OS Singlies - We Do It Our Way!

mothernerd

I am struggling with lurgy (cough, cold, sore throat, painful chest) and still a bit fragile as I fell last week. Doing jobs at the 'up for sale' house. DS1 had gone to buy Allen keys and I was cutting the last of the lavender, sitting in a garden chair. Reached too far and went over sideways. I pulled the chair out and sat up but was in the shrubs (slight slope) and couldn't shuffle forwards or turn over to pull myself up on the chair.

Wasn't panicking as DS was due back, he pulled my up easily but took a while to recover (thought a drink of water and a ten minute sit down would do it).

This weekend, we are playing host to five 25 year olds (one had a birthday yesterday). Did some cleaning in preparation (started washing all the quilts and pillows two weeks ago) and have fed them twice. No trouble really but not sure how long the freezer meals will last (they declined my offer to defrost the leg of lamb).

Flu jabs available from this week so hoping that will help me cope with the lurgy - feel silly that trivial ailments are so debilitating but others have reported having it and being knocked for six, so not just me being a weakling.

Have to confess to spending money. I had originally planned to buy clothes when I lost another dress size but though I originally lost weight after my operation I have now put it back on (read some research that said stress makes us make unhealthy food choices - what a surprise). As I have now been wearing my smallest size clothes for the past two years, I caved in and bought 2 pairs of jogging pants (was so fed up of being cold). I have also bought 4 new pillows. The old ones have been re-made about 3 times and we just didn't have enough for all the guests (was warmer last time and I have used single quilts for extra pillows).

I am working on designs for things I can sell on the internet (will never make my fortune but enough for food and a little debt clearance would help). Last house viewer said it was a lovely house but she didn't like the area - makes me feel less despondent but nothing I can do about the area. I am worried about getting through Winter (less viewings/ buyers) with cost of both houses (roll on Council Tax 'free' months) and not sure which way to go atm.

Mr_Singleton

Decided to replace the oven (and hob) in my apartment. I've spent a fairly large amount on it telling myself that it'll get me to use it a bit more. Truth be told apart from baking bread and Le Creuset stews during the colder months I don't really use the oven as I keep thinking its not worth turning it on.

How do other singles use their ovens?

BTW I don't have a sweet tooth so cakes etc are out.

BookWorm

Evening all Hope everyone is doing ok?

Mothernerd - hope you feel better soon

Mr_Singleton - My oven has 2 parts and I tend to use the smaller top oven more than the larger fan oven most of the time. I use it for all kinds of things - baked fish, chicken, crisping up jacket potatoes (after microwaving to cook through first), fish fingers & potato waffles (when I am feeling slack ).

I would use the larger oven if roasting meats, making yorkshire puddings, baking cakes, etc

Mr_Singleton

BookWorm wrote: »

Mr_Singleton - My oven has 2 parts and I tend to use the smaller top oven more than the larger fan oven most of the time. I use it for all kinds of things - baked fish, chicken, crisping up jacket potatoes (after microwaving to cook through first), fish fingers & potato waffles (when I am feeling slack ).

I would use the larger oven if roasting meats, making yorkshire puddings, baking cakes, etc

Thanks Bookworm. Unfortunately I don't have a smaller oven just the big one. Its strange that I feel a sense of meanness come over me about putting the oven on for 20 minutes to cook a portion of fish etc. Its not the money just the seeming waste or so I tell myself!

mothernerd

I find it easier to use the microwave for doing fish.

All visitors have departed. All the wardrobes have been moved into the bedroom I am currently using (stage 1 of the big bedroom swap). There are piles of clothes on my bed and elsewhere. Rested after the moving, then mopped as much of the floor as I could get at and have filled nearly two clothes rails with clothes (not mine - mine fit in four drawers and that's including underwear, pills, toiletries and a few bits of paperwork that are too big for other places). I have enough room to sleep and can get to the bathroom and back so will do the rest slowly over the next couple of days.

Stage two is moving as many of the small pieces of furniture as I can manage on my own. Then swapping the beds over. DS3 has colonised the living room (I have removed pots, empty cans and rubbish - there may still be some in corners I can't get to, spare mattress and some quilts spread around) so I have a free hand up here. When I have rearranged things I hope to evict him from the front room (he shares his time between the single bed and the small couch). In a few weeks our large couch is coming home - I lent it to DS1 and his gf until they could afford one of their choosing.

dND

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

Decided to replace the oven (and hob) in my apartment. I've spent a fairly large amount on it telling myself that it'll get me to use it a bit more. Truth be told apart from baking bread and Le Creuset stews during the colder months I don't really use the oven as I keep thinking its not worth turning it on.

How do other singles use their ovens?

BTW I don't have a sweet tooth so cakes etc are out.

As you say in the post further down, I also don't put the big oven on for meal for myself - if I had a pizza it took longer to heat the oven than it did to cook the pizza :eek:
My solution was to get one of the A!di induction hobs, (2 'burners') and one of the tabletop ovens which rarely needs preheating. I've not used my 'normal' oven for a year and have only left it in place as a selling feature for the house. Luckily it has a fold down lid so I use it as replacement worktop for that used up by the two new things.

Now I'm happy to roast or grill meals for me although I still cook enough for at least 2 meals regularly and I don't mind putting things on the hob either so more vegetables have appeared in my diet. It could take up to 5 mins to boil a small pan of water on the electric hobs while it is less than 30 seconds on the induction.

The down side of the induction is that you may need to replace your pans if they are not induction friendly. don't get taken in by the converter plates you can buy at great cost, in my experience they are not worth it and take far longer to heat things up that putting them on my electric hob.

Living_proof

I have a Panasonic combi oven/micro/grill and this is my second, the new one doesn't have a turntable so I can utilise smaller ovenware. I also have a built in single oven but I don't think it has been used more than once or twice in the past two years. It merely stores the bakeware and is really a terrific waste of space, but I agree it must be kept in case of having to sell the house at some stage. I seldom use the microwave part but often grill things and I cannot recommend this oven strongly enough, and no, I don't work for Panasonic!

Mr_Singleton

Thanks dND.... Was thinking more along the lines of doing multiple things in the oven at the same time something that my grandmother always used to do.

Wonder if there is a resource that would advise on good combinations. I sometimes put jacket potato's in the oven when baking bread for example.

greenbee

I think it might be the Pauper's cookbook that has this in - a weekend batch cook to make the most of the oven's heat. There are plenty of things that can be cooked in the oven first time round and reheated on the hob or in the microwave (or when you're cooking something else!). It's a question of looking at the things you make regularly and seeing which ones cook at roughly the same temperatures.

BookWorm

Morning everyone :hello:

Can't believe another working week has passed by... the time really does seem to be flying at the moment :eek:

Have woken up feeling a bit below par today. Got a stuffy feeling head and slightly swollen glands. I've had some tablets and hoping that will stave any lurgy off. Good excuse for a quiet day me thinks too No major plans today anyway (thankfully) and the chores can keep til tomorrow

I wanted to ask...has anyone got much experience of spray painting? Any useful tips for getting a good result/finish?

BW