Reverse Meal Planning

themsthebreaks

Suffolk_lass said:

I've just started adding chopped chillies (green, not too hot) and gherkins to leftover potato salad. With lemon juice, mayonnaise and chopped onion or shallot and plenty of black pepper

That sounds delicious @Suffolk_lass. I have all of those ingredients in stock, so will make it this weekend 😊

rtandon27

Welcome back SL!  Hope your time away was fabulous.

Mrs_Cheshire

Just been catching up with the chat. I need to get back to reverse planning now I'm at home more (job is term time, finished today). 
I've got some slices of roast beef and lamb that I want to incorporate into other meals - thinking the lamb could be mixed into couscous with some dressings and salad. 
Not sure about the beef yet. 
I've also got a jar of tapenade so might stir some through pasta or make bruschetta.   

Suffolk_lass

We had a fab time away and Mr Sl looks rested and fitter (still a few weeks before he is fully restored but progress is noticeable). So a fairly high protein, low carb diet is continuing here. I must not buy any more food!

I shopped yesterday and while packing away the butter, I closed the fridge door without putting the cover lid down on the door shelf at the top and I have damaged it. B*gger it. I snapped off the little fitting at the top of the shelf that the cover fits into. I have found part of the bit that snapped off, but not all. The cover and two little gromits are also together but one end has not little hole to fit into. Naturally the part is unavailable. We will continue to use it without the cover, and if, when the fridge is next cleaned, the part does not show up, I may have to sell the lid part! Have you seen how much they cost?!!

Primrose

Have you seen how much they cost?!!"

yes I sympathise. I dread any of our domestic equipment breaking or needing repair.  Even it it's still repairable, we seem to be looking at "Alice in Wonderland  " prices now.  Our kitchen should have been modernised ages ago but at our great age we can't face the disruption or expense. Hoping it will see us out.  Keep reminding ourselves our childhoods saw us living in far less civilised snd modernised circumstances!! 

Suffolk_lass

Our kitchen is quite old (20+ years but I painted all the solid wood cabinet doors and changed the handles about four years ago (with a shade of white upper, and grey lower cabinets). The appliances continue, with the 3 way half oven (microwave/grill/oven) needing a careful clean after every summer when husband has spattered the inside with fat (although this year he is only doing breakfast, due to his illness) and the worst that gets is exploding porridge! In the winter, we revert to the aga which sits in the dining room. The dishwasher (3rd, I think) gets looked after with regular empty hot wash and a powder sachet about every 4-6 months. The fridge freezer works fine now (it wobbled after Mr Sl left the freezer door open all night(!!)) - just the butter shelf damage. And the washing machine and condensing tumble dryer continue (although there is an issue with the wm spinning).

Anyway, to food. We had a bit of duck breast stir fried with prawns and my own mix of turmeric, honey and ginger in a jar, added to the bought bag of prepped (mostly cabbage and beansprouts with carrot) veg, a sweet chilli sachet and some egg noodles. I added a splash of soy sauce, three red chillies, 2 cloves of garlic and a long sliced onion. It comfortably fed three of us, with our recently widowed neighbour joining us - I know he likes a bit of heat as we were chatting about red chillies and seeds left in on Friday at the Village bar. He does cook, is quite accomplished, but it was an offer he seemed pleased to accept. Hard being on his own after over 50 years of marriage, I am sure it was more about the company. Like my Mum, he is accepting invitations and grieving quietly on his own. Like her, he says he accepts, because otherwise, people stop asking!

Lots of home-grown runner beans here, I think we might have beans, (bought) asparagus, and poached eggs with new potatoes tonight for a light supper this evening. Have a good Sunday, all

Mrs_Cheshire

I made a meal plan utilising stuff I already had in the freezer and store cupboard. It's gone pretty well. Need to have another root through the back freezer and see what other contents is in there to get it used up as I really want to turn it off for a couple of months. 
I've made flapjack and cookies tonight using stuff I've had in for ages. a boxed cookie mix which only needed butter and water. The flapjack I had everything in a tried an air fryer recipe. It's worked pretty well but seems a bit loose still. I'll wait until it's fully cooled and hope it solidifies. 
Will make some cupcakes next week as I've got loads of self raising flour in the cupboard 

Suffolk_lass

Used up a chicken breast that we had between us, sliced, seasoned and pan fried under a lid for five minutes, and eaten with garden grown potatoes, runner beans and carrots. We will have similar today with  two salmon fillets defrosting. I shall make a cake too, as there's thing in the community garden tomorrow - I'm not able to attend but they have asked for cakes!

Suffolk_lass

I forgot Mr Sl was off out on the razz and spent most of yesterday inspecting bees (mine and other people's) and returned late afternoon, shattered (out since 07.30) - so off he went on his bike and I settled for a Miss Marple from the 1980s on TV with the dog snuggled next to me, and for supper I had a baked potato with coleslaw, grated cheese and butter. I cooked the two salmon fillets I had defrosted and we can have those with salad this evening.

Mrs_Cheshire

I've done a meal plan from stocks in the freezer and store cupboard. I need to check my veg stocks but I'm pretty confident I can make the majority without needing the shops. I will go to the community grocery on Tuesday morning as I need more milk and will see what other bits they have in. 
Breakfasts will be cereal or toast (unless community grocery has any alternatives), Lunches will be sandwiches, soups, beans on toast, packet noddles or cheese & crackers.

Dinners are 
Sun - Roast beef, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, carrots and green beans
Mon - filled pasta, sauce and pan fried vegetables with leftover garlic sausage chunks
Tues- Eating out (going bowling)
Weds- Spanish Chicken & rice
Thurs- Fish & new potatoes (smoked haddock and cod/prawn fish cakes)
Fri - lamb, couscous, salad & hallomi
Sat - duck stir fry, rice or noddles and prawn crackers
Sun - Fish & Chips (going to Blackpool Airshow)

I'm working a few days this week facilitating day trips/other events so have planned quick meals for those days as I don't have much energy to cook when we've been out all day. We are taking ourselves to Blackpool for the Airshow and will have Fish & chips as a treat for tea before heading home.