Cooking for one (Mark Three)

caronc

Good morning everyone,
A big mug of hot chocolate would use a fair bit up PN:)
Chilly & showery here this morning so apart from a bin run I've not ventured out.
My dining table had become a bit of a dumping ground with bits needing put away post-engagement party. One of those jobs I'd been putting off but all tidy now and in reality didn't take long.
I'm off to my friend's for tea and a "catch up" tomorrow and as she is at work all day I said I'd take make some bread and a dip both of which I'll start later. I'm also going to make a banana and blueberry loaf as I have over ripe bananas and I'm sure her hubby & kids will eat that up.
Lunch will be the remaining scotch egg and salad. I was going to make savoury mince for dinner but after ragu last night I don't fancy it. I've HM swedish meatballs in the freezer so might have those instead with root veg mash, savoy cabbage & gravy instead.:)

Wednesday2000

Very healthy breakfast, some salt and vinegar crisps and a cup of tea and a cup of coffee.:eek::D

Still feeling a bit rough and like the sore throat is turning into a cold.

I have shopping coming in a couple of hours so I am going to have a wholemeal roll with a Quorn "ham" slice and lettuce and mustard and the rest of the black bean salad I made. Black beans, sweetcorn, cherry toms, cucumber, coriander and red pepper.

I'm washing the pet blankets. It is very sunny out there so I might be able to put them on the washing line.

PasturesNew

caronc wrote: »

A big mug of hot chocolate would use a fair bit up PN:)

I'm one of those people grossed out by hot/warm milky drinks.... I use water for hot chocolate. I have old memories of milk forming a skin on the top of drinks... that looks nasty.

wort

No rain here, it's been lovely and sunny since Sunday lunchtime.

Yesterday I painted the bathroom door, 2 coats of chalk paint, with all windows open.
After 1 st coat ran down and hoovered and mopped.hung out the bedding.
Sorted tea out. Lo roast chicken with potatoes, a jar of tomato and chilli sauce extra chilli flakes and some fajita seasoning. Cheese on top and ready to put in oven when dgson arrives from school. I'll finish off the stewed apples with sponge and custard.

After 2nd coat, ran down ate prepared roll chicken and salad. Then walked over to the retail park around a mile away. My back started to give me gip almost immediately, as I hadn't sat down all day. Got slippers for dd2 and a sweatshirt for dd1 s boyfriend.
After tea nipped and borrowed wax from my niece, and waxed the door.

Today , I've had to take the fairy lights out from round my driftwood mirror, as the cable was damaged near the plug, and had sparked the night before. So they've been binned . Had a good hoover round skirting etc.
Just had another chicken/ salad roll then Greek yogurt and a pear.
I'm waiting for my mirror to be delivered, and annoyingly it's between 2 and 3. I really wanted to head up to the cemetery whilst it's nice. I need to pick up milk and potatoes thanks for the reminder !!!
Undecided on tea???
PN soggy tomato butties ,can't beat them remind me of my childhood! Strangely I always have them after I've had a stomach bug and start eating again. Tasty but unlikely to make me feel sick.
Toast is too dry when I've bee ill.

PasturesNew

Ever bother.... then wonder why you did?
Ever feel you're perpetually playing "catch up"?

I wasn't sure if I'd bother making an eggy bake (aka crustless quiche)... but, in reaching to get an onion out in case I did, I discovered 1Kg of carrots I'd bought and forgotten *sighs*.

So .... we're now up to nearly 1 pint of milk and 1Kg of carrots.... and don't take the eye off those 2.5Kg of spuds as they're starting to sprout... *sighs*.

Well ... only thing for it really was to peel/blanche the carrots immediately and they're now wrapped in 3s in foil in the fridge "cooling a bit more" and I'll toss those into the freezer later... so now the freezer's full too. Four portions of three carrots a portion that is. They'll outlive the rest of this year! Probably handy for Xmas dinner though.

So... that quiche... that's the "ever bother.... then wonder why you did" bit. Cheese, chopped the onion, grab some cherry tomatoes.. one egg ... and just 60ml of milk - that's barely dented that 1 pint.

It's in now anyway ... I didn't know which dish to use... so decided to use one of the small loaf tins I bought from 4ldi many months ago as "they'll come in handy as they look like they'll fit inside the SC" and they do.

I could've doubled up the quiche.... but that'd have just made one deeper/thicker than I thought I'd have preferred.. I could make a 2nd one later... maybe use a carrot and add some peas and call it a veg medley but I doubt I'll be motivated. I've only one egg remaining too, so that'd make me out of eggs.

So, carrots out of sight; a little of the milk used. Job has to count as "could try harder"

Farway

Last night's baked spud & cheesy beans was simple but very tasty
And followed a bit later by the nuked apples and choc Instant Whip

It is over 30 years since I've had Instant Whip, since kids grew up. Just as nice as I remember it. I may give it another go for my birthday party as I read congrats telegram from whoever is Monarch at the time:D

Another use for excess milk PN, IW is on your like it list I believe?

Quite warm in the sun, but not quite warm enough to tempt me into planting the daff bulbs

Nothing YS in L's, and somehow there appears to be a milk shortage here. none in L's or the Co-op either:(

I've got enough to last until next shop, plus some UHT which I could use if pushed. I only have a splash in tea but used more with last night's IW, I was planning on getting more milk today. I'll survive

Baked a PB baguette, with cheese & salad in middle for lunch
Then a Wagon Wheel:o

For dinner I've taken YS Nov 2017, boil in bag kippers out of freezer.
I'll make mash & use up the LO beans. Nice and easy

PasturesNew

Farway wrote: »

.... choc Instant Whip

It is over 30 years since I've had Instant Whip, since kids grew up. Just as nice as I remember it. I may give it another go for my birthday party as I read congrats telegram from whoever is Monarch at the time:D

Another use for excess milk PN, IW is on your like it list I believe?

Yes! I'd completely forgotten I had that! I have several packets in the kitchen.... so off now to choose one and use more of that milk up

Cheers for the reminder.

It's also nearly time to take my quiche from the SC.... nearly time... by the time I've done the IW it'll be "poke the quiche" time.

Might have quiche/chips/beans for tea.

EDIT: Milk left was exactly what the whole pack needed, so I've made up two large portions of chocolate (own brand) angel delight, which are in the fridge

Quiche is being served with chips and beans, just waiting for the chips to finish cooking at the moment....

Even though it's "quite small" I cut the quiche in half, so half is boxed up and in the fridge.... er, that'll need using up then

moneyistooshorttomention

Duly took the advice for RICE as treatment for sprained foot. Thanks all.

It's very nearly back to normal already. Should be completely normal again tomorrow then - just in time for me to have one of my dance classes I have each week:D - and probably a communal lunch out afterwards again:D

Had to spend a couple of hours sitting constantly on my backside today anyway - courtesy of one of my "once in a while" long phonecalls from an old work colleague friend from many years back. So feet up whilst we had a 2 hour phone call:rotfl:. All's right with my world after a comment from her (she's from this area/not my home city and she doesn't live there either any more) saying "I like people from your Home City - you all believe in discussing things together/don't want to argue if you can help it - but will if you have to - and don't like people who decide they are In Charge. You all just want to work out what The Facts are and you like a nice easy life and that's why I like you:rotfl:". That's us - in one:) Good to have confirmation of what I've spent the last few years figuring out...I can be slow on the uptake sometimes:o

Cue for good mood then...:)

So - preparing dinner will be a bit later than I'd planned for tonight. Had couple of hardboiled eggs en route to it and it's going to be another Slimming World idea - mushroom stroganoff (with quark - instead of sour cream) and no time to cook brown rice. So it will be couscous with it and steamed spinach.

caronc

Good evening everyone,
Great you found a use up for your milk PN- excellent suggestion Farway:)
Glad your sprain has settled Money:), just watch it doesn't "give" while you are strutting your stuff some tubigrip might be an idea!
Phew you've been busy wort, hope the mirror arrived ok.
Sounds as though you've got the lurgy Wednesday hope it lifts quickly.
My poor Dad has for the first time taken a bit of reaction to the flu jab he got on Saturday. He's spoken to the pharamacist who said there's been a few folk like him this year who are normally fine but it should settle in a few days. He must be feeling pants as he didn't do his usual circuit on his scooter so no visits for grub scrounging;).
Next door's cat has been sleeping on a chair for hours.... He was so motionless I had to have quick check to see he was still breathing, he wasn't amused at being disturbed.:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

I've just made a tub of butterbean & roast pepper dip for tomorrow. I did what I always do but it's turned out quite runny. I'm hoping it will firm up overnight, if not I'll not be taking it and will make something else instead.
I'm just off to put a "bread sponge" together so I can make the dough first thing and then I'll sort out dinner. The meatballs and root veg mash are already cooked so just need heating and veg & gravy won't take long.

caronc

Money - meant to add, I usually cook a few portions of brown rice at one time as a batch takes the same time as a single portion. I portion it in 1/2 cup amounts and freeze.