Cooking for one (Mark Two)

poppystar

PasturesNew wrote: »

But, my 1st cousin once removed also does it - and she discovered a girl who was an only child and her parents had both died - and she got in touch with her - and she was over the moon as she had no idea about the family at all and just thought of herself as "all alone", so to speak. Her adjoining parent had passed first, severing her connection to our side first, when she was a child ...

That's my dream, that someone will come out of the woodwork to declare they are my long lost sibling/whatever. Or that I'll find I'm adopted (no chance) and can go in search of people who might look like me or be like me ..:):)

moneyistooshorttomention

poppystar wrote: »

That's my dream, that someone will come out of the woodwork to declare they are my long lost sibling/whatever. Or that I'll find I'm adopted (no chance) and can go in search of people who might look like me or be like me ..:):)

:rotfl:at that "people who might....be like me". Imo the chances are that one's family is the last place to look for anything like that:cool:. Imo = friends are the family we choose for ourselves.

Personally - I did have one relation, I gather, that was very independent-minded and "black sheep of the family" (in the sense that he thought/acted differently to this very conventional family - not a "black sheep" in any bad sense). I never met him (long since dead) but there might have been possibilities there.

Farway

PasturesNew wrote: »

)For those "posh people" who have a little brulee torch ... that'd crisp them. For people like me, a lighter doesn't do the same job

I had a laugh at the image this triggered, PN with fish finger held like a fag:)

Cor it was cold out this morning, no frost, but for us southern softies it was bitter, windy as well

I had to do same as PN, just get some shopping, milk was running out and although i have been out & about the last few days it was not for shopping. plus like others I do not like shopping, it is necessary or starve

No breakfast, I had plenty f time but did without.

Lunch was one of the beefburgers from my "wish they were gone" horde in the freezer. Only one left of that type now, but unfortunately found four more, different type, in a frosty crevice:( I had a phase of burger desire a bit back and bought some when on offer, now I curse every time I open the freezer

Dinner needs to be something warm, I think it will be boil in bag kipper fillets, with HM mash and probably steamed frozen mixed veg, I may nuke up some cheese sauce [PN copyright] for the veg

Thanks for the HM yoghurt replies, I think I will start peering in the charity shops to see if a heater thingy is around, I'm not a charity shop "peerer" but will give it a bash. My local town is bunged up with charity shops, and estate agents :mad:

caronc

Good afternoon everyone,

Welcome AndyCF

It's still bleeding baltic here, I've had the heating on since lunchtime:(.

I don't have a large family, I have two siblings but my Mum was an only child and my Dad has a brother. We didn't see much of my Uncle growing up as they lived 100s of miles away so we're not close. One of my closest friends though is actually my second cousin. Her Mum was my Gran's much younger sister so she is nearer to my age than my Dad (her cousin).

Farway - have you thought about turning the lurking burgers into meatballs? They would probably taste much better in a spicy tomato sauce.

I'm going with the keema lasagne tonight. I've some white sauce defrosting and I'll cook some spinach and mix it with the mince and then hope for the best.:cool:

For anyone that likes a glass of fizz- Asda have Prosecco for £5 at the moment. I'm not keen but always like to have some in for the festivities as everyone else seems to like it.;)

Hollyharvey

PasturesNew wrote: »

I've 1½ siblings... both 200 miles in opposite directions. One is also a loner/spinster. There are no children from any of us. We are "the end of the line".

Have you ever done any family history research? You get to find all sorts of relations you never knew existed, if you want to know they exist.

I have thought of doing some family history research, but wouldn't know where to start. It is something that I may attempt now that I have time.

I do have two cousins, both are in Canada and emigrated when we were all under the age of 10 so don't really know them. One is on my FaceBook account but we really only had contact when our parents were ill.

Thinking about it, I will probably have a go at some family history research. Although to be honest, I think that I would like some more interaction with other people in general. I'm not afraid to admit that I'm very lonely now that I can't work and have even had to give up my voluntary work. Even my sister in law met me at 12.00pm and immediately said "I want to get the 1.20pm bus home". I suspect that she was put up to going out for lunch with me by my brother.

[Deleted User]

I am from a big family ie 6 siblings, the oldest, one has died and another has lost his wife. There is always someone to talk to, if I pick up the phone but everyone is busy with their own lives and so they should be, so me too, I suffer from loneliness and talk to the walls. This is one of the reasons for me moving, to be closer to an active community, to keep me busy. I am always busy, it enables me to get on with life, to improve my surroundings but being busy does not stop that emptiness inside. I think back to when I was young with a baby, living on a housing estate, that was so lonely. It is about coping with what fate throws at you, it is a hard world alright

moneyistooshorttomention

I guess that's one advantage of always having been single (well there has to be some:cool:) and I guess I have always functioned pretty much as an only child (being the eldest and there is a fair-size gap to my brother- who is a person nothing remotely like me). The advantage being I'm very used, by now, to the idea I have to have interests/hobbies/friends etc.

