Cooking for one (Mark Three)

PasturesNew

pattypan4 wrote: »

I bought a microwave cooking thing from lakeland

There was something I've had on my list for 1-2 years that is too expensive for me... things like that go on the list until I find a cheaper knock off variation.

The Lakeland one I was wanting was discontinued.

https://www.lakeland.co.uk/26373/L%C3%A9ku%C3%A9-Microwave-Grill-for-Toasted-Sandwiches-and-More

Farway

.Well we've got sun here to start the day but I shan't be doing much outside except quick patrol of the garden, getting near time of year when neighbour's cat assumes my grass is his loo:mad:

Woke up late & with bit of a headache, I'm not one for headaches so I put it down to my 'flu jab, only 'cos I'm sneezing as well.

Could also be the lingering [STRIKE]pong[/STRIKE] aroma of leeks permeating the house.

Bowl of porridge + sliced banana & L's yoghurt for late breakfast

Lunch, not sure if I'll bother because of late breakfast, see how I feel nearer the time

Dinner is ditto, could be leek & spud soup, if I do decide on this I'll make some soda bread to dunk in

PattP, that microwave thingy look like good idea, but like PN I think it'll go on the look for a knock off copy list

caronc

Good morning everyone,
I have this from Lakeland https://www.lakeland.co.uk/71765/Lakeland+Round+Silicone+Microwave+Casserole and use often to nuke steam veg. I think it must go on sale often as it was £4.99 when I got mine a couple of years ago. It's pretty good at containing whiffs if reheating curry etc.
The weather was absolutely foul during the night and it's still absolutely tipping it down. I've no intention of venturing out in it and would need to wade through several inches of water to get to the wheelie bin!
Bacon and eggs for lunch today and I'm just off to pop a lamb, veg & barley stew in the baby slowcooker. I decided the weather call for a traditional type stew.

AndyCF

Quick hello all. Still a bit buggy so no 'food' news to report, nothing of real interest although I posted in the prep-brexy topic about the potato thing a bit.

Those grills, I keep looking at the GF one that's about 14.99. Consider the sandwich maker is 12.99 and you're tied to sarnies given its "plate design" the GF one looks inside similar to that with vertical slopes so "if it will fit in, I can cook it" , also would probably work for toast too. I've never seen the need for those sandwich maker things unless you want to take advantage of the 'neat pattern' plates you get with them.

I can't speak of any experience of those micro grills, however I did get one of those micro crisping trays a few years back but it was huge (30cm) and did not fit the micro properly, apparently you need at least an inch space all around it. It made an alternative 'tray' for a while for other purposes.

I've been told to be cautious of the 'mug tree' type bacon cookers too, they are neat and tidy to use but the splatter can be a bit annoying apparently. I think they might be more a U.S thing perhaps though.

The 'sloping rack' tray ones for about £3 or less are apparently quite good and better than a couple of regular plates as the majority of the grease/fat will run off properly.

Now before you dismiss this please stop for a moment and just think of this sloping tray with slats/vertical ridges in it and its micro safe given its original purpose. It would be very good for other micro zapping too

So bacon would not have to be on the menu (thinking those who would not eat meat mainly or those who cannot/do not/wont/don't like pork products) the tray itself would serve many a purpose I suspect. , I already have a vague thought of some LM sausage in them. I do eat normal sausage too occasionally but the LM ones are quite nice when I can get them plus they actually look 'cooked' compared to other vegan branded ones, tried a few.

caronc

Hope you feel better soon Andy - lingering lurgies seem par for the course at this time of year <hug>.
I think these micro gadgets that help mimic grilling/baking are fine if you have/prefer to nuke things but when it comes to bacon, bangers etc. I much prefer the results from traditional cooking methods. During the 80s & 90s I was given a few but never really got on with them so got passed on to charity shops etc. I used to have a huge GF when the kids are small but got rid, I now have a wee one that's was mu Dad's and it makes a decent toasty though not as good as the ones that seal in the filling. I should probably make more use of it.
Stew is prepped and in the baby SC, it's well filled to say the least but I'm expecting it to cook down a bit when the veg soften. I reckon I'll get two portions from it but it's hard to tell at the moment. If this works well I can see it being something I'll use quite often in the colder months.
Slight change of plan for lunch as I realised I had forgotten to take bacon out to defrost last night:o, still nowt wrong with egg, tomato, mushrooms and toast for a filling lunch on a miserable day.:)

Farway

Finished up with use up fake Philly on toast for lunch, the rest had gone into the soup yesterday

Sorry about your weather Caron, it's quite nice here so I took the opportunity & cleared out the last of my tomatoes, pruned the raspberries and quick trim of the currants

Ta Da , my grapes have ripened:j My first crop from this vine, these are the ones that were unripe a week or so back and I was toying with juicing them.

Recent sunshine and rain seems to have done the trick, they actually taste like real shop type grapes, not as large but I reckon with more care than I gave them this year they'll do well in 2020

I've got the soda bread ingredients ready to go, dinner will be my HM soup + soda bread for dunking

Maybe cheese & crackers later if peckish

caronc wrote: »

.
I think these micro gadgets that help mimic grilling/baking are fine if you have/prefer to nuke things but when it comes to bacon, bangers etc. I much prefer the results from traditional cooking methods.

I'm with you there, grill, fry or oven for me, but of course it's use what is available and suits your needs


PS, gas supplier chnage over underway, I went for the 2 year fix in the end

PasturesNew

On Friday I said I'd bought three chilled meals from Mr T and a pack of 10 scones and some jam.

Friday I ate the thai chicken + 3 scones/jam. Thai was all right, nothing to write home about but edible.

