I started my cooking life from cookbooks-Julia Child, Paul Prudhomme, Galloping Gourmet, back when I didn't cook very often. Cable TV and the internet later gave me a much greater access to recipes. I'd download and print them and put them in looseleafs. My wife finally got sick of all the books and papers cluttering the house and made me get a cookbook program on my computer to load recipes. So, in addition to my old stuff, I've now got 4400 recipes on computer, and growing, with 750 listed as favorites- things I've made and would make again. I have literally thousands of things I'd like to try, but by going to new recipes, I find that I neglect the things I already know I like. I keep altering a system to try to juggle things, to find time for new vs. old, to try to have a weekly beef/pork/shellfish/fish/pasta and also American/Italian/Indian/Mexican/Asian . Between meals with friends and leftovers I end up being able to make 4-5 dinners a week. When I look back, I realize there are things I love that I haven't made in 6 months or more. How do you guys manage to balance things?
summer rotation is obviously different from the winter cold weather months.
I have come a long way from 6-7 years ago. I can probably rip off 15 good meals, not counting the grilling or bbq stuff.
I made a chicken dish last night that came out even better than the first time I made it. Cutlets in a sundried tomato cream sauce--shallots, clove or 2 of garlic, spinach and artichokes. Definite quality.
My wife and I are pretty much in synch, she's good with about 95% of what I would do on my own. I routinely cut down the heat some for her. The stuff she hates, I either don't make or make when she's not around.
Also, usually try to cook at least one meal a week that we can have multiple times or at least use the main underlying base and then change how used. Like will grill some chicken but then use it as quesadillas one night and then maybe just over a big salad the next.
I think people shy away from eating healthy because they think it's all chicken breast, rice, and broccoli, but there's plenty of variation you can do, just gotta find the stuff you like.
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Have a picky wife
My wife and I are pretty much in synch, she's good with about 95% of what I would do on my own. I routinely cut down the heat some for her. The stuff she hates, I either don't make or make when she's not around.
This is largely true for us too. I have been able to work in a few new recipes for her to try and generally she does like them, especially in Korean cuisine. However her hesitation usually keeps us cycling through the same set of meals, depending on the season.
My wife is an amazing cook and tends to drive the dinner agenda. She seems to have an unlimited # of great and interesting dishes up her sleeve. She’s a serious foodie and it serves me well. I do the grilling and the dishes.
summer rotation is obviously different from the winter cold weather months.
I have come a long way from 6-7 years ago. I can probably rip off 15 good meals, not counting the grilling or bbq stuff.
I made a chicken dish last night that came out even better than the first time I made it. Cutlets in a sundried tomato cream sauce--shallots, clove or 2 of garlic, spinach and artichokes. Definite quality.
Just an FYI there is a Tums ad right below your post
Also, usually try to cook at least one meal a week that we can have multiple times or at least use the main underlying base and then change how used. Like will grill some chicken but then use it as quesadillas one night and then maybe just over a big salad the next.
yeah, I do some seasonal things too. Right now some soups and actually, it's a good time of year to grill cause it's not 100 degrees outside at dinnertime. Summers, I throw in some cold, protein-based salads. Was gonna grill today, but it's pouring out, so I've just located a Plan B.
I think people shy away from eating healthy because they think it's all chicken breast, rice, and broccoli, but there's plenty of variation you can do, just gotta find the stuff you like.
PB2 used to offer an excellent roasted peanut oil. It was great in a stir fry, and in some vinaigrettes. I haven't seen it in a while.
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but probably use the calendar seasons the most in terms of driving "what's for dinner". Examples: More soups, stews and pot meals during colder months. More fish and grilling type foods in the warmer months.
Also, usually try to cook at least one meal a week that we can have multiple times or at least use the main underlying base and then change how used. Like will grill some chicken but then use it as quesadillas one night and then maybe just over a big salad the next.
yeah, I do some seasonal things too. Right now some soups and actually, it's a good time of year to grill cause it's not 100 degrees outside at dinnertime. Summers, I throw in some cold, protein-based salads. Was gonna grill today, but it's pouring out, so I've just located a Plan B.
