More cooking

[celticdragonfly]

I'm realizing I'm doing a lot more cooking these days. We've been trying to cut back on the budget, which means I'm cooking more meals, and trying to be more creative about what I'm cooking - cutting back on more expensive meals like big pot roasts and thick juicy pork chops. Some of the cheaper meals are things like canned ravioli, but some are me cooking. There have been a number of days lately where I've cooked from scratch three meals in the day. I'm doing more experimental stuff, not just the handful of things I'm used to. It's baby steps compared to a serious cook, but I'm beginning to feel like more of a cook. I've been making omelets fairly often, those are going well, and are inexpensive. Last week one afternoon I decided hey, I had a couple chicken breasts leftover that I hadn't cooked with the chicken and stuffing dish, I felt like having some sort of chicken teriyaki on rice dish. So that night I ended up making chicken stir fry, and it worked. This morning I didn't feel like making muffins yet again, so I decided to make pain perdu. That worked, too. I'm feeling pretty pleased about it, pleased that I have the confidence to just decide to make something and go do it. I wonder what I'll think of to make next.

Comments

cooking, yeah

[the-blue-fenix.livejournal.com]

I've been taking some steps toward that myself lately. I bought a cookbook of guaranteed-simple (5 ingredients) meals for the slow cooker. I made one last week which was very successful and we'll certainly have it again. Plan to try a new recipe once a week and see how it goes. I love slow cookers.

What I mainly need is main dish meals for dinnertime. On weekdays we have very simple breakfasts (toast or cereal) and lunches (sandwiches). On weekends, Russ cooks his world-class omelets or pancakes or waffles, which he likes doing.

Having Andrew around has really changed our dinner habits. We actually eat meals at the table now, although sometimes one or both of us still has a book open. So the big hot meals are actually starting to make sense.

One down side of the stew pot recipes is they tend to be expensive -- they mostly start with remarks like "three pound roast" or "two pounds of stew beef." $$$. There is a vegetarian main meal section, I should probably experiment with those and see if they make the grade as acceptable meals for us omnivores.

Re: cooking, yeah

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

We're actually eating most of our meals at the table these days. I do miss the tray-on-my-lap meals that used to be my default, on the couch - but kids climbing all over you makes that difficult, doesn't it? We still often have a book open each, though, that hasn't much changed.

Karl's been making pancakes for us several times while Robyn's been visiting. I would love to try waffles someday, I adore them.

I love my crockpot, too, and want more recipes in it that we both like. I agree with you about pot roasts are expensive. Karl and I are both fussy eaters, so it's HARD to find a recipe we'll both like. And he won't touch mushrooms. I've transformed a number of recipes that start with cream of mushroom soup, but some just don't transfer.

He doesn't generally go for vegetarian meals. I have managed to get the family recipe macaroni and cheese accepted, and omelets are okay. He's happiest with "chunk o'meat" meals, but understands I have to cut those back to make the budget happier.

I'd love to find more good crockpot recipes. He doesn't eat mushrooms, neither of us eats chunks of tomatoes (tomato sauce is fine, just a texture thing with chunks of cooked tomato), and most stews have a funny dusty taste to me, I wish I could identify what exactly causes that. We don't eat spicy, which eliminates chili. I'm continuing to look for other good options.

Re: cooking, yeah

[carbonelle.livejournal.com]

Public libraries often have extensive cookbook sections. :::Runs and finds out::: Yes, here's what you get when you plug in the subject heading Electric cookery, slow into the King County Library System's catalog.

I don't know how good your Texas Libraries are, but hey, if you see something you like you can always Inter-Library Loan (ILL) it!

Re: cooking, yeah

[selenesue.livejournal.com]

Good on you! I'm proud of you for trying and more proud for succeeding!

Any crockpot or casserole recipe that calls for Cream of Mushroom Soup can be made with Cream of Celery or Cream of Chicken instead. I think I like the proverbial Green Bean Casserole better that way, actually.

Chili minus chile equals sloppy joes. Nothing wrong with that! Spice things the way YOU like them. The Chili Police will not knock on your door, even though you are in Texas.

Waffles are duh easy if you have a good modern nonstick electric waffle iron. Put it on your wish list or save up a little. Batter is the same as pancake batter, the only learning curve will be in timing the baking.

Re funny dusty taste in stew? Odd. Are you peeling your veggies thoroughly? How does your tap water taste? If your tap water is nasty, use some other fluid, beer is a favorite. I consider this to be the first best use for beer, actually, much better as a cooking fluid than as a beverage. YES, the alcohol cooks out to under 1/2 percent, you won't get the kinder tiddly.