Cooking for one

Ames

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've never bought a posh soup - for cheap/cans of soup I nuke them for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute.

I'm trying to get away from cans. Partly because I've always known/thought of them as lunch, whereas the big tubs of 'fresh' soup are more dinner. I don't know why I think that, though.

I like to pick up the odd can of "nice sounding" soup here and there, chunky ones. Chunky soups are an instant meal in a tin, I figure they're "a bit like stew" in that way.

If you use a hob though I'd stick it in the saucepan and hover over it, stirring occasionally, waiting to see the bubbles of it boiling. Once the big bubbles appear, turn it right down as far as possible and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute or so.

sorry, I wasn't clear, I meant the bags of prepped veg to turn into soup, I don't fancy being next to the cooker for an hour or more stirring! I think I remember from reading the instructions that you add a litre of stock, but it didn't say how involved you have to be after that point.

The method/thinking is: it's soup - it will already be "cooked" - your job is simply to reheat it without it burning. It won't kill you, even cold, as it's soup .... so all you're after is something that's warm/hot enough for your personal preference. But leave it to boil and/or don't stir it and it WILL stick to the bottom, burn, taste funny.

I can reheat soup that's already soup, it's getting it to that state in the first place that I'm unsure about.

You can - but you also have to be careful as it can defrost to be a bit wet and sloppy. This is where a packet of instant mash in the cupboard could help to sop some of that up.

If you manage to cook the right sort of potatoes, to the right consistency, then freeze them you might get a good result ... but you might have a few trial/error moments when you think "blimey this is rank".

OK, I'll think of it as a learning curve, thanks.

Once mashed, if you seal it in a plastic box and shove it in the fridge, it'll still be good for 3-4 days at least.

I don't think I'd want mash that often. In fact I'm aiming to low carb, it'd just be an occasional thing every few weeks.

I've always been rather good at mashing potatoes - they've been my staple food for donkeys' years, so I've never seen mashing real spuds to be too hard... what IS hard is getting through a whole bag

I get bad wrist pain, peeling and mashing a few spuds would put my hands out of action for anything up to a few days.

I nuke spuds - peeled and unpeeled - whole and sliced. You can nuke a whole spud in the nuker, then cut it in half and peel the outside and mash the innards with a fork.


Roasties will freeze better than mash. Just cook them as usual, until they are VERY NEARLY the colour you want. Cool, freeze individually (on a tray) for an hour or so ... then bung them into bags - that way you hope they won't end up as one big clump.

Good to know, I much prefer roasties to mash anyway!

To reheat, shove in a hot oven for 10-20 minutes depending on the oven temperature and how many and how big they are. Bit of trial and error and you'll be there.




I might/might not bung cheese in too, depends how I feel.

I don't think I ever feel that cheese can't improve a meal.

ASD?

I can be funny about food mixes - some things I'm fine with, others I wish people wouldn't mess with. I've such a long list of things I don't eat that any mixtures run the risk of containing 3-4 things I don't eat. I also like to be able to see what I'm eating and poke it around and about to check it.

Not diagnosed. I've often wondered, but just lumped it in with my various mental health problems. I can definitely point to a few spectrum traits though.

PasturesNew

I should've been born wealthy, so I just got catered for.

I'd love a world where all meals just appear by magic after I've chosen them from a short list

Ames

NewShadow wrote: »

Do you mean something like this:



Which needs a handful (only a handful per portion - it grows) cooking for a few hours WITH your choice of stock and veggies or chucking into a stew/casserole right at the start to thicken it.

Or like this:



Where you basically just follow the instructions - soften veg, add grains and stock, simmer for 20 mins or so, and blitz to soup.

Blog that might be interesting re the pro's and cons/methods of the veg pack - http://www.soupisfood.com/2016/11/13/waitrose-root-vegetable-and-kale-soup-mix/

The only difference between the two is the veg bag is semi prepared - with the dry grains you need to pick veg and proportions to suit - more flexibility but less security of outcome.

I agree a tin is easier/shelf stable, but this could work out cheaper per portion and would allow you control over the final taste - plus possibly some satisfaction over having actually 'made it'.

HTH.

It was the second type. I really struggle with prepping veg because of my wrist and hand problems, so ones with everything peeled already seem ideal.

Thanks for the link, I'll go read it now.

ETA: read it, it sounds like just what I need. When I've used up the fridgeful of stuff I already have.

