Cooking for one (Mark Three)

caronc

pineapple wrote: »

But in my last house I also used Ikea bags (different ones!) for growing runner beans on the patio. I used 2 bags together, side by side. Put in drainage holes, fill with compost/soil and erect a cane wigwam over the two. It worked a treat. :T

I've not used IKEA bags for growing things though have/do use all sorts of other bags and buckets. After my pooch died last year I repurposed the plastic base of his bed and grew chard and radishes in it:)

wort wrote: »

My garden has slugs!! Not good with growing crops.
I've done tomatoes and peppers and courgettes in the conservatory before, but they really weren't worth the effort. I may pick up a new chilli plant though, I used to over winter them but had so many one year I've only just used them all. I tend to dry them, not tried freezing, may try that.

I have a constant battle with slugs and snails but I'm determined they aren't going to stop me....

Farway/Kittie - you both sound as though your growing is well underway, I've not sowed any seeds yet will start them next week . It's pointless starting any earlier here as they don't thrive, not enough day light I think.

Ouch PN for the tooth and double ouch for the bill. You seem to have been hit by loads of expense this month, hopefully it's got all the big spends out of the way for 2018!

I'm overdue a dental check up so must get one sorted out. My health condition makes treatment tricky so thankfully I've not needed any work done for a few years. However, I've a filling needing replacing so suspect they may refer me to the dental hospital for that:eek:

It's a lovely day here so definitely hope to get a wee bit more done outside.:)

I had the usual toast/fruit for breakfast, lunch will be a salad roll and tonight I'm having turkey stir fry.

[Deleted User]

I went to the tip, was easier than lugging heavy bags up lots of stairs, was a nice trip and meantime washing was doing. Another 2 loads and I will be done in 30 minutes. A bit of shifting and moving pots outside earlier but am done, having kondoed lots of stuff, including outside. Garden is much easier this year.

Farway, I had way too many beans, moonlight, last year. I am being selective and am only growing 3 plants this year, plus a mini cucumber instead. I need to go to allotment today, forgot to sow chard and dill yesterday, anyway I have veg peelings to compost

Veg juice made and drank and washed up, stewed apple and hm yogurt eaten. I have to make scones today, the last of the milk needs to be used as do two eggs. I make 16 scones at a time, they freeze lovely. I might re-hoe today, I don`t want all those winter weeds to re-root

Farway

Pruning completed and garden tidied, it's looking much better now. Next on my list is sowing some self saved sunflower seeds in conservatory before my afternoon cuppa

Nice and warm today, I could've sat outside it was warm enough, but had my lunch in the conservatory to enjoy the free warmth

Because of the nice weather I changed my mind about dinner. Made a spud salad using my cold LO boiled spuds, I'll use that along with last of my YS 10p posh curly lettuce in a salad.
I would open tin of salmon to go with it, but I've had salmon for last two days, any more and I'll soon be swimming up stream to spawn

Plan so far is use with a tin of mackerel in tom sauce. Subject to change on a whim
The chilli is now defrosting in the fridge for tomorrow's rainy day meal

kittie wrote: »

Farway, I had way too many beans, moonlight, last year. I am being selective and am only growing 3 plants this year, plus a mini cucumber instead.

I'm cutting back on beans like you. There is only so much bean chutney I can eat in my remaining years;) I'm doing 20, 4 each of 5 varieties. But I give some crop away. Never grown Moonlight, I was looking out for it but sold out that year

PasturesNew

Lunch was a half bread roll, toasted, topped with cheese, a beefburger and ketchup, with a side of chips and some peas.

Box of 4 burgers bought .... three scoffed! I only bought them thinking "it'll be summery soon and I'll fancy one", didn't buy them to eat them so soon!

wort

Snap Farway, I've been gardening, got rid of a few large shrubs, emptied a couple more pots, after 5 hours lugging and lifting my backs had enough, but it's great to get those jobs done.
I'm on the hunt for a pittosporum tom thumb, got just the spot for it.
My rosemary is in the front garden it's huge! I have sage at the back but I don't even like it. I always forget to eat my chives too. I had mint in a pot last year, I'm hoping it's survived as it's for pimms in summer.
I'm having pasta for tea with spicy sauce, onion mushrooms and peppers, may add a bit of lo chicken or may not will decide at the time. Yogurt for after tea with the last kiwi.
Didn't go shopping, changed to Wednesday instead.

