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Original poster

Ecstatic Because Dinner is Already Done

34 replies

Noisyneighneigh · 09/02/2022 12:32

I cooked cottage pie yesterday and made two. One is in fridge all ready to be heated up this evening. This makes me so happy. As a mum of two small children I often dread having to cook the dinner. I'm a good cook but I'm not fast. It feels like such a slog often with my 26 month whining at my feet. I can't believe what a difference it has made to my mood. What boring things make you happy?

OP posts:
Marmite27 · 09/02/2022 12:35

I’ve got pork casserole in the slow cooker so just need to put some new potatoes to boil and veg to steam in the microwave.

I also did the chicken in a bag bit for tomorrow’s dinner last night when the oven was on for fishcakes so will just need to chop some salad and Bing a pouch of rice in the microwave.

It feels good having dinner under control!

RainbowCrayons · 09/02/2022 12:35

I'm a teacher and we have half term next week so every meal I have cooked this week I have cooked a double portion and frozen the other half. That means I should have no cooking in the holiday and I can take DS out and do nice things and not worry about getting back in time to cook. I'm looking forward to having the same joy as you!

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 09/02/2022 12:47

When the children were younger I would triple a recipe and therefore have 2 in the freezer for another day. It was bliss, a food processor for chopping onion or grating carrots or cheese or just buying frozen onions, peppers, green beans/other veg makes life so much easier. There was a blog about a woman who did the tripling as her sister was poorly so she would cook the extra for her sister. I followed her for years. Sadly the blog no longer exists.

I also used a slow cooker a lot, you can submerge frozen chicken breast into curry sauces (I used to make mine) or Jambalaya etc and then remove it near the end and either shred it or cut it into bite size pieces, add it back in ready to dish up later. Basically dump everything in in the morning and a timer turns it on.

Now I want cottage pie!

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Original poster
Noisyneighneigh · 09/02/2022 12:56

It feels good having dinner under control
It really does. I feel so dark when I don't have anything planned.

OP posts:
Original poster
Noisyneighneigh · 09/02/2022 12:59

@RainbowCrayons. That's what I love too. The afternoons often feel like a write off when you have to rush back to cook.

OP posts:
Original poster
Noisyneighneigh · 09/02/2022 13:01

@OnTheBenchOfDoom. Triple cooking is going to be my new goal. It feels like such a treat getting a meal from the freezer to defrost for dinner.

OP posts:
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 09/02/2022 13:08

What boring things make you happy?

Does anyone else feel really smug when both the dishwasher and washing machine are running at the same time? OK, it DOES mean I'll have a whole load of crap to put away later, but for now, the surfaces are clear, the laundry basket is empty and it's the robots' problem.

JingsMahBucket · 09/02/2022 13:13

@JesusInTheCabbageVan yes!! This was us over the weekend. Go robots, go! The bosses will be sitting over here in our comfy chairs eating cheese and crackers. :)

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 09/02/2022 13:18

At some point I'm going to buy a,roomba, then we can really party Grin

Original poster
Noisyneighneigh · 09/02/2022 13:20

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

What boring things make you happy?

Does anyone else feel really smug when both the dishwasher and washing machine are running at the same time? OK, it DOES mean I'll have a whole load of crap to put away later, but for now, the surfaces are clear, the laundry basket is empty and it's the robots' problem.

I did until my dishwasher broke 😭
OP posts:
Sh05 · 09/02/2022 13:27

I'm like this! My mum sometimes calls and I have both machines running plus the fan on which means something is bubbling away, she always laughs that my factory sounds like it's running at full pelt.
Such a satisfying sound

Pinkstegosaurus · 09/02/2022 13:33

My boring happy moment was on Sunday evening - spent the morning cleaning and doing washing and making EVERYTHING immaculate and then went out for the entire afternoon and evening. Coming home to a perfectly clean smelling house was absolute bliss!

gingerhills · 09/02/2022 13:40

Same as @Pinkstegosaurus. Blitzing the house so it is orderly and sparkling, and smelling like a summer day. then going out, just so I can come back in again. Sometimes I wander from room to room just gazing at it. Especially the kitchen which is usually the dumping ground of DH's gardening stuff, DC's academic stuff, Amazon parcels and laundry baskets. When it is immaculate I feel so at peace.

