weezl and friends Phase 4 - recipe testing christmas treats!

whitewing

I made my first-ever bread today, and they even look like loaves (thought they would look like bricks, tbh).

And the carrot cake is lovely, even though I forgot to put the eggs in!

[Deleted User]

I'm really enjoying CFR too. Have made the HM pizza, and the pea soup. and the carrot cake. Today will be Spanish omelette. What a lot of hard work they've put into designing it too:A

MY two problems are:

1. I don't know how to reduce recipes and plan for two people yet, instead of four Therefore, I have so many portions in the freezer that there is absolutely NO room for anything else. I will take a while to get there - but even buying for a family of four, I'm spending a lot, lot less than before:rotfl:

2. I don't find the website easy to navigate. As a beginner (Didn't think I was, but have discovered that my idea of meal-planning was a bit naive), I would have like all the hints and tips on one page, all the freezing guidelines for each recipe very clearly explained in one place, etc.

Having said that, I am very thankful that they have taken the time and effort to come up with asuperb system. Hats off to CFR:T

oldtractor

[ Today will be Spanish omelette. What a lot of hard work they've put into designing it too:A

Hopefully not Spanish Cucumber Omlette.

aless02

Aww that's such lovely feedback oldtractor & budgeteer! It's so nice when the whole family buys into, isn't it?

Your posts made me smile big

aless02

budgeteer wrote: »

2. I don't find the website easy to navigate. As a beginner (Didn't think I was, but have discovered that my idea of meal-planning was a bit naive), I would have like all the hints and tips on one page, all the freezing guidelines for each recipe very clearly explained in one place, etc.

Hiya budgeeter, can you say more on this? Do you mean all the articles here need to be on one hugely long page? I would think that might be really awkward to read. Just wondering if you could expand upon that thought some more. Thanks!

[Deleted User]

aless02 wrote: »

Hiya budgeeter, can you say more on this? Do you mean all the articles here need to be on one hugely long page? I would think that might be really awkward to read. Just wondering if you could expand upon that thought some more. Thanks!

Hi there :j Thanks for asking.
I like the layout of your cooking advice kit list, but the batch cooking tips pages look unwieldy for some reason. Also, It would be great to have freezing advice for recipes on a single page. For instance, what stages you can freeze pizza dough? Immediately after you've made the dough(which I have done) as well as being able to freeze the pizza after the first baking. Can you wrap it in oiled clingfilm in portions etc.(hope so, because I've done that too) Also, more comprehensive instructions for both cooking methods and freezing as above would really help if they were also added to the base of each individual recipe page
For example, I would like to bake two Bacon and onion puddings at once (to save fuel) in the oven, and to freeze one, I don't know if this is possible. It would be very useful to have instructions about this for people who wish to bake rather than slow-cook or steam.Your chicken and onion pie uses the same pastry and can be steamed or baked according to your info on the recipe.However, on the bacon and onion pudding there is no mention of baking in the oven and/or freezing afterwards. Clear cooking instructions for both hob (steaming), oven and slow-cooker would be great.
Lastly, sometimes there is a gas mark number only on a recipe, sometimes electric oven temps. I have an electric Fan oven so I have to look it up elsewhere to find out.

I hope these comments make sense to you. Writing this makes me realise how difficult it is to put ideas over clearly:o
PS, After posting my comments here earlier, I did go over to CFR and emailed you as well as feedback, so sorry for the duplication.

aless02

That's fantabulous, budgeteer! Thanks for taking the time to clarify .

Lesley_Gaye

aless02 wrote: »

lesley, what sort of pan is it? Our Tefal was like for a little while, but now it sticks even WITH oil!

I'm not sure what make it is (DD is at work right now until 8pm this eve, so will ask her tom). It has a sort of creamy coloured lining, looks a bit like porcelein. She treated herself to it when she had a little bonus from work.

she cooks eggs, omelettes (even sticky cheesey ones), bacon, anything, and it all just glides off and doesn't leave a mark

I am doing Slimming World at the moment, which means I don't use any oil to cook things with and my lovely, unlined, cast iron pans are starting to lose their seasoned surface and beginning to stick, maybe I need one too!

puss14

Hi
I am hoping someone can allay my fears. I am attempting to make the bread from the cheap family recipes website and it appears quite runny compared to the usual type of bread I bake. I have halved quantities as I only have 2 silicone loaf tins (using the 10g min yeast recommended), is runny bread dough how it is meant to be or should I add more flour do you think?
Thanks

ceridwen

I use a virtually identical no knead bread recipe to the one used and it is also very "runny". But I just mix it all up and put it in my silicone bread tins and place in the oven when risen.

It comes out fine.

The one thing I DO do is place those silicon bread tins of mine onto a baking sheet before placing onto the oven shelves - ie rather than placing them directly onto the oven shelves. This way - I feel that they have a firm "base" to rest on.