Wow, thanks for such an informative and helpful post. Have lots of ideas now, and am definately going to get a pressure cooker. Tomato / bolognaise sauces are favourites with my family, and, to be honest, did not appreciate how versatile it was....just need a little bit of thinking 'outside the box', as it were! I do often find that when faced with a nearly empty fridge and larder, I can rustle up something lovely in very little time, but when the fridge is stocked of lots of 'proper' ingredients and good substantial basics for meals I can get very boring and unimaginative.
Thank you all for your helpful comments and advice.....I feel much more optimistic , and know where to come for any more support! xx

Hi Lola

Did you manage to get your pressure cooker and, if you did, how are you getting on with it?

It's wet and windy and miserable here so I've just taken a tub of homemade beef casserole out of the freezer - 10 minutes to defrost in the microwave then just half hour in the oven to heat it through and cook the dumplings I've put on top - whilst I'm cooking the tatties and beans from the garden to go with it.

JackW I thought I was the only one. If a cookbook does not have pictures I just can't get into it. The photo tells me in a flash what the dish is..I don't have to go through the ingredients list and method to understand what it is.

The photos are so evocative there is no way they can be replaced with words.

In fact, I don't think I even own a pictureless cookbook. I just wouldn't use it. Even where a book has only some recipes with pictures, those are the ones I try.

As for time saving tips, I always make twice the quantity and freeze half. It's amazingly simple when you get into the habit. Making stuffed chciken breast for four? Then make 8 and freeze 4. Your freezer quickly becomes a source of delightful meals without any added effort!

Hi Mrs WW, literally got one yesterday, not had time to do anything with it as yet. In fact, a friend gave me hers; she never used it and I was telling her I was buying one so she gave me that and the cook book that went with it. Interestingly, on another thread, there are lots of discussions about slow cookers and also recipes which I am taking note of, so am looking forward to a few trial runs before work begings (in 2 weeks...eeek!!) But I did do a lovely monkfish dish the other say (sophie Grigson's recipe) which was very little effort and could do pre work and just bung in oven later....beautiful! I did with rosemary and garlic mini roasties and roasted tomatoes and mushrooms. Your beef casserole sounds great, just thing you need on wet and windy day, proper comfort food.

That's great Lola, what a nice gift from your friend. Hope you enjoy it. It takes a bit of getting used to at first, what with all that hissing, but don't forget we're here for advice if you need any

TacoPete, any advice for stopping the O/H from eating the extra that is to go in the freezer

LOL - I know what you mean about the hissing Grisinni - when I had two cats, one of them wouldn't go anywhere near the kitchen when that mystery cat was hissing in there!

Good luck Lola with your recipes - the only limit is one's imagination and, like Grissini says - if you need any help - you know where to come.

That made me laugh Mrs Woof Woof, I could just picture your cat.

Thanks for your support with this everyone; as I type have got slow cooker on with topside of beef in with veg. Got it on auto for 10 hours, but frustratingly want to keep popping in and peering at it! Perhaps should be doing it on a day when I am actually out for the day! lol
Cat senario sounded amusing; we don't have any, only a rabbit which is why I can never bring myself to eat or cook rabbit..would feel like Mr McGregor, amd my daughter would never forgive me.

Lola, when you said you had got a pressure cooker did you mean slow cooker ? The two are quite different. One cooks slowly like the one you have just described and the other cookes very fast at high pressure i.e. stew that takes 3 hours would take 30 minutes (and hisses a lot).

I bet you were wondering what we are going on about as I think the slow cooker is silent.

Ha ha, well, I had a quick look at mine to make sure it was doing it's job!! Yes, mine is slow cooker, no hissing apparent! Was undecided about what to go for, but then decision made for me when friend kindly gave me hers. Am hoping to be organised and bung in meat and veg before going to work and return to lovely stews etc. Think slow cooker probably best for my circumstances, sorry for confusion, but does clear up the non hissing in my kitchen!

indeed glad the confusion has been sorted out.

They say that each time you lift the lid on a slow cooker - it adds 20 minutes to the cooking time as that's how long it needs to build up the heat in there again. Also, ingredients should go in from room temperature if possible, ie, not straight from the fridge.

You will have loads of fun with it I'm sure. Mine is what makes me look forward to the cooler months. Mmmm, think I might have a go at baked stuffed apples in it this weekend.

Best of luck Lola3 , I bet you're glad now you came on to this thread . Look how prepared you are getting prior to going back to work . I'm sure it will be fine for you .

Thanks Jackwagstaff, I do feel pretty organised now! Just unfortunate I keep eating the freezer food that I have put away! But do know where to come for future advice and support, so thank you all for that and look forward to letting you know how it is going.