From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

themadvix

🌟 🌟 🌟 for initiative and effort there GP! 😁

I confess I forgot to mention that I do add a tiny bit more water to the pot when I use the recipe (it’s ingrained, so I just don’t think about it). I have a little plastic pot that came with a Riverford recipe box that held two portions of (dry) rice, so I use that as my measure and just add an extra 50ml (?)  to the pot (and always cook PiP as I’m only doing for two). Glad it might be useful in future and that the pressure stuck for three mins after you turned the heat off 😊

(RT - in a pressure cooker there’s no evaporation, hence less water needed)

Greying_Pilgrim

tmv - I will use this link to cook up some brown basmati at some point.  I like brown basmati rice,  but it's longer cook time does tend to dampen my enthusiasm to cook it.  However, if it can be cooked nicely, in bulk then I'm quite sure I'll cook/eat it more.  LG doesn't mind brown rice, so it'll be an incentive to use it in our diet more.  

I'm just listening to 'The Food Chain' which is a series from beebeecee World Service.  It's very interesting - slightly scientific without being boring - and just a different style (slightly) to R4's Food Programme.  I've listened to 'what to eat in cold weather' and I'm currently listening to diets to contribute to healthy congnitive maintenance.  Very interesting - although I wish there was a word for 'what you eat' which wasn't diet, as that is always associated with weight loss.  This is much more about balanced eating.  

Greying X

rtandon27

lol - GP that was my way of saying my brain process is much less advanced than yours! - I'd never be able to follow the method, let alone do the conversions! 😉 I'm also in awe that you & Vix can both figure out a PC let alone be adventurous with one!

My even easier method involves a small rice cooker - which is fairly idiot proof and has a brown rice setting! but it does involve doing the counter-top & cupboard shuffle in our tiny kitchen, so only happens on a weekend!  Same reason we don't have smoothies often now - the old house had a huge farmhouse kitchen with lots of counter space to leaveout the appliances!

Greying_Pilgrim

rtandon27 said:

lol - GP that was my way of saying my brain process is much less advanced than yours! - I'd never be able to follow the method, let alone do the conversions! 😉 I'm also in awe that you & Vix can both figure out a PC let alone be adventurous with one!

My even easier method involves a small rice cooker - which is fairly idiot proof and has a brown rice setting! but it does involve doing the counter-top & cupboard shuffle in our tiny kitchen, so only happens on a weekend!  Same reason we don't have smoothies often now - the old house had a huge farmhouse kitchen with lots of counter space to leaveout the appliances!

Sweetie - you've alot going on at the mo.  I'm sure your poor auld brain cells are being pulled from pillar to post.

Essentially, I was intrigued to try out the method, because - whilst this method isn't necessarily of use to me in an everyday/per meal context, it does work for batch processing, or can be made to work shall we say.  And I don't want to be spending all my time in the kitchen on Christmas day.  I want to be able to watch whatever film, or Julia Donaldson book adaptation is on in the afternoon.  The slow cooker worked for the 'mains' last year, although I was a 'newby' to using it, so fussed over it far more than necessary.  But this year, that part should be a bit more relaxed, and if I know I've got pots of pre-cooked rice for accompaniment, then that's another few minutes shaved off kitchen work time.  We've not much counter space - especially when using the SC, but this combination should help with lessening the washing up too, which thankfully I don't usually have to do, anytime, but Christmas day especially.  

I do like to try new recipes, or ingredients or cooking techniques, so was keen to try out this suggestion - as I will have cooked rice out of it - whether or not I manage to meal plan sufficiently well to maintain those pots in the freezer until the 25th, or whether I'll have to repeat the experiment 😉  Promise I won't write up a school report about it tho 😉At least I have all the weights and measures for my particular elevation above sea-level etc to keep in my recipe index now 😁

Greying X

themadvix

Weights for elevation above sea level (insert blue shrieky emoji here). I definitely couldn't cope with a stove-top PC! But we do eat a lot more brown rice now that I have the PC (I now buy more of that than white basmati) - it helps for me that I can set the timer on it, or not worry if it stays on 'keep warm' so I can set it ahead of time if need be. But just not having to worry about absorption/remembering to turn the heat off etc. is so much easier too.