I often say I can make it rain...just need to put food on the grill.
Leftover escarole and bean soup tonight. It was great yesterday.
I think people shy away from eating healthy because they think it's all chicken breast, rice, and broccoli, but there's plenty of variation you can do, just gotta find the stuff you like.
My son-in-law and granddaughter are seriously allergic to gluten, my daughter, his wife, just feels better without it. You?
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In comment 15134155 emcca005 said:
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Have a picky wife
My wife and I are pretty much in synch, she's good with about 95% of what I would do on my own. I routinely cut down the heat some for her. The stuff she hates, I either don't make or make when she's not around.
This is largely true for us too. I have been able to work in a few new recipes for her to try and generally she does like them, especially in Korean cuisine. However her hesitation usually keeps us cycling through the same set of meals, depending on the season.
I've had a bottle of Gochajung sauce in my pantry for months. Today I finally opened it and I'm grilling chicken thighs with it. Halfway done right now. I think it's my first Korean dish. I've been scared off by the reputation for heat until now.
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shrimp, oysters, sushi, ribs with dry rub, lox gluten-free everything bagels with capers, gluten free pasta and gnocchi with butter or tomato sauce and pecorino romano (occasionaly throw a couple bags of seafood mix which is octopus, calamari, mussels, and shrimp in there), carrots, brussel sprouts, homemade blue cheese salad or homemade balsamic vinaigrette salads, dates, PB2 and cocoa mix with monk fruit sugar and vanilla extract, or PB2 and strawberry jam on gluten free bread, muesli in oven to make granola with oat milk and either pb2 and cocoa and monk fruit or berries, dates or bananas while I"m working out, and triple berry mix is essentially like 99 percent of what I eat.
I think people shy away from eating healthy because they think it's all chicken breast, rice, and broccoli, but there's plenty of variation you can do, just gotta find the stuff you like.
My son-in-law and granddaughter are seriously allergic to gluten, my daughter, his wife, just feels better without it. You?
I went from thinking that was a bunch of hypochondriac bullshit, to thinking there was something to it, to steering away from it quite a bit. I actually just got back from Publix and bought a baguette for tomorrow, which I occasionally eat, actually forgot to put that on list. I always do gluten free bagles because they are gluten bombs. But there's definitely a pecking order there. Al dente pasta isn't so bad (think it has to do with the resistant starch, bread, then pizza/bagels from worst to best. Forgot to add gluten free pizza on occasion too.
It definitely fucks with my stomach and gives me digestive issues. Also notice an increase in inflammation in my body. Frequency and dose make it exponentially worse, so I try to keep it to a baguette a week, or the occasion I drunk order something like last night. Nothing really beats a warm baguette and pasture-raised butter for simplicity for dinner. Tonights dinner is a blue cheese salad with buffalo or hot pepper shrimp, bacon, tomatoes, shredded carrots and red onion (thought this was questionable as it doesn't really seem to fit, but thats was recipe included). I'm excited to get some vitamins in my body after the day I had yesterday, but wish this shit would just make itself.
I thought so :)
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wife says "cook this meal, it's yummy" and I say yes dear.
summer rotation is obviously different from the winter cold weather months.
I have come a long way from 6-7 years ago. I can probably rip off 15 good meals, not counting the grilling or bbq stuff.
I made a chicken dish last night that came out even better than the first time I made it. Cutlets in a sundried tomato cream sauce--shallots, clove or 2 of garlic, spinach and artichokes. Definite quality.
Just an FYI there is a Tums ad right below your post
Actually, I've made a Tuscan salmon dish with cream, sundried tomatoes and spinach hich was delicious. And it can also be made with shrimp or chicken
I did those weekly home delivery veggies for a few weeks a while back. l I just always seemed that there were things I didn't like, things that there were too much of for two people, or that I had to base all my menus around a vegetable, rather than around a protein, as I'm used to, and gave up on them
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In comment 15134182 Jimmy Googs said:
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but probably use the calendar seasons the most in terms of driving "what's for dinner". Examples: More soups, stews and pot meals during colder months. More fish and grilling type foods in the warmer months.
