Looking through recipes and doing OK, sort of .
No mojo in the kitchen
I am a good hostess, I can set a beautiful table, the wine is always fine, but the food, well, it can be iffy. There was a time I considered myself quite adept at putting together a very nice meal, and was even known for some of my dishes. I loved cook books, searched for new recipes, and often did some tweaking to get it just the way I would like it (meaning spicy). I was usually confident with what I made. We joined a gourmet club with friends and we would have a theme meal every 6 weeks or so. It was great fun and we experimented with all types of food. The cooking part of my life came to a crashing halt when I was unfortunate enough to get a job from hell that required me to be at work many times until 6 or 7 PM. Hubby, aka, Barbecue Bob, took over the culinary aspect of our lives. No problem; he enjoyed it and I still had my hands in some meals. He then anointed himself as King of the Kitchen and again, no problem; it was nice to have that chore taken over. I still did certain dishes and cooked on holidays or when we had company. That job with the late hours only lasted for a year, but I was able to milk the non-cooking situation for 20 years.
Now since I have retired, I have taken up the spatula once more. I do not like any meals that take longer than 15 minutes to prepare and if the cooking time is longer than 45 minutes, my Adult ADD kicks in. My first meal for hubby after retirement included a simple boxed cheesy scalloped potatoes but I mistakenly threw in some of the cellophane wrapping into the casserole dish. (See My Retirement, Day 2). It really added a ,unique touch to the dinner. I have gradually improved since then,with my specialty being soups. Everything can be thrown into these and you can't really mess them up. Put the wrong ingredient into the pot, just give the soup a different name.
We had guests last night and because it was a birthday celebration, I cooked his favorite dish, lasagna. The recipe's name was "The Best Ever Lasagna Recipe" and the comments assured me that this would be a winner. After I assembled it, I realized a little mistake I had made (have not made this dish in years) and although it tasted good, it kind of fell apart. I'll have to rename that one.
So today I went to Costco. There in the cold cases were freshly made meals, looking delicious and all you had to do was stick them in the oven. Included in them was a fabulous looking lasagna. There would be no prepping, no dirty dishes, no cleaning up my mess. This really was the Best Ever Lasagna, as it took no work. I will have to remember this for the next time. I will just have to figure out how to get it out of the aluminum container and into my dish without messing it up. However, messing it up may look even more like something I made.
Well, I am off now to bake some "severed fingers cookies" for my granddaughter's Halloween party. If they don't work out, I will just call them "severed toes from a Woolly Mammoth". Who's to know?
No mojo in the kitchen
I am a good hostess, I can set a beautiful table, the wine is always fine, but the food, well, it can be iffy. There was a time I considered myself quite adept at putting together a very nice meal, and was even known for some of my dishes. I loved cook books, searched for new recipes, and often did some tweaking to get it just the way I would like it (meaning spicy). I was usually confident with what I made. We joined a gourmet club with friends and we would have a theme meal every 6 weeks or so. It was great fun and we experimented with all types of food. The cooking part of my life came to a crashing halt when I was unfortunate enough to get a job from hell that required me to be at work many times until 6 or 7 PM. Hubby, aka, Barbecue Bob, took over the culinary aspect of our lives. No problem; he enjoyed it and I still had my hands in some meals. He then anointed himself as King of the Kitchen and again, no problem; it was nice to have that chore taken over. I still did certain dishes and cooked on holidays or when we had company. That job with the late hours only lasted for a year, but I was able to milk the non-cooking situation for 20 years.
Now since I have retired, I have taken up the spatula once more. I do not like any meals that take longer than 15 minutes to prepare and if the cooking time is longer than 45 minutes, my Adult ADD kicks in. My first meal for hubby after retirement included a simple boxed cheesy scalloped potatoes but I mistakenly threw in some of the cellophane wrapping into the casserole dish. (See My Retirement, Day 2). It really added a ,unique touch to the dinner. I have gradually improved since then,with my specialty being soups. Everything can be thrown into these and you can't really mess them up. Put the wrong ingredient into the pot, just give the soup a different name.
We had guests last night and because it was a birthday celebration, I cooked his favorite dish, lasagna. The recipe's name was "The Best Ever Lasagna Recipe" and the comments assured me that this would be a winner. After I assembled it, I realized a little mistake I had made (have not made this dish in years) and although it tasted good, it kind of fell apart. I'll have to rename that one.
So today I went to Costco. There in the cold cases were freshly made meals, looking delicious and all you had to do was stick them in the oven. Included in them was a fabulous looking lasagna. There would be no prepping, no dirty dishes, no cleaning up my mess. This really was the Best Ever Lasagna, as it took no work. I will have to remember this for the next time. I will just have to figure out how to get it out of the aluminum container and into my dish without messing it up. However, messing it up may look even more like something I made.
Well, I am off now to bake some "severed fingers cookies" for my granddaughter's Halloween party. If they don't work out, I will just call them "severed toes from a Woolly Mammoth". Who's to know?
lol! One thing I'm looking forward to is to stop cooking!
ReplyDeleteJust get a dish about the same size and drop the whole thing in, tinfoil container and all. No one will know the difference and you can tell them you used the tinfoil to keep from ruining the pan.
ReplyDeleteAustan - no reason to cook if someone else will do it for you.
ReplyDeleteDelores - sounds like you have done that yourself. I think it is the way to go. No muss, no fuss, no stress.
Arleen I loved the bit about cheesy scalloped cellophane potatoes. My first chicken I cooked I left the giblets neatly packed in a little plastic bag inside it - well how was I to know when it said it was 'oven ready'
ReplyDeleteArleen, I do love to cook. Nothing invigorates me more after a really bad day than coming home and chopping and stirring and mixing. I hate to go to the grocery store. Since we've become empty nesters my husband has put on the apron as well. I am now more often than not his sous chef and clean up person. Hum, I think I prefer cooking. Hugs! Bonnie
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Dolores - get all the help you can get - then dig in the garden! sandie
ReplyDeleteI remember when I enjoyed cooking. I was thin then, and had lots of energy. Now I have joined the club of Costco shoppers. Leaves more time for writing, reading, gardening, and quilting. Oh, and grandkids and hubby.
ReplyDeleteI have cheerfully given up cooking for the most part. I wish I had a "Barbeque Guy" but my man's culinary talents lean toward hamburger helper! I used to be a good cook, but that is in the past. I find now that I can't seem to pull a meal together all at the same time anymore. We're always waiting on something! Or, we eat in rounds!
ReplyDeleteI'm too tired to cook most nights, although I try to cook a decent meal on the weekend that we can nibble through the rest of the week. There's been many nights of soup and sandwiches.
I think once the kids are gone, we've earned a break and simple is good!
You know, cooking is just not what it used to be. My husband retired some years ago, and he became the chief cook and bottle washer. I do fix my special Sunday morning breakfast maybe every 3 months or so. And I've been known to whip up some chipped beef on toast, but I'd just a soon eat a really good Stouffers Lasagna.
ReplyDeleteThis blog made me laugh. Thanks.
Coleen Brooks is Little Mary Sunshine, just so you know I didn't want to be riddled with guilt about not reading your blog. It still made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteI have always loved cooking but must admit that I am often too tired to feel like doing it these days and so the enjoyment has gone out of it.
ReplyDeleteI did enjoy your post though.
I buy those frozen lasagnas too for nights I don't want to cook. We love them. Good luck with your severed fingers!! Would love to see pictures!
ReplyDeleteI think were all on the same page when it comes to cooking! After cooking for a family for 30 years were just plain tired. Costco has my vote always! Love Linda
ReplyDelete