Cooking for one (Mark Two)

Need2bthrifty

caronc wrote: »

Weetabix cake? http://www.instructables.com/id/5-min-microwave-weetabix-cake-1/

Sorry but that looks disgusting _pale_

W££tabix own website has some nicer looking cakes and ideas for using up the biscuits

[Deleted User]

That is the thing PN, I don`t want flat, I want slightly hilly, which is what I have in my local area. Some of the bungalows on RM look ok until I look at the satellite map and the main roads surrounding them, then I look closer and see the steps up and the dark rooms. I would rather go for a house as long as there is provision for a bedroom downstairs, if ever needed but I am keeping my sensible forward -looking head on. Many many of the brand new houses are being built with `4/5` bedrooms, in order to get a higher price and then of course you get children and hot tubs

Money, yes I see your reasoning and also the fact that you are putting roots down. My son got a roofer via that site and got a fantastic job done on getting his roof re-tiled and his chimney, even his lovely and experienced ex-builder neighbour said that they had done a wonderful job. I love the british gas guarantee, a site like that has been a long time coming

I have already changed my expectations and the plot and location is highest on my list because a house can be re-modelled if it isn`t a graded house but I am not going for a money pit

Wednesday2000

I had jacket spuds and salad last night, but then I ended up getting some veggie samosas from the takeaway too.:cool:

I just had toast for breakfast and will have sausages with potatoes, parsnips, carrots and gravy for dinner later. Not sure about lunch yet.

Need2bthrifty wrote: »

The recipe I have is in my mothers handwriting on good old blue Basild0n B0nd writing paper - she probably got at the WRI, she was always baking something.

Oh, I remember my Mum having that paper too.:D

Need2bthrifty

Boiled egg and soldiers for breakfast today and I'll have some of the falafel I made yesterday, with spicy tomato sauce and salad for lunch - I do still have some hummus leftover from yesterday but its probably best to keep that for Saturday when I don't have a match to play - I don't think my team mates would appreciate a whiff of garlic breath

I have Chicken & Chickpea Curry defrosting for tea I'll have that with boiled rice and some green beans - the tragedy of CFO and bad planning, that's a whole lot of chickpeas going on this week

Anyway best get a wriggle on need to take a friend for an appointment.

caronc

Good afternoon everyone,

I've just had a (planned) visit from the local Occupational Therapy team and I'm now the proud owner of an adapted "kitchen trolley" which my physio recommended. They have also put a work order in for a proper bannister rail at my front steps as I'm not finding the mini grab rail my son installed there much use. I was a bit wary of being "assessed" yet again but the two guys were lovely so I'm pleased I agreed.:)

Breakfast was the usual toast & fruit and lunch will be a salad sarnie again. I'm not sure yet about this evening - definitely won't be chicken as I've had that a lot recently.:)

The chicken carcass was slow cooked overnight and has made a lovely stock which is currently reducing so it doesn't take up as much room in the freezer. I'll pick what I call "soup chicken" from the bones once it is cool enough to handle and freeze that as well. Next stock challenge is to make turkey stock for the Christmas gravy, I do this in advance every year and bought a lovely drumstick just to do that. The meat from that will get used up separately:).

PasturesNew

I had 2 Weetabix for breakfast.

I took the 4th quarter of the steak pie I bought the other week out of the freezer, mainly because I'd cut the big box down to 1/2 size rather than re-wrapping the portion, so the box was taking up too much room. I didn't see the point in re-wrapping it and "wasting" time and foil and a plastic bag when the box was good enough.

I'll serve that with "whatever I CBA to do with it at the moment I'm standing there having to do something". So that means it'll be any/all of spuds, carrots, brussels, peas. And a dab of gravy because you can't have pie without gravy! Although, having said that, my dad wasn't a user of gravy and would eat everything "dry".

EDIT: All done and dusted! I had two lots of "leftover carrots" in the fridge as the last two times I've had carrots I've cooked fresh ones.... and I had some leftover boiled spuds because I'd cooked too many last time ... and I cooked 8 Brussels because I had 6 last time and didn't think that was enough .... and then I added peas. Then I found I had "way too much food here" - but ploughed on and ate it all anyway

So, it was: Steak Pie, boiled spuds, carrots, peas, brussels, gravy.

AndyCF

Although its late in the day to talk about breakfast I went through a stage of having those mini Weetabix at one point, the choc chips ones or the plain ones. I recall they do a Fruit/Nut amongst other things but I was not keen on that.

I am planning on switching to some kind of Muesli or porridge at some point, although I need to look at a few varieties as I want something with a few raisins/sultana's but without any nuts (not allergic just not keen on them) and ideally without bits of banana in although I'll not be too fussed if it has got those in it.

At the moment its currently bran flakes either with or without sultana's in, depending on what I see.


The pie comments have reminded me, I did look a while back at the article on the "PK" pie in the micro, although the idea did appeal the dismantling did not. , I have actually read quite a few reviews on the 'ready to micro' pies, these being by both F.B and H (think of a country with Windmills) , although from general reading the reviews seem almost 'Marmite' in that its a love/hate thing.

Oh +1 for pie with gravy. There is a gravy 'issue' actually but I need to write about that later it is more a question of replication of something than anything else.

I did grab a small glass jar of beef stock instead of the usual cubes or granules in a plastic tub simply as I thought I'd try them for a change plus it means its dead easy to just use a mug to make a tiny bit, the issue I have with the cubes is sometimes when I am having a yummy beef+veg soup I do like to add a little bit of a stock cube to it, experimentation has shown that more than at most of 1/3rd of a 'cube' is too much, so although the 'jar granules' are a different kettle of fish so to speak, I thought I'd try it to see what happens.

caronc

I like gravy as long as the plate isn't swimming it, just enough to moisten things please.

PasturesNew

AndyCF wrote: »

....on the 'ready to micro' pies,

I tried the Pu**a ones - what an absolute farce and disaster. Had to try them, being a fan of "P", but by god that pie was pointless. For those I preferred to "take my chances" and just nuke a regular one.... but, as it's chicken, I was aware of the imbalance between the chicken being safe and the pastry soggy.... hence my write up.

Farway

AndyCF wrote: »

I did consider a 'double decker' effect but given they get a bit warm did not think it would be a great idea.

My mini oven, which is same Lild one as PN, only gets just warm on the outside. No idea if this is due to excellent insulation or just really good design. You could comfortably put and leave your hand on the sides & top. I will check out the base & glass next time I have it on and let you know. Warm air blows out of the side vents, again it is warm not a blast furnace. The leaves of my amaryllis survive wafting in it

Just cuppa and choc biscuit for breakfast, woke up up late for unknown reason

Into town, nothing of excitement, but bought some YS "snack Pizza" from Asda, 35p each. I had one for lunch with added grated cheese & sliced fresh tom, cooked in the mini oven. One in freezer for a CBA meal

I also impulse bought a YS real gammon steak, I say real, as in sliced off a pig's leg and not reformed from slaughter house slurry

It will be for dinner, with the yesterday's rediscovered sweet potato chips, BBE Aug 2016 and a couple of fried eggs. Easy & gives a bit more freezer space

Money, our council, Hampshire, has a "trusted trades" scheme, maybe your's has similar? It also leads to the government site, here https://www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk/

PS, PN, Lild weetabix, I went looking for them when they were on offer, 48 for same as 36 or something like that. Sold out, now I know who snaffled them