Cooking for one (Mark Two)

caronc

kittie wrote: »

turkey for me too and cranberry sauce and one one-off once a year fillet steak, which I will probably cook one half at a time for two days

So I am now baking shortbread, was very easy using a potato masher and pressing the dough into a quiche tin. Too late to sample a piece but will do that tomorrow

I had a rare, for me, baked potato at lunchtime, with baked beans. Potato was fine but tbh too fluffy and sweet for me, must be full of sugars which my mouth detected. Late meal was a bigger meal than normal, recipe for celeriac from jamie, easy and no potato, cut into chunks in a pan. I did 2 chicken thighs and various veg in my shallow pressure cooker, like a frying pan with a pressure lid. Was ready in 20 minutes and very yummy. I did take an enzyme capsule with the potato and another with the last meal, certainly helps my digestion to cope and I can tell because there are no rumblings and tum is flatter. I only received them yesterday and will normally only take one if I have a doubtful (potato, aubergine, wheat etc) meal or a heavier one

I am keeping a running shopping list at the moment because I don`t intend to shop much, the crowds will be growing and I hate those crowds, that plus snow sweeping of shelves

Oh you've got to have cranberry sauce:D, note to self I must get some or organise some fresh or frozen cranberries.
Unless it's in beef wellington (which I adore) I'm not that bothered about fillet steak (I'm a cheap(ish) date :rotfl::rotfl:). We always have steak on Christmas Eve, I prefer a sirloin or rib-eye whereas my elder son likes a fillet. At least with steaks it's easy to cater for individual preferences

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

Do you not find the beef is hard to get tender in the microwave if cooking from raw? I tried a stew in the microwave yonks (and yonks) ago when I was cookerless due to a fault and I didn't have enough time to SC it. I found the stewing beef was cooked but dry and really chewy. It ended up in the pooches and I had to spend money on a takeaway so I've never chanced it again.

It's only an idea. I need to read the packet, see what I actually bought, then do a single trial cube. Then decide.

It's lean meat, so should be OK, but I want to see if there's other information there about which bit of the animal it was cut from.

Indeed, as I don't actually even possess a microwave bowl large enough .... laziness will probably have me tossing it in the SC in any case

I juggled the biryani the other week and it's never-ending faffing.

To be honest, at this stage I'm still pondering what to do with it ... bought it thinking stew.... changed my mind to curry .... and been back/forth many times in the last few hours I might even change my mind while holding the curry paste jar! I'm indecisive to the extreme. OCD Indecisiveness...

caronc

PasturesNew wrote: »

It's only an idea. I need to read the packet, see what I actually bought, then do a single trial cube. Then decide.

It's lean meat, so should be OK, but I want to see if there's other information there about which bit of the animal it was cut from.

Indeed, as I don't actually even possess a microwave bowl large enough .... laziness will probably have me tossing it in the SC in any case

I juggled the biryani the other week and it's never-ending faffing.

To be honest, at this stage I'm still pondering what to do with it ... bought it thinking stew.... changed my mind to curry .... and been back/forth many times in the last few hours I might even change my mind while holding the curry paste jar! I'm indecisive to the extreme. OCD Indecisiveness...

I'd go for the SC cooker option, bung it and go and do something else works for me every time:D;)

ETA - if it's lean "casserole" beef it will definitely benefit from a slow cook, not enough fat in it to keep it juicy!

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

.... bung it and go and do something else works for me every time

It is the most likely thing... I often think of things that I then decide I CBA to do. I bought the SC to be a "... just chuck it in.... CBA...." solution.

All you need is 2-4 things that "kind of go together" and you're done

poppystar

caronc wrote: »

Given the choice between stollen & pannetone it would have to stollen every time.:) Pannetone IMHO is only good for toasting or making bread & butter pudding.

Panettone served with Vin Santo (or similar) syrup and either ice cream, clotted cream or marscapone is heaven. I prefer that to stollen - mind you it may be the wine syrup and cream rather than the panettone itself:D

AndyCF

One thing I have noted about both Al and Li is the lack of cook instructions online with the descriptions, unless I'm missing something. Its not an issue really anyway given I'd have to 'go get' but it is sometimes useful (to me at least, see my thread in 'Praise/Vent' if in doubt!) to see these beforehand.

I actually treated myself today instead of a small bag of frozen oven chips I thought I'd try a small bag of Potato Croquettes instead, it was either those or some hash-browns so I plumped for the former as I cannot remember having them before. Will be interesting to see how well they micro, I may do 2 min / turn / 2 min / poke at them to see what they are like and just repeat until they are done / fall apart as I've over done it.

I do not have my oven yet (it is a long story) although it is "on the cards" still although I do have another potentially useful appliance coming my way in time for Christmas (an early gift!) , more about that when it arrives as I may need some assistance from those with experience.

EDIT... A bit of research found out the new 'Al' shop I mentioned (old college site) will apparently be ready/open around February. No sign of it on their own site as of yet though, had to resort to news sites.

meg72

caronc wrote: »

Given the choice between stollen & pannetone it would have to stollen every time.:) Pannetone IMHO is only good for toasting or making bread & butter pudding.

Definitely me too. My first experience of Pannetone was like well whats this then? just bread and spot the sultana?

[Deleted User]

sounds like they had a very rough crossing back caronc, they kept saying on LBC, a 4 hour delay because of rough seas

I have re-discovered a very useful pan of mine, a shallow pan pressure cooker, which holds 2.5 litres. I had it ages and barely used it, never thought about using it until yesterday and it is perfect for solo. I did 2 drumsticks with a few veg for flavour and about 1/4 pint of water. It took 15 minutes and it was very flavoursome. I am sure that I will be using this for all meat now, unless I am griddling or cooking my turkey in the oven. I never added any fat to it and skinned the chicken, the meat fell off the bone. I am going to use it again today, to make a meal for two days, I am out all day tomorrow, I have stir fry turkey, which I will cook the same way. I have already made the `fried` and cooked jamie celeriac, which I can re-heat and it is lovely btw and I`ll add peas to the turkey meal

Need2bthrifty

caronc wrote: »

Given the choice between stollen & pannetone it would have to stollen every time.:) Pannetone IMHO is only good for toasting or making bread & butter pudding.

I've only ever tried Pannetone from a well known Italian deli in Edinburgh and it was absolutely gorgeous, especially the lemon one :drool:, its pricey but may change your opinion .

PasturesNew

There's a curry in the SC. It doesn't have a name as naming food is pretentious

In went the steak - I counted the chunks so I know roughly how many chunks are a portion, there's about 27-28 or so ... a cheap ready meal gives you 5-7 chunks, so I figure there's 9 chunks in a home-made piggy portion. So this will make three curries.

In went an onion - and I relieved the freezer of two chopped/frozen peppers that'd been lurking in a takeaway box (one yellow, one red/orange). A random spooning of hot curry paste (patak's/gifted) and I relieved the freezer of a portion of tomato sauce (when I open a tin I decant all the liquid into a freezer bag so as to not waste it). Quick splash of Worcestershire sauce for no reason whatsoever.... and the lid's on.