The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

So, I was looking for something new to read, and I stumbled across these novelizations of the Death in Paradise show. Which, I confess, is a guilty pleasure of mine, even though it's....well.

I too like Death in Paradise. Earlier this year, a spin-off was shown called Beyond Paradise with DI Humphrey Goodman. It's quote good.

If you've not seen Beyond Paradise, get a VPN that lets you look like you are in the UK and to to BBC iPlayer and stream it from there.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I can't say the database of a Sony is not accessible given that calibre can manage collections on a Sony. If the database is not accessible, then there is some other way Sony deals with collections.

additionally, if there's a database, things can go wrong. bad SD card, firmware glitches, etc...

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by issybird

I don't like to cook and can't cook, but I can manage to bung some protein and veg on a sheet pan every night. Also means no waste; it's a dinner's worth at a time. It gets a little monotonous, but it still beats cooking.

Any suggested recipes/sites? I'm too lazy to cook often and just bunging something in the oven would be easy and relatively healthy compared with most ready meals.

Andrew

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

Any suggested recipes/sites? I'm too lazy to cook often and just bunging something in the oven would be easy and relatively healthy compared with most ready meals.

Andrew

If you plan to go looking on cooking blocks, I very recommend Recipe Filter (Chrome | Firefox) unless you enjoy 5 paragraphs of life story

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I too like Death in Paradise. Earlier this year, a spin-off was shown called Beyond Paradise with DI Humphrey Goodman. It's quote good.

If you've not seen Beyond Paradise, get a VPN that lets you look like you are in the UK and to to BBC iPlayer and stream it from there.

I have to admit, Jon, that I did not love Beyond Paradise. It just...it's not for me. But I am fond of DIP.:-)

Hitch

[DNSB]

My approach is to make a set of meals with the leftovers being portioned out and frozen. This approach did require me to purchase a chest freezer for the basement but it allows me to have a fairly decent variety of meals during the week while only cooking 1 or 2 meals on weekday evenings. Saturday morning tends to be very busy but I can cook while reading or other activity so not all that bad though my wife is not fond of hearing my multiple timers going off. Now if I could afford a sous-chef...

I would love to be able to order in meals for the two of us every day but too expensive and not good for her health issues.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by DNSB

My approach is to make a set of meals with the leftovers being portioned out and frozen. This approach did require me to purchase a chest freezer for the basement but it allows me to have a fairly decent variety of meals during the week while only cooking 1 or 2 meals on weekday evenings. Saturday morning tends to be very busy but I can cook while reading or other activity so not all that bad though my wife is not fond of hearing my multiple timers going off. Now if I could afford a sous-chef...

I would love to be able to order in meals for the two of us every day but too expensive and not good for her health issues.

I'd love to have a husband who cooks. I'd happily wash dishes every day. Unfortunately, with my personality, it would be pure hell to be married to me, so it's not likely any poor man will ever suffer such a fate.

[Renate]

Originally Posted by DNSB

... though my wife is not fond of hearing my multiple timers going off.

Maybe you need a multi-timer app?

I've certainly gotten better over time with the timing. I just use the clock. Rice/water/time is tricky but I'm pretty good now with popping the lid and fluffing without burns or residual fluid. I just had a very satisfying lunch of "Riz aux saucisses de dinde, oignons frits, brocoli". I'd love to be able to cook it for Gordon Ramsay. I'm sure his head would explode in indignation.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Renate

Maybe you need a multi-timer app?

I do have some multiple timer apps but I find the multiple physical timers works better for me.

I've certainly gotten better over time with the timing. I just use the clock. Rice/water/time is tricky but I'm pretty good now with popping the lid and fluffing without burns or residual fluid.[/QUOTE]

I use a small Zojirushi rice cooker for rice/congee. I found two of them in a local thrift shop in unopened boxes. I still regret that I only purchased one since I found the identical model at a TnT (local Chinese supermarket) for 6 times the price that I paid. It takes up less counter space than our toaster and makes very good rice.

Hmmm... Perhaps these digressions should be spun off into a a separate thread. I'm enjoying them but just a touch off topic for the Reading Vent & Rant thread.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

additionally, if there's a database, things can go wrong. bad SD card, firmware glitches, etc...

I've never had a firmware glitch with any Sony Reader I've owned. 500, 505, 650, & T1.

I expect there to be a database but I cannot be sure. I've never had a look.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

Any suggested recipes/sites? I'm too lazy to cook often and just bunging something in the oven would be easy and relatively healthy compared with most ready meals.

Andrew

Being in the UK, you could get a subscription to one of these food services tha supplies you with all the ingredients to make your own meals.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Hitch

I have to admit, Jon, that I did not love Beyond Paradise. It just...it's not for me. But I am fond of DIP.:-)

Hitch

I'm waiting for BP season 2. I found it good. But I also liked Humphrey when he was in charge in DiP.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by DNSB

My approach is to make a set of meals with the leftovers being portioned out and frozen. This approach did require me to purchase a chest freezer for the basement but it allows me to have a fairly decent variety of meals during the week while only cooking 1 or 2 meals on weekday evenings. Saturday morning tends to be very busy but I can cook while reading or other activity so not all that bad though my wife is not fond of hearing my multiple timers going off. Now if I could afford a sous-chef...

I would love to be able to order in meals for the two of us every day but too expensive and not good for her health issues.

My mom used to do something like that. She'd do a lot of cooking on a Sunday and the leftovers would go in the freezer. We had a fridge/freezer (each have vertical) in the kitchen and a full freezer (not chest) in the basement.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Renate

Maybe you need a multi-timer app?

An Alexa works very well for multiple timers.

[issybird]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

Any suggested recipes/sites? I'm too lazy to cook often and just bunging something in the oven would be easy and relatively healthy compared with most ready meals.

Andrew

And cheaper, too.

Seriously, as a non-cook to a non-cook, you don't need recipes.

First of all, for one person, I use my toaster oven; I fill up a sheet and that does me. Obviously, it depends on whether you have one and how big it is; otherwise, your regular oven.

Pick your protein. Mine is a chicken piece, a pork chop, or a fish fillet. While you're finding your feet, google times and temps: it's a fast learning curve. If you feel like it, marinate it in something or rub some herbs/spices into it. For your veg (which can be almost anything -- broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, string beans, zucchini (courgettes), spuds, etc.) -- get it into reasonable pieces, drizzle it with some oil, plus salt & pepper and herbs if you want. The timing and temp on the veg are are not critical; sometimes it might be more al dente, sometimes crispy, but it'll be fine. You'll figure it out; depending on how much time the protein takes I may start the veg first or the protein first.

That's it! It already sounds more complicated than it is. It's maybe five minutes of food prep altogether.