Cooking for one (Mark Three)

justkeepswimmimg

Nice steady wfh day today, went a bit slowly this morning and then the afternoon whizzed by 🙃

Had LO creamy sausage and leek pasta with some green beans for lunch, then early tea of beans with toast before swimming. An apple and some Wensleydale with cranberries was nibbled with a cuppa when I got in. Watched the best of bake off thing - is it just me or did it used to be more fun? I thought the latest series was very average 🤔

Wednesday2000

I just had the leftover lentil soup and toast for breakfast. I am going to watch the football all day today, just like yesterday. Lol.

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Thought this year's bake off was better than the previous one but yes it's lost a bit of its gentle sparkle over the years. 
Feeling slightly meh after yesterday's COVID/flu jabs not helped by a much earlier than usual start to get a fasting blood test. Transpires when my bloods were taken last week my sugars were slightly elevated so as I hadn't had a fasting test for many, many years one was requested. I think a quiet day will be had and I might make a start on my Christmas cards as a couple need to go abroad.
LO pasta for lunch and tonight I'm making this Sausage and red pepper hotpot recipe - BBC Food which we'll have with green beans. 

Farway

A bit of a restless night with my gouty foot aching, resorted to taking a co codamol at 0330 this morning, which seems to have worked 'cos next thing it nearly seven and the rain was pounding down

Sun's out now & much brighter, but cold.

I was given a lift into Mark's, can't drive due to foot pressure on pedals

A few nice bits today including YS pork belly slices, never had them before but during my YouTube session the other day I found them, plus the yummy three chicken quarters at £1.20, and a YS minute steak. That's my meals for most of the week sorted now

No Scottish lamb steaks, seems YouTube popularity has cleared the shelf of those

Meals, lunch, a one egg wrinkly mushroom omelette in a HM fresh bread sarnie

Dinner, going to try the pork belly slices, but not sure with what accompaniments, may even just eat them Henry 8th greasy fingers style

Brambling

Caronc/ Farway I hope you are both feeling more yourselves 🙂

I agree about the bake-off I think they need to go back to more baking less savoury and sometimes I think they set them up to fail asking them to cook something 'strange' with hardly any recipe and really tight on the time. 

we had a power cut about 11.30pm last night, I couldn't sleep so was reading when the light went out, I wasn't sure at first if just my electrics and stupidly had move my rechargable 'lantern' downstairs so had to go down in the darkness to find it luckily I did know where it was 🙂 and checked my trip switch before looking out and seeing everything in darkness even the house behind me who leave a light on all night.  It was only 15/20 minutes so by the time I set the alarm on my phone and popped to the bathroom it came back on. Local FB said it was most of the town and the north side had two.  The lantern is charged and back by my bed.  I did recheck my candle and match supplies and have added a box of basic candles onto my Amazon order 🙂 I have some but if we get threatened power cuts I know I'm more organised than my sister and will lose some 🙄

A wet start to the day and it started hammering it down again about 7pm here so I changed my mind about going out 🤔 

lunch was pate and toast. Dinner was pasta with a tomato and vegetable sauce 

justkeepswimmimg

Rainy again to start the day, my drive to my regular offsite meeting was tedious 🙄. Brightened up during the morning but has definitely turned colder. 

Was home in time for lunch so scrambled eggs and mushrooms on toast. Quick reheat tea after swimming tonight - last portion of the lamb, chickpea and spinach curry with a pitta bread for dipping/scooping 😋

Farway

Today is just one of those grey November days with a stiff breeze to make sure you are really chilly if not wrapped up warm

Brambling, we seem to be getting more power cuts lately, don't know if it's damage or load shedding, but I'm stocked up with candles & matches from previous years, plus I bought battery operated "camping light" this year just as extra backup.

Luckily I have a gas oven so can light that for warmth if it gets desperate, reminding me of childhood coming home for school in the snow and sticking my frozen wet feet in the oven.   'Cos back in 50 schools never sent you home just because snow was topping over your wellies

Gout phase 2 seems to be easing, pain is nearly gone, but now my foot has swollen, however apart from looking "odd" it's fine, Just not got matching feet for the moment

Last night's pork belly slices were fine, not sure if I'll bother again, but I tried them at least

Lunch, more of the LO cold roast pork + Branston in a HM bread sarnie

Dinner, steak night, the YS Mark's minute steak, plus HM AF chips and some salad I think

My YouTube diving found a syrup pud, easy measurements & mixing + five minutes in microwave, obviously not the same as a nice steamed suet one but hey ho, worth a bash if I feel like a sweet hit in this cold grey weather

caronc

Good morning everyone,
I've always found microwave "steamed" puds pretty decent Farway.
Tipping it down here this morning.
Still feeling a bit meh and annoyingly as when I've had the COVID jab before I've developed horrible joint pain in all my joints. A gentle day on the cards I think trying to avoid seizing up completely. Apparently it's a not uncommon side effect for some people. I just wish I wasn't one of them as it's taken a long time to settle after previous jabs. Anyway moan over and I'll just need to get on with it!
Sausage hotpot was lovely, took a bit longer to cook than stated and I'd add less liquid next time as I ended up thickening the sauce with some potato flour. Definitely a keeper though. Lots LO so that's lunch covered. Chicken chasni for dinner with rice and naan. Sauce is already cooked so just the chicken to sort out.

justkeepswimmimg

Good evening everyone. Another slightly challenging day done, thank goodness it’s Friday tomorrow!

Farway, I only ever do pork belly slices Chinese style, something like this https://cookingwithcorinna.wordpress.com/2013/02/28/garlic-soy-honey-slow-cooked-pork-belly-slices/

Lunch was spicy carrot and lentil soup with a toasted pitta. Made chorizo and green bean rice with soft boiled egg tonight.

Brambling

Farway said:

warmth if it gets desperate, reminding me of childhood coming home for school in the snow and sticking my frozen wet feet in the oven.   'Cos back in 50 schools never sent you home just because snow was topping over your wellies

My YouTube diving found a syrup pud, easy measurements & mixing + five minutes in microwave, obviously not the same as a nice steamed suet one but hey ho, worth a bash if I feel like a sweet hit in this cold grey weather

schools never sent you home in the 70/80s either, that is how I broke my ankle at 14 the girls got the higher ground and were throwing snowballs at the boys 😁

You've reminded me that my sister use to make microwave 'steamed' pudding when my nephews were young if they were still hungry after dinner 

work was very much the same as yesterday, there are just two of us working tomorrow so hopefully it wouldn't be too busy.. it will be my last day until Thursday as I'm using up holiday 🙂. O plans other than not working 😁

lunch was cheese and crackers followed by a bowl of cooked apple and blackberry.  Dinner mushroom and sweetcorn pilaf with broccoli and peas