Cooking for one

caronc

Nelski wrote: »

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

Yep know the feeling well, I usually make soup to "scratch the itch". At least you had room to freeze them, I made a batch of cheese scones to use up some leftover stilton. Couldn't manage to squeeze them in the freezer (I could now:D) so ended up sick of eating them. I'm afraid the final two got blitzed and put out for the birds

Anne_Marie wrote: »

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.

Thank that sounds lovely and easy to do - I'll keep an eye out for special offers on pomegranates. I made raspberry vinegar once when a friend gave me more than I could use, it was lovely just equal quantities of fruit and vinegar (I used cider vinegar) with a tsp of sugar.

Anne_Marie_2

caronc wrote: »

Yep know the feeling well, I usually make soup to "scratch the itch". At least you had room to freeze them, I made a batch of cheese scones to use up some leftover stilton. Couldn't manage to squeeze them in the freezer (I could now:D) so ended up sick of eating them. I'm afraid the final two got blitzed and put out for the birds

Thank that sounds lovely and easy to do - I'll keep an eye out for special offers on pomegranates. I made raspberry vinegar once when a friend gave me more than I could use, it was lovely just equal quantities of fruit and vinegar (I used cider vinegar) with a tsp of sugar.

I always leave space in my freezer for the equivalent of two loaves of bread, assuming there's no bread in there. Means I've always got a bit of space for the next loaf, or freezing a bag of flour (always do that since I got moving things in flour years ago, turned my stomach, yeugh). At a push, I could use it for other things, but try hard not to.

Do try the pomegranate vinegar, it's just so good. I just checked prices in UK for the stuff and coming up really silly money. Cheaper to make your own. Always take some back to the UK for my Mum, as well as a pomegranate sauce, kind of like treacle in thickness, which is great for all sorts too. I use it for my marmalades to be served with cheese (or meat), and as part of a marinade for meat for family/friends.

Thank you for the recipe for the rasp vinegar. I can't get fresh rasps here, so buy frozen, and did have some supposedly for vinegar...however, they got eaten with creamy yoghourt, made a lovely onion and raspberry marmalade for eating with cheese, and coulis for serving with lemon cheesecake. Will definitely make vinegar next time I buy some.

Had a bit of a set back today...put dough on for pizza this morning, then we had a power cut. Forgot all about the dough. Luckily, I noticed the light on BM flashing tonight, so dough now made and French bread on for tomorrow. Not hungry, maybe just have a toastie or pitta with the rest of that hellim if I need something.

Anne_Marie_2

Nelski wrote: »

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


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

I've always had a herb garden in Scotland. Only thing that I found difficult growing outside in the UK was basil. I planted some at Mum & Dad's a couple of years ago, and it came on really well. Must have not liked being coastal off the North Sea!
Anyway, fully intend to get one started this year in the borders or in pots. (Don't have a garden any more, it's all tiled for easiness). Great thing is basil ends up as a bush here! I always have that planted, but it dies down over winter, and eventually gets a bit woody and needs replacing.

Totally understand the itchy hands to do some cooking, am exactly the same. Past few weeks of having that winter lurgi and eating out of the freezer, and not being able to do anything is getting to me. However, until I get all the house hoovered and dusted and floors washed, no venturing into the kitchen and cooking properly..... that's the plan anyway:o (I don't count flinging stuff into the BM as cooking).

Anne_Marie_2

Sorry forgot to mention that I did grow herbs from seeds, but some herbs were not so successful, such as basil, and used to buy supermarket herbs, separate them out a bit and replant in bigger pots. Much more value for money.

karcher

Anne_Marie, I hope you don't mind me asking, and if you do, feel free to ignore my nosiness but whereabouts in Cyprus are you. And if you care to share, what took you there in the first place.

Sorry if I'm being too nosy and feel free to tell me to bog off :D

Anne_Marie_2

karcher wrote: »

Anne_Marie, I hope you don't mind me asking, and if you do, feel free to ignore my nosiness but whereabouts in Cyprus are you. And if you care to share, what took you there in the first place.

Sorry if I'm being too nosy and feel free to tell me to bog off :D

:rotfl: What's wrong with being nosy? Will PM you, as it will take this thread way off...not that that's not already happened.

karcher

Anne_Marie wrote: »

:rotfl: What's wrong with being nosy? Will PM you, as it will take this thread way off...not that that's not already happened.

Oops sorry posters..back to food.:o

I am stuffing my face with toast, unsalted butter and a large mug of tea

caronc

Anne_Marie wrote: »

I always leave space in my freezer for the equivalent of two loaves of bread, assuming there's no bread in there. Means I've always got a bit of space for the next loaf, or freezing a bag of flour (always do that since I got moving things in flour years ago, turned my stomach, yeugh). At a push, I could use it for other things, but try hard not to.

Do try the pomegranate vinegar, it's just so good. I just checked prices in UK for the stuff and coming up really silly money. Cheaper to make your own. Always take some back to the UK for my Mum, as well as a pomegranate sauce, kind of like treacle in thickness, which is great for all sorts too. I use it for my marmalades to be served with cheese (or meat), and as part of a marinade for meat for family/friends.

Thank you for the recipe for the rasp vinegar. I can't get fresh rasps here, so buy frozen, and did have some supposedly for vinegar...however, they got eaten with creamy yoghourt, made a lovely onion and raspberry marmalade for eating with cheese, and coulis for serving with lemon cheesecake. Will definitely make vinegar next time I buy some.

Had a bit of a set back today...put dough on for pizza this morning, then we had a power cut. Forgot all about the dough. Luckily, I noticed the light on BM flashing tonight, so dough now made and French bread on for tomorrow. Not hungry, maybe just have a toastie or pitta with the rest of that hellim if I need something.

Yes will definitely have a bash if I can get my hands on some cheap pomegranates as it sounds just my thing. frozen rasps are great aren't quite often sweeter than the so-called fresh ones in the supermarkets. Your rasberry and onion marmalade sounds lovely, I make the odd chutney but mainly tomato/courgette if I have a garden glut. Glad your dough was rescued:)

Anne_Marie wrote: »

I've always had a herb garden in Scotland. Only thing that I found difficult growing outside in the UK was basil. I planted some at Mum & Dad's a couple of years ago, and it came on really well. Must have not liked being coastal off the North Sea!
Anyway, fully intend to get one started this year in the borders or in pots. (Don't have a garden any more, it's all tiled for easiness). Great thing is basil ends up as a bush here! I always have that planted, but it dies down over winter, and eventually gets a bit woody and needs replacing.

Apart from mint and a rather old rosemary bush I can't get herbs to grow outdoors (I'm on the West Coast) think it's a combination of the weather and the salt. Thankfully I've a sunny conservatory with lots of cills so grow chillies and herbs (mainly divided up from supermarket pots) during the sunnier months.

As for the thread rambling surely all the best conversations do Anyway growing herbs sits very well with cooking for one as you can just use what you need rather than having to wade through a big bunch

caronc

karcher wrote: »

Oops sorry posters..back to food.:o

I am stuffing my face with toast, unsalted butter and a large mug of tea

Buttered toast and a mug of tea can't beat it

Anne_Marie_2

karcher wrote: »

Oops sorry posters..back to food.:o

I am stuffing my face with toast, unsalted butter and a large mug of tea

Oh no, don't feel bad....just a decision that hubby and I made to move abroad, and found that Cyprus was the place after many years of searching for the right spot. Didn't think anyone else would be in the slightest bit interested.

Hope that the toast went down well. Love toast and butter, but have to let the toast go cold first, I don't like it all soggy.