What's for tea tonight? (#8)
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Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
How old are they?
I started doing a family meal once a week when I was 10 and then stepped it up to be more frequent when I got older. Having good tried and tested recipes to follow is great while learning when young, so you can get used to how all the flavours work and cooking times etc. Delia is a decent place to start in terms of getting the basics down
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Oh that's excellent ages for them to be getting into it, as long as they are fairly sensible you don't have to worry so much that one of them is going to fry their hand or something, and they will be able to pick up some useful techniques that will hold them in good stead in future when it comes to putting together a meal
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MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
Tonight is gonna be beef satay and boiled rice, because it’s already planned, but after today I need to deal with my egg surplus… we already had 20 eggs in the fridge and now have been gifted a further 22 from MiL because they are approaching sell by date and she wasn’t going to use them.
So I’ll be living on omelettes for breakfast, egg Mayo sandwiches for lunch and 2 fried eggs on the side of every dinner until we catch up and get these used before they expire. If anyone has good ideas for a dinner main dish which is egg based and isn’t omelette, I’m all ears.
So I’ll be living on omelettes for breakfast, egg Mayo sandwiches for lunch and 2 fried eggs on the side of every dinner until we catch up and get these used before they expire. If anyone has good ideas for a dinner main dish which is egg based and isn’t omelette, I’m all ears.
MrCurry
right after this urgent rest
You can freeze boiled eggs? I did not know this! More of less solves my problem, as I can boil as many as I like, then use them for egg Mayo over the next month or two.
And maybe we will have some egg fried rice at the weekend too.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Eggs also typically last longer than their best before, you know how to do a float test on them? (put whole in the shell into a pan/bowl/mug with cold water, if they stay on the bottom on their side they are fairly fresh, if they stay on the bottom standing on end they are ok to use but not so fresh (good for meringue or hard boiled), if they float they are off).
You can also make thin omelettes and cut them into strips - the sort of thing you would use to add to rice or noodles - and freeze them portioned up into useful amounts.
For freezing them raw, it can be done with some provisos:
Egg whites can be frozen raw
Egg yolks will thicken and become unusable if frozen as is, but you can beat either just the yolks, or whole eggs with a little salt or sugar (make a note which you use so you know whether they are for savoury or sweet use) and portion them up and freeze them.
(I worked for a while doing egg testing and some days we got to take home 30+ eggs that had been removed from their shells, happy days! Best way to use them is just to do a lot of baking
)
You can also make thin omelettes and cut them into strips - the sort of thing you would use to add to rice or noodles - and freeze them portioned up into useful amounts.
For freezing them raw, it can be done with some provisos:
Egg whites can be frozen raw
Egg yolks will thicken and become unusable if frozen as is, but you can beat either just the yolks, or whole eggs with a little salt or sugar (make a note which you use so you know whether they are for savoury or sweet use) and portion them up and freeze them.
(I worked for a while doing egg testing and some days we got to take home 30+ eggs that had been removed from their shells, happy days! Best way to use them is just to do a lot of baking
)
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mrsfran
Well-Known Member
Yeah, they might be a bit rubbery when defrosted but fine for egg mayo.You can freeze boiled eggs? I did not know this! More of less solves my problem, as I can boil as many as I like, then use them for egg Mayo over the next month or two.
And maybe we will have some egg fried rice at the weekend too.
She does spell absolutely everything out. She also extends cooking time quite a lot with unnecessary (IMO) steps, like cleaning out a frying pan in between putting stuff in it. BUT, yes, directions are super clear.
I think if you can get kids cooking early, it's great for them.I started doing a family meal once a week when I was 10 and then stepped it up to be more frequent when I got older. Having good tried and tested recipes to follow is great while learning when young, so you can get used to how all the flavours work and cooking times etc. Delia is a decent place to start in terms of getting the basics down
I was never allowed into the kitchen. It was council, so realllly small, and had 3 doors, so me mother banned us all from going in there when she was cooking. As a result, I left home at 18 unable to even boil an egg. I lived out of the chippy and on frozen food until I was pregnant, when I thought I'd better learn how to cook so my baby didn't eat absolute shite.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Wow but also like for the comment about getting kids cooking early - part of growing a new hooman is teaching them how to feed themselves after all!
