Cooking for one (Mark Two)

moneyistooshorttomention

PasturesNew wrote: »

Yes familysearch.org - for some people though they're not happy - and the group have "got into trouble" with a lot of churches refusing them data...although I think they're trying to work round it.

In short: the belief is that what they do is "take the dead people's information and baptise them into their church post-humously when they enter their details onto their database". I have never looked into it to be honest - not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth and all that

There are actually some churches who refuse ANY websites to list their information and to look up records you have to write to the vicar and make an appointment and actually GO there! Can you believe that?

.

I knew that was the reason they do this research - ie this posthumous "baptism". I guess my own name is/will be down there on their records somewhere - so that comes under the heading of "Someone else making MY decision for me:eek:". So, personally, I take the pragmatic view that I guess they are doing it with "the best of intentions" and it doesnt/wont affect me in the slightest ever - so if they want to shrugs shoulders = but the deal is that, in return, I get to access any of these records of theirs if I wish as "payment" for having had one of my decisions made for me iyswim.

As I said - I dont have any interest in history of any kind basically - but the one thing I would be quite interested to know is I had suspicions about 3 different things in my immediate family. One has been confirmed to me and a hint I'm correct about another one. The most major one is something I doubt I'll ever be told about one way or the other. Those are the sort of things unlikely to show up in any records anywhere anyway. There's a pretty blunt close relative that might know and might tell me one day if they know themselves - but I shan't be asking in case it offends.

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and, back onto food, tried out Kittie's hemp milk yesterday. Yep...got vague idea I might have tried it out back along and not liked it. But I bought a "good brand" anyway - and did like it. I have a feeling more CBA eating is coming up today - as yet another "sodder" has come up and I've got to sort it out (= sodding thing that shouldnt have happened).

AndyCF

PasturesNew wrote: »

The main "problem" with it is it's very "niche" .... I don't see anybody ever following everything I do/eat, but I see it as something that somebody can discover to know that "Yes, that stuff is edible/not", or "Ah, that's how you do it".

So niche, it's only me that eats like that I think ... for everybody else there's just one post they might find useful.

Oh I found it very useful.

I was looking on a "well known auction site" at a few microwave cook books, but not the usual ones, the ones that were 'quick meals' or 'in a mug' type recipes, but I did not purchase one.

PasturesNew wrote: »

Talking of useful ... my tip of the week this week would be: why not pop into 4ldi to get their cheap bag of brussels (59p), add in a few spuds and check out the post on nuking bubble/squeak... nice served with a splash of brown sauce or beans

Problem at the moment is no transport and there is no local supermarket to hand, the previous Co-Op turned into a B+M which is OK when they have what you want. Local shops OK(ish) but not brilliant. I tend to now (after struggling) do an online usually with Morrisons simply as I've had no issues with them at all.

Basic 'summary' is its about 30 min to Sains, about the same to a mini Co-op (but that involves a massive steep hill) , about an hour to either Tesco or Adsa (different directions) , Lidl about 20 minutes and Aldi about 40 roughly. There is a new one being built soon so that will reduce it to 20. Morrisons probably an hour I guess, never tried as its main roads.

Bus service quite expensive too. Would need in most cases at least one bus if not two.

To be honest if I had to do this I'd probably walk to the one in question then taxi back, figuring the one way taxi journey meant frozen bits would still be frozen by the time I got back plus the cost of the one-way journey would quite likely not be much more than a 2-way bus ticket anyway, especially if it involved two buses!

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Random 'food' thing, this is something I have experimented with a couple of times, anyway two 'ideas' really I guess. I'm very open to any thoughts or suggestions on these though please.

Whip up some mince, either fresh or tinned, when it is ready now grab a baked potato (already cooked and hot, ready to eat!) , carefully cut it nearly in half and scoop a little bit out of each 'half' , you're aiming to make about 'half a golf ball' size hole in each half possibly a bit less, too much will spoilt it, if that makes sense. Now place a spoon of the "hot and ready mince" into each half and close the potato back up. Obviously the potato and mince must be "done" first. Its more a 'combi this' thing.

This does make quite a nice 'filling' and the little bit of spare removed potato "content" (don't take too much out need to leave a good 1cm 'ring' of outer potato at least!) I just tend to scoff while doing it.

It also seems to help keep it warmer a bit longer too.


The other thing was mincemeat in general, having tried this with various veg it only seems to work with decent garden peas. The mega cheap ones it does not work as well, carrot bits don't work either it seems. Anyway onwards:

While your mince is quietly warming up, stick some peas into a mug of boiling water. The idea here is to make sure they are completely defrosted at a minimum and ideally warmed through. Once they are, add them into the mince. You need not add many or it will spoil it.

At this stage keep doing the mince, mixing the peas into it well.

What this seems to do is very nicely (at least to me!) 'flavour' the peas a tiny fraction and they make a wonderful addition into the mince too somehow.

Perhaps slightly oddly this seems 'best' with a decent branded tin of 'mincemeat and onion' rather than some fresh. It did not work as well with a supermarket branded tin, I tried it with a 'well known' brand and that did work just fine. Strange but true.

