Reverse Meal Planning

rtandon27

Joedenise - how do you make the wild rice / long grain mix?  I've had terrible results & the pack I bought is still sitting on the shelf!

joedenise

@rtandon27 I just use one measure of rice mix to 2 measures of water; bring to boil and simmer for about 17 minutes then remove from heat and leave to steam without removing the lid for about 5 minutes and then it's (usually) perfectly cooked.  I usually use the one from Asda but I've just finished that so have now bought some in Mr Ts so don't know whether that will be the same but hopefully it will!  The important bit is the steaming after simmering.

Hopefully it'll work for you too.

Suffolk_lass

After two years of deliberating and deciding the expense was too great, a thermal cooker popped up on FB Marketplace for less than half the price they are new - and I pounced! This is intended for the van. @joedenise your post about cooking rice made me think about having a practice before I want to use it in anger. Last night's sausage casserole is definitely an option - it was yum.

Cut 4 sausages in half, added onions, carrot, frozen beans and peas (cooked, dried) plus tomato paste, stock and herbs - oh, and chilli. When we got back last night I stirred in some thickening (old-fashioned cornstarch and Bisto powder mixed in a little water), and a tin of baked beans - why have we never had this before!!? - served with peas and potatoes there is enough for tonight too. Very happy with that.

joedenise

The sausage casserole sounds good @Suffolk_lass.  Going to pinch that one and try it - see what DH thinks of it.  Need some new ideas.

Today's food is all using LOs!  Lunch will be LO hotpot from last night; also have some LO boiled potatoes so will fry those up as well and cook some cabbage to go with it.

Dinner tonight will be a portion of slow coked lamb & chickpea traybake which I'll add some curry powder to and serve it as a curry.  Also have about 1/4 cauliflower in the fridge so will make aloo gobi to go with it along with some wild/white rice mix.

ruby_eskimo

Sounds like a lovely sausage stew @Suffolk_lass and I might have to recreate in the slow cooker over the weekend.

Tonight we're having LO lasagne from the freezer with broccoli.  Have meal planned for next week and looks like we might be able to get by with minimal purchases from the supermarket this week, just as long as they have everything in that I need.

joedenise

Have got a beef casserole out of the freezer for dinner tonight.  Cooked far too much cabbage last night so will stir fry to reheat plus will make some mash to go with it.  Pork joint out of the freezer for dinner tomorrow night.  It's a shoulder so may do in the slow cooker with BBQ sauce for pulled pork but will decide in the morning whether that's what we fancy or whether we'd rather just have it as a roast with all the usual accompaniments.

ruby_eskimo

Currently have a sausage casserole bubbing away in the slow cooker using sausages from the freezer, frozen peppers, the last red onion, couple of carrots,  tin of beans, chicken stock and the last of the open tube of tomato puree.  Will chuck in some tinned potatoes when we're almost ready to eat - perfect  comfort food

joedenise

Got some chilli out of the freezer for dinner last night and there wasn't really enough for 2 of us so added a tin of black beans plus a hot chilli as thought it would need a bit more with the extra beans.  Did the job!

Using up some mixed beans from the cupboard for dinner tonight and will be making a mixed bean goulash and will serve with some quinoa which has been in the cupboard for a very long time - it's not something I think of using very often!

@ruby_eskimo the sausage casserole sound good and it's great to use up some bits and pieces from the freezer and cupboards.

rtandon27

Bubbling casseroles are so autumnal - just the thought of them warms me up!  Now, I'll have to work sausages into the meal plan for next week

We've had a glut of root veg in our veg boxes so to use them up, I've lined a larege roasting tin with a pound each of parsnips, carrots (orange & purple), potatoes & onions all peeled and chopped into chunks.  Tucked in a few cloves of garlic, and then topped with two small chickens, cavities stuffed with thyme & rosemary from the garden and 1/2 lemon each.  Sprinkled with salt & pepper and drizzled with olive oil,  It took a good hour to get that all together & it will roast for 1.5 to 2 hours.  Lots of leftovers will ensue - chicken for lunches & stir fries, roasted root veg to zizz into soups.  It seems like a lot of work for one meal, but in perspective there will be 4 to 6 meals out of the effort!   OH has just said he'll fry up some of the endless kale to go with it, so greens will be had!

Mrs_Salad_Dodger

Sounds great rtandon27 👏 I have hg kale to use up (will not grow again 😉) so could you let me know how your OH cuts up & cooks kale? Please 🙂