Weezl and friends Phase 3 - sitting pretty with Kitty

NualaBuala

I like that Twinkle - very good for helping people like me get organised!

Murrell

Hiah all,

Well done on the new look site. Although I haven't posted for a while, I have been reading usually about a day behind, just caught up today. I am not testing any recipes at the moment as don't want to be cooking 3 different things. My dad isn't eating anything solid and OH is just too fussy to try new things. So at a later date I will try the recipes I haven't already tried, but I guess you will of all finished testing them by then.
Thanks for the skype invite, I don't want to download any new software, by PC plays up enough as it is! I think you are all doing a good job and I am cheering you all on on the sidelines. I am still here to ask any vegan questions if they come up and someone doesn't beat me to answering them first, although I may be a day behind.
I have also joined your facebook page, and following that too.
Luv to you all
Sandra
x

Allegra

Morning

Panzanella - hahahahahahha :rotfl:Hmmmm. One loaf of bread between four people, Weez ? I shan't tell you now what I thought was the optimum quantity for two.

Twinkle, that kind of batch cooking guide is what I did for Shirl, only to be told over and again that it is not just unnecessary, but also offputting, so that kinda got swept under the carpet and we agreed on far less hand-holding for Kitty

However, if you and others think that Kitty's planner could benefit from this, then I'd be happy to produce one in due course (once I have got to grips with most of the dishes) - but as I found it a massive amount of work for me, I'd really rather not do it if turns out that people will just not find it all that helpful at all. (BTW, I am not hogging the task - if someone else could do it and feels it's not too much to take on, please do )

Allegra

375g SR flour
90g soft butter or marge (wonder if it'd work with oil ? Hmmm, I feel an experiment coming on....)
220g sugar
310 ml milk
1 egg

Blackberries

Rub butter into flour, add sugar, milk and egg, stir through

Put into muffin cases and then drop a few blackberries into each muffin (I find if I incorporate them at an earlier stage they all drop to the bottom so this is the method that works best for me). Bake on 180 C (160 fan) for 20 min - until lightly brown on top and a skewer comes out clean.

weezl74

hello all, not fully caught up yet, but I have a question about our nutrition boxes.

I know folk are keen to have salt values for each recipe.

I think this does have value, but there are some issues which make it rather more complex.

for example I have said in the recipes to 'season with salt' but the amount each person uses will vary hugely

also we are using some ingredients that it will be really difficult to get a salt value for ie the liquid from the olive jar (asda assume it will be drained off)

So to do it properly it may involve going to big lengths like contacting the individual manufacturers.

As allegra has just said about the batch guide, it's not a 'no' it's just with that amount of work it's important to establish if there's a real need.

Over to you all for views!

artybear

weezl74 wrote: »

hello all, not fully caught up yet, but I have a question about our nutrition boxes.

I know folk are keen to have salt values for each recipe.

I think this does have value, but there are some issues which make it rather more complex.

for example I have said in the recipes to 'season with salt' but the amount each person uses will vary hugely

also we are using some ingredients that it will be really difficult to get a salt value for ie the liquid from the olive jar (asda assume it will be drained off)

So to do it properly it may involve going to big lengths like contacting the individual manufacturers.

As allegra has just said about the batch guide, it's not a 'no' it's just with that amount of work it's important to establish if there's a real need.

Over to you all for views!

Hi Weezlie Woo and all the other frugal fellows. Hope everyone is having a good saturday.

In regards to the above quote, well I think it is a toughy. Although I think salt is a valuable nutritional tool, I dont think it is the most valuable personally but I can see why people are eager for it to be included.

However I do feel that going to the point of finding out the salt content of the brine of a small jar of olives is going past the point of nutritional research and into the realms of obsessive pedanticness:o. I wonder where the natural line is when people think that a value is so small or too difficult to find that it can then be excluded?

Also I am fully aware of how important nutrition is to the website (and I fully support that:T:T) but in being so dedicated to proving the nutritional content is correct maybe we have lost sight of how 'normal' people view food and if they would analyse it so closely, indeed is it even healthy to do so??:cool::)

Just my two pence worth and this is more of a musing than an answer so would be interested in seeing others views on this?

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

aless02

:T :T Well said, arty. I'm inclined to agree...

Making calzones tonight, can't remember what other people are doing & when but I just fancied them & they are still my very favorite things from the website . Even Finn's going to get a mini baby version! I am likely going to cheat a wee bit and grate some grana padano into them, but I feel okay with this as I've made them several times now so don't feel the need to stick religiously with the recipe. Oh, and capers which make them sooooooooooooo yum.

I am being brave and doing the no-knead, website version of the dough rather than my usual, so am a bit apprehensive!

System

Weezl, I have just realised that I haven't replied to your enquiry about the Spaghetti Olio, Aglio e Peperoncino. Sorry! There isn't really a recipe, as such, and I've never measured the quantities. You just boil as much spaghetti (or other pasta) as you think you need, bearing in mind that there is very little else in the meal. While that's boiling, you pour good olive oil into a small saucepan (as much as you think will be needed to coat the spaghetti and give a bit of a puddle at the bottom of the bowl when served). Heat the oil, then sprinkle in as many red chilli flakes as you fancy (depends very much on the brand/packet used, and on personal taste) and as many cloves of garlic as you think people can stomach (crushed and finely chopped). Simmer very gently for a minute or two, because you absolutely do not want to brown the garlic. Then add salt and pepper to taste, turn it off and let it sit quietly until the spaghetti is cooked. Drain the spaghetti, toss with the oil and serve.

Variations -- Use half oil and half butter. Or use butter and Caribbean hot pepper sauce. Or fresh chillis. Or serve with grated Parmesan.

Update on the Panzanella Savoury Bake. We took the leftover panzanella (about 1/3 of a half-batch, bearing in mind that the recipe I was following required 1.5 kg bread for the full amount, rather than the reduced quantity in the current version), and put it in a baking dish with a sliced courgette from the garden. Then we poured on a mixture of three eggs, made up to 3/4 pint with milk and seasoned lightly with salt and pepper. Baked it in the oven at 180ºC for 30-40 minutes (didn't really notice how long it took), until firm. Served hot. Everyone really liked it, and both husband and son asked for seconds. Quite a success, really.

Off to investigate the tomato and olive pudding now...

twinkle_star_2

About to make nut roast and noticed that though there are kidney beans in the recipe there is no mention of when to put them in the recipe. I'm assuming put them in with the nuts and stuff but just checking in case they're meant to be mashed or something.

weezl74

twinkle_star wrote: »

About to make nut roast and noticed that though there are kidney beans in the recipe there is no mention of when to put them in the recipe. I'm assuming put them in with the nuts and stuff but just checking in case they're meant to be mashed or something.

oh dear! will amend! I would recommend a light crushing with a fork, unless I'm too late, in which case I'm sure it will be lovely