What OS tip didn't work for you?

valk_scot

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

Absolutely, a lot of people find it hard, as we did at first. Truth is though, the chicken wing PLUS Oysters and all the odds and ends off the carcass will fill 1/4 of our plates, and I strip the meat off the wings or it won't get eaten.

I also have a hard time with the chickenless soup... but it's my son who LOVES it, which is how we managed the 10 meals... it's supposed to be a broth and not a stew or soup. and you fill it with small pasta (Farfallalline Mini Pasta Bows). I remember having it as a child in Germany as a starter, and my son just wanted to try it, and when he did he now always asks for it again and AGAIN!

I do admit to not looking overly forward to it... but I do make a TON of fresh bread to make it more appealing, so by having this meal we make the chicken go further

Thing is you can end up using so many other ingredients to stretch the chicken that you would probably be cheaper buying another chicken tbh. Chicken is not a particularly expensive meat as long as you're not going for top grade organic free range. A bog standard medium chicken is only about £3-£4, a single pepper is 50p-60p. It's obviously healthy to use a good amount of vegetables and pulses in your cooking but it's not necessarily cheaper every time. And if you're not enjoying what you're cooking, why bother? I'd rather have beans on toast or with a baked potato than chickenless chicken soup!

lurkey*is*here

the ten meals from the chicken would be something Id consider too much with a family of 5 I get a roast dinner from a chicken the bones for stock maybe some chicken for soup and a bit more for fried rice or sandwiches
If I managed to use one thigh and one leg to make a meal for the 5 of us my Husband would ask wheres every one elses tea:rotfl:
Val I agree with you Sainsburys have biggish chickens atm 3 for £10

bargainbetty

I am so glad I found this thread. My confessions:

I hate Stardrops. It burns my skin, the fumes choke me and it nearly killed my dishwasher. I'd rather use bleach or an anti-bac spray.
MF cloths don't have any atrractions for me - they feel odd and make no significant difference to cleaning surfaces.
I am also one of those who can't be doing with a slow cooker - I actually threw mine away as no one I knew wanted to take it off my hands!

*Runs away, feeling all liberated*

flippin36

Vinegar as fabric softener didn't go down too well for me. Neither softened nor made my clothes smell nice. (Quite the opposite)

cooking-mama

JulieGeorgiana wrote: »

I can make a 1.9kg Chicken last for 10 meals for 3 of us! And scraps for the cats! I am more then happy to share if you are really interested.

I think I started out just making it last 3 days... and it kind of grew from there!!!

,so thats 30 meals from 1 solitary chicken?...well if it works for you then thats fine,but theres no way id serve up 1 chicken thigh between 4 at home,if things were so tight id rather give my daughters the thigh and me and OH would do without...even the term "rubber chicken" puts me off.:D
Anyhow another thing i tried was oats in mince...never again,id just rather settle for less mince..or grated carrot instead.
Ive found a couple of posts on OS very off-putting,one was from a woman who collected her husbands friends(not even relatives) KFC bucket scraps and cooked then into soup for her family the next day.OMG,soup from strangers chewed on bones!..no thanks.!!!
And ive just read on the slow cooker recipes topic that someone has cooked their Pet Domestic Rabbit:eek:(after a dog had killed it)
Thankfully the majority of OS is very very very helpfull indeed,but the concept of replicating the fishes and loaves from a chicken,or eating other peoples leftovers,or our dead pets just does not inspire me in the slightest.

countingthepennies

I am really suprised so many people dislike slow cookers! I wouldnt be without mine. We had the tastiest chicken from our slow cooker yesterday. I always chuck in loads of herbs with the stock and whatever meat we have in it is always lovely. Its great getting home after work and knowing that a meal is ready. ( I text ahead and get someone at home to start some potatoes or rice or whatever cooking).

On the other hand my bread maker is barely used, but I know some people have theirs going every day.

clairehi

mulled_wine wrote: »

I got in from work later once and my (ex) said "thought you were out so I ate it all" ~ a chicken casserole meant for 4 :eek:

oh my did he have gut ache.

Did I laugh?

:eek:

Completely agree re men and portion control. I made a lovely casserole with good meat from the butchers, which was not cheap, there was enough for 8 and i was intending to freeze half. I Made the mistake of allowing dh and his dad to help themselves, and they porked the lot!

clairehi

bargainbetty wrote: »

I am so glad I found this thread. My confessions:

I hate Stardrops. It burns my skin, the fumes choke me and it nearly killed my dishwasher. I'd rather use bleach or an anti-bac spray.
MF cloths don't have any atrractions for me - they feel odd and make no significant difference to cleaning surfaces.
I am also one of those who can't be doing with a slow cooker - I actually threw mine away as no one I knew wanted to take it off my hands!

*Runs away, feeling all liberated*

Love it.
I bought some cheap mf cloths from tesco which are ok for dry dusting but that's all
I have some expensive e cloths which are the only thing that works for polishing granite work tops. The cheap mf cloths are no use for polishing as they just smear stuff around.

liney

Microfibre cloths smear if you wash them with fabric softener - it stops them absorbing.

anguk

I only use my slow cooker for gammon joints or rice pudding, I find casseroles/stews all just have a weird taste and are much nicer done in the oven.

I don't really do rubber chicken either, one chicken will do the 3 of us a roast and maybe sandwiches. If I'm lucky there may be enough to add to fried rice. I don't make stock with the bones very often either.

I tried soap nuts & laundry gloop but find they just don't get my clothes clean and the whites start to look dingy even if I add soda crystals. I don't like vinegar as a softener, it neither softens nor smells nice.

I use the breadmaker to make a wholemeal loaf but it just won't make a nice white loaf.

I won't add lentils or oats to mince to bulk it out.

I'm fussy with meat so only buy from the farm shop, it's more expensive but tastes so much nicer and doesn't shrink like supermarket meat.