Reverse Meal Planning

Primrose

Suffolk lass.   Shame about your items not selling.  As a long time involvement in fund raising community events, we,ve learnt to try and avoid participating in event scheduled for the last weekend in the month.  For those people paid monthly funds are often running low then and many people have less money to spend.  Doesn't always apply of course but in diffidult economic times people have more money, or often at least spend more generously at fund raising events held the first weekend of a new pay month.   

zafiro1984

Thanks Suffolk Lass, we're not quite back to normal, DH is about 3 days behind me. It's being kept awake at night with all the coughing that gets me down. This morning I did most of the work and I've just done another round this afternoon leaving DH asleep in front of the fire.

I'm amazed at how much energy you have, - wish I was younger. I'm interested to know what your 'sustainable firelighters' are. I use Sain.. firelighters but I've never come across 'sustainable' ones.

Community lunch for 40!! I wouldn't call that fun, it's just hard work - take care

Back to the 'Reverse Meal Planning'. I need to investigate the contents of the fridge, there seems to be lots of bits lurking. Hopefully, I can get a couple of meals out of it. The bits of meat, pate, cheese and veg I can cope with but has anyone any ideas on what to do with half an uncooked haggis!!

fionaandphil

Could you make it into haggis bonbons? I've seen these in the supermarket and would imagine they could be frozen too.

rtandon27

@zafiro1984 - Hooray to past you for your squirreling meals away into the freezer!  Hope both you and MrZ are on well on the mend - sorry to hear you were both ill!

This week our meal plan is a simple one, super easy cooking - for which I think OH is very thankful as these dark days of winter are exhausting him!
Monday - Pierogis - cabbage & onions are already cooked in the freezer
Tuesday - Salmon & pak choi & rice
Wednesday - roasted chicken crown with cauli cheese
Thursday - bangers on buns
Friday - food truck adventure or pizza
Saturday - Bao & gyoza & noodles
Sunday - roast something - probably pork steaks with veg and roasties

Suffolk_lass

That's a really good point about the timing of events @Primrose - thank you. I will mention it to the organiser as they are millionaires and it definitely won't have occurred to her. Mind you, neither does it occur to her that other people might have input on the convenience or otherwise of various things; all organised at her convenience, but at least she organises a few things!

@zafiro1984 my firelighter bags are dried pinecones I collect from the churchyard, in cupcake paper cases with melted beeswax poured over them, plus dried out citrus peel and pieces of (again dried) bark from the local eucalyptus trees (planted near a boggy area, they draw up loads of water). They are great in a woodburning stove with a glass front but I wouldn't trust the seeds on the pinecones not to explode out of an open fire.

I spent yesterday sorting out the several buckets of honey; decanting into jars and labelling as I plan to visit three possible sales outlets today. The kitchen is a lot clearer but still too cluttered for my liking, and I am down to my last box of jars!

I was running so late and Mr SL was out in the workshop until quite late, so we elected to have a Chinese takeaway, replenishing the plastic boxes I gave to the training apiary to feed fondant to the bees there! Naturally there is enough for a second night!

EssexHebridean

Zafiro, you can cook the haggis by sticking it in a small casserole with a lid - add a splash of boiling water, and microwave until piping hot through with the lid on throughout, leave for the heat to equalise and fluff up with a fork. Alternatively if it is a very solid type one you may be able to gently fry it in slices?  I sympathise with you about the cough - there is nothing worse than that lingering cough after a cold or flu type thing is there!

We finally got our takeaway on Friday evening - a chippy tea was selected on one of the local chippy's special deals (2 pieces of haddock and a large portion of chips for a set price with a saving over two portions bought separately) and it was delicious, and there was plenty of food, so we'll almost certainly do that again at some stage. 

Yesterday a leftover chunk of pastry that was lurking in the fridge got turned in to mince pies which also finished the jar of mincemeat from the fridge, and started one of the bargain jars we bought post-christmas last year. I had a blob of leftover creme fraiche with mine too. 

This evening's tea is targeting more things that need using - a packet of ambient gnocchi, the last of a piece of chorizo, some frozen home grown toms, probably the remaining creme fraiche and some soft cheese...last week's final mushrooms might also make their way into that. 

Mrs_Cheshire

Hi all - bit of reverse planning going on here, using up things from the freezer and stores. Meal planning has worked well the last few weeks as it's given some structure to the evening meal. We seem to have gotten into the habit of having pasta or rice dishes on Monday and Wednesday's when we need to reheat the meal for our son (who's at activities when the rest of the family eat). 

I'm looking for inspiration for what to serve on Boxing day - want something fairly quick and easy but not turkey curry (we usually only have enough meat left for a cheats roast dinner in January). 
Hope everyone has been safe and not had any damage during the latest Storm!

EssexHebridean

I refuse point blank to do any more cooking on Boxing Day than just shoving bits in the oven, so lunch is usually a leftovers sandwich, with a picky tea. Suits us!

reverse planning happening here again with another onslaught on the freezer.
- Batch cooked a ragu in the SC overnight on Thursday > Friday when the Agile prices were low overnight. That made 5 double portions so one is in the fridge and thr others have gone to the freezer.
- lunch today was some of the home made curried parsnip soup I made the other week
- a couple of frying steaks and a couple of sub-style rolls made steak sandwiches which we had with jacket potatoes for tea
- I’ve got lamb breast rings out for lunch tomorrow

There is space appearing in the freezer now which is good - I was able to get one of the T’s finest half price gammon joints in there yesterday when I shopped, and I’ll be aiming to stash another as well ahead of Christmas. 

Suffolk_lass

Our favourite Boxing Day home meal is cold meats, mash and salad with a selection of pickles. Our butcher sells ham on and off the bone, and we always have the carcass pickings. I have been known to cook a second turkey joint in order to ensure there is enough for the cold meat, (sandwiches, pie, soup and curry) we all enjoy!

Here we had a slow roasted chicken on Thursday and the (most of it has) leftovers have sat, wrapped in foil for two days while we have been out on the razz. I had the lead on the Village community lunch (40 of us) which was some made, some bought, and needed no supper. Then I was wreath-making yesterday and then a quick cup of tea, changed and out to a pub an hour away (4 trees down en route but none stopped us) - to have a Christmas meal with Mr Sl's motorbike club plus partners - so the chicken was destined for today.

Now, however, we have been invited to join a "new" (within the last few months) family in the Village Hall where he is putting on an event for "community". He and his partner are of Indian heritage and I am hoping Mr SL is happy to go and enjoy the food on offer, with the bar open and some music (he is a professional musician). To be honest, I am achy and tired and want nothing more than to read my book and snuggle with my pets (aged stealth cat sitting with me at my desk now). I must "process" the chicken, even if we eat it tomorrow, Tuesday, Wednesday...

joedenise

I've got a breast of lamb out of the freezer which we'll have roasted today.  The leftovers will be made into some sort of ragout to have with some pasta tomorrow or Tuesday.  I'm trying to use up stuff from the freezer as haven't got room in there yet for our Christmas chicken (we don't eat turkey).  Going to buy as big as I can get as feeding 4 adults and hoping to have some leftovers to have cold Boxing Day and also make a curry for the day after.  Stock will be made with the carcass for chicken and veg soup for lunches.