Follow
Share
Read More
Over the years, I've used recipes for stuff that I stole from my mom. For some reason, in the last 5 or 6 years (gee? could it be memory playing tricks on me? nahhhhhhhhhhhh *koffs*), the recipes no longer seem to work, so I've been raiding online recipes for stuff. Found this great one for tonight's meatloaf. Half cup each of celery, bell pepper and onion sauteed until tender. Add a cup of good catsup to the veggies. Add a beaten egg and half cup of dried bread crumbs to 1.5 pounds of lean ground beef, then about three fourths of the veggie mixture and salt and pepper to preference. An hour in a 350° oven and then spread the rest of the mixture over the top of the meatloaf and leave in the over for another 5 to 10 minutes, after turning it off. A couple of baked potatoes and a nice salad. Yummmmmm. Can't wait for the sandwiches tomorrow.

Look. I actually cooked!!
(6)
Report

I like that canned chicken too, WT. I buy Costco's cheese pizza and add pesto, pineapple, Canadian bacon if I happen to have it on hand, bell pepper slices, olives, and the canned chicken. Have also done pot pies with the canned chicken. I think I might try it in the Thai soup recipe I made this week. That has so many flavors for the chicken to absorb that the canned might work well.

Tonight was a recipe I used to make often in the 70s -- I must have been feeling nostaglic when I made up the week's menu. It was pepper steak and rice, from a Betty Crocker cookbook.

I have my leeks, celery, and watercress chopped for soup tomorrow, plus the dang pasta salad stuff chilling. I can see that it will be a huge amount, so I invited a grandson to pick some up after he's done working tomorrow.
(3)
Report

Finally got around to using the homemade turkey stock I had frozen from after Thanksgiving. I swear that stuff is liquid gold. Made a big batch of chicken noodle soup using a cheat (blasphemy with homemade stock - ha!) which is the Costco Kirkland brand canned white chicken. It beats any other canned chicken and for the convenience it is better than a rotisserie chicken for soup purposes - big chunks of moist breast meat and shelf stable. I love to have it on hand for a quick chicken taco or enchilada too. On to the soup, lots of carrots peeled and cut into chunks as I don't like those fake baby ones. I grow my own in season and those things just aren't anything like a real carrot. Lots of onions and celery and a bay leaf and of course lots of ground black pepper and a clove of garlic and a dash of tumeric to keep those germs at bay. I cheated again on the noodles. Usually make my own spaetzle noodles but had a good sub on hand. They are called Alberto's extra wide egg noodles made in Chisholm, Minnesota. The noodles are thick and toothsome and really absorb the broth. I wanted to sing the Hallelujah chorus as it turned out so good. Goes against my modest nature but I guess I'm going cabin fever crazy with this endless winter and it sure hit the spot!

The wildlife outside, poor babies, got their feeder filled as I do daily and I put out extra peanuts, raisins and the rest of the Chex from Christmas. It's horrible outside. 50 mile an hour winds, sub-zero and white out roads.

Think I'll bake some cookies.....Ahhhhhh!
(4)
Report

just a little army vernacular for you SA. lastly, you might as well stick your d**k in it , your going to f it up anyway. lol.
army basic training builds belligerant trogladites . the gentleman training comes later in advanced skill training.
(1)
Report

I got stuffed shells (it's called "cheese lasagna) last night from Aldi's. It cost UNDER $3 for 12 lasagna pieces and these are hearty sized pieces! I added their jar sauce which was awesome, and literally fed me, mom, son, daughter, and bf all for under $5. We still have leftovers! I love Aldi's.....
(3)
Report

the paprika chicken; no reason a bag of broc / caulif / carrot, and a cut up potato couldnt have been added near the end. it'd become a one dish meal, less soiled dishes..
(1)
Report

standing alone; h*ll yea, sounds great.
(2)
Report

Tonight I gave myself a break! I picked up a rotisserie chicken, opened a can of LaSeur Peas (they are the best) and mixed it with sliced tomatoes and ghee (natural butter) in a pot. That was dinner, and it was easy and good.
(3)
Report

You mean you would like another answer besides "I don't remember?". I get asked what I'm serving for dinner, Mom makes me feel like the hired help sometimes but doesn't mean anything by it. Yes, we all need a real conversation at times, it's like staying at home with a newborn and being isolated from the world. We all get very lonely and people don't get our sense of dedication which results in isolation.
(2)
Report

I had ramen tonight. Not too hungry.

