Cooking for one

caronc

meg72 wrote: »

http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz223/maryg_2010/Cabbage%20patch_1.jpg

Thought I would share my windowsill cabbage patch, I bough these reduced on Christmas Eve, put them in pots of water so the keep growing and just take off leaves as I need them. Ideal for keeping cabbage when theres only one to feed.

What a fab idea and as you say ideal if your cooking for one

PasturesNew

meg72 wrote: »

Thought I would share my windowsill cabbage patch, I bough these reduced on Christmas Eve, put them in pots of water so the keep growing and just take off leaves as I need them. Ideal for keeping cabbage when theres only one to feed.

They don't look very big, like a big tennis ball... I've only ever known cabbages to be the size of a football, in fact I picked up one yesterday in a shop and thought "no, you're too big" and put it back.... or are those just the innards left as you're always picking the outside leaves and started, enthusiastically, stripping about 1/4 of the original cabbage on day one?

PasturesNew

Yesterday I ended up scoffing: 10 sausage rolls, 3 packets of crisps, 100 grams of chocolate fingers, a curry, pilau rice, small naan bread

Later on I realised the curry was a "sucker's buy". I'd been "excited" to see the "grab bag meals for 2" in L1dl and it was busy so I'd grabbed one and left the store.... upon reflection, these are the same brand/weight as individual curries, plus two small naans. Instead, I could've picked up two individual curry/rices of the same brand/flavour in individual packs, for £2.80-£3 (I need to check the price) and I could've bought two naans cheaper than the additional 49p. The grab bags cost £3.49.

I won't be buying them again .... I don't particularly like the second flavour in the bag, although it was a 2016 award winning one (jalfrezi).

Hate feeling suckered.

meg72

caronc wrote: »

What a fab idea and as you say ideal if your cooking for one

I do the same thing with celery an leeks as well, also onions then use the green leaves to chop in stirfry or salad.

meg72

PasturesNew wrote: »

They don't look very big, like a big tennis ball... I've only ever known cabbages to be the size of a football, in fact I picked up one yesterday in a shop and thought "no, you're too big" and put it back.... or are those just the innards left as you're always picking the outside leaves and started, enthusiastically, stripping about 1/4 of the original cabbage on day one?

Lol wadda you want for 4p?, seriously though they are about half the size they were. except for the smallest which is about a quarter I only see football sizes in the market and don't buy em as don't have a pot big enough to put them in plus make my shopping bag to heavy.

PasturesNew

meg72 wrote: »

Lol wadda you want for 4p?, seriously though they are about half the size they were. except for the smallest which is about a quarter I only see football sizes in the market and don't buy em as don't have a pot big enough to put them in plus make my shopping bag to heavy.

I never see YS worthwhile. Most seem to have just 4p OFF them, not 4p as a price

I bet FP pie tins would be a good size as pots

I love greens, but there are so many veggies I like it's hard to get round to eating all of them. When I looked at the cabbage yesterday I thought "oooh, could have that with mash and gravy" - cabbage/mash/gravy is a great meal for me

I don't have the space for much "windowsill growing". Windowsills are already cluttered with coffee/chocolate jars, weighing scales, assorted jars etc... where the cupboards aren't really big enough. Your window sill looks like my "available worktop working area"

moneyistooshorttomention

I hadnt thought of trying that re cabbage patch idea.

Now I've got a garden - then I am putting the base (and roots if applicable) left over from leeks and spring onions into the soil to grow on and give me some more. Sprouting garlic cloves are planted in the soil to give me garlic scapes basically - but also hoping for new garlic cloves.

I've put a celery clump in my garden and experimenting with whether it will keep fresh that way (ie from growing on) that I can just cut off a stick when I want it.