Mrs B works at a university, and each year there are tales of freshers arriving who don't know how to boil a kettle, do their laundry, etc, which is an annual reminder to keep them on it. The issue is that it's actually easier to do it myself in most circumstances - when they're cooking I have to plan stuff out properly with them, shop and do some supervision - so it's really easy to let it slide
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
You're doing them a fantastic service that will help them their entire lives by letting them regularly plan and cook a meal though, even if it means a little more work for you to facilitate that
(I also learned to do laundry in an old twin tub job, and hand washing with a washboard - omg I am so old
)
(I also learned to do laundry in an old twin tub job, and hand washing with a washboard - omg I am so old
)Indeed. I taught my lass the basics, and when she first left home, I made her a folder with all the recipes printed up inside it. She's still got it
It totally is, but you're doing a sterling job by putting the extra effort in.
Haha, I used to wash clothes in the bath when I first left home. Was quite stinky as a result - it was hard work!! Got a twin tub after about 2 years, and thought it luxury(I also learned to do laundry in an old twin tub job, and hand washing with a washboard - omg I am so old
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Haha, I used to wash clothes in the bath when I first left home. Was quite stinky as a result - it was hard work!! Got a twin tub after about 2 years, and thought it luxury
Oh god hand washing everything is a complete nightmare and totally wrecks your hands (esp if you have any sort of sensitive skin or a skin condition), ofc we might all be reduced to doing our laundry in cold water in the bath once again by the end of the year if we can't afford to run our washing machines.
Aye, jeans are the worst thing ever to try to wring out with your hands!!Oh god hand washing everything is a complete nightmare and totally wrecks your hands (esp if you have any sort of sensitive skin or a skin condition), ofc we might all be reduced to doing our laundry in cold water in the bath once again by the end of the year if we can't afford to run our washing machines.
Oh god, don't
I've already switched from the massively-convenient 45 minute wash to the have-to-time-it-carefully eco wash that uses much less leccy and water, but takes 4.5 hours.I can't remember! And yeh it is off topic, but fuck it. It's still kitchenyDid you have big wooden laundry tongs for the twin tub though? I remember using those to hoik the laundry out of the thing and/or move it to the other tub
(Apologies, this is way off topic at this point).
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
I can't remember! And yeh it is off topic, but fuck it. It's still kitcheny
I actually googled to have a look for images of laundry tongs but all the ones I can find there are plastic, now I KNOW I wasn't born before plastics were in use, so maybe the wooden ones were a hand-me-down of some sort?
Probably were. We never used to buy as much new stuff as we all do now eh?
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Speak for yourself, I've been skint since the early 2000s
(I intend that post in good humour btw, and do understand what you mean!
)
farmerbarleymow
I'm Petee's spirit animal
Shit loads of veg. Chopped tomatoes, portobello mushrooms, marinated tomatoes in garlic and stuff, yellow pepper and shallots. Chucked in some wholegrain pilau rice.
Feel like I need a lie down now.
Feel like I need a lie down now.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Most of the people in my halls flat knew how to cook. One of them tried to boil chicken breasts once but that’s the worst of it I think.
The guy from Zimbabwe ate chicken legs, plain rice and baked beans every single day for the whole year. I think his wife did all the cooking at home.
My mother did sort of teach me to cook but nothing was really cooked from scratch.
I realised later in life she was a terrible cook (and a terrible human tbf
).We used to get free beef and butter because she was on benefits so lots of meals from minced beef and stewing beef in gravy.
My dad wasn’t much better, lots of jacket potatoes and cheese toasties. I have learned to cook with actual ingredients as an adult.
Looby
Well-Known Member
Saying all that above, tonight again we can’t be arsed because of the lurgy. I’m thinking of beans on toast and he might have a sandwich again.
Is it weird that I’m not actually sure if I can taste food? It’s either really feint or what I can taste is from memory or something.
Is it weird that I’m not actually sure if I can taste food? It’s either really feint or what I can taste is from memory or something.
I live on toast when the kids aren't here tbf
