Cooking for one (Mark Two)

PasturesNew

Nut roast built ....cba to cook it!

AndyCF

Not decided on lunch yet as I've had some unpleasant (read: WC / plumbing) tasks that needed urgent immediate attention, so that's put me off slightly for an hour

I'm debating on either deep frying a few potato croquettes or microwaving them (they are the frozen bagged ones) to go along with some veg or perhaps I may even brave opening that mini tin of spam or perhaps even the meatballs. The latter sounds a better option here I think.

I'll be honest I don't know why but the mini fryer does alarm me a bit even though I've only tried it once on the chips and they were fine. It should not do as I used to wield a chip pan years ago at a youngish age on the gas hob without any disasters and the fryer is slightly (I say slightly) safer as its more difficult to overheat. Hmm.

No idea on either microwaving time or deep frying time either, chips are easy as you can tell :rotfl: , I'll figure the zapping time out with experimentation and poking them with a sharp knife.

Frying well a cursory Google search reveals one manufacturer recommends 5 minutes which sounds like a reasonable start but it does say a maximum of 4. That will probably do anyway. If I had had to take a wild guess I would of said something like 8 minutes or so , give/take a minute or two either way. Have to basket them as I don't have any tongs yet, Although I could spoon them out I suppose.

I meant to pick up a slotted spoon and a ladle with holes (not sure where mine went actually, its probably a 'serving spoon' I suppose) yesterday but it slipped my mind. I don't fancy braving the shops today so it can wait.

PasturesNew

AndyCF wrote: »

....few potato croquettes

No idea on either microwaving time or deep frying time either, chips are easy as you can tell :rotfl: , I'll figure the zapping time out with experimentation and poking them with a sharp knife.

They're cooked/cold..... so the worst that could happen is you hit a cold spot. Nothing to kill you. I'd guesstimate at zapping 2½-3 and frying 4-6. Just "go by eye"......

At least you won't get the trots or die if there's a cold bit in the middle this time

CFO: We're experts in "Oh well, that'll do ..... "

PasturesNew

I've tried/rolled/abandoned many varieties of rollie now... non worked. They're all too loose, or like trumpets, the filters fall out, the papers don't stick, the whole thing's a disaster.... but I am due at somebody else's house later for my tea .... and this isn't going to work....

I might have to resort to buying a pack, which I kind of really begrudge doing! Going to have another go....

Wednesday2000

I just had a slice of wholemeal bread with marg and I'm waiting for my pasta to cook. I realised that I have half a jar of pasta sauce left over so I'm having that and will throw some fresh spinach into the pot before the end to wilt.

The pasta sauce is quite nice, Mr Organic, tomato, tofu and peppers. I only bought it as Holland & Barrett had a sale on. I hadn't tried it before.

kittie wrote: »

always but always listen to your body, I do and if I feel tired then I rest, even if mentally I have a million things to do

I did take a nap and feel much better.xx:)

meg72

PasturesNew wrote: »

It looks like Birds stopped selling the chocolate trifle.

http://www.i-can.co.uk/images/gallery_image-84.jpg

I noticed a couple of years back that Morrisons stopped selling instant chocolate custard sachets too... maybe people went off chocolate custard as black forest fell out of fashion.

I know this will sound "a bit weird" .... but I think the reason I want to buy one is they come in see through packaging - and I don't have any glassware, so no glass trifle bowl so I could see the end results. Buying a dish ideal for trifles is on my "search in £land perpetually until I find it one day" list .... they've not had any to date.

Lol another one here that insists on a nice glass trifle bowl. I broke mine a few weeks ago had had it about 50 years. I managed to replace it yesterday after mooching round the charity shops with DD and DGD.It was only a pound and is really nice quality. Trifle now setting in fridge.

PasturesNew

Cracked it! Wrote it down and I've now managed to make 4!

Now I know it's: have the moving bit closest to me, fill. Get the paper, with the sticky at the top and away from me, slide it down on the nearest side of the roller. Clip the moving bit up and roll away from me until the paper's almost disappeared. Turn it round, lick. Turn it back and continue to roll away from me until it pops out the top. Done!


I was doing all sorts until I worked out which way round to put the paper and which way to roll.

I'll get better. Just want to make up about 15 now to take out!

I've done all the washing up/putting away and the kitchen's all clean and clear.

PasturesNew

Had 3 things on the L1dl list - so popped out to see if I could be lucky.
Bread: Still none of the one I buy, so I'll do without.
Chutney: None on the shelf, couldn't see a shelf where there was even a space, maybe they don't sell it at my branch.
Nuts: Particular nuts I've been told they sell that are good - not in my branch at all it seems. No sign of them.

So nothing then.

It was 3.40pm and there was a girl very slowly putting "30% off" stickers on a few small packs of regular sliced ham and hasselback spuds. Not my sort of thing.

Browsed the freezer/chiller section "just to make notes" - not to buy anything. Full sized, £30-40 fresh turkey crowns, dated 26 December. Still full price.

I don't know where all those people are that grab bargains at the last minute - must be a big town/big shop thing.

Farway

PasturesNew wrote: »

Cracked it! Wrote it down and I've now managed to make 4!

Just like riding a bike or swimming, once cracked never forgotten. I was about to suggest you bought a pipe, to fit into the eccentric category;)

Lunch eventually became a cheese & piccalilli sarnie

Still no idea for dinner, the crisp sandwich is looking more likely every minute

I have finished off the last of the "new" 12 pack of mince pies

meg72

MrAPJI wrote: »

When I lost my wife, this guy was there for me. Last night I felt that it was my turn to help him

And you were right to do so, its what true friends do. The pain and grief experienced when the one you love ups and leaves you is no less than if they had died.