Also, usually try to cook at least one meal a week that we can have multiple times or at least use the main underlying base and then change how used. Like will grill some chicken but then use it as quesadillas one night and then maybe just over a big salad the next.
yeah, I do some seasonal things too. Right now some soups and actually, it's a good time of year to grill cause it's not 100 degrees outside at dinnertime. Summers, I throw in some cold, protein-based salads. Was gonna grill today, but it's pouring out, so I've just located a Plan B.
I often say I can make it rain...just need to put food on the grill.
Leftover escarole and bean soup tonight. It was great yesterday.
My wife has had a couple of lunches from a minestrone with beef soup that I made last week. I had a ham and swiss with yellow mustard on one slice of toasted white bread for lunch today. Pretty gourmet, huh? :)
I also made meatballs with a blend of pork, veal and beef. Fresh herbs and added shaved aged Parmesan into the meatballs. The only place I’ve had better meatballs was in Puglia and the Amalfi Coast in Italy.
Love cooking though and have a good repertoire, though my spicy dishes are unfortunately left more on the side with kids.
During summer I use the garden to guide what I cook and during winter really just get in a mood and go from there.
This weekend and spicy cold skin noodles and minestrone soup. I’m all over the place but love cooking
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In comment 15134176 Bill in UT said:
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In comment 15134155 emcca005 said:
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Have a picky wife
My wife and I are pretty much in synch, she's good with about 95% of what I would do on my own. I routinely cut down the heat some for her. The stuff she hates, I either don't make or make when she's not around.
This is largely true for us too. I have been able to work in a few new recipes for her to try and generally she does like them, especially in Korean cuisine. However her hesitation usually keeps us cycling through the same set of meals, depending on the season.
I've had a bottle of Gochajung sauce in my pantry for months. Today I finally opened it and I'm grilling chicken thighs with it. Halfway done right now. I think it's my first Korean dish. I've been scared off by the reputation for heat until now.
So this turned out great. Served it with leftover American potato salad. If anyone's interested, the recipe is:
3 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar
Kosher salt
8 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thigh, trimmed
Directions
In step 2, the chicken can be refrigerated for up to 2 hours before grilling. Gochujang, or Korean red chile paste, can be found in Korean markets or in the Korean section of the supermarket.
INSTRUCTIONS
Combine gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl.
Place chicken, skin side up, on large plate. Sprinkle skin side with ½ teaspoon salt and spread evenly with one-third of gochujang paste. Flip chicken and spread remaining two-thirds of gochujang paste evenly over flesh side. Refrigerate while preparing grill.
FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open bottom vent halfway. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes (7 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent halfway. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). (Adjust primary burner [or, if using 3-burner grill, primary burner and second burner] as needed to maintain grill temperature around 350 degrees.)
Clean and oil cooking grate. Place chicken, skin side down, on cooler side of grill. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Rearrange chicken, keeping skin side down, so that pieces that were closest to edge are now closer to heat source and vice versa. Cover and continue to cook until chicken registers 185 to 190 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
Move all chicken, skin side down, to hotter side of grill and cook until skin is nicely charred, about 5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook until flesh side is lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to platter, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve.
I cut the gochujang down to 2 Tbs as a precaution, but it was nowhere near too hot
Thanks, Drew, I'll check that out. I've got 27 Korean recipes, but I've only made 2 and liked both. I'm going to use the gochujang sauce with some honey and lime juice to glaze some Instant Pot ribs later in the week. If I can keep the heat down for my wife, I'd like to try more though. The entrees should be low-carb, just have to keep the rice level down :) There's a chef named Rachel Khoo who had a show for a while cooking in her tiny apartment in Paris for one table of guests. Amazing what she could do with a shitty little stove/oven.
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In addition to picky wife, our menus work around whatever vegetables we get each week. Stir fry,soups,roasts, omlets, and various pasta dishes seem to show up in my kitchen most often.
I did those weekly home delivery veggies for a few weeks a while back. l I just always seemed that there were things I didn't like, things that there were too much of for two people, or that I had to base all my menus around a vegetable, rather than around a protein, as I'm used to, and gave up on them
I had a similar situation. Was doing a CSA basket every week because a bunch of us at work were doing it. Now, I go to the Farmer's Market most every Saturday and load up on what is in season and looks good. I won't plan meals around the veggies, but I'll pair them with a protein.
