Cooking for one (Mark Two)

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

Would one of your micro dishes fit? You could use that as a base, shape the loaf as you want, wrap the whole thing in foil and then SC as you planned.

99% of what I own is a CFO size

I know my Pyrex jug fits in the SC, so I could do it in that and have a round one, at a push.

I just have a feeling that the heat generated by metal would make a better "crust" on the outside than other materials would.

I want it to retain its shape integrity ... and that "outside crust" would just make it all so much better.

I'll find something - no problem there - it's just annoying when you can't find "the perfect one" that is in your mind's eye

Or I could cook it in the oven (40 mins) .... but I am not overly comfortable running the mini oven for that length of time, I get "twitchy" after 20 minutes.
It's all part of the "stupid fears/phobias I have about everything".

poppystar

karcher wrote: »

Don't worry, if your heating is on and the water moving you will be ok.

It's best to isolate any outside taps so they can be switched off/ not fed with water and emptied during cold weather to stop the risk of freezing as well as having the pipes lagged.

Just keep the heating on low and if up in the night, flush the loo and run the taps to keep the water moving.

Try not to worry. If any pipes do freeze you just need to thaw them slowly and patiently...I've done it many times, though also had burst pipes before I learnt how to deal with it.

I really don't think you should worry though

Thanks.

I don't have any outside taps thankfully (although in the summer I wish I did!). It's the outside drain(?) pipes that most worry - the pipes that take the waste water from basin, bath, sink etc which have frozen in (slightly) warmer temps before and the CH one. And also the indoor pipes which run close to the wall. May very well be up in (all:() the night so will flush loo!

Good advice on running taps as I'd have done the opposite in case it froze when the water hit the outside.

caronc wrote: »

First thing is don't worry, having your heating on low (even if it just means "chill off" in some rooms) will be fine. The beauty of most old houses is they have thick walls:). Make sure internal doors are closed to preserve the heat in rooms. Good advice from Karcher re outside taps but don't worry if that does freeze just leave well alone and hope for the best (has worked for me so far). Most important is keeping yourself warm, have a spare blanket nearby in case you get chilly in the early hours, try and go into a warm bed if you can and make sure you have slippers beside your bed so you don't do as I did recently and end up with cold feet by nipping barefoot to the loo during the night;)

I think they were economising on bricks in my house - the walls seem very thin. I don't think they put too much effort and concern into the 'workers' houses. Rather ironic now as those workers who these houses were built for (plumber, carpenter, coal merchant etc) now live in the big houses and these houses house the teachers, policemen etc.

Throw at the ready, hottie waiting to be heated, big socks will probably stay on feet throughout the night! Luckily my bedroom is the warmest room in the house - south and with a good (probably too big:o) radiator.

Thanks:)

PasturesNew

I just toasted crumpets....and spread with chocolate hazelnut spread.

While waiting for that I dug two of my silicone moulds from the cupboard, both the same size and too big (by that small critical amount) ... and I know the other one I have is larger.

karcher

poppystar wrote: »

Thanks.

I don't have any outside taps thankfully (although in the summer I wish I did!). It's the outside drain(?) pipes that most worry - the pipes that take the waste water from basin, bath, sink etc which have frozen in (slightly) warmer temps before and the CH one. And also the indoor pipes which run close to the wall. May very well be up in (all:() the night so will flush loo!

Good advice on running taps as I'd have done the opposite in case it froze when the water hit the outside.




I think they were economising on bricks in my house - the walls seem very thin. I don't think they put too much effort and concern into the 'workers' houses. Rather ironic now as those workers who these houses were built for (plumber, carpenter, coal merchant etc) now live in the big houses and these houses house the teachers, policemen etc.

Throw at the ready, hottie waiting to be heated, big socks will probably stay on feet throughout the night! Luckily my bedroom is the warmest room in the house - south and with a good (probably too big:o) radiator.

Thanks:)

Best thing to do is keep the water moving, so flush and run taps a plenty

And with the heating on you'll be warm.

Sleep well

PasturesNew

poppystar wrote: »

It's the outside drain(?) pipes that most worry - the pipes that take the waste water from basin, bath, sink etc which have frozen in (slightly) warmer temps before and the CH one. And also the indoor pipes which run close to the wall. May very well be up in (all:() the night so will flush loo!

