2022 - Moving forward

abaka

I love cottage pie.  Ironically I’ve been trying to make it for weeks and every time I do the shop will be wrong and they’ll send something as a substitute.  Last time we had ordered peas and carrots mix and they sent butternut squash!!

Im also planning to cook more natural stuff this winter.  I have a soup maker and I think I only ever use it once a winter but planning to do a lot more!

sorry to hear about the infection, hope you feel better soon!

doingitanyway

Cottage pie sounds yum @jwil  I think the way forward is getting the convenience from the gadget so  a soup maker or a slow cooker or air fryer. I know people say you can do everything with a blender...oven...and so on and it is true. However the convenience, speed and less washing up makes a difference if like me, you are basically lazy but like cooking from scratch.

@abaka I use my soup maker every day. It is so easy to have fresh delicious soup in minutes.

jwil

abaka said:

I love cottage pie.  Ironically I’ve been trying to make it for weeks and every time I do the shop will be wrong and they’ll send something as a substitute.  Last time we had ordered peas and carrots mix and they sent butternut squash!!

Im also planning to cook more natural stuff this winter.  I have a soup maker and I think I only ever use it once a winter but planning to do a lot more!

sorry to hear about the infection, hope you feel better soon!

How frustrating with all the substitutes!  I love cottage pie, I don't know why we haven't had it for so long!

doingitanyway said:

Cottage pie sounds yum @jwil  I think the way forward is getting the convenience from the gadget so  a soup maker or a slow cooker or air fryer. I know people say you can do everything with a blender...oven...and so on and it is true. However the convenience, speed and less washing up makes a difference if like me, you are basically lazy but like cooking from scratch.

@abaka I use my soup maker every day. It is so easy to have fresh delicious soup in minutes.

  It's very true.  I don't actually have many gadgets, just the slow cooker and microwave.  I just don't have the space.  I don't bother blending soup, just have it lumpy.  It's the prepping that beats me though.  It always seems to add more time.  I just like to shove things in/on the oven and leave them.  I'm not a fan of meals that need lots of attention.  Definitely a lazy cook here!  Planning is the way forward, as I can then prep ahead.  I just need to organise myself better!

savingholmes

I like one pot meals like casseroles where possible - and for it to last several days. 

Well done on the PAD.

satchmo1

jwil said:

I'm planning cottage pie for lunch today.  

My tip is to double up the quantity of potatoes when you are prepping mash, and freeze half in foil in the shape of the dish you use for cottage pie. That way, you're using less energy.

My DH batch cooks mince, and we freeze it in various formats - lasagna (only adding the cheese sauce later), chili, bolognese, etc.

He also batch cooks chicken and chick pea curry. I've saved 500g yogurt pots to freeze the curry, so I don't have to try and identify the dish - I never bother labelling anything, so it used to be a guessing game.

jwil

savingholmes said:

I like one pot meals like casseroles where possible - and for it to last several days. 

Well done on the PAD.

Thank you    One pot meals are definitely the best.  Ours is only a small slow cooker so usually enough for a meal for us, and then a leftover lunch.  I haven't done a leftover lunch for ages though, so should get back into that!

satchmo1 said:

jwil said:

I'm planning cottage pie for lunch today.  

My tip is to double up the quantity of potatoes when you are prepping mash, and freeze half in foil in the shape of the dish you use for cottage pie. That way, you're using less energy.

My DH batch cooks mince, and we freeze it in various formats - lasagna (only adding the cheese sauce later), chili, bolognese, etc.

He also batch cooks chicken and chick pea curry. I've saved 500g yogurt pots to freeze the curry, so I don't have to try and identify the dish - I never bother labelling anything, so it used to be a guessing game.

Thank you. That's a good tip.  Our freezers are always rammed so rarely have room to freeze stuff.  However I should do a proper inventory and figure out if I can clear a drawer to do this.  We should be able to.

jwil

I haven't done anything today other than sit and read and doze in the chair.  So much for getting stuff done!

I'm thinking about going back to just one day in the office rather than two.  It's just a lot of faff.  I'd still get my walk in, as walking the kids to school and coming home is roughly the same distance as walking them to school and heading on to the office.  The kids are in after school club, so I'd still get my hours in before they came home.  I'm finding the office environment noisy and cramped, and there's nowhere to escape to get a bit of quiet at lunchtime (or any time when you want to concentrate).  I don't particularly like hot desking either, especially as all the 'better' desks are taken by the time I get in.   I might mix and match and go in sometimes and not others depending on what's on.  If more people head back to the office to avoid energy bills, then it's just going to get harder.  I do like seeing my colleagues, but once a week will suit me fine I think.

ladyholly

If you have been dozing today you obviously need it.

jwil

ladyholly said:

If you have been dozing today you obviously need it.

Probably!  I feel better today so it's helped.

jwil

Today's PAD - £2
Jan - £126
Feb - £106
Mar - £136
Apr - £122
May - £113
June - £108
July - £177
August - £115
September - £92
October - £6