Oldstylers: Could I be your greatest ever challenge?

Ancalime

The best bit of advise my Mum gave me was "tidy up as you go along" there is nothing worse than discovering that you are facing a mountain of mess it just puts you off even starting the cleaning. I am loving this thread, enjoy your new flat when you move in. :T

mrbadexample

southernscouser wrote: »

That sounds like a challenge to me!

I agree entirely. Firstly, make an enormous one to sit on (you forgot a chair to go with your TV and beer fridge).

Then, see how long you can survive on fairy cakes and beer. We can all place bets on how long it takes you to get various diseases. I'll have a fiver on scurvy by Christmas.

southernscouser

mrbadexample wrote: »

We can all place bets on how long it takes you to get various diseases. I'll have a fiver on scurvy by Christmas.

I don't think we should include diseases I've already got. :think:

Alybea

My advice would be to spend £ on descent knives there is nothing more annoying than struggling to chop a veg because your knifes are blunt and bendy. You only need one or two knives and they'll last years

angelfairy

Hello SS....
Spreading yourself over the OS board now I see. :T

I have only just read the first page of this thread so need to catch up.

Well done on getting yourself over here to grab all the advice you can. They are all brilliant here and will be of sooo much assistance (as they already have been).

Can I just echo the comments re the slow cooker. I (or we I should so, although I have laid claim to it) got a slow cooker for my wedding anniversary this year and I love it. Not so keen on a whole chicken in it (too moist for my liking) but for beef it is amazing.

Batch cooking is a great idea which i know has been mentioned to you already. Especially in your instance as I am sure you will wanting to spend as little time in the kitchen and as much time in front of your sparking new tv as you can.

Check out the boxes of passata (sp?) in Tescos with basil and garlic, think they are about 40p or less. They are a great base for any pasta sauce where you can add cooked meat and/or veg for a quick pasta dish. Grate some cheese on top and melt....lovely....

Just my two cents worth anyway....

Cazzdevil

Slow cookers are ace, they make ANYone seem like a culinary genuis. OH and I are off to the flicks tonight so I've literally just put some casserole beef, a load of veg, a pint or so of stock and a couple of bay leaves in mine and set it away so by the time we get back there'll be a lovely casserole ready and waiting for us (I might have to put some gravy granules in to thicken the stock but that's no hardship).

If you make a good lasagne then you can make spag bol no problem, and if you can make spag bol then you can make chilli (spag bol but with chilli powder in it - the cheats way!), and if you can make spag bol then you can make mince & tatties (spag bol but with gravy instead of tomatoes - another cheats way!).

That's the way I look at meals anyway, I take something I already know how to make and just alter one or two of the ingredients to make it into something else. Take my casserole for example, if I put a couple of tins of tomatoes in instead of the stock, and put paprika in instead of the bay leaves I have an almost creditable version of goulash, or if I stuck a glug of ale in it then put a pastry pie lid on the plate I could call it a steak and ale pie

Sorry, I didn't mean to prattle on, it's just that cooking is actually really simple once you've mastered one or two dishes.


On the washing & ironing issue. One thing I've drummed into my OH over and over til he finally got the message is this: when your clothes come out of the washing machine, make sure you hang them up to dry properly. This means get a decent airer or plenty of space to hang individual hangers up. Shake each item of clothing quite sharply to get the washer creases out then hang it up the right way round (i.e. not inside out!) and hang it up CAREFULLY. Make sure all sleeves are unfolded and all hems are straight etc and your clothes will need far less ironing when they're dry.

Hope this helps in some way SS xx

Cazzdevil

Oh, and since you're an avid money saver, find somewhere local to you that sells bags of soda crystals (Wilkinsons perhaps?). When you do your washing, use half the amount of powder/liquid it suggests and put 3 tablespoons of soda crystals in the bottom of the washer drum. I've never known my clothes come out so clean and fresh smelling and you get a 1Kg bag of soda crystals for about 60p or something crazy like that!

Cazzdevil

PS, sorry if I've repeated any advice already given, I didn't read through the entire thread, only the first page

spaghetti_monster

On the subject of knives...
I would advise these serrated-edge ones from Ikea(or anywhere else, I think they're everywhere) - they come in a pack of 3 or 2 with different colour handles.
Have had mine for ages, always cut very well, never sharpen them.
I find expensive, really good ones a bit scary as I'm incredibly clumsy.. and one little slip....not always nice to have body parts in your cooking (even if they are free....)

Stephen_Leak

My recommendation for a decent cook's knife is this. A good make and quality but without a silly price tag. Get the 19cm one: any bigger and you're into professional territory. This is the best price I can find for this, even before you factor in the free 8cm paring knife.

Combine these with two IKEA (Sorry again, SS) "Legitim" chopping boards (one red for raw meat, one white (inc. a very useful little one) for £1.29 and £1.39 respectively) and your food chopping/cutting and hygeine requirements are sorted.

PS. A pack of sticky plasters might be a good idea. I am currently sporting a (small) stab wound from my last batch of chicken korma!