Domestic Goddess???-or not?

[Nicos]

Just been legging it round the house like a headless chicken, getting on top of the chores and was feeling very proud of myself until I realised that:-
I have the dishwasher;washing machine;tumble drier;self cleaning oven;breadmaker;a stew on one hob and some courgette soup simmering on an other- plus the extractor fan;central heating on low and the computer running. I have set up the ironing board infront of the tv and sky box to watch all the programmes I missed whilst on hols (mammoth ironing piles ).Just wondering ...if I boil the kettle do you think I'll trip the national grid??
Poor ozone layer...now I don't feel so proud of myself!

[Waffler]

I know what you mean. I really wish life wasn't so hectic these days, but these machines have been designed to save us time, which is such a precious commodity these days. I too am guilty of abusing the system, and have been known to have the oven on for an hour and a half to bake one potato (my mother would be horrified!)
On the plus side, I'm getting much better at switching the TV off properly, instead of using standby, don't have a tumble drier, use the 30 degree cycle or eco cycle on the washing machine and only ever run the dishwasher when it's full. I think I may just be clutching at straws!!
However, all of us on here are doing our bit on some level, reducing food miles and hopefully chemicals introduced to our bodies.

Well done for making us think Nicos!

[annie trip]

I know what you mean tho,it is easy to feel housebound but imagine how hard it was before our luxuries. You sound like you are having a very productive day, just don't burn yourself whilst ironing/computing!!!

[dexterdoglancashire]

Good points made - unfortunately because we are all so short of time these days, especially if you work full time then these appliances are necessary to help us do all the tasks we have to.
The good point is that we Grapes are all too aware of the need to recycle/enviromental issues etc - so I think we are allowed a few pleasures to enable us to have the time to "go digging"! DDL

[yoanbob]

without all these machines we only needed one wage earner to pay the bills/ credit etc, now most of us need two, to buy the machines that save us time that enable both of us to go to work to pay the bills to give us time.
the only people who benifit are the people who sell us the machines that break down after 5 years and arnt fixable.
your right tho ddl we all do our bit

[Alice]

I don't think any of us would want to give up our machines and I'm sure we all try to be sensible about it. It's too expensive not to be.

Waffler, I have a little worktop oven/grill that i use when I just want to bake a few potatoes or grill some bacon. I hope it's less wasteful than putting the big oven on. And I use the microwave to heat plates and serving dishes rather than heat the oven to do this.

[JennieAtkinson]

We decided to go without a dishwasher when the last one packed up and felt pretty proud of ourselves at the time. Now we don't give it a thought.

Its getting the right balance though - though tonight I must admit I put the oven on too early for dinner as OH decided he needed to go off in the car to pick something up. My mum would have baked a cake, but I sat down and read a gardening mag!

[bramble]

Hi Alice, why don't you bake the potatoes in the microwave. It will take less time than the oven.

[vicki]

I do mine in the microwave, but still pop them in the oven to crisp up the skin - thats the best bit!!

[Alice]

I don't bake the potatoes in the microwave because I don't think they are the same thing at all. Totally different flavour, no baked potato taste. Maybe I'm just too fussy.

[Waffler]

I agree Alice - I've tried finishing them in the oven afterwards, but it never gives the desired effect. I'm obviously fussy too!

[Earthbabe]

I agree Alice. I don't like using the microwave it kind of sucks the life out of things. They are not the same as if cooked in the oven or on the hob. A lady I know knows someone with one of those aura camera jobbies. They took energy photos or carrots, fresh and cooked in various ways. The energy picture around the microwaved ones was dismal. In other words nada, zilch, dead. Even boiled ones did better than that and there was a difference between shop bought standard and organic. They didn't check home grown though. Now that would have been interesting.

[JennieAtkinson]

Microwaves are fantastic for making porridge! The packet stuff - tastes exactly the same as the real stuff (well we think it does) and no horrendous saucepan to wash. In that we have porridge every morning for breakfast, the microwave is worth it just for that.

I don't like doing veg in the microwave, as you say Earthbabe is just seems to suck the life out of them.

[Earthbabe]

I always do porridge or "instant oats" (depending on who it's for) in a saucepan. I've found that if you get water in it as soon as possible while the pan is still quite hot it all comes off quite easily. Mr E tends to do Miss E's instant oats in the microwave but only if he can be bothered to plug it in and switch it on. I've noticed it hums while on and not in use and it annoys me. We also have an ordinary clock in the kitchen so don't need it for that. I use the timer quite a bit though when I'm baking and making.

[rustylady]

I know what you mean. I really wish life wasn't so hectic these days, but these machines have been designed to save us time, which is such a precious commodity these days. I too am guilty of abusing the system, and have been known to have the oven on for an hour and a half to bake one potato (my mother would be horrified!)
On the plus side, I'm getting much better at switching the TV off properly, instead of using standby, don't have a tumble drier, use the 30 degree cycle or eco cycle on the washing machine and only ever run the dishwasher when it's full. I think I may just be clutching at straws!!
However, all of us on here are doing our bit on some level, reducing food miles and hopefully chemicals introduced to our bodies.

Well done for making us think Nicos!

Baked potatoes - you don't need to have the oven on for an hour and a half. Cheat like I do - 15 min in the micro and then 20 min in hot oven to crisp - lovely