Cooking for one

candygirl

PasturesNew wrote: »

Well, it's practically the same thing isn't it Just slight variations, but it comes down to being "almost the same", of sorts


I've been meaning to have cheese omelette for some weeks.... then never got round to it.

Yea it's very similar 😀

Hollyharvey

PasturesNew wrote: »

Rule 1: Never volunteer
Rule 2: Never get volunteered
Rule 3: If you overhear the word 'volunteer', or suspect it's being discussed, get as much distance between that conversation and yourself as possible.

You can always return, when the heat of the moment has gone, and offer ... but that's best left to the last minute as a "surprise" offering. Between the first discussion/volunteers being roped in ... and the event itself ... it's often also morphed into something entirely different to what you thought you were buying into when it was first mentioned... and you get given more "jobs" along the way.



The person turning up on the day with an offering is thought far more highly of than the person who promised early ....

I'm learning this the hard way at the moment . I think that people are prone to try and take advantage because to them as I'm at home all day, I can't possibly 'have anything to do'. I have always baked for one fete each year for the past 10 years, that was because I was a governor at the school and when I took over as Chair it was a follow on from what my predecessor did. However, I won't be doing that one next year. I resigned from the Governing Body 4 years ago and the head teacher is retiring at the end of term so it's an ideal time for me to get away from that one.


I don't know how I got roped into tomorrow's one, I can't remember now, but it won't happen again for sure.

Farway

gonebust wrote: »

Faraway I'm just sitting reading through some old cook books and I've found a great recipe for runner beans for you

It's two beans in tomato. The other beans being broad beans but hey if you don't have them ( mine aren't ready yet) then double up on the runners

225gr of diced runners
450gr broad beans
Tin of toms
Dessert spoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of dried thyme or oregano
Salt and pepper

Make the tomato sauce, bring to the boil, add the beans, boil for 5 mins
If you use the BB, blanch them first for 2 mins then pop them out of their skins then add for a minute at the end of cooking

That would be lovely served Luke warm or even cold either as a side dish or stirred into pasta

Thanks to all with the runner recipes, I opted for an easy one, and seesm from your tips that using beans cold is easy. Mine was cold sliced & cooked, cool under tap, add vinegar [I used white balsamic 'cos that was what I had] and olive oil, plus fresh mint also had that in grarden. It was fine

GB that recipe looks simlilar to one I have in old cook book, but without broad beans or sugar [seems a lot of sugar BTW], uses tinned toms & herbs. Named Italian beans, I suspect because the cook book is so old anything with herbs in it must have been "foreign"

Boiling hot again and def too hot to cook anything requiring effort

Nil breakfast, extra biscuits at volunteering mid morning cuppa

Due to Plan A and eeking bread out, had part baked bagutte for lunch with rest of the corned beef in it, plus a tom and the last of my 25p bargain buy cut & come again lettuce. The roots are still there so perhaps they may give more later

Dinner is really CBA due to heat, salad I have but had it yesterday and sort of for lunch and just fancy easy peasy. So it will be bung frozen cheapo Morries pizza in the gas oven and eat that 15 minutes later

I keep thinking of picking the currnats but too hot at present, but will have to pick & eat before I go away next week ot they will go to waste, I will not cook & freeze, not worth my effort or freezer sapce because not tons of them, but a good bowl full I guess

Anne_Marie_2

PasturesNew wrote: »

If I lived there, with disposable income, I'd have picked up a small/portable solar oven to sit outside..... they're really advanced now and you can cook all sorts on them. It's not cost effective here as there are few days it's THAT hot.

There are many designs, but it's just a small black box that sits in the garden. 2-3 hours and you've usually got a pizza or something cooked. £50-100 or less can get "something that does the job" nowadays. There's all sorts, from long tubes that cook burgers/BBQ food, to boxes that cook stews/pizzas. to simple bags aimed at campers to cook all sorts of saucepan foods in.

I've not seen anything like that here, but in fairness have never looked....shopping is a thing that has to be done, and if I don't need it, I don't do it. Interesting though, so will look into it.
I do have an outdoor wood fired oven, but it's no joy to be using it in this heat, and I feel it's such a waste just for me.

Am amazed that they don't take more advantage of solar power here. Vaguely remember about 6-7 years ago, someone getting it done and cost around £23,000 back then. Only reason they went ahead was that they couldn't get connected to the mains. Would imagine that the costs would be higher now, and way over my pocket money. No such thing as grants here am afraid.

Loved the comments on volunteering, made me laugh. So very true.

Fusspot - Great stuff that you feel more comfortable now. At the end of the day, it's just body fuel. Life is stressful enough at times to be worrying what you are eating at every turn.

Farway - what I would do for a bowl of currants. Yum!

Anne_Marie_2

Hollyharvey wrote: »

I don't know how I got roped into tomorrow's one, I can't remember now, but it won't happen again for sure.

Good, just hope that you remember that for the next time.

