Cooking for one (Mark Three)

missychrissy

I like Aldi’s tins of beans and sausage at 40p. They contain 8 little sausages (though I had one with only 7 once) and I’ll have half a tin on toast. I keep my bread in the freezer so only defrost what I need and at £1.05 a loaf (16 slices) that’s 6.6 per slice. That’s a meal for 26.6p.
I use a lot of dried veg eg red lentils, split peas, barley and next time I open a new packet I’m going to cost it out per tablespoon so that I can cost out meals more precisely.

PasturesNew

missychrissy said:

I like Aldi’s tins of beans and sausage at 40p. They contain 8 little sausages (though I had one with only 7 once) and I’ll have half a tin on toast. I keep my bread in the freezer so only defrost what I need and at £1.05 a loaf (16 slices) that’s 6.6 per slice. That’s a meal for 26.6p.
I use a lot of dried veg eg red lentils, split peas, barley and next time I open a new packet I’m going to cost it out per tablespoon so that I can cost out meals more precisely.

I like the meatballs in tomato sauce at about 40p from L1dl/4ldi.  I serve half a can on rice or pasta (or even mash) and it's kind of a bit like sweet/sour meatballs... and I know I could add a splash of things to make it sweet/sour and/or I could add peppers/pineapple/carrot, but I never actually add those things. I could also add curry paste and make it tikka massala meatballs, but I don't. I just eat the meatballs most of the time   

I also usually buy the sausages/beans, but, right now, Mr T is my closest shop - it's walkable and I will walk there when I am not expecting to pick up 24-48 cans of fizzy pop.  L1dl is further along the road and small; 4ldi is another 1.5 miles away and small.  So, right now, I'm exploring Mr T's cheapo food choices.... buying the same things I'd get from 4ldi/L1dl. 

For bread I buy a loaf closest to 55-60p.  I used to buy the 35p loaves at L1dl/4ldi but they weren't that great... whereas the 55p loaves are "springier/softer" in the main.  I can't waste freezer space on bread at present as I've just under half of one shelf available to me, half a loaf would take up most of that.

greenbee

PN - you could tell her you're happy to respect her opinion if she respects yours. And that as in your opinion her behaviour puts you at more risk, she needs to keep well away from you. Or you could raise it with your LL, as it impacts on everyone in the house. 

PasturesNew

One explanation I thought of is it's a bit like Father Christmas..... I don't believe he exists, but that doesn't mean I don't observe all the Father Christmas traditions and let others get on with believing it....  it's possible to co-exist alongside those who believe Father Christmas exists and behave as if he's real when in a situation where he's relevant to a community.

greenbee

Maybe you should start wearing a mask indoors to make your point

Farway

Shopping arrived, 30 minutes late but no problem, not like I was waiting to dash out to some illegal rave

The cheapo spud subs are fine, looks like they have all gone onto New season spuds now, at long last. and saved me 11p as well

Plus the longed for sausages have arrived to sample, hope I like them after all this wait. Long dated so no hurry

I do have powdered milk, bought some "just in case "as lock down started but didn't want to open it for just a cup of tea knowing full well fresh milk was due

I'd opened the UHT which is ex HM Yoghurt stock and getting close to BBE date, it's fine but not in tea

I'll add evaporated to my list, good idea, used to always use that on board ship, but this time it'll not have cockroaches peering out of the top

Any LO can be used for a 50s style fruit salad

Talking of which more windfall apples awaiting stewing tomorrow. Plus the runners are upright again.

Skipped lunch due to delivery & too late to eat now so I'll carry on until tin of spag on toast for dinner

PasturesNew said:

Brambling said:

 
PN I'm surprised you are looking at flats as I know you are sensitive to noise and flats can be noisy

Yes, which is why few fit the brief.  There are flats .... and flats.... many round this way are converted from old mansions and some have a sort of "bungalow" sticking out at one end, for example.... so very little of it is under another flat.  I've seen one with a drive up to a garage, front door beside that and gate into garden beside that and it had a large conservatory.... self-contained and space to extract oneself from any irritants.  These are still difficult to find + they present their own new problems.  e.g. there's one round the corner, almost a new build... but the parking is right in front of the front door and is beside the bins... the layout is such that you'd sit inside facing the ceiling to floor windows, staring at your own bonnet and everybody going to/from the bins.