Tonight, I did chicken piccata, but the side was roasted broccoli in lemon sauce and a kale salad.
OK I laughed, hard.
Chicken two preps 1) whole roasted with a spice blend (rotated among Chinese 5 spices, garam masala, Ras el-hanut, Bob's Prime Rib rub or similar paprika based spice blend) and 2) leg quarters layered on a pan with the same rotation of spices, potatoes, onions, and other root veggies.
Two casseroles: A- 3 lasagnes, 1) Lasagne rotated among 3 types - classic w bolognese sauce bechamel and parm/romano, 2) cheese only with 3-4 cheese blend and fresh basil and tomato sauce and 3) "white" lasagne with a variety of mushrooms and goat's, sheep's, and cow's cheeses and bechamel and herbs and B) spanakoptiropita
Random pasta night varies - pesto, prima vera, seafood in red sauce, store bought ravioli in cream with goat cheese
And sometimes salads and smies or soup and sammies.
Chili, goulash, curries, french style lamb or veal stews thrown in maybe twice a month.
For special events - birthdays etc if we don't eat out or order in - more special treats like a rack of lamb or fish en papillote or seafood scampi.
That's about all I do with rare exception.
In other words, a vast majority of what I cook are old favorites I've been making for decades.
Chicken two preps 1) whole roasted with a spice blend (rotated among Chinese 5 spices, garam masala, Ras el-hanut, Bob's Prime Rib rub or similar paprika based spice blend) and 2) leg quarters layered on a pan with the same rotation of spices, potatoes, onions, and other root veggies.
Two casseroles: A- 3 lasagnes, 1) Lasagne rotated among 3 types - classic w bolognese sauce bechamel and parm/romano, 2) cheese only with 3-4 cheese blend and fresh basil and tomato sauce and 3) "white" lasagne with a variety of mushrooms and goat's, sheep's, and cow's cheeses and bechamel and herbs and B) spanakoptiropita
Random pasta night varies - pesto, prima vera, seafood in red sauce, store bought ravioli in cream with goat cheese
And sometimes salads and smies or soup and sammies.
Chili, goulash, curries, french style lamb or veal stews thrown in maybe twice a month.
For special events - birthdays etc if we don't eat out or order in - more special treats like a rack of lamb or fish en papillote or seafood scampi.
That's about all I do with rare exception.
In other words, a vast majority of what I cook are old favorites I've been making for decades.
yeah, that looks like a great plan. Hopefully, I'll get down to something like that one of these days. I wish I hadn't gotten started so late, I still feel like I've got a lot of experimenting to do. And since I stopped watching the news, Food Network (and PBS cooking shows on Saturday) has been my default channel on TV, and I'm constantly bombarded with new stuff, at least new to me.
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two different preps 1) Moroccan style tagine with sweet bell peppers, cumin, paprika (sweet and hot), garlic, cilantro, carrots and garbanzo and 2) broiled with fresh herbs and shallots and evoo and butter on top
Chicken two preps 1) whole roasted with a spice blend (rotated among Chinese 5 spices, garam masala, Ras el-hanut, Bob's Prime Rib rub or similar paprika based spice blend) and 2) leg quarters layered on a pan with the same rotation of spices, potatoes, onions, and other root veggies.
Two casseroles: A- 3 lasagnes, 1) Lasagne rotated among 3 types - classic w bolognese sauce bechamel and parm/romano, 2) cheese only with 3-4 cheese blend and fresh basil and tomato sauce and 3) "white" lasagne with a variety of mushrooms and goat's, sheep's, and cow's cheeses and bechamel and herbs and B) spanakoptiropita
Random pasta night varies - pesto, prima vera, seafood in red sauce, store bought ravioli in cream with goat cheese
And sometimes salads and smies or soup and sammies.
Chili, goulash, curries, french style lamb or veal stews thrown in maybe twice a month.
