Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 I need some ideas from you for things to buy/cook/eat. I know it's a stupid thing to ask but I've always lived in catered halls or worked in residential/extended day schools and been home in the holidays to be fed so I've never had to cope with feeding myself long-term. Suddenly I've realised (being put into the situation) that I have absolutely no idea how to cook for myself so I need some ideas please, based on the limitations of only having: one small saucepan one small frying pan one wooden stirrer thing one green semi-circular thing with holes in it no fridge or freezer (so can only buy dry stuff) Pasta is the only thing I can come up with, but I don't really like it. Any other masterchef ideas that don't require being a masterchef?? Hungry Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lya of the Nox Report post Posted June 9, 2007 (edited) do u eat baked spuds? do u have a microwave u can use? they are good will think about this for u, brains bit muddled at the mo x tinned or dried soups rice dishes if u can tell us what u like to eat maybe we can come up with some thing to help u <'> Edited June 9, 2007 by Lya of the Nox Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Ohh, baked spuds I hadn't thought of that - I like them - I do have a microwave I can use. Although I do like butter and cheese on spuds and can't have these without a fridge (although I could do what others do and 'borrow' the mini butter tubs from breakfast ) What do I like? I'm not sure - not great at making decisions which is why it has always worked to well for me just to be given food to eat (and often on a predictable 'rolling' menu). I don't like rice except in rice pudding though. I'd like to come up with a week's menu that I can repeat for the next 15 weeks till I get fed again (or else this could become one radical diet!!!!) I should eat veg too, although storing them is harder without a fridge. Maybe when they move me the new place will have a fridge - perhaps that could be a positive to moving. Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lya of the Nox Report post Posted June 9, 2007 ok u need to decide what u would definalty eat and what u would not eat and then we can se if we can make a rollin menu for u ? tuna is good in a spud ooh if u can microwave how bout micro dinners? u ahve done well u got me brain workin X Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted June 9, 2007 (edited) Lya's right Mumble. You can always buy another saucepan. You need to give us a list of favourite foods, and one of hates. Otherwise this could end up being a World Record thread as hundreds of people offer their ideas. Eg In my daughter's case... Hearty Carnivore, including poultry Likes cheese sauce Likes potatoes (except mashed) hates spices except paprika, gravy, couscous, any form of pulses. Won't eat fish ever. I like the idea of a small microwave, clean and easy. All you need is a socket. Edited June 9, 2007 by Bard Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
llisa32 Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Hi - how about a 'mini' fridge also?, you can get them for less than 20 pounds on ebay, and I've just checked argos for you and they a pink one for �20.00! - although don't know if u fancy pink? - theres also a small siver one on there for 15 pounds which you could easily fit basic size butter/cheese and bit of veg in If you have a mini micro and mini fridge in your room, we'll all be knocking you up a menu in no time Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Hi all, I was thinking of getting one of those mini-fridges for butter, cheese and milk - would certainly make things easier - 2 questions for anyone who has one: do they make much noise (given I am very sensitive to noise, something humming away could be unbearable)? can they be used continuously or are they supposed to be more of a novelty item? Ok, foods I like - I'll eat most things actually except celery, curry, corriandar or carrots (except carrot cake) or anything very spicy. I'm not so keen on pasta and rice (though I'll eat them) and tend to choose pots and bread for carbohydrates. Fish I'm fine with. Meat - I don't eat much mainly because I have an irrational food-poisoning fear and figure I'm safer with other foods Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lya of the Nox Report post Posted June 9, 2007 well we could do a baked spud rota one day cheese then tuna or fish, baked beans? my friend uses one of these fridges to keep her hubs beer in i will ask her for you x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Thanks Lya I'll be on Masterchef (or working at Spuds 'R' Us!!) before you know it Anything beats the peanutbutter sarnies I'm having tonight (Actually I like peanutbutter sarnies, but I don't think they count as a balanced meal!!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Lya of the Nox Report post Posted June 9, 2007 well my lot would say they were had a nother idea how bout a plug in steamer? u can cook fish in one bit and some vegies in the other http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/4223364.htm dunno how u are off for money? eggs are ok scrambled in a micro too off to have a pizza now lol x Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Sounds interesting, but we're not actually allowed to have any cooking equipment (electrical) of our own (the microwave is provided in the pantry). I didn't know you could scramble eggs in the microwave - that's an idea, although I couldn't have them on toast as we're not allowed a toaster - they set off the fire alarms too many times so were taken away. I'm intending to get around the fridge by saying I was interpreting the rules exactly (and they know how literal I can be) - I'm not using the fridge to cook with, so it's not actually cooking equipment!! Money wise I'm a student which should just about say it all . . . Pizza explains what the other students seem to do - their 'rolling menus' consist of a different take-away each night!!!! There's always a constant 'hum' of mopeds coming up the hill!