Cooking for one (Mark Three)

PasturesNew

I'm officially moving. So sitting "stunned" at the moment. I could/should be doing something, or packing, or sorting, or something, but as this has dragged on so long I think I am just in temporary shock/relief.

Having defrosted the freezer, it needs to be sold.... I've turned it back on for now, but next job there is to empty the fridge bit. I'd been holding onto quite a few "empty" brown sauce/ketchup bottles, intending to rinse them out with a splash of boiling water and to toss that into the SC with an appropriate meal, only I never remembered

The fridge doesn't contain much that needs to be refrigerated, it's just 1/5th of a tub of marg and a 350g or so block of cheddar.

I had two hot sausage rolls for lunch.

Brambling

Farway wrote: »

For weather I use https://www.ventusky.com/ [thanks PN], it has radar results, and as "my weather" is always someone's old stuff I get advance warning of what's on the way, today all rain is North of me:)

If they post early enough for weather i use PN and Farway usually if the weather is coming in from the west it hits them first before me my BIL listens to Irish radio, he says we normally get it a day or so later than them

Hopefully you'll get your posh hearing aids Farway, you might want to check if they cover the batteries as they can be expensive and don't last long (my eldest sister says 4 days for her digital ones).

Lunch today was HM chicken soup and a slice of frittata not sure about dinner yet but will include gammon

Farway

AndyCF wrote: »

The bacon bits should work OK I guess (can you airfry bacon on its own ? I guess so apart from the swimming fat ?) , in that it may flavour the fries/chips/potato bits nicely. My only thought here is to use small bits as in under an inch in size or less perhaps.

Never tried bacon air fried, I grill mainly or oven cook but no reason air fry wouldn't work except I prefer crispy streaky
When I try the bacon flavoured chips I will only pop in a few small bits of bacon as you suggest

I have air fried bangers in with the chips before, that worked fine even though timings were different, bangers first, chips in once bangers had started to cook


Now I fancy bangers & chips tomorrow;)

Brambling

Good new PN at least the waiting is over :T did you get your 2 weeks you needed

AndyCF

PasturesNew wrote: »

I'm officially moving. So sitting "stunned" at the moment. I could/should be doing something, or packing, or sorting, or something, but as this has dragged on so long I think I am just in temporary shock/relief.

Having defrosted the freezer, it needs to be sold.... I've turned it back on for now, but next job there is to empty the fridge bit. I'd been holding onto quite a few "empty" brown sauce/ketchup bottles, intending to rinse them out with a splash of boiling water and to toss that into the SC with an appropriate meal, only I never remembered

The fridge doesn't contain much that needs to be refrigerated, it's just 1/5th of a tub of marg and a 350g or so block of cheddar.

I had two hot sausage rolls for lunch.

Lunch sounds nice. I must really see about some half decent saus rolls. The cake shop ones are really really nice but too expensive. Mind you BM does have the Gins in sometimes for £1 or so. I think thats the twin pack.

Fridge does not sound like much trauma.

Hopefully freezer buyer (advertised/someone in mind etc) will make an appearance soon. Unsure on the situation in trying to 'sell to' a second hand type place, they tend to either be full of rules/regulations/disinterested or say "well we can't pay but will take for free" (and when you look a week later its in the window for £75!) , that kind of thing.

Worst case scenario either get council to take (if its free, used to be due to cfc) but ours charge £15 now , interestingly they have not accepted the large number that get dumped aroudn this area now has anything to do with that policy change! Failing that 'last roll of the dice' , just leave it in the house. New owner might be pleased perhaps.

Stunned, well as you say its taken ages so its perfectly acceptable to "take 5" I think here. There is always plenty of time for packing etc etc. Rushing just causes problems I've found.

Perhaps a nice hot drink then later today or tomorrow start to investigate some empty card boxes with a view to putting the 'less used' bits into them.

I am totally sure it will be fine however. Regardless of if you seek friends/assistance from others for it or not.

Farway wrote: »

Never tried bacon air fried, I grill mainly or oven cook but no reason air fry wouldn't work except I prefer crispy streaky
When I try the bacon flavoured chips I will only pop in a few small bits of bacon as you suggest

I have air fried bangers in with the chips before, that worked fine even though timings were different, bangers first, chips in once bangers had started to cook


Now I fancy bangers & chips tomorrow;)

It works reasonably well in a microwave too , I just cover the plate. I've seen those 'tree mug' type hangers but the thought of spending two hours cleaning the microwave out of splatters after did not inspire. I see no reason why you could not air fry bacon though, maybe a random net search will reveal peoples thoughts on this. My main 'concern' would be it swimming in fat perhaps. Then again people must air fry sausage ? Unless it gets broken up by the paddle if using an acti model.

Staged cooking I used to do that with the regular oven when it was meat chops time, they would get a bit of a doing before I threw a ew potatoes in as well. I still do that if I'm doing potato's with other veg as said pots need longer I've foudn so I prefer to let them have five minutes on their own before putting other small veg in.

PasturesNew

Brambling wrote: »

did you get your 2 weeks you needed

Yes.

Too "twitchy" to crack on right now though ... spent too long mentally limbering up at the start line.... I've crashed and burned when the real race started.

I figure.... it'll come together once I've slept on it.

Belongings never look much when you're thinking about them, looking at them, walking past them. When you now have to actually sort them out, pack into appropriate boxes (and have the right ones to hand), it all gets a bit overwhelming.

PasturesNew

I just did a £land run.

Bag of choccies
Two 9-packs of the lemon drizzle kit kats.

Keep me going

Eating the choccies, well, half way through them and I've only been in the house 3-4 minutes

AndyCF

PasturesNew wrote: »

I figure.... it'll come together once I've slept on it.

Best plan I think.

PasturesNew wrote: »

Belongings never look much when you're thinking about them, looking at them, walking past them. When you now have to actually sort them out, pack into appropriate boxes (and have the right ones to hand), it all gets a bit overwhelming.

Small steps perhaps are the order of the day here then, one box and if you are then in the mood for more = fine, if you're annoyed with it = fine too.

Assuming the time limit is not too tight then there should be (hopefully) enough time for you to do this at your own leisure and comfort "level"

Just debating on ordering some 'sausage bytes' actually for later in the week need to order the day before, get a neat bag of them for £1 and they are made from the 'really good' proper sausage rolls. More about that tomorrow if I do this. Just noted the time and the cake shop is shut now so I can't today!

AndyCF

Unsure on evening food. Although I can almost be sure it will involve peas and/or meatballs!

I could mix them up but I really enjoyed the meatballs with a few potato bits the other day, but I'd not want to repeat it so soon. I think that 'mix' is best saved for a weekend.

I do have some carrots to use up but I'm not really in a carrot mood having had some yesterday and the day before and if I am not mistaken last Thurs as well. I do like them as long as they are -really- well done just not 7 days a week please! :T

On a different note, assuming that the weather is reasonable tomorrow and I have time I'm off for my A1di 'adventure' , I have a vague list from looking online (just in my head) and I'm bound to see a lot more than I could possibly buy or carry! Just my 'internal list' is a few bits I must try! Some of them have been recommended on here too.

I might also be cheeky and see if there are any P.T opportunities while there too, no harm in asking, worst is 'no!'

caronc

Good evening everyone,
That good news PN - yes packing is daunting but I'm sure once you've had a chance to sleep on it, it will all come together.:)
Welcome to the thread Dundee Doll, I've not had a chance to catch up properly but will come back to your "randoms list" though you've had some great suggestions already.
Well I'm back to CFO-land tonight, tired but extremely happy with life.:D:D What I didn't disclose last week was that our family gathering was actually going away for a few days, something I've not managed since 2014!. I'm wary of posting too much online as it would be quite easy to work out who I am in RL and didn't want to advertise an "empty";). Earlier this year, for my birthday gift, my family conspired together to book us a "me friendly" long weekend away and my did they come up trumps. I'm just back from three lovely nights in the East Neuk of Fife where they had rented a massive house - 5 bedrooms, three baths, two lounges and a kitchen you could fit most of my house in.:eek: Although from the outside it was very "Grand Designs" inside it was a comfortable, family friendly home and very well appointed with a bedroom/bathroom on the ground floor which as ideal for me. On Friday night we had an easy meal of pizza, salads etc. before a very brutal game of Pictionary (my team won). On Saturday we had a lazy brunch of bagels, eggs, bacon, avocado and various pates and that night the kids cooked up a seafood banquet of oysters (raw & grilled with garlic butter & breadcrumbs), HM bisque, prawns & langoustines, lobster, scallops, moules marinere, HM aioli, patas bravas, Arbroath smokies, hot smoked salmon, crispy kale and salad. It was an absolute joy to eat and my sis and I got to sit back with a glass of wine and "supervise". As you can imagine we were all stuffed afterwards so it was a laze in front of a DVD and the kids[STRIKE] picked at[/STRIKE] demolished a tub of chocolates. Just as well that in the afternoon we had a wander round Elie beach & harbour to work up an appetite. My word the wind off of the North Sea was cold:eek:. Yesterday we had a wander round St.Andrews (lovely but baltic & busy), shared chips with salt & sauce for lunch before heading out last night to the local pub for dinner. The pub was lovely & friendly with great service but quite pricey for what we had, most of the food was excellent but there were a couple of mediocre dishes. Not bad and perfectly edible but just not completely hitting the mark. Though in fairness we set a pretty high bar cooking wise and it wouldn't put us off going back. I picked well with cullen skink followed by cod & smoked cod fishcake on creamed leeks all of which were lovely.

Today was much more mundane with a M&S sarnie (very nice) as a late breakfast/early lunch on the way back and some fruit mid afternoon. I brought some Arbroath Smokies home but they have been frozen for future enjoyment. Since coming back I've not done much, watered the garden & greenhouse, unpacked, done some laundry, set the stove and picked some runner beans. Everything else will wait until tomorrow as I'm shattered and cba doing anything else today. There's lots of ripe toms to be picked, more brambles and the basil plant has gone on the rampage (again!) so it must have been dry & sunnyish while I was away. Dinner tonight is a my go to "bung it in" of chicken thighs, baked spud, roasted toms and some nuked garden beans. I reckon I'll sleep well tonight.:)