Cooking for one (Mark Two)

PasturesNew

It's raining. Today should be "buy/post 2 cards, get the ginger, do a round robin of shops further away" day .... as it's raining I wonder if it'll happen or if I'll just keep telling myself "in a bit"...

There's a Morries (for ginger) and a Tesco a 12 mile round trip away - where there's also a small (rubbish) street market on Weds ... so today would be the best day to do a Round Robin drive. I can also pop into a different L1dl to see their new design/upright freezers and see if they stock hash browns ... but the Get Up and Go is still snoozing.

Need2bthrifty

At long last the much anticipated meal of Moussaka was had last night, I cooked and defrosted the component parts before I had to go out for a Noon league match, then just a quick assembly job and cook when I got back late afternoon. I know its bad manners to rave about my own cooking; maybe its because I was so hungry, maybe because I've been looking forward to this for days - but omg it was de-li-cious :j

Breakfast of yoghurt and stewed pears has just been had, unearthed a Mixed Bean Chilli from the freezer for tea but haven't yet decided on the sides to have, chips maybe haven't had them for ages.

caronc

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

If you're owt like me - then you've been chomping at the bit and the bathroom design/chosen firm/etc have all been written down there for ages and you've been thinking "When am I going to be able to 'push the go button' ?"

To be honest I haven't really got that far, I know what I don't want and that's about it. I'm not aiming to get it done until the end of the winter so plenty of time during the dreich months to plan it:)

Need2bthrifty wrote: »

At long last the much anticipated meal of Moussaka was had last night, I cooked and defrosted the component parts before I had to go out for a Noon league match, then just a quick assembly job and cook when I got back late afternoon. I know its bad manners to rave about my own cooking; maybe its because I was so hungry, maybe because I've been looking forward to this for days - but omg it was de-li-cious :j

That's good it met expectations, I hate when I've been really looking forward to something and for some reason it isn't quite as good as I imagined.

Good morning everyone,
It's really dark and miserable day here, still not properly light outside:(.
I've some paperwork I need to do today and I might gut the fridge but apart from that I'm undecided. I really should start wrapping pressies. Food-wise pasta some way tonight probably with mushrooms and spinach:)

moneyistooshorttomention

Oh well...plenty of time for preparation then Caron.

:rotfl:Perhaps it's just me that wants things "yesterday" or "20 years ago" - dependant on what they are:rotfl:

Awful weather outside again here today - but had better "get my act together" to go in town this afternoon. Meanwhile - I guess it's back to a bit of binge-watching "Ashes to Ashes". Wishes I could still get away with/get 1980s clothes like the main character is wearing - I used to like them and the hairstyles actually...:). But then - ideally I'd like to "roll Britain back to just before Bliar (yep...that spelling is correct imo) came to power" and changed it so drastically for the worse....

Hollyharvey

Need2bthrifty wrote: »

At long last the much anticipated meal of Moussaka was had last night, I cooked and defrosted the component parts before I had to go out for a Noon league match, then just a quick assembly job and cook when I got back late afternoon. I know its bad manners to rave about my own cooking; maybe its because I was so hungry, maybe because I've been looking forward to this for days - but omg it was de-li-cious :j

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is my absolute favourite meal. I'm going to make one Christmas Eve to have on Chistmas day and I'm already so looking forward to it.
I will probably make enough to freeze one as well .

Need2bthrifty

Hollyharvey wrote: »

I'm glad you enjoyed it. It is my absolute favourite meal. I'm going to make one Christmas Eve to have on Chistmas day and I'm already so looking forward to it.
I will probably make enough to freeze one as well .

I love East European/Mediterranean foods they are a real favourite of mine, although my Moussaka over the years has been a bit hit or a miss until I tried the Guardian recipe. I now have enough cooked aubergine, bechamel sauce and base mix in the freezer for another three portions

Farway

Afternoon folks, now raining here, luckily I went to Morries earlier and it was just spitting

Had to go out, last of the cards to post, top up with diesel, gulp, nearly 40 quid, but it lasts me months at my mileage, and I did not want to be "caught short" if a sudden panic over petrol

Found the possible cause of lack of small turkey breast, just an empty space in the freezer, must be loads of folk with the same idea, guessing it is same in the other shops. Plenty of time though

Also bought some roll out puff pastry, on offer, may make pie or use it for a roasted veg bake type of thing which probably has a cheffy name

Lunch was a couple of slices of my tin of Spam, opened it at last. I fried it and had it in finger rolls, with piccalilli, the proper branded stuff not the watery look alike I had previously.
It is on offer, which brings it down to the cheapo stuff price, and the price difference shouts out in the contents, chock full of veg, not fish around in yellow gunge looking for it/ I may get another jar while on offer

Decided against curry, so the diced beef has gone into the freezer for 2018
Tonight is my M & S tenner meal, honey glazed roasted ham with [STRIKE]mashed [/STRIKE]crushed swede & carrots. Not sure if I will need anything extra with it, perhaps a handful of frozen chips?