RT, the IP is the only device I have that stays out (aside from the kettle and the microwave - even the toaster lives on top of the microwave) due to limited space. All gadgets have to be carefully considered here, so I feel your pain. That said, my IP is in use almost every day, sometimes several times, and I wouldn't be without it now - it's definitely earned its spot. (Have just boiled an egg for lunch in it and it's currently cooking (pre-soaked) chickpeas for tonight's dinner, which will be chickpea and sweet potato satay cooked in the IP!)

Greying_Pilgrim

Sorry if I've misled - I meant weights and measures of rice and water.  I invested in a very expensive (to me/at the time), modern-ish PrC that is super simple and you just have to watch for the red lines on the bar that rises from the lid - one for low pressure, two for high.  If it overheats, it blows out the rubber seal/gasket rather than exploding.  Very easy to clean, and I wouldn't be without it now.  Still prefer my PrC over my SC, but have made more use of the SC in the last 18 months or so.  

Greying X

rtandon27

For us it is the microwave, kettle & toaster that pay rent for counter space.  My compact slow cooker, compact rice cooker, blender/food-processer & handheld blitzer live in the cupboard along with anything baking related.  I never replaced our compact bread-maker as there was no room for it.

OH is in love with the idea of an air-fryer, but  would have to choose between kettle and toaster for that to happen!  Personally it's the blender I miss as it was an easy way to get in a yogurt and berry smoothie in the morning.  The other day OH saw the water filter cube that dispenses hot/cold water and now he's almost got it in for the kettle!  I asked him to please let them decide when they expire as neither is budgeted for atm!!!

In the distant future when I eventually revamp the kitchen, everything will live on pull out shelves and even the oven will not require me to bend over to use!  Hey we can all dream!

Greying_Pilgrim

Right, that's another worthwhile Advent activity crossed off.  We went to the FB to take our Christmas donation, as they were having an open day for donations.  We went in the car, as it was so dreich and frankly, dark ☹️ so it was the marginally safer option.  We managed to find a car parking space nearby and didn't get splashed walking over to the venue - despite there being lots of standing water on the road 😬  LG handed their package over - and got lots of thank you's and smiles from the volunteers, so that was nice.  As we walked back to the car, I asked LG if they'd enjoyed it as an Advent activity and they said yes, they had 😁  That makes me so happy, as it beats accruing more plastic tat from someone dressed up in a cheap red acrylic costume, any day of the week.  There was maths, reading, thoughtfulness and planning involved in the activity too, so actually alot of 'life' homework - which, LG tackled very good-naturedly 😁

We came back through Greying Town and took in the lights - well, sort of - I was concentrating on driving and looking out for pedestrians mindlessly crossing the road in front of the car.  Thankfully it was quite quiet and was actually possibly quicker than going out and round on the by-pass.  The lights - that I saw - did look nice 😁 

We've managed a quick bit of homework, and I shall be starting tea just now.  I think I'm going to go for qu0rn nugget wraps.  I have some YS'd wraps from MrM that I can use, and the second lettuce from a pack I bought over a week ago, to use up.  

Greying X

themadvix

I see what you mean about weights and measures now - that makes more sense. (You won't manage to part me from my one-button IP though 😉).

RT - everything on a shelf at eye-level... oh that would be the dream! (Can I have an oven that properly cleans itself too so I can actually see through the door as well?!)

Of course LG enjoyed your advent activity GP - they are being brought up with generosity and consideration of others as a key value 😊 and this is right up that street. And a great life lesson too, as you say (Reminds me that Niece objected only half-heartedly to the maths involved in playing Sushi Go when she was in hospital - she's quite good at maths and it wasn't a bother, but 'why did she have to do maths when she wasn't at school?' 😉)

Watty1

As an advent activity that one is genuinely lovely.  Thank you for sharing it with us.