Food bytes

[Parker Owens]

I would like to copy and paste this into a document, so I can save it in my recipe notebook...is that all right? Please?

[Mikiesboy]

Just now, Parker Owens said:

I would like to copy and paste this into a document, so I can save it in my recipe notebook...is that all right? Please?

Yes of course it is!!

[dughlas]

Tell 'em about "Bubble 'n Squeak" tim.

[dughlas]

I live alone and most things are packaged for families. I have a pan for making oversized muffins. I've never used it for muffins. Instead I make multiple mini meat (or chicken or turkey) loaves to freeze. Also make mini casseroles like baked mac 'n cheese or pasta bakes and freeze those. Also use my crockpot to cook roasts that I divide into individual serings and freeze. I found freezers bags work best for that as you can squeez out excess air and they lay flat to freeze and store.

[Mikiesboy]

4 minutes ago, dughlas said:

Tell 'em about "Bubble 'n Squeak" tim.

Oh yeah .. one of my fav things to do with leftover cabbage, and or brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. It's pretty close to Lyssa's recipe really. 

 

I like to have leftover swede/rutabega in mine so this is  and often made on Boxing Day or after Thanksgiving.

 

It's called Bubble and Squeak because that's what it does in the pan. What is below is my preferred 'recipe' but add what you like.. corn, cauliflower, whatever works for you and uses up your leftovers! 

 

It's very simple - take leftover mash potato, swede/rutabega, cabbage or brussel sprouts (I'd cut these up to be a bit smaller).. mix together and then put in a hot frying pan with a bit of oil. Fry until golden brown and then turnover as best you can. Serve hot with other leftovers. I love mine with cranberry sauce ... of course i have been caught eating cranberry sauce with a spoon.    I make my own because it's very simple and tastes so much better than canned!

 

i know ...LOL  i'm a sad case ... 

[Mikiesboy]

9 minutes ago, dughlas said:

I live alone and most things are packaged for families. I have a pan for making oversized muffins. I've never used it for muffins. Instead I make multiple mini meat (or chicken or turkey) loaves to freeze. Also make mini casseroles like baked mac 'n cheese or pasta bakes and freeze those. Also use my crockpot to cook roasts that I divide into individual serings and freeze. I found freezers bags work best for that as you can squeez out excess air and they lay flat to freeze and store.

Brilliant ideas, dugh!   I do similar things for us.. just larger quantities to freeze. But it's all batch cooking which is the way to go. I can make 24 muffins and freeze them, in the same time i make 12, so I don't need to turn on the oven 2x. 

[dughlas]

1 hour ago, Mikiesboy said:

Brilliant ideas, dugh!   I do similar things for us.. just larger quantities to freeze. But it's all batch cooking which is the way to go. I can make 24 muffins and freeze them, in the same time i make 12, so I don't need to turn on the oven 2x. 

Not to mention when you're rushed for time or not up to par you've something healthy stashed that only requires heating.

[dughlas]

1 hour ago, Mikiesboy said:

Oh yeah .. one of my fav things to do with leftover cabbage, and or brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. It's pretty close to Lyssa's recipe really. 

 

I like to have leftover swede/rutabega in mine so this is  and often made on Boxing Day or after Thanksgiving.

 

It's called Bubble and Squeak because that's what it does in the pan. What is below is my preferred 'recipe' but add what you like.. corn, cauliflower, whatever works for you and uses up your leftovers! 

 

It's very simple - take leftover mash potato, swede/rutabega, cabbage or brussel sprouts (I'd cut these up to be a bit smaller).. mix together and then put in a hot frying pan with a bit of oil. Fry until golden brown and then turnover as best you can. Serve hot with other leftovers. I love mine with cranberry sauce ... of course i have been caught eating cranberry sauce with a spoon.    I make my own because it's very simple and tastes so much better than canned!

 

i know ...LOL  i'm a sad case ... 

 I've been known to actually mix up a batch  and store it in the fridge for use over a couple of days. Add an egg or two and shape into patties for a quick breakfast or fold in some poached salmon to make fish cakes.

[Former Member]

2 hours ago, Parker Owens said:

I would like to copy and paste this into a document, so I can save it in my recipe notebook...is that all right? Please?

Please, feel free to copy, that is why we started this topic it in the first place.