I'm going to be making chicken paprika soon, one of my favorite dishes. The first time I made it I told my boys that it was chicken and 'cheese sauce' because neither one like sour cream and that makes up part of the sauce. They sucked it up like there was no tomorrow. THEN I told them what it really was. lol They've been eating it ever since.

Get some boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut into pieces. Coat in your favorite breading mix, fry till crispy and brown on the outside. (they don't need to be done)

Get about 3 cans of chicken broth, throw in a handful of chopped onion, about a tablespoon or so of paprika and add in the crispy chicken. Cover, simmer about 25-30 minutes. Take out the chicken. Add in about half a cup...or more if you like...of sour cream with a tablespoon of flour mixed in. Simmer again, whisking until it's smooth and creamy. Add chicken back in and prepare to go to culinary heaven. :D Some crusty french bread is excellent with this, too.
(6)
Report

eh, i took the easy way out and brought a suckway sandwich to ednas apartment to share .
(2)
Report

"Don't need to go to the store" 7 of my favorite words. :)
(2)
Report

Geo, I want to come over for leftovers! I love Jambalaya and tomatoes from your garden would be awesome!

I think it is a very good idea to plan your meals for a week. Then you always know what you are deviating from on any given day. :D Yesterday was supposed to be a chicken pasta salad (to take advantage of $5 deli chickens) but I didn't feel well, so I changed to the day I had scheduled "leftovers." We had plenty. No problem. Today when I double-checked the salad recipe before going to the store I noticed that the salad had to chill for at least 4 hours. Oh-oh, too late for that. So I picked the day we were to use the other half of the chicken and made a Thai chicken soup that was easy and awesome. Also had cucumber sandwiches to practice for a tea party I am planning. And a GS thin mint. All was good, but not exactly according to schedule.

Tomorrow should be OK. Took the right stuff out of the freezer tonight, and don't need to go to the store.
(3)
Report

Chicken and Kielbasa Jambalaya. It used up the last home-made sun-dried tomatoes we had from last summer (home grown and dried in our own food dehydrator). That, plus a special blend of various smoked paprikas (my husband keeps several kinds around and likes to mix them to meet his cooking mood).
(4)
Report

Ah! The answer is dumping the by product so that it gets into ground water and ponds and oceans, etc. is not a good practice! But since the byproduct has some protein and other usable stuff, most manufacturers see that it gets recycled for animal feed, etc. So I don't see this as a problem likely to stop me from eating it. :D

Boni, I understand the purest thing. But I really do like the extra tang that yogurt imparts.
(3)
Report

iammichele, well I know that some people consider raising dairy cows not the best use of the environment, but once you've got the milk, how is making it into yogurt harmful?
(0)
Report

Bonichak i LOVE soup BUT i cannot eat it without cream and im not supposed to eat dairy I made carrot soup today and it just isnt the same without a "dollop" of cream.
someone said you can get "soya cream" i wonder what this is like and can you put it in soup?
I could give up anything,drugs,alcohol,smokes but i have a real problem with butter and cream whats the point in living if you cant have "real butter and cream".
This lower your cholesterol diet is the "pits". As soon as i get it down i may just have a little minipigout!
Ok im not looking at this post again its "too cruel".
(0)
Report

boni, soup isnt soup to me unless its at least thickened with white sauce and or sour cream. white sauce = flour gravy. if it isnt a chowder , i call it briny swill.
(1)
Report

Bonichak, I hear ya girl!!! I bet you could make anything and I would eat it.
(2)
Report

Bookluv, you are very likely a very good cook. Wanting to be one is the biggest step toward that goal. I too struggle with cooking. I hate anyone being in the kitchen with me, and that has been the biggest issue with my parents being with us. Now mom is in NH and that has made it much better for me. You keep trying hon, and know you are capable of doing anything you want, and doing it right for yourself and no one else. (hugs)
(3)
Report

