Cooking for one

Anne_Marie_2

monnagran wrote: »

Quick query.
These halogen ovens - are we talking about Remouska type things?

x

I've got a halogen oven, not this make, but gives you an idea.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Andrew-James-Capacity-Replaceable-Accessories/dp/B002LYQF7A
Remoska cookers are way more expensive, can't help with any info, as I don't have one, but read that many on here love them. Here's a link if you want to know about them. http://www.remoska.co.uk/

Anne_Marie_2

Never needed a stool, other than to clean the top of my cupboards in the UK.
Here, ceilings are high, 3m in my house. I use one of those inexpensive plastic fold up stools to get anything that's not at the front of the top shelf, of the upper cupboards and need a ladder to clean the top of the units. They are not done very often, but do lay and tape newspapers/magazines down to keep down the worst of the dirt. I'm 5/07, so goodness knows how shorter people manage, and most Cypriot women of my age, are considerably smaller in height than I am. Just wish they had raised the height of my worktops a couple of inches, to save me bending.

PasturesNew

Anne_Marie wrote: »

Never needed a stool, other than to clean the top of my cupboards in the UK.

What's up there.... is of no concern to me Cupboard tops are what you clean if there's somebody looking, unless there is an issue such as a lot of local air-borne dust/muck or there are a lot of stir fries going on.

Anne_Marie wrote: »

Here, ceilings are high, 3m in my house .... I'm 5/07, so goodness knows how shorter people manage.... wish they had raised the height of my worktops a couple of inches, to save me bending.

My house is modern, so ceilings are the regular new build height.

At 5'7" your arms will be longer too, further increasing the reach - and long fingers! I can actually stand up with my arms fully extended above my head and still walk through a regular doorframe without my fingers touching it - in fact, I just checked - there's still 2-3" clearance!

People often remark how small my hands are. Me trying to reach anything is like expecting an 11-12 child to reach/grip things.

I wish my worktops were lower - it's almost bust height. When I have the kettle on, I can't open the cupboard above it to put anything away or get anything out as my boobs run the risk of knocking the kettle over. Ditto with saucepan handles - I've always had to make double-sure they point to the back as they're at boob height.

One of the reasons I've never fancied a halogen oven thing is because I'm not tall enough to be able to safely reach down inside to retrieve the food.

caronc

PasturesNew wrote: »

What's up there.... is of no concern to me Cupboard tops are what you clean if there's somebody looking, unless there is an issue such as a lot of local air-borne dust/muck or there are a lot of stir fries going on.


My house is modern, so ceilings are the regular new build height.

At 5'7" your arms will be longer too, further increasing the reach - and long fingers! I can actually stand up with my arms fully extended above my head and still walk through a regular doorframe without my fingers touching it - in fact, I just checked - there's still 2-3" clearance!

People often remark how small my hands are. Me trying to reach anything is like expecting an 11-12 child to reach/grip things.

I wish my worktops were lower - it's almost bust height. When I have the kettle on, I can't open the cupboard above it to put anything away or get anything out as my boobs run the risk of knocking the kettle over. Ditto with saucepan handles - I've always had to make double-sure they point to the back as they're at boob height.

One of the reasons I've never fancied a halogen oven thing is because I'm not tall enough to be able to safely reach down inside to retrieve the food.

I'm not terribly tall either and had my kitchen units installed at the lowest possible level still struggle with high pots etc. Have you thought about a kitchen trolley? I have a wee one (from Argos years ago), it is a good 4 inches lower than my worktops, has brakes so ideal for something like a halogen.
I've thought about getting a halogen oven but a couple of folk I know used to have but got rid as didn't like them, I know lots of folk rate them though

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

I'm not terribly tall either and had my kitchen units installed at the lowest possible level still struggle with high pots etc. Have you thought about a kitchen trolley? I have a wee one (from Argos years ago), it is a good 4 inches lower than my worktops, has brakes so ideal for something like a halogen.
I've thought about getting a halogen oven but a couple of folk I know used to have but got rid as didn't like them, I know lots of folk rate them though

I'd not want a trolley, seen those, they look annoying.

