Use it up! Don't throw it in the bin!

FairyElephant_2

We throw away so little food as a rule anyway, that I didn't think we could do any better - but we are managing it!

The only thing I've thrown away so far this month is one bread roll which when we defrosted the pack turned out to be rock-hard - there was a split in the package (as I bought them 'whoopsed' anyway it amounted to about 3p, so not too much of a disaster!).
And the chicken bones from Sunday lunch - having boiled them up first to make stock and got all the tiny bits of meat off them - along with the hardened fat after the fat & juices were put in the fridge. The 'jelly' underneath I have put in the freezer as I didn't need it straight away - not tried freezing it before so hope it works! Will use it tomorrow for the 'chicken rissotto'.

The compost-bin is suffering somewhat!!! As I'm using up more of my veg - eg. the tough outer leaves of cabbage I wouldn't use with the roast have been finely chopped and put into the fridge ready for 'leftover veg soup' - boiled up enough and put through the blender they will be fine! usually they would go straight to the compost, so although they weren't really wasted before, I'm making better use of them now!

Careful_with_that_Axe

I made a sort of bubble & squeak soup and threw in some old bits of ham and cheese that were hanging around.
It was lovely! I will definately make again and can throw in all sorts that won't "fit" in meal plans.

ShelBell

Aussieonabudget wrote: »

Oh dear - another mishap! Tried to cook our second meal ever in the slow cooker but had to throw it out - had 2 leg/thigh pieces of chicken that didn't fit perfectly so one leg was a little higher, added honey, mustard, soy, garlic mix and left for 11 hours but the leg sticking up wasn't cooked at all so ended up throwing the whole lot away (the chicken was frozen on its use by date so didn't want to risk eating the other one or anything undercooked). Does anyone know what we did wrong? I didn't think it had to be completely covered with liquid to cook. The only thing I can think of is that the chicken wasn't completely defrosted before it went in.

So that's more to add to the total for this month, gonna be another blow out by the looks of it, gotta get this under control!!!! Which is why this competition is so good for me/us!

Thanks
Aussie

Very strange. I cook whole chickens in mine in less than 11 hours with no added anything

The top of the chicken cooks just as well as the bottom. Is your lid sealing properly? It should sit a little loose cos the steam generated seals it.

Aussieonabudget

ShelBell wrote: »

Very strange. I cook whole chickens in mine in less than 11 hours with no added anything

The top of the chicken cooks just as well as the bottom. Is your lid sealing properly? It should sit a little loose cos the steam generated seals it.

I thought others had mentioned cooking meat with no liquids which is why I thought it would be ok. The lid does have a hole in it to allow steam to escape which I thought was a bit strange when it arrived, I thought they had to seal completely. The first time we used it there was no problem though, so I wonder if it was a little frozen still when it started.

Pitlanepiglet

Aussieonabudget wrote: »

I thought others had mentioned cooking meat with no liquids which is why I thought it would be ok. The lid does have a hole in it to allow steam to escape which I thought was a bit strange when it arrived, I thought they had to seal completely. The first time we used it there was no problem though, so I wonder if it was a little frozen still when it started.

Is the hole in the middle of the lid? Should it have a plastic handle screwed into it? My old (very old!) slow cooker has a plastic handle that you can unscrew if you want to put the pot in the oven.

trying-very-trying

littleredheadedgirl'75 wrote: »

sorry if this is the wrong thread but we had to leave all our non-perishables behind in my mums care when we moved abroad.she doesn't want it so does anyone know a charity that would want it all(plus frozen stuff..).l'd be worried about it being chucked if it just went in a box for charity?

This is possibly too late now, but I've seen foodstuffs offered on freecycle.

Aussieonabudget

Pitlanepiglet wrote: »

Is the hole in the middle of the lid? Should it have a plastic handle screwed into it? My old (very old!) slow cooker has a plastic handle that you can unscrew if you want to put the pot in the oven.

No, the hole is half way between the handle and the outside, just like you get on your normal saucepan lids. About 2mm diameter. Should it be there or is the lid wrong for a slow cooker (Got it off ebay and am overall a bit dissappointed!)?

SuziQ

I saved some elderly shrooms and celery from the bin today,and togther with a small elderly onion, a small amount of qourn chunks from the back of the freezer and a jar of 4p Asda curry sauce I made a very passable curry! My daughter doesn't usually comment but she said she really enjoyed it!

essexgal

Aussieonabudget wrote: »

No, the hole is half way between the handle and the outside, just like you get on your normal saucepan lids. About 2mm diameter. Should it be there or is the lid wrong for a slow cooker (Got it off ebay and am overall a bit dissappointed!)?

To be honest, I'm wondering whether it isn't a slow cooker lid - any steam/heat should be kept in the pot - not allowed out. Or at least that's how I understand it to work...?

Did you buy the whole slow cooker or just the lid off ebay....? Used or new? Maybe worth asking for a slow cooker on freecycle - you might be lucky enough to get a good one. (Mine's a tower one - quite old but I'd be lost without it ...:D )

essexgal

thriftmonster

It doesn't sound like a SC lid to me either - there shouldn't be any holes. I'd look for a replacement as well - Essexgirl is right.