Cooking for one (Mark Two)

PasturesNew

Farway wrote: »

.... not chewy or gristley. I may just buy another pack next week on offer & freeze it....

I've never before bought seconds and frozen an offer - but I, too, was impressed with this bit of lean meat and have been thinking of doing the same.

threepenny_bit

I totally agree - cant eat bacon as it makes me ill and I dont want to be buying meat already tarnished with it lol!

Wednesday2000

Wow, I just let the dogs out and it is very frosty and icy out there. I'm wearing lots of layers and I am quite warm inside, though.

Toast for breakfast, one slice with Marmite and one with PB. Two cups of tea too.

I might make pasta with tomato and basil sauce and "meat" balls tonight.

I'm not sure about lunch yet.

Need2bthrifty

We've been downgraded from amber to a yellow but still getting bombarded with heavy snow showers thankfully the wind has dropped so its less like blizzard conditions, although met office says temp will feel like minus 5.......brrrrrrrr. I believe Wales and the Midlands due to get hit today - MTSTM and anyone else in that area take care and keep warm.

I went off the idea of Macaroni cheese yesterday having had pasta salad two days running I didn't want another pasta dish, ended up with SC Corned Beef Hash. Moussaka base has been stashed in the freezer, hopefully I will get the car out before L1dl's aubergine offer ends next week.

Away to have a bacon sandwich before I decide what else is on the menu.

PasturesNew

Need2bthrifty wrote: »

.... hopefully I will get the car out before L1dl's aubergine offer ends next week.

I didn't want to mention it before - for fear of appearing to be somebody who doesn't like any food .... but I really dislike aubergines. Only ever had them in works' canteen moussakas but they just seemed nasty.

In the absense of an aubergine .... unable to get out and fearing being "left with" the base of a moussaka.... use a layer of spuds instead. That's what I do.

PasturesNew

Bitterly cold/frosty here. Heating's not been on since last night (heat or eat, I'm eating today).... not eaten yet, too cold to come out from under the blanket, even though I'm wearing my big outdoor fleece.

I might do toast/scrambled eggs in a bit - and, as it's cold, open a tin of beans to go with that.

wort

PN- re the light bulbs, they're usually quite easy ,either screw in or push and turn. I have a spotlight one in kitchen they're GU 10 bulbs.
The meal out on Thursday was good, got the menus wrong way round, so had prawn cocktail
Then braised beef brisket,with garlic mash, and cauli,broccoli,sprouts,and carrot and swede mash. Yummy. Dessert was mixed berries with meringue, the meringue was a bit too hard, though probably bought in for us coeliac! !!
I took a tin of tomato soup to work yesterday followed by yogurt and seeds. When I got home such a hm pizza in with mince pie and amaretto cream after.
I picked up 2 meal deals from M and s, as it was the yummy chicken with tasty coating on.ill do one tomorrow when dgson comes,it will do another couple of meals too this week.the other is in the freezer. I got ultimate mash for the side, that has both been split into 4, they go in freezer for me to have with salmon mid week dinners. I got 2 profiteroles desserts they may be used for Xmas day. The wine is in the wine stash
I got a hm cauli soup out of freezer for today, I'm off and glad as it's just started snowing, there was a dusting of white when I got up at 8am, but this could have been hail, or snow.
I looked out of the window and 2 kids are on the field at the back with sledges!!! I think they are a tad optimistic! !! IM in nw England between manchester and Liverpool ish, and rarely get snow, certainly never been snowed in.

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Horrible to choice to have to make PN, personally I'm very grateful I don't have to do that. Could you get a cheap plug in radiator so that you could heat the room you are in?
No more snow (yet - there's potentially more due later) thankfully. It's still bitterly cold though and the wind is artic, the temperature is due to dip down further this evening. The sun is shining just now though so I've just finished the bin run and topped up the bird feed.
I'm needing to give myself a shake food planning wise as I've fallen back into deciding so late in the day that my choice is limited though does mean a fair number of "here's one I made earlier"s have been used up. I haven't had breakfast today so a hot brunch is on the cards and after last night's talk of bacon I think a couple of rashers of streaky may well be part of it.:)

Need2bthrifty

I've taken some large prawns out of the freezer and will make a Prawn & broad bean risotto tonight. The pears in the fruit bowl need using up as well so lunch will be crackers, cheese and pears, then I'll stew the others to have with my porridge or yoghurt for breakfast.