PasturesNew

I've been everywhere .... big round robin 12 miler. Had a very short list - and failed to get some. Most important were 3 items - achieved 1.

Bought 2 Xmas cards for particular people, but not written/posted them yet. Went to what was a £stretcher but it's now a "£1 or under" shop, spent £7 there on unexpected plasticware containers for the kitchen, some Xmas choc/sweeties, some freezer bags (needed for the beef) and a flavour of Robinsons squash I don't think I've tried before (I like squash in the summer).

Discovered that Morries do a cheap instant hot chocolate and a cheap choc/hazelnut spread, so I can get those there in the future maybe (once tasted). Morries provided me with the spices I needed for my nut roast at least and my festive rock buns! Two jars purchased.

Mr T was my destination solely for a can of chestnut puree - it says "superstore" but they didn't stock it. They did, however, have spuds at 29p for 2.5Kg so I got those, I was going to wait for the L1dl offer and get those, but I've got more for my money at Mr T, although the bag says "Best Before 18 Dec" they'll be fine - and it means I can start cooking mash from today rather than going without for 7-10 days.
I picked up a small bottle of cheapo veg oil at 80p as I have none at all. I also got one of their (expensive) "Stay Fresh" loaves, dated 22 December. 70p but I don't have to freeze half

AN Other L1dl should have provided me with two items on the list: Cranberry sauce and a pot of growing parsley. They had the parsley, but not cranberry.... I checked for hash browns and they have none, so next year I must remember to buy hash browns before December! In my travels round the store I managed to accumulate a tin of chicken curry (down to 77p), two tins of spaghetti hoops (15p/can) - for my "meal in a can" options - and a jar of cheapo jam. I also grabbed a pint of milk (22 Dec) because I was "waiting until the last minute to get the longest date", but I then realised I might as well just buy a pint for now anyway.

Shuffled round a Co-Op and picked up one YS item that was reduced by a lot, £3.09 down to 77p for 130g of flavoured chicken on sticks - that's been tossed in the freezer, it's a small/flat pack so easily fits.

So, the Xmas food list of just five items had three crossed off. Cranberry isn't important - to be honest I've never actually had any! I just figured I'd "get a jar and see"....

Good news is: The minute I'd got all my shopping indoors .... there was a heck of a sudden wild windy moment complete with heavy rain that all just lashed down for a bit!

FOOD:

I've eaten nothing at all today .... so now I'll go and find something. Maybe toast as I have bought bread, or maybe two sausage rolls. I'll see what the fridge suggests I eat (based on what is in there and needs using up)....

EDIT: I opted for two bits of toast with marg Nice and easy .... and it means I can still eat something else later as that's "not a meal".

Farway

The honey glazed ham was excellent, and my first foray into mashed swede & carrots pinged & eaten. It was very nice and if on the Tenner meal again I may well get another

To complete my M & S foray, I scoffed half of the strawberry trifle it was gorgeous

That leaves plenty of the ham, enough for 3 more goes I think, and half the trifle, enough for one piggy go

Those spuds were good value PN, and cranberry sauce is a bit over rated IMO. Stick with the stuffing, you could substitute a blob of raspberry jam

Talking of stuffing reminds me, I bought some today, I was tempted by the "with apple" style, then realised I could just as easily add a few nuked bits of apple to bog standard for same result at 1/3 of the price
I will add some chopped fresh onion to it before baking, my MIL used to do that, made it nice and moist plus who doesn't like onion? Now thinking I could also add fresh sage as well, I have fresh growing so supply is not a problem

PasturesNew

Farway wrote: »

.... then realised I could just as easily add a few nuked bits of apple to bog standard for same result at 1/3 of the price

That's where they lose me .... see the flavour printed on the box, see the price, snort ... and leave.

It's just "bread and a bit of something" that doesn't justify all the additional cost most of the time. If you've got access to other bits and pieces, then it's better to DIY with those. Of course, not everybody does have access to the other bits ... so it's OK for people to buy "special flavours" if that suits their situation that day

I've just heated up two sausage rolls
2/6, so 4 to go.

I froze the two packs of cubed beef I bought from L1dl the other day... I used my new (long handled) latte spoons to poke it down flat/to the bottom of the freezer bag (can't bear to touch raw meat!). Two flat packs are in the process of freezing