Says she - feeling shattered still currently from this mornings exercise class - though what we're doing at the moment is quite fun:).

Anyways - dinner en route and still feeling CBA. So I've hoicked the last of the quorn "chicken" out of the freezer (another thing now used up of "what I no longer eat") and am cobbling together with onion/garlic/a bit of a pepper/canned tomatoes/pesto from freezer and some spinach. Think I'll have that with a bit of couscous. Should be enough for dinner tomorrow as well.

AndyCF

PasturesNew wrote: »

It absolutely works.... and they do brown a bit.
Like everything, do it first time to see what you get, then make adjustments next time.

I don't use my oven/hob, never have - they petrify me just by existing in the kitchen

I'd not bother with the marg/crisp up bit. Unless you've a handy spray can ... it's just not worth the bother of that stage.

They will "brown/crisp" a little towards the end. Or, at least, look that way.

For those "posh people" who have a little brulee torch ... that'd crisp them. For people like me, a lighter doesn't do the same job

Thanks. This is *greatly* appreciated.

I think I will not lay them 'flat' I will stand them on their sides then turn them 'over' that way, figuring that the 'waves' will go right through. As you say its a bit of a case of seeing what works. Same with some potatoes I brought (regular potatoes) said something like 7 mins to zap them, no way enough in my little micro. Might get away with that in a 1000W maybe as they were large spuds.

The 'marg coating' thing it was something I've only seen once but from what I recall it was almost like a 'vague dusting' of it rather than coating, in that you'd use no more than a pea-size blob per finger at the very most, I'll try without as to get it 'thin' enough without ruining them is going to be a lot of trouble plus hot fingers (human fingers not veg fingers!) due to this going on on the "last zap cycle"

Worse case scenario I guess if I do feel the need for extra crispy is maybe to get one of those little 'spray oil' bottles like you have with an air fryer and use some veg oil to give them a mega light dusting. "light" being the keyword here I think.

Farway wrote: »

Dinner needs to be something warm, I think it will be boil in bag kipper fillets, with HM mash and probably steamed frozen mixed veg, I may nuke up some cheese sauce [PN copyright] for the veg

I really like the 'steamfresh' bags but they are a bit pricey it seems but not being too keen on the selections there's only one or two I will usually have. The only annoying thing is the bag is a bit small in content, and it says not to overlap them (as you know they balloon up) as I can't fit two in my micro at once, the turntable is about 25cm if that. For me, having two of those and maybe a tiny blob of mash makes a lovely "quick fix" lunchtime meal, I just throw it all into a bowl and grab the nearest spoon. :T

I did use the mixed veg bags but it said something like "put 160g in a bowl and add 2tb of water" , for some mad reason I decided that was not enough and added about half a mug, oops. I do now 'see' how that works in that the 'extra' water just freezes until you get it in the micro and the already present water content is "enough" anyway. Daft lesson learnt but I usually just pop them in a pan if its mixed rather than try micro'ing but they were meant for micro I think.

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Anyways - dinner en route and still feeling CBA. So I've hoicked the last of the quorn "chicken" out of the freezer (another thing now used up of "what I no longer eat") and am cobbling together with onion/garlic/a bit of a pepper/canned tomatoes/pesto from freezer and some spinach. Think I'll have that with a bit of couscous. Should be enough for dinner tomorrow as well.

Its quite difficult to find micro cookable Quorn or other veggie items, at least ones that state they are. I did ask Lindy McCartney's site a while back about their sausages vs microwave but I just got a canned reply , despite looking at about 3 or 4 brands I only really found one that was listed as microwave cookable. I know it "can" be done as I've seen it just a bit odd really as the L.M ones are not "too far" off the right shade before they are warmed up .. I'm still after micro cook sausage rolls that taste half decent too from anywhere.

kiss_me_now9

Hi all, just popping in. I live alone most of the time and am hoping you lovely lot can impart some wisdom - I am spending so much unnecessary money and wasting so much cash on food that I don't eat because I over buy :rolleyes: I have a freezer full of bits and bobs now that are all random 'parts' of meals and nothing that actually consists of a full meal... Because all my fresh stuff goes out too quickly!

meg72

PasturesNew wrote: »

Happy birthday!

As a lone CFO, orphaned, childless, spinster, hermit of this parish ... mine's invariably spent home alone ... without cake.
Mine's "soon" is all I shall say.

Hope you have a great day. You started it right by getting cake in!

Soooo Home alone eh, brilliant get yourself a big bag of your fav chocos and scoff the lot. He He He think how lucky you are that there is no one lurking to make you share or no one to make you feel guilty if you wont. Spoil yourself and enjoy every one cos its your Birthday and they are yours. And you are worth it, hugs .