Oops! I've fallen off the OS wagon.....

Pink.

Hi doelani,

I have never made a soup yet that doesn't freeze well, even those containing milk and cream.

As for the chicken...The general rule is that most things can be frozen once if they haven't been previously frozen in the same state.
Eg if meat or fish has been frozen raw, you can't defrost it and freeze it again in it's raw state, but you can change it's state (ie cook it) and refreeze it once. However if it was already cooked when frozen it shouldn't be defrosted and frozen a second time.

Regarding the electricity prices, have you looked into changing provider? I live near to you and we are looking at changing from NIE now that we finally have a choice.

We have an existing thread where you'll find lots of advice and ideas:

Oops! I've fallen off the OS wagon.....

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

jetbag

Hi
I freeze soup all the time.
recently I made some but did not like it very much so bunged it in the freezer, then when I was cooking some mince I defrosted the soup and mixed it with the mince, onions, lentils etc, so not wasted.

doelani

Pink-winged wrote: »

Hi doelani,

I have never made a soup yet that doesn't freeze well, even those containing milk and cream.

As for the chicken...The general rule is that most things can be frozen once if they haven't been previously frozen in the same state.
Eg if meat or fish has been frozen raw, you can't defrost it and freeze it again in it's raw state, but you can change it's state (ie cook it) and refreeze it once. However if it was already cooked when frozen it shouldn't be defrosted and frozen a second time.

Regarding the electricity prices, have you looked into changing provider? I live near to you and we are looking at changing from NIE now that we finally have a choice.

We have an existing thread where you'll find lots of advice and ideas:

Oops! I've fallen off the OS wagon.....

I'll add your thread to that one later to keep the suggestions together.

Pink

thanks for replies and thanks for merging with other thread, should have searched first lol

I will have a read through later. Really want to get sorted

[Deleted User]

I adore HM soup and think 15/-(75p) for a tin of soup is dreaful when I can make at least 2 ltres of the stuff for that price.My eldest DD went through a period of buying sainsbobs soups in screw top jars so i snaffled some of those as they hold half a litre which does me two days. Great way to use up sad looking veggies from the bottom of the fridge .my pal bought me a book called The Soup Bible and its brilliant.I also have some 'soup/gravy pouches that I got from lakeland a couple of years ago which are very good as you can fill them and let them get cold then seal and freeze and when frozen but still mobile enough to mould IYSWIM you can flatten them down a bit to make a bit more room in the freezer.I also save any left over liquid from a casserole and when cold freeze it and reuse in my next casserole/stew Never waste a scrap of food if I can help it .Far too expensive to throw away.

doelani

thanks for replies about the Soup , jhave a pot of broth on at the minute that I had everythign except parsley already in house. Will freeze half of it as usually end up throwing some out.

need to sort out freezer as in last week have thrown out 3 portions of lasange, I large portion of stew ( in fridge and son was supposed to take it to work and didn't so as a few days old I dumped it ) and a few portions of soup at beginning of week.

Was just saying to to hubby last night I am thinking of buying a small freezer. We have a american fridge freezer and freezer i not massive in it . Think I will have alook on freecycle see if I can pick one up :-)

newroadahead

Hi All

I have been on MSe a few years now and love it, I am mainly a lurker on DFW and OS board.

The reason for the title is really to ask a question.

I normally work full time and commute which takes up most of my time, the rest I spend knitting, crochet (well I try lol), seeing friends and family, oh and somewhere in between trying to pay off my debts keep up with HW etc..... so always busy

For the past 5 weeks I have been off work (after a stay in hospital) and I just wondered if anyone else ever went through this.

For the first 2-3 weeks I really was unable to do much, HW was not an option, however last week and this I should have had more enthusiasm to crack on but no its not happening!!!:o:o

I have joined a number of survey sites and completed loads and loads of surveys (hopefully see the points make prizes but they say it can take up to 6 weeks :eek:).

Aside from the surveys and reading posts on MSE I really havent done much, oh apart from going shopping (not very MSE) but have been trying to get out everyday.

How does everyone motivate themselves on a daily basis. I really would like to know as this is one lady who either needs a kick up
the proverbial or ideas on how to start getting myself organised again.

Apologies if this sounds long winded


NRA xxx

Butterfly_Brain

It is early days yet...... it takes longer than 2 weeks to get over any illness, don't put yourself back by trying to do too much too soon x

mmmsnow

I always find that planning motivates me. Sit down and write a list of everything that needs done and then work your way through it but, as Butterfly Brain says, don't overdo it. The main thing is that you are getting better, everything else can wait

squeaky

This similar thread is worth a read:- How to cope when you have had enough of money saving!

This too: How to organise everything in my life OS?

greenbee

With great difficulty TBH. For me, work provides some structure to my day and when I'm recovering from illness, the stage where I'm well enough to be bored but not well enough to work is the hardest.

So I try to make sure that I get up, have meals and go to bed at regular times. I also try to have a list of things I want to get done each day - little, manageable things that wouldn't normally get prioritised, so I feel I'm achieving something I wouldn't normally and am making the most of the time. And I encourage my friends to visit - but not in large groups and not for long as it can be quite tiring.

Make sure you let yourself rest when you're tired, and don't try to do too much as you're probably still recovering or you'd be signed back fit for work. But finding a few things to do to make you feel you've achieved something does help. Stuff like all the shredding of old bank statements that you can deal with in batches the shredder can manage, or decluttering, or polishing a particular piece of furniture, or sorting out ISAs (its that time of year!) or making phone calls you've been putting off to get niggly things done... It all helps.