JustAnotherUserinParadise · 09/02/2022 13:40

I had that this morning, PLUS the breadmachine making me fresh bread :D

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 09/02/2022 13:45

I’ve just made a big batch of semi veggie bolognaise sauce, enough for at least 3 meals for me and dh.

Still way too hot to go in the freezer.

Some will have a tin of kidney beans, chilli powder and paprika added later, and go with rice, or else in tortilla wraps.

And yesterday I found an utterly irresistible knitting pattern for a little baby bunny in a basket, which I’m going to make for a very little Gdd. I even have some suitable yarn in my stash. 🙂

CorsicaDreaming · 09/02/2022 13:48

Love this thread. We seem to have uproar everywhere at mo, with a half done bathroom, decorator in the lounge and several half finished DIY projects...

I was just thinking why do I feel so on edge at the moment?

Then I read this thread, had a moment of borrowed bliss at the thought of a perfectly ordered and tidy house. And realised that THIS is why! Roll on a few weeks and hopefully I too will be able to return to order and calm...

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 09/02/2022 13:54

@Noisyneighneigh my sister always did a batch cook on the weekend to see her through the week, she had children before me and said it was a game changer. Batch Lady on YouTube is great for inspiration.

I have a tall pot which we called the family pot so I would cook off minced steak (Costco so giant packs anyway) add in onions then divide it into massive bowls for cottage pie base, chilli and spaghetti bolognaise. When all the other ingredients are added they get put in freezer bags. Keeping it raw I would batch make meatballs and smash burgers which are really thin rather than fat. We have a "flat top" which is basically a large stainless steel cooking tray designed to go on a gas BBQ, very easy to clean compared to an actual BBQ. Plus cooking outside doesn't stink out the kitchen.

We never have stuff in the freezer that has been there forever, we get through it all and then replace. I have a separate larder freezer in the pantry for all the batch stuff.

And yes to a blitzed house. I just realised as I went to type the next bit that this may be a northern expression but I will be "bottoming the house" which means a top to bottom clean.

Original poster
Noisyneighneigh · 09/02/2022 13:57

@Pinkstegosaurus

My boring happy moment was on Sunday evening - spent the morning cleaning and doing washing and making EVERYTHING immaculate and then went out for the entire afternoon and evening. Coming home to a perfectly clean smelling house was absolute bliss!
Oh yes love that too. Although that feeling is rare nowadays because I need to clean and tidy more BlushI always love doing a pre hols clean- bins out, fresh sheets, washed and vacuumed floors so we don't feel all depressed when we get back.
OP posts:
Pbbananabagel · 09/02/2022 13:58

Ahh this is what I call ‘a gift for your future self’, I love to change my beds before going away so I know when I’m glum about returning from a trip I’ll have a lovely fresh bed to come home too

ButtockUp · 09/02/2022 14:45

There is nothing more satisfying than rummaging in my freezer and having various batch cooked meals to choose from.

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 09/02/2022 14:56

Yes to the pre-holiday clean! Also at the back of my mind is that I don't want any burglars thinking we live like pigs Blush

RumJerrySailorRum · 09/02/2022 15:22

@JesusInTheCabbageVan

Yes to the pre-holiday clean! Also at the back of my mind is that I don't want any burglars thinking we live like pigs Blush
It's known as cleaning for the Burglars in our house.....my husband thought I was crackers but has come round to my way of thinking now. (He preferred to leave the house looking like we'd just nipped to the shops or pub)
duckme · 09/02/2022 15:25

Ooh, I love it when that happens. I work in a school so I'll do a load of batch cooking during half term so that we have evening meals already done most nights. I hate cooking after work.

WayshrineNotFound · 09/02/2022 15:36

I'm similarly happy that I remembered to take leftovers out of the freezer last night, so no cooking for me, either. It's just soup, so definitely not exciting, but it's food!

Other than that, I managed to sleep a bit more last night and function a bit better today as a result, so I've got some mundane life admin and other chores done, which is also boring, but good.

HowlingKale · 09/02/2022 15:37

Washing drying on the line and no clouds in sight. 😂