Tone Deaf Vet – some diet notes on Rat Packs

The Useful but Unofficial Ration Pack Cook Book for the de mobilised Veteran.

By LCDR Damon Craig, JP, Esq, RAN Retired

a short Disclaimer The Author is under treatment for a Major Depressive Disorder and associated misuse of Alcohol, what follows is the recent advice he was given…

Problem: Weight Gain (2 percent per month) from comfort eating associated with Anti-Depression Medications

Solution: Portion control and avoid fat, sugar and alcohol

He has since seen a much more appropriate Dietician who has been offered a copy of this book but that in no way implies it has been approved by any professional individual, company or collective.

“I often say that depression is like pasta without the sauce or pizza without the cheese; both are totally do-able but not a whole bunch of fun. So this brings me to my daily management of this. I would say that I used to be one of those people that always looked for a gold medal, 100% and best of the best. Now I settle for some ‘bronze medals days’ I still get the jewellery but a lesser level and at much less cost to me and my support team.

“Hospitals have a great set of chefs that cook the food; be polite to them for no other reason than it starts a simple and daily habit to practice gratitude and simple manners. Some wards also have a cheese fairy who miraculously brings nibbles and morning tea to the ward. You may never see this creature but learn the routine to get the most out of the lazy nights in front of the TV.”

From https://lambsandwich.net/tone-deaf-vet-some-diet-notes/

This work is largely a piece of creative writing based on the life and experiences of the Author. This material should be read for enjoyment and used in consultation with your own Dietician, General Practice Doctor, Specialist or other members of your own care team and family.

Some keen readers will notice that there is no further mention of ANZAC Biscuits in this book. There are many great recipes and history resources around this significant part of our history. Most local RSL Sub Branches will have them for sale and neighbourhood bakeries will make them also. The only stipulation is that they must only be called “ANZAC Biscuits” and never as ANZACs or other variations in lower case. It is simply a mark of respect.

This work was written over a few days in Robe River Country of the Kuruma People and all respect is offered to them and other indigenous people including Elders Past, Present and Emerging

The Useful but Unofficial Ration Pack Cook Book for the de mobilised Veteran.

After having served in the Navy for just less than 20 years until retiring on Medical Grounds I have a chequered history with the Ration Packs and other Military bulk order food. I am both a qualified Engineer and accomplished Artist but this did not stand me that well in the Kitchen.

On one of my last tours at sea, I spent a little time working on the classic sauces under the watchful eye of a Petty officer chef with many years of cooking under a variety of systems and sea platforms. I have included a quick guide to these sauces under this section. I also started to get a better idea of portion control as both a critical part of bulk cooking and also as part of a balanced diet with sustainable choices at an individual level. I had also had a very much hands off approach to the entire process from victualling to waste management.

On the rear cover of this book, I have included a basic shopping list for someone leaving the Defence Force and starting to get more self-sufficient. The basis remains in use for me today and I add on special treats and long store items as needed. Some stores are based on the bulk purchase model and this can be a saving but only if you have a plan to use them before a reasonable expiration. The book will progress largely as if you have most basics in the pantry.

The kitchen also needs a certain level of tooling up. You will need a good set of pots and pans, either stainless steel that is easy to clean or a version of non-stick that are not as forgiving of wide temperatures but do make the cooking process a little easier. I microwave is a useful tool and a multi streamer /processor is a great investment if that is something you would benefit from.

I suggest that you invest in a good set of cooking knifes as they make the process much more efficient. If you choose not to have knives in the house then most butchers and green groceries will cut you raw ingredients for you. This may be free or with a small charge but either way it hopefully improves your relationship with these key providores.

Some of the recipes will call for the addition of red or white wine. Again, if this is a pantry item you choose not to have then verjuice or grape juice will be fine, it just may be a little sweeter than expected so add carefully or dilute as needed. It is easy to add more of an embellishment but hard to remove it…

I maintain a constant battle with Depression and this has associated poor relationships with food and other substances. After conversations at length to medical and learned people about my diet and exercise I noted a real lack of a cook book that would allow me to reach back into those culinary experiences from the Deployed time and allow him to re-evaluate a relationship with food.

