Cooking for one (Mark Two)

Glad

pouring with rain so far today, morning walk across the fields was wellies and waterproofs I hope it stops soon so it doesn't spoil all the bonfires!

breakfast was my staple overnight oats with a chopped up pear, I had pears in my organic box this week, I'm not a big fan but it was fine in the oats

already had lunch to try and keep the calorie count up, a mushroom, spinach and mozzarella omlette, with some cherry tomatos and onion hummus on the side. I do need to think of different meals I can cook though as that's the same lunch 2 days running

I'm making a large batch of hummus every week to have with lunches, the chickpeas and added veg is great (so far, beetroot one week and caramelised onions the next), recipes usually call for quite a lot of oil which I'm trying to cut down on, so when I made the caramelised onion, I fried them in oil but didn't add any more when whizzing it up, it was a lot stiffer but still tasted good. I'm thinking of trying carrot hummus for this week has anyone ever made it with butter beans instead of chickpeas?

PasturesNew

wort wrote: »

Does anyone know if it will be ok to use this Christmas? ??

Yes.

Over time, the taste degrades (a little). Many/most people wouldn't notice.

It'll be fine from the "safe" aspect - and you probably won't know any different on looks/taste.

The longer things are kept, the more the taste fades .... and manufacturers want you to eat their product ASAP so you rate it as excellent... so they prefer to say use within a few months.

iammumtoone

Hi all hoping to join you?

I am a bit of an imposter as I have a child but he is a very fussy eater and has a limited diet so I consider that I cook for 1 (me). I have the same common issue of what to do with the rest of the packet,

I have joined the grocery challenge as I need to keep a grip on food spending and stop the waste, hoping to get some ideas from this thread on how to do that.

Glad

iammumtoone wrote: »

Hi all hoping to join you?

I am a bit of an imposter as I have a child but he is a very fussy eater and has a limited diet so I consider that I cook for 1 (me). I am the same common issue of what to do with the rest of the packet,

I have joined the grocery challenge as I need to keep a grip on food spending and stop the waste, hoping to get some idea from the thread on how to do that.

welcome

I've only just rejoined as I'm CFO again, I do tend to use everything up but I seem to be eating the same thing all of the time!

[Deleted User]

oh that casserole tasted gorgeous, something I will do again, if I ever buy smoky red lardons (pancetta) again. Lots came out on the kitchen roll and I just had a bit of taste. Maybe a bit of paprika would do the trick instead. The swede/carrot was very mild and went beautifully with it. Anyway I have 6 meals to freeze. The fruit is on low now, will assemble later. I may well turn the rhubarb into a bigger dish as it will be good for family visits
,
I`m just recording heidi in a mo, hoping that it will appeal to the grandaughters, like it did to me. No good films on this afternoon, it will have to be radio and knitting. Had my exercise and came back energetic and want to take advantage of a seat in the sun

iammumtoone

I bought some dried milk today to put in tea at work to save money but it is only available in HUGE tins, google told me there are lots of ways to use it up, apparently you can make condensed/evaporated milk with it so I will be experimenting.

Cost wise it was £2 I worked out this makes 6 pints so at 33p a pint its not bad for singletons, of course families who can buy milk @ 4 pints for £1 its not cost effective.

I also spotted the small jars of Nutella have Christmas decorations on them, I will the jar as a tea light holder once the contents have gone.

Need2bthrifty

Glad wrote: »

I'm making a large batch of hummus every week to have with lunches, the chickpeas and added veg is great (so far, beetroot one week and caramelised onions the next), recipes usually call for quite a lot of oil which I'm trying to cut down on, so when I made the caramelised onion, I fried them in oil but didn't add any more when whizzing it up, it was a lot stiffer but still tasted good. I'm thinking of trying carrot hummus for this week has anyone ever made it with butter beans instead of chickpeas?

When I make hummus instead of oil I use some of the liquid from the can or jar the chickpeas are in.

There is a recipe on bbcgoodfood for a butter bean pate that I was going to try out, I can definitely recommend the red lentil and sweet potato pate on same website its got a nice kick to it with some smoked paprika.

PasturesNew

iammumtoone wrote: »

I bought some dried milk today to put in tea at work to save money but it is only available in HUGE tins, google told me there are lots of ways to use it up, apparently you can make condensed/evaporated milk with it so I will be experimenting.

Cost wise it was £2 I worked out this makes 6 pints so at 33p a pint its not bad for singletons, of course families who can buy milk @ 4 pints for £1 its not cost effective.

I want dried milk and can never find any when I remember to look. I used to buy it at Mr T, and it was in a great plastic bottle shaped like a milk bottle with a blue plastic top.

I used to never buy fresh milk, so wanted it to make up a little bit for recipes occasionally. I've recently been buying a few pints of milk here and there, having not bothered for 20-30 years. Just for cooking.

Yes, you can make other milks with them because evaporated and condensed are specific %ages of water/milk when compared to a full fat milk. e.g. evaporated is 60%. So it's just a question of jiggling the water/powder amounts to make the milk sort you wanted.

iammumtoone wrote: »

I also spotted the small jars of Nutella have Christmas decorations on them, I will the jar as a tea light holder once the contents have gone.

Smart marketing by them! I pay 80p/jar ... for the price difference I'd be prepared to decoupage or draw my own decorations on the jars

wort

Thank you all for the advice on the turkey ! :T that will save a chunk of money. I'll cover it well with bacon and foil whilst cooking and have plenty of gravy .
Kittie the casserole sounds good ,sometimes just a hint of flavour makes or breaks a meal.

iammumtoone

PasturesNew wrote: »

I want dried milk and can never find any when I remember to look. I used to buy it at Mr T, and it was in a great plastic bottle shaped like a milk bottle with a blue plastic top.

I remember when I was a kid it would come in tubs shaped like milk bottles, I seem to remember you could make it up in those as well. Mr T had their own brand and Marvel, the marvel was twice the price :eek: They had lots of them so it must be quite popular.

PasturesNew wrote: »

Smart marketing by them! I pay 80p/jar ... for the price difference I'd be prepared to decoupage or draw my own decorations on the jars

True but if its something you buy anyway you might a well get the 'extra'. Where do you buy at 80p? Nutella is one of the few things I always stick to branded as never found a cheaper one I like.