All my life, until I had health issues, and even then, I got roped into all sorts. I then felt really guilty if I couldn't follow through due to health issues. Now, it's a simple, straight no.

I remember once hearing that the hardest word to say was no, and it's true. You always feel that you have to explain why, and you shouldn't have to, as then you can be persuaded. A straight no, and nothing else....means there is no ammunition to cajole/blackmail you. It is hard at first, but after the first couple of times, sorted, and people don't ask.

candygirl

Anne_Marie wrote: »

Good, just hope that you remember that for the next time.

All my life, until I had health issues, and even then, I got roped into all sorts. I then felt really guilty if I couldn't follow through due to health issues. Now, it's a simple, straight no.

I remember once hearing that the hardest word to say was no, and it's true. You always feel that you have to explain why, and you shouldn't have to, as then you can be persuaded. A straight no, and nothing else....means there is no ammunition to cajole/blackmail you. It is hard at first, but after the first couple of times, sorted, and people don't ask.

I always do the over explaining thing when saying NO.Still find it really hard to do

caronc

Good evening everyone,

Re volunteering, apart from when the boys were small it's something I've always done. My parents were members of the "Civil Defence" and we were brought up that an element of voluntering your time was part of life. The trick for me is to pick something you enjoy and when you do that it kind of "let's you off the hook" re getting roped into other things;). When I was younger my job meant I moved a lot to new places so it was great way to meet folk. For the last 16 years I've worked with an Out of School Care group which I helped set up. I look after the money side of the business which is great as I can lift and lay as my health/other commitments permit. Before that in various locations I was a cook in a soup kitchen, taught English to Refugees, a mentor to kids leaving care and an event/disaster first aider (thankfully lots of events and no disasters;)). I had some great times and none of them took up too much time or felt like a chore and I met some great people from many walks of life:D.

Today has been a bit of a non-day, the weather was rubbish and my balance decided to behave as though I had just stepped off a fairground ride:(. On a positive picked my first cucumber - doubt it will still be unscoffed this time tomorrow.:D

I got a nice freebie to try with my Tesco order - Rhubarb and Custard Ice Cream cones. Not tried one yet but they sound lovely:D.

Tonight I'm having jerk spiced chicken thighs with a corn cob, beans from the garden and last night's LO baked spud:)

meg72

caronc wrote: »

Good evening everyone,

Re volunteering, apart from when the boys were small it's something I've always done. My parents were members of the "Civil Defence" and we were brought up that an element of voluntering your time was part of life. The trick for me is to pick something you enjoy and when you do that it kind of "let's you off the hook" re getting roped into other things;). When I was younger my job meant I moved a lot to new places so it was great way to meet folk. For the last 16 years I've worked with an Out of School Care group which I helped set up. I look after the money side of the business which is great as I can lift and lay as my health/other commitments permit. Before that in various locations I was a cook in a soup kitchen, taught English to Refugees, a mentor to kids leaving care and an event/disaster first aider (thankfully lots of events and no disasters;)). I had some great times and none of them took up too much time or felt like a chore and I met some great people from many walks of life:D.

Today has been a bit of a non-day, the weather was rubbish and my balance decided to behave as though I had just stepped off a fairground ride:(. On a positive picked my first cucumber - doubt it will still be unscoffed this time tomorrow.:D

I got a nice freebie to try with my Tesco order - Rhubarb and Custard Ice Cream cones. Not tried one yet but they sound lovely:D.

Tonight I'm having jerk spiced chicken thighs with a corn cob, beans from the garden and last night's LO baked spud:)

I wouldn't know how to fill the hours if it were not for my voluntary
work I am currently organising a Christmas fair and crafting away like mad made 20 keyrings last night and today have diecut 20 Santa Sleighs. 20 stockings and 20 gingerbread mean ready to take to craft club for group to assemble. asw you say its a great way to make friends`

Hollyharvey

caronc wrote: »

Re volunteering, apart from when the boys were small it's something I've always done.

I do one day a week for a law/advice service. Although that has been half a day recently because I'm still having all sorts of tests to get to the bottom of my heart problem and I'm not up to doing a full day. Also they have been good and allowed me to be flexible in when I do go in. I'm really pleased about that, because usually we are all booked up with appointments for a few weeks in advance but what they are doing with me is giving me someone else's client and then the other volunteer is catching up on their paperwork so it is working out ok.


At least I can still carry on this way because I do enjoy it.

caronc

Hollyharvey wrote: »

I do one day a week for a law/advice service. Although that has been half a day recently because I'm still having all sorts of tests to get to the bottom of my heart problem and I'm not up to doing a full day. Also they have been good and allowed me to be flexible in when I do go in. I'm really pleased about that, because usually we are all booked up with appointments for a few weeks in advance but what they are doing with me is giving me someone else's client and then the other volunteer is catching up on their paperwork so it is working out ok.


At least I can still carry on this way because I do enjoy it.

You can only give what you can/ works for you...;):cool::D