The following booklet outlines a few recipes based on both Patrol Rations and Combat Rations. There are also a few favourites from the sea going time. The basic menu has been sourced from www.mreinfo.com and recipes and notes have generally been sourced from open source website and credited at each page. The Australian Defence Force and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation are aware of this project and applaud the intention to address Veterans Mental and Diet health but were not in a position to be able to support the work in other ways. The Author remains thankful to both of these organisations for continued support of Veterans and also acknowledges the RSL Victoria Branch for support with formatting of this work.

The Mother Sauces Each sauce has a distinct characteristic: Béchamel sauce is white, veloute sauce is blond, Espagnole sauce is brown, Hollandaise sauce is buttery and tomato sauce is red. One look at a sauce and you should quickly be able to ascertain the mother sauce from which it is derived

White Creamy Béchamel Sauce Béchamel sauce, or white sauce, was a sauce most often served to the rich or to royalty. Made out of a roux of flour, boiled milk and butter, the creamy white sauce added a smooth touch to white meats such as chicken, vegetables and eggs. In the years before refrigeration, milk products were rarely used in the recipes of the average French housewife.

Volute as a soup base Veloute sauce is often called the “fat white sauce” or “rich white sauce.” This is a white sauce with a blondish colour that starts with chicken, veal or fish stock that has been thickened with a white roux. Common derivatives of this sauce include allemande sauce (veal), supreme sauce (chicken), and vin balance sauce (fish). For example, allemande sauce is based on veal veloute with egg yolk and cream, while supreme sauce is a chicken veloute that has been reduced with heavy cream. Vin blanc sauce is a fish veloute enhanced with herbs, butter and shallots.

Bolognaise or Tomato sauce Tomato sauces are based on tomatoes. A common derivative sauce based on tomato sauce is marinara sauce.

Hollandaise Hollandaise sauce is a rich sauce featuring egg yolks and butter. While France made its own butter for many years, they imported butter from Holland during World War I. During this time, the sauce formerly known as “sauce Isigny” became known as Hollandaise sauce. When butter production

Espagnole or Brown Sauce with Onions (Brown onion Gravy) This sauce starts with a dark brown roux, veal stock, beef, bones, vegetables and seasonings. It is heated, skimmed and reduced. After the initial reduction, tomato sauce is added, and the sauce is further reduced. The entire process is time-consuming, taking hours (if not days) until the sauce is ready. The flavour of Espagnole sauce is concentrated and intense, so it is rarely served directly on food. Instead, Espagnole sauce is often used as the base for derivative sauces such as demi-glace, sauce chevreuil and sauce bourguignonne. For example, demi-glace is made by adding an equal portion of veal stock to the Espagnole sauce. There is also brown Gravy made from the pan juices from a roast joint of meat. Just add flour, salt and cook until it forms a roux, then add a dash of red wine (, verjuice or stock) and don’t forget a dollop of Tomato Sauce for sweetness and that extra tang. From https://genius.com/Paul-kelly-how-to-make-gravy-lyrics

Combat Ration – CR1M Menus (2007/2008) Menu A

Braised Beef and Gravy – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of chopped vegetables and some Gravy or Espagnol sauce. Serve over rice or pasta.

Chicken Italiano – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Chicken strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Chicken in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of white cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of tomatoes and a generous helping of dried mixed herbs. Serve over pasta.

Soup Savoury – prepare a mire·poix. (mîr-pwä′) A seasoning composed of finely diced sautéed vegetables and herbs and sometimes diced ham, bacon, or salt pork. [After Charles Pierre Gaston François de Lévis, Duc de Mirepoix (1699-1757), French diplomat.], deglaze with a little white wine, verjuice or stock and then add a litre of water to make a light soup. Thicken with cream if needed and serve with a crusty bread roll. From https://www.thefreedictionary.com

Bev Powder – There was a wonderful powdered space food drink in the 1980’s and we usually had a scoop of the powder in our school drink bottle. We just added water and had a sweet and refreshing beverage. It is generally available either under the Original Tang Brand or generic versions and is a great items to keep in the Pantry. It is useful for soft drink, especially when combined with Soda water. It also has great uses to liven up ice cream desert as a sprinkle and give star power to mock-tails for when you are entertaining. Another great trick is to cut up lemon, lime and Orange segments and freeze them in replace of ice blocks, they give a real kick to cold soda water.

Biscuit, Krispie – It is essential to have basic crackers in the Pantry of a couple of main varieties being, cheese, Water and salty. They are great a s a snack or for dipping. Some nice chees and dried fruits are good to finish building a cheese platter. Simple cheeses can be made from warm milk with the addition of lemon juice or vinegar, curds will settle out. They can easily be strained through close and then flavoured with herbs, Paprika or fruits. They are general best to keep cloth wrapped for a few days and can be salt cured at this stage.