For special events - birthdays etc if we don't eat out or order in - more special treats like a rack of lamb or fish en papillote or seafood scampi.
That's about all I do with rare exception.
In other words, a vast majority of what I cook are old favorites I've been making for decades.
yeah, that looks like a great plan. Hopefully, I'll get down to something like that one of these days. I wish I hadn't gotten started so late, I still feel like I've got a lot of experimenting to do. And since I stopped watching the news, Food Network (and PBS cooking shows on Saturday) has been my default channel on TV, and I'm constantly bombarded with new stuff, at least new to me.
Youtube has a lot of good food videos, you just have to cut through a lot of shitty videos to get to them.
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In comment 15135511 BelieveJJ said:
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two different preps 1) Moroccan style tagine with sweet bell peppers, cumin, paprika (sweet and hot), garlic, cilantro, carrots and garbanzo and 2) broiled with fresh herbs and shallots and evoo and butter on top
Chicken two preps 1) whole roasted with a spice blend (rotated among Chinese 5 spices, garam masala, Ras el-hanut, Bob's Prime Rib rub or similar paprika based spice blend) and 2) leg quarters layered on a pan with the same rotation of spices, potatoes, onions, and other root veggies.
Two casseroles: A- 3 lasagnes, 1) Lasagne rotated among 3 types - classic w bolognese sauce bechamel and parm/romano, 2) cheese only with 3-4 cheese blend and fresh basil and tomato sauce and 3) "white" lasagne with a variety of mushrooms and goat's, sheep's, and cow's cheeses and bechamel and herbs and B) spanakoptiropita
Random pasta night varies - pesto, prima vera, seafood in red sauce, store bought ravioli in cream with goat cheese
And sometimes salads and smies or soup and sammies.
Chili, goulash, curries, french style lamb or veal stews thrown in maybe twice a month.
For special events - birthdays etc if we don't eat out or order in - more special treats like a rack of lamb or fish en papillote or seafood scampi.
That's about all I do with rare exception.
In other words, a vast majority of what I cook are old favorites I've been making for decades.
yeah, that looks like a great plan. Hopefully, I'll get down to something like that one of these days. I wish I hadn't gotten started so late, I still feel like I've got a lot of experimenting to do. And since I stopped watching the news, Food Network (and PBS cooking shows on Saturday) has been my default channel on TV, and I'm constantly bombarded with new stuff, at least new to me.
Youtube has a lot of good food videos, you just have to cut through a lot of shitty videos to get to them.
yeah, I go there sometimes. Mostly I like something online where I can just copy and paste a recipe. I don't like having to watch and transcribe, if they even give the exact ingredients. You can probably just take the gist of a recipe and recreate it, I lack that talent :)
I'm guessing you like German food :)
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and will probably have Kale and Pinklewurst this weekend.
I'm guessing you like German food :)
lol I do!
But French is the greatest cuisine imo.
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In comment 15135773 Grey Pilgrim said:
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and will probably have Kale and Pinklewurst this weekend.
I'm guessing you like German food :)
lol I do!
But French is the greatest cuisine imo.
I've got 2 Julia Child cookbooks, but haven't used them much. I've been watching Jacques Pepin on PBS lately and bought a cookbook of his. Also have made some recipes from Laura Calder from Cooking Channel which were very good. Will be making more French dishes in future. I die for my escargots in garlic butter recipe. Making it again in a couple of weeks. Even have my own gratin and escargot plates :) Fortunately, my kitchen has a lot of storage space.
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In comment 15136234 Bill in UT said:
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In comment 15135773 Grey Pilgrim said:
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and will probably have Kale and Pinklewurst this weekend.
I'm guessing you like German food :)
lol I do!
But French is the greatest cuisine imo.
I've got 2 Julia Child cookbooks, but haven't used them much. I've been watching Jacques Pepin on PBS lately and bought a cookbook of his. Also have made some recipes from Laura Calder from Cooking Channel which were very good. Will be making more French dishes in future. I die for my escargots in garlic butter recipe. Making it again in a couple of weeks. Even have my own gratin and escargot plates :) Fortunately, my kitchen has a lot of storage space.
Nice!