[DynoReads]

From the days when we were tight On cash, my basic pantry had:

dried beans, several types (hubby and son believed red beans and rice was different from black beans and rice)

canned tomatos, whole, diced, diced with chilis

boullion cubes (we now use reduced salt broth or stock)

canned veggies: generic veg-all, green beans, corn, carrots

flour, baking powder, baking soda, bread yeast

generic flavored gelatin

rice

various pasta, macaroni, angel hair, rotini, etc

cheap cereal

pb and jelly

oil and shortening

 

fresh veggies and fruit

potatoes

cabbage

carrots

onions

apples

grapes when cheap but stored in freezer

 

I'd get family packs of the following and divided into 6 ounce packages:

ground meat, beef, chicken or turkey, whichever was on sale

chicken quarters (cheap)

pork chops

occassionally a large roast which could be 4 meals

 

frozen mixed veggies, hubby prefers the blends with cauliflower and broccoli

 

Quick soup could be veg-all, tomatoes boullion, ground beef and spices

 

I would make biscuit dough, line a cupcake pan with the dough, fill with chopped leftovers, top with a little cheese and bake. My son loved these for lunch, and hubby loved them for snacks. 

 

Treats were there frozen grapes or gelatin

 

left over pork or the occasional ham slice would go in a pot with 1/2 head cabbage, some chopped carrots, onions and potatoes. Add peppercorns and a bay leaf, what dad called boiled dinner

 

Edited April 28, 2017 by DynoReads

[Former Member]

2 hours ago, Mikiesboy said:

Oh yeah .. one of my fav things to do with leftover cabbage, and or brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes. It's pretty close to Lyssa's recipe really. 

 

I like to have leftover swede/rutabega in mine so this is  and often made on Boxing Day or after Thanksgiving.

 

It's called Bubble and Squeak because that's what it does in the pan. What is below is my preferred 'recipe' but add what you like.. corn, cauliflower, whatever works for you and uses up your leftovers! 

 

It's very simple - take leftover mash potato, swede/rutabega, cabbage or brussel sprouts (I'd cut these up to be a bit smaller).. mix together and then put in a hot frying pan with a bit of oil. Fry until golden brown and then turnover as best you can. Serve hot with other leftovers. I love mine with cranberry sauce ... of course i have been caught eating cranberry sauce with a spoon.    I make my own because it's very simple and tastes so much better than canned!

 

i know ...LOL  i'm a sad case ... 

Hi tim, thanks for doing the post today. I just came home after 12h work and saw, how the forum is participated.

I do my own sauce from lingonberries, which I pick usually in the forest. It is a lot like cranberry sauce and we eat it most often with meat. I cook it without sugar, but it gets sweet trough the cooking process. I can eat it spoon wise, too. 

 

As you said, what you do with leftovers on boxing day and rutabaga I thought of what I do in the same occasion. I cook a stew with leftover goose-roast and rutabaga. I just take everything that is left over from the roast, add some broth, the rutabaga in little dices and one or two potatoes and cook everything until it is nice and thick. Than I add some cut parsley.

 

 

[Bucket1]

Boxing Day leftovers is usually seafood especially prawns. A simple omelette of chopped up prawns and a sprinkle of chives is a very easy and delicious lunch. Sometimes I think the leftovers are the best bit.

 

As for the batch cooking, bolognese sauce is always done in a huge pot and frozen in meal size portions. I would love to say it's more efficient or cheaper but actually the main driver is taste. I can't cook it the same way in smaller batches. It needs that big pot.

[Headstall]

I just read through this... it's awesome!! Kudos to Lyssa and tim. I used to be into cooking, but not so much anymore... I go for simple and easy... summer... BBQ is put to good use. I like whole foods meals mostly, like chicken breast, steak, pot roast... grilled ham and scalloped potatoes once in a while. 

Cooking mostly for yourself changes things. I always cook for my son when I cook for me... and put his in the fridge. 

Breakfast is oatmeal and fresh fruit...

Lunch is my chance to use whatever my son doesn't eat... I start with a can of Healthy Request or Baxter's soup... and then anything goes... I add fresh spinach to almost every soup, no matter what I start with... left over chopped baked potatoes, brown rice, green onion... mashed neeps... mashed potatoes... carrots... fresh tomatoes... chicken breast... beef... left over chopped up spaghetti whatever I have... no soup ever tastes the same... once cooked, I split it in two, and I have two meals and it takes me no more that seven minutes... boring, but it works for me, and means I'm not wasting anything, and it's not time consuming...  