Blue sky starting to appear so I may go and get the snow shovel out and clear the drive, neighbour made the mistake of reversing down and compacting the snow now he's struggling to get back up his drive.

PasturesNew wrote: »

In the absense of an aubergine .... unable to get out and fearing being "left with" the base of a moussaka.... use a layer of spuds instead. That's what I do.

Not at all worried, it will hibernate quite happily in the freezer until I'm ready to use it. As far as I'm concerned aubergine is a principal ingredient otherwise its not moussaka.

caronc wrote: »

I haven't had breakfast today so a hot brunch is on the cards and after last night's talk of bacon I think a couple of rashers of streaky may well be part of it.:)

I've recently converted to streaky, always had back before but I really like the crispness you get with the streaky, had 4 slices in my bacon butty still feeling full.

AndyCF

Briefly mentioning bacon, I do seem some shops seem to offer precooked bacon. I've never been tempted by it although I expect you could eat it 'as is' out the pack as its completely crispy and cooked, I'd want to give it a warming first. I did not note any form of heating instruction on the pack I looked at though, although to be honest it was a passing glance out of curiosity rather than anything else.

I did not bother with the 'precooked' frozen sausage in the end by the way, despite the good reviews I decided not to bother and instead reduced the bill by not having them. I also swapped out the LM's veg sausage for the other brand (think Turkish Delight choc, different company I think but same name) as that appeared to have good reviews, so I thought I'd try those during the week instead.

Regarding heating: Those '3 bar' halogen type heaters are quite economical (typically 400w per element) although they are a bit horrid I think as there's the very bright orangey glow from them. One other downside is they only really heat what is in front of them, however I do have one and use it sometimes, although really it is best on 2 (800w) until there is some warmth in the room then switch down to 1 (400w) and it is just about enough to keep it warm. Can be had relatively cheaply from the bargain type places too.

One thing I do say to people who want to buy a normal fan type heater (I know this does not really apply here) is always, always try to avoid a 3kw model and just get a 2kw one. Why ? Well: I realise most of the "3kw" ones do have a '3 heat' setting but its too easy to use it and eat electric a potentially high rate. At least with the "2kw" model on "full blast" it is 2 not 3 which does make a difference and "half power" on the 2 tends to be 800w to 1kw rather than (if you're unlucky with model choice!) 1.5kw or 2kw with the "3kw" models. The 'heat output' at 2kw compared to 3kw is plenty unless the room is massive anyway.

I did think about these portable gas fires but the gas bottle costs add up quite a bit, plus you need decent ventilation as they can cause quite a bit of condensation. Personal thought on these is its good for a 'temporary fix' say for a couple of weeks or whatever but not a great permanent idea, but I'd not really know.


Its quite cold here, it tried to snow a little earlier but its stopped now. I think its expected "properly" tomorrow. I need to venture out shortly too but only to the local shop for a couple of minor odds and ends.


Not terribly hungry at this moment although I can foresee two small baked potatoes in an hour or so, that will make a nice 'mini lunch'. Then I have plenty of time once I've sorted other random tasks out to think about something 'a bit more substantial' for later.

That reminds me, talking of baked potatoes: Is it just me or something but I seem to prefer two small to one large ? Just seems to be a bit more 'filling' somehow even if the 'eaten content' is about the same ?

I still need to look at the 'microwave waffle' test too. My "gift appliance" is not here yet although I do sort of expect it to appear in the next few days pretty sure she posted it Thursday but could be wrong, cheapest courier I think so its going to be slow. No matter its a used gift and its free.

Might have to put up my seasonal lights later today, I must write a list of "cards to send" out at some point too, as I have a couple to send overseas so I best not leave it too long. I plan on writing them in the evening then come Monday morning they'll be in the postbox already where possible.