Must experiment with cabbage patch - my version being to re-plant a cabbage in the soil (as long as it's not "that" time of year when those cabbage white butterflies are decimating brassicas).

caronc

PasturesNew wrote: »

Yesterday I ended up scoffing: 10 sausage rolls, 3 packets of crisps, 100 grams of chocolate fingers, a curry, pilau rice, small naan bread

Later on I realised the curry was a "sucker's buy". I'd been "excited" to see the "grab bag meals for 2" in L1dl and it was busy so I'd grabbed one and left the store.... upon reflection, these are the same brand/weight as individual curries, plus two small naans. Instead, I could've picked up two individual curry/rices of the same brand/flavour in individual packs, for £2.80-£3 (I need to check the price) and I could've bought two naans cheaper than the additional 49p. The grab bags cost £3.49.

I won't be buying them again .... I don't particularly like the second flavour in the bag, although it was a 2016 award winning one (jalfrezi).

Hate feeling suckered.

How many sausage rolls :eek: I take it was the wee one's they are so moreish;) I think we've all been suckered by a deal at times it's so frustrating when you realise :mad:

meg72 wrote: »

I do the same thing with celery an leeks as well, also onions then use the green leaves to chop in stirfry or salad.

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I hadnt thought of trying that re cabbage patch idea.

Now I've got a garden - then I am putting the base (and roots if applicable) left over from leeks and spring onions into the soil to grow on and give me some more. Sprouting garlic cloves are planted in the soil to give me garlic scapes basically - but also hoping for new garlic cloves.

I've put a celery clump in my garden and experimenting with whether it will keep fresh that way (ie from growing on) that I can just cut off a stick when I want it.

Must experiment with cabbage patch - my version being to re-plant a cabbage in the soil (as long as it's not "that" time of year when those cabbage white butterflies are decimating brassicas).

I've re-grown spring onions and garlic before with varying degrees of success. I'm finding JackieO's earlier suggesting to wrap veg in tinfoil is really helping to extend the fridge life of my cabbage and celery. I've tried growing various brassicas in previous years without much success I don't know if it because I rely on pots as I've no soil as such or because I'm so near the coast that the wind and salt hammer them. Anything that did take was decimated by slugs, birds and caterpillars so I've given up and have stuck to things that seem to work ok for my garden or greenhouse and are either hard to get round here or expensive to buy. I'd be interested to hear how replanting a cabbage works

Nelski

meg I love the cabbage patch I tend to fill my window sill with herbs about this time of year ...for some reason I am never that successful at growing from seed so I go to my local garden centre and pick out a few small plants I can nurture like rosemary, chilli and chives. Im not exactly green fingered but can usually manage some herbs

PN I could eat 10 sausage rolls no problem and thats the big ones from Greggs too

Turkey dinner yesterday which of course means left overs for today which is fine as it was really tasty.

Got itchy hands though with all this reheating rather than cooking so today I gave in and make some scones some of which will have to go back in the freezer but hey ho its a cheap pudding for me and I satisfied my yearning for using the food processor :D

Have a lovely Monday everyone

Anne_Marie_2

caronc wrote: »

Anne_Marie I've never tried pomegranate vinegar I'm assuming it's sweet like balsamic?

It is sweet, great on chips, as well as salads and anything that you can think of!
Have no idea how much it costs in UK or price of pomegranates, but here's a recipe.
http://homecooking.about.com/od/condimentrecipes/r/blcon101.htm
I've kept meaning to make a raspberry vinegar, but never quite got round to it so far. I do citrus vinegars with fruit peel in bog standard vinegar, but that's really for using for cleaning. Smells good though.

PN can't believe that you ate 10 sausage rolls, unless they were the teeny wee bite sized ones! :eek:
It is so annoying when you think you've bought a bargain, and then realise not, am sure we've all been there.

I don't have windowsills inside at all, windows are flush with the walls. Good really as no clutter, as things always collected on them in my last house. I do at times put lettuce, onion and celery bases in small containers of water, they grow again, and have them on the kitchen worktop by the window. I used to buy the living salads from Lidl, but they don't do them here. They were great for one, and just keep on going. I do sprout beans from time to time, as love the crunch in a salad or on a sandwich.

I had hellim (halloumi) and tomato on pitta bread yesterday, so had more today on a toasty with onions....yum, yum. Still got enough for something for tomorrow....maybe soldiers for boiled eggs.