Cooking for one (Mark Two)

[Deleted User]

haha, all my plates are white too, easily matched

I have a fridge stacked with cheese, slices and use by dates are up to february. I am liking emmental and jarlsberg at the moment. I make half a slice of hot toast and pop a slice on top, makes a great snack mid morning, that bit of protein as well as nice taste

Andy, re the deep frying and to use minimal oil for cost, I was thinking a narrow cheap pan with a basket, like the 20cm ones in amazon for £12. They also have a 0.5 litre deep fat fryer for £19. Re air fryers, healthier but much pricier and bigger and thay are for 3-4 people

I loved the celery/mushroom pasta sauce I made yesterday, froze 3 portions, which I will loosen with milk and I treated myself to bought sliced sd bread and 3 thin slices of roast beef from waitrose. One slice of beef in a mustard sandwich for last meal, was so nice that I nibbled it, to make it last. That is the last meal sorted for today and tomorrow

No idea for mid-day main meal, something with plenty of veg, a single portion of something from the freezer, maybe fish

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Cold and damp here this morning.
I remembered during the night I haven't yet bottled my HM bramble vodka so that's on the "to do" list. Apart from that I'll see what the day brings. I've a pork chop defrosting for tonight so will have that with either potato slices or mash and veg or I might make some cauliflower cheese.

moneyistooshorttomention

I've got a selection of plates - according to what I'm doing/if I'm feeding anyone else.

For myself - I use either a set of cheap pasta plates I got from Aldi (as they are more "traditional" size - rather than modern-day large size). I've also got a variety of different sizes of bowls - for bowl meals (through from large white to smaller ones of various descriptions).

I still keep the "main" dinner plates I've got - large white square Waitrose ones - but they're my "company" plates these days.

Foodwise - Christmas lunch out with friends today. Dinner will be leftover salad stuff I made for a group Christmas party yesterday - as I thought "Not sure if this recipe is going to be enough. I'd better double it". Errr...I shouldnt have doubled it - ahem.....as I have so much over. A noticeable number of people want healthy food these days - but I could see a lot there were piling their plates with, for instance, several different cakes and no salad....

Does understand people thinking "Agh - Life - I deserve a treat for putting up with it" - but I can't afford to think that way - as I'd be having treats every single breakfast, lunch and dinner and would be size of a house....

[Deleted User]

ok, lunch is decided upon, got to use tomatoes up so am roasting with garlic and olive oil to create a pasta sauce with fermented cubes of tofu, all served with sweet savoy cabbage.

Does anyone else feel a bit `put upon` as a stay at homer this christmas. People gone away on holiday, will you take the letters and parcels in, put the heating on if it gets very cold, look out for this and that, be in for a car repair man etc Yes I`ll do it but only because they are nice people but it doesn`t stop that feeling

Those people piling their plates with cakes and crisps, they seem to be some of the ones living to over 90, I know a couple, now in care homes getting bums wiped. I would rather be healthy enough to be active and go out with a bang, while being active

PasturesNew

It's freezing.... all white outside and COLD!

Official scoff-a-thon arranged for later, so still "saving myself" for that, so I'll have a bit of toast in a bit and a bit of toast for my journey to the scoff-a-thon.

I didn't sleep well last night, I didn't even get to sleep until 4.30, then woke up at 8.15, must be the excitement of the scoff-a-thon - the trouble is, I found myself in the kitchen twice overnight .... opening the digestives, so I had 4 digestives overnight

I plan to do my Xmas Food shopping Fri-Sun next weekend. I'm sure the shops won't run out, I only need "everything". I'll buy Yorkshires, saves me having to make too many and faff about. I need to buy a bit of turkey, parsnips, brussels and carrots. I'll make do with the spuds I bought last week they'll be fine even though dated 18 December, hidden in the dark cupboard in the special bag they'll keep well enough.

I've still some bits and bobs to gather for the planned nut roast, which needs sage, lemons and chestnut puree that I've not got yet.

I will also buy myself some choccy biscuits closer to the time, I've got a list of two types written down. I'd get a couple of satsumas if I saw them, but I doubt I will.... it's all about buying 100cwt in sacks and boxes these days, not "two please"

I won't starve.

EDIT: I've not eaten anything today ... I'll go into the scoff-a-thon starving I think... "get my money's worth", especially as it's one price and, as you know, some people really tuck in and eat tons more than little me could ever manage. But I do intend to give it all a good thrashing

moneyistooshorttomention

kittie wrote: »

ok, lunch is decided upon, got to use tomatoes up so am roasting with garlic and olive oil to create a pasta sauce with fermented cubes of tofu, all served with sweet savoy cabbage.

Does anyone else feel a bit `put upon` as a stay at homer this christmas. People gone away on holiday, will you take the letters and parcels in, put the heating on if it gets very cold, look out for this and that, be in for a car repair man etc Yes I`ll do it but only because they are nice people but it doesn`t stop that feeling

Those people piling their plates with cakes and crisps, they seem to be some of the ones living to over 90, I know a couple, now in care homes getting bums wiped. I would rather be healthy enough to be active and go out with a bang, while being active

I've just thought of an advantage of having nfh:rotfl::rotfl:No chance of those couple of households asking for that:rotfl:Though - personally I would prefer having nicer neighbours and if doing the odd favour for them was the "price to pay" for having nicer neighbours then it would be worth it imo. I am a bit surprised at the "put the heating on if house goes beneath x temperature" - but I guess they've got old-style thermostats? My house will put its own heating on if it goes beneath x temperature (as I've got a daytime setting and a night-time frost setting). Though I switch my heating off anyway when I go away - as I've noticed that the temperature when I get back here has never sunk beneath 16C.

