Cooking for one (Mark Three)

Brambling

caronc wrote: »

When I was still working I used to frequently make rissotto on a Friday night as a way to unwind- 20 mins of mindless stirring etc. glass of red in one hand, spoon in other, bit of music in the background- it was a great way to pack the stress away:D

Sounds a good way to spend 20 mins to me glass of wine in the risotto glass in me :rotfl:

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

When I was still working I used to frequently make rissotto on a Friday night as a way to unwind- 20 mins of mindless stirring etc. glass of red in one hand, spoon in other, bit of music in the background- it was a great way to pack the stress away

I've never had an actual risotto... I've cooked rice in a frying pan with other stuff included ... and waited for the rice to cook and soak up the stock ... but I don't know if that's a risotto. It used to be called risotto in the 70s.

I don't have any music at home, certainly no "entertainment" in the kitchen ... and I don't drink wine.

Usually by the time I'd got back home from work, 6-6.30, got in, picked up the post, opened it, checked it, changed out of work clothes into comfy clothes, turned the telly on, checked the answerphone ... I'd usually be ready for toast Back then I also often had an evening job, or OU study to do, or something.

My kitchens have always been "cold/bleak spaces" ... not for loitering.

PasturesNew

To make or not to make ... how and when.

I'm still at the stage of wondering if I should make this pear thing... and precisely how I should make it (choice of 3 ways) ... and when I should start it.... make it and let it get cold, or make it and serve it hot then let the leftovers get cold.

I'll probably decide to make it when I'm starving, early evening, then think "oh, it's too late to be faffing"...

caronc

Lol PN my "entertainment" system in my kitchen comprises of an old very basic cd/radio but it works for me:):rotfl:
My kitchen/conservatory is probably my favourite room in the house so I spend lots of time there. When the kids were at home most nights were a flurry of chores and meals but on Friday's the boys had a chippy tea and I got to chill for a bit:).
I thought the library was open today but it's not so I'll need to wait until Tuesday. Thankfully between my kindle & cookbooks I shouldn't run out of reading material. I'm annoyed at forgetting it was a holiday weekend here as I could have easily gone on Thursday!
It's dry but chilly here and due to drop to around 4C tonight :eek:, so a good night for a curry:D. Lunch is going to be a BLT.
I'm going to start to empty out my greenhouse as some of the tom & cucumber plants are finished though most are still ok. Last year I had tomato plants still producing until the end of October so fingers crossed it's the same this year.:)

Farway

Breakfast of usual porridge, banana, honey & yoghurt.
I've changed to L's oats for the moment, normal is Smartprice but L's were right in front of my face yesterday so thought I'd try them.
Either SP has gone up in price or L's gone down, but comparable now. I actually quite like the L's one, seem a bit chunkier, and if I were on the no plastic band wagon the L ones are in a paper bag, SP are plastic.

Out early, needed to collect my LO prescription and they shut at noon

Went in Morries just for a change, I fancied the cream doughnuts that I'd seen before, 50p for 4 I think. None of them, just the jammy ones so left them on the shelf
Found my dinner though, YS Heck's 10 pack pork bangers, £2, 85% pork, do me fine for tonight & freeze the rest

Back home, assembled the planned sweet B & B pud, I also spread some of my HM ginger marmalade on the bread, I'd seen that tip somewhere and today's a good day to try it out

It is now in the oven, with some foil wrapped beetroot in as well, taking advantage of the heat:money:

Lunch is last of the YS ham, on it's final date, with salad bits in a sandwich

Dinner, will be some of the sausages, and with rain forecast mash & my beetroot would seem a nice match

PasturesNew wrote: »

Chicken dinners are easy to make. I've commented in the past that a table of salad is a lot more work than a roast dinner.

BUT ... don't forget that people these days have angst-ridden lives as they set out to learn how to cook it ... and get swept away with the gazillion 'celebrity' chefs and their styles.

You can simply lob it on top of a bunch of raw spuds if you wish... it'll cook. Or just wrap in foil, shove into a large baking dish and shove in the oven ... it'll cook.

As for "perfect roast potatoes" - there's no such thing. Everybody likes them differently, every potato behaves differently, so just lob what spuds you've got into a dish with some form of fat/oil and in they go .... they'll cook.


Stuffing? I'm not going near the chicken's bum and will worry about whether the inside of the chicken's become hot enough if there's no cavity ... so that goes in a separate dish .... covered or not, it'll cook.

Beyond the above, it's just chefs trying to flog their latest book in the main.

That's my style, especially the wrap in foil & bung it in method

PasturesNew

Farway wrote: »

Went in Morries just for a change....Found my dinner though, YS Heck's 10 pack pork bangers, £2, 85% pork, do me fine for tonight & freeze the rest

Morries ... you forgot to pick up giant yorkshires for those
They sell them, 40p ....

PasturesNew

Pears/cake mix in SC... went in about half an hour ago, so should be ready in about 90-120 minutes or so...

I don't think I've any instant custard... I should check that right now and, if not ... think about going out in the rain to get some.

Talking of Morries ... they do an instant chocolate custard packet. Unfortunately for me the Morries (13 mile round trip) closest to me doesn't stock it - and it's not worth a 40 mile round trip

Farway

PasturesNew wrote: »

Morries ... you forgot to pick up giant yorkshires for those
They sell them, 40p ....

You're right, forgot & it was not on my list, not sure I've freezer space at the moment.
Would have gone well with the YS bangers but bu66ered if I'm going out again

Farway

Update, had a wee bowl of the bread, butter & marmalade pud after lunch.

A good one, with plenty left for the next few days, unless I get greedy

Rain has set in, beetroots cooked, bangers will go in the oven later, maybe put an onion in with them
Only need to prep the spuds for mash now

I'm with most of you in not really liking watching TV in daytime, but with the wet & dull day outside, and my dinner just needing cooking I may settle down for a spot of Gardeners' World & a cuppa

moneyistooshorttomention

That's me thinking "There ain't direct substitutes for things in different supermarkets then" - as snacking on what should be totally "Free Food" (as I'm too hungry to wait for dinner) and it's not. Reason - the yogurt is from Aldi, instead of Tesco.

Aldi did have a spell of getting better recently - but has gone back downhill (at least my local one has). Far too many compromises when I went in there recently (the yogurt was not organic or "live" and now I've discovered it's 4% fat, instead of o% fat). I'd already compromised on standard apples (as they had no organic ones whatsoever), couldnt get tomatoes (refused to buy non-organic) and a couple of other compromises.

That's Aldi out again then. Might take a look at it in a few months - to see if it's improved.

Weight must be improving gradually I guess - I wasnt able to do up a pair of trousers that say they are size 10 on the label and I've no idea what size they really are (as they're a pass-on from my mother - so I've no idea whether they're old enough to be "real size 10" or they are 2 sizes bigger at 2010's "size 10"/really size 14). They're not comfortable yet though. I always walk at my normal speed (regardless of what size I am) and didnt feel quite so puffed as I have done walking at what is a reasonably fast pace for a woman. So - I think improvement is happening slowly....