I couldn't put anything electrical onto a trolley as a trolley doesn't have a socket and there'd be nowhere to plug it into. Trolleys, to me, look like some kind of marketer's dream product that, in reality, are more of a nuisance than anything else. I know somebody who had one, it ended up stacked full of food under their stairs in the end... not fit for purpose when actually used.

Anyway - I don't actually like going into the kitchen, or cooking - it's the room I try to dash into and out, quickest, without lingering

It's OK to hate the kitchen/cooking ... men seem to get away with openly declaring they have zero interest in there except what's grabbable from the fridge

If I were wealthier and had a job with a works' canteen I'd never go in the kitchen....

Tiddlywinks

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'd not want a trolley, seen those, they look annoying.

I couldn't put anything electrical onto a trolley as a trolley doesn't have a socket and there'd be nowhere to plug it into. Trolleys, to me, look like some kind of marketer's dream product that, in reality, are more of a nuisance than anything else.

:o Ahem, I've got a trolley - bought it second hand from ebay and then got someone to make a stainless steel cap for the top.

I 'park' it in front of the dishwasher (which is under the drainer so not a work surface) and then wheel it back to get access. The extra surface is great and I sometimes do stand electrical items on it to use them - the lead will stretch to an extension or to the wall.

It has baskets underneath where i store my onions and garlic and all my plastic boxes.

Before this one I had the cheapo Ikea one (£35 and solid as a rock) which was fantastic and my friend has it now - she does the same as me.... it's this one:

Trolley

PasturesNew wrote: »

If I were wealthier and had a job with a works' canteen I'd never go in the kitchen....

That reminds me of a group of Uni students that virtually lived in our local Wetherspoons - they'd worked out that it was cheaper to eat there on the various meal deals everyday (for brekkie and then evening meal) than cook for themselves. They also got free wifi and heating by sitting there when they weren't at lectures. You used to be able to get two meals for £x etc and it was so funny watching them working out the best options. Then they'd make their pints last forever by sneakily topping their glasses up from their own stash.

Not so cheap in there anymore sadly - now they've gone upmarket with the healthy options .

iammumtoone

Loving my new to me book

I always used instant gravy and sauces as can't 't be bothered with the faff of making my own for one. The book tells me that you can make roux in bulk and keep it the fridge (I never knew this).

My plan is to make some up store in an ice cube tray I can just pop one out and put into the stock/milk and heat. I am hoping it will thicken this way and is just as quick as instant but much nicer tasting and no additives.

If I am doing this way do you think it would be better to make with cornflour or standard flour?

I am very lucky we have a subsisted work canteen I can get a full HM cooked dinner for under £2. I consider it a perk of the job and do use it. However I don't always fancy a full meal at lunchtime and I dont get to enjoy it as such, eating at desk whilst working is not the same as sitting at home in front of the TV enjoying a meal.

monnagran

Everything in the kitchen is too high for me and I'm not a midget (5.2). I have to stand on a stool to reach the top shelvesof the cupboards. Anything on the tops of the cupboards has to wait until DS2 comes home to lift it down.

The counter tops are a bit uncomfortable for whisking, creaming and beating things so I put the bowls in the sink to do those things.
Where there's a will............

x

moneyistooshorttomention

Stepstools - for access to higher things in kitchens.

Not finalised details of my new kitchen yet - but I've got the stepstool already. To do dual duty of sitting at breakfast bar I'll have and climbing to access higher shelves in wall cupboards (as I can reach them at the moment - but won't be able to do so when they have an extra shelf in them to the 2 currently there). Have never been able to reach for anything I've "parked" on top of kitchen wall cabinets anyway - but that stepstool will do even better for that if I'm still putting things up there.

No more lugging a stepladder to and fro the kitchen any time I want anything higher up soon...:)

PasturesNew

monnagran wrote: »

The counter tops are a bit uncomfortable for whisking, creaming and beating things so I put the bowls in the sink to do those things.
Where there's a will............

My sink and area always have "washing up in waiting" around ....

I make small portions and usually mix biggish things in a 1 litre Pyrex jug. I stand over the sink (full or not) to do that, "in case" there's sloppage or spillage or splashes.

It's rare I need to be doing that though, to be honest, don't make that much of anything.