Cooking for one (Mark Two)

caronc

Good afternoon everyone,
Repair man has been and part has been ordered, he's back next Friday to fit it.
Snow has disappeared but it still baltic and icy outside so I'm staying firmly put indoors;):).
Breakfast didn't happen so I'm now scoffing lentil soup from the freezer and toast with sliced cheese. I've still not decided about tonight- now thinking turkey keema curry from the freezer as don't think I cba making anything:)

Farway

All well here, like PN weather, cold but dry & sunny, almost tropical

Nil breakfast, round Li's, bit of stocking up, the beef pack on offer of course, got that, plus the celery offer. It looks decent celery as well, not the green scrawny stuff one sometime finds

And the luxury mini mince pies, £1.79 for 12, but come highly recommended by most I talk to, and I think they may be right, there was just an empty Pie hole on Tuesday, and only 2 packs left this morning, now just one left. That will be one of my treats

Lunch I fancied something a bit warming, cheese on toast, with HM chutney

After lunch is was beef stew prep time.
All the 400g of beef, four not yet gone wrinkly LO carrots, one giant onion, some soon to be past it LO mushrooms, LO limp celery, perked up by standing in water, a couple of OK salad spuds, and a sachet of Beef & Ale paste I found at the back of cupboard. BBE 2014

All in a too big pot simmering on the hob, just needs the dumplings adding later

I reckon 3 good meals out of that. I may open a pack of ready cooked beetroot to go with it, just for a splash of colour

Reading through other posts, I think I will have to try & find some type of turkey, small crown / breast or maybe a big drumstick. I saw them last year and I'm not fussy about which bit I eat, except it's bum

PasturesNew

Farway wrote: »

I think I will have to try & find some type of turkey, small crown / breast or maybe a big drumstick. I saw them last year and I'm not fussy about which bit I eat, except it's bum

I dislike anything that has bones/skin on or near it
For me it's a breast (without bones) or a crown.
So then it's just down to size.

PasturesNew

Well, that didn't go to plan.

Curry is nearly ready .... but, I simply don't fancy it now really I'd added a can of pineapple into it half way through because it was lurking in the cupboard, so I might as well.

EDIT: Cooking rice now.... I'll eat it. I'll most likely enjoy it and be glad I ate it in the end.

moneyistooshorttomention

Weather report for this area - freezing cold and windy here. Thankfully no snow or rain. It's so blimmin' cold that there's something I'd like to go to later today - but NO chance....it took me hours to thaw out after going out this morning.

Right now - looking out the window and thinking "Thank goodness I don't have to go out again today if I choose not to".

Christmas cards starting to roll in and I think I should have an annual contest to see how many (if any...:rotfl:) coming in from elsewhere in the country manage to spell my address correctly:rotfl:. I've changed my house name to an English one since last year and figured that should help a bit. Errr....nope....every single card I've had by post to date has got at least one mistake in the address (record so far is 3 mistakes). Well - I guess the Post Office knows this is how things will be here by now - and fingers crossed I actually manage to get all the Christmas cards I'm expecting/hoping for. Maybe I should give a prize to the first person that manages to get it right - shouldnt cost much - as I bet no-one would ever win it....:cool:. I've long since lost count of just how many times I've painstakingly spelt it out to my mother - and she still gets it wrong every single time....Thankfully Amazon gets it right (considering just how much of my shopping I'm doing that way these days).

Lunch today was a "bitsa". A sorta rice pudding of a couple of different cooked grains cooked up in milk with maple syrup/sultanas/flavourings and some toast after. Dinner is going to be the last of a bitsa sorta stew I made yesterday - probably with baked potatoes. Followed by some fruit.

PasturesNew

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Christmas cards starting to roll in

I don't expect any. I keep old ones from years gone past and put a few of those out

You know you get those begging letters from the charity that include Xmas Cards in them .... I've put one of those up today

moneyistooshorttomention

Pastures - your challenge for 6 (or whatever) should you care to accept it = PM me your real life address - and then I'll send you one.

I'll understand, of course, if you don't want to.....:)

EDIT; Just been counting the mistakes on ones to date - and ...got it wrong...the record is four mistakes in my address. By now I've learnt the only bit I can rely on being accurate is the name of the town.

PasturesNew

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Pastures - your challenge for 6 (or whatever) should you care to accept it = PM me your real life address - and then I'll send you one.

I'll understand, of course, if you don't want to.....:)

LOL. Thanks, let's now just pretend you did.

I'd feel bad and guilty if you, or anybody, did that for the poor orphan having xmas alone without cards and presents

I'll live thanks.

I'd hate to feel "obliged" to reciprocate etc. This way I can be rude to you in 2018 if I feel like it

Farway

The stew is bubbling well, getting ready for dumpling launch, I usually add some dried mixed herbs in, just to give taste that is not cooked flour

Christmas cards, two this morning at my volunteer job. I never reciprocate, not Scrooge, just CBA, bit like card & tip for the dustman, I don't do that either.

The cards I get by post, one always puts wrong address, despite having been told umpteen times, luckily the post sorters are on the ball
Now reminded me to get writing mine, just family, so not a huge task or cost

PasturesNew

Having had a bowl of curry/rice .... and decanted the other two (large/r) portions off into containers.... I really wish I'd made the stew.

The main reason I didn't make the stew was that I'd have needed carrots and spuds - and I'm "biding my time" on both of those, waiting for the L1dl low prices in two weeks' time. I couldn't see the reason to buy those both now "at full price" and then not be able to get the cheaper ones as I'd still be working my way through the pricier ones.

It comes down to all that balancing of food stocks, quantities bought and what else is going on .... and having a break from some things and "waiting for an offer" that's already published, so assured.

Sucks to be price aware and tight sometimes