Not cooking with gas
Mar. 8th, 2020 03:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwynHey, cooking side of my flist: In an effort to try to make more things I can have multiple meals of so I don't have to go out as much, I've been dusting off some favorite recipes. The big problem is one I regularly have--I live alone, I don't eat much (which is why it's so infurating that I'm so fat), and I get instantly sick of things once I've had them a couple times in a row. There are very few things I can stand to eat multiple meals of, but I'm trying to minimize trips to the grocery, so this is a conundrum.
I know I can freeze things, but my freezer is small and again, things go bad before I want to eat them once more. I have to regularly throw stuff out because it goes bad in the fridge, gets chunks of ice crystals and gross old-freezer taste in the freezer, or gets rancid in the cupboards. I'm just a terrible cook and easily discouraged, too, which is part of the problem, and I also don't eat meat much at home by myself.
One of my favorite recipes is for this slow-cooker beer braised pork shoulder in black beans, and I bought everything to make it last night, but since I'm trying to go to the store at night, the meat guys are long gone and can't give me a custom amount (my slow cooker is enormous, so that's not where my issue lies). So the smallest pork shoulder I could get was 2-1/2 pounds, but I only need 1-1/2 pounds. If I try to use the full amount, would it mess up the recipe of one pound of black beans and two bottles of beer + water and adobo sauce? Would I have to cook it longer?
I could cut it myself, down to the required 1-1/2 pounds, and freeze the rest, though if I tried to make it again with only one pound, would that also screw things up because I was missing a half pound? I don't know how to adjust things, to be honest, and whether amounts make that much difference in a slow cooker. Basically, I don't know how to handle this giant slab of meat since it's not the correct quantity.
One other thing I was considering is I saw a high end cake box mix for a coconut cake, but they only give instructions for cook times and temps for two round pans, and I don't have round pans. I'm way too poor to buy new round pans, but I was considering treating myself and making a coconut cake, yet I don't know what the temp/cook times would be if I put the batter in a 13x9 pan. Would it be best to follow their instructions, and just get the pans even though I really shouldn't?
It's hard to prep when you're kind of a disaster human with regard to food. Thanks for any advice.
I know I can freeze things, but my freezer is small and again, things go bad before I want to eat them once more. I have to regularly throw stuff out because it goes bad in the fridge, gets chunks of ice crystals and gross old-freezer taste in the freezer, or gets rancid in the cupboards. I'm just a terrible cook and easily discouraged, too, which is part of the problem, and I also don't eat meat much at home by myself.
One of my favorite recipes is for this slow-cooker beer braised pork shoulder in black beans, and I bought everything to make it last night, but since I'm trying to go to the store at night, the meat guys are long gone and can't give me a custom amount (my slow cooker is enormous, so that's not where my issue lies). So the smallest pork shoulder I could get was 2-1/2 pounds, but I only need 1-1/2 pounds. If I try to use the full amount, would it mess up the recipe of one pound of black beans and two bottles of beer + water and adobo sauce? Would I have to cook it longer?
I could cut it myself, down to the required 1-1/2 pounds, and freeze the rest, though if I tried to make it again with only one pound, would that also screw things up because I was missing a half pound? I don't know how to adjust things, to be honest, and whether amounts make that much difference in a slow cooker. Basically, I don't know how to handle this giant slab of meat since it's not the correct quantity.
One other thing I was considering is I saw a high end cake box mix for a coconut cake, but they only give instructions for cook times and temps for two round pans, and I don't have round pans. I'm way too poor to buy new round pans, but I was considering treating myself and making a coconut cake, yet I don't know what the temp/cook times would be if I put the batter in a 13x9 pan. Would it be best to follow their instructions, and just get the pans even though I really shouldn't?
It's hard to prep when you're kind of a disaster human with regard to food. Thanks for any advice.
no subject
Date: 2020-03-09 12:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2020-03-09 12:53 am (UTC)That is mostly true (though I've found that a thick layer of frosting can cover up some more cosmetic type problems).
I've had my own disasters, but I guess it's also a question of whether you enjoy it, and it sounds like you don't, so even when it goes well it might not be your favorite thing to do. *hands*
no subject
Date: 2020-03-09 01:09 am (UTC)(Also, I have an old oven that doesn't heat correctly or evenly.)
I wish I were better at it and enjoyed it more...