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Right - I have a wonderful recipe for one pot Carrot and Celery Madras What? Really? Sorry - must read these threads more careully! Mini Fridge - deffo a good idea... stock with wine and live on takeaways Seriously - Frying pan: chicken breast. Microwave: Jackety spud. one small saucepan: veg (just bung it all in the one, adding bits depending on cooking time - i.e. cauli, then broccoli 5 mins later), tinned spaghetti or musical fruit. variations: chicken breast could be a chop, or liver and bacon, or stir fry, or.... etc etc... Jacket spud/Instant mash 'microwave' rice ( i know you're not REALLY keen, but lots of varieties to disguise the 'rice' flavour... Microwave sponge puds are yummy, filling and a piece of (excuse the pun) cake! EGGS = frying pan = omelette or pancakes (sweet or savoury - crepes o chocolat!) Frying pan - bacon/onions/herbs and tinned toms... Pasta drained in colandar (green semi-circle with holes) then bung on top, stir through, smother with cheese yum yum YOU WILL LIKE PASTA - Honest! One saucepan?? Sheer bl00dy luxury - I had to cook a 16 course banquet for 100 people with just an empty baked bean tin and a single tea-candle. If you don''t like rice, you could always try polenta or cous cous or tinned chick peas or ....ooooooh there's loads of pulses, legumes, grains cereals to choose from! SPAM!! (spam spam spam.......) Spam a'la mode Spammy con-carne Spammeti bolognese Spambidextrous sandwiches (that's one in each hand!) Spamella Anderson (that's a thick piece in a swim suit) Spamella Anderson and Tommy Lea (that's a thick piece in a swimsuit with a tomato, eaten in a meadow off campus) What do you mean 'you don't like spam'? God - how sad have i become - spouting Monty Python sketches on forum Sausicces au vin - gently fry some small link chipolatas/cocktail sausages until brown, with onions (possibly some bacon), garlic, herbs (a pinch of sage and whatever else takes your fancy) etc add a glass of white wine (drink the rest of the bottle - could be red if you'd rather), and a little cornflour mixed to a smooth paste with water. Stir until sauce thickens. Boil kettle and mix up some instant mash and arrange on plate as a 'nest' bung saussice 'en vin in the nest and bobs yer wossname..... Smoke detector - remove battery or cover with clingfilm while cooking... L&P G Kerr (deceased) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 im lost without my microwave i did a cookery course but have forgotten all what i learnt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynda4 Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Easy chilli con carne Fry chopped onion (in saucepan) add mince and fry some more til brown add tin or jar of chilli con carne sauce tin of chopped tomatoes tin of kidney beans (or baked beans) chopped mushrooms - optional Simmer in pan for about 15-20 mins Should make quite a big batch, so you can eat some and then store the rest in your fridge for 2-3 days. You could freeze it in small portions if you have access to a freezer. It would then be good with rice or pasta but as you're not fond of them, it's also good with a baked potato on the side or the sauce poured over it. You could also have it with a small side salad and crusty bread If that makes too much, is too fiddly or costs too much, you could just add mince and a can of beans ___ Eggs are very good all rounders and you don't need a fridge for them. Boiled, poached, fried, scrambled or an omlette. Omlette - with cheese and ham, cheese and onion, ham, tomato, mixed veg etc etc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Spambidextrous sandwiches (that's one in each hand!) :lol: Oh Baddad, I started the day crying and I've finished it the same way (although these are tears of laughter). Spam's the pink stuff that comes in tins that are impossible to open, right? Mumble does not do pink!!!! The 'Sausicces au vin' sounds good, particularly the 'drink the rest' bit of the instructions . So that's what corn flour's for - I did use it once in my 'I'll cook tonight mum' disaster - I decided the instructions had to be wrong because 1 tsp of corn flour wouldn't do anything, so I put a large tablespoon in (and a bit extra for good measure) instead. I was still scraping the solidified mess out 2 hours later The trouble with most things is it assumes lots of fridge space which I don't have - making a batch and storing would be a great idea but not one I can do. Lynda - don't eggs have to be stored in the fridge - I thought they always had to be kept either in a chicken or in a fridge . . . Oh and Baddad - I will NOT like pasta!!! Cake-filled Mumble (the cooking didn't start tonight - I'll get a plan together and shop not at the weekend) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 mumble you should try spam fritters,they are lovely Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 (edited) mumble you should try spam fritters,they are lovely Oh no - I've created a '101 interesting things to do with Spam' thread . . . . . . . :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: Edited June 9, 2007 by Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 i also used to love spam on toast,that was lovely Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted June 9, 2007 i also used to love spam on toast,that was lovely Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hev Report post Posted June 9, 2007 no bard its lovely really,with tomato sauce Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pearl Report post Posted June 9, 2007 When I was a student hundreds of years ago I lived on eggs & Vesta curries for my first term. Got bored with that, & purchased "Cooking in a Bedsit" which had loads of scrummy one-pot meal recipes. Sure its out of print now, but bought my daughter a student cookbook when she left for uni. Cant remember what it was, but if you put "student cookbook" into Amazons search box it comes up with quite a variety. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bard Report post Posted June 9, 2007 Lynda - don't eggs have to be stored in the fridge - I thought they always had to be kept either in a chicken or in a fridge . . . They will keep for two weeks in a cool, dry place. In supermarkets, they're not in the fridges. This is a tip from long haul sailing, and it works. Varnish. The reason an egg goes off quickly is that the shell is porous, and if you varnish the egg, you seal it. You have to turn the cartons over once a week, or the yolk gets stuck to the shell. They'll keep for 6 weeks like that. But you live in London, so obtaining eggs shouldn't be as difficult as if you are becalmed in the South Atlantic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted June 9, 2007 becalmed in the South Atlantic. Oh, sounds lovely - could probably do with something like that about now. I don't know how to sail though - it's on my list of things to do before I'm 30, so I've got a year and 11 months to work it out - maybe I need to revise my list. I suppose Spam would be quite good out in the South Atlantic too . . . OK, this is my plan so far - I'm going to come up with some stuff I can do that's probably not very adventurous but will at least fill me up - potatoes and the like - and then twice a week I'm going to try something new, starting with Baddad's sausages au vine or whatever it was. A looking forward to eating properly Mumble Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted June 10, 2007 ooooh, egg tips! How to tell if an egg is fresh (without breaking it open and sniffing!) place it in a bowl of cold water. if it lays on the bottom, it's fine... If it lifts on one side but doesn't 'stand up' it's OK but needs to be used soon. If it stands up but doesn't float, throw it at a politician If it actually floats - throw it at an LEA officer... Ahhhh... just remembered, they have sell bys on again now, don't they And they keep fine out of the fridge - my mum used to keep hers in a chicken shaped casserole dish on the worktop... and yes, smart***es, my Mum was a Rhode Island Red And another (from 'How')... How to make a golden egg: Hold the shell over a candle until it is covered in soot Drop it into a glass of water, and it will be MAGICALLY transformed to a golden egg... lift it out of the water and it's just black and sooty again... Also, don't knock Spam - it's the thinking man's luncheon meat, as endorsed by Rene Descartes : "I'm pink, therefore I'm Spam."... Spam fritters hev? That's ######-er-nee rhyming slang for an upset stomach! What about a slow cooker? No flames or anything for setting off fire alarms, bung all the bits in in the morning and it does the rest for you... you could also keep it under the bed in case of emergencies... And you would like cheezy bacon pasta, you would..... Pearl - Vesta curries! Tasted nothing like a curry whatsoever but were very nice regardless. Do you remember those (no names no pack drill) French Bread Pizza's?? they were AWFUL - but nice! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Frangipani Report post Posted June 10, 2007 (edited) I used to do a lot of cooking with only a microwave and small area on a boat. Its amazing what you can cook in a microwave, easily do mini roasts with all the veg in a baking bag, and herbs comes out perfect. Grab a microwave cookbook from the bookshop you will be amazed what you can cook, even cakes and muffins. Perfect chinese style steamed rice in 10 mins just add one cup of long grain rice to 2 cups of boiling water in a microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic poke a few holes in and microwave for 10 mins. Fish or chicken smear with olive oil or 1/2 tabsp butter and herbs wrap in glad bake, and any variation of simmer sauces and cook on 'medium heat' keep turning be careful of steam it burns. They have microwave bags you can put all your favourite veges in with a tablespoon or two of water and pronto steamed veges. Chocolate mud cake yum , cooking is fun. Probably find heaps of recipes on the internet. Just remember when cooking meat or fish to cook it on medium otherwise the proteins turn to rubber. If cooking chicken fillets use 'thigh fillets' as you can cook them and they never go tough, whereas breast fillets if you make one mistake like too much steam they are tough as rubber. Always keep a separate board for preparation of meat/chicken to veges to prevent salmonella poisoning. Wash in very hot water, the boards and use disposible gloves when handling raw chicken. We will be asking you for recipes soon. F xx Edited June 10, 2007 by Frangipani Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