Biscuit, Crisp Bread – Preheat your oven to 160°C and line 2 trays with baking paper. Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and mix on a medium speed for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture is light and creamy. Reduce the speed of the mixer to slow, and gradually add the flour 1/2 a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix for a further 30 seconds or until the mixture begins to resemble dough. Turn the mixture onto a lightly floured bench and gently bring it together to form a ball with your hands. Cut the shortbread dough in half. Wrap one piece in plastic wrap and pop it into the fridge until needed. Roll the dough until it’s approximately 5mm thick and use an 8cm round cutter to shape the biscuits. Transfer the shortbread to the prepared baking trays. Repeat until you’ve used all the dough including the extra dough in the fridge. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Carefully remove the shortbread from the oven and allow to cool on the baking trays for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Confectionary Spread – It is a great idea to add some of your favourite spread and conserves. Some examples are in the basic shopping list and you could consider Vegemite, Cream Cheese Spread honey.

Fruit Grains, Apricot – It is a great idea to add some of your favourite fruits to you and shopping list.

Fruit Spread – It is a great idea to add some of your favourite spread and conserves. Some examples are in the basic shopping list and you could consider Vegemite, Cream Cheese Spread and honey.

Fruit Diced Peaches – It is a great idea to add some of your favourite fruits to you and shopping list and they can be to Fresh, Tinned and dried.

Muesli Cereal, Fruit – Your pantry should have some low sugar cereals. You can make you own with this sample recipe.

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup bran flakes

1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/4 cup Sesame Seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pecan nuts, chopped

1/2 cup dried apple, roughly chopped

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Combine honey, sugar and oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Preheat oven to 150°C. Line a large, deep baking dish with baking paper. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over warm honey mixture. Mix well to combine. Spread mixture evenly over base of dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, or until golden and toasted. Set aside to cool completely (muesli will form crisp clusters on cooling). Crumble muesli into an airtight container until ready to serve.

Combat Ration – CR1M Menus (2007/2008) Menu B

Meatballs and Spaghetti – The beef mince is easily purchased from the supermarket and can be pre seasoned or the simple addition of some chopped Garlic, onions and a sprinkle of dried or fresh herbs will give enough flavour to the beef. Roll into small balls and fry until just cooked. It is common to add a tin of tomatoes with the juices to create a rich sauce for the pasta. Spaghetti just needs a few litres of fresh boiling water that has a small amount of salt and a dash of olive oil in it.

Chicken Satay – Prepare half a kilo of boneless chicken strips in a mixing bowl, make a pasting sauce from equal parts sweet chilli sauce and peanut butter and thoroughly coat the chicken, place on a baking tray and cook on 180 oven. Cooking time varies with size of chicken pieces but it is essential that chicken is cooked through and served swiftly after cooking.

Soup Beef – prepare a mire·poix. (mîr-pwä′) A seasoning composed of finely diced sautéed vegetables and herbs and sometimes diced ham, bacon, or salt pork. [After Charles Pierre Gaston François de Lévis, Duc de Mirepoix (1699-1757), French diplomat.], deglaze with a little white wine, verjuice or stock and then add a litre of water to make a light soup. Add small diced pieces of Beef that have been pre-cooked. Thicken with cream if needed and serve with a crusty bread roll. From https://www.thefreedictionary.com

Tuna in Springwater – This item is cheaply available in canned varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times.

Fruit Grains, Blackcurrant – This item is cheaply available in retort pouches for sun or freeze dried fruits and f varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times. Freezer packs are often available for whole fruits.

Fruit Spread Marmalade – This item is cheaply available in jars or canned varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times.

Fruit Diced Peaches – This item is cheaply available in canned varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times.

Sauce, BBQ – This item is cheaply available in jars or bottled varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times.

Combat Ration – CR1M Menus (2007/2008) Menu C

Chicken Curry – Prepare half a kilo of boneless chicken strips in a mixing bowl, make a pasting sauce from tomato sauce, flour and curry powder in a 3:2:1 ratio and thoroughly coat the chicken. Lightly fry off all the chicken in a little cooking oil and then add either cream or coconut cream to make a sauce. Cooking time varies with size of chicken pieces but it is essential that chicken is cooked through and served swiftly after cooking. Serve over rice or pasta.

