Cooking for one (Mark Two)

PasturesNew

Ah, it's here and it's "a door banger". When wind comes from one direction it goes into my downstairs loo air vent and makes the air vent in the ceiling flap - and it lifts the letterbox flap and makes it flap!

I've had brand new 6' fencing fitted down the length of the garden this year, with double posts all along and a double post at the end ... and I replaced another bit of fencing with concrete posts at both ends and a new gate.... so I don't expect fencing damage.

If wind can't damage your fence it'll look elsewhere.

Here though, I don't expect much more than a bit of wind and some door box flapping for X hours. If it keeps flapping I'll get some tape

When I first moved here it was the windiest place in the world - look round the side of the house any day of the year and it'd lift your hair vertical and smack you in the face.... that improved when new houses were built on that side though, so I'm still unsure how much any storm/winds will affect me....but it's better than it used to be!

Distant neighbours' trees are starting to really flap about and bend!!

Whatever happens though I won't starve as I just ate a large spud/beans/cheese

poppystar

Very windy here. It's blowing a few cobwebs about but nothing too extreme although as faraway said doubt there will be leaves left on trees by tomorrow.

The odd light (reminded me of what it was like pre the total eclipse of whenever) has gone now and the red sun that you could easily look at now shining bright and normally again - well, I guess not normally as it's hardly bothered to show its face this summer!

The YS ready yesterday was ok but wouldn't pick it at full price by choice. I'm stuck on stir frys at the moment most days - at least that is a good amount of veg, protein and rice so pretty balanced. And quick (especially if I follow PNs kind guidance of being a bit slutty and just wiping the pan down:D)

My throat and mouth feel awful today and not sure if it was something to do with what I ate yesterday, the stress that is drying my mouth out or simply I have got the bug that so far I have dodged successfully.:(:(

PasturesNew

poppystar wrote: »

(especially if I follow PNs kind guidance of being a bit slutty and just wiping the pan down:D)

It's all about general cleanliness and considered thinking and relevant decision-making.

Sometimes, it just makes sense.

Not everything's "dirty". I know that some households are minging and filth-ridden, but those are exceptional. A quick wipe down's fine in a country where we're generally clean and healthy etc.... and if it's "just us" then that's another reason to choose that route where appropriate.

It's like making a cheese sandwich and putting the plate down ... then just wiping that of crumbs with the back of your hand 2 hours later when you go through to make a bit of toast

Need2bthrifty

Hi Folks,

It's a dull, dreich day here and started raining again, I think we get the tail end of the storm overnight here on the east coast, but I need to go and pick up my car from the garage, half hour walk away - going to be a soggy one

Lunch was a real use-it-up affair = quarter of a block of feta, some rocket leaves, beetroot and guacamole, the avocado was very ripe and needed to be used, couple of crackers for texture.

Made a huge pot of chicken, chickpea and mixed pepper curry at the weekend, got 5 good portions for the freezer but not enough chicken for the 6th portion which I will have tonight as a vegetable curry adding some green beans and pumpkin from the freezer stock, wish I had a naan bread but will have to make do with tortilla wraps that need using.

Wednesday2000

I've been very unhealthy today. I only had a banana for breakfast and so I was really hungry at lunchtime.

I bought a sandwich while I was out and then got chips from the chip shop as well.:o

Now I'm having some lentil crisps with a glass of cider. Oh well.:D

moneyistooshorttomention

Food-wise - tried Caron's idea of 10 minutes steaming of rice to re-heat it. Yep...that worked. All these little tips all help.

Weather-wise - it's blowing an absolute hooley out there. Worst I've had since moving here and there's some damage to my greenhouse:(. I think it should be sort-able - fingers crossed as that greenhouse was certainly not cheap:eek:. Guess I might need one of those "no job too small" people - sighs...more money going out:(.

Facebook full of little video clips around the area of the weather from various people.

PasturesNew

Wednesday2000 wrote: »

.... chips from the chip shop as well....

Today's winner!

caronc

poppystar wrote: »

My throat and mouth feel awful today and not sure if it was something to do with what I ate yesterday, the stress that is drying my mouth out or simply I have got the bug that so far I have dodged successfully.:(:(

Whatever has caused it I hope it settles soon

Wednesday2000 wrote: »

I bought a sandwich while I was out and then got chips from the chip shop as well.:o

Chippy chips yum

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Food-wise - tried Caron's idea of 10 minutes steaming of rice to re-heat it. Yep...that worked. All these little tips all help.

Glad it worked for you.:)

Wort - you can re-use the pouches. They last a good few goes before they stop sealing;)

Good evening everyone,

Well the storm has arrived after a calm afternoon. At 5pm it was brighter than it was a noon! It's not due to peak here until nearly midnight by which time I hope to sleeping so I'm hoping it's not too noisy. Unfortunately it's coming from the south so will hit the back of my house which is more exposed than the front (I've flats across from me that act as a good windbreak) and is also where my bedroom is.
As a precaution I picked the remaining toms from the greenhouse in case it takes a beating as I didn't want to lose them. They are almost ripe so should finish off nicely inside. They are a variety called Indigo Rose which have grown to the size and colour of a black plum, they stay quite firm & green inside even when ripe so it's quite hard to tell when they are. They are tasty though so I'm glad I've seeds left for next year.:)

My mission to sort out my freezers and re-do my lists is finished , what a task that turned out to be. Suffice to say now I've totted it all up I've revised my £300 estimate upwards :o:o

I'm pleased I managed to dislodge the lentil soup that was welded to the drawer rung (beware of women swinging meat mallet :rotfl:) as it was really tasty although I'm not sure how long it had been in there;). Tonight I'll have chicken again but tomorrow I'm going to strip the carcass and freeze what's left. I'll no doubt have a chicken sarnie at lunch time with the carcass pickings but I don't think I'll want chicken again tomorrow night, nice though it is. I will make more stock but doubt I'll make soup as I don't want to end up freezing that as well though I'll see what the weather does. Otherwise the stock will added to the "collection" in the freezer :rotfl:. This is actually something I don't mind have lots of as I do prefer to use HM stock if I'm making a meat-based soup or just to add to gravies and stews. I need to have think about dinner tomorrow possibly a stir fry of some sort (not chicken LOL) as I've plenty of mushrooms and peppers in the fridge. The rest of the week I'm not sure, might possibly have friends for dinner Weds or Thurs and my son is home on Friday. He's requested sausage & mash on Friday and HM haddock & chips on Saturday. He's missing the way haddock is filleted in Scotland . Here haddock is usually sold skinless as either "block" or "angel-cut" and is finding fish & chips with the skin on less enjoyable. I was the same when I lived in England. I really don't mind fish with skin on but only if the skin is crispy and certainly not if it is coated in crumbs or batter. They're not big requests and I'm happy to go with this, especially as no doubt he'll cook on Saturday night

caronc

Good morning everyone,
I hope everyone came through the storm ok.
The wind was pretty strong during the night, but no worse than many a storm we get here thankfully. Damage-wise apart from a loosened greenhouse pane all seems ok. I have an assortment of puzzled looking birds hanging about the garden as I moved the bird table out of the way and as it still pretty gusty haven't moved it back yet . I did pop seed on an old garden table nearby but they obviously haven't sussed that yet :rotfl:
I really enjoyed the bubble & squeak last night but it was filling so I only had a small part of the chicken leg. Having cooked and re-heated it I don't want to either freeze or heat it again so will have it a lunchtime with some salad. Tonight I'm planning on taking a portion of dhal from the freezer and having that with spinach & paneer. Candygirl's post the other day fair put me in the mood for it:D

PasturesNew

I've had one of those mornings where "it all goes wrong".

Went to the launderette, all machines full, 20 minutes' wait - but that's OK as I had a whole bag of empty coffee jars to take to the recycling over the road ... but that didn't open for another 1.5 hours.... so then I pulled into 4ldi for a shuffle round, only to remember that I'd only come out to go to the launderette so had no purse with me, so grubbed around in the car for coins and found £3. But I didn't have my "shopping bag" to carry goods home.

Shuffled round and picked up a pack of frozen burgers (reduced to £1.25 from £1.79, last 2 boxes, took one of them) ... a bag of plain flour ... a bag of SR flour .... and some mozzarella. Got to the till, put the two flours on the conveyor and they were both spilling, then realised the burger box was open .... so took them all off again and went back to replace the flour on the shelf and return the burgers to the freezer; the 2nd box of burgers was OK, so got that, but came away with no flour.

I've hung the washing out, knowing I expect it to rain by about 4pm, but it's not moving, so I doubt that'll dry much - so I'll now be sitting here staring at two clothes airers full of washing for 2-3 days while it finishes off!



Breakfast will probably be hash browns, poached egg and a spoon of beans.