Cooking for one (Mark Three)

threepenny_bit

Brambling said:

Threepenny mine is the basket type rather than the actifry type with a paddle, so you give the food a shake or turn it over. I definitely recommend them and for a CFO it saves putting the oven on and I even finish off microwave jacket potatoes in it so they taste like oven baked ones.

thanks I will take a look 

Farway

More rain this morning, looks decidedly yucky outside, not that I was going anywhere as it happens

threepenny_bit said:

Brambling said:

lunch was between calls, I put some spinach, feta and pine nut filo triangles in the AF with one which was apple and blackberry.  Dinner breaded fish, AF chips and green veg

do you have one of the stand up AF's Brambling? I have been looking at them with the little drawer type baskets and a rotisseries style basket. They are fairly new here and I still have one of the old T fal ones like a frying pan shape. Looking at getting a new one but cant just decide which type is best. I dont have too much counter top space so no good having a great big thing like a toaster oven.'

I have a stand up one, with a pull out basket. I used to have a Tefal Actiry, the frying saucer type, but when it broke I replaced it with current stand up AF.

I think I prefer this one which I tend to treat as a small electric fan oven regarding cooking / heating times

Not used for ambitious items but fine for sausages, fish fingers,reheating pasties, HM chips, even 1/4 chicken went very well in it

Following advice on here I opted for the removable basket type. Mine's only CFO size and is ideal for that

Lunch today I fancy grilled tinned sardines on buttery toast

Dinner, Ice£and MFO RM chicken hotpot, another one pound MFO. I may steam some cabbage & carrots to go with it given this bleugh weather, comfort food is required

With next year being very much up in the air I've just splashed out on an annul delivery pass from Asda, works out at £6 a month and now a delivery is six quid any way it fits in with my shopping, and I can't see W8rose continuing the £40 free delivery for a lot longer, once the  have enough customers at at price point

Unfortunately it doesn't cover my delivery during Christmas week, that week is excluded

caronc

Good morning everyone, 
I have the basket type too like Farway & Brambling. I love it and it has really cut back on my oven usage.
The passes are good value Farway, shame Asda don't cover Christmas week. I have an annual Tesco one which also works out at £6 per month though I see they have paused new sign ups just now. Mine does cover Christmas and gave early access to the slots though even then the closest I could get was the 21st, I think I would have needed to get up in the middle of the night to snaffle one nearer to the 25th. 
Dull and damp here today though a good bit milder. More cleaning beckons, I hope I make better progress than I did yesterday.
Last night's fish soup/stew was delicious though they'll be no risk of vampires as it was very garlicky, especially as I topped it with a garlic, parsley and crème fraiche mix. They was a little LO but as I had used a pre-cooked seafood mix as part of it they've been ditched as I wouldn't risk reheating that. Lunch will be a sarnie and fruit and tonight it's egg, mushrooms, beans and AF chips.

Brambling

Damp here as well although not too cold so I can't complain  this mornings' 10am call finished at 5pm 😳 we did grab a hour for lunch 

 I made chicken soup from stock made yesterday using a carcass from the freezer and had a portion for lunch. Dinner was going to be salmon but I had gone off the idea when it came to dinner so had cheese on toast followed by a side of indigestion  I should have cooked the salmon 😐

Farway

I had just about finished typing when there was a power cut, so having to start over

Raining again this morning

Spent a bit of time amending my W8rose order, just thankful the power cut was not in the middle of that stint.

Had to amend because I found out the butter I hadn't the butter I thought I had, plus some of the onion hoard were mankier than I thought

Fresh stocks ordered & XCFO is safe

Brambling said:

 I made chicken soup from stock made yesterday using a carcass from the freezer and had a portion for lunch. Dinner was going to be salmon but I had gone off the idea when it came to dinner so had cheese on toast followed by a side of indigestion  I should have cooked the salmon 😐

Sniggered at that. Update on the Brighton Blue, seems OOS until 9th Jan so unable to add that onto the Wednesday delivery.

I think there's a trip to Ye Olde Farm Shoppe coming up so I'll see what's around then

Lunch will be grilled cheese on toast, with piccalilli topping

Dinner, defrosted a posh FR  braising steak overnight planning for braised steak & onions, which is how I discovered my manky onions

Enough onions left to complete the operation though, with some frozen mushrooms lobbed in

I'll use some of the huge spuds from my delivery to make a pot of mash, served with steamed last of the Savoy & curly carrots

caronc

Good afternoon everyone, 
Hope the tum settled Brambling.
Braised steak sounds like a plan for the weekend, I have a tub in the freezer from when I cooked some a wee while go. Thanks Farway. CFO from tomorrow for a few days and I'm planning to use up various single portions of things while my son is away. 
Groceries have been delivered and my Christmas stash of goodies is building.
I got on well yesterday and my under sink and bits & bobs cupboard is all clean & organised. I'm still working my way through the huge amount of cleaning materials my Dad had. It's well over a year since we cleared out his flat and I've hardly made a dent in stuff!
Sarnie or pork pie for lunch and probably breaded haddock for dinner this evening. 

Farway

caronc said:

Braised steak sounds like a plan for the weekend, I have a tub in the freezer from when I cooked some a wee while go. Thanks Farway. CFO from tomorrow for a few days and I'm planning to use up various single portions of things while my son is away. 
Groceries have been delivered and my Christmas stash of goodies is building.  

Yep, the piece I had was huge, do for two days easily, I cut it into four large bits, amazed how lean it is. I must add some more to my delivery before next week

My XCFO grocery stash is also slowly building, nothing exotic so far except a mini brandied Christmas pud

Brambling

Quiet day at work today with only one 45 min call which created a major problems which luckily is way above my pay grade to solve  

lunch was a portion of chicken soup.  Dinner was the salmon I didn't eat last night, pan fried with new potatoes and green vegetables. Dinner was preceded by a light snooze which is unusual for me but obviously needed or could just be the excitement of the news 🤔

Farway

Blue sky in parts, maybe a salad for dinner?

Only task for the day is write some Christmas cards, in true MSE style bought YS in January

I also have to change my radio alarm clock to UK, bought it years back in L's and naturally it keeps German time synced to some German transmitter, which I change to UK time

When I replace the batteries it reverts back to German, but of course by then a year or so has passed since my last time zone reset and I have to hunt the instructions and knock the grey cells about to sort it.

First world problems of course, but if I listen to the Beeb or Grauniad it will probably explode on Brexit day and cease to work again

Meals for today are not decided, lunch probably toast & scrape of something

Dinner, maybe salad or MFO stab & ping

caronc

Good afternoon everyone, 
After a damp and grey start it turned in to a beautiful if chilly day. The house has had a good airing and my elder son and DIL-to-be came by for a cuppa and a catch up in the garden bearing a gift of some HM sauerkraut. 😁
My younger son has not long left, he should be back on Wednesday evening, so I'm CFO for a few days. I doubt I'll have time to weary though as I have a very long 'to do' list now the kitchen work is finished. As always when sanding is involved the dust has wandered through the house so lots of damp dusting and mopping is required! I'm not starting it today though as I've been fairly busy up to now, instead I'm going to write Christmas cards. My Seasalt parcel arrived and I'm going to return one of the frocks, it a lovely dress but isn't hanging quite right on me and I know if I keep it will end up in the back of my wardrobe unloved.
Lunch was late and was a quick corned beef and pickle roll and some grapes. I'm undecided between pizza or a posh fish finger sandwich for dinner.