lindafw Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Having been ill all through the Christmas holidays I succumbed the day before half term (having been coughing since the 2nd week back after Christmas). Aches and pains, coughing (thanks tena) and a sniffle has made me feel very sorry for myself. The sons have wrecked the house whilst I have snuggled in bed a bit tearful. First day dressed today and I found 20 eggs in a hidden nest...all cracked from being frozen grr. Time to stock the fridge..which contains bacon..bacon and more bacon. What shall I buy?? and what shall I cook with it (everything needs to be able to cool and reheat...everyone works different shifts) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lillybettybabs Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 I tend to make a big batch of chilli which you can have with rice or jacket spuds when people want to eat at different times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 How about a lovely beef casserole? You can portion it up and put in the fridge for simple reheating on the stove, or put individual portions in the freezer. Bolognese? Cook and portion. People can then have with pasta, or rice , or potato (as previous posters CHilli suggestion). In all cases, cook double the amount and freeze half (freeze in single/double portions for extra simplicity later) Or cook a chicken and cut into portions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyhenSG Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 You have my utmost sympathy - it sounds like we have the same virus A HUGE batch of spag bol is definitely the way to go. Turn it into chilli, shepherds pie, lasagne - all quick and easy and firm favourites in our house Hope you feel better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 THIS is a great multi purpose mince recipe,which has bacon in it too. You can use it for Cottage pies,Chilli, Spag Bol & so forth It freezes really well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 When everyone was home ( all left me now, the nest is empty.) I still get out the Slow cooker and make huge casseroles, stews, chillies anything really and feed myself for a week, even topping up the freezer with spare meals for when i can't make a meal ,lots of toppings for baked potatos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted February 15, 2012 Author Share Posted February 15, 2012 Thank you all...we regularly go the mince route...your recipe is similar to mine but with measurements! I use my slow cooker regularly and love it... pork beef and sausage all casserole in it. No chicken..ES will not eat shop bought..and my girls are for eggs. I am just bored with the same old same old...I watch all these programmes on eating cheaply and think..thats how we have always eaten. My only extravagance is a whole salami and a chorizo which we fry and have with eggy cheesy pasta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Was just going to suggest you buy a slow cooker. Other than that, shepherds pie, hotpot, lasagne, stew, chilli, curry. Hope you are feeling better. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I would recommend some of the recipes from Hugh's vegetarian book, if you normally eat meat and fancy a change you will not be disappointed by his Pinto Bean Chilli or North African Squash and Chickpea Stew both good to make in larger quantities and reheat..as is his Ribolitta ...(ciabatta rubbed with garlic with ribolitta poured on top is the way to go in this house! ) Also we have in our fridge as a standby, some olives so it's easy to knock up Tart's Spaghetti (Delia...I leave out the anchovies because we are Veggie), a pack of cauldron veggie sausages..(so much nicer than meat ones according to our carnivore son) plenty of easily roastable veg (mushrooms peppers cauli etc) to serve with couscous and a dressing I make by adding extra lemon juice and a dash of olive oil to shop bought houmous...(sometimes I add a bit of greek yog too..depending on the mood I'm in!!) with some salad.. and I make a really easy Lentil Dhal with Cauli, which involves cooking the lentils with onions garlic ginger until soft then adding some Patak's curry paste (yes cheaty I know but soooo easy) hot or mild according to taste and a cauliflower chopped into florets...(you have to watch carefully and stir at this stage because it will burn if you aren't careful...add a drop more water from the kettle if necessary ) put your rice on when the Cauli goes in...and then 10 minutes later...fabulous.. I usually serve this with a very un-authentic raita made from greek yoghurt and mint sauce...sometimes if I can be bothered I add some chopped cucumber ...easy peasy ...and the curry improves with keeping so can be kept happily in the fridge for a few days.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubababe Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Sorry I'm with the 'mince' majority! It`s so easy to make a job lot to go over jacket potatoes, pasta, potatoes (either over or under) rice or spaghetti. Justa basic recipe which you can either spice up or add a few extras!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Everyone has such good ideas...I will buy Hugh..have his other books. Sadly no curry in this house orvchilli as ES has sensitive stomach and MS has ulcerative colitus...YS isn't keen...so I have to buy in when they are all out. Even worse I try to be wheat free because of my issues... No matter I can adapt your ideas to wheat free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kinsk Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 You can still do a version of chilli, with the mince, beans etc. and leave the spicy stuff out, put some smoked paprika in, if they can eat chorizo they can eat that. Why wont he eat shop bought chickens? even free range ones? but he'll eat salami and chorizo which comes of some of the most miserable, mass produced pigs This is a Waitrose recipe Chorizo and Butternut squash Chilli You could leave the chilli out though and it wouldn't really miss it, I often do as my husband doesn't like hot things. Not wheat either, adn it freezes fine. Do you eat wheat free pasta? if so http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/pork/penne-with-leeks-and-bacon.html she also does a cheats version, would use up some of your bacon and can be reheated. Mousakka, you can load it with veggies to save on the meat content, make double freeze the veggie mince leftovers to have with baked potatoes. Fish pie, if you want a really quick don't have the energy to cook meal just put some raw fish in a buttered ovenproof bowl. Mix a tub of creme fraiche with herbs and mix in with the fish. Top with mashed potato and some grated cheese and bake in the oven. Storecupboard things like corned beef hash with a poached egg ontop always go down well and don't take too much time and effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Why won#t he eat chicken????? Aaaaah well its a long story...but the short of it is that years ago when I was struggling on benefits whilst the boys were young we ate chicken....and chicken....and chicken ....and...well you get the idea. It was always cheap and reduced because of the sell by date...I think he got so sick of it he just went on strike! We eat free range and organic if we can and I am one of those people who block the reduced section Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubababe Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 There is nothing wrong in raiding the reduced section. This has recently been a discovery of mine I've got some right bargains in there. Most often the use by/sell by dates are just to safeguard the shop and the food will be fine for a while after. There was a programme on it a while ago and it was most enlightening on how the food industry use it as a form of getting us to throw perfectly good food away as it's passed the date and buy more And people actually save thousands of pound by using the food that the shops throw out!! Definitely food for thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Tell me about it.........................there is NOTHING WORSE than sitting at the till,scanning gorgeous lamb chops which have been reduced to 60p for a pack of 4 We can't go & buy while at work,& when we finish,the shop is shut Some people literally follow the Ops team around as they reduce stuff & grab armfuls of it all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubababe Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 I've got a few packs of bread rolls in my freezer which were reduced to 10p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redhotchick Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Make involtini. Delicious. It's a Nigella recipe, it's posted in the "What have you cooked today" thread. A pork casserole can be heated up as you need it and eaten with rice, pasta or potatoes, as you prefer. What about frozen foods? Pizza can be quickly cooked from frozen (for those that can eat it). Fish in sauce that are frozen in individual packets, with mash and some fresh steamed veg for others maybe? Omlettes or Frittata. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