Sausages and Vegetables – Fry off 4-6 sausages until cooked through. Add one chopped onion and a little salt and pepper to season. Add one can of tinned mixed vegetables and serve with rice or Pasta.

Soup Chicken – Take half a kilo of chicken wings and cover generously in full cream milk powder and bake in the over on 180 Celsius until golden brown. As these will make the bulk of the flavour for the soup, ensure that all the milk powder is cooked and golden. Warm a soup pot with chopped onions, carrots, potatoes and peas to a total of half a kilo. Add the cooked chicken and 100 mils of cooking wine, verjuice or stock to deglaze the pot and release the caramelised milk proteins from the chicken wings. Add one litre of boiler water and simmer the soup until the chicken is clear from the bones. If possible, remove bones from the broth and serve with fresh crusty bread rolls and olive oil.

Biscuit, Shrewsbury – This is the basic shortbread recipe covered earlier, however, part way through cooking, layer on fruit spread to the biscuits and allow to reduce and caramelise as the biscuit continues to bake

Tuna in Tomato – This item is cheaply available in canned varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times.

Instant Chicken Noodles – Given the massive amount of Research and Development placed into Instant Ramen Noodles and powdered soups, these are now a very cost effective snack to keep on hand in the cupboard.

Sauce, Sweet Chilli – This item is cheaply available in jars or bottled varieties and should be kept in the pantry stash at all times.

Combat Ration – CR1M Menus (2007/2008) Menu D

BBQ Beef – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock , verjuice or stock. Add one tin of chopped vegetables and some store bought BBQ sauce. Serve over rice or pasta.

BBQ Chicken – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Chicken strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Chicken in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of white cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of chopped vegetables and some store bought BBQ sauce. Cooking time varies with size of chicken pieces but it is essential that chicken is cooked through and served swiftly after cooking. Serve over rice or pasta.

Instant Beef Noodles – Given the massive amount of Research and Development placed into Instant Ramen Noodles and powdered soups, these are now a very cost effective snack to keep on hand in the cupboard.

Curry Powder – I grew up in south East Asia and have a great knowledge of spices and the nuances between various curries across Asia and Eurasia. In Australia there are a number of very goof general use curry powders in Tins and Sachets, they often lack a lot of heat or spice, but more Chilli or Paprika can be added to tastes. Equally, coconut cream can be added to dilute a curry a little, but if too much chilli has been added, very little can be done to recue it.

Combat Ration – CR1M Menus (2007/2008) Menu E to H

Only items not covered in CR1M menus E to H are listed here.

Beef Mince with Tortellini – Given the massive amount of Research and Development placed into shelf ready Pasta and Sauces, this is a meal that can largely be store bought. Tortellini just needs a few litres of fresh boiling water that has a small amount of salt and a dash of olive oil in it. The beef mince is easily purchased from the supermarket and can be pre seasoned or the simple addition of some chopped Garlic, onions and a sprinkle of dried or fresh herbs will give enough flavour to the beef. It is common to add a tin of tomatoes with the juices to create a rich sauce for the pasta. For half a kilo of beef one clove of garlic, one onion and a table spoon of dried mixed herbs is sufficient.

Salmon and Pasta Mornay. – Small shell pasta just needs a few litres of fresh boiling water that has a small amount of salt and a dash of olive oil in it. There is a recipe for white sauce and volute. The dish is combined with one large tin of Salmon or Tuna and mixed into the past and sauce. An oven proof baking dish that is suitable for serving is best for this. A small amount of grated cheese is sprinkled on top with a dusting of mixed herbs before baking at 180 until the top of the bake is just turning a golden brown.

Soup Tomato – This is a great item to keep in the pantry in tinned or retort pouches.

Teriyaki Beef – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of chopped vegetables and some store bought Teriyaki sauce. Serve over rice.

Vegetable Curry – Prepare half a kilo of vegetables, make a pasting sauce from tomato sauce, flour and curry powder in a 3:2:1 ratio and thoroughly coat the rough cut vegetables. Lightly fry off all the vegetables in a little cooking oil and then add either cream or coconut cream to make a sauce. Serve over rice or pasta.

Soup Vegetable – This is a great item to keep in the pantry in tinned or retort pouches.