As I say I've tried other veg but never had a decent result doing this but the "mince+pea' mix does work very well. Carrot's don't work, tried chopping some baby ones up into bits but it did not absorb too well whereas pea's did.

I guess its a case of "experimentation"

caronc wrote: »

Good afternoon everyone,

Welcome AndyCF

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

Thanks. Missed your 'Welcome' yesterday sorry.

caronc

Good morning everyone,
I wouldn't worry about the thread going off track- it has many times since starting:rotfl:. Personally I find the way the "conversation" veers on here lovely, more like a "real" community than just an online thread:D.

The keema lasagne worked well, not something I'd cook keema curry specifically to make but a good way to use up LOs:). Of course, I now have some LO lasagne:o, I find it very difficult to make just one portion of lasagne .... Still not masses left so it will do for lunch nicely. Tonight I've no idea yet will decide in a bit. I am getting a meat order later, not a general add to my horde though but specifically to make a huge steak pie at New Year. I did get a few other bits just to make the order up so I could use a discount code, so while I don't need them they worked out virtually free and they will get used. The price for the stewing steak was too good ignore and it can be an expensive dish to make otherwise. The world would end in my family if I didn't produce a huge steak & sausage pie on the 1st of January:rotfl::rotfl:

Wednesday2000

I got woken up by my dogs at 3 this morning. :mad: I think it was a fox making noise outside.

I ended up having a very disturbed sleep after that as I knew I had to go out early. I had crumpets with marmalade at about 7 and then had a sandwich when I got in about 10.30.

I have had lots of tea too.:D

AndyCF

Slightly random question (sorry) I meant to add it to my previous reply but that's an hour or so old now so a fresh post seemed better, if its not too appropriate to ask its OK.

I do want a mini / counter top / work top / toastery (whatever else they are called) oven, I don't want one with the 'hob' things on though just a straightforward 'oven' for those occasions.

I do see quite a mass choice here although I want something with about the same capacity as my little microwave that being 20L apparently. Same external dimensions or nearish are helpful too.

The question is simple I hope. Is it worth hunting down one with a fan/convection ? Bear mind I won't use it that often but it will be my main "non micro" method of cooking as I do tend to try to "micro" things where I can. Logic says yes but most seem to have some kind of rotisserie as well whereas I just think one with a 'fan' will if nothing more simply let it heat up a bit quicker (saving on warming time if nothing else)

Have I overlooked the obvious with this ? I'm not after a 'buy from shop x' thing, just should I wait (time is not important) until I do find a 'fan' one at a sensible price please ?

Hollyharvey

I'm back on the use it up and eat reasonably well routine today .

I had scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast this morning, and the egg mountain is going down well, I still don't think I will need to buy any this week though.

There is some cod defrosting for dinner tonight and I picked up some fresh veg when I was out this morning, and will just steam that to go with the cod.

I haven't had any lunch, I think I'm still a bit full from yesterdays cake overload .

AndyCF

Oh if anyone tries my 'veg in the mince' thing (second half of that post) I'd love to hear your thoughts/results please as well as my 'stick in the potato' too. , it works well for me.

I'm going to have another general browse around a few online places for said mini over later today although funds are likely to mean it may be a new years thing rather than next month but we'll see.

Talking of food its time for a late lunch of some description. There are two potato's in the pantry looking lost so I may do something with those in a bit to start with.

Farway

AndyCF, I recently bought a mini oven, only for convenience, I have a gas oven, plus nuker but just wanted an easy "small pie size" heater

Mine was from Lild, on offer, about £30. It seems to be fan because the out sides do not get hot, nor do the the heater bars glow. But it works a treat. I guess it would cook baked spuds, a cake, or anything really, but as said I have a gas oven so the mini oven is for convenience and on the worktop. I love it though, one of my better buys

Dull old day, no breakfast and popped into Lild on way to volunteering.
Nothing exciting or YS worthy to be found, found some biscuits in my basket at checkout:)

Lunch was bacon, lettuce / tom sarnie

Dinner will be LO broccoli & cheese quiche, possibly warmed up in the mini oven, with the LO mash & veg bubble & squeaked, with brown sauce. Very CFO

Farway

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I knew that was the reason they do this research - ie this posthumous "baptism". I guess my own name is/will be down there on their records somewhere - so that comes under the heading of "Someone else making MY decision for me:eek:". .

That is what they do, however they came a big cropper by baptising Ann Frank into the Mormon church:o, now undone after the hoo ha.

moneyistooshorttomention

Didnt know about that one Farway....

Personally - they'll be doubling up if they ever do me - as I had the typical Anglican one as a baby.

Though - as I said - it is a bit of a cheek to make a decision on behalf of someone else by them. So I regard it personally as "Rather a cheek! - but a well-intentioned cheek" - but I can see how some would get upset at having their decision made for them (when they - or their parents - had already made their decision for themselves).

Actually - if you look at it - my mother was being a "bit cheeky" making my decision for me (that Anglican baptism) when I was a baby. But it was well-intentioned I guess - and she just accepted me "going my own way" in that respect at least subsequently (if not in a lot of other respects.....).