General Chat

I do cook on a Saturday I use my actifry to do chips and have fish or maybe ham and eggs with mushrooms etc .

I buy Sainsbury's microwave curries and they do a really nice braised steak and mash that is heated in the microwave

I had some chicken in the freezer and did a casserole with lots of veg and I have some portions in the freezer

When kieran is here we have steamed smoked fish with potatoes peas and parsley sauce on a Friday
We go out to lunch too on a Tuesday so I have a cooked meal

But on my own most days I have salad with all the trimmings and with some protein like fish or cold chicken or ham and cheese. I do like salad

Yes as the days get colder I will have more hot meals

:-)

I am fortunate Shirley. Close to my bungalow is a shop named Butti-licious.

They sell cooked food. Could be anything from a pie to a sausage sandwich.

The will without notice cook a full meal. Better still they deliver.

As does the fish n chip shop or pizzas (small charge for the delivery} :-D

Shirley, so glad your freezer's upright once more! :-D

Good idea of Ann and Sylvia's.
I have a small slow cooker - perfect for a small amount. (also means I'm not eating the same thing 3 days on the trot!)
I cook stews in mine, and mince, for shepherds/cottage pies.
I make 2 small ones - eat one - freeze one! (though I don't put carrots in them - carrots don't freeze too well, in my opinion :-( )

Shirley ......

Why not try having a cooking session once or twice a week or even a month??

Make a small roast, have it for one meal, then slice the rest and package the slices in one-meal sizes, freeze. When you feel like a hot roast meal, take one of the packages out, let it thaw thoroughly, cook potatoes and veggies, and warm the meat up in either the oven or microwave. You can even make gravy and freeze that in portions, although I never eat gravy.

Make a full sized casserole, have it hot for one meal, package the rest in one meal sizes and freeze. I wrap in tinfoil if it is shepherd's pie or fish pie, put in freezer bags ............. the package is then ready to put straight into the oven to heat up, 30-40 minutes at 375F if fully thawed or 40-60 minutes if still frozen.

I use plastic boxes for stews.

This is how I have cooked for the last 10 or so years, even though there are 2 of us. We always have home-made frozen meals in the freezer, and usually 2 or 3 packets of sliced roast meat. I can have a hot meal if OH is out for the evening, or we can both choose what we want..

I began the idea of cooking large and freezing small when I was living alone for a year while OH and daughter were on leave in NZ back in 1992 and 1993.


I don't use a slow cooker, but you could very easily use one as Ann suggests and freeze small portions for future use.

You must look after yourself!! And it seems as if you are going to have a cold winter, hot meals are necessary!

Glad to hear you're feeling better Shirley. Look after yourself. <3

That is good Shirley. Salads are good for you but if you got yourself a small slow cooker you could cook yourself hot meals for the winter with very little fuss. Nice to share a meal with family though. :-) :-)

Had a visit yesterday of our daughter SIL and grandson Kieran

Last week in the night I heard an almighty CRACK!! Wondered what it was and came down to check in case I had burglars. Didn't see anything wrong so went back to bed

A couple of days later I noticed the cupboard door on the integrated freezer wasn't sitting right

Soooo seems both adjustable front legs have failed and SIL came yesterday to correct it by jacking up the legs

They had been out and made the detour to mine and arrived at 3pm .I thought ok I will do a roast dinner

It went down very well and shows I haven't lost it as I havent done a roast since 2015 when hubby was still alive

I don't cook much for me , I like salad with all its trimmings and to be honest cooking for one seems to be a waste of oven time

They did enjoy the dinner and the freezer is looking trim and in line with the run of cupboards !!