Cooking for one

[mojohnson]

I'm sure some of you out there are in a similar situation - getting on a bit - lack of energy and enthusiasm and desperate for a proper home-cooked meal even though the appetite maybe small.

Plenty of ready meals are available in the supermarkets and even frozen delivery to the home - but they really are not like home cooking and I end up binning 75%.

Any comments, help or advice most welcome

[shaneystar2]

You could get yourself a small chicken .Shove it in your slow cooker .You don't need any liquid it will make it's own gravy .Cook on low again for about five hours .
Then you can get Morrisons Best frozen roast spuds and their Best Yorkshire puds x4 .These will last you for a good four meals for one .
Do yourself some greens of some description and just thicken the gravy from the chicken .Then you can have cold chicken and salad,new pots the next day.
All easy to prepare .I mostly cook for two but I can't faff with roasties and yorkies these days for two people so buy frozen and they are very nice .
But they must be Morrisons not those horrid Aunt Bessie things :)

[sasskins]

Who's freezer DN?

[shaneystar2]

I often do roast beef in the slow cooker .What's left over gets sliced up in portions and frozen for another meal .

[mojay]

I had thought I'd go to bed but this thread has been so helpful I couldn't leave it

that chicken - slow cooker sounds so easy Shaney - and I think I'll have to print out all these suggestions - marvellous - what great guys you all are - yayyy

[mojay]

oops = roast beef in slow cooker ?

[woofgang]

Marks frozen roasties are good, also the mcCain ones in the silver packet. I agree with what everyone has said about the slow cooker. On cold days though I use the oven as part of the house heating, put in a roasting tray fingers of parsnip, carrot, wedges of potato and chunks of skinless boneless chicken, onion if you like it, drizzle with oil then roast all together covered for about 40 mins at 180 ish. Take the lid or foil off for the last ten minutes. If you like them, toss in frozen chestnuts, instant roast dinner.

[shaneystar2]

We had brisket today .Done in the slow cooker.
Just chunks carrots and shallots in the bottom .Lay joint on top .I have an oval cooker btw. and leave it to sozzle on low for about six hours .It makes it's own gravy.Take the meat out .let it rest .Fish out the veg. Thicken the gravy ,serve it with your choice of pots and a yorkshire and perhaps some green .
What's left over can be sliced up into portions when cold then frozen and you only have to defrost ,warm it up and you have several more meals .

[mojay]

I really must go now - but ni ni' and many many thanks to you all

Mo xx

[pastafreak]

I also do my chicken in the slow cooker. I get the biggest one I can fit in-usually about 1.7-2kg. It always comes out so,so moist. I'll get at least 3 dinners,and a couple of lunches from that-plus I use my carcasses for soup/stock. You can also do those giant turkey legsin there,or the big thigh portions that Sainsbury's sell. Several meals from either of those.
I'm not a beef fan,but I love pork belly slowcooked. I cut the slices in half,brown them off a bit-then pop in the slow cooker with just a tiny bit of stock and whatever seasoning I fancy. I have a tiny cooker-just 1.5ltrs-so just the right size for one. I also have a 3.5ltr which is perfect for doing whole chickens,or the turkey portions. I also do meatballs and Bolognese in the slow cooker-everything comes out so moist. I couldn't do without it.

[pastafreak]

PS-an easy gravy...
If doing a joint-lay it on top of some leeks,sliced carrots,1-2 sliced big mushrooms,maybe some celery. When meat is done-remove,and use a stick blender to whizz the veg.....a wonderful,thick and delicious gravy.

[woofgang]

my other standby is (are) frozen microwaveable jacket potatoes. 4 for 2 quid, ballantines but mccains do them too. 5 minutes in the microwave and the spud is delicious never any blemishes or bad bits. 50 p for one spud may sound a bit dear but you never get a bad one and save on fuel costs, plus have you looked at the price of baking spuds?

[CatGirl4]

I think i might try some of these recipes,i agree,when you're on your own,you just can't bother cooking.Wish those recipes were written down.