I ALWAYS share! I grew up cooking for a family of 8, as soon as I could reach the stove. After 35 years in the restaurant business, I ALWAY make too much for 2. My brother stops by regularly for "take out" from Chez Chak.
I am a purest. It MUST be sour cream. FULL FAT! LOL
(5)
Report

Did you know that the making of Greek yogurt is very harmful for the enviroment? I need to look into this, but my daughter was telling me about it.
(1)
Report

tonight we are having chili. I really try to keep meals simple. I don't like the cleaning up. With chili, you have protein, fiber in the beans, i use preseasoned tomatoes and some spices, so we have a veg in there too. Sometimes i use celery and onion in my hamburger too so more veg is added. Top the chili with a dollop of sour cream and some shredded cheese.... lookin good!!!!!! Not too bad for us, especially if you leave off the sour cream and cheese.
(3)
Report

i agree about the multiple dishes , book. if your going to fry chicken, fry a bunch cause im eatin chicken. most of my meals are one course. ie, spaghetti , filled brotchen rolls , chili dogs, twice stuffed potatos, etc. all the ingredients you need in one dish.
still eating up my bean soup tonight..
(3)
Report

Heart attack in a bowl ... what a way to go! That sounds awesome. I'm not feeling well today and I could use a bowl of soup. Do you share, Boni? Glad we have good leftovers in the fridge. I think I'll put off making today's menu for a day.

By the way, do you ever use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream? Course, that particular recipe doesn't sound like it can be redeemed, but I find we like yogurt in place of sour cream or even of mayonnaise in a lot of recipes.
(2)
Report

Making Potato soup today......AKA...Heart attack in a bowl. Potatoes, onion,S&P, parsley,milk, butter, cheddar cheese, bacon and sour cream. Yum.
(4)
Report

Captain, you were just very fortunate that your mom was supportive of you and had no problems being truthful of your cooking. Several times, I have tried to cook. My father was such a perfectionist. I was washing the rice wrong, measuring the water wrong, marinating the meat wrong, turning the meat wrong, etc... then when it was time to chow down - too salty (lie - I rarely eat salt and so I skimp salt when cooking), no taste (lie - I added other spices), too overcooked, too, etc.... In the end, I just stopped cooking. And came home with take out dinners. Can't go wrong with that - since I didn't cook it. Now that he's bedridden, I've been digging out my cookbooks and choosing simple recipes with very few ingredients. I'm slowly getting excited about cooking. And I find incentive when I read some of your meals here. sigh... you guys eat way too much variety of food for one mealtime... When I read your menus, I think it's like attending a dinner function and the host/hostess makes a variety of dishes for that one meal.
(4)
Report

alison is about cute enough to get by without doing much cooking but i think shes missing the thrill of someone telling her " you really outdid yourself this time, that soup was delicious " ( my moms voice in my head ) .
lol, sour cream is the secret ali.. and red pepper / garlic powder..
(4)
Report

Tonight I made meatloaf in the crock pot. It was filled with a feta/spinach/dried tomato mixture which looked lovely when sliced and tasted awesome. With it I made steamed carrots and tiny peas with dill butter. We also had fruit cups with 4 kinds of berries, kiwi, and canned peaches. If we both weren't trying to lose weight, I would have included bread. We sure got in our recommended servings of fruit and vegetables, though. :)
(4)
Report

Alison, if Babe Ruth quite baseball the first time he struck out (or the second, or the 40th) none of us would have ever heard of him. Do you think those of us who are "good cooks" have never learned from failure? Good heavens! That is not the case. So, if you WANT to be a good cook, start cooking. Start with simple recipes that don't require doing two things at once. Take some cooking classes. Cook with a friend. There are lots of ways to improve.

But I don't think it is necessary for everyone to cook well. If you enjoy it, it is satisfying. If it is not your passion, don't worry about it.

I think I can speak for many of us when I say we figured out how to do it right by making our share of mistakes along the way!
(2)
Report

Start a Discussion
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter