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Post by Moose on Oct 10, 2015 17:27:58 GMT
When I had a microwave I used to have these quite a lot, partly out of laziness and partly because frankly it's a good deal cheaper than cooking from scratch if you're only cooking for one. I must say that I never had anything that set my tastebuds on fire though. At best it would be reasonably edible .. at worst they would verge on inedible. The best ones are probably frozen curries or lasagnas which can be really quite decent. Anything that styles itself as a frozen roast dinner or full breakfast is best avoided though.
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Post by JoeP on Oct 10, 2015 17:38:54 GMT
They are indispensable.
The ones like lasagne, or any with pieces of whole tomato, run the risk of having scorchingly hot bits. Otherwise, can be generally edible as you say.
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Post by Moose on Oct 10, 2015 17:42:34 GMT
Not as good as fresh but then .. you can buy a frozen lasasgne for a quid whereas making one costs at least a fiver and you end up with too much
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Post by Miisa on Oct 10, 2015 17:43:20 GMT
I have come across some pretty good ones, Kitchen Joy has some nice Thai cubes and Findus also has some really good dishes in various series. But I generally won't get one if the meal will cost me more that 3€. Half the time it is just me and as I often also work from home I don't even have the office cafeteria to go to, so I go through a few per wee, on average.
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Post by tangent on Oct 11, 2015 11:57:39 GMT
Generally speaking, ready-made curries are immeasurably better than pub curries.
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Post by whollygoats on Oct 21, 2015 23:39:24 GMT
I've grown quite fond of the Trader Joe's frozen Indian food offerings, particularly the chicken tikka masala.
I think when it comes to lasagna, I'd probably purchase an unfrozen serving at the grocery deli counter before I'd do the frozen routine, but then, mayhaps others don't have that option available.
The frozen food I really, really used to love was Marie Callendar's chicken pot pie, but it dropped off my menu due to excess fat and salt. *sigh*
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Post by Deleted on Oct 22, 2015 7:54:00 GMT
We don't have things like that. Frank does the cooking and he does everything from scratch. I would like to learn to cook as well as he does, but I always get home too late because of the lessons.
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Post by juju on Oct 22, 2015 18:27:40 GMT
I don't buy things like that either, except occasionally for my sons if we're going to be away for the weekend or something, for their convenience (and to save them trashing the kitchen). Being mostly veggie the choice is limited anyway, and I like cooking from scratch.
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Post by Kye on Oct 22, 2015 18:40:32 GMT
I used frozen meals a lot, but I like high(er) quality ones. I hate cooking and mostly it's just me eating so there doesn't seem much point in making an actual meal. (One of my parishioners gave me a plaque that says "I only have a kitchen because it came with the house.")
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Post by Moose on Oct 22, 2015 23:58:41 GMT
Iceland do some pretty decent frozen curries.
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Post by jayme on Oct 24, 2015 15:05:15 GMT
I like Trader Joe's, Amy's, Tandoori Chef, Ethnic Gourmet, and Michelangelo's. They all taste pretty good, but I only do the vegetarian ones.
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Post by ceptimus on Oct 24, 2015 22:35:22 GMT
Not frozen but for quick DIY curries one of those packets of microwavable rice emptied into a big microwavable dish and bung in about half a jar of curry sauce - then stir it up and microwave for three minutes.
According to the instructions on the jars of sauces you're not supposed to keep them once opened, but I do: I try to get the lid off and empty about half out then get the lid back on quick so that not too many airborne bugs can enter the jar - and then keep it in the fridge for up to two days before using the other half.
If you get a decent strong tasting sauce then you don't really need to add anything else - just the rice plus the sauce is sufficient to make a tasty meal.
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Post by Alvamiga on Oct 25, 2015 10:24:19 GMT
I think the warning is more to deter the people who'd just put the jar back in the cupboard for another month.
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Post by Moose on Oct 25, 2015 21:19:23 GMT
Eh i keep sauces for ages .. does not do any harm.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2015 13:23:19 GMT
If you get a decent strong tasting sauce then you don't really need to add anything else - just the rice plus the sauce is sufficient to make a tasty meal. I prefer my meals with vegetables.Just rice and a sauce dosen't sound that appealing to me.
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Post by tangent on Nov 15, 2015 15:35:09 GMT
Just rice and a sauce dosen't sound that appealing to me. I'm sure you wouldn't consider any meal appealing if I made it.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2015 17:28:56 GMT
Do you make meals, tangent?
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Post by Miisa on Nov 15, 2015 17:33:08 GMT
I am quite fond of bland. I would happily have rice or potatoes and gravy. Tough cep seems to be talking about a curry-like sauce which I would not call bland.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2015 17:40:15 GMT
I prefer thing spicy, especially meat. Whoch is why I hate a lot of typical German cooking because it isn't very spicy, compared to what Frank cooks.
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Post by whollygoats on Nov 15, 2015 22:26:30 GMT
Europe has variant reputations for 'spicy'. Hungary, Italy and Spain have reputations for spicy foodstuffs, while the Germanic foodstuffs, including the Scandinavian and British cuisines, are noted for fish and boiled meat and overall blandness. A notable commonality across Europe is a fondness for cheese.
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Post by Moose on Nov 15, 2015 23:04:57 GMT
The influx of people from the Indian subcontinent over the last half century has been changing British palates I think. I do not recall ever eating curry as a child (in fact, I can remember the first time I went to an Indian restaurant; I was eighteen and ordered only a starter that at the time I found vaguely palatable. It was a long time after that I tried a 'proper' curry)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2015 23:23:15 GMT
Frank cooks a lot of Asian food. And if it isn't Asian, the meat is usually still more spicy than what I was used to.
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Post by Moose on Nov 15, 2015 23:30:13 GMT
Germans do rather nice spicy sausages though?
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Post by juju on Nov 15, 2015 23:33:05 GMT
I think the idea that British food is bland is as outdated as thinking we all wear bowler hats. For many years now the favourite dish of Britain has been chicken tikka masala, and just about every town of village will have an Indian restaurant. The food is uniquely British Indian, a real hybrid.
ETA: I've never had boiled meat in my life. It sounds awful.
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Post by Moose on Nov 15, 2015 23:37:26 GMT
you've never had a stew or casserole? that is boiled meat
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Post by JoeP on Nov 15, 2015 23:46:33 GMT
Boiled ham is good.
With lots of cloves and mustard to taste.
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Post by juju on Nov 15, 2015 23:50:20 GMT
you've never had a stew or casserole? that is boiled meat No, they're not boiled! They are simmered gently in an oven for hours, with stock and veggies and herbs etc. Anyway all cultures have stews and casseroles, they're hardly uniquely British.
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Post by Moose on Nov 15, 2015 23:51:37 GMT
boiled beef is jolly nice
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Post by juju on Nov 15, 2015 23:53:31 GMT
When I used to eat meat my mil occasionally did ham by boiling it first then roasting it with honey and mustard.
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Post by juju on Nov 15, 2015 23:56:20 GMT
Never had boiled beef though. That does sound bland, and very Victorian! I'm sure it's nicer than it sounds. It can't be just boiled beef, surely?
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