Firstly never worry about pipes removing water from the house.

The problem pipes are those that freeze between water-in and a tap/loo, because IF (big IF) they did freeze then the water expands as it becomes ice and IF you're unlucky then the pipe MIGHT burst and when it thaws there's a leak which can only be stopped by turning off the stopcock.

If your water leaving the house freezes .... it's not a problem ... it'll just sit there as it's not under pressure like water-in is.

caronc

PasturesNew wrote: »

99% of what I own is a CFO size

I know my Pyrex jug fits in the SC, so I could do it in that and have a round one, at a push.

I just have a feeling that the heat generated by metal would make a better "crust" on the outside than other materials would.

I want it to retain its shape integrity ... and that "outside crust" would just make it all so much better.

I'll find something - no problem there - it's just annoying when you can't find "the perfect one" that is in your mind's eye

Or I could cook it in the oven (40 mins) .... but I am not overly comfortable running the mini oven for that length of time, I get "twitchy" after 20 minutes.
It's all part of the "stupid fears/phobias I have about everything".

Would a bit of both work - SC until done then a quick blast in the oven to get a crust?

poppystar wrote: »

Thanks.

I don't have any outside taps thankfully (although in the summer I wish I did!). It's the outside drain(?) pipes that most worry - the pipes that take the waste water from basin, bath, sink etc which have frozen in (slightly) warmer temps before and the CH one. And also the indoor pipes which run close to the wall. May very well be up in (all:() the night so will flush loo!

Good advice on running taps as I'd have done the opposite in case it froze when the water hit the outside.




I think they were economising on bricks in my house - the walls seem very thin. I don't think they put too much effort and concern into the 'workers' houses. Rather ironic now as those workers who these houses were built for (plumber, carpenter, coal merchant etc) now live in the big houses and these houses house the teachers, policemen etc.

Throw at the ready, hottie waiting to be heated, big socks will probably stay on feet throughout the night! Luckily my bedroom is the warmest room in the house - south and with a good (probably too big:o) radiator.

Thanks:)

As long as you are snug and warm the rest will be what it will be:D

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

Would a bit of both work - SC until done then a quick blast in the oven to get a crust?

Not really - and it's "a step too many of faff". The crust is the sides and the bottom, akin to the side crust you get when you bake a cake, so long/slow formed, not a top browning.

karcher

PasturesNew wrote: »

Firstly never worry about pipes removing water from the house.

The problem pipes are those that freeze between water-in and a tap/loo, because IF (big IF) they did freeze then the water expands as it becomes ice and IF you're unlucky then the pipe MIGHT burst and when it thaws there's a leak which can only be stopped by turning off the stopcock.

If your water leaving the house freezes .... it's not a problem ... it'll just sit there as it's not under pressure like water-in is.

Hence why I suggested an isolator tap. It was an outside water feed that burst for me. Turning off the main stop !!!! was futile and I was flooded twice before I got the source of the problem isolated.

After that I sat with a hairdryer on low/ warm trying to thaw the pipe slowly when it froze.

Having burst pipes/being flooded is no fun

caronc

karcher wrote: »

Having burst pipes/being flooded is no fun

No they are not I still have horror memories of between Christmas & New Year in 1995 or 96 (can't remember which) when it dropped to -17 and my neighbour who was away pipes' froze (twice) and flooded us. Kids and hamster got packed off to my parents my ex, my sis & self had to slog it out without heating or power munching on selection boxes, cooked ham and lots of wine! :eek:

Need2bthrifty

caronc wrote: »

No they are not I still have horror memories of between Christmas & New Year in 1995 or 96 (can't remember which) when it dropped to -17 and my neighbour who was away pipes' froze (twice) and flooded us. Kids and hamster got packed off to my parents my ex, my sis & self had to slog it out without heating or power munching on selection boxes, cooked ham and lots of wine! :eek:

It was '95 I think, Braemar down to -19, Altnaharra down to -27, in Aberdeen we were a comfortable -14 :rotfl: :rotfl: