Cooking for one (Mark Three)

AndyCF

I tend to usually buy the 6pack of rolls/cobs of wholemeal simply as I don't get through that much bread to normally (that often) justify a loaf, despite the cost. I've never really been keen on freezing it anyway to be honest. Typical cost of said rolls/cobs between 50p - £1

Talking again of bread what I have not seen locally for a while (BM occasionally have it, as in about once every other month!) is the lovely fruit loaf. That I will buy as its a nice change/treat. Yum.

@PN do they not do a smaller serving then ? This might sound stupid but I saw it discussed in another area, its not cheeky to see if they sell what would normally be called a "kids meal" and have that.

I used to have this from the chippy at one time as they did a mix+mini-fish with choice of mix type for about £5 this compared really well to individual pricing. I did not realise it was a kids meal the first time I ordered one as I simply noted it on the price list, they never said anything! Mind you money = money , I guess alt is the chip shop or something.

I'm going to do something I probably would not but some may already know so I don't think it matters that much, This is my local Chinese although I've only ever had chips from there although I do occasionally run errands to get things for a neighbour.

https://www.bigfoodie.co.uk/menu-kingdochinese.aspx , really only posting this so you can do your own 'portion size' and 'pricing' comparisons as I'd have no idea what I was looking at , I'm usually given a list I just hand over, pay and leave with a bag or two for the neighbour!

EDIT... I do remember once when working at a farm many years ago they ordered in lots of things as we were working v.late and I ended up with a free (to me) 'Roast Duck + Pineapple' , it was actually reasonable (I'm not keen on that type of food anyway) but the sauce it was in was grim. This is just my taste though. Was 20+ years ago now thinking about it...

I think I'm going to have to get one of those mini flat grill things at some point too as its £3 more than a new toaster and it will also act as a toaster as well as allowing me to cook some cheeky thin chips too.

Blue_Doggy

PasturesNew wrote: »

Had beans and cheese on toast earlier. The cheese had been on the worktop in the supermarket resealable plastic envelope... but it felt slimey. I'll not be eating the rest. Happy to eat that bit.

Anyway, that was the end of the opened tin of beans and the final crust of bread.

I'll not be buying more bread probably. I'll stick to 4-packs of rolls which are easier to get through. Punnets of tomatoes are fine. Cucumbers keep. Bound to be other things I spot that go into rolls. I can still cook eggs, so egg rolls is doable.

I'm guessing leaving the cheap marg out since the fridge went probably means that should be tossed, wasn't a lot left in it as I'd been trying to eat my way to the bottom since I bought it, conscious of the fact the fridge would be departing.

Might .... treat myself to an indian later

The food world is my oyster.... as they say. Can't actually get a chinese as the chicken balls where I go are actually large fillets and 8 of them. I usually serve 3 pieces, then 3 pieces the 2nd night and 2 pieces the third night. Can't store leftover chicken now, so, as I can't physically eat 8 large pieces I'll just go without. Even the indian's a push - I usually have half on the night and half the next.

Have you tried the “Look What We Found” pouches? I know Sainsb’ys & W’rose sell them, probably others too. They keep without needing refrigeration, cook in the microwave in a couple of minutes.

I keep a selection in hand for times when I’m too tired to cook, and want more than a bowl of cereal or cheese ‘n’ biscuits.

caronc

Good evening everyone,
You'll be a dab hand at getting prepped whmf after getting both hips done:D.
Welcome to CFO Blue Doggy, I've not heard of those pouches but they sound handy if you want a ready meal stash on standby but don't have a freezer.:)
PN- yes takeaways might be a problem as the portions are so huge, Andy's suggestion of a kiddie option if available might be an idea. I know our local Indian offers one but I'm not sure what's included.
It's been another beautiful day here, I got most of the bean plants hauled out and found a decent portion of beans lurking while I was doing so. I'll have them with dinner tonight. It was very waspy though and they really weren't happy that I was invading their space:(. Still fewer nooks to lurk in now so hopefully they go somewhere else! Weather does look set to break though, there's a lot of cloud gathering but no rain as yet.

I got a bargain while I was out, I popped into the butchers for some liver but they had sold out. The chap pointed out they had lamb kidney that they were just going to reduce as they are closed on Monday when it needs using by and did I want what they had for 50p. I got just under 400g so not complaining so two portions by the time I core and prep them. I've not had kidneys for ages, not sure why as I like them, just something that kind of fell off of my radar.
Lunch was brie on crackers with toms, cucumber sticks and a peach. Dinner tonight is bavette steak, garlic mushrooms, garden beans and steamed spuds.

Blue_Doggy

caronc wrote: »

Good evening everyone,
Welcome to CFO Blue Doggy, I've not heard of those pouches but they sound handy if you want a ready meal stash on standby but don't have a freezer.:)

I got a bargain while I was out, I popped into the butchers for some liver but they had sold out. The chap pointed out they had lamb kidney that they were just going to reduce as they are closed on Monday when it needs using by and did I want what they had for 50p. I got just under 400g so not complaining so two portions by the time I core and prep them. I've not had kidneys for ages, not sure why as I like them, just something that kind of fell off of my radar.
Lunch was brie on crackers with toms, cucumber sticks and a peach. Dinner tonight is bavette steak, garlic mushrooms, garden beans and steamed spuds.

Thank you for your welcome, caronc :wave:

What a bit of luck with the kidneys!

caronc

Blue_Doggy wrote: »

Thank you for your welcome, caronc :wave:

What a bit of luck with the kidneys!

Yes I think I timed it just right - later on a Saturday afternoon with a local holiday on Monday. They are a traditional butcher but quite pricey IMHO for somethings so use them for some stuff but not others. They do good offal though, wonderful haggis and some more traditional cuts as they prep their own meat from whole carcasses. Just wish they offered free range pork, they do with their poultry but not pork.:)

unrecordings

Gutted.
Had some Tesco fresh cappelletti pasta planned for tea, augmented with some extra bits of pepper, onion, fresh herbs etc. Use by something like 26th - but no, as I opened it the green hue wasn't the delightful cheese filling visible through the delicate pasta, it was effing mould. Nevermind I thought as I just pulled some tagliatelle from the drawer & located some creme fraiche. I just fried up my extra bits, cut up a couple more tomatoes, and... ...had the heat on too high & split the creme fraiche, resulting in a rather difficult to eat meal with one hand. Still tasted good though, but not what I had planned. The capelletti went back in a bag, but not back in the fridge and shall be presented back to the vendor with all due pomp & ceremony on Monday

unrecordings

caronc wrote: »

I popped into the butchers for some liver but they had sold out. The chap pointed out they had lamb kidney that they were just going to reduce as they are closed on Monday when it needs using by and did I want what they had for 50p.

I love a bit of liver every now & again, so does the cat - it's like rocket fuel for the little monster. If I end up at the deli counter buying treats, I often end up having to explain why I only need 10p worth: the resulting carnage...

Brambling

Evening

Farway my local W*itrose sells bavette as well as feather steak on their meat counter and both are often YS I think a lot of people aren't sure what to do with it

Lovely weather here as well although it's meant to start raining over night and then for much of the week I had a builder working this morning on the down pipe which comes down onto my flat roof, the water from two houses was all filtering down my down pipe straight onto the flat roof extension before running down the roof to the next down pipe. Unfortunately in heavy rain this is proving too much water so he's added an extension from the upper one to go around the edge of the roof to cut into the lower one. It makes more sense when you look at it but will hopefully avoid water running off the roof as well as between the cavity water which caused the electrical issues. At lease it will be well tested this week :rotfl:

Whilst he was here I asked him to quote to decorate my lounge, dining room and smallest bedroom, I know at least the lounge and dining room will need the plaster re-skimmed first. I want to turn the bedroom into my sewing room as well as using it as a office when I work from home. He says he's booked until mid February but if it's an acceptable quote I'm happy to book him in and wait. In the meantime I'm going to get a quote to replace the back window with French doors onto the patio .

My sister came around for a last minute lunch invite smoked mackerel salad, new potatoes and HM coleslaw and stole half my greengages :cool: we then popped to the garden centre as she wanted some weed suppression fabric and we split some bulbs which were bogof. I picked up some basic 'oak'cube storage in Homeb*se for the small bedroom, nephews have been volunteered to put it together

Dinner was LO salad, rump steak and the few LO new potatoes airfried to make chips

How annoying unrecordings

Brambling

unrecordings wrote: »

I love a bit of liver every now & again, so does the cat - it's like rocket fuel for the little monster. If I end up at the deli counter buying treats, I often end up having to explain why I only need 10p worth: the resulting carnage...

I'm glad resident cat turns his nose up at liver :rotfl:

unrecordings

Brambling wrote: »

I'm glad resident cat turns his nose up at liver :rotfl:

It has to be fresh, not brown and out of the fridge to get to temperature. It's a good way of getting her out in the garden.

As for the pasta - hey ho - at least I noticed before it went in the pan