Cooking for one (Mark Two)

caronc

MrAPJI wrote: »

s anyone's guess

I've got one just the same - it is/was my younger son's "batcave", I don't venture in:rotfl:

Stoke wrote: »

Last night I took some diced casserole beef, and made a weird DIY curry.

I used passata, two table spoons of curry powder, some ginger, basil, and a load of other weird herbs in my spice rack

Turned out actually really good and provided tea and lunch for today.

It that often the case whe you just go the flow- problem is replicating though...;)

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Scrambled eggs - 2 eggs (freerange obv.), a dash of milk (say a dessertspoon worth), grind of black pepper, grind of Himalayan pink salt, knob of butter (say half an ounce?) and cook on LOW heat VERY slowly, stirring frequently is my definition of how to cook scrambled eggs.

They then come out nice and creamy. It's the butter and the low heat that's the clue.

On that note - better do some housework before heading off for that lunch with a friend. I know what I'm really doing right now - and that's hanging around near the phone because it's the norm for my mother to phone me early on my birthday (ie that would be today then...) to wish me "Happy Birthday". It's not so much that she hasnt yet - as that I know the reason - ie her mind is now such that she probably hasnt remembered. From a couple of things she's said - she does know this is happening to her mind...

:bdaycake:Happy Birthday MTSTM

mcculloch29

I always knew I had a healthy appetite, and now it's official!
Happy Birthday MTSTM :bdaycake::bdaycake:

I have good birthday memories.
Mine is in May, and my mother would always pick me some lily-of-the-valley from the garden. for my birthday. Last year, quite independently, and without knowing this, I got lily-of-the-valley soap and a lotv fragranced drawer liner from two friends as birthday presents.
Mum died relatively young, of leukaemia, which meant she was spared the indignities and worries of older old age.
I couldn't get a fisherman's pie in the freezer, and CBA'd to unlock the outhouse to put it in there, so will have that for a late lunch soon. My cleaners have just left.
The place is tidy. Bliss. :cheesy:

Farway

No breakfast again, and zilch in Lild to inspire any meal ideas

Lunch was a part baked baguette, a bit past BBE but still fine, split & filled with cheese & salad

Dinner, stuck again. I think it will be my "bought for Christmas" nut loaf. Morries own of carrot, sweet potato & kale nut roast. If I do not use it soon it will just become a freezer space hogger. Probably have frozen mixed chunky veg with it. And Bisto gravy to retain my omnivore status, or is it now flexitarian in Newspeak?;)

PasturesNew wrote: »

This works.
Find a (microwave safe) mug that's get a rounded bottom in as far as possible - you don't want straight sides with corners. Shape is important as you don't want the eggs to find crevices they can go hard in. Rounder sides work well with the fork shape.

Crack 2 eggs in and whisk with a fork.

Into the nuker 1-1½ minutes.

Meanwhile, get another fork and dig out a knob of butter/marg and sit it on the worktop.

Remove the eggs from the nuker -they've started to form round the edges - use your fork to run round the edge to break that up and whip them again. Into the nuker 30 seconds. Repeat - scrape from sides/whip each time. Another 30 secs, or 15, just 10? Watch it, stir it.

Then they'll look ready at some point when you realise you've got it just as they've cooked.

Once you're happy, run the fork with the butter on it round the edge and whip that in, tip it out. Only a mug to wash up.

DO NOT do what many people do, which is to shove it in, put on high and walk away 2-3 minutes, then return to one solid dried out column of egg that's stuck to the mug. Little and often with the nuking/stirring up.

What you're looking to do is to spot when it's starting to form each time and breaking it up .... 3-4x during the cooking process is usually enough stirring/breaking up events.

You can decide on the "size of the chunks" when you're breaking it up with the buttered fork .... sometimes I keep large chunks, sometimes I make them smaller, depends how I feel and what it's to be served on.

I nuke mine, similar to PN, but use a cereal bowl, and nuke /melt the butter in first. Mix eggs & milk, tip in bowl containing melted butter / marge, stir & nuke as PN, stir often, and remember it continues cooking once removed from nuker. One extra item washing up, but I have a dishwasher so don't care about that bit

Mine takes between 2 - 3 minutes watching all the time. Toast needs to go on before eggs I find

Wednesday2000

Happy Birthday!:)

moneyistooshorttomention

meg72 wrote: »

Awww hugs love. Happy Birthday hope your Mum phones soon its heartbreaking to watch parents suffer memory loss.

Thanks.

My mother did phone eventually and it was an "innocent" explanation (ie not memory loss). She'd just been tied-up with summat else - and then phoned me after that was dealt with. I was surprised she hadnt "remembered" considering that she keeps a calendar in sight on which she notes things down and had anticipated she'd "remember" if just because of that.

Her memory problems have shown up though - in that I've just received a 2nd birthday card and cheque from her for this birthday (yep...I'd already received one card and cheque from her:cool: - but she's clearly forgotten). She obviously doesnt put a little note on that calendar of "send daughter birthday card etc" and tick it when she's done so.:cool: The only blessing is that these days she does admit to memory problems - rather than disputing things with me as to what has happened/been said etc and then tell me I'm wrong about whatever-it-is because it's different to what she remembers. That's one blessing anyway I guess....but I did realise her memory was going some years back when there was an incident of the three of us going somewhere and her asking me if I'd been there before (despite them having taken me there several times) and then she forgot where my father had parked the car and had to be guided back to it. Daylight started to dawn on me at any rate at that point and I think I started expecting it - as it happened to her elder sister (who'd "gone completely" by the time she died) and she hadnt had the harsher life my much younger mother had had than her (ie mental strain my mother has gone through). Though I think my mother has made that mental strain worse by not telling me some Major Stuff about herself that I've realised anyway over the years one way and another - and so she might as well have told me instead of keeping it secret - as I know anyway.

Had my lunch out with friend and duly come back with present and card from her. But more valuable to me is that she just offered a favour I could do with - but didnt like to ask for - and that will save me some hassle and expense:D It's nice when someone has obviously thought about you....

MrAPJI

:bdaycake:

Happy Birthday Money . Pleased to hear that you spent time with a friend on your special day, and that your mum called you . Sorry about your poor mum's memory - if only things remained the same as we aged.

Many thanks (PN, Farway and Money) for the 'scrambled egg' suggestions and for taking time to post comments - much appreciated.

Kitty, I can quite understand your reasoning for moving house. Hopefully you will find a property which fits the bill and the move then goes smoothly for you. Sorry to hear about your eyes - a real nuisance - but at least you know what the situation is and can monitor it. So many people bury their heads in the sand and then it's too late.

The garage is 'much clearer' now - what a relief It's funny what you find though. Three burgundy 'thingies' emerged from a box which I probably hadn't seen since the 1980s. Macrame constructions used to hold pot plants. I really wondered what induced us to buy them lol - but do remember them being quite popular at the time. A neighbour approached me whilst I was clearing out and then took quite a few things away with him - good

The chicken in a spicy tom sauce was ok and I will be having that again . I'm now going to settle down with a couple of home made scones and watch a film. The cat has already taken his place in anticipation lol

Farway

MrAPJI wrote: »

Three burgundy 'thingies' emerged from a box which I probably hadn't seen since the 1980s. Macrame constructions used to hold pot plants. I really wondered what induced us to buy them lol - but do remember them being quite popular at the time.

I remember those, we had a set. In fact when I moved here there was one in the lobby, with a spider plant in of course

The Morries nut roast I thought would be binned as it was cooking, not a pleasant smell to my nose, slightly garlicky and with Dracula in my family tree I loath garlic

However it tasted just fine, I only had a slim slice just in case. I can detect garlic though, so I will not be buying again. I normally peer at ingredients lists to avoid but must have missed that:(

I lost my appetite halfway through so a lot of the veg went in the bin, but have taken cheese out of fridge just in case I fancy some with crackers later

BucksLady

Farway wrote: »

with Dracula in my family tree I loath garlic :Dr

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

caronc

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Thanks.

My mother did phone eventually and it was an "innocent" explanation (ie not memory loss). She'd just been tied-up with summat else - and then phoned me after that was dealt with. I was surprised she hadnt "remembered" considering that she keeps a calendar in sight on which she notes things down and had anticipated she'd "remember" if just because of that.


Had my lunch out with friend and duly come back with present and card from her. But more valuable to me is that she just offered a favour I could do with - but didnt like to ask for - and that will save me some hassle and expense:D It's nice when someone has obviously thought about you....

Glad your Mum hadn't forgotten:), sounds as though you have good, thoughful friend there:)

MrAPJI wrote: »

The garage is 'much clearer' now - what a relief

Bet it is - if you have the "clearing garage" bug feel free to pop up to the West of Scotland and clear mine. I'd feed you;):rotfl:

Farway wrote: »

....with Dracula in my family tree I loath garlic

Not like garlic :eek: you wouldn't do well in my house I love the stuff so it features in the majority of food I cook. When I lived in London my flatmate & I took turns to cook. One time he decided to make "Chicken with 40 cloves of garlic" but mixed up cloves and bulbs:eek:. thankfully he didn't put 40 bulbs and I did wonder why he moaned about the cost so had used a bit less (though not that much), the smell when I arrived home was horrific, we didn't attempt to eat it.....

Lunch today ended being LO baked beans with a small piece of LO feta & spinach from the freezer followed by a banana. Tonight I'm for the delayed "Aubergine & kale satay" though still swithering between rice or noodles. I'll decide when I'm nearly ready eat:)

It did thaw this afternoon so milder tonight. I ventured round the block earlier, my word the wind chill was brutal kept me moving though;).

Unfortunately I think I might be coming down with "something" (probably picked up at the Dr's yesterday) as my throat feels a bit scratchy, my nose is dripping and I'm a bit headachy. No chills or aches though so hopefully a passing thing. Might have a wee brandy in hot milk at bedtime though:D ( I'm not keen on a toddy)

gt568

PasturesNew wrote: »

We used to have a "birthday tea" on our birthdays. Mum'd just cook a tea we liked on our birthday. One year there wasn't one. I found out 2-3 weeks later that there WAS .... but nobody told me. And, having cooked it and everybody else there .... with me being just 3 miles away it didn't occur to anybody to phone and enquire "are you coming round for your birthday tea?" Instead mum just chose to "get the hump with me".

I don't understand this. If it happened every year, and you knew it was your birthday and being only 3 miles away, why didn't it occur to pick up the phone and enquire "are we having tea?"?