​With the installation of the new stove at the Benalla Seniors and Community Centre and a request from Age Friendly Benalla for a repeat of Cooking Solo, we had been hoping to run Cooking Solo in 2026.

However, to run this course we need a Convenor!

​Gwen and Val, who ran Cooking Solo in 2024, are not available due to many other commitments. They have left a folder of resources and are happy to mentor if needed..

U3A Benalla would like to congratulate Nathalie Cerritelli (on right) on receiving the ‘Kevin Perry Encouragement Award’ for her film ‘Cooking Solo’ at the recent Benalla Shorts Film Festival. 

Nathalie, a young film maker from Canberra, approached us to make a short documentary after hearing about ‘Cooking Solo’ through her grandmother, Val Whan, who co-convened the course with Gwen Mildren in Semester I.  
 
It was a great pleasure to liaise with Nathalie and observe her in action with group members as she made this delightful film. A well-deserved award, Nathalie!

On a final note, Val commented at the end of Nathalie’s film, perhaps it should be called ‘Cooking for Fun’, because it was!

​Bev Lee

​The first session in May was a winter meal of Roast Lamb with cauliflower and broccoli cheese, roast pumpkin, baked potato and boiled carrots and peas.  Although not found in the Dieticians Cookbook, this was followed by Golden Syrup Dumplings. We all remembered them as a childhood favourite! 

Thanks to Neville Gibb for helping with the dishes.

​The second session in May was our eighth and last session. Party food was the order of the day.  No Cook Slice Recipes, using crushed Marie Biscuits as the key ingredient, were distributed then demonstrated.  Everyone then made their own Savoury Scones and Pizzas for lunch. Together with Devils on Horseback and Salmon Vol-au-vents, these were followed by colourful fresh fruit platters made by Val and Lin.

The Dietician guests answered more questions during lunch, evaluation forms were completed, and Chairperson Margaret presented fun certificates for attendance at the first U3A Solo Cooking Solo Course. This featured a photo of all 10 participants taken at the previous session.

We would like to express our thanks to Lin Ryan for her willingness to cover illness and become a Cooking Solo partner.  Thanks also to Rina Caddy, Shirley Kearney and Nicole McFarlane for their help in the kitchen and support.

We would like to thank U3A for the opportunity to convene the ‘Cooking Solo’ Course, and the Uniting Church for subsidising use of the venue. Although the Cooking facilities were not ideal, we feel the aims of providing a nutritious meal for participants, and social interaction were achieved.

We are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the ‘Cooking Solo’ film created by Val’s granddaughter, Nathalie, which we hope will screen at the Benalla Shorts Film Festival later in the year.

Thanks to the participants for receiving the Cooking Solo course in good humour!   There was a lot of preparation, but a lot of fun!
 
Gwen Mildren and Val Whan.

Cooking Solo is a very interesting activity, not always going to plan!

At our first session in April, due to Gwen being unwell, Val and Lin organised the pumpkin soup and “fish” meal.  Thanks to Jim for donating the pumpkin.  The soup had a special flavour as it stuck to the saucepan!  Fish Puffs were a tasty entrée,enthusiastically eaten from the pan as they were cooked.  The tuna mornay looked really good and was enjoyed by all, even though it was missing some vegetables!  Everyone enjoyed their time in the kitchen, and lots of interesting questions were asked.

                              Why are fish so smart?  Because they live in schools.

Next session, Val’s granddaughter Nathalie, and her partner Alex, visited to film a possible entry for the Benalla Short Film Festival. All present responded well to being interviewed, and we are looking forward to the edited version when it arrives. The filming was approved by U3A Executive and everyone was given the option of not participating.

Lin made a hearty pot of minestrone with lots of seasonal vegetables.  Then everybody made their own pasty – not the traditional Cornish variety, but a Mexican one made with precooked mince, grated apple and crushed pineapple filling, inside a mashed potato pastry.  Very tasty with home-made relish, and very, very filling!  Thanks to Rupe for donating tomatoes and beans.  

Gwen and Val​

The class has now settled with 10 regular enrolments.  Unfortunately, this is the maximum capacity for the venue, and we apologise to those on the waiting list.

Thanks to Lin, Nicole and Rina for your assistance when unforseen illness has occurred.  This has allowed “cooking as usual” and tasty lunches to continue to be enjoyed. 

Eggs featured in our second session.  We made two Frittatas – one using fresh vegetables (eg. tomato, capsicum, onion and basil), and the other with roast vegetables (suitable for left-overs). These were served with coleslaw.  This was followed by apple pie and boiled custard.

               What did the egg do when it heard a joke?      It cracked up.

Ten participants and four volunteers took part in our third session.  We were fortunate to have guest Speaker Jill Cook, Community Care Dietician, and two student dieticians in their last year of training join us. They were most popular with the solo cooks.  Many relevant questions were asked, and we had to call it a halt after an hour!  This was again a very happy social session, and an invitation to return was gracefully accepted by Jill.

​Everyone took part in preparation of the meal of corned meat, sauce made from the stock, and a variety of vegetables.  Sweets were diced fresh fruit salad and ice cream.

At our fourth session nine participants enjoyed Lamb Casserole and foil baked potatoes demonstrated by Val, and Lin’s delicious Goulash with dumplings.  These were followed with baked Apricot Sponge.   Another tasty, tummy filling lunch!

​Another tasty, tummy filling lunch!
​
​Val and Gwen

​​With great anticipation, 'Cooking Solo' commenced on Wednesday 14th February, with 12 enrolments.  After introductions it was apparent that we all had many experiences in common.  One was the need to be inspired to cook!  Everyone received a new U3A apron (beautifully sewn by U3A Quilters and embroidered by Michelle Button), a chopping board, and a serrated knife.  We were ready to go!!

Demonstrations ranged from cracking an egg and separating the yolk, to making Rice Paper Rolls. Likewise, very varied questions were answered and throughout the class many hints and ideas were taken on board.

                              “Knowledge is knowing a tomato is fruit,
                               Wisdom is not putting it in fruit salad”.

It was decided to commence class at 10.30 am in future, however participants are welcome to come at 10 for a cuppa.  Our 2nd Class will be “Light Lunches” and Stewed Fruits and Custards.  Jill Cook, a Community Care Dietician, will speak at our 3rd Class.
Our thanks to the Uniting Church for subsidising the Venue, making the Cooking Solo class economically viable.  It worked well.

                              “Why did the tomato turn red?
                              Because it saw the salad dressing.”
​
                                                                                                                                       Gwen Mildren and Val Whan
February 22, 2024

A course for men who are currently adapting to, or bored with, cooking for one. Participants will prepare, cook and share meals which will be nutritious, tasty and relatively simple to make.

The course will cover topics from go to whoa in the kitchen - apples to zucchinis, puddings to pots! Participants will be asked to suggest recipes they would like to be able to cook and be encouraged to practice between sessions.

There will be a small charge of $5 to contribute to the cost of ingredients.

​Gwen Mildren and Val Whan

While researching and planning Cooking Solo, we were told about Gateway Health's Men's Cooking Group in Wangaratta and found this video on their website.

There is also a Men's Kitchen Association in NSW which operates along the lines we were thinking of....  check out the video below, and also their website on Men's Kitchen Assoc. 
- https://www.menskitchen.org.au