Cooking for one

PasturesNew

Anne_Marie wrote: »

Can you not get frozen pastry in squares? I bought what I thought was ready to roll pastry for a steak pie last year, and discovered it was little squares, so had to pinch them together for the large pie. Really handy for single portions, and absolutely no faffing about involved.

Also, I keep a bag of made up flour and butter/shortening/marg mixed up in the freezer, roughly 1 part flour, 1/2 part fat. Make a batch up every now and then in the food processor. Could be done by hand.
Then it can be used for shortcrust by adding water, sprinkled on top of a savoury pie as is or with some herbs/cheese added, or some sugar added for a sweet crumble topping.

I have probably had ONE crumble in the last 10 years.... and not made any pies.

On the basis I couldn't have squeezed one square of chocolate in my freezer over, say, Xmas, the concept of keeping stuff in there "in case" isn't on the scale.

I see my freezer as being a "food life extension cupboard" - and I keep things moving through it. The only thing that is usually guaranteed to be in there always is a bag of oven chips. Everything else is "passing through".

PasturesNew

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

One of my guilty pleasures is HM crinkle cut chips with curry sauce using Bisto curry granules and mushy peas on the side. Those Bisto granules are lovely and you only need to do as much or as little as you fancy.

I've had instant curry granules in the cupboard for years. Usually A5da's - but I did get gifted a Bisto tube about a year ago. I get through one tub a year on average. I mostly use them with chips and egg curry. Two heaped teaspoons is plenty.

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

See you *have* got the means to make a crumble without getting butter in your nails .

Then it comes down to "bothering".

e.g. "I have an apple in my hand... if I nuke it I have stewed apple". That's usually enough effort

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

He served a small whole banana

That's a hilarious story

I always slice my banana up. I LOVE banana custard, I probably have it 3x a year!

PasturesNew

Re Jaffa cakes. I prefer the Value ones these days to the originals. I "treated" myself to a pack of "real ones" about 18 months ago and found them quite heavy and unpleasant.

I tried the Ald1 pack the other week ... won't bother again. Can't remember why I didn't like them, but I didn't.

I have 2-3 packs a year probably .... none are great, but all I'm looking for at the Value/basics price is "bit of a nibble/something different and sweet". But, given the choice, I'd buy cheap Jaffas from shops other than Ald1.

Ald1 is new to me, so I am slowly working through their products that I'd have bought from other shops before. I was shopping at L1dl, so currently buying from "A" what I used to buy in "L" to see if there's any difference. But that takes months to taste everything.

I've not really shopped for any food this year. Only bought one pack of crumpets and 2 jars of instant coffee and an instant curry/rice from memory.

There are foods I've "missed" this year already - and it'd have been easy to go out and justify buying them, but I've not bothered. e.g. bread, eggs ... and now cheese triangles.

EDIT: I've just been in the bath, contemplating my navel ... and thinking back to when I said this year I'd cook foods I'd not bothered with for years.

I'll add crumble into that then ... this year I'll cook more crumbles. Fruity & savoury. Nom ....

Expect an expanding waistline....

karcher

I'm not a fan of Jaffa Cakes...funny invention if you ask me.

I am however rather partial to shortbread. Must look up a recipe, it must be cheaper to make than to buy?

Tiddlywinks

Anne_Marie wrote: »

I bought what I thought was ready to roll pastry for a steak pie last year, and discovered it was little squares,

Also, I keep a bag of made up flour and butter/shortening/marg mixed up in the freezer, roughly 1 part flour, 1/2 part fat. Make a batch up every now and then....

Those squares sound really handy - I'm going to have a look out for them.

Good idea about the crumble too - no waste involved (although what happens to your waist is another matter ).

Tiddlywinks

karcher wrote: »

I am however rather partial to shortbread. Must look up a recipe, it must be cheaper to make than to buy?

I never make my own because it's scary to see first hand just how much butter (calories) goes in to make it so delicious. I could reduce the butter and sugar BUT that would change the flavour.

Instead - after some serious taste testing (including Waitrose & M&S) - I've found the best tasting and most 'buttery' for me is the Lidl one with the Scottish name..... lovely but oh so calorific.

I have to limit myself to two at a time or I could go on on and on scoffing them .

karcher

Tiddlywinks wrote: »

I never make my own because it's scary to see first hand just how much butter (calories) goes in to make it so delicious. I could reduce the butter and sugar BUT that would change the flavour.

Instead - after some serious taste testing (including Waitrose & M&S) - I've found the best tasting and most 'buttery' for me is the Lidl one with the Scottish name..... lovely but oh so calorific.

I have to limit myself to two at a time or I could go on on and on scoffing them .

That's why I don't buy them...I end up scoffing the whole packet in one sitting :rotfl:

monnagran

Well done Tiddliwinks on limiting your shortbread consumption. Unfortunately the word 'limiting' was left out of my inbred vocabulary. Things like shortbreads don't come singly, they are all joined together. Eat one, eat the lot.

Now I've seen a recipe somewhere for home made Bailey's. I believe condensed milk is involved. Not sure if it would be less than £5 a bottle. I've been trying to forget that I ever heard of it. My greed needs no encouragement.

x

caronc

karcher wrote: »

I'm not a fan of Jaffa Cakes...funny invention if you ask me.

I am however rather partial to shortbread. Must look up a recipe, it must be cheaper to make than to buy?

Not sure if shortbread is cheaper to buy or make as it is one of the things I do bake so can't remember the last time I bought it.
It is really easy to make (if you have the ingredients in) and you can make a smallish amount too!
It's 75g plain flour (it must be plain), 50g butter, 25 g caster sugar (+ little extra for dusting) - this makes 6-8 smallish rounds which keep well in an airtight tin. Mix sugar and flour and rub in butter until it resembles breadcrumbs and you can't see any butter lumps. I find it easiest to start the rubbing in with a fork. Then use your hand to squash the mix into a ball of dough. Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out to around 1 cm thick and cut into rounds. !!!!! the tops well with a fork and bake at 180 degrees C for around 12 minutes (check after 10) you don't want it brown. Leave in the tin for a few minutes to firm up and dust with caster sugar), transfer to a rack and to cool. Try not to eat them all at once.

I had a great though very late night last night. Thankfully not too boozy so no thick head today I've a couple of small portions of lasagne left which I'll freeze later and some leftover meat and white sauce. I was thinking about making chilli but I've it recently so will probably just freeze the sauces as well. I've also 1/2 jar of salsa to use up but it will be fine for a bit. My friend brought pudding a profiterole stack and a lemon tart. Only two profiteroles remain so I'll have them tonight and thankfully my sister is going to liberate the tart as I'll not manage to use it up.
I've no idea what I fancy tonight, [STRIKE]I've taken a couple of chicken thighs[/STRIKE] LOL they were actually pork ribs out of the freezer but may well keep them for tomorrow. I'm sure lurking in my smaller freezer I've a pre-made spinach and ricotta pizza so might have that if I CBA cooking tonight.

Cheap Baileys - I've not tried the Aldi & Lidl versions but I've heard they are pretty decent. What I can recommend is "O'Connors Irish Country Cream" Tesco sell it at under £4 for a bottle and while it isn't Baileys it's very (very) drinkable
Jaffa cakes -yes please any brand or type will do though if anyone could lob me a Tunnock's Carmel Wafer I'd not say no.....:D

Can't believe this thread has exceeded 600 posts.........:eek:

caronc

monnagran wrote: »

Well done Tiddliwinks on limiting your shortbread consumption. Unfortunately the word 'limiting' was left out of my inbred vocabulary. Things like shortbreads don't come singly, they are all joined together. Eat one, eat the lot.

Now I've seen a recipe somewhere for home made Bailey's. I believe condensed milk is involved. Not sure if it would be less than £5 a bottle. I've been trying to forget that I ever heard of it. My greed needs no encouragement.

x

I've made this though used Scotch Whisky http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/homemade_irish_cream_18863 and it was ok (actually it was better than ok) but I found the resulting texture a bit "odd" (though who cares after a few glasses LOL) and it didn;t keep for the couple of months the recipe said it would. It was cheaper to make than actual Baileys but mainly because I had been gifted Scotch which I don't drink. I think if you can drink it quite quickly and have most of the stuff already it's worth a bash but I'd more inclined to buy one of the copies:)