Well that looks good to me...wish mine was half as healthy ;-)
I don't even try and find the answer Cheryl! I gave up making the dinner yonks ago. Now Koos does most of the cooking...well, poor darling has to if he wants to eat at all!
I'm with VallyPee - what you have here is so close to perfect it makes no difference.
I feel your pain though - I love cooking, but it's always such a rush on weekdays. Home from work, kids going in all directions or coming in late, one and a half of them being vegetarians (Em will eat organic or free range meat if she's feeling low, but Mads is a full-time vegetable), and the menu dictated by whatever's in the cupboard and the fridge, and all the things I forgot to buy at the market that day.
Apparently some people plan their weekly menus day by day down to the last ingredient, and stock up accordingly. I can't even plan how many people I'll be feeding from one night to another! On the rare occasionas when I have something planned, I'll go to the fridge for a crucial ingredient and find someone's eaten it for lunch or after school. Back to Square One.
The only helpful comments I have to offer:
1. Have a few staple recipes everyone enjoys, and always keep the ingredients in stock. Such things as pastas and risotto can be made out of pretty much anything.
2. Never underestimate eggs. They produce Spanish or filled omelettes, frittatas, souffles (if you're not feeling too vulnerable), and they also make a great stir-through sauce for spaghetti (add garlic, bacon and herbs for easy carbonara).
3. Wraps. Have those long-life tortillas in the pantry, and a few tins of really good chilli beans. Add cheese, tomato, lettuce and sour cream, perhaps salsa too. The same principal works with grilled chicken, lamb or beef.
4. Spuds. Filled baked potatoes are wonderful and everyone can stuff them with whatever tehy like - similar principle to the wraps.
5. Fresh fruit and cheese instead of dessert. Dessert at our place is not a given. It's amazing how happy the girls can be if offered a few sqares of chocolare instead of a proper pudding.
OK I'll shut up now. And incidentally, I've no idea what we're having tonight.
Vally, what is Koos' favorite dish to cook? I am not a cook at all! If it doesn't come from a box or bag - i'm pretty much lost! Although i have made a few things and got rave reviews! My hubby says when i cook and he makes a big deal on how good it is - he never sees it on the table again!?! I am more of a baker than cook, dunno why? Well actually i do know why - i can not seem to get all the dinner items on the table and all hot at the same time.
Margie, these are fantabulous ideas - thanks! I know some people who plan weekly menus and it all sounds greatly organized and such but i just don't have it in me. (but i never stop trying - probably where lots of my frustration come from). My daughter does not eat meat either and thats becoming more challenging as she won't try new veggies. she told me that she'll try one new "something" every week over summer break. That should be fun - and she like to cook. Hey maybe thats my problem solved right there!! (wink)
Thanks for keeping in touch gals! I really enjoy your company:^)
You might not ever have an answer, but I'll bet you still eat!
A couple of nights in a row we had take-out Chinese (the 2nd night was left-overs), the next night we had cheeseburgers with home-made fries and coleslaw (Gene makes the BEST fries!), then last night we had nachos with salsa, sour cream and my own home-made guacamole. Tonight my daughter, Beth, and her boyfriend, Reeko, are BBQing pork ribs with baked potatoes and salad (Caesar if Beth has any say in it, I'm sure!) Tomorrow night is blank, but it's Friday and we usually do steaks on the BBQ to celebrate the end of the week...
Apparently, around here, we don't have a problem deciding "what's for dinner"!
I sometimes do feel like wilting when I look at the kitchen after a long day at work... I've found the solution to that is to take 15 to 30 minutes to put my feet up and relax before diving in again.
oh I have to come back and comment for realz when I have more time! until then, there are lots of things you can combine with baking to make a meal... I have to run, but I will be back!!!
6 comments:
Well that looks good to me...wish mine was half as healthy ;-)
I don't even try and find the answer Cheryl! I gave up making the dinner yonks ago. Now Koos does most of the cooking...well, poor darling has to if he wants to eat at all!
I'm with VallyPee - what you have here is so close to perfect it makes no difference.
I feel your pain though - I love cooking, but it's always such a rush on weekdays. Home from work, kids going in all directions or coming in late, one and a half of them being vegetarians (Em will eat organic or free range meat if she's feeling low, but Mads is a full-time vegetable), and the menu dictated by whatever's in the cupboard and the fridge, and all the things I forgot to buy at the market that day.
Apparently some people plan their weekly menus day by day down to the last ingredient, and stock up accordingly. I can't even plan how many people I'll be feeding from one night to another! On the rare occasionas when I have something planned, I'll go to the fridge for a crucial ingredient and find someone's eaten it for lunch or after school. Back to Square One.
The only helpful comments I have to offer:
1. Have a few staple recipes everyone enjoys, and always keep the ingredients in stock. Such things as pastas and risotto can be made out of pretty much anything.
2. Never underestimate eggs. They produce Spanish or filled omelettes, frittatas, souffles (if you're not feeling too vulnerable), and they also make a great stir-through sauce for spaghetti (add garlic, bacon and herbs for easy carbonara).
3. Wraps. Have those long-life tortillas in the pantry, and a few tins of really good chilli beans. Add cheese, tomato, lettuce and sour cream, perhaps salsa too. The same principal works with grilled chicken, lamb or beef.
4. Spuds. Filled baked potatoes are wonderful and everyone can stuff them with whatever tehy like - similar principle to the wraps.
5. Fresh fruit and cheese instead of dessert. Dessert at our place is not a given. It's amazing how happy the girls can be if offered a few sqares of chocolare instead of a proper pudding.
OK I'll shut up now. And incidentally, I've no idea what we're having tonight.
Vally, what is Koos' favorite dish to cook? I am not a cook at all! If it doesn't come from a box or bag - i'm pretty much lost! Although i have made a few things and got rave reviews! My hubby says when i cook and he makes a big deal on how good it is - he never sees it on the table again!?!
I am more of a baker than cook, dunno why? Well actually i do know why - i can not seem to get all the dinner items on the table and all hot at the same time.
Margie, these are fantabulous ideas - thanks! I know some people who plan weekly menus and it all sounds greatly organized and such but i just don't have it in me. (but i never stop trying - probably where lots of my frustration come from). My daughter does not eat meat either and thats becoming more challenging as she won't try new veggies. she told me that she'll try one new "something" every week over summer break. That should be fun - and she like to cook. Hey maybe thats my problem solved right there!! (wink)
Thanks for keeping in touch gals! I really enjoy your company:^)
**luv&hugs**
You might not ever have an answer, but I'll bet you still eat!
A couple of nights in a row we had take-out Chinese (the 2nd night was left-overs), the next night we had cheeseburgers with home-made fries and coleslaw (Gene makes the BEST fries!), then last night we had nachos with salsa, sour cream and my own home-made guacamole. Tonight my daughter, Beth, and her boyfriend, Reeko, are BBQing pork ribs with baked potatoes and salad (Caesar if Beth has any say in it, I'm sure!)
Tomorrow night is blank, but it's Friday and we usually do steaks on the BBQ to celebrate the end of the week...
Apparently, around here, we don't have a problem deciding "what's for dinner"!
I sometimes do feel like wilting when I look at the kitchen after a long day at work...
I've found the solution to that is to take 15 to 30 minutes to put my feet up and relax before diving in again.
oh I have to come back and comment for realz when I have more time!
until then, there are lots of things you can combine with baking to make a meal... I have to run, but I will be back!!!
Well i'm addicted to salty nuts and grapes dipped in sugar, so at least it's kinda healthy..
I often find myself slaving over a fridge freezer mind!..
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