Brambling

PN hope the tooth is not too painful I think a filling on nhs cost me about £56 in December it comes under their band 2.

I'm envious of all of you who were able to potter in the garden today I managed a half hour walk lunch time. Then it a was a boringly long conference call listening to others bicker zzzz

One disadvantage of living alone is there no one to blame for 'someone' spilling something sticky on clean floors i've no idea what it is and the cat is denying any responsibility.

Off to look for ideas on what to do with the pork fillet I took out the freezer for dinner, I was going to stuff it but don't fancy that now maybe something Chinese as I have some stir fry veg left

moneyistooshorttomention

Half-hearted attempt at dinner today - which was giving way to temptation to buy what was billed as "energy mini burgers". Had them with potato wedges/did finally make that roasted red pepper dip/added some peas. Followed by fruit.

Verdict - well I guess a reading of the packet contents shoulda revealed to me it wasn't going to be particularly tasty (not with ingredients like tofu, rice and vegetables - all of which need "something" added for taste imo).

Hmm....oh well.....2 more of those mini-burgers tomorrow (with something or other) I guess and the rest to go in the freezer.

Decided I can eat them - but won't be buying them again.

More successful was my mental note that someone said one can put medjool dates in the freezer and then eat them straight outa the freezer - as a little "sweetie". Second experiment doing that - I'd realised it was a good idea to have cut them in half and removed the stone first:o. But - yes - a couple of them do make a nice little "sweetie".

FARWAY - re the daylily flowers. I was given some by a friend that had somehow read they were edible and decided to give me some - as they know what I'm like for trying things like that out. Verdict - hmmmm....a bit "summat and nowt" really taste-wise/more novelty value than anything/would probably have been better if they'd been "only just picked".

But I do sometimes add nasturtium leaves to salads and basically grow them in order to be able to do that if I want to - or chuck a few flowerheads on top of the salad to add a bit of colour.

caronc

Good evening everyone,
It's been lovely weather wise today though the weather is breaking now and we are forecast rain for a couple of days.
I had visitors earlier though still managed a trundle round the block and did a (very) little bit in the garden. I could do with putting weed killer on the slabs but as friends with pooches will be over this weekend I'll wait until after Easter. They have a young pup who is that stage of nibbling plants etc. so don't want to take any chances!
While out I bumped into someone I haven't seen for a few months, I know them well so wasn't offended when they commented on how tilted my posture is at the moment. I kind of realised that I was leaning a bit more but didn't think it had changed enough for anyone to notice.... I've kept up my physio exercises from last year so not sure what else I can do. One for my next review at the Drs, of course with the surgery changing whoever I see wont have a clue........:(
I think with the rainy weather due I'll make savoury mince tomorrow I've not had it in ages and as I've loads of root veg mash left from yesterday can have that with it. I might then make up a couple of cottage pies for the freezer as I've eaten most of my HM ready meals and I always like to have some in hand.:)

mcculloch29

I had an unusual no meat Monday tea today. Quorn meatballs with spinach and lentil daal as the sauce. It worked a lot better than I expected. Really tasty and not a tomato in sight, just for a change.
Yesterday, I went back in time and made a milk jelly from evaporated milk and a standard packet of raspberry jelly.
My mum made this a lot for Sunday tea when we were children, and I made it quite a few times with my own children.

Making it was so powerfully nostalgic that when it came to opening the tin of evaporated milk, I automatically looked for the tiny folding metal can opener that we used to pierce tins of milk.
Mum used one, and so did I, 30 years ago, when my children were young.
I do not think I have owned one this century, however.
The mind works in strange ways, sometimes.

wort

Memories can be very powerful McCulloch, and that's a lovely one.

Pouring rain all night actually woke me up. At least the shrubs will be well watered in.
I've had toast and will be off to work soon, ham salad and yogurt for lunch, possibly fruit too.
It's the last yogurt so I didn't eat it after tea yesterday, I had half a tin of rice pud instead.