Yesterday I had the chicken chow mein one + 3 scones/jam. That one was better. I scanned the label and it seemed to say it was 434 calories I think, which is "quite low" for a hot/filling meal. Would eat that one again. I've retained the container for now, so I've something to nuke other food in if I want (e.g. the pack of noodles I'd bought but didn't have my Pyrex to cook them).

Today I had 4 scones/jam for breakfast and, in a bit, I'll have the sweet/sour chicken meal.

AndyCF

@caronc , thank you for the good wishes! Just a question of being sensible: Staying warm/dry and I've got some of those 'lemon powders' now, taste a bit horrible actually but that's probably a good thing!

Unsure on my A1ld thing as well, might have to see if I can move it again, in my defence they have chosen the wrong location (by accident it seems or misunderstanding) so I may well have another shot anyway. I've not heard anything from L1dl yet actually but I'll not chase that for a few more days.

@PN, sounds like you're starting to settle in a bit again which sounds good. Hopefully your new "local" shops are reasonable too. I have to (assume) that again assuming you like custard you've not been tempted to try the T's custard doughnuts yet ? I think they are a bit 'marmite' so it may be a love/hate thing with them, but it does make a slightly erm 'different take' on a doughnut that is for certain!

I wish I'd not mentioned them now, I could just really eat one of those neat little custard tarts. Or two!

Talking again slightly on shops: Its only really an off-chance while checking every shop for what cat food they may of stocked (feral bits) I tried that other Polish shop a while back here as I'd thought there would be nothing there for me, being a strange eater (apparently) but I was very pleasantly surprised. At least compared to the other one where you don't get any help, the 'nice' one they are always happy to suggest/find and/or translate anything I ask. I'm going back that's for sure!

Mentioning again those zapper trays, I do see Sys do one at a not too cheap price, I do actually appreciate their things I still have my small bowl with lid that's about 5 years old now and doing well. It was about £8 I think then. Its the smallest of the rounded bowls with the vented lid but even so its quite large enough for me. I have tried a few copies/clones but they tend to stain or take up the 'taste' sometimes of previous content, despite being boiled out. A white one turned orange once after a few uses! No wonder it was 99p :T

Anyway the one I meant, I wanted to post this as there appears to be a 'tray' one which means the fat/grease is retained so the food swims in it (not ideal, might as well use a bowl/dish in that case) but one that has the tray itself at a slight slope/angle so that the fat/grease/juice can at least try to escape a bit. This is much better I think. Do need to look closely ideally in person at one as the ones on a certain auction site, its quite difficult to tell properly. Expect to pay £3 to £5 typically.

Just had some mashed potato with a handful of peas and two broken up and sprinkled in crackers just for the sake of it, as they were lightly peppered crackers it seemed ideal. Perhaps I am a bit of a 'strange eater' after all. Each to their own though. :rotfl:

PasturesNew

AndyCF wrote: »

...T's custard doughnuts ...

I think I might have had some many years ago.

My faves are Sainsbobs jam. They're so much fluffier than others - and have been "the best" for over 20 years, so I'd tend to leave others and promise myself the Sainsbobs... better to wait for what you know you like than try others and be disappointed

Here there's an Iceland and an M&S. Up the road there is a Mr T and a L1dl.

It's on my To Do List for tonight to hit up Google and find all the nearest and next nearest of all the shops I might visit. Shopping isn't a priority for me right now, I'm only here 9-10 weeks, so don't want to accumulate food and "live normally" as my focus needs to be on areas research and looking/choosing where I might go and live

Maybe tomorrow..... I've "earnt" myself a Toby I think it's the way forward

caronc

Good evening everyone,
Lucky Farway getting the weather to do some gardening, the rain did eventually stop here but not until late afternoon and everywhere is sodden. It did mean I could do a bin run though without donning my wellies.
That doesn't seem like a lot of calories PN over the last two days to keep a girl going - might mean another Toby gut buster is due to address the deficit.;):)
Andy - the joy of CFO is that food and gadget choices are your's (and your budget's) to make "strange" or not .:):cool:


The baby SC worked a treat though it cooks pretty fast, I reckon it would be really easy to overcook stuff if you aren't keeping an eye. I do think these days SC generally are less suitable for bunging on first thing and leaving on all day while you are out. My first SC was a Tower and took ages to cook stuff, though it was a pain as everything had to be hot before you added it and the bowl wasn't removable. It was pretty failsafe in the overcooking department though. When the more modern ones came along they seem to be a lot faster but IMHO a lot of the cooking recipes/timings in SC recipes about today still reflect the older models. I always think while stuff wont burn left overally long everything ends up with a similiar bland taste no matter what ingredients are used.:( Moan aside I do still think they are good option for things that need a long braise without ramping up oven fuel costs or having to constantly stir a pot.:D

I'm going with HM mash from the freezer instead of dumplings as I'm not sure there's enough room for them to expand as it's still fairly full and don't want a mess or to be faffed cooking them separately. I also much prefer to cook them in the gravy so they soak up the juices. As it's an Irish-type stew I suppose mash is more authentic anyway and with winter looming they'll be plenty more dumpling opportunities.:rotfl:
I'm off first thing for my flu jab so have set my alarm as it would typical that I'm not up at my usual time and I don't do rushing in the morning these days. Tesco is booked for later in the afternoon, I've not bought any food for 10 days so I'm running out of fresh stuff and other staples rapidly.:eek: I'm trying to stretch my shops as far as I can so I can meet the price threshold and not pay a surcharge as obviously now I'm not also getting bits for my Dad. I doubt this one will last long though as I think my younger son is up this weekend and like his brother he likes his grub!