Admits I wouldnt want to be in for tradespeople though. Since moving here - I've spent the "amount of time it takes" waiting in for my own tradespeople and a heck of a lot extra time also waiting in for my own tradespeople (as such a high proportion of them here have a "manana" attitude - rather than turning up when they say they will). So I wouldnt wait for someone else's tradesperson as well as that "normal amount of time + extra time" I have to put in for myself. I would imagine they're also unreliable in your area too - and so I'd refuse that favour.

LOL at the thought of it being the unhealthy eaters living to over 90 Kittie. Hmm....that actually gives me personally all the more reason to eat healthily - as I wouldnt go into a care home and wouldnt wish to be over 90 ever anyway.

EDIT; Good eating at the scoff-a-thon Pastures. At yesterday's group meal out there was plenty of food (if distinctly restricted still about the amount of salads and fruit there....) - but I did manage to spot 3 things "I hadnt tried yet" - so duly got a bit of each of those to have on my plate.

Farway

PasturesNew wrote: »

It's freezing.... all white outside and COLD!

I plan to do my Xmas Food shopping Fri-Sun next weekend. I'm sure the shops won't run out, I only need "everything". I'll buy Yorkshires, saves me having to make too many and faff about. I need to buy a bit of turkey, parsnips, brussels and carrots.
I won't starve.

Same here, white & freezing. Although pleasant enough to go out mooching I really didn't fancy it, and best of luck PN next weekend, I'll pass on that as well
I expect my last shopping will be either Thursday or early Friday, then nothing until it's all over

The buy Yorkies, mehh after my experience with frozen Aunty B ones. I thought they would be fine easy option, but just did not work for me. Same went for frozen roast spuds. Good idea but my Lild ones were just not roasties as we know them Captain

Breakfast was toast with soft cheese spread
Lunch will be last of the ham, with salady bits sarnie
Dinner I just don't know, loads in the freezer / fridge, could be fish & chips as an easy one tray bung it in oven meal, but could change later

Wednesday2000

I had mashed avocado on 2 slices of toast this morning and a packet of crisps and a cup of tea after that.

I'm about have a persimmon and a yoghurt.

I'm having a ready made vegan lentil burger, garlic bread and lots of salad for dinner. I will probably have other stuff to eat during the day and lots of booze too.:p

elona

I have two sets of white plates in different sizes for special occasions
and a blue willow set for every day. Some of them came free with some Italian wine and food and match very well with the others.

I managed to order a meat and veg hamper to arrive on Friday and a Sainsbug order for Thursday with sweet and savoury biscuits, cheeseboard, soft drinks, smoked salmon and more veg. I still have a few bits and bobs to get but one of my dds will help out. We need broccoli and Stilton for a starter and smoked lardons for the brussels sprouts. No idea about dessert yet and think a dd is taking charge of it.

Family are coming round tomorrow and there could be five or six of us so have beef and mushrooms simmering to make a large pie, prepared four dinner party chicken breasts and am trying to clear space in the freezer so a packet of meatballs are defrosting which will be cooked and added to the beef and mushrooms in the pie.

Had scrambled eggs on toast for breakfast and a cheese toastie for lunch and have no idea what I want tonight. Don't fancy more eggs
and a bacon butty is overloading on carbs. Maybe soup or actifry chips?

The post has arrived and the pink and white sugar mice I wanted for the stockings have come :j Even though dds are grown up we still have a stocking with a few sweets and a small present, usually beauty related.

AndyCF

AndyCF wrote: »

... The MeatBalls, I'll keep an eye out. One of the smaller local shops does occasionally have offers, but they tend to not be on display its in their leaftlet...

I checked the leaflet online from the "go lcl" and they are currently on offer at 69p (FB) instead of 89p, I did not get any as I've not been into there today (I will over the weekend or Monday anyway for random things) and its a small shop, so I'll pick two tins up then if they have the gravy ones, provided the tins are not too dusty :rotfl: , I'd rather 2/£1 but given the distance to do that the 30p difference is worthwhile for just two tins.

PasturesNew wrote: »

For lunch I used my new plate for cheese and beans on toast
Tried it out for size/feel. It's all right, I'll get another one.
In the main I am quite happy to have a single plate of one design, but I also know how difficult it is to find another I like (at the right price) ... so long as £land haven't sold out by the time I am next in there I'll definitely get a second one.... two matching plates! Blimey.... that's a bit like "normal people"!

I have some very old 'blue edged' plates I like but there's only two now, there used to be four at least but over the past few years breakages etc, I'm unable to find some exact replacements given they are probably older than me or certainly 60's / 70's 'vintage' at the youngest.

Same when I accidentally dropped the small sugar bowl a couple of years ago, it was the kind of thing you'd see on a market stall for £1 or so, but can I find an exact replacement. The sentimental value of it was very high. I do occasionally look out for one the same, same as the plates** eventually something will appear no doubt.

Late lunch today not really decided just yet what to have, I do need to make a bit of freezer space if practical, despite re-arranging the contents a bit earlier today, so I may have to open a bag of mixed veg I think to start with.


** Without 'going out of my way' I mean for these items, its more a question of if I see similar things then I'll stop to look for matching ones but I'd not spend 2 hours searching eby trying to find one.