There's a block of flats near here like that, converted offices, even worse the ground slopes and has been terraced,

The flats are lower than the car park so apart from spending your leisure looking up at radiator grills I'd always be wating for a car to crash through into my flat

PasturesNew

 Farway said:

There's a block of flats near here like that, converted offices, even worse the ground slopes and has been terraced,

The flats are lower than the car park so apart from spending your leisure looking up at radiator grills I'd always be wating for a car to crash through into my flat

It's quite amazing how most flats appear to simply have "view of the car park, nearest car's 2-3' from where you'd sit" + a big smattering of "below car park level".  On my list is "Never be below footfall level".  I just don't like the idea of being loomed over.... 

Brambling

I knew someone who brought a new build flat a couple of years ago and has had a nightmare with it due to poor noise insulation, they were all trying to get the builder to reinsulate all the flats as they feel he didn't do it probably, i have t seen her since lock down but last I heard they were still fighting him which In itself wa proving costly.  I lived in a grd floor flat for 15 years with 2 maisonettes above me (one over the living area, the other over the bedrooms) , my nosiest neighbour was the elderly lady over the bedrooms who would record quizzes and watch them late at night I would lay in bed and answer the questions 🙄 at least she never put in wooden floors which a friends' upstairs neighbour did 

I needed to shut my bedroom window last night for the first time in months, no rain but Francis was definitely making its feelings known, it was very windy, however sleeping shut in always makes me stuffy and chesty. 

lunch was LO tuna mayo from with salad.  Dinner was a spicy burger and fried onions in a wrap with salad leaves, the burgers were less than half price YS from M&S  sold off when the BBQ weather turned to rain, I picked up two packs of 4 a couple of weeks ago, one pack spicy and the other 3% fat 

Farway

The morning started with "my" patch of UK in the sun according to TV map & looking out of the window. Clouding over & now getting ready to rain later

Still slightly off food post tum troubles. OK snacking, open a tin etc but not proper prep & cooking

With that in mind I've just made a packet loaf in the Panny as base for lunch, and maybe diinner

My DNA test arrived, it'll take a while for results I expect, has to go back to Texas first

Cleared out my cherry toms from the conservatory, full of white flies. Loads of toms though.

I think I'll follow my normal routine & freeze whole to use in stews etc

Not stewed the windfalls yet, sort of CBA & lacking oomph

Lunch maybe tuna / mayo sarnie with fresh warm loaf

Dinner. ??? possibly another CBA sarnie

Brambling said:

I knew someone who brought a new build flat a couple of years ago and has had a nightmare with it due to poor noise insulation, they were all trying to get the builder to reinsulate all the flats as they feel he didn't do it probably, i have t seen her since lock down but last I heard they were still fighting him which In itself wa proving costly.  I lived in a grd floor flat for 15 years with 2 maisonettes above me (one over the living area, the other over the bedrooms) , my nosiest neighbour was the elderly lady over the bedrooms who would record quizzes and watch them late at night I would lay in bed and answer the questions 🙄 at least she never put in wooden floors which a friends' upstairs neighbour did 

Had to chuckle at that

caronc

Good morning everyone, 
AWOL yesterday, just one of those days where RL gets in the way of noodling online!
Yes flats can be great but I wouldn't want a new build. My sister's is fab, 6 flats over 3 floors in the block which was built in the 1890s and no common walls with the neighbour on your landing. Near her is a new build built in a similar style, same height etc. but has 8 flats over four floors so much lower ceilings and a smaller space between each floor so noisier I would imagine. 
I'm CFO for a few days as my son headed off earlier with his mates to spend a few days in walking & fishing in Skye before heading to Mallaig on Sunday to see a friend who is working there. I'm hoping the weather is kind to them as it's grey, chilly and drizzly here this morning. 
My tumble dryer seems to have died, though it might be a socket issue. It was too late last night to have a proper investigation so it's just been isolated until my son can have a proper look at it. It was just a cheapy and is several years old so won't be worth repairing. I don't use it much but wouldn't want to be without one either. 
LO pasta with broccoli & spinach sauce for lunch and I've bangers and HM mash defrosting for tonight.