Cooking for one (Mark Three)

Brambling

Some idiot :mad: left the pan of rhubarb and strawberries on the hob and went out side :eek: I turned the timer off and forgot to turn off the ring and remove the saucepan rhubarb in bin pan soaking with vinegar and baking soda, unfortunately it wasn't my 20 year old pan but the new one I brought a month ago :mad: I suppose I was lucky I came back in when I did as could have been worst. Why is it my smoke alarm goes off whenever I grill bacon if I don't shut the door, this charred mess not a peep

I picked a courgette tonight and a giant gherkin which hid under a leave (not sure what to do with that) when the kitchen no longer stinks of burnt rhubarb, sugar and vinegar I'll cook the courgette somehow to go with my lamb steak

That gin is beginning to look more attractive :rotfl:

caronc

I think we've all done that Brambling, my worst was getting side tracked and burning a load of chutney in a Le Cruest that I had saved very hard to buy . I did eventually get it clean but never quite got the cream colour inside full back. That said my son now has it as I can't manage the weight anymore and as he makes a lot of curries it's probably yellow now.
Cucumber works well in gin so I can't see why an unpickled gherkin wouldn't;)

Brambling

I like where your mind goes Caronc I like cucumber in gin

I'm another one who finds le Cruest pans too heavy for my wrists even empty, well that's my excuse when helping my sister cook. I have a nice set of judge stainless steel pans I brought about 25 years in a closing down sell and they are still going strong I just decided I wanted another one of a certain size which is the one I was using :cool:

Just checked the pan and vinegar & soda are working their magic

moneyistooshorttomention

I'll go with that - I like Le Creuset pans too - but find they are too heavy to be that manageable. So - that was a swop to reasonable quality stainless steel ones then...

The "burn the pan" thing - what I've done a couple of times is that I have a stainless steel steamer saucepan (with 2 slotted pans to fit over the top of it). So - that has meant that a couple of times I've left something that takes a little bit longer to steam (eg potatoes) in one of the slotted pans over base pan with a reasonable bit of boiling water in. Errrm...I underestimated how much water I'd need in the base pan and it boiled away and I landed up burning said base pan and it cleaned up - but hasnt been quite the same since:(

caronc

My favourite pans are a set of Prestige heavy guage stainless steel ones bought in a sale nearly 20 years ago. Even in the sale they were pretty expensive (for me) at the time at £99 but while I wouldn't say they are like new they're in excellent condition despite mega use over the years. My other really good buy was a stainless steel stock pot/casserole bought from Woolies for a tenner in 2006, my there are some good memories of big "one pot" meals cooked for get togethers in that pot:D.


If it wasn't for the fact it's not cold, it looks like winter outside with the rain lashing and the wind battering. I probably should have taken down some of my hanging baskets but by the time I thought of it there was no way I was venturing out so fingers crossed they are ok.


I didn't make quite as much mash as I thought I had, I've got 4 tuna fishcakes made and a bit left but probably only enough to have with dinner tomorrow. Corned beef patties will have to wait!

caronc

Just had to go & rescue my bbq cover as it had come off and was blowing about the garden & I don't want to have to buy a new one :mad:, my word it is wild out there:eek:

moneyistooshorttomention

Apparently it was around 5 a.m. this morning that it was going ballistic with wind here - I wouldnt know, as I slept right through it.

I've got pretty used to the winds that happen in this area by now (though I still hate them) - but apparently it was very bad even by this area's standards.

Just as well I was asleep then - or it would have been a toss-up as to whether I'd have been cowering in my bed hiding under my pillows or out there frantically trying to stop anything being blown around/over/etc.:cool:

Thankfully it's this area's definition of mildly windy at the moment....so watering can gathered from where it had blown and that was about that.

Farway

'morning folks, at last real & continuous rain, started during the evening and still going. The world around here will soon be green again, and the weeds will be up to my knees, every silver lining has a cloud;)

Breakfast back to porridge, banana, honey & HM yoghurt

Started off a fresh yoghurt batch, I don't know if it's panic Brexit scares buying or what but I'm finding it hard to get UHT blue top milk lately, I use that for my yoghurt, saves me "de-naturing" normal blue top

MY Madeira cake was bit of a flop, looks destined to become a sort of trifle thingy later today

Dinner, not sure, if it was not tipping down I'd go for a mooch to see if anything took my fancy, but seeing Caron mention of mash has reminded me I've a packet of instant in the cupboard, with bangers in the freezer. It's a possibility at least

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

The "burn the pan" thing - what I've done a couple of times is that I have a stainless steel steamer saucepan (with 2 slotted pans to fit over the top of it). So - that has meant that a couple of times I've left something that takes a little bit longer to steam (eg potatoes) in one of the slotted pans over base pan with a reasonable bit of boiling water in. Errrm...I underestimated how much water I'd need in the base pan and it boiled away and I landed up burning said base pan and it cleaned up - but hasnt been quite the same since:(

Yep, I've done the same, my steamer base is now "blued" from the heat, it's clean but unless I attempt to re temper it the blue will be there forever

caronc

Good morning everyone,
Wet and decidedly cooler here today, for the first time in ages I have long trousers & shore shoes on rather than shorts/crops and sandals.:(
I should have bitten the bullet and taken my hanging baskets down last night as one has come down bringing the bracket with it. When the rain lets up a bit I'll go and rescue it. From what I can see from the deck the beans are still standing and everything else seems ok. A house a few doors down has lost a good chunk of their garage roof so I've got off lightly.:eek:
Toast & the last of my son's gf's Mum's HM bitter orange marmalade. Cooked lunch I think today as it's just the weather for it and I've a pork chop defrosting for tonight. The chop is a lovely free range one so I'm definitely looking forward to sinking my gnashers into that:).

Farway

caronc wrote: »

I've a pork chop defrosting for tonight. The chop is a lovely free range one so I'm definitely looking forward to sinking my gnashers into that:).

I've got free range pork chop envy
Defrosting bangers is not now so appealing