear enough answer for you I'm afraid It is a bit difficult to make a decision until we see what it is that you collected.... But one thing I can assure you of is that we all work as a team here and that no crossovers will be seen as toe-stepping ! It's all aimed to help those Shirls and Kitty's out there, and we appreciate the effort you are putting in to do just that - and no one will do anything to make this more difficult. Well, not intentionally

I will try to offer what guidance I can though (I have been authorised by Weezl to do this, so don't feel shortchanged cos you are dealing with a minion, not the [STRIKE]tyrant[/STRIKE] CEO ). As the primary purpose of the article is tips for adapting the planners for single living, can you try and concentrate on that in the main body of the article ? So anything and everything people have said and that you can think of from your experience of cooking for one.

Once that is there, can you then lead on to a paragraph or two - however long you see fit - on how to apply these tips if there are two, three, five or any number other than four in the family. Do not be afraid of stating the obvious - what is obvious to you will not be obvious to everyone; trust me on this. We are constantly being asked to edit to make things clearer.

And then lead on to whatever other non-standard situations have been mentioned in the course of your trawling, or that you thought of yourself. What if someone has an allergy/ hates peas/ will not eat porridge ? (For answers see Shanks and RT ) What if someone likes hotter food ? Etc.

And if there is anything we can collectively think of to help with ariarnia's query re small ovens, that will also have a place in your article, I think

Is this any help ? Any questions you have - like something occurs to you, I don't know, how to adapt meals if you get cheap whoopsied meat or whatever ? How to adapt them for veg-phobics ? - that you do not have the answer to, but think would be well placed in your article, then just pose the question here, and we'll bang our heads together and whoever is left standing will be forced to make up the answer Or something like that, anyway.

Oh, and don't feel you have to do all of the abovementioned - they were all just examples, rather than must haves - I am honestly trying to help here, rather than scare and overwhelm you.

BTW, if you'd like to be able to discuss these things in a more immediate environment, just PM me your skypename and I'll add you to the CFR chat.

MadDogWoman_2

Tonights production

Savoury Scones - DD raided my cutter selection

Carrot cake - cooked on convential oven setting on my oven which is why one is lighter than the other.

I'm going to freeze one of the carrot cakes as there is only DD and I that will eat it.

I didn't have enough raisins so I made up the weight with whatever dried fruit I could find in the cupboard.

In_Search_Of_Me

how does one do this skypy chatty thang?!!
Just back from weezl's and a yummy supper of lasagne and very rich/delicious choc brownies...of which I had seconds, seemed rude not to.
Our weezl believes that I may just want to sample the vodka myself (think I will go for liquorice, toffee and sommat different like jelly babies maybe?!! Think she may know me too well!!

Allegra

ariarnia wrote: »

I'm not sure what article it might go into, but some tips on how to make some of these meals (esp christmas) in a small oven would be fab. I don't know if it's a trend elsewhere, but in all the flats I looked at before renting this one the landlords had provided a cooker and it was a small one. (that is to say only space for one shelf and the bottom of the oven which doesn't cook properly, not 3 shelves as is required by the christmas dinner planner)

several of them even had the ovens that need to leave the door open for the grill (mine included)

works arounds are possible, but make some recipies very daunting.

Okay, I've given this some thought, and here is what I would suggest:

A small oven is more likely to be found in a smaller flat, which would usually mean that you are cooking for fewer people. If that is the case, buy the biggest baking tray that will fit on the oven shelf (go shopping with measurements of your oven and a tape measure, to save any nasty surprises), then use the same tray to cook as many of the components of the meal as possible.

If there is still stuff that won't fit, look at the meal and see what can be cooked on the hob. Carrots, for instance, could, very easily. In absolute dire straits, potatoes could be done as mash rather than roasties. Think laterally.

If you are cooking for a larger number of people, you will need to think laterally, and invest into another piece of equipment. Slo cooker will be a life saver - the roast can be done in it, and then the oven should be sufficient for most of the trimmings. If you have a microwave, do the trimmings one at a time, then zap a plateful of everything just before serving to bring it back to hot. Not ideal, but it will do the job. If pushed into a corner, think what it is most important to you that it's hot when served. Yorkies, for instance, do not have to be piping hot in this house - we are happy eating them cold, especially if there is gravy to go with the meal.

Is this any help ?

Allegra

In_Search_Of_Me wrote: »

how does one do this skypy chatty thang?!!
Just back from weezl's and a yummy supper of lasagne and very rich/delicious choc brownies...of which I had seconds, seemed rude not to.
Our weezl believes that I may just want to sample the vodka myself (think I will go for liquorice, toffee and sommat different like jelly babies maybe?!! Think she may know me too well!!

have you got skype downloaded isom ? if not, do that first. then pm me your skypename and I'll add you in.

Allegra

MadDogWoman wrote: »

Tonights production

Savoury Scones - DD raided my cutter selection

Carrot cake - cooked on convential oven setting on my oven which is why one is lighter than the other.

I'm going to freeze one of the carrot cakes as there is only DD and I that will eat it.

I didn't have enough raisins so I made up the weight with whatever dried fruit I could find in the cupboard.

DD is a genius ! Would you believe it, I never thought of doing the scones with shaped cutters ? My DD and I are so doing it next time !

nopot2pin

I cant see your pics MadDogWoman

Allegra

click on the production linkie, potty - they're there.

nopot2pin

Allegra wrote: »

click on the production linkie, potty - they're there.

Ahhh
Fab pics

I think I need to do something similar for my pics... will have to look into that

Sian_the_Green

At the risk of putting people off their brownies...
http://www.ehow.com/about_6661979_glycerin-laxative_.html
He he, looks like as long as you are drinking it you would be fine

I have a free day on Saturday apparently, anything need extra testing?