Combat Ration – CR1M Menus (2007/2008) Menu E to H – Continued

Only items not covered in CR1M menus E to H are listed here.

Teriyaki Beef – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of mixed beans and some store bought BBQ sauce. Serve over rice.

Lamb with Rosemary – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Lamb strips in a mixing bowl and dust with flour. Lightly fry off all the Lamb in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of mixed vegetables and 200ml of cream or plain Greek style yoghurt. Finish with a generous sprinkling of dried rosemary flakes and serve over rice or pasta.

Soup Beef – This is a great item to keep in the pantry in tinned or retort pouches.

Soup Minestrone – This is a great item to keep in the pantry in tinned or retort pouches.

Patrol Ration – PR1M (2007/2008) Menu A to E

Only items from the PR1M not covered in CR1M menus are listed here

Chicken Tetrazinni – Small shell pasta just needs a few litres of fresh boiling water that has a small amount of salt and a dash of olive oil in it. There is a recipe for white sauce and volute. Prepare half a kilo of boneless Chicken strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the meat in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of white cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add two cups of chopped mushrooms to the meat and par cook. The dish is combined in an oven proof baking dish that is suitable for serving is best for this. A small amount of grated cheese is sprinkled on top with a dusting of mixed herbs before baking at 180 until the top of the bake is just turning a golden brown.

Beef and Green Beans – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of green beans and some store bought BBQ sauce.

Beef Italienne – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of tomatoes and a generous helping of dried mixed herbs. Serve over pasta.

Beef and Black Beans – Prepare half a kilo of boneless Beef strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the Beef in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of Black Beans and some store bought light soy sauce.

Lamb Casserole – Prepare half a kilo of boneless lamb strips in a mixing bowl and dust with Flour. Lightly fry off all the lamb in a little cooking oil and then deglaze with a 100 ml of red cooking wine, verjuice or stock. Add one tin of mixed vegetables, one diced onion and one crushed clove of garlic. Add one tin of tomatoes and a generous helping of dried mixed herbs. Simmer gently until the sauce thickens and serve over pasta or rice.

Savoury Beef – The beef mince is easily purchased from the supermarket and can be pre seasoned or the simple addition of some chopped Garlic, Onions and a sprinkle of dried or fresh herbs will give enough flavour to the beef. It is common to add a tin of tomatoes with the juices to create a rich sauce for the pasta. For half a kilo of beef one clove of garlic, one onion and a table spoon of dried mixed herbs is sufficient. Serve over Pasta or Rice.Seagoing Rations – some highlights

There are a few culinary concepts that have both enlightened me and scared me for life from my time deployed with Navy at Sea.

Seagoing Rations – The Left Overs Rule

Day one is Fresh, Day two is a Stir Fry or Casserole, Day three is Curry Sauce; beware the curried snags after a few days on the line!

Seagoing Rations – Dixies

This is a concept I borrowed from a great mate named Billy. The idea is simple being that a number of the Demies and Deputies of the mess would take over the service for the evening and make ‘short order food’ such as Burgers and fries. Another version of this is the Chilean hot dogs known as Completo that are effectively a full meal in a roll and the condiments are actually part of the complete meal. It is essential though that the Completo is served in close proximity to good friends, family and sport.

Seagoing Rations – Ham and Cheese toasties

Be it early morning bacon and egg rolls for long days or Ham and Cheese toasties at the end of an unusually long day of evolutions. There is little a sailor will not do for a toasted sandwich and a brew.

Seagoing Rations – Chicken Kiev

This dish based on some sketchy politics, but effectively contains Meat Protein with Butter fat and served over Carbs or rice or Pasta. It is one of the most sacred serves of sustainable energy.

Seagoing Rations – Beef Stroganoff

This is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with smetana (sour cream). From its origins in mid-19th-century Russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe. The dish is named after one of the members of the influential Stroganov family and its invention has been commonly attributed to French chefs working for the family. Beef Stroganoff is based on some sketchy politics, but effectively contains Meat Protein, Mushroom Protein and Milk Protein combined with Butter fat and served over Carbs or rice or Pasta. It is one of the most sacred serves of sustainable energy.

Seagoing Rations – Meat pies

This is a simple variation on the Protein and Carbs meal in a somewhat portable format.

Seagoing Rations – Friday Fish and Chips

Perhaps a hangover from religious times but most Defence Force establishments offer fish on a Friday. It is something to look forward to at the end of the week. Actually, the original rule was to give up lavish food on the Friday, and this would have been land based meat being of significantly greater cost than sea food back in the day. Somewhere this balance changed and eventually put pressure on the livelihood of the Fishermen. The Church interjected and the rest is culinary folk lore.

the special works – Dropped Pizza

Two cups of self-raising flour with a little olive oil, add mixed herbs and a handful of grated cheese. Mix in some diced ham and then add a small amount of light strength beer and continue to work the dough until it comes together, spread out on a lightly oiled oven tray and bake at 220 degrees Celsius until crisp and golden. Serve as an entrée or as a meal perhaps with some Tomato secret relish.

the special works – Secret Tomato Relish recipe from https://www.facebook.com/damon.craig.75/posts/10155114280547244

Time to share best tomato sauce recipe ever… Fry One diced onion and chopped garlic clove in a dash of olive oil, add punnet of cherry tomatoes. When they all pop, add one can of Coca-Cola (the real thing); reduce and serve over grilled steak or eggplant parmigiana.

Once you have mastered this, you can work on Bacon Jam; it is made from finely chopped streaky bacon (half kilo) and 2 chopped onions and 2 gloves of garlic. Once it has all reduced down add 200 ml of Canadian Pure Maple syrup and 100 ml of Kentucky Mash Bourbon, reduce until the Alcohol is cooked out. Served with slow poaches eggs and crisp toast.

Air Line Beans from https://www.marthastewart.com › green-bean-casserole or simplified at https://www.mccormick.com/frenchs/recipes/salads-sides/frenchs-green-bean-casserole

Combines 1 can of Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup with2 cans Green Beans into an oven bake dish, top with 1 1/3 cups of Crispy Fried Onions and bake until golden brown on top.

Pasta and Mussels from https://www.food.com/recipe/mussels-in-white-wine-and-garlic-13162

Rinse and scrub 1 and a half kilograms of mussels under cold water. Using your fingers or paring knife, remove beards (strings that hang from the mussel shells), and discard. In a large stockpot set over medium heat, combine 2 cups of white wine, verjuice or stock, shallots, garlic, and salt. Simmer 5 minutes then add mussels, cover, and increase heat to high. Cook until all mussels are open, about 5 minutes. Stir in some mixed herbs and some butter Remove from heat, divide mussels and broth among four bowls and serve immediately.

the special works – Balmeg Pie

This dish is named after a place, a small road in the Island City State of Singapore. It is basically a quick sir fry of any vegetables you have left at the end of the week (nothing longer than that please) with a quick white sauce added. The secret is to mix store bought Worcestershire Sauce and a generous spoonful of dried basil. Oven bake at 220 degrees Celsius until crisp and golden. Serve as an entrée or as a meal perhaps with some Tomato Relish. And whilst I am on shelf life, it is essential to plan you menu around storage times for the food types. As a general rule, seafood does not store well after preparation and should be consumed as soon as possible. White meat may be a day or two, red meat 2-3 days and vegetables 3-4 days at most. If in doubt, throw it out. The shopping list for the de mobilised Veteran.

□ Butter

□ Milk

□ Eggs

□ Cheese

□ Bread

□ Peanut Butter

□ 2 healthy option ready meals

□ 7 serves of Proteins for the weekaa

□ 11 serves of Vegetables for the week

□ 11 Pieces of fruit for the week atleast

□ Sauces (tomato, BBQ, Mustard, Soy, Teriyaki and Sweet Chilli)

□ Spices (Salt, Pepper, Curry Powder, Chilli Powder, Paprika, Mixed Herbs and five spice)

□ Condiments (Sauerkraut, Kim Chi, Grated Parmesan Cheese, Pickles or Relish)

□ Oil (Peanut Oil for cooking and Olive Oil for finishing and dipping)

□ Tinned Tuna / Tinned Soups / Tinned Baked Beans / Tinned Vegetables

□ Cheat atreats, snacks and Biscuits such as shortbread and saltine crackers

□ Tea Bags, loose leaf Tea, Ground or Instant Coffee

□ Powdered Milk and Condensed Milk

□ Toilet Paper

□ Paper Towel

□ Tissues

□ Toiletries, soap and shampoo

□ Medications as prescribed

□ Drinks (soft and hard) for entertaining

□ Chips and snacks for entertaininga

Lamb Sandwich

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Tone Deaf Vet – some diet notes on Rat Packs