PasturesNew

Ames wrote: »

.... the bags of prepped veg to turn into soup

There are two sorts:
- a bag of chopped raw veg - these will need some stock and as much boiling as regular vegetables need (20 minutes as a yardstick) ...then you'd need to mash/puree/blend it. Without reading a specific pack I'd expect to: tip it into a saucepan with the relevant stock; hob on high until it's bubbling/moving; stir, turn the hob right down; stir/check every 4-5 minutes for 20 minutes. It'd be a saucepan with a lid too - and I'd put the lid on, but just wedge it so it's open a tiny gap.

- as a post above mentioned, bags of hard/dried bits and bobs - they'd take some slow cooking to get those from bullets to soft... you'd add relevant stock and then you'd end up blending them.... of course, those dried packs could be lobbed into a slow cooker and left to jiggle for 2 hours or so. No stirring required with a SC and you can forget, or leave it another hour or so ... then spoon out/freeze/whatever.

Ames wrote: »

I've often wondered

I'm a weirdo in that club, so I spotted some traits ...which is why I tossed it in...as you do, "all rude and blunt" like

Nelski

Morning all

Cooking for 10 tonight :eek::eek:

My turn to host our book club so cooking a big chicken curry and a 3 bean chilli for the solitary gluten free veggie.....she had better be hungry All served with rice nan and twice baked cheese and bacon spuds. One of the girls has a baking business and is bringing cup cakes :T

Really enjoying cooking properly again. Freezer portions can wear a bit thin after a while and the monotony of thinking what to do that wont last over a week.

I will be shovelling food into everyone so that I don't end up with loads of freezer stock its just about the last thing I need. Im guessing it will be groundhog food day for the rest of the week.

Have a great day everyone and if you are passing the North West do pop in for a large plate:)

moneyistooshorttomention

Thinks....now how has Nelski's book club got meals - and mine just has wine and posh crisps?:rotfl:

Are we getting something wrong somewhere?:rotfl:

Mind you - I guess the others might find it a bit difficult to cater for everyone - as that includes vegetarian/non sugar-eating me. Oh well - back to ours just being posh crisps then...and everyone else doing a commentary on the wine. Whilst I just drink it...ahem...we've agreed a glass of wine counts as 1 helping a day of the "10" havent we?:)

meg72

Nelski wrote: »

Morning all

Cooking for 10 tonight :eek::eek:

My turn to host our book club so cooking a big chicken curry and a 3 bean chilli for the solitary gluten free veggie.....she had better be hungry All served with rice nan and twice baked cheese and bacon spuds. One of the girls has a baking business and is bringing cup cakes :T

Really enjoying cooking properly again. Freezer portions can wear a bit thin after a while and the monotony of thinking what to do that wont last over a week.

I will be shovelling food into everyone so that I don't end up with loads of freezer stock its just about the last thing I need. Im guessing it will be groundhog food day for the rest of the week.

Have a great day everyone and if you are passing the North West do pop in for a large plate:)

Oh My 10 that's a lot. I never get the chance to cater for a crowd now as my place is so small but I always enjoyed it when I could, have fun will be thinking of you.

meg72

Was making chilli, just putting the chilli powder in when next doors cat jumped up the window, scared me and the sauce got an overdose, EKKK
the fumes are enough to take your skin off.

The only thing I can think of doing, apart from throwing the lot at the damned cat, lol, is to strain off most of the sauce and add more tomatoes.

Nelski

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Thinks....now how has Nelski's book club got meals - and mine just has wine and posh crisps?:rotfl:

Are we getting something wrong somewhere?:rotfl:

Mind you - I guess the others might find it a bit difficult to cater for everyone - as that includes vegetarian/non sugar-eating me. Oh well - back to ours just being posh crisps then...and everyone else doing a commentary on the wine. Whilst I just drink it...ahem...we've agreed a glass of wine counts as 1 helping a day of the "10" havent we?:)

lol I know what you mean moneystooshorttomention ours started off meeting in the pub so nobody really had food just wine then somehow and I am not entirely sure how I managed to agree to a home meet with food. Looking forward to it though everyone is walking or getting a taxi so prosecco will be flowing :beer: its pretty rare I get to cook for others so I am making the most of it. Must remember to discuss the book at some point :rotfl:

meg72 wrote: »

Oh My 10 that's a lot. I never get the chance to cater for a crowd now as my place is so small but I always enjoyed it when I could, have fun will be thinking of you.

Thank you meg and yes I am really enjoying myself

Nelski

meg72 wrote: »

Was making chilli, just putting the chilli powder in when next doors cat jumped up the window, scared me and the sauce got an overdose, EKKK
the fumes are enough to take your skin off.

The only thing I can think of doing, apart from throwing the lot at the damned cat, lol, is to strain off most of the sauce and add more tomatoes.

Have you got any yoghurt? add some of that and it will calm the heat:)