Medea's going to teach me how to...

[rainbow brite]

...cook!

I got so excited about this the other day in work!

I'm useless in the kitchen. Like, seriously useless.

However, all of the stuff that's been on TV recently has seriously shocked me and I've come to the decision that I want as little processed food/ready meals etc in my house as possible which means... I'm going to have to cook.

I'm such a disaster in this area that she's got her work cut out for her but she's so lovely she said she is going to give me cooking lessons. First though I'm dragging her to help me buy things I'll need.

Get this, I've lived on my own since I was 18 (I mean not with parents) and I don't own:

a sieve
a potato peeler
a masher
a proper sharp knife
a whisk

LOL

It's going to be fun and I'm really looking forward to it. It's odd because I've quite simply never been interested before but now I can't wait!

 

[nicki26]

good on you ! it is fun, i used to hate cooking,now i love it, preparing the food that i eat so that i know exactly what is going into it 'pretty much' xxxx

 

[cuddlyfairy]

What a fantastic friend Medea is. I know I cook more these days and have bought several cookbooks lately (I am a rubbish cook too! But aim to get better!) Enjoy them and don't forget to invite us to your first dinner party!!! (After we've reached our targets of course!)

x

 

[classy76]

It's what kept me sane......I've always baked and never bought ready made meals for us all. I've gone into manic baking mood + because of the autumnal feel I've been preparing forthe panty for winter so I've made

Scones
Blackberry jam
Raspberry jam
Pickled eggs
Pickled red cabbage
Mint sauce - had to cos our mint is feeling the cold and starting to die
Green tomarto chutney- cos with no sun no red tomartos for greenhouse

So get stuck in cos once you've started cooking you'll never stop.
Ps Kids + hubby have just finished tucking in to toad in 'ole as us yorkshire uns say
Yorkshire puds and sausage with homegrown tatties, carrots, cauli, broccili, and green beans!!!!
and I sat and watched them it, it while quite happily having a strawberry shake- amazingly enough

 

[Medea]

Ummm....... what have I let myself in for! Lol!!

That's right folks, I have very graciously volunteered to teach Miss Brite how to cook some delicious, low fat, probably low GI food from scratch! Previously to LT I showed her how to prepare calimari cos we love squiddly rinks! (That also included gutting said squid and removing the membranes and stuff- it really was quite gross )

So, once LT is over and done with we are going cookware shopping and stocking up her cupboard with herbs and spices and ovver fings. And it will be good. Hopefully........

 

[cuddlyfairy]

Bless you Medea, if I didn't live so far away I'd be asking if I could join your cooking lessons!

Wow Classy, I'm impressed! I made jam once - long before my children were born - from blackberries I picked myself! Quite fancy doing that again now! Got any good recipes or instructions coz I'm pretty sure I don't remember how I did it last time!!!!

If we have plenty of cooking apples off our tree I'll make it blackberry and apple jam!

x

 

[Medea]

Jam is really easy. You can get proper jam sugar from any supermarket or you can use normal granulated sugar- but make sure you put lemon in it because its the pectin that sets it.

Give me a minute and I will dig out a recipe for you and PM it xx

 

[cuddlyfairy]

Thank you hun, I'm very grateful. I love to cook but often find I don't have a vital ingredient!!!!

x

 

[Medea]

Sorry peeps I lied a little bit, just incase you were thinking about making jam.

If you are including apples in the jam, you do not need to add lemon as pectin is also in apples. However, if you were to make strawberry or the like- that's when the lemon would come in. Or just get the preserving sugar instead and then you can't get it wrong!! xx

 

[msblonde]

I can teach you in two mins....

boil kettle, add 300ml of hot water to a jug, add chicken soup (LT or packet soup depending on stage on diet) buy a whisk... lol, whisk up soup, pour into soup bowl, add chilli flakes, and black pepper - serve with .... erm nothing!

enjoy!

sorry just being silly

 

[Lissy25]

Ps Kids + hubby have just finished tucking in to toad in 'ole as us yorkshire uns say
Yorkshire puds and sausage with homegrown tatties, carrots, cauli, broccili, and green beans!!!!

I've always wanted to grow veggies at home, but no idea where to start!

Lissy xx

 

[classy76]

how to make jam

Wow Classy, I'm impressed! I made jam once - long before my children were born - from blackberries I picked myself! Quite fancy doing that again now! Got any good recipes or instructions coz I'm pretty sure I don't remember how I did it last time!!!!

If we have plenty of cooking apples off our tree I'll make it blackberry and apple jam!

x

It is really easy got recipe book here, can't find recipe for blackberry + apple but will look it up cos I have it

6lb blackberries
1/4 water
rind and juice of 2 lemons
6lb sugar

Put cleaned fruit, water, lemon rind and juice in pan and simmer until fruit is soft. Normally takes about 5-10 mins.
Next stir in sugar and boil rapidly until reached setting point.

While all this is happening I clean and wash jars. Stick them in the oven and warm them up. Killing off the bugs, keep them warm so when you put the hot jam in theres no CRACK.

Setting point, if you have a sugar thermometer, boil until it reaches 220f or as I've done for years keep testing on a cold saucer. Put a teaspoon of jam on to it. When it cools a skin should form and when pushed it should crinkle. You should also notice that the jam stands proud instead of running around the plate.

Once there fill warmed jars, cover with a waxed disk and stick lid on.
arty0038:

I always leave it a while before I let them eat it cos I think it matures a bit- only a few weeks

This recipe is for a large amount I just weigh blackberries and go from there and divide recipe up as needed-sorry if this is obvisious!!!

 

[classy76]

I've always wanted to grow veggies at home, but no idea where to start!

Lissy xx

It's not that hard really....You might still be able to get hold of some cabbages or curly kail, leeks can be planted out at the moment its winter veggie time.
Or you could just plan a head for next spring...organise a plot. Try, it might still work, throw some lettuce seeds in a pot or some radishes.

Let me know if I can help.