Edited April 29, 2017 by Headstall

[Mikiesboy]

6 hours ago, DynoReads said:

From the days when we were tight On cash, my basic pantry had:

dried beans, several types (hubby and son believed red beans and rice was different from black beans and rice)

canned tomatos, whole, diced, diced with chilis

boullion cubes (we now use reduced salt broth or stock)

canned veggies: generic veg-all, green beans, corn, carrots

flour, baking powder, baking soda, bread yeast

generic flavored gelatin

rice

various pasta, macaroni, angel hair, rotini, etc

cheap cereal

pb and jelly

oil and shortening

 

fresh veggies and fruit

potatoes

cabbage

carrots

onions

apples

grapes when cheap but stored in freezer

 

I'd get family packs of the following and divided into 6 ounce packages:

ground meat, beef, chicken or turkey, whichever was on sale

chicken quarters (cheap)

pork chops

occassionally a large roast which could be 4 meals

 

frozen mixed veggies, hubby prefers the blends with cauliflower and broccoli

 

Quick soup could be veg-all, tomatoes boullion, ground beef and spices

 

I would make biscuit dough, line a cupcake pan with the dough, fill with chopped leftovers, top with a little cheese and bake. My son loved these for lunch, and hubby loved them for snacks. 

 

Treats were there frozen grapes or gelatin

 

left over pork or the occasional ham slice would go in a pot with 1/2 head cabbage, some chopped carrots, onions and potatoes. Add peppercorns and a bay leaf, what dad called boiled dinner

 

This is a brilliant  pantry list Dyno!!!  We used to have boiled dinners!!  I'd roast them now but i  still love the combo. I love good simple food like this. 

 

You biscuit cheesy leftovers is intriguing and sounds good to me!!

[Bucket1]

Hmmmm not sure this really counts as leftovers but in winter I do roast a medley of vegetables (a restaurants way of saying I use whatever is available) and add leftover roast chicken to have as a warm salad for lunch the next day. I add some spices to warm it up a bit, sometimes just smoked paprika, sometimes a Moroccan blend. It's really good with roast beetroot, potato, sweet potato and carrot.

[Mikiesboy]

8 minutes ago, Headstall said:

I just read through this... it's awesome!! Kudos to Lyssa and tim. I used to be into cooking, but not so much anymore... I go for simple and easy... summer... BBQ is put to good use. I like whole foods meals mostly, like chicken breast, steak, pot roast... grilled ham and scalloped potatoes once in a while. 

Cooking mostly for yourself changes things. I always cook for my son when I cook for me... and put his in the fridge. 

Breakfast is oatmeal and fresh fruit...

Lunch is my chance to use whatever my son doesn't eat... I start with a can of Healthy Request or Baxter's soup... and then anything goes... I add fresh spinach to almost every soup, no matter what I start with... left over chopped baked potatoes, brown rice, green onion... mashed neeps... mashed potatoes... carrots... fresh tomatoes... chicken breast... beef... left over chopped up spaghetti whatever I have... no soup ever tastes the same... once cooked, I split it in two, and I have two meals and it takes me no more that seven minutes... boring, but it works for me, and means I'm not wasting anything, and it's not time consuming...  

Gary!!  Thanks for coming over!    

 

Peter is cooking for himself now. He uses his instant pot often. And as you know I love mine.   And i love soup and would eat it more often but Michael is not the biggest fan. 

 

You know I often wonder when food became a form of entertainment.  With the advent of the Food network?  I dont know but your food should taste good but it doesnt need to be fancy and making two meals while cooking one is smart not boring. 

 

I remember reading something once that said shop on the outside aisles of the store.  Only venture inside to buy rice, pasta and some canned veg like tomatoes. Otherwise don't go in there to buy processed foods. 

 

Sounds like you're doing great and i know you make more when the kids etc. are home!!  

 

Thanks again Gary for your comments and suggestions!!  Lyssa and i want people to share their ideas!!

 

[Mikiesboy]

5 minutes ago, Bucket1 said:

Hmmmm not sure this really counts as leftovers but in winter I do roast a medley of vegetables (a restaurants way of saying I use whatever is available) and add leftover roast chicken to have as a warm salad for lunch the next day. I add some spices to warm it up a bit, sometimes just smoked paprika, sometimes a Moroccan blend. It's really good with roast beetroot, potato, sweet potato and carrot.

Doesnt have to be leftover.. cooking once and eating twice is smart B!!  

[Bucket1]

2 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

Doesnt have to be leftover.. cooking once and eating twice is smart B!!  

Except now I have a craving for roast veg salad

[Former Member]

I’m not as dedicated to avoiding processed food as many of you. I cook for myself and I hate cleaning up after cooking. I cook 2 lbs of pasta at once and split it for several meals. I’m incredibly lazy, so I do use pasta sauce in a jar (usually Classico, but they don’t make my favorite anymore: spinach and cheese). I also buy ground beef by the chub and brown it all at once (I have a 12” frying pan) and split it into many small containers. I use prepared sauces to flavor the beef (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts) – often Teriyaki sauce.

[Mikiesboy]

6 minutes ago, Bucket1 said:

Except now I have a craving for roast veg salad

Oh i know. We get these wonderful huge organic italian sausages and i love them roasted, with potatoes, onion and peppers or cabbage.. dinner tomorrow i think.. 

[Former Member]

B (my B maybe I have to find a nickname for him lol) and me have certain things, which we like especially and especially home made, for example "Maultaschen", which is something like a giant ravioli. It is pasta filled mostly with grounded meat and spinach. We make everything by our self, even the pasta dough. It needs quiet a time, so we always do a big amount to go in the freezer. I think doing something in advance is smart, so every post is much welcome here.

 

I like cooking as an event, we use to cook a lot with our friends. Every second day after Christmas, there is a pizza left over dinner at ours, were our friends come, we bake the hole afternoon pizza and everything goes on it, which is left over, like roast etc.

 

But there has to be a day to day version at there is smart very necessary.

Edited April 29, 2017 by Lyssa

[Mikiesboy]

Just now, droughtquake said:

I’m not as dedicated to avoiding processed food as many of you. I cook for myself and I hate cleaning up after cooking. I cook 2 lbs of pasta at once and split it for several meals. I’m incredibly lazy, so I do use pasta sauce in a jar (usually Classico, but they don’t make my favorite anymore: spinach and cheese). I also buy ground beef by the chub and brown it all at once (I have a 12” frying pan) and split it into many small containers. I use prepared sauces to flavor the beef (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts) – often Teriyaki sauce.

There are good pasta sauces. And I make a big batch of rice each week and stir fry it or just reheat it for another meal. Nothing wrong with what you do at all.  Only problem with premade sauces is the salt.   I eat low salt because of my blood pressure.  Low salt is hard to find in premade food. So i buy 2 28oz cans of diced no-salt tomatoes.. into that goes tom. paste, onion, garlic, and spices. Cook until it starts to thicken. 

[Former Member]

2 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

There are good pasta sauces. And I make a big batch of rice each week and stir fry it or just reheat it for another meal. Nothing wrong with what you do at all.  Only problem with premade sauces is the salt.   I eat low salt because of my blood pressure.  Low salt is hard to find in premade food. So i buy 2 28oz cans of diced no-salt tomatoes.. into that goes tom. paste, onion, garlic, and spices. Cook until it starts to thicken. 

When I was working at Target, my coworkers were convinced I had a wife who was preparing my pasta with pasta sauce that I brought in for lunch. I just boiled the pasta and poured the jarred sauce on top – at work it went into the microwave. Just how incompetent did I look?  ;-)

[Bucket1]

8 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

I’m not as dedicated to avoiding processed food as many of you. I cook for myself and I hate cleaning up after cooking. I cook 2 lbs of pasta at once and split it for several meals. I’m incredibly lazy, so I do use pasta sauce in a jar (usually Classico, but they don’t make my favorite anymore: spinach and cheese). I also buy ground beef by the chub and brown it all at once (I have a 12” frying pan) and split it into many small containers. I use prepared sauces to flavor the beef (or boneless, skinless chicken breasts) – often Teriyaki sauce.

This is all about what works for you - if want to try a different sauce for your chicken, get hold of Tonkatsu sauce, I use Bulldog brand (vegetable and fruit sauce - semi sweet is the translation on the bottle. It is a Japanese Worcestershire (sort of) and is a great combo with chicken.

[Mikiesboy]

4 minutes ago, droughtquake said:

When I was working at Target, my coworkers were convinced I had a wife who was preparing my pasta with pasta sauce that I brought in for lunch. I just boiled the pasta and poured the jarred sauce on top – at work it went into the microwave. Just how incompetent did I look?  ;-)

Hehe.. that's great!  Well a lot of men didn't used to cook because they had a wife that did.. why wouldn't you, is what they were thinking...