Please help my family!

pesky85

I defrost in the fridge if I remember to take whatever it is out of the freezer the day before! Otherwise I'll put it on the worktop

Valli

sillylittlejill wrote: »

I got the pancake mix for 15p reduced (its a massive bag!) but stuck it in the back of the cupboard and only saw it today making the list. Is the pancake mix ok to use? Could I make a large batch of them and freeze or stick in fridge? I'm so useless atm! Filo parcels sound good

I'm guessing BUT you could possibly make Yorkshire puddings with this; so, maybe, some of those big yorkshires and add some stew, like they do in pubs.

meal planning is the way to go; and I cannot over-emphasise the benefits of cooking two meals in one go and freezing one (eg cottage pie; fish pie or anything with a potato top - I make some of mine up;) so we've had cubed ham in a cheesy sauce topped with spuds. I need 'easy' meals the kids can stick in the oven when I am going to be too late to cook (they are teenagers in 6th form). I also do a stew in the SC - they come in, get their stew (in a Yorkshire pud or with mash which they microwave) and leave it on low for the next 'customer'.

Fruball

sillylittlejill wrote: »

The freezing instructions on the pack say must be frozen immediately then used within one month...it had all been in there for at least 2 or 3...

Is that one of the instructions I should actually ignore? When are things safe? I cant put them back in the freezer now, its all in a binbag outside

I went on a cleaning frenzy this morning, I wouldnt normally throw everything out!

x

Ooops - I think it would have all been fine to eat. Ignore dates on frozen food.

sillylittlejill wrote: »

Another question whilst I'm on here...OH and I keep disagreeing on is when defrosting something, is it safer to leave it in the fridge or on the worktop? I always put it on bottom shelf of fridge but he thinks it doesnt matter if its on the worktop or not (obviously covered) as its going to get cooked anyways...who's right? x

Technically it should be defrosted in the fridge but in my house I am more than happy to defrost on the worktop if I forget to take it out. Also, sometimes I find things don't defrost in time in the fridge.

I took out a pack of chipolatas last night for the mine and kids 'snow breakfast' this morning and prized them apart and popped on the baking tray inside the (not switched on!) oven last night so all I had to do this morning was switch it on. None of us are ill

I would never do it with seafood though.

pigpen

I never defrost in microwave.. if I get a few things out at once I will do stuff for 'tomorrow' in the SC.. stops the cats picking at it.. and the rest goes in the fridge for the next day and sometimes the day after. So long as flies and cats and slugs (we have an issue in our kitchen!) cannot get on it, it is fine.

Stuff like sausages, chicken drumsticks I cook from frozen. I made fishcakes out of fish donated by a friend who was moving 3 years past its 'use by' date .. it had been frozen for all that time and travelled 100 miles lol.. they were the best fishcakes ever! I don't even like fishcakes but I ate them.

The only time I ever gave myself food poisoning, and it was just me, I had 3 days old takeaway rice which had been left in the microwave.. not something I wish to repeat.

Moving.. the get to the new house.. put up and make your bed, get the kettle etc up and running FIRST!!! .. If nothing else gets done you can go to bed and have a cuppa, the rest can wait until the next day.. or if you are anything like me 8 years later!

Sambucus_Nigra

sillylittlejill wrote: »

YAY! I'm right!! That NEVER happens in this household! I refuse to defrost meat in a microwave. Had food poisoning once a long time ago and I refuse to go through that again! Thanks guys

Why are you always wrong?

ChocClare

Jill, google DUMP CHICKEN.

Basically, you get all those chicken fillets you've got cluttering up the place, mix 'em with a sauce or a marinade and put them in the freezer. You then take the bag containing chicken and sauce/marinade out of the freezer, dump it in a dish (hence dump chicken) and put it in the oven for half an hour or so. "Instant" ready meals.

Similarly, if you feel uninspired, go to the ready meals aisle in Sainsbury's and look to see what they've got, then copy it. A chicken breast sliced with a lump of value mozzarella and a slice of bacon wrapped round it is MUCH cheaper to make yourself and have on hand ready to cook.

Make Curry Queen's curry sauce and freeze it, then just heat it up in a frying pan with some diced meat or veg. Will your old man eat dhal? Lentils are cheap as chips and will freeze well. Or cook a batch of chilli - with or without lentils to pad it out - make twice or three times the amount you need, have chilli tonight and put the leftovers into meal-sized batches in the freezer so that next time the baby is squealing you have your meal already cooked and ready. I'm not suggesting you get your Fifties Housewife Apron on, but if the meal is almost ready by the time your OH gets home, then the decision-making is done. If you wait until he's home, then you're both tired and hungry and want something NOW!

VERY IMPORTANT TIP FOR IF YOU BATCH COOK: put the chilli (or whatever) into containers ready to go in the freezer as soon as they are cool AS YOU SERVE UP. Hide these containers in the oven. Then your DH and 20-year-old DS will not devour those meals as well as the one they've just eaten when you